Fair enough. I missed the shot in return. Let’s move on.
Honda and Nissan to Merge?
- Thread starter Danh
- Start date
Mine didn't use a drop of oil either, until it did. After the P0420 code, the sudden oil use signals the beginning of the end. Or maybe the end of the end. If you owned a 03 2.5L, as there was at least one (bogus, my word) recall for it, surprised you weren't aware of the issue.
Sorry to nitpick, but chains don't actually "stretch", they elongate due to wear on the internal parts (pins & bushings). Elongation can be measured with a scale (ruler). Some service manuals provide this information, example shown below. At some point, the chain elongates to the point of wearing the sprockets out. Bicycle and motorcycle guys know this well, since it costs them money when they do.
JHZR2
Staff member
Point of “weighing in” was to emphasize that things get parroted and commented on and stated as truth without expertise to back. I know you took that as an attack on you since I had quoted some specific comments, but in reality it was to address silly old arguments that really aren’t salient. Belts aren’t bad. Chains aren’t infallible. Neither is a case for Honda vs Nissan vs. anyone else.I agree. Point being that someone decided to bash Nissan vs Honda technically in a thread about mergers and acquisitions and you decided to wade in, and not simply technically but try to assert who or who doesn't know about chain stretch and how to measure it.
No OEM is infallible. Nissan certainly has their share of failures. However I have pointed out several times above where Nissan still outperforms Honda - in emerging markets especially. Emerging markets are growing and western markets are not. Honda makes everything from lawn mowers to Airplane engines. Nissan is more focused. Comparing the two is a fools errand. Nissan likely brings more value to someone like Foxconn who is not in the auto business currently, than it does Honda. The Honda marriage was an attempt at arrangement by an insular Japanese government. I personally prefer Nissan not to become Honda. I have no say either.
Anyway, possibly you should upgrade your Mercedes fuel pump to a belt for better performance? Sorry, couldn't resist.
Actually since there is an FSM basis for adjusting timing, I don’t need to revert to a belt and revision to get timing back. The injection pump can also be adjusted to compensate. So good engineering, well understood, and set up to compensate for a chain’s shortcomings!
If I have to measure for chain stretch, I'm using a lab scope and cam/crank correlations.
Forgot about the 2.5's and their disintegrating cats. Did the QR25 in the Frontier suffer the same fate, or was it more (or less) durable? I see a few fleet RWD's for sale, and I kinda miss having a truck.
No comment/opinion on Honda/Nissan merge. From what I understand, a number of the makers have agreements or stakehold in other companies. And I know the Japanese have been a bit close knit. Not sure how a merger would have worked out, Honda gives up their trucklet (which I'm a fan of, that's not a knock) while Nissan concedes on sedans? Go do what you do best, and quit competing where you can't.
No comment/opinion on Honda/Nissan merge. From what I understand, a number of the makers have agreements or stakehold in other companies. And I know the Japanese have been a bit close knit. Not sure how a merger would have worked out, Honda gives up their trucklet (which I'm a fan of, that's not a knock) while Nissan concedes on sedans? Go do what you do best, and quit competing where you can't.
Posted by @D1dad
"I did the recall. Some sort of “reflash”. Mine died from a deer at 167k and some change. One of the best cars I ever owned. News didn’t travel as much back then and I was none the wiser. My buddy still has his 02 with over 200k on it and it’s never happened. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Nissan hadn’t have played stupid about it."
So, you were aware ("knew of") the precat failure issues. And while a "reflash" may have been involved the main thing was a "complimentary/"free"
oil and filter change. And while I find your two anecdotes mildly interesting, 'imo' they are outliers. I can point to CarComplaints.com for 02-03 years, multiple Nissan Forums (e.g. HERE) and even car sites like Edmunds sharing multiple similar to, same experiences as mine. As for Nissan "playing stupid", I have a slightly different take. In my observation, it was a "deliberate attempt" to deceive owners and avoid fixing the real issue, the precats. That way it took owners further away from any possible warranty coverage and recourse they might have been entitled to. Also and as proof, why some 2.5L Spec V owners that drove their cars in a "spirited "manner ended up with new engines from Nissan under warranty. Lucky them, for a while at least.
