Fishing for info on Frontier SCs...

[Urabus GodofTraction]

My quest for a new vehicle has bounced me all over the automotive spectrum. While I like trucks, I dislike my F-150's size, and it's total lack of oomph.

I've been mainly looking at turbocharged Subie Foresters. However, recently my brain went like this:Subarus are cool. Truck beds are cool. Subaru made the Baja. Did Subaru make a turbocharged Baja? Why yes, yes they did! What else has a small bed and is fun? Didn't Nissan make a supercharged Frontier? Did that come in manual? Yes, yes they did!

So, tell me about 4x4, superchaged, manual transmissioned Nissan Frontiers.

The VG is a great engine. Does the supercharger **** with that reliability record? What about the rest of the car? As reliable as a Subie? Is what I'm looking for pretty much a unicorn because Nissan made maybe 6 of them?

[joefrontier]

SC are hungry fuel beasts. They do not get very good MPG. They also use Premium fuel to top off their thirst. The stock 2003-2004 engine gets 180 HP and the SC 210 HP. So you don't get a lot for what you pay for. That is just my opinion.

The SC needs to be serviced (rebuilt) at some point. The KS with SC is an issue because the KS fails and should get it replaced which means tearing down the top of the engine to get to it.

I think the SC brings down the frontier in reliability a bit because service on SC.

Then at around 100,000 miles you have to replace the timing belt on the engine. Which is not just for the SC it's for the VG v6 engine.

However, the engine is a great engine and is very robust. The stock engine is a dog at high end speeds. However, new CAI and exhaust will fix that. The engine has some good torque down low and you can pull off from a stop pretty good.

If you are looking to haul stuff you may find the 1st gen sluggish. However, the 2nd gen is suppose to be a lot better handling and hauling.

Thats all the info I have.

[Desert Rat]

Underdrive pulleys are available to boost that power up a bit on the SC motor, but honestly, if you're looking simply for power, get a 2005+ with the VQ40DE. That's a LOT more motor than the SC 3.3, and it'll get better economy and allow you to run 87 octane gas.

[Solar_Runner]

Google TUNFS and then go into their SC forum for these trucks. Lot's of info in there... but the posts above are pretty much dead on.

I drove both, new, prior to buying my 02 v6. I found the SC truck to be "edgy" and the few extra ponies not worth the cost at all. In fact, the best thing about the SC trucks were the 17" wheels it came with.