2004 Nissan Titan: Looking for input

[Squatch]

So here's the deal, folks. I have a friend who has fallen on some seriously hard times. Her mother, whom had lived with her and her husband for fifteen years, died suddenly. Then ten days later, my friend's husband died in his sleep. Beyond the expected devastation of so much loss so quickly, she is now strapped with bills that she never had to deal with before (hubbs took care of 'em). So, she has decided to sell her husband's truck to try and bring in some extra cash.

What she has is a 2004 Nissan Titan Crew Cab 4X4. Titans are V8 equipped (5.6 liters, if I recall correctly). It has 148,000 miles on it, and he was the original owner. The truck needs some interior clean-up, as somewhere along the line, someone spilled paint all over the leather back seat. I'm going to attempt to clean that up myself, rather than have her pay a detail shop. There is also a long scratch down the passenger side. Otherwise, the truck seems to be in good shape.

Early Titans had a few issues. The exhaust manifolds were prone to cracking. Also, the rear axle seals were either of a poor design, or poor quality, and they would leak to the point of differential destruction. However, I can only assume he had his taken care of, as this rig has neither of these issues.

When I asked her what she wanted for the truck, she told me $1000. Seriously! That's how little she knows about vehicles (even the value eludes her). I told her I would sell it for her, and get closer to what it's worth. So, now I've been actually toying with the idea of picking it up for myself. With that in mind, I'd like to know if anyone on here has any firsthand experience with these trucks, or knows of someone who owns one, and is either very displeased, or very happy, with their vehicle. The fuel economy is similar to our beloved TJs, so that's not an issue. However, I know very little else about these critters. If it was a Toyota, it would already be parked at my place. But it's a Nissan. Are they just underrated, or are they truly undesirable? Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Squatch

 

[Bofa-Deez]

I had the Armada that was an 04 edition (pretty sure identical engine and chassis.) They called it the Pathfinder Armada the first year and on the rare occasion I had to get a part for it, the dealers and parts store guys would always tell me, "they didn't make an Armada in 04."

I bought it cash for the wife somewhere around 2011 and I only got rid of it about a year and a half ago because its a massive vehicle and I just didn't have room for it. The engine was damn near bulletproof. I was working offshore and she called and asked me what to do if she didn't have oil pressure when she stopped at a light. I told her not to drive it at all and checked it the next morning when I got home. There is an oil cooler built into the oil filter housing that are prone to leaking, and hers took a dump pretty bad as I never really noticed oil drops in the driveway. she had driven around for 2 weeks with oil pressure problems without saying anything and it needed about 3 quarts of oil . Part was like $50 and took maybe 10 minutes to change.

Other than that, the crank position sensor went out at about 160k but the thing ran like a top and idled like butter all the way up to 200k miles when she drove into a ditch while navigating a flooded road and sank it up to the hood. I pulled her out, cut the curtain airbags that had deployed, dried the interior, then I used it for work during the winter when my car needed repairs. It still ran flawlessly for the 3 hour round trip commute for 4 months after that, but the traction control no longer worked. I was a power sliding mofo for those few months, but it was definitely on purpose. The engine has gobs of power and torque and still ran like a clock, but if you keep a light foot, the mileage could actually surprise you for a vehicle that size. It would fit whole 4x8 sheets of plywood in the back with the seats folded down.

If I were you, I would pick it up in a heartbeat. I never had any of the problems that you mentioned, but I will say that the interior had some annoying rattles that I would be really pissed about had I bought it for 40 or 50k new. The internets say that this is pretty common with the titans. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like shit was about to fall off, but little interior rattles annoy the hell out of me until I find them.

My wife put 90k miles (on top of the 114k it had when I purchased it) on that vehicle and it was never in the shop and I was rarely under the hood aside from routine maintenance.

Oh, and do a search for where the starter is located on those 5.7 V8s.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Sorry about the losses somewhat close to you, and congratulation for wanting to help her out.

It's one of those trucks that I don't know too much about. I'd call that good news because bad news travels far and fast. I've received that kind of news about other newer Nissans (and dozens of other vehicles) but the Titan doesn't come to mind.

 

[Squatch]

I had the Armada that was an 04 edition (pretty sure identical engine and chassis.) They called it the Pathfinder Armada the first year and on the rare occasion I had to get a part for it, the dealers and parts store guys would always tell me, "they didn't make an Armada in 04."

