Limited Slip, worth it or not?

[BazookaJoe]

Hey guys,

I just joined and was wondering if anyone can help me out. I'm looking to buy an '01-'03 QX4 and was wondering if anyone has experience with a non-LSD 4wd QX4 in the winter. I had an '01 with LSD and it was awesome in the snow. As these vehicles get older it's getting harder to find the one I want (low mileage, 4WD, LSD). I don't want to pigeon hole myself waiting for one with LSD when an open diff with 4wd would work fine for me. I'll never take it off road either. Thanks for the input.

[yeldogt]

I'm not sure they made any LE's or QX4's w/o the option. The LE's and Q's all came with the electric transfer. I remember being told when I was looking for an new 02 ...... that they all came through with LSD. It was listed as an option.

[BazookaJoe]

I thought that LSD was part of the package if it has heated seats. I'm in CA but will relocate to MI someday. Most out here don't have heated seats for obvious reasons.

[yeldogt]

In 02 and 03 LSD was listed as an option on the LE pathfinders .. all the LE pathfinders had leather w/ heated seats. Heated seats was not an option on mine.

Im surprised they made QX4's w/o heated seats ... but they all made some 2wd .. how can they have 2wd Qx4's

I believe the only difference between the Q and the LE pathfinder are the headlights

[Upgrayedd]

In 02 and 03 LSD was listed as an option on the LE pathfinders .. all the LE pathfinders had leather w/ heated seats. Heated seats was not an option on mine.

My '02 LE has leather seats but they are not heated.

[barnaclebob]

My 2001.5 LE has a LSD.

[EdBwoy]

OP, where do you live?

FWIW, we operated both a RWD 2002 qx4 and a 4x4 2002 qx4 over a couple of winters in St. Louis. Both of them made it through the crazy snow storms of 2013 December with no issues.

We kept good rubber on the wheels and found that it made no difference in everyday driveability between the 2 vehicles. The only advantage of the 4x4 one was when we had to pull stuff. When I was on soft wet ground or gravel, it helped to throw it into 4lo and get another set of tires rolling.

Also, I feel like when I checked back in the day I found that the 4wd Qx4s did not get a limited slip differential. You got:
1. 4x4 with open front & rear diffs, lockable center diff
2. RWD with LSD
3. RWD with open diff... but I might have been misinformed. As I said, no perceptible differences while driving on the road.

[atraudes]

@EdBwoy: I have an 2001.5 4WD QX4 with LSD. And you're right, the right rubber makes all the difference.

[BazookaJoe]

EdBwoy, You've pretty much answered my question. The '01-'03 QX4's had LSD only when they had heated seats. It was part of a $900 sports package. My '01 had the LSD with 4wd and it was awesome in the snow. I'm just looking to by another one out here in CA and most don't have heated seats/LSD but have 4wd. I just want it to do well in snow someday when I move back to MI.

EdBwoy, did your '02 with 4wd have heated seats? You said it still did well in the snow?

Thanks!

[atraudes]

Well if you're still in the market in a month or two and don't mind heading up to WA, let me know

[BazookaJoe]

I seriously would if it has: <130k, 4WD, heated seats, leather isn't all torn up, and a realistic price. Let me know. Thanks.

[BazookaJoe]

I don't know how to post a photo, but here's a link to a dealers sticker that shows the options including the sports package:


http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n22/ ... lxdrne.jpg

[atraudes]

It has more like 177k miles so maybe not I'm going to be looking for $5k. It runs great and I've done a lot of preventative maintenance on it.

First things first though, gotta get its replacement finished!

[BazookaJoe]

Yeah probably have to pass. Thanks for the offer.

It's getting harder to find one of these that has low miles and is in nice shape. It seems like all the dealerships have them and they want like $8k for them.

[atraudes]

Yeah they're pretty hard to come by up here too. I got mine for $7k 4 years ago. I probably overpaid, but there just weren't many options and it was what I was looking for. Have you considered expanding your search to 01-04 Pathfinder LEs as well? They're mechanically identical, and the LE trim level looks like a QX4 on the inside. The only significant difference is that the QX4s had xenon headlights, extra body cladding, and a different tailgate layout. The Pathfinders had much more interesting colors though!

[BazookaJoe]

If it gets to be too much longer I should expand my horizons and look at Pathfinders. Good point.

I just want something nice that will last me a while. My '01 lasted me 10 years and 220k miles. The only thing that killed it was rust. They're beautiful out in CA. Zero rust.

[EdBwoy]

EdBwoy, did your '02 with 4wd have heated seats? You said it still did well in the snow?

Thanks!

Nope on the heated seats. The RWD with LSD did not. The 4x4 with open diffs didn't either.

However you're correct in that they both handled anything we threw at them inpeccably, even in the winter. Even when wet and in AUTO, we rarely noticed the front wheels engaging at take off.
I think the things that helped are:
1. Good tires
2. Heavy vehicle which stays pretty well planted
3. Good ground clearance so there was no chance to ever get banked (I miss changing oil without having to jack my vehicle)
4. Reasonably sensible driving

And it's pretty good to know what else came with the heated seats. I always wished I had the rear heated seats for my passengers.

[BazookaJoe]

Thanks EdBwoy. It doesn't sound like I need to get too hung up about needing LSD for winter driving. I can't say the rear heated seats were used much, but I never had that many passengers either.

[yeldogt]

Nissan made significant changes from 01-02 across the line -- that's why you see the engine change midyear for the 01's. I guess Nissan figured with enough variations in the Pathfinder range of vehicles -- the LE for 02 was going to have most items standard. They made a navigation and rear video option .. the LSD .. and not much else. The LE's being the only Pathfinders with the auto transfer case.

There could have been regional difference as well ... All the 02's in the northeast had LSD and leather heated seats if it was an LE. Like I said above, LSD was listed as an option -- but they all had it when I was looking. Maybe they sold the Q's is greater numbers in other markets where it was not necessary. The "sport" package listed should have been called the "winter" package IMO.

I still see many Pathfinders in my travels -- they sold a lot of them. I'm surprised how few 4runners I see -- they were the other popular similar vehicle. The headlights are a + for the Q .. all the cladding, not to my liking ... but it does not add any negatives ,, like increased rust. Mine were Green, Black, White -- all with black interior. The LE's priced out north of 32K ... with little real difference, the 3k premium for the Q did not get you much. They were being discounted aggressively by 2003 when the new Toyota Highlander came out.

[yeldogt]

I pulled out my window sticker .... this for a 2002 LE 4x4 . The LE came with the Bose/ sunroof /auto climate/ auto 4wd/ larger wheels/tires ... small other interior upgrades .. compas -- nicer steering wheel /shifter/home link etc

Base $31,499

The main option was called the leather package for $1999. (all LE's came with this in my region ) leather seating/ fronts side airbags/heated Fr seats/ driver and pass power seat/ fake leather door trim/ memory seat.

LSD was $249 option -- all had it

Cabin micro filter $59 / floor matts $79/ sunroof wind deflector $69/ body side moulding $109

final $34603.

[barnaclebob]

I still see many Pathfinders in my travels -- they sold a lot of them. I'm surprised how few 4runners I see -- they were the other popular similar vehicle.

In the northwest 4runners seem to outnumber pathfinders by 4:1 in similar vintages. R50's way outnumber R51's too but most of those got the transmission-radiator grenade.

[yeldogt]

I don't see many of the old 4runners -- maybe all went west.