Thinking of a newer car...

[quickdodge®]

Anyone have any experiences with Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Passport and/or Toyota 4Runner? More specifically around the 2002 model years. A little online research has the passport not so well compared with the other two and the Pathfinder being a pretty nice option.

Just wondering if there are any personal experiences on here as I have none with either listed.

Thanks, in advance.

[-EnVus-]

Pathfinder for 2002 is junk my sister had 2 of them and both had Transmission and Engine issues she finally just traded them in for a Toyota. A 4runner is only good if you get the 4x4 model.

[civicturbo10]

I had a friend who had a Honda Passport bought new in 1996. Not the most reliable Honda ever sold but i don't think it ever left him stranded. I would steer away from it. I have a buddy who has a 1999 - 2000 pathfinder and he likes it. No real issues and he has a family to support so it has to be reliable for him. His has over 200k miles on it so yeah it's high mileage no gripes from him when i ask him about it.

[00CelicaGT]

Can't go wrong with a 4Runner

[thepolecat]

4 runner is the best of those options. the passports of that time are constantly in my shop with a wide range of issues. The pathfinders are not as bad. early to mid 90s pathfinders are very good though.

I would go with a well maintained 4runner of all of those.

[quickdodge®]

See all the major car reviews sites say the Pathfinder is just above the 4Runner with the Passport being pretty far behind. They rate the Pathfinder at about 9.0 of 10 and the 4Runner at around 8.1 of 10.

Been looking at the Pathfinder and the QX4 (Infiniti). Thanks for responses.

[RustyToaster]

My dads had a 2002 Pathfinder LE for a couple of years. It's got like 250xxx miles on it and so far we have only had issues with the AC, an o2 sensor , and the trailing arm bushings. Those problems didn't happen until like 175-200k
The radiator and one coil pack went out last month but it's really high in mileage so I'd expect something to break eventually.

[Julio]

Didnt those Passport have an Izusu engine ?

[RandomGuy]

those pathfinders run forever and parts are cheap/available

[quickdodge®]

Didnt those Passport have an Izusu engine ?

Actually Isuzu made the Passport for Honda if I remember correctly.


those pathfinders run forever and parts are cheap/available

That's what I keep hearing. That those engines are almost bulletproof.

[Echonova]

Pathfinders are nice, but interior seating-wise are no bigger than a Sentra. Dunno if that matters, but if you are replacing the mini-van you need to take it into consideration.

[1moreaccord]

Forget about that Gen Passport. In the mid nineties, Honda saw how much Americans took to SUV's but they didn't have anything to offer, so in order to get into the industry ASAP they went in with Isuzu. The deal was:
- Honda gives Isuzu the Odyssey ( Isuzu Oasis)
- Isuzu gives Honda the Passport ( Isuzu Trooper)

Hence why the Isuzu Oasis (Odyssey) is a fantastic car and the Passport sucks.

Now if you can get a Honda Pilot that'd be prime!

Can't go wrong with either Pathfinder or 4Runner. Consider an rx300 - Essentially luxury 4runner.

[Franco Tirador]

i have worked carparts place for a while and i have come to dislike nissans. I hate the fact that you have to know the production for your car and they ALL need control arms, knock sensor, catalytic converters and oxygen sensors, and in some models engine computers, if it were not for that i would have been owned a turbo maxima, having said that, i would go with a 4 runner, with regular maintenance on the engine, tranny, transfer case, and differential(s) fluid you should be good

[Sammich]

agreed...4 runner all day, awesome reliability..i dont stand strongly behind nissans too much...4 runner then passport

[RustyToaster]

My entire family has nissans and I don't think we have ever had any major issues with any of them, and the pathfinders have been great.
From what I've read the 4 runner seems to be pretty good as well.

[RustyToaster]

My entire family has nissans and I don't think we have ever had any major issues with any of them, and the pathfinders have been great.
From what I've read the 4 runner seems to be pretty good as well.

The only thing I'd look out for is "death sway/wobble"
Happened in 96-04 pathfinders
http://forums.nicoclub.com/weird-highway-high-speed-wobble-t512606.html

meant to put this in with my other post.

[metalmatt47]

My dads had a 2002 Pathfinder LE for a couple of years. It's got like 250xxx miles on it and so far we have only had issues with the AC, an o2 sensor , and the trailing arm bushings. Those problems didn't happen until like 175-200k
The radiator and one coil pack went out last month but it's really high in mileage so I'd expect something to break eventually.

Sounds like expected maintenance for a car at that mileage. Stuff's gonna wear out eventually, sounds like you guys have taken care of it and fared well so far.


My entire family has nissans and I don't think we have ever had any major issues with any of them, and the pathfinders have been great.
From what I've read the 4 runner seems to be pretty good as well.

Again sounds like you guys maintained your cars. The people I see complaining about their cars breaking ate typically the ones that don't take good care of them, and beat on them on a fairly regular basis.


i have worked carparts place for a while and i have come to dislike nissans. I hate the fact that you have to know the production for your car and they ALL need control arms, knock sensor, catalytic converters and oxygen sensors, and in some models engine computers, if it were not for that i would have been owned a turbo maxima, having said that, i would go with a 4 runner, with regular maintenance on the engine, tranny, transfer case, and differential(s) fluid you should be good

Is it REALLY that hard to check a production date? I work in parts as well, and very rarely see Nissan with any mid-year parts changes. They ALL need parts that wear out, typically because the people that come into these parts stores don't usually care very well for their car and wait for the last moment when the care is barely driveable to fix the issues.




Personally, in my experience I'd put the Pathfinder at the top. One of the biggest reasons is because I see people take better care of them then a Passport or 4-Runner which means it's likely going to be easy to find a good clean maintained Pathfinder. I don't know why this is, but it's truth. They've always been good to anyone I've known with one.

Not to say the others aren't good, but I've seen what people do to them. The 4-Runner is an EXCELLENT option IF you can find the right one. I generally go for the early 90's for either though, since those were the better years.

As far as the Passport goes... well I'm not to fond of Honda's for personal reasons. The Passport was always on the bottom of the food chain to me because of how poorly the people that drive them take care of them. Unfortunately, Honda has made it known that they think their cars are 'indestructible' by the way they market them, and I see people treat them as such. I've seen Passports ravaged and destroyed by people who thought that just because it was a Honda it didn't really matter if you changed the oil every 3k miles, changed the brakes before they were worn to the metal, etc.

[Mpeterson]

had 1 of them and it had transmitting and motor problems my friend just lastly just exchanged them in for a Chevy. A 4runner is only excellent if you get the 4x4 . . . . . . .