V8 in the House
Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:15 pm
Looks like we just got our first V8 member, welcome to Roland002! 
Hi everybody, and thanks for the welcome. I was really glad to fine a site for people who love their Finders. I really wish I had looked for it when I had the 2000. I found it because I was looking for a way to beef up the rear suspension for towing; it seems a little soft. Thanks to the dude who posted the pictures of the installed air bags. That really helped. Saturday I am going to install the 7-pin connector and Prodigy brake controller, then hook up the camper and see how she pulls.
So anyway, my first Pathfinder was a 2000, really a late '99, with the 3.3 in it. I recently bought a 19-foot camper weighting about 3900 Lbs and found it to be a little too heavy for the V6 when pulling up the mountains here in Arizona. Other than that it was a phenomenal vehicle. It had 146000 miles on it and the problem count was zero. I changed the oil, put on brakes, new shocks and struts, batteries, etc. But it was never sick a day in it's life. I was deeply troubled to find out I would be needing a V8 because I did not want to get rid of what I had. I thought the Armada was just too big and I did not really want a truck. So, I was sitting on the couch one day half paying attention when this commercial came on. I said to my wife, "Did they just say V8 pathfinder?" She said, "No, they were talking about the Armada." But I got up and checked the Nissan website. WOW!! a 310 HP Pathfinder. 48 hours later I owned one. My friend had expressed interest in the old one, so he got it for $8000.00.
Now, what you really want to know. The V8 is a rocket ship. Think: 300Z that carries seven people and a trailer. I am thoroughly enjoying it. I have found some features that I am not really that happy about, but I think I'll get used to it. Things like: the volume knob is too close to the ignition switch. Go to turn off the car, and end up blowing out you ear drums. Another one: besides needing an advanced degree in astrophysics to change the time on the clock, you cannot make a change unless you a at a standstill. Who came up with that?
Okay, enough for now. This weekend I will post a towing report.
Roland, Nicole, and Toby (the dog)
