2008 Nissan Pathfinder Pricing and Specs

The bottom line here is that even if the vehicle was incredibly cheap, you might find it’s a false economy once you have to start making repairs. Regardless of what make or model four-wheel-drive you’re looking at, the first thing to do is determine how it’s been used and how it’s been serviced. Check the service handbook for signs that correct maintenance has been performed, and try to gauge how much off-road work it’s done. Any example with mud tyres and a winch can be assumed to have led a hard life.

On a model-specific basis, this was not Nissan’s finest hour in turbo-diesel engines. The 2.5-litre four-cylinder diesel is notorious for suffering stretched and failed timing chains. And repairing that could easily be more than the value of a 300,000km example. EGR (exhaust gas recirculation, part of the emissions-control equipment) coolers can also fail expensively. There are better choices, to be honest.

Looking at seven-seater SUVs, the new Kia Sorento is excellent in all areas to earn The Tick and the Nissan Pathfinder is a good choice. One of them should work for you, your budget and your towing duties.

Nissan's claims for your Pathfinder are 10.2 L/100 km average overall, and 12.4 L/100 km in urban situations. Using the latter figure as a guide your car is consuming around 30 percent more fuel than the company's claim. It must be remembered that the claim is taken from a standard lab test and not real life, and that it's meant to give a comparative figure when comparing one car to another, but to then find you car is guzzling 30 percent more fuel is unacceptable. Take it back to your dealer and demand something be done about it.