Bought a new SUV today v. the Land Rover is gone!

[Ruiner]

I'm so happy to be done with the Land Rover Discovery II. That thing was a ticking time bomb. The same goes true for any Land Rover model...the Range Rover, Freelander, LR3, etc, all are ticking time bombs just waiting to fail on you.

I went with something a bit more reliable.

'05 Nissan Pathfinder LE w/ 17k on the clock...it has every option but the navigation (I'll put in my own 7" LCD/DVD/Nav screen in later).

[sirkus]

Those are damn nice.. I like em in white too. Good buy!

[bluuuurr]

nice ride..

that woodgrain trim around the shifter looks kind of lonely though

nvm, i see the arm rests on the door.. heheh

[VooDooXII]

Great choice! I really like those...congratulations.

Land Rovers are nice...but like you said: Ticking time bomb.

[Ruiner]

Those are damn nice.. I like em in white too. Good buy!

Yeah, I have no complaints. 3rd row seating if I want, heated seats/mirrors, bose 10 speaker system that plays mp3s as well, XM satellite radio, adjustable pedals, wood grain trim, leather everywhere, powerful engine (270hp/291tq), etc.

[Eurostunna07]

ehh..should have got tha Armada! better yet..the infinity QX

[Ruiner]

ehh..should have got tha Armada! better yet..the infinity QX

Why? I don't need anything that big...

[Hulud]

fuck the car, can i see a full pic of your house?

[Ruiner]

fuck the car, can i see a full pic of your house?

Not my house. That's a 9 bedroom house that belongs to the guy that sold me the SUV.

[Hulud]

Not my house. That's a 9 bedroom house that belongs to the guy that sold me the SUV.

oh, ok LOL

i was gonna say thats a nice fuckin house

btw can you give me your input in my "fuzz question" thread i just bumped?

[Infinite]

"throw some d's on that bitch"
lol
whats wrong with ranger rovers? i have a 95 county lwb w/ 75k on the clock and it runs like a champ

[Ruiner]

"throw some d's on that bitch"
lol
whats wrong with ranger rovers? i have a 95 county lwb w/ 75k on the clock and it runs like a champ

Being that Land Rover is the most unreliable vehicle manufacturer on the planet...

That's a fact, not an opinion. Sometimes you get a good one that doesn't fuck up a lot, but the vast majority fall to the reputation.

[Infinite]

lol. truew. british car + reliability = wtf
its been good. other than the air suspension system which is an absolute clusterfuck in terms of reliability. im feelin coil conversion

[Stormhammer]

I dunno, I always like the Land Rover Defender...

[quickdodge®]

Very cool, Ruiner. You told me months ago you were going to go after a Pathfinder. Glad to see you picked one up. Later, QD.

[_Christian_]

Being that Land Rover is the most unreliable vehicle manufacturer on the planet...

That's a fact, not an opinion. Sometimes you get a good one that doesn't fuck up a lot, but the vast majority fall to the reputation.

I know someone who has a discovery II. i've never seen a less reliable car. you will like the pathfinder, it's a nice truck.

[BTLFED]

ehh..should have got tha Armada! better yet..the infinity QX

1) It's InfinitI
2) He wanted something MORE reliable than a Land Rover. Armadas and QX56s are not that.

Good choice on the Pathfinder Brandon!

[Ruiner]

1) It's InfinitI
2) He wanted something MORE reliable than a Land Rover. Armadas and QX56s are not that.

Good choice on the Pathfinder Brandon!

Thanks and yes, you are 100% correct. The Armada and QX56s are HUGE. Plus, they suck down gas. Why would I need one of those? The Pathfinder already covers what I need it to do.

I get 270hp/291tq and can tow 6000lbs. I have leather, heated seats, can play mp3s, has 3rd row seating, and it will stay "cool" in the summer given the white color.

[Evil Goat]

looks good, im not a nissan fan, but anythings better than the reliability of a land rover

[Julio]

Nice! Congrats bro

[Ruiner]

looks good, im not a nissan fan, but anythings better than the reliability of a land rover

You are damn right!

[BTLFED]

Thanks and yes, you are 100% correct. The Armada and QX56s are HUGE. Plus, they suck down gas. Why would I need one of those? The Pathfinder already covers what I need it to do.

I get 270hp/291tq and can tow 6000lbs. I have leather, heated seats, can play mp3s, has 3rd row seating, and it will stay "cool" in the summer given the white color.

Not to mention QX56s are problem filled in their own right. The Pathfinder is definitely a good choice IMO. That or a 4Runner....lol

[VooDooXII]

Thanks and yes, you are 100% correct. The Armada and QX56s are HUGE. Plus, they suck down gas. Why would I need one of those? The Pathfinder already covers what I need it to do.

Plus I think it looks MUCH better.

[Frög]

good deal.. congrats!

[ironchef]

The new pathfinders with the titan v8 are neat, but that one looks cool too.

