I currently drive a 1995 Pathfinder SE 4x4 5 spd and I'm thinking of upgrading to a supercharged Xterra. Probably looking at a 2002 or 2003. I'm concerned about the reliability and longevity of the supercharger. Your comments are appreciated.
Thank you, DS
BTW: I love my Pathfinder. It has been very reliable and fun. It's just showing it's age with some rust spots, and it's lacking power.
Superchargers, and their reliability, are completely dependent on how you drive the vehicle. If you engage it often, especially at higher revs, the heat generated can cause distortion in the parts of the device, sapping power over time, and reducing long-term reliability.
The question becomes: are you a lead foot? Or do you drive responsibly? If you are a responsible driver, and use the excess power situationally, you can get many years from a supercharger.
Your friends at
If you have a lead foot, you will wear out the supercharger faster.
If you can, look for a used 2005 X-Terra. In 2005, they made a lot of new improvements.
If you want an older SUV than the 2005 X-Terra, look at the 2002 to 2004 Pathfinder. In this case, you would be better off, unless you specifically needed the capability of the X-Terra.
An acquaintance of mine has the supercharged XTerra. His only complaint is poor gas mileage. Something to consider.
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