SUVman

Have any 03 4Runner owners test drove/owned a Pathfinder? What do you think about their performances on and off-road? I like what I have seen and read about the new 4Runner, but I would like to know how the competition stacks up especially when you've had both and got to know all the in's and out's. I think it's pretty telling when my eyes follow a 4Runner passing by.

Thanks ahead for the feedback.

Victor

What year Pathfinder you talking about? The current one isn't really much of an offroad vehicle but the previous generation of Pathfinder was quite capable.

EDGE

Owned a 96 SE and a 2000 LE Pathfinder, both where great vehicles not one problem except the cracked exhaust manifolds on the 96 but if you let the engine properly warm up no cracking.

On road I would have to give it to the Pathfinder, at the time I had my 2000 LE my friend had a 2000 Limited 4Runner, I thought engine wise the Pathfinder was stronger pulling to 60 and all and so did my friend but over all the 2 engines had about the same power compared to the weight they where hauling, both where in need of more hp and the 3.5L that was dropped into the Pathfinder in 2001 was a great thing to an already great vehicle, truck had more than enough torque.

The Pathfinder could also out handle the 4Runner on roads, probably due to the lower ground clearance or 8.3 inches and the car like suspension, trust me I pushed this thing had especially around turns.

Several of my friends even like it's onroad ride better than the 4Runner, the 4Runner was bouncier and more truck like.

But over all street wise they are both equal, give or take some really depends on the drivers comfort level, I did not mind either but most would perfer smoother.

Offroad the Pathfinder is unibody and can only be lifted 2 maybe 3 inches, their is a sudden surge in guys lifting their 96-03 Pathfinder over on the nissan board the Pathfinder also lacks aftermarket but it is slowly growing, nothin compared to Toyota.

It really depends how far you wanna go offroad, mild and as a hobby or mud and rock crawling, but still their are hard core Pathfinder owners and some that can probably go as far as any Toyota offroad, their are Pathfinders or what they call Terranos in Japan that have to have 8 inch lifts, they look bad ass but I don't think their is enough demand for it here.

The 4Runner can also fit larger tires easier, Pathfinder owners can barly fit 32 on the truck with a lift.

I went with a 96 cause at the time snow was the big thing and everyone wanted a 4WD and I worked for Nissan, I got the 2000 cause they wanted to much for an SR5 that had the same sticker as the Pathfinder and the Nissan felt more refined and not like I was driving a pickup.

Now my 2003 4Runner, I looked at a 2003 LE Pathfinder almost the same as my 2000 but the 4Runner was bigger inside much more leg room, has rear disc brakes, V8 5speed auto and was just so much more different and better in my mind than the Pathfinder plus the Pathfinder was already goin into it's 8th year with only a face lift in 99.5 and a new engine in 2001 but overall still the same so I passed.

A guy on the 4x4 board bought a Infiniti Qx4 over a V8 4Runner cause he did not feel like waiting and got more from Infiniti than on the SR5 with unpainted cladding, so not everyone thinks alike.

The 3rd Gen 4Runner went from 96-02 with minor changes, so hopefully the 4th Gen will not change for a while so it value stays good.

I could list more just ask

The Toyota also goes for slightly more than the Nissan but hopefully when the current Pathfinder gets redesigned in 2004 or 2005 it will be just as good as the 4Runner.

sschaefer3

You cannot compare the two. It would be unfair. The current Pathfinder is unibody, the 4Runner ladder frame.

A correct comparison would be Toyota Highlander vs Nissan Pathfinder. Or, Toyota 4Runner vs Nissan Xterra.

Apples and Oranges

EDGE

Highlander-Murano
Pathfinder-Xterra-4Runner

I would bet the Pathfinder could go as far as almost any 4Runner owner

Vato Loco

Pathfinders are not as rugged as they used to be since '96, even with the rear tire rack still doesn't look as rugged.

SUVman

Thanks for the in-depth discussion. I do have some more questions:

Which in your opinion of the two SUV's seem to rattle and squeek less?

When you do your maintenance, which seems easier/more accessible to remove and replace filters, belts, etc.? (I have found my Nissans easier to get in and around the engine than my wife's '00 Sienna.)

Which trim level of the 03 4Runner do you have? Did you test drive the 4Runner with and without the Air Suspension option? Any noticeable difference in the ride?