[sirkus]

Those things come with rear heated seats? I was wondering that the other day. Got in my buddy's navigator a while back and was surprised that it wasn't a standard option..
Is the Ruiner tag going on this now?

[LilMonty]

They look alot better than the discovery. Good buy.

[Vteckidd]

no porsche cayman S no care

[Ruiner]

Not to mention QX56s are problem filled in their own right. The Pathfinder is definitely a good choice IMO. That or a 4Runner....lol

Why I picked it over the new gen 4Runner (a good, 3rd party review that I 100% agree with).

EXTERIOR

Both of these vehicles received much-needed bold exterior redesigns, which is a welcome change from the vanilla styling of recent years. I think the more aggressive fender flares and stubbier hood on the Pathfinder give it a more muscular appearance than the 4Runner. The main exterior styling feature that I just don’t like on the 4Runner is the squared-off wheel wells. Normally, I like some contrast, but a round tire spinning in a square well is not one of them -- I think it is disruptive to the flow of the vehicle’s exterior aesthetics. The styling of the Pathfinder is very distinctive, whereas the 4Runner looks amazingly similar to the Jeep Grand Cherokee, both on the outside as well as in. Even though I find the Pathfinder’s rear section to be a bit boxy looking, I am giving the exterior styling edge to Nissan.

Advantage: Nissan


INTERIOR

Both vehicles have well-appointed interiors that feature a myriad of buttons, dials, and gauges. And to that mix, you can add navigation and rear DVD entertainment systems if you really want to make your ride high-tech. Of the two cockpits, I definitely preferred the Pathfinder. Both interiors are a bit claustrophobic feeling for my 6’ 5” frame, but that feeling was more prevalent inside the 4Runner because of the way the center console is angled toward the driver. This may be okay for smaller drivers, but I felt a little scrunched. The 4Runner’s 3-pod instrument cluster continues the claustrophobic theme with its “forced into place” appearance. Both vehicles are kind of narrow, but Nissan disguises that fact with better spacing of controls and gauges. And speaking of controls, I absolutely hated the A/C, heater, and fan controls on the 4Runner. They look like knobs, but they aren’t. They are buttons that operate like a directional pad on a video game controller. And as my wife correctly pointed out, they are confusing. On the other hand, the Pathfinder has “real” knobs that are easy to reach and intuitive to use. Another area that the Pathfinder is a hands down winner is with its steering wheel mounted controls for the stereo system and speed control. Toyota places theirs on the edge of the steering wheel hub, whereas Nissan places theirs on the steering hub. Again, they are easier to reach and more intuitive to use. And to top all of this off, the highly coveted third-row seating which is standard throughout the Pathfinder model line is an option on the 4Runner.

Advantage: Nissan


ENGINE

Both vehicles come standard with 4.0 liter V6, DOHC, 24-valve engines with variable-valve-timing paired to 5-speed automatic transmissions. The Pathfinder has a drive-by-wire throttle system and I assume the 4Runner still utilizes an old-fashioned throttle cable, since I could not locate information that says otherwise. Nissan gives you a bit more horsepower and torque, albeit at slightly higher RPMs, so I will call this a draw. Acceleration from both engines is strong, confident, and fairly throaty-sounding, but they quiet down when the speed is leveled out. The tests indicate that the Pathfinder is quicker than even the 4.7L V8 optioned 4Runner. Additionally, the 4Runner offers an optional 4.7 liter V8 that does have a drive-by-wire throttle system and boosts the horsepower from 245 to 270 and the torque from 282 to 330. Now that is some boat pulling power.

Advantage: Toyota


MY DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

Both vehicles were driven on a freeway so I could get a decent feel for their acceleration and handling, and the initial test run on the 4Runner was a bit of a surprise. I had always held them in pretty high regard, but I was very disappointed once I got behind the wheel. As I said, the acceleration was crisp and quiet, but upon entering the freeway, I was greeted with handling that felt like a cross between a vehicle with mushy power steering and one in need of a front-end alignment. I really felt like I had limited control of where the vehicle was going. Between the exterior styling, cramped cockpit, and now this, it just about drove the last nail in the coffin for the 4Runner. The second test drive at the other dealership was much better, however, as it exhibited the type of handling I expect from Toyota. Unfortunately, at this point, the negatives were beginning develop in my mind regarding the build quality of the 4Runner. Both Pathfinder drives were extremely consistent in acceleration and handling. Being truck-based SUVs, the ride is always a bit stiff, but I thought the Pathfinder was more well mannered when traversing the wilds of the freeway. The steering provided a “just-right” level of feedback that made me confident that the vehicle would hold its lane and keep all four tires on the road. Although I thought the engine noise was louder when accelerating with the Pathfinder, I felt that that it did a better job of filtering out wind and road noises. All in all, with its more spacious-feeling cockpit and better handling, I really believe Nissan has not only closed the quality gap between them and Toyota, but they are perhaps beginning to pull away from them.

