Replacing my trusty Pathfinder ?

Well, yesterday a wreck killed my '93 Pathfinder - one of the handiest vehicles I've ever owned.
I'm OK besides being angry and sore from neck to waist, but the problem is finding something equally adept.
Not looking for new cars or complicated tech, but something in a small SUV/wagon/hatchback kind of thing.
Doesn't have to be a Mopar (yes, heresy to some), and to me the architecture of a small/medium wagon is optimum.
Won't see much snow - like the Pathy did - now that I'm in the suburbs, and a FWD deal like my old Breeze 5-speed was fun, FWIW.
I'll guess my budget at maybe $15,000 max, but I'd prefer $10,000 or less.
Whaddya think ?

There's a few clean, used '93 Pathfinder's out there have you looked for any?

Yeah, haven't found any nice ones though.
Cruised CL, local ads, and several used-car sites & broadened my search to sedans, hatchbacks & small PUs (Dak/Ranger/etc).

If you like the Pathfinder type of vehicle, then a Toyota 4 Runner should be on the list to look at. I have a 2017 I bought new and it has 196,500 on it with ZERO issues. I drive it through my pastures and have taken it to off road parks and had fun with it. It is also my rolling office during the week, which is why it has so many miles already. It has even hauled 440's in the rear cargo area to the machine shop. I realize you are probably looking for something a little older with your price range, but even the older 4 Runners are a good option to look at. Heck, some of the older units came with V8s!
Just my 2 cents!

You might have to drive a bit to get one but I think if you keep up with the Internet searches you can find another Pathfinder with reasonable mileage.
Good Luck!

You can get a 4th gen 4runner for that budget and it's the same type of vehicle as the older pathfinders. Or if you want another Pathfinder look at the rebadged Infiniti version called QX4

Durango?

Jeep Cherokees roundabout 10 years old seem OK & viable.
4Runners are spendy around here unless they're piles.
Actually considered a Focus until I read about their litany of problems, and a buddy had an Edge that cost him dearly in repairs.
Found an '01 Grand Cherokee I kinda like - 130K for $7995 & looks clean - any problems with them ?

Grand Cherokee too maybe a little closer to the same size as the Pathfinder?

Colorado seems to have a lot of them, rent a econo car drive out there drive the new one back. Fly out and drive back.

If I had the time and not a bunch of balls in the air, I could travel, but can't any time soon.

Seems like a good option IMO (if '01 still had the 4.0 or 5.2). Plenty of parts and aftermarket support available.

4Runner, clean XJ Cherokee (I loved mine), clean ZJ Grand Cherokee.

Apparently, '01 V8s were the 4.7, and I've read enough about those here to be leery.

Jeeps are popular around here so they have good resale generally. Pay more, but then you don't really loose too much later. Kinda always been that way.

Most the Durangos and Dakotas have a lot of miles and bad clear coat issues. The last of them can still be had with good cosmetics, but the engines in them can be trouble so I have heard. Met a mechanic a few years ago who worked for the local GMC dealer tell me when they got anything 4.7 as a trade-in it went to the auction. That dealership offers used car warranties and had a few in that needed major engine work/total replacement so the sales manager decided they were not worth having on the lot. I think if you found one that has been taken care of you may be ok?

Toyotas are popular and priced that way.

Lady at the bank I talked to a few years ago said it's possible to save quite a bit of money by traveling outside the area and driving something back home instead. C-19 made prices on the sought after stuff go way up and that is where it has stayed.

FaceBook Marketplace has become the go to classifieds for buying and selling. You may not agree, like it or have an account- but the fact is they have taken over as the place to find vehicles and sell vehicles. But here's a video of a repair shop owner in Kansas. He does "Buy this not that" videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5KxRIqDcds&list=PLh3LJqzACNaPK0nX3wIypD0FBUd8rILQE&index=13

First off, it's good to hear that you are OK after the accident!

Now to turn to selecting a replacement vehicle. An XJ Cherokee would be my first choices. Those have fewer electrical gizmos than the Grand Cherokee and better transmissions. The XJ's were also more likely to have a manual transmission. The XJ's have some issues, but most of those can be fixed cheaply. For the most part, there is adequate room to access stuff under the hood. There are many aftermarket parts available for the XJ's. There also also a number of parts that can be swapped from other vehicles to upgrade the XJ. The brake system would be the first upgrade to make! Look for an XJ with the Chrysler 8 1/4 rear axle. I like the transfer case that had option of 2 wheel drive along with part time and full time 4 wheel drive. (The hard core off road guys would disagree with that choice.)