Has Nissan hinted if it will put in the 4.5L or the new 5.6L V8 in the redesigned 05 Pathfinder?

I apologize for all the questions, but, for nearly $40K, I want an SUV that's capable and going to last with a minimum of repairs.

91Runner

Well I'm not a Pathfinder owner, but I do own an '02 Xterra :beaver:

In November I was shopping around for a new truck because my '91 4Runner was starting to show it's age a bit (hehe okay not really, but I had the opportunity to get a new truck so I jumped on it ) When I was shopping around I really wanted to get a new 4Runner, but an '02 4Runner was too expensive for me, so I started looking around at Nissans. And I test drove an Xterra (Had already driven a 3rd Gen 4Runner, because my mom has a '97) and I fell in love with it.

I had originally seen the Xterra back at the San Diego Auto Show in '98 or '99 before they came out, and I told myself that I had to have one. I loved the over all look of it.

And now after driving it for almost 6 months now my opinion is still the same on it, the Xterra is a great truck. I bought pretty much a fully loaded XE-V6 (without the Supercharger) minus the sport package (Foglights, Limited Slip Diff., and one other little thing) because none of the Xterras within 100 miles of me had the sport package. In my opinion the Xterra has more than enough power for what I need it for (Going to and from work, carting my fiance' and daughter around town, and going offroading ) and in it's stock form it's more than capable for the offroading I do (Fire roads, dirt trails, and desert runs mainly) and I'm probably not even going to lift it (okay maybe just an inch or two ) next on my list is new tires though, and hopefully those will be coming soon

I personally wouldn't compare the 4Runner to the Pathfinder, simply because they're a little too different. But they are in the same price range. So if you're looking to spend about $30k on a truck, i'd get the 4Runner over the Pathfinder without a doubt. But if you're looking to spend $20k-$25k I'd consider the Xterra, I haven't regreted the decision yet.

-Braden

*EDIT* Also I forgot to mention, that if you have any questions regarding the Xterras, feel free to ask I did a lot of research on them before I bought mine, and I know a good amount about them (I know about as much about the Xterras as I do about 4Runners at the moment)

SUVman

You're the second one to say the Runner/PF comparison is not a good one. I know about the ladder frame/unibody difference, but they are both about the same price and size (except for the engine differences now).

Is the PF unibody just not as tough as the Runner ladder frame?

What else makes this a bad comparison?

sschaefer3

If the unibody shifts the doors will not close. The Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are unibody as well.

I know a guy who wheeled his Cherokee with the doors off and the body flexed so much that the windows popped out.

The Jeep TJ Wrangler is a ladder frame. The Toyota Land Cruiser is a ladder frame, The Nissan Xterra is a ladder frame, The Nissan Frontier is a ladder frame, the Toyota Tacoma is a ladder frame. The Jeep Liberty is a ladder frame as well as the Kia Spotage.

The Honda CRV and Pilot are unibody. The Rav 4 is unibody, The Hynundai Santa Fe is unibody, The The Ford Escape is unibody. The newest Ford Explorer is unibody.

I think you get the point. If you drive on the street get a unibody, they ride better. If you want to wheel it, get a ladder frome with the body sitting on top of the frame.

91Runner

Personally why I think the 4Runner/PF comparison isn't a good one is simply because the newer Pathfinders are way too plushy and luxurious compared to the newer 4Runners. Even comparing a fully loaded Limited 4Runner to a Pathfinder isn't a good comparison in my opinion, simply because to me the Pathfinder is more like a Lexus, they're pretty to look at, but I wouldn't want to wheel one.

And also Steve made a great point on the comparison (one that I wasn't even aware of ) of the two frames. Personally that's reason enough for me to suggest the 4Runner (or Xterra for that matter) over the Pathfinder.

So pretty much (In my opinion) if you want to offroad even a little bit, buy the 4Runner.

-Braden

FUGGRWE

My parents had a 2000 LE Pathfinder until about a month ago. I thought it was a little too car like for my taste. I'm used to truck ride and handling from owning a few Jeeps and an Explorer, and the 4Runner. I do think the interior is really nice though. The seats are bigger and give more support than my 4Runner, but thats the only thing I like better. The Pathfinder is also a bit overpriced, and it also seems like everything is an option on those trucks.

