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Would buy again if I could find one rust-free

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1994 Nissan Pathfinder SE review from North America

"Would buy again if I could find one rust-free"

What things have gone wrong with the car?

The motor ran great. However, it did suffer from the broken exhaust manifold stud problem that is common with these cars. I had to get it repaired as part of the state inspection/emissions requirements. So, both sides had broken studs, requiring them to be drilled out of the head (s). It ended up costing over $700, which was mostly all labor. I think costs will vary depending on the mechanic's ability to get the old studs out.

My car had the adjustable shocks, which actually work; you can tell the difference between sport and soft modes. Soft was way too sloppy for my taste, though. I had to replace the rear coil springs, as the truck would bottom out when even sligthly loaded-even with 3 or 4 passengers. I replaced them myself.

Nothing else went wrong. I took the car loaded with women and children on a 3,000 road trip (round trip) in the car when it had about 145,000 miles on it. At first I was a little worried. It ran great. I had a rare 5 speed model with original clutch. No problems, whatsoever. Automatics are said to have weak transmissions. I have at least 2 friends that needed to replace theirs on cars with less than 100k miles.

The car only had very modest power from the 3.0, even with 5 speed. But, it cruised on the interstate fine and got about 18 mpg.

I think the single worst aspect on this and other Pathfinders I've seen is RUST. Structural rust kills the car far before the engine wants to die. So, for those in the salty road states, be careful. Check underneath, in the area above the muffler and catalytic converter. Also, the frame mounts and lower body.

Once they start rusting, they are on life support.

General comments?

Great rugged-looking truck. No rattles even with 150k+ miles.

I wouldn't recommend this truck for towing because its already underpowered.

High quality fit and finish on the interior. I had cloth seats.

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Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Model year1994
Year of manufacture1994
First year of ownership2000
Most recent year of ownership2003
Engine and transmission 3.0 Manual
Performance marks 5 / 10
Reliability marks 8 / 10
Comfort marks 7 / 10
Dealer Service marks 5 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper)  
Overall marks (average of all marks) 6.3 / 10
Distance when acquired129000 miles
Most recent distance164000 miles
Previous carToyota 4Runner
Date of Entry 11th July, 2005

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