99 vs. 99.5

[BigEdge02]

Hey all,

 

Newbie here, I have a 99.5 pathy and I got a question about the difference between the 99.5 and 99. I did a search but couldn't really find what I'm looking for....How can you tell, just by standing there looking at it, if its a 99 or a 99.5? I know that you can check the build date on the sticker on the drivers door, but I'm not really sure what date means what.

 

The main reason for my question is because I'd like to know about interchangeable parts for the R50's, especially the trans cause I think its starting to go, got 167k miles on 'er. I know that in 2001, the R50 went from the 3.3 to the 3.5 motor, so does that mean that all pathy's from 96 up to 2000 are the same (parts wise)?

 

Thanks for any info!

[Simon]

Your 99.5 shares the same body panels and overall look as the later model R50's. The 99 is the same shape as the 96-99 models.

 

Basically, it was almost 100% cosmetic in the 99.5 re-release, except for a change in the rear mounting locations of the shocks. (I think)

 

To be COMPLETELY compatible, you'd be looking at 99.5-2000 trucks for parts. Though, there are plenty of parts from both the 01+ and 99 - that will fit.

[FUELER]

ya theres all sorts of subltle little differences that will surpirse ya. WHen i needed an AC compressor, i learned that the 96-99 compressor will NOT work on a 1999.5-2000 because its just slightly different

[nissandoms47]

Mostly cosmetic. for the pathfinder it got totally different everything pretty much, different colors, different interior (slightly), different tailgate, tailights, hood, bumper,fenders etc..

 

For the QX4, it got a fully electronic transfer case, composite headlights, the plastic clear lensed ones, not the glass ones like older QX4s, an extra large cup holder. etc. Same tailgate, taillights etc, those didnt get changed until the VQ model QX4s.

[laxman0324]

Didn't the 99.5 get the larger front discs as well? And The 99.5 Pathy got plastic headlamps as well where the 99 had glass. And it got a larger cupholder.

[Pezzy]

Didn't the 99.5 get the larger front discs as well?

 

Yup.

[BigEdge02]

Wow, definitely more changes than I thought, so basically I could probably get parts from either the older (96-99) R50's or the newer (99.5 - 04) R50's, depending on what part it is of course. Thanks everyone for all the info!

 

What build date on the driver's door sticker qualifies a 99 as a 99 or 99.5?

 

Thanks

[FUELER]

i believe 12/98 can someone confirm or correct this

[180sx]

I thought it was 11/98...hmm....But I'm not sure either...or was it 1/99....hmmm....

[dkpath96]

Good info, thanks guys. I'm looking at a very clean 99.5 (it's still listed as a 99) with 91,000 mi, going for $7000. Nice to know it has the bigger front discs.

 

I'm gonna try to talk the dealer into new timing belt/water pump before I go for it though. And did they fix the exhaust manifold issue with this model year, I know it still has the VG33.

 

Any other ominous things to look for?

[Alkorahil]

12/98

[BigEdge02]

Alright, so I thought I had a '99.5 (because thats what the dealer told me) but now I'm thinking its a '99. I bought it brand new and I'm pretty sure (didn't look through all my old files yet) that I got it in Feb. of '99. The build date on the sticker is 6/98 which right there tells me that its probably not a '99.5 because I'm pretty sure, after doing some searching and talking to you guys, that 12/98 was when they began the '99.5's. I did a vehicle VIN look-up (at a site called motoverse.com) and it also tells me its a '99, here is my look-up:

 

http://www.motoverse.com/tools/vinDecoder/JN8AR05Y3XW296085

 

I'm not sure if the look-up could distingiush between '99 and '99.5 because it was just one of those basic free look-ups, no in-depth details really. Also, after some more researching, I'm pretty sure that the '99.5's (among many other changes) also got new front and rear bumpers that look different from the '99's. I'm pretty sure that from '96 to '99 the front bumper had the fog lights more towards the middle, near the tow hooks, and '99.5 to '04 had the full plastic bumper with the fogs more towards the outside, kinda like the qx4 (mine is the like the '96 to '99's)...can anyone confirm this?

 

Its not really a huge deal, I love my pathy reardless, I'd just like to finally know the "true" year of my R50.

 

Thanks

[FUELER]

1999.5 looks like this

 

[XPLORx4]

Yep. For the most part a 99 is indistinguishable from a 98, and a 99.5 is indistinguishable from a 2000, except I think the 1999.5's have the grille shown above in Fueler's post, as opposed to the grille shown below. Here are some more examples:

 

1999:

 

1999.5/2000:

Edited June 19, 2009 by XPLORx4

[Pezzy]

I think the 1999.5's have the grille shown above in Fueler's post, as opposed to the grille shown below.

 

That's the easiest way to tell ... I didn't even know I had a 99.5 after owning mine for a few months.

[exit34rocker1017]

i have a 1999.5, but its not two tone trim, its all black. also the grille is like the 2000-2004 grille. i am beginning to think this is NOT a 1999.5 as it said when i bought it. could my pathy be another year?

[laxman0324]

The bar grill is on the LE and XE models for 99.5-2001 (at least since mines 01). The XE had no flares, SE had gray flares, the LE had color matching flares. The eggcrate grill is not only on 99.5 since my 01 SE has it. They did some wheel shifting and grill changing and what not almost every year from 99.5-04.