I had an XJ years ago. It had the handling package with front and rear sway bars. It was a nice driving vehicle! The XJ's without the handling package did not drive nearly as well on the road. My XJ was the "country edition", which was the top of the line model. It was comparable to a base model Grand Cherokee. I was very happy with that XJ!

I've never had a Durango or a Dakota, but have heard a LOT of good things about the 1990's Durangos. The biggest issue I've heard of with these is transmission problems. I can't recall exactly when the body was changed, but some of the later ones had rust issues along with the engine issues already mentioned. If you want to do any towing, a V8 Durango would probably be the best in it's class.

The Grand Cherokee is probably comparable to the Durango in many respects. I'd prefer the Durango because it has a frame. (That is better for towing.) On the other hand, the Grand Cherokee could be had with the 4.0 engine.

The S-10 Blazers with the 4.3 engines were reasonably good. The older, square body style did not seem to hold up very well in an accident though. The later ones were better....but that's not saying much. They were a bit cramped under the hood. So, working on them could be a hassle. Some people have had problems with the S-10's. The transmission and the axles were not real strong. If one can be found that has been well cared for rather than abused, it might be a decent vehicle.

Some people love the small imported SUV's. I don't have any experience with those and can't offer any thoughts on them.

Good luck with whatever choice you make. Around here, used vehicles have become EXPENSIVE!!! I've seen some absolutely crazy asking prices!!! You may find a better price if you can wait until spring to buy. This time of year, 4 wheel drives bring a premium price.

Appreciate the input, gentlemen, and maybe I can give more parameters:
Towing is my Dually's job, fooling around & certain trips are Mustang stuff, and the Road Runners are the rolling monuments
Wagon architecture is to me the Swiss Army Knife for weather, tasks, and general life stuff.
The XJs are pretty likeable, but are (to me) a bit more crude than my Pathfinder.
By the same token - see the "weirdest driving" thread - I'm NOT digging the high-tech robotic driving experience of the new cars.
My philosophy is to find the nicest used example of something reliable and I guess I'd say enjoyable.
At the moment, I'm kinda drawn to the Cherokees & Mazda CX-5 of the 2000-2015-ish era, but certainly open to alternatives.
A buddy of mine loves his Honda Pilot...

Pop top 4Runner.

If it has the 4.0 ltr straight six I'd say good. I think last year for them was '06.

The older Toyota Highlanders seem to be a solid choice. We bought a 2013 back in 2016 and so far haven't had to do anything to it other than basic maintenance. Hoping to keep it around until it hits 250k or so.

https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/highlander-years-to-avoid-how-to-find-the-best-model-years

4.0 I6 is bulletproof, good power. Loved mine in my XJ.

If you can't find exactly what you want buy a clean Jeep or a 1/2 ton pickup, and then keep your eye out for something else later. Both of those are by far the easiest to sell outright or trade in and get your money back out.

I wish I could find an xj thai isn't both clapped out and over$6k.
I couldn't any advertised within 4 hours of me. I've had 2 of them but moved to Durangos.
Because I can find decent ones for a reasonable price. Personally many people seem to like them but I refuse to constantly Toyota Nissan Hyundai honduh or Kia.

If you can't find a clean one for a price you're willing to pay, perhaps your price expectation is unreasonable. Those things are in demand. They bring $$.

Yeah they do. Crazy money. I've had a 01 and a 97 xj and they aren't made any more/ but they want as much or more now for them than what I paid for mine 17 and 14 years ago respectively.
That was the reason why I bought a Durango 10 years ago.
I just bought another Durango (same body style as my first) and had to pay more for a nice 03, 2 weeks ago than what I paid for my 01, 10 years ago. But not at the extent as the xj's now compared to them.
It doesn't help that I live dead smack in the middle of salt country. I did have to go 4 hours away to find a clean Durango, that wasn't far enough for a nice xj, this round.
I got my first Durango at 1/3 the money an xj was in 2013, this time I had to pay 1/2 of entry price of another xj for my 2nd Durango. From what I see a "nice" xj can't be touched below $6k, just like back in '13. I don't have that kind of money for a vehicle.

