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Tell me about Nissan Frontier compact pick up trucks

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
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I found a lightly used Nissan Frontier, a few years old. Less than 9000 miles per year on the odometer. Looks pretty much flawless.

This one is one of the "SV" trim packages (not the bottom end, but lower end model) with 4wd, 6-cyl engine, and the 4 door crew cab. It is very unusual in that it has the long 6' bed instead of the shorter 4' bed. One of my requirements is a 6' bed. I was looking at 2 door 'King Cab' models but found this bigger 'Crew Cab' version.

It also has several added accessories like bed rails, the bed extender basket, back up camera system, parking sensors, tow package, fog lights, etc.

Curious if anyone has any experience with one of these. Or the other compact pick up trucks? I've looked over Edmunds.com reviews, etc. Seems like a good truck, good price, but not as "nice" as a brand new one. That said, I'm not looking for a nice daily driver. THOUGHTS?
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Experience? Sort of. Owned one? No.

One of my good friends leased one and liked it very much, but turned it in to get a Ram. He liked the truck and I rode in it a number of times and it seemed like a very nice truck. Nice ride. It was a 2014 I believe. Do not recall him having any issues with it that he mentioned to me and we are gear heads, so I'm sure the subject would have come up.

The thing that struck me is that the truck felt more like a car then a truck. Very low to the ground for a 4WD. Not anything like my Ranger with the off road FX/4 package, Bilstein shocks, locking rear differential and factory lift kit, that sort of thing. It is a much more mild mannered truck then that. So for me, it would not be as well suited for fetching fire wood on my remote wood lot. Also, did not have the ground clearance or skid plates to protect against stumps.

A gentlemen's truck is the way I see them. Nothing wrong with them at all for light duty work or the trip to Home Depot. Low milage used trucks are a very rare find. May want to make up your mind in a hurry.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
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...

A gentlemen's truck is the way I see them. Nothing wrong with them at all for light duty work or the trip to Home Depot. Low milage used trucks are a very rare find. May want to make up your mind in a hurry.

Are you calling me a gentleman :laugh3:

Sounds like your buddy might have had an "SV" or a more luxurious variant. I'm looking at an SV version.

But light duty work like trips to Home Depot is exactly what it would be used for, not much heavier duty than that.

FWIW, they do make an off road oriented version, slight lift, Bilstens, locking differential, skid plate, etc. I am NOT looking at that version.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Are you calling me a gentleman :laugh3:

Sounds like your buddy might have had an "SV" or a more luxurious variant. I'm looking at an SV version.

But light duty work like trips to Home Depot is exactly what it would be used for, not much heavier duty than that.

FWIW, they do make an off road oriented version, slight lift, Bilstens, locking differential, skid plate, etc. I am NOT looking at that version.

I read your posts. :yum:

You know, not sure which model he had, but like I said it was a very nice truck and sounds perfectly suited to your needs. A word to the wise, he who hesitates is lost. About a year ago, I hesitated on a low milage 92 Jetta diesel that was out of Texas and in great shape. I lost.
 

Melensdad

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I read your posts. :yum:

You know, not sure which model he had, but like I said it was a very nice truck and sounds perfectly suited to your needs. A word to the wise, he who hesitates is lost. About a year ago, I hesitated on a low milage 92 Jetta diesel that was out of Texas and in great shape. I lost.

I left a message ... hope to get a call back this morning.
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
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My grampa had one years ago. Every time he showed up to help do any work with his truck amongst all our full sized trucks we'd all joke with him about showing up with his wheelbarrow. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
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My grampa had one years ago. Every time he showed up to help do any work with his truck amongst all our full sized trucks we'd all joke with him about showing up with his wheelbarrow. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

:yum::yum::yum:

Seems like a fair comparison.

All I know is that if I buy this it will be big enough for my needs. So maybe I'm entering the "grandpa" phase of my life ... just don't put any pressure on my daughter, I'd like her happily married before she has any babies :hammer:
 

jwstewar

Active member
I've got a cousin that has one. He has used it for his roofing/construction business. At this point in life, he is more of the estimator - well actually less than that now, but he had racks on it with a couple ladders. He has had it for several years, I've not heard him saying anything really bad about it. So that says a lot. Not sure, but I would guess his has a bunch of miles on it now. He said it was good on gas and a much better ride and fuel mileage compared to the GM/Fords he was used to using.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
:yum::yum::yum:

Seems like a fair comparison.

All I know is that if I buy this it will be big enough for my needs. So maybe I'm entering the "grandpa" phase of my life ... just don't put any pressure on my daughter, I'd like her happily married before she has any babies :hammer:

Don't listen to them!!! I get more work done with my "whellbarrow" then most guys even dream about doing with their full size tanks. :yum:

Mid size trucks rule. :smile:

I know RedNeck has broad shoulders. Just jesting.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
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Deal is struck, bringing it home later this week
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
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Deal is struck, bringing it home later this week
Congrats Bob. Sounds perfect for your needs. Don't be surprised if you get to liking it better than anticipated and it is driven more than you expected. Something bout a truck. :thumb:
Pics please when you have time.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
Bob the only 2 problems I know of on them, and I have worked on a few is the mufflers have no drain hole and will fill with water and freeze, and the timing belt and water pump should be replaced as a set around 80 k other wise my experience has been like the old subarus those things will run till the body falls off.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Congrats Bob. Sounds perfect for your needs. Don't be surprised if you get to liking it better than anticipated and it is driven more than you expected. Something bout a truck. :thumb:
Pics please when you have time.

