1986 Nissan Hardbody Pickup E 2.4L gasoline

Summary:

A good low-priced workhorse

Faults:

The muffler rusted off at 96K miles.

The fuel/air sensor broke off at 97,800 because the motor mount broke.

The clutch went a 97,800 (last two things happened on the same day).

General Comments:

The truck is very good on gas mileage and acceleration.

Has a lot of torque for a four cylinder.

Has a few problems, but a good vehicle overall.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th March, 2004

1986 Nissan Hardbody Pickup V6

Summary:

And they gave people free Raider season tickets when it was originally sold - hahahahahaha!!!

Faults:

Water Pump/Thermostat - Both the water pump and the thermostat needed to be replaced twice between 130000 and 160000 miles.

The radiator needed to be rebuilt at 185000 miles.

The clutch needed to be replaced at 185,000 and 220,000 miles.

The fan on the air conditioner/heater needed to be fixed at 160,000.

The engine started excessively (although not horrible) using oil around 180,000 miles.

The rotors needed to be replaced at 225,000.

The Wheel Shield (shield fitting over the wheel to protect it, when it cracked it caused that side of the car to slump down immediately on top of the wheel) cracked at 165,000 and 220,000 miles. One time it cracked when driving over an unseen pothole in an alley, the second time while going over a speed bump at about 35 mph.

The interior upholstery appeared worn at 165,000 miles, the seats began feeling less comfortable at 200,000 miles.

The top of the dashboard got a slight crack (probably from sun/heat) at 200,000 miles. The steering wheel became worn at about 165,000 miles.

General Comments:

I inherited this car from a family member at approximately 115,000 miles. That was 10 years ago and 110,000 miles ago.

The king cab, for its time, is phenomenal. Although it does not compare to the newer trucks with their 3rd door entry and full size seats, the pull down seats have been great, have been more than sufficient, and are reasonably comfortable. On more than one occasion the truck has been used to travel two adults and two full-size teenagers more than 500 miles - without any problems. The pull down seats easily accommodate an infant car seat.

The trucks engine has been great. Its V-6, although not as powerful as the newer V-6 engines, is quick and powerful enough to get you were you need to go as quickly as you want to get there.

The turning radius has never been great.

It definitely feels like a truck, not a comfortable SUV. But, then again, when I was younger, I loved the fact that it felt like a truck, and not a preppy comfortable SUV.

All of my friends love it and love that I still have it. My truck has personally moved more than 10 people from one residence to another.

The 4X4 has never let me down - in all my years of taking trips to the mountains for camping and/or skiing, I have never been required to put on chains - NEVER!!!. And, this includes trips to Lake Tahoe, Mammoth, Taos and many other places in between. I have driven through two near blizzards with the only problem being visibility - not the truck.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th December, 2003

1986 Nissan Hardbody Pickup 3.0 liter V6

Summary:

The most dependable vehicle I've ever owned

Faults:

Replaced defective radio at 8055 miles.

Paint bubbled and peeled at 85075 miles. Repainted by Nissan at no charge.

Replaced headlight column switch at 114310 miles.

Replace speedometer cable at 124600 miles.

Replaced clutch at 137827 miles.

Replaced alternator at 160996 miles.

Replaced starter at 162814 miles.

Replaced air conditioner compressor at 187217 miles.

Replaced ignition switch at 201594 miles.

Paint on hood is cracking and fading.

General Comments:

I have changed the oil and filter religiously every 3000 miles and the engine runs as good after 212000 miles as it did the day I bought it 16 years ago.

The body is tight and rock solid with no rattles or squeaks.

The engine is a 3 liter V-6 and I still average over 21 miles per gallon.

I anticipate driving this truck at least another 16 years.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th September, 2003

31st May 2019, 18:23

It's me, the original owner who wrote the original review. I said in the review I would probably still be driving the truck for another 16 years. That review was in 2003. It's now 2019 and guess what... I am still driving the truck. Haven't driven it all that much in the last 16 years. It has 246000 miles on it now. I replaced the throttle body injection with a Weber 2 barrel 3 years ago because I couldn't find a replacement throttle body. Nothing else major has required work. I did finally repaint the cracking paint on the hood. Replaced the original 15 inch wheels with 17 inch wheels. Gas mileage is down to 17-19 mpg but not really an issue. I've gotten too old to work on it anymore so I'm considering selling it. Just don't know where to do that. I'd like to sell it to someone who would be interested in preserving it.

10th Feb 2024, 15:50

Did you ever sell your truck? I also have an old Nissan. It is 1986.5 D21 Hardbody 98,400 miles. I want to find out how much I should sell it for and the best way to sell. It's getting hard for me to reach the clutch because I'm getting shorter with my age.