As footnote, had to reply in this manner because your reply was formatted in a way unable to direct reply.
"I did the recall. Some sort of “reflash”. Mine died from a deer at 167k and some change. One of the best cars I ever owned. News didn’t travel as much back then and I was none the wiser. My buddy still has his 02 with over 200k on it and it’s never happened. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Nissan hadn’t have played stupid about it."
So, you were aware ("knew of") the precat failure issues. And while a "reflash" may have been involved the main thing was a "complimentary/"free"
oil and filter change. And while I find your two anecdotes mildly interesting, 'imo' they are outliers. I can point to CarComplaints.com for 02-03 years, multiple Nissan Forums (e.g. HERE) and even car sites like Edmunds sharing multiple similar to, same experiences as mine. As for Nissan "playing stupid", I have a slightly different take. In my observation, it was a "deliberate attempt" to deceive owners and avoid fixing the real issue, the precats. That way it took owners further away from any possible warranty coverage and recourse they might have been entitled to. Also and as proof, why some 2.5L Spec V owners that drove their cars in a "spirited "manner ended up with new engines from Nissan under warranty. Lucky them, for a while at least.As footnote, had to reply in this manner because your reply was formatted in a way unable to direct reply.
Last edited:
When I sold my 196,000 mile 2008 V8 4x4 Pathfinder to a good friend. it was on original Engine,transmisson, and well, uhm original everything! (that wasnt a wear item).Can’t possibly be true, Honda is perfect. The J35 is the best engine ever madeAll kidding aside, people here forget that there are several VQs and VKs (possibly after the manifold replacement) running around with 300k+ miles, without needing the timing chain to be replaced.
There are a few folks with VKs over 400k-500k miles still chugging along on the original engine/tranny combo. But nah, that’s not possible - it’s a Nissan!
It had been in the rustbelt for almost a decade and a half before I got my hands on it.
Suspension components (those are wear items) needed replacing due to rust, but at this age they needed replacing anyway.
frame was fine with just surface rust. Couple minor rust spots on the body.
Mechanically A ok After so many hard miles. (Previous owner towed max weight and above all the time like crazy)
I replaced it with, your guessed it, another Nissan. (23 Armada 4x4)
There is nothing else out there that for the money gives you a balance of stout engines, decent handling/braking/steering, good seats, good simple physical switchgear, non busy simple dash, good outside visibility.
Honda or Toyota would have been my 2nd and 3rd choices, but Toyota will sell you the same car as a Nissan, with fewer features with a 20% premium.
No deal.
(And recently Nissan reliability is looking real good, compared to Toyotas engine problems, never ever had an engine problem or transmission problem in a Nissan)
I am in Germany now for a multi year work assignment. Took the Armada with me.
It runs like a swiss watch at 90-100 mph for entire tankfuls.
Thats not exactly the use-case it was designed for, but hey, its a Nissan, it can do it.
Last edited:
I remember your post over on Nicoclub about the VK Pathfinder
. Glad to hear from another R51 owner that it served you well. Hopefully, you’ll be able to get the Armada flat out on the Autobahn.Mine has been fantastic too (with the VQ40). I’ve put about 45k miles on it in the last 4 years - it’s been everywhere from Maine, New Brunswick, Quebec to Florida and to Nevada. Great ride, minimal travel fatigue, minimal maintenance needs - she just goes and goes. I’ve taken it off road plenty of times and it’s never thrown a fuss. I did strip the frame down and coated it with POR15 and it gets yearly fluid film treatment. No rust underneath. I found the seat positioning to be light years ahead compared to the Tacomas/4Runners of the era.
Much like you, I needed something bigger. Ended up with a 2015 Armada - I wanted a 2021+ Armada but the smaller 3rd in the 2nd gen was a deal breaker. People hold the Sequoia on a high pedestal, justifiably so, but the Armada is equally competent for the half the price! Honda isn’t even a player in this segment.
I need to begrudgingly put up my Pathfinder for sale and hopefully it’ll go to someone who’ll take care of it.
If you can wait a couple of years I might be back in the US and pay a no muss, no fuss, cash price for that Nissan goodness.
PS: Looks like my name change did not do all that much to shield my Identity after all.
Maybe I should just change it back...
Similar threads
- Locked