Advantage: Nissan


RESALE VALUE

When stepping on to the lot of a Toyota dealership, it would only take the salesmen about 5 minutes before they started touting the high resale value of their vehicles. And that’s okay, but I don’t go out to buy a new vehicle while also thinking about when I am going to sell it. According to the Kelley Blue Book website (kbb.com), the 5 year cost of ownership on a 4Runner Limited is about $37,000.00, of which $16,000.00 is depreciation. On the Pathfinder LE, those numbers are $39,000.00 and $19,000.00 respectively. Yes, the Toyota will depreciate less, but you will pay more for it initially, so, in my book, that’s pretty much a wash.

Advantage: Even


PRICING

The MSRP on the 4Runner Limited is already $1,270.00 more than the Pathfinder LE, but, to truly compare an apple to an apple price-wise, you will need to add some optional equipment to the 4Runner so it matches the standard equipment of the Pathfinder. You need to add a power moon roof ($900.00), an upgraded JBL audio system with 6-disc in dash changer ($725.00), front side curtain airbags ($650.00), and a third row seat ($1,195.00). That just added another $3,470.00 to the MSRP of the 4Runner, creating a price difference of almost $5,000.00. So your choice: buy an SUV, or buy an SUV and a jet ski to tow behind it. Oh, one other thing, you can’t get the upgraded JBL audio system with the third row seat, it’s one or the other.

Advantage: Nissan


COLOR OPTIONS

This may or may not be a determining factor to some buyers when choosing between these two vehicles, but it could be a tiebreaker if you liked each one equally. Both vehicles can be had with the standard colors of white, black, gray, and silver, but Nissan also dishes out a few unique and fresh-looking color choices like red brawn, woodland bronze, and one of my personal favorites, canteen. This is all personal taste, of course, but certain colors can really set off a vehicle’s appearance, and I think that the earth tones Nissan uses really accentuates the Pathfinder’s rugged, outdoor persona.

Advantage: Nissan


FINAL THOUGHTS

The 4Runner and the Pathfinder are both highly capable SUVs that have enjoyed long, rich heritages, but there is little doubt that Toyota has held the upper hand for many years. But the problem with being on top is that everybody is gunning for you, and it gets more difficult to fend off the challengers. Toyota has always had a rock-solid reputation for reliability, but the poor handling exhibited during my one test drive makes me wonder if they are not resting on their laurels a bit. I once considered the 4Runner to be a vehicle beyond compare, but after these test drives, I believe Nissan is turning the tide. The exterior design of the Pathfinder is a bit more aggressive and dramatic, the interior possesses a more refined feel and better ergonomics, the handling is smoother, and the ride a little more comfortable. It is always tough to take down a vehicle that has been on top for so long, but I believe Nissan has produced an SUV that has the potential of doing just that.


Recommended:
Yes

[Ruiner]

Those things come with rear heated seats? I was wondering that the other day. Got in my buddy's navigator a while back and was surprised that it wasn't a standard option..
Is the Ruiner tag going on this now?

No, it doesn't have heated rear seats, but it does have rear air-temp control for the backseat passengers.

Yes, it will get the RUINER tag.

[BTLFED]

Oh I agree whole heartedly on your choice. Toyota definitely fucked up with the 03+ 4Runner IMO. That's why I own an 02 4Runner.

I was originally looking at 01-03 QX4s, but I don't like the rear suspension setup they had, and I saw too many of them coming in with problems that made them feel "unsafe" and "like they were all over the road." Not to mention the $300 one headlight bulb costs. The QX4 is the only one we have that doesn't take a normal D2R/D2S bulb. I dunno why they gotta make it so complicated, but I just didn't feel safe owning one.

[Ruiner]

Oh I agree whole heartedly on your choice. Toyota definitely fucked up with the 03+ 4Runner IMO. That's why I own an 02 4Runner.

I was originally looking at 01-03 QX4s, but I don't like the rear suspension setup they had, and I saw too many of them coming in with problems that made them feel "unsafe" and "like they were all over the road." Not to mention the $300 one headlight bulb costs. The QX4 is the only one we have that doesn't take a normal D2R/D2S bulb. I dunno why they gotta make it so complicated, but I just didn't feel safe owning one.

I looked at the '02s, but I got such a good deal on this thing that I couldn't pass it up. I could honestly sell it for about $3000-4000 more than what I paid for it.

[Kevykev]

Very torquey, responsive engine.

Drives well too!

[BTLFED]

I looked at the '02s, but I got such a good deal on this thing that I couldn't pass it up. I could honestly sell it for about $3000-4000 more than what I paid for it.

Shit, that makes it all the better! Good find!

[The Yousef]

congratulations brandon! i know you were looking at one for awhile now...

[Crazy Asian]

Land Rover Discovery... eats more gas tehn the Hummer. ITS TAHT BAD!!!!

[Tiff-O-Bitties]

Nice Brandon, I like it!

[ShooterMcGavin]

cool beans

[LeX]

nice job joining the VQ crew

[Ruiner]

Land Rover Discovery... eats more gas tehn the Hummer. ITS TAHT BAD!!!!

This is true!