TahoeRunner Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hi everyone. Complete newbie here but I'd thought I'd check with you guys on a possible purchase. I've generally have loved nissans. I've had two frontiers in the past and have wanted to get a newer xterra or pathfinder. Anyways, in this economic climate and newer nissan is out of the question. My 14 year old Z71 with 180k finally crapped its motor out and I sold it because I was tired of putting money into it. From what i've heard the older pathfinders are pretty reliable and I need something with 4x4, 4 doors (have kids) and in good shape. So my first question is that I found a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder XEv6 with all the basics (power windows and locks mainly.) only 129k miles and the guy is the original owner. Older guy and he has all the records and has recently put new tires on it, clutch and done the timing belt. The thing is just cherry and been garaged. Best of all its a manual tranny too! Anyways he's asking 4k which is a little hi I think. The thing books for only $2700 but I know with something very clean you can almost throw the book out the window. Also, I want to confirm that something like this should be generally reliable. did the 95's have common issues to worrry about, look for. I need something that's not going to drain my account, and with the shape this one is in, I'm thinking it should be good to go! Thanks guys, and if I buy it, you'll probaby see me around here more often! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) First of all, welcome! http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=19042 Thats sort of a common issue thread. As long as the timing belt is recent, I'd feel good about the motor. The exhaust studs breaking is common, but its not a hard fix if it has the issue, as long as you are a do it yourself kinda guy, there are threads around here for that. I'd be concerned with rust, mainly the rear frame above the axles, but it does creep elsewhere. As for body rust, look under the rear seats (the portion that pops up) and look under where the exhaust goes 2 into 1 at the flange, very common for rust to form because that gasket fails. It will rust the body right under where your feet sit, carpet fires have happend. 4K still seems really high, I'd offer him a little above blue book if its really really nice. Edited February 26, 2012 by Trogdor636 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TahoeRunner Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Up here around tahoe and the surrounding cities they aren't allowed to use salt. So Rust isn't usually an issue around here and its dry? Do people in the south away from the rust belt usually have problems with these still rusting? Blue book is $2700 so I was thinking it is still worth $500 over that. It is one owner, always been in the garage, it has new tires too, he has every other record of everything he's done to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Up here around tahoe and the surrounding cities they aren't allowed to use salt. So Rust isn't usually an issue around here and its dry? Do people in the south away from the rust belt usually have problems with these still rusting? Blue book is $2700 so I was thinking it is still worth $500 over that. It is one owner, always been in the garage, it has new tires too, he has every other record of everything he's done to it. They rust easy. It pays to check just in case. When I was looking for a Pathfinder, there was one in Sacramento I went to look at. The guy was the original owner and had the original sticker from a Sacramento dealer, and with a little digging and a tap of a hammer, I had to pass. The frame was swiss cheese. My current Pathfinder was bought in the Bay Area, but spent 5 years of its life in the Chicago area, so I have some body rust I am dealing with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Mine was an Idaho car. Definitely check for rust, maybe even pull the rear wheel off. (I didn't notice mine until I tried to clean the rail to undercoat it.) The price does seem a little high, but if it's as nice as you say, it's all about what it's worth to you. I figure resale value only matters if you're looking to flip it. If you end up paying full price, though, make sure you inspect the holy hell out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heloflyboy Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Check for rust like everyone said. If he is the original owner and it was kept in garage ,you are probably good.Your winters are not that bad.(went to U.N.R. go wolf pack). They are great as a family car. I used mine for years in Lake Tahoe before making it a rock crawler. Still use it alot just not much in snow.Detroit lockers and ice BAD. 500 over sounds good especially if it is clean.Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TahoeRunner Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) Is there a way to prevent the rust from happening if it hasn't already started? I'll inspect it for rust for sure. Heloflyboy. I see you are in SLT. Thats where we are meeting to purchase it. I got him to come down below 3500 so if its not rusted out I think I'll buy it. He lives just above Placerville. Edited February 27, 2012 by TahoeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nismothunder Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Yeah, replace the frame with one thats not made from pot metal. And make sure the the drain holes in the frame are not blocked, which is genrally why they rust out. They block up and the frame acts as a tank holding liquids. Despite what the tv shows tell you cans of POR 15, RustStop, EvapORust, and so on do not work, there is not a thing out there that will fix rusted metal except cutting it out and replacing it. Bed liners and under coating do work, but only if you dont plug the drain holes. I like the 3m underliner thats bought at wally world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Hi everyone. Complete newbie here but I'd thought I'd check with you guys on a possible purchase. I've generally have loved nissans. I've had two frontiers in the past and have wanted to get a newer xterra or pathfinder. Anyways, in this economic climate and newer nissan is out of the question. My 14 year old Z71 with 180k finally crapped its motor out and I sold it because I was tired of putting money into it. From what i've heard the older pathfinders are pretty reliable and I need something with 4x4, 4 doors (have