04-08 Nissan Pathfinder comments
 

Hey guys, im in the market for a 7 passenger vehicle due to the family growing and needing more space. I had my choice filtered down to an MDX, Highlander, Pathfinder, CX-9 but as of the moment there is not much available in my price range except for the pathfinder which i found a few within my price range. Before I decide to consider one I wanna know what you guys think about it and what should i be concerned about?

- MDX = transmission problems between 01-04, also pricey
- Highlander = not sure if "moving forward, even if you dont want to" still applies to this model
- CX-9 = decent car but not enough "umph" and space is a little cramp
- Pathfinder = i've heard rumors about brake problems but no solid information on it

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

dunno much about them, but pathfinder is the only truck based of all you mentioned. has low range 4x4 and some offroad capability which none of your alternatives have, if that matters to you. the only decent midsize truck based SUV is the 4runner which are expensive as hell and hard to find. explorer/durango/trailblazer i wouldnt touch.

i think the toyota unintended acceleration was mostly due to floormats and there was a brake override recall. if it were an issue, just pop it in neutral and pull over.

i would also consider honda pilot for a 7 seat crossover.

edit: asked a friend and apparently pathfinders of that era have issues with where the radiator leaks into the transmission cooler causing major issues. there may be a recall for it

does it have to be a 7 seater? I mean.. there is the R63 AMG... for... umph

ok Jokes aside, A close family member do own a 2008 Acura MDX from new, nothing but basic maintenance except for 2 instances
- one airbag sensor $1000+ had to replace whole module?
- sun roof went/leak, another $1500+,
currently sitting at 180,000KM, he drives all year round/family hauler, took it to banff/edmonton a few times and California once

he is wary of the transmission issue, but fingers crossed, nth yet

Not sure about the pathfinder, but not interested in odessey or sienna?

trying to stay away from vans and nothing against them but personal preference for me is SUV. I also plan to take it to Big White, Banff, Jasper, heavy snow areas so i feel SUV would be more equipped for such a task than a van.

I guess its also bad timing that im planning to buy when everyone wants to keep theirs because of the recent weather conditions.

Some of the other ones i've added to my list is the Nissan Armada, Infiniti QX56. There's also a couple of Audi Q7 and Mercedes GL350 close to my price range but i feel like im gonna get raped in the ass once something gives.

Frontiers of the same gen have that issue, which is why you'll see a bunch with rebuilt trannies. If it's not disclosed that the issue has been addressed, check for an external tranny cooler.

I was in this same boat last summer, when my dad was in the market to replace the family Minivan with a 7 seater SUV (I am now 21 and my little bro is now 18 with our own cars, and we occasionally need to haul around relatives). Here are our choices in a nutshell:

I had it narrowed down to a Mazda CX-9, Honda Pilot, and Ford Explorer.

We ruled out the Pilot because it drove really boaty compared to the other two. Braking took forever as well. Additionally, I was worried about transmission issues that plagued the previous J-Series + automatic combo. I really liked how it looked though. The current Gen is definitely better looking than the 2016 we checked out. The current gen could be different, I have not done any research, but may be worth checking out.

Ford Explorer: Also a good choice. Good value, and good looks. Parts are cheaper, since there are more of them (they are police vehicles). It was a tough choice with the Explorer and the CX-9. Explorer was a bit softer as well, and drove nicer on pavement than the Pilot. Off road capabilities are best out of the 3 as well. I just did not like the fit and finish of the Explorer. It was too American styled for my liking.

We chose the CX-9 because it had the best driving dynamics. It was the last model of the first gen of CX-9's (Get a 2013 or newer as all bugs were worked out.) 2013 and newer had the updated transfercase, suspension, appearance, and had a lot of things that were optional before as standard. The V6 is super reliable, and there aren't any transmission failures on the larger mazda forums. Mostly pre 2013 transfercase failure.

The new CX-9 is higher quality in every way, and Mazda took what they learned with the first Gen CX-9 and applied it to the 2nd gen. They are built in Japan, and you can really tell with the difference in Build Quality.

My only concern about the current Gen CX-9 is the motor. It is a 4 cyl turbo this time around, and may have the same issues as the plagued CX-7 4 cyl turbo.

See if dealers still have the 2015-2016 CX-9 Available. We are 37,000 kms in and are loving it. The interior is definitely dated, but other than that it is a well designed car.

Thanks for the great input Topsy. I would love to own a newer model CX-9 or any SUV for that matter but my budget is limited and the most i can afford is a used 2007-2009 SUVs and that is with high mileage. (low mileage of those years are a bit out of my price range)

I didnt want to consider american/domestic brands as i have heard horror stories about reliability and failing parts but if someone has good experience with certain models I would love to hear some input.

On a different note, im interested in also hearing what you guys think about 5 seater luxury as they seem to be around my price range as well. Specifically, 2007 Audi Q7, 2007 Mercedes ML350, BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne.

I can't speak from a reliability standpoint, but I've driven both the 1st and the 2nd gen CX-9

The 1st gen cx-9's 3rd row is pretty cramped however the driving dynamics and the power of the v6 is nice to have.

and info on the current gen cx-9 can be found here . Quality of the current gen is amazing it's a step above when comparing to the older model.

For 2007 ML350 gas are susceptible to worn balance shafts, 30+hr repair. I would recommend getting 09+

For 2007 ML350 diesel that's the one to get cuz they didn't implement adblue urea injection and makes it extremely more reliable then 09+ models.

There fairly reliable but have an above average cost of ownership.

A lot of Nissan SUVs in the 2000s had that problem where the tranny fluid and coolant mixed. It was called having a strawberry milkshake. It's easily avoided if you installed a aftermarket tranny cooler. While looking at Nissan trucks, just open the rad cap to see if there's a problem. If it's clean, great. If not, move on.

Thanks again for the inputs guys. ended up getting an 08 Audi Q7 V6. Hope the car is reliable and last a long time.

Honestly all 7 passengers SUV are pretty dangerous.. high centre of gravity and impossible to get out from the rear.. Most people don't drive that much fully loaded most of the time and tend to misjudge when it is.

Basically the last row is a death trap when there is a roll over.

Minivan is a lot safer, or a Sprinter 4x4. You just need to set of tires and practice.

GL with your Audi just expect things like air springs etc might be due pretty soon since in the end it is a 8 year SUV. But if the car's previous life lives in a garage (vs on the street) it should be fine.

Er, hate to say this but if you only had enough money for a high mileage, late 00's SUV, you may soon regret that Q7 purchase once the repair bills start rolling in. Hope it came with some good maintenance records...

Came in to suggest an MDX or Pathfinder. The Q7 would've been the last car I'd rec...

The tranny issue on the Pathfinder occurred b/w 2005-2010 and is called cross contamination. Warranty was extended on these cars with co-pay for a transmission / radiator replacement, depending on age of vehicle. Easy fix is to re-route the cooler line.

If I bought one and the cooler lines were still hooked up to the rad, first thing I'd get is an external cooler.

Cross fingers hopefully this Q7 will be reliable. Original owner always serviced it in Audi downtown. Got about 125k mileage.

Would you have issues with tranny fluid not getting up to temp then?

There should be some sort of a bypass valve that only opens to the cooler at higher temps