All I ever wanna drive is my pick-em-up truck. :thumbup:
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
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Congrats Bob. Sounds perfect for your needs. Don't be surprised if you get to liking it better than anticipated and it is driven more than you expected. Something bout a truck. :thumb:
Pics please when you have time.
I've always been a sports car/sporty car guy so I'm not sure that is likely but we shall see.



Bob the only 2 problems I know of on them, and I have worked on a few is the mufflers have no drain hole and will fill with water and freeze, and the timing belt and water pump should be replaced as a set around 80 k other wise my experience has been like the old subarus those things will run till the body falls off.
I can live with those problems. The truck will be garage kept so I doubt the body will rust off :smile:
 

Melensdad

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Finally brought home the new (to us) Nissan Frontier.

I was supposed to get it late last week, but a series of events pushed it to this week.

$22,895

2014 with 34,000 miles. 4.0L engine, auto transmission, 4x4 drive. Metallic Grey paint. 4 doors, long bed (6'2" is a long bed for a Nissan). This has the SV trim package with some upgrade like a back up camera, rear parking sensors, a bed rail system with tie down hooks, plus a bed extender system. Spray in bed liner. Bluetooth phone connectivity. Cloth seat interior. AM/FM/XM radio with CD player but I have no plans to activate the XM satellite radio. Alloy wheels. Tires look to be new, nearly new. It has 3 12-volt outlets + 1 USB charging port. Fog lamps. Sliding glass rear window. Intermittent wipers. Seat Heaters on front seats. Auto Dimming rear view mirror. Cloth seats. Rear windows are tinted fairly dark. Power windows. Manual seat adjustments. Power mirrors.

Very clean everywhere, even the engine was detailed and spotless. Got to give them bonus points for how clean it is, I've not seen this level of clean on anything that was not brand new.

It came with 1 very small dent and a few touched up paint scrapes. So nothing abnormal for vehicle like this. Touched up paint scrapes were done nicely.

Interior/dash have lots of very spartan looking plastic. This is clearly a utilitarian looking truck design.

Did a mix of suburban and rural highway driving yesterday and was pretty happy with it. Ride is not as harsh as my buddies F150, which is a wonderful thing. Ride is obviously not as nice as the more care-like Touareg we dumped onto Carmax in trade. Turning radius is WIDE and will take some getting used to. Took some effort to get it parked at the super market, then again when I parked it at the high school last evening. Nothing like our VWs or Audis.

The Carmax experience was a mixed bag. People were very nice, no complaints, in face everyone was very polite and friendly. But damn the process took forever. Showed up at 10:15am ... left there at 1:15pm. This truck was transferred into the location for me, it was cleaned up and waiting for me when I got there. They were expecting my Touareg. The salesman I had been talking with met me when I arrived. Chatted a bit, gave him keys to the Touareg for the appraisal and then went for a test drive. Maybe 2 miles. Came back, they gave me an appraisal on the Touareg (which I accepted without a lot of haggle) and I asked for a total, wrote out a check for the difference and figured I would be good to go after signing a title on the Touareg. HOW WRONG I WAS.

OK they wanted to check to see if I had funds in the bank to back up the check. No problem. Gave them a phone #, they called and talked to one of my bankers, then a manager talked to her. 5 minute phone call. OK figured I was good to go after signing a couple papers. HOW WRONG I WAS.

Honestly WTF. I signed probably 20 pieces of paper to buy a car without financing? And had to go to a "signing desk" to do all that, where I met with another very polite, friendly and nice Carmax person. Who, of course, had computer printer problems at the desk were we were assigned to do the signing.

I don't recall all that crap the last vehicle I purchased; thank goodness I did not have to finance it, I probably would have needed to bring a tent & sleeping bag :hammer:


Brought it home and promptly put a NRA LIFE MEMBER sicker on the tailgate. :skeet-shooting:
 

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Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
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Looks good Bob. Very nice. And I see you already have a spare tire for it up on your shelf. :thumb: :D
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
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Just got the radar detector installed. Just under the rear view mirror. Wire runs inside with wire channel that powers the self-dimming mirror up to roofline. It is nicely hidden behind the interior trim around the right side of the windshield, down the A Pillar, and its run to one of the 12 volt outlets that is at the bottom of the dash, so the wire remains tucked away all the way from the detector to within 3" of the 12 volt power outlet. Didn't bother to hardwire this one since the truck has 3 12-volt power outlets + a USB charging port.


Looks good Bob. Very nice. And I see you already have a spare tire for it up on your shelf. :thumb: :D
:yum:
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
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Good thing I got the long bed version, I can now carry my ladder :hammer:
 

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