kids) and in good shape. So my first question is that I found a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder XEv6 with all the basics (power windows and locks mainly.) only 129k miles and the guy is the original owner. Older guy and he has all the records and has recently put new tires on it, clutch and done the timing belt. The thing is just cherry and been garaged. Best of all its a manual tranny too! Anyways he's asking 4k which is a little hi I think. The thing books for only $2700 but I know with something very clean you can almost throw the book out the window. Also, I want to confirm that something like this should be generally reliable. did the 95's have common issues to worrry about, look for. I need something that's not going to drain my account, and with the shape this one is in, I'm thinking it should be good to go! Thanks guys, and if I buy it, you'll probaby see me around here more often! Hi and Welcome! Yep, I've been driving Nissans for almost 20 years now and reliability has always been there. Is that one an XE or SE, does it have LSD in the rear, heated mirrors, external tire carrier? All of which I think you would want in Reno... Look at the price this way. Is an extremely reliable 4x4 with 130k miles that can haul your family year round worth $3000-4000?? When it was new, it cost 10x that... No point in over paying, but if it is what you want it hardly seems like a bad deal, especially considering the condition and recent mechanical work.(assuming no rust/cancer) Some people get ridiculous deals, but I bought my current 1995 with 96,000 miles for $3200 two years ago and consider it a deal. It's all relative... 1995 have no real issues other than weak front steering (center link) when used aggressively/off road/large wheels (remedies are not terribly expensive), exhaust burning under driver foot area (usually due to leaking exhaust, not hard to deal with) and rust, mainly in the salt states. If it isn't rusted already, I doubt it is an issue. Make sure the gears do not whine, and if you buy it, replace the drive line fluids, especially the tranny which will need 5.1 liters of GL-4 only or Redline MT90, just trust me for now. All this said, good luck!! The WD21 Pathfinder is a fairly reliable vehicle and normally doesn't need much attention under normal usage conditions. They tend to last under harsh usage too and most of the tips and parts can be found here also. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowser Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) And just to follow up on the rust issue and where to check, for the most part there are a few places that tend to rust out more then others. The absolute worst is the area by the rear wheels as was said, but since you're not familiar in where exactly to look, I'll pop a few pointers to help you give it a real thorough check here. At The rear wheel well, if you can either take the rear tire off, or slide under the vehicle, you're going to see a couple of holes in the side of the frame rail. what you want to do is get your finger in that hole and fell around. These frames are Notorious for rusting out from the inside. It might look mint on the outside, but trust me, you're going to want to know what its like on the inside. Also in that area is the mounts where the rear spring perches are welded to the frame. If the drain holes are plugged solid then I'd be interested in checking the frame rail along the bottom of the rocker area. Bring a hammer with you to tap around and listen as well. On the body, they tend to rust at the front fender top middle of wheel well, and at the rear door bottom back corners. That is a tough area to fix. Open the doors and inspect that. To check the rear floor of the rear seat, you can lift the rear seat bottom forward and peak under the insulation. That's a real bad spot for rust. And at the collector of the y pipe on the exhaust, which was mentioned, slide under the vehicle and feel above it. If its all bubbled, or rotten then count on that being something to deal with. Don't let the fear of rust discourage you from finding another pathfinder if this one turns out to be not up to par though. For the money it costs for a WD21 model Pathfinder,(1986-1995 in North America) I doubt you'll find such a capable 4x4 SUV with as much reliability. These things can take a serious beating and can get very high mileage on an engine if its properly maintained. Keep in mind that fuel consumption was much higher for all SUV type back in 95. Regardless, They are severely under rated in comparison to Toyota's 4 runner. If you find something nice and it has a little bit of rust, not brutal, Many MANY people here have plated, and worked on the Rust issue so there's LOTS of info on here about that. If it has no Rust, and it has a Manual Tranny that shifts smoothly, No whining, and had the Clutch done at some point that it wont be necessary soon, and finally the Timing belt replaced, then that's the bulk of the SERIOUS stuff right there. Everything else is just minor crap like exhaust studs and the like. Good luck and don't forget to poke your fingers in those holes! Edited February 28, 2012 by Dowser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TahoeRunner Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Wow, thanks for all the tips. I will definitely scour it for rust. Its an XE but with most power stuff. Has the rear tire carrier but not sure about the heated mirrors. I'm meeting the guy tomorrow afternoon. He sent me a lot of pictures of it and I'm not kidding you it looks better than our 4 year old mini-van. From the pictures I can tell there is no rust on the rear door corners or the door jams. I will look over that rear frame and above the exhaust real well. How do the holes get pluggged usually? from off roading? This pathfinder was driven by his 60-something year old wife to drive down into sacramento a couple of times a week to pick up their grand daughter or run errands and they have never taken it off-road. It has 129k miles and he sent me a list of the recent work done to it. Had the t-belt, water pump and thermostat done at 113k. New bypass Heater hose and tune-up at 115k. New Michelin tires at 118k. Had one of the front axles replaced at 124k and the clutch replaced with a resurfaced flywheel about 2k miles ago. They are selling it because he said after 17 years he figured it was about time to buy his wife a new car. They bought a 2012 CRV and he said its their first automatic they've ever bought! Is the rear frame boxed or a c-channel? I guess if its boxed that makes it harder to inspect from under the car. I'll check the holes. Does it help to take a flash light? can you look into the frame rail from behind the bumper easily? Lastly, what is the difference in sound it should make between rust and no rust if I tap it with a hammer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