EDGE

As far as Squeaks and Rattles go their both pretty quiet, both my Pathfinders never made a noise since the day I bought them but my Limited 4Runner has made so many different noises, but the good thing about the 4Runner is they all seem to rattle themselves out so when it was new I was pissed it made so many different sounds but it is quiet now, probably the 1st year bugs and certain things just have to settle.

Remember the Pathfinder is unibody and their are more precision welds that keep it quiet and despite what anyone says about the unibody not being able to flex, bull˟˟˟˟ you can not compare 2 Jeeps to a Nissan, my Pathfinder was in such weird positions and I got out opening the door and closing it with no problem, windows went up and down, it is a solid truck not like no worth less POS Jeep.

Maintaince on the Pathfinders was a breeze, oil changes took me 20 minutes and was a no brainer I did not even have to jack the truck up, changing diff fluid was a snap and the belts I never did cause they where to be changes at 105k but I traded the trucks in at 40k, usually I took the truck to a good shop to have the brake system flushed, trans flushed and coolant flushed, it cost me about 40 bucks more to pay and have someone do it and I did not have the patients to do it and it usually needed to be flushed in Janurary so Im not freezing to change it, and the 40 bucks was also extra protection so if anything went wrong I could blame the shop other wise all easy stuff that you could do, the new Pathfinders have a timing chain, so no touching that.

I have the 2003 Limited 4Runner with every option even Nav, at the time I did not want the unpainted cladding and I wanted X-Reas so it was the Limited and I ended up getting Nav the dealer still tells me I have the only V8 Nav equipped truck in the area except for 1 other, the X-Reas is without a doubt awesome I have hit exit ramps at 90mph that I could only hit at 60 with my Pathfinder, with the windows down I hear no tire slip and the VSC never once kicked in, all on dry roads.

I test drove a V6 without X-Reas and would advise to go with the V8 with XReas, the 1mpg difference is advertising, my V8 equipped 4Runner gets better MPG than my Pathfinder and the 5speed auto is a beast you really feel the difference between the V6 Runner and V8, I was pulling away from a neon at 100mph, I let off at 115mph and the truck slows down like a brick wall, oh yeah at a 115 this truck rides like it was doin 55.

Nissan has said it is going to drop the Qx4 but keep the Pathfinder and return it to body on frame, most likely it will be a direct competitor to the 4th Gen 4Runner and that means a V8 option

No problem with all the questions, I was thinking the same for 40 grand you want the best and I would advise going with a V8 4Runner, why is because the Toyota is all new and will be around for atleast 7 years in it current form like the 3rd Gen and when they redesign the Pathfinder it loses value cause the newer gen will out pace it so much, also why I bought the 4Runner.

I had a friend who sold his 92 4Runner with 210k on it for a few hundred, more than he expected and 2 years later the guy is still driving it, another friend had a 94 with 60k that he sold for 4 or 6k, more than he expect cause several guys wanted it and the guy who bought it said he'll drive it till 300k

These trucks should just run with minor stuff like changing and flushing fluids cause those are the life of it.

Test drive both and see but if you decided to go with the Pathfinder I would advise that you try and go for a Qx4 from Infiniti, same basic truck but the warranties are longer and the service is so much better, the Infiniti dealer has tons of Qx4 sittin on the lots, guys on the Nissan boards are getting better deals on the Q than Pathfinders, the 4Runner sales are doin better this year than last year this time so in certain areas they want more for the 4Runner.

Continue to research the trucks and if I missed anything let me know, what Nissan do you have now and how long before you buy, if you waited awhile for the demand to drop off the 4Runner like when the new Pathfinder comes out would be the best, witing is always in your favor and you make the dealer/saleman sweat.

EDGE

Anyone saying the Pathfinder is not for offroading is misinformed, the unibody does limit it's abilities to be lifted but their are still 2 inch lifts for it and it goes far offroad, let me find some pictures.

I would not compare the current Pathfinder to the New 4th Gen 4Runner but never hurts to cross reference them and compare they are being sold aren't they.

I would say the best comparison is the 96-03 Pathfinder to the 96-02 4Runner

SUVman

Thanks for the response. I still have a 91 Maxima with 195k miles and I had a 95 Suburban for a year, a 91 Chevy diesel 3/4 ton, and 93 Chevy diesel 1/2 ton when I lived in Wyoming. I am willing to wait a while for the right SUV at the right price. If I need to wait to the 04 models to come out, that's okay. I felt really screwed by Toyota when I got my wife's 00 Sienna because 6 months later Toyota gave a $2k discount.