I bought it cash for the wife somewhere around 2011 and I only got rid of it about a year and a half ago because its a massive vehicle and I just didn't have room for it. The engine was damn near bulletproof. I was working offshore and she called and asked me what to do if she didn't have oil pressure when she stopped at a light. I told her not to drive it at all and checked it the next morning when I got home. There is an oil cooler built into the oil filter housing that are prone to leaking, and hers took a dump pretty bad as I never really noticed oil drops in the driveway. she had driven around for 2 weeks with oil pressure problems without saying anything and it needed about 3 quarts of oil . Part was like $50 and took maybe 10 minutes to change.

Other than that, the crank position sensor went out at about 160k but the thing ran like a top and idled like butter all the way up to 200k miles when she drove into a ditch while navigating a flooded road and sank it up to the hood. I pulled her out, cut the curtain airbags that had deployed, dried the interior, then I used it for work during the winter when my car needed repairs. It still ran flawlessly for the 3 hour round trip commute for 4 months after that, but the traction control no longer worked. I was a power sliding mofo for those few months, but it was definitely on purpose. The engine has gobs of power and torque and still ran like a clock, but if you keep a light foot, the mileage could actually surprise you for a vehicle that size. It would fit whole 4x8 sheets of plywood in the back with the seats folded down.

If I were you, I would pick it up in a heartbeat. I never had any of the problems that you mentioned, but I will say that the interior had some annoying rattles that I would be really pissed about had I bought it for 40 or 50k new. The internets say that this is pretty common with the titans. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like shit was about to fall off, but little interior rattles annoy the hell out of me until I find them.

My wife put 90k miles (on top of the 114k it had when I purchased it) on that vehicle and it was never in the shop and I was rarely under the hood aside from routine maintenance.

Oh, and do a search for where the starter is located on those 5.7 V8s.

This is exactly the type of "review" that I was looking for. Very informative, and honest (neither glowing, nor damning). Thank you very much for that, my friend!

 

[Squatch]

Sorry about the losses somewhat close to you, and congratulation for wanting to help her out.

It's one of those trucks that I don't know too much about. I'd call that good news because bad news travels far and fast. I've received that kind of news about other newer Nissans (and dozens of other vehicles) but the Titan doesn't come to mind.

I appreciate the kind words. She's a good gal, and I wouldn't wish the kind of suffering she's going through on anyone. Just trying to do what I can for a friend, ya know?

As for the Nissan, you're absolutely right. Bad news does find a way of getting out there and lingering, and I've not heard much about the Titan/Armada on any level. They've definitely been under the radar, and now that you've pointed that out, I guess that could be viewed as a good thing.

 

[Bofa-Deez]

This is exactly the type of "review" that I was looking for. Very informative, and honest (neither glowing, nor damning). Thank you very much for that, my friend!

I would buy one in a heartbeat. In fact, if I was not specifically searching for a TJ when I bought mine, a Titan would definitely have been on the top of the search list. I do like the looks of the older ones and I think the new grilles are ugly

 

[Squatch]

This one isn't bad. Being a crew cab, though, means it has that ridiculously short bed. It might have that cage thing that you can use with the tailgate down, but it's still a short bed. I'm thinking it would be more of a second rig for my wife, as she's always wanted a crew cab "small" truck (it's relative, I know). She likes to haul garden stuff from time to time. For my own needs, I have my old '90 Dodge Cummins. Definitely more my style.

 

[ranger101]

I’d give her what you could for it, maybe $5k depending on condition and just use it for a bit. If you could sell it down the road for a little profit, great. Or if you decided to keep it for a while, even better.

 

[Squatch]

I’d give her what you could for it, maybe $5k depending on condition and just use it for a bit. If you could sell it down the road for a little profit, great. Or if you decided to keep it for a while, even better.

I was thinking somewhere between $4,000 and $5,000 myself, so you're right in line. I need to take a better look at it before I decide if I really want it, or just help her sell it off.

 

[ranger101]

I can’t turn down a good deal haha wether I “need” it or not

 

[bobthetj03]

While I have no experience with their trucks, I have owned a couple Nissan cars. I put them right up there with Toyota in reliability.

 

[06TJ35's]

While I have no experience with their trucks, I have owned a couple Nissan cars. I put them right up there with Toyota in reliability.

I just know that the new Nissan Sentra’s with CVT transmission( I think it’s the cvt trans) are a POS because of the trans.

Toyota FTW

 

[Squatch]

I just know that the new Nissan Sentra’s with CVT transmission( I think it’s the cvt trans) are a POS because of the trans.

Toyota FTW

I'll take a look into whether they had transmission issues, or not. I remember being hesitant in buying my wife's 2015 Honda CR-V. The 2014 still had the old school tranny, and I thought that would be the way to go. However, after researching it and driving the 2015, I thought "WTF...CR-V w/CVT FTW!" (Sorry. I just had to...)