englishjim Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Congradulations. They are terrific cars. Ive had 4runners (narrower wheelbase and mediocre engine) and now Im selling my 96 tacoma because my Pathy does it all. Sounds like you are getting a deal. I am new here but have found everyone really helpfull so you started at the right place. Dont worry too much about rust, where you are it shouldnt be too much of an issue. Ive discovered a lot of finiky things to be aware of, first up - on manual transmissions the oil levels are rarely correct. Check the Lube specifications on this website, the oil levels are low from factory. The easiest way to fill is through the shift lever in the cabin. Yep. These are really great vehicles. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Boxed, except it's sort of open at the top IIRC. Road dirt gets in, can't get out, and holds water against the metal. If there's any salt in that water, it'll eat the frame. You can tell rust vs solid by the sound. Tap it on the top (should be solid there)... it'll make a sort of ping. If you hit rust, it'll go thunk, as what's left of the metal gives a little. For reference, here's where mine rotted out. As you can see, it was full of dirt. You can't really look into the rail without removing the bumper, which is a real PITA. A flashlight wouldn't hurt, but the hammer's still your best bet. If you can put the rear axle on a jack and pull a wheel off, you'll get a much better look at the frame! Also check the driver's rail above the exhaust in the back, mine had what looked like a crack, turned out it had about a foot-long rust hole. And this is on a car with almost no body rust. Sounds like the one you're looking at is really clean, hope everything works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TahoeRunner Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Well just a quick update... So the weather here has been draggin this thing out and I haven't been able to see the pathfinder yet. Monday my wife, my son and I were all deathly ill, so we were scheduled to drive up there yesterday afternoon which got pushed back to today but this storm just won't go away!! So It looks like its going to be Saturday. I'm pretty sure i'm going to buy it as long as their is no rust (which I'm thinking is a slim chance). In all this time going back and forth, the guy has been feeding me more info and pictures on it as he has time. yesterday he sent me a scan of the original window sticker from when he bought it. Its an XE V6 in Champagne Pearl with the XE Convenience Package, the XE Sport Package (which includes the LSD rear end), Air Conditioning and California Emissions for a grand total of $26,785. That's actually more than I thought it would be back then! If I buy it Saturday Morning I'll post pics for you guys. You'll be shocked how clean this thing is... The guy said he's not aware of any rust and his mechanic has never mentioned it to him but I'm pretty sure he hasn't been tapping around or sticking his fingers inside the frame rail, So i'm praying it comes out clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowser Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Best of luck! If it's clean and rust free, and with the clutch, timing belt and all the maintenance records, and hasn't ever been driven offroad...... Man that's an amazing find right there. If you're smart about this, and treat your purchase like a new vehicle, think of the purchase price like a down payment, and put a little aside every month as a Car Payment, to buy all the things to keep it running like a top for the yeas to come. The best type of Maintenance is preventative. If you wait for things to break down usually it's a lot more expensive, and usually does more harm to other components that were previously doing just fine. Can't wait to see the Photo's. I'm sure you'll be getting hooked to this forum once you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Well just a quick update... So the weather here has been draggin this thing out and I haven't been able to see the pathfinder yet. Monday my wife, my son and I were all deathly ill, so we were scheduled to drive up there yesterday afternoon which got pushed back to today but this storm just won't go away!! Its an XE V6 in Champagne Pearl with the XE Convenience Package, the XE Sport Package (which includes the LSD rear end), Air Conditioning and California Emissions for a grand total of $26,785. That's actually more than I thought it would be back then! Raining right now in Santa Rosa, so you'll have at least another day of storm. Looks clear after that though... Cool, that one sounds just like mine! Here, allow me to whet your appetite. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TahoeRunner Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 @precise1: So I'm confused... what is the red pathfinder in your sig that's not near as nice? is that the before photo or another pathfinder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reshma Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 (edited) @precise1: So I'm confused... what is the red pathfinder in your sig that's not near as nice? is that the before photo or another pathfinder? Parts Truck I assume I thought the same as you when I first arrived at NPORA. :] Dont turn out to be me. The real old timers hate me and my stupid questions. XD Edited March 2, 2012 by PathfinderIII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 @precise1: So I'm confused... what is the red pathfinder in your sig that's not near as nice? is that the before photo or another pathfinder? Yes, good deduction. The red one is my first Pathfinder in it's 2nd to last stage of life, the part out stage. The other is my current WD21 that is patiently awaiting some rear axle seals and brake work ATM. It's a Champagne 95xe with lsd (with a few extras) like the one you are interested in... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TahoeRunner Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 oh... makes sense! haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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