Derision

So I've spent a good portion of time this summer playing in the sane of the pine barrens, occasionally fishing, in my '93 XJ. I have been accompanied most of the time by my uncle in his 2007 Durango. My brother has also been coming along, but he does not own a vehicle that can traverse the shoddy trails and sugar sands of southern New Jersey.

The Jeep bug has bitten him, though, and since the first day we went, he's been searching for an affordable XJ, all to no avail. Around here, they're either exorbitantly priced or in horrible condition, or both. Finally, he called me up to tell me that he'd finally gotten his 4x4, and was ready to go fishing.

What he got was this:



It's a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder with 213,000 miles on it. It has a 3.3L V6 (the venerable VG33, which I understand to be almost as bulletproof as my XJ's 4.0L I6), four speed automatic, TX10 transfer case, heated leather seats and mirrors, sunroof, Bose audio system, new front axle shafts and CV joints, limited slip rear differential, and five brand new Michelin Defender tires. It runs so smoothly, you can't even feel it vibrating when you put your hand on the actual engine. Oh, it was also originally a Georgia car, so there is not a single spot of rust anywhere on the thing. Even the belly of the thing is pristine white paint. He got it from the first owner, who kept every receipt and logged every bit of service -- even oil changes -- from the time he bought it until now. The owner wanted $3700 for it, and my brother talked him down to $2100.

And... I hate to admit it, but I'm a little jelly.

My Jeep is a Jeep. Part of what I like about it being a Jeep is the fact that it has practically no creature comforts whatsoever. I take some joy in the fact that I'll get where I'm going no matter what, but... I don't have heated leather (or even comfortable) seats or mirrors, I don't have cup holders (well, I went out and bought some cheap window-handing cup holders), or an electronic compass, or a limited slip differential. I don't even have an arm rest!

And while this Pathfinder is sort of XJ-ish, in that it has an actual "frame" that is welded to the body, and shifts from 4 wheel drive to 2 wheel drive almost exactly the same as in the XJ... it's just really comfy and fun to drive around.

XJ:


R50:


So... I want to mess with my brother, and keep chiding him for not getting a Jeep. I've already gone through the whole "solid front axle > IFS" stuff, and thrown the 4.0's extra 20 horses at him, but... I'm having trouble coming up with anything else. Does anybody know any inherent flaws in the construction or abilities of a pristine R50?

ArmyGuy

I think pathfinders are great, reliable rigs. For hunting trails and stuff, they are great. Throw on some good tires and a small lift and you are set. Of course there isn't the aftermarket support to the extent that XJs have, but if he isn't planning on crazy stuff, it should work good.

easy mods http://www.rocky-road.com/pathfindersus.html
blog.rugedrocksoffroad.com/2009/09/16/nissan-33-spline-lock-right-locker-xterra-frontier-pathfinder-98-04/

your imagination and fabricating ability is really where the limits are.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/nissa...r-r50-sas.html

dmill89

I'm not sure if it applies to 98s but I know older Pathfinders had issues with the stock transmission coolers (heat exchangers) in the radiator failing allowing coolant to get in the transmission which destroys it, the solution for this is to bypass the stock cooler in the rad with a good aftermarket transmission cooler.

Dan91

Only real issues I knew of were frame rust problems on the early 90s ones, I saw one where it literally looked like the rear axle might rip off if you hit the brakes too hard lol. I like pathfinders though, they look cool.

2WDUnderachiever

Just tell him your fuel gauge is bigger than his.

andrewmp6

The nissan vq v6 has its good and really bad points,The good it will run a long time if taken care of,The bad timing chain tensioners wear out and chain knock tell it jumps timing and kills its self in the end.

Derision

I thought that issue was with the newer Pathfinders, like the big body-on-frame things they became after '05. Either way... the previous owner already put a transmission cooler on it, because he used the thing to tow a boat.

Well, there's practically no rust on this one. I doubt any car that age would be rust free in New Jersey, where we pave the roads with salt, but this was a Georgia car and seems to have been well treated... not a spot of rust anywhere on it.

Heheheh... this is true. Plus, I don't have any gauges to look at and get worried... by the time any of my idiot lights inform me of a problem, it'll be far too late to do any worrying about it.

I've heard fantastic things about the VG33... a little weak in the power range, but from everything I've read, it rivals the 4.0 in reliability if taken care of. It does have a timing belt, which is never a great thing... but, once again, the previous owner had replaced it like two months ago, so it should be good for another 60,000 miles.

I've also just read about the differentials... it's got the H233B rear differential, which is supposedly about 50% stronger than a Dana 44, and with a stock limited slip... whilst I'm on my second open Chrysler 8.25".

We took it off road the other day. My XJ was creaking and rattling and squeaking and making all the normal kinds of noises that it makes when doing anything. That stupid Pathfinder... not a sound. Popped over rocks and through puddles like nothing at all. I keep telling myself, "Yeah, but it's not a Jeep," but then my brother just grins and keeps tooling along.

I'm going to have to put a lift in this thing just to maintain dominance.

2WDUnderachiever

Yours has the classic Jeep styling, though.

But there's one way to settle this... Dragstrip.
;D

I feel ya' on this, though... My cousin's got a mint '84 Bronco 4x4 on 35s with a 302, equal-length headers, and a stick...
I have a 2WD automatic XJ.
To assert my dominance, I have to at least be able to beat him in a straight line, so my engine'll be getting lots of goodies soon. ;P

DougyFresh

I just got done replacing the transmission and radiator in a 2006 Pathfinder that had that exact problem

jpz

It's never fun trying to Keep up with the Jones'. I wouldn't worry about his SUV, or trying to glorify your Jeep. Just get out there and enjoy the time spent with your brother.