Do you have the Air Suspension package on your 4Runner? Does it make a big difference over the coil springs?

Well, I didn't know some folks would get so concerned about making comparisons with ladder frames against unibodies. But I guess I at least heard both sides of the story and learned something. The Limited V8 4x4 4Runner with everything sounds like a winner. Maybe in 6 months Toyota will drop $2k off the MSRP?

EDGE

With all those Chevys have you looked at the TrailBlazer I looked at that before the 4Runner and the deciding factor in getting the 4Runner was 2 guys traded their 6 month old TrailBlazers for the Toyotas

I have the rear air and yes it does, no more sagging with people in the back or any type of load, keeps the truck at the same stance all the time loaded amd unloaded.

The ladder verse unibody is a BS argument, you take the Pathfinder offroad and it is a fine truck but then you take a unibodied 2002 Explorer offroad and it is not really in it's element the rear lower control arms are sweeping the ground, can barely go over rocks, you have to look at the vehicle as a whole just not that one thing.

As for Toyota pricing the 4Runner, try picking one up at the end of the month when they are looking to unload cause they have to pay "Toyota" so much every month for cars that are not sold, also I got mine from a big dealer with 1400 under MSRP, which also means I paid about 1400 over invoice, smaller dealers usually charge more.

Another thing is when the 2004 come out they will let them go for less but as the year moves on they want more on them cause it looses value throughout the year, why they usually mark they down to move them out for new models, when 2005 come in.

Then their are the special sales when things are slow always a good time to get one.

If I had to do it again I would get the same truck I have now

SUVman

No, the Chevys are rattle traps; the engines wore out quickly, and oil pressure was something I had to watch closely. They survived the mountains and valleys of WY, but they needed frequent repairs due to cheap parts breaking. I like the quality of Nissan and Toyota vehicles. They never left me stranded. The Chevys and one 89 Escort I had did.

Yes, I'm keeping my eye on things with Toyota and Nissan, looking at how sales are going. Yep, end of month and end of year are good times to buy.

I'm glad to hear the Air Suspension package is worth it. How has the 4Runner performed when you towed something fairly heavy? Does the Limited automatically come with the extra oil cooler or only if you get the towing package? Did you upgrade the alloy tires too or just stick with the 17"s that come with the Limited? If so, are they that much better looking?

Good Times

SUVman:

if you get the v8, it comes standard with the tranny cooler. Also the limited and sport comes with 17" rims standard.

the towing for the v8 4runner should be very good as the new 5A/T works better than the 4A/T found on the tundras. Considering the tundra can tow well, I'm sure the 4runners will perform the same

FirstToy

Interesting thread for me since I traded a Xterra for my 4Runner. Obviously, you can't compare the two as there is nearly $5,000 difference in price (maybe less since they raised the price of the Xterra since I bought).

The Xterra is a great truck. It rattles, creaks and groans. It has a cheap, plastic interior, thin seats, weak V6, buckboard ride but every day you go out to drive it you smile. I had mine for 70,000 miles and it never gave me a lick of trouble. I always considered the Xterra the true successor to the original square, ladder frame Pathfinders- they even shared many parts.

4Runner is the only true SUV on the market that I can think of, meaning it does everything excellent.
On road=4 star (bested even the MUrano),
off-road=4star (can any other suv in the $range touch it?),
interior (I almost feel guilty it's so nice),
exterior(looks badass-everyone sees it like wow, looks tough!)
and it's not too big or too small.

It's funny, one of the things that swayed me in my research was Corey's review and tons of pics of the 03! I watched the little video of the black limited about 5 times! I thought, ok the 4th gen got the thumbs up from real off roaders- it's not just hype.

Besides all that, the great Toyota community which I look forward to meeting some of you out on a trip!
91Runner do you read the Xterra forum? Man, I stopped since they love to fight! Not very fun group on the net.

96~SR5

I have to agree with everything FirstToy said about the Xterra. I test drove one before I found my 4Runner. I did not like the interior , and it seemed way under - powered even to my girlfriend who is no speed demon. I know I am partial to Toyotas , but I would not trade my 96 Runner for a brand new Nissan anything ( except maybe a Skyline GTR )