Topside, I PM ed you, I have this all OG 96 r50 in South Florida for 3200 3.3 V6 auto 4x4 Cold A/C everything works really clean inside and out 140,k no rust anywhere

^ oh hell yes!

FWIW - Been Googling problem areas for the vehicles that have interested me so far.
A probably odd range of the CX-5, late-model Cherokee, 2001 Grand Cherokee, Honda Pilot, Focus & Escape off the top of my head.
Certain years log more problems than adjacent years, some with catastrophic failures, but mostly electronic failures.
Lots of rebuilt/salvage titles on local FBM, and the Hondas are at Toyota money, but those 2 makes seem to have fewest problems.
Seems the mid-2010s stuff is more problematic than 2017-up, though that could be mileage-related.
Man, this is quite the time-suck !

I think modelmakerinc has the answer for you...

Like 19Swinger70 said. The earlier smaller 4Runners are right up your alley. I had a first gen 2nd as a backup vehicle. Great when I had my dog. (Still miss her). Great feature is the rear window goes down.

Since I have a farm, I found a Honda Ridgeline to suit me more. I need more hauling outside the passenger area. Diesel fuel cans, and other things that require a bed rather than a rear compartment. The bed also has a large trunk. Lots of neat features. 5,000 lb tow capacity. I suppose I will always have a Ridgeline.

It has done more farm stuff than some shiny never used as a truck 3/4 ton with expensive wheels.

Glad your ok. My choice for the Swiss army knife is the WJ Grand Cherokee. Only consider ones with the 4.0 best to avoid anything but the Selectrac transfer case. I'm on my third and with about 220 on the clock it's still a stone reliable super comfortable cruiser with room for (8) 18" tires, or a full 4 x 8 piece of foam insulation, or last night a new recliner in the rear (seats down of course). Had it on the trails and with a good set of tires and small lift (2") it hangs right with the Wranglers on 35's and 37's.

There is a reason the old Toyotas tend to bring the dollars....just think about what makes a used car a 'cheap' buy. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

As much as I'm a die-hard Mopar guy, I'm also a bit of a closet Nissan guy - especially trucks. I've built/owned several '80s & '90s Nissan trucks (720s and D21s). No Pathfinders, but they are mechanically the same. They are great vehicles!!

However, about 5 years ago I bought my first Jeep Cherokee (XJ). It's a 1999 and it's been amazing!!! Nothing fancy but enough creature comforts for me. I bought it as a winter beater but immediately fell in love with it and it's been my year-round daily ever since with over 200K on it. Rust is their biggest enemy, but that applies to ALL vehicles here in the Rust Belt

I'm sorry to hear about your Pathfinder getting wrecked. I'd be sick if someone wrecked my Cherokee. There are lots of others out there, but I know how great MINE is.

Ed B

Unfortunately the Toyotas of the eras suggested aren't comfortable for me, and the older Cherokees seem cruder than my Pathy.
Agreed, they're pretty darn bulletproof, but for me, my Pathy is/was a nicer/better vehicle.

Love my 99 xj.130000 .bought it new so far batteries brakes and tires

Is there any hope of repairing your Pathfinder?

Even if your insurance company wants to write it off, can't you accept a cash settlement and put that amount towards repairing it?

Mike, if I was still running bodyshops, it'd be getting repaired, by guys I could trust.
I don't have any contacts here in Boise like I did in Sandpoint.
By the same token, it has 226,000 miles on it, and even though it's in great shape, the good times won't last forever.

Anyway, so far the vehicles I've found locally that interest me:
2010 Tiguan, 2013 Jetta, a couple 2017 Cherokees, and an Accord or two, but Pilots also have a good rep.
Found a decent V6 Journey, but I'm leery of late-model Mopars.
I'd be OK with a Stratus/etc but haven't seen a nice one in my search.
A nice V-6 RAV-4 is so far kind of a stretch.
Trying to be all-in under $16K so there's $ for a racecar to replace my Duster...priorities...
Ultimately, a smallish SUV is the best all-around tool for my vehicular toolbox.