 

[abart]

I’ve had several Nissan vehicles (“hardbody” small truck and many Altimas) but never a Titan so I can’t directly comment on them. However, I would buy one in a heartbeat if I had the opportunity based on the Nissans I have owned in the past. Titans have a great motor, look good and reliable record from what I have read and the couple people I have known that owned them really liked them. I remember reading something about the rear axle having some issues in the early years but can’t recall for sure the issue so that might be worth looking into. Totally worth buying in my book and not over hyped like other Japanese vehicles so prices aren’t over inflated.

 

[Squatch]

I’ve had several Nissan vehicles (“hardbody” small truck and many Altimas) but never a Titan so I can’t directly comment on them. However, I would buy one in a heartbeat if I had the opportunity based on the Nissans I have owned in the past. Titans have a great motor, look good and reliable record from what I have read and the couple people I have known that owned them really liked them. I remember reading something about the rear axle having some issues in the early years but can’t recall for sure the issue so that might be worth looking into. Totally worth buying in my book and not over hyped like other Japanese vehicles so prices aren’t over inflated.

Thank you for that. I'll be going out to take a better look at it next weekend when I head over there to work on her '03 Honda CR-V.

 

[alittleoff]

Good on you for taking this on big guy. You win the thread-of-the-day.
I have a former co-worker whom has one. I'm not sure of the year, maybe a couple of yrs. newer than '04. He has it lifted on 37's. He & his Wife dig it with that 6.5/4x4. It tows their family boat or SxS's and IIRC, it has a Dana 44 ? in the rear. His commute is around a two hundred miles a week and as he describes it, in the morning, it's a fast drive down hill. The late afternoon commute, not so much. So mpg's is a wash. Never heard him bitch about the truck tho.
Some of my family members and friends have Datsuns/Nissans and like them.

 

[Squatch]

Good on you for taking this on big guy. You win the thread-of-the-day.
I have a former co-worker whom has one. I'm not sure of the year, maybe a couple of yrs. newer than '04. He has it lifted on 37's. He & his Wife dig it with that 6.5/4x4. It tows their family boat or SxS's and IIRC, it has a Dana 44 ? in the rear. His commute is around a two hundred miles a week and as he describes it, in the morning, it's a fast drive down hill. The late afternoon commute, not so much. So mpg's is a wash. Never heard him bitch about the truck tho.
Some of my family members and friends have Datsuns/Nissans and like them.

Thanks, man. Dealing with the Titan isn't that big a deal, whether I end up buying it for myself, or selling it for her. The Honda is much more challenging, for sure. Apparently, the '02-'08 Honda K24 (2.4 liter) has a problem with wearing out the exhaust cam lobes. Her '03 has a .040" deep groove in the #1 lobe that's the same width as the roller (and no, the roller isn't seized or otherwise damaged). Also, # 3 has severe pitting at the crown of the lobe. No one produces an aftermarket cam in the stock profile (plenty of performance cams, however), and an OEM cam ranges between $500 and $800, so that's not an option. So, I hit four wrecking yards in two days. Of nine potential donor cars, three were missing the engines, two had already had the exhaust cams liberated from them, and three had cams that were just as bad as hers. It was only on the last potential donor car within 50 miles of me (yard car, anyways) that I found a near perfect cam. $33 later, and we're in business. Going to swap out the cam next weekend, if everything works out with our schedules.

 

[ranwilrw]

My preachers wife had one I really liked and when she started talking about trading I told her to give me a shot at it, she said she wasn't going to put such a gas hog off on anyone she knew, it got 18 highway / 12 in town. She eventually traded it in on a charger. So I ended up buying a 99 Sahara TJ, so much better gas mileage

 

[Gregg1LE]

I can't speak for the '04, but my 17 Titan SV KC is a rock solid truck with no problems other than gas mileage.

 

[Squatch]

Well, it looks like she was able to sell the Titan. She mentioned it to a neighbor, and he ended up finding a fella who gave her $4,500 for it. That is pretty much what I was willing to pay for it, though it wasn't my first choice in trucks (I'm a Dodge diesel fan, myself). Anyways, I think the buyer got a solid deal on the truck, and I don't feel she was screwed over in any way. She's using the money to pay the taxes on her house, so the sale really helped her out.

On a side note, I was able to swap out the damaged exhaust cam on her CR-V yesterday, and adjust the valve lash. The little car purrs now. I'll do brakes and a few other little things before I return it to her. Life is good!