Used 1997 Nissan Pathfinder

"Less expensive than a 4Runner, just as capable!"

"I bought it used and had a lot of work to do to build it up to what I wanted it to be, but now that its there, I love it! I couldnt afford a 4Runner on my college budget, but this has kept up with and performed more capably than the one I go offroading with. It eats gas, cant lie there, and it aint much in a race, but it powers through mud and up hills better than I would have ever thought! Great for winter driving. Its had a beating since I've owned it, but its stood up to everything I've put it through. The storage space is great since the seats fold down. Being a unibody instead of a body on frame design makes it hard to modify suspension-wise (lift). There are only a few options available to the Nissan off road enthusiast, and they are somewhat expensive. But as a college kid in a hick town I've loved this SUV and all its capable of. You'll likely need to change out the rear lower control arm bushings to get rid of a "death wobble" that comes from old factory bushings being worn out. Its a quick fix, and glad I did it because it was scary on the freeway when that sucker started to wobble. But for a lower base-price than the toyota, you can afford some fixing up. Hope this helps your decision."

"I Love This Vehicle"

"Best, most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. It has 257,000 miles on it and hasn't needed any major repairs. Tranny still good. Spent some money on getting oil leaks repaired over the years, but consider that fairly typical for the use it's gotten. The Unified Meter Control (Cluster), $365, was replaced about 2 years ago because the dashboard gauges went out, and the only time it didn't start right up for me was when the Distributor Assembly failed, bad ignition coil, needed to be replaced at 247,000 miles. Gas mileage was poor at 13 miles per gallon. Very reliable, well made, and love the vehicle."

"Owned for 3 years"

"Bought this car at 240,000 miles(reluctantly) but it was the best choice I made. The car was and still is very reliable to me. Of course I had to change a few minor things out:ie thermostat, tires, etc but it definitely serves its purpose. It's around 270,000 miles and still going. These cars definitely last a long time with a little TLC from time to time."