That generation of Grand Cherokee (WJ) aren't bad. I've acquired a few of them to put my kids in them during their school years. Ours range from 150-325k miles and all had some sort of problems that allowed me to purchase them for cheap, knowing I would need to perform repairs. I don't think I paid over $2k for any one of them. I've seen some in the $5-8k range that are lower mileage and look pretty nice. I wasn't willing to pay that much so have never l looked at these. All mine run good now. Haven't had any major issues with them that I wasn't aware of when we bought them.
Things to be aware of with these...
1) using coolant. Some of these have cracked heads and suck coolant some of the have head gaskets that loose ability to seal over time and will allow coolant to get sucked into cylinders.
2) damage in the drivers doors wire harness. in the simplest case, this prevents windows and door locks from working. In worst case it creates a mod buss error that will lead to a host of dash warning lights becoming active.
3) rear hatch locks and airbag sensing units in the column fail. Easy replacements for both.
4) I've had to replace wheel bearings and CV boots in all of them at some point or another. Could be indicative of early life lack of care. No issues with my replacements.

Yeah, it was the 4.7 horror stories that hurt my interest in that one.

Just stumbled across a near-mint '99 Sebring (Mitsubishi) V6 coupe for $6750 with the major services done; are those good ?
Mitsubishi used to have a good rep but that's not a car I know much about.

i work in a VW bodyshop.
AVOID the Tiguan.
they are nice driving cars with good power a LOT of them are 4motion AWD. it should have a 2.0 turbo power. they are also tanks. it's probably one of the safest cars made in that era.
these motors last to about 120-150K miles then plan on going thru the motor. GOOD used motors are tough to find also. reman motors are $$$ and sell as fast as they build them for this reason.
the trans isn't cheap either.
parts to repair are easily found but $$$$$.

Thanks for the info.

glad you made it out of the crash ok !
however, i can't offer any suggestions on a replacement vehicle. sorry.

The 2017 Cherokee is pretty similar to a 2014, which my SIL has. He has had a lot of problems with it including electric cooling fan, motor mounts and transmission, off the top of my head. He's so fed up with the thing, he'd probably give it to you I think these Cherokees were based on the Dart platform.

From what I've read, the earlier problems were pretty much fixed for 2017.
But then again, that's internet wisdom, and a '17-up vehicle is likely to generally have fewer miles/usage than the earlier years.
Monday I'm gonna check out a couple CX-5s, a couple Cherokees, a couple Focus HBs, and whatever else that seems workable that I can find over the weekend.

Newer Fords apparently have shift point issues. I know people who were so annoyed by it they gave up and traded them in for something else after the dealer was not able to make it any better.

i work in a VW Mazda bodyshop.
the CX-5 is a extremely nice driving car with premium interior. about 1/2 of all the cars Mazda sells are CX-5's. there is usually a CX-5 in the shop every day because they sell so many of them,
regular maintenance isn't bad. the cars are usually pretty easy to work on. parts are usually easy to buy but aren't cheap. if something breaks it won't be cheapo to repair it. headlights are around $1K the grill assembly with the header panel is $1K+ depending on model level of car., front bumpers are $1K..

Interesting, T2U - Genuine Nissan parts for my Pathfinder were really spendy, too, if I could find 'em.
Years ago a sun visor was like $200 !
I looked on Rock Auto and halogen HL assys for a 2016 CX-5 were under $150; granted, not OEM.
So far, I haven't found one decent stick car, which for something like a Focus, would sway me.
25 years ago I had a stick Pathfinder, and they're simply nicer with the AT. Less fwy RPM with the AT, too.

it depends on the trim level of the car on $$. i THINK halogen are only on the entry level cars. higher trim level + higher $$$.

i don't think they make a MT CX-5. i have never seen one.

I'll sell you this for $15,000. Reliable as anything new, 15MPG (same as anything new, real world) and goes UP in value every year

I bought a new '98 Mazda MPV and drove it for 21 years. The biggest reason I sold it was because a few important parts were impossible to get. Needless to say, we liked it a lot. They make nice driving vehicles...

19 and newer is the way to go with the Cherokee KL….. wife and daughters rides. 22-23 mpg highway as the Trailhawks are worse in that segment. But…… for what they lack in articulation they make up for in traction abilities. We’ve had the white one in some pretty cool places and the full underside skid plates show it. Both at mid 50k miles. Just put struts on the white one, but it’s been used for sure. Both have a lift and oversize tire.