I’m looking at 2016-2021 Nissan Titan 5.6 liter v8 and all reviews and people say it’s a reliable very good at off-roading is this true if not any recommendations for a reliable powerful full size truck that’s good for off-roading
Adding @USAFdozerpilot to the discussion
Clarification: How many years and miles do you need it to last you?
Well it’ll be my first truck I buy so I want it to last for a little while
What kind of off roading are you doing? If you’re crawling or need to fit tight spaces. Get a Tacoma TRD pro or a Raptor. If you’re camping, hunting or overland Tundra TRD pro or even a F250 Tremor wouldn’t be bad.
Like climbing rocks or just going in mud with friends
@truckguy0630 do you tow or haul anything?
No I dont
But now I’m starting to look at 2016-2018 Toyota Tacoma off road package ik they have frame rotting so I will check the frame if I buy one
I looked at the Titan before I bought my Ridgeline a week ago. I knew Nissan quality was poor, but looked anyway due to the seriously steep discounts they were still giving. Honestly, I did not care for the interior and since that is where I spend all my time, I passed on that alone. The only model I was interested in was the Pro 4X, and for $47k (something like $42k discounted) I didn't see the value.
I wouldn't recommend a Nissan Titan. Take a look at F250, Silverado HD, Tundra, etc. instead. Tundra would be the best of all.
Contrary to what some here suggest, it's actually a perfectly reliable truck. I advise you do your own research, speak with local mechanics you know and trust, and check owner forums if you want to know what people are seeing in real-life applications. Generally speaking, you're going to get steered toward the Tacoma/Tundra here. And make no mistake, they are great trucks. They also have had their own issues. No piece of machinery as complicated as what's being produced these days will be without some weak points.
For what it's worth regarding the vehicle you're asking about, check here for engine info:
https://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine_id=39
And I won't link them all here, but since many of the users here will direct you to CarComplaints.com, I suggest you check that out, too. It might surprise you when you start comparing the models being recommended here to the Titan. Here's the Titan, Tundra, and Tacoma. I cannot recommend Ram based on past history, but I understand they have improved in recent years. And based on past threads, I think most here would agree that GM trucks in this segment should be avoided. HD trucks aren't in the same category IMHO.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Titan/ (The top three complaints listed all stem from the diff breather corroding and failing. It's a $15 part fix to completely prevent and given your intended use, I would reroute the breather immediately should you decide to purchase ----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgH4FKGpbAU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JaLRN6wF64)
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Tundra/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Tacoma/
Go drive them, do your due diligence, and pick what fits YOU.
I agree. The RWD platforms on the Nissans are much better than the FWD versions, and can get them cheaper than the Toyota’s. They are not for everyone, but if you need a truck and plan to get rid of at 150,000 miles they are worth a look. Granted they can go longer than that, too.
Their trucks/body-on-frame SUVs are fine. It's their cars with CVTs that suck. That said, I think you underestimate their long-term abilities. I have no intention of dumping any of mine at 150k. I personally know several people with 250k+ on Titans and Armadas, at least one over 300k and one over 400k. And others can be found frequently in owner forums. Three trusted mechanic friends own them and at least two of them are over the 150k mark with no issues. I researched them heavily before buying and their longevity potential for the cost was the main reason I pulled the trigger. I plan to ride mine into the ground.
I am sure Scotty will have a Nissan Titan video in the near future and why you should get one. 🙂
Actually, and in this market, the 2nd Gen Titans are worth a look, especially a used one (with Pro-4X since you want to off-road). There’s no reason if you pick the best model years (with fewest issues) and maintain them properly that you could not get 150,00-200,000 miles out of them. Issues in first generation were later addressed especially by second generation. The Nissan RWD platforms are generally better in terms of reliability than the FWD platforms. That being said I would still avoid the model years 2020-newer since they moved to the 9-speed transmission (the previous 7-speed is less complex and and why mess with something that has already working and had been refined?). I also would avoid the first year (2016), and look for 2017-2019 (in general the newer the better that your budget allows). For list of issues over the years, see below:
https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/nissan-titan-problems/
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-1-complaint-everyone-has-about-the-nissan-titan/
https://vehq.com/how-long-nissan-titan-last/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Titan/
Check the recalls on 2017-2019:
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Titan/2017/recalls/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Titan/2018/recalls/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Titan/2019/recalls/
Obviously, a Toyota Tundra is the most ideal for full-size truck (if you planned to keep it forever), but they carry a premium. So you can look at a Nissan Titan Pro-4X or an older 2013/2014 Ford F-150 Raptor back when they offered a naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 with the 6-speed AT (also true and tried and easier to work on than the Ecoboost engines in the modern ones), albeit gas mileage not the greatest, but I would take that over the newer (and much more expansive) Raptors with the 3.5L Ecoboost engines and 10-speed AT (jury out on those transmissions, but the less complex - read, fewer gears - the better).
Also, see below at TFLTruck for its off-roading capabilities:
https://m.youtube.com/c/TFLtruck/search?query=Nissan+titan+pro-4x
Glad to see someone come around a little. 😀 For what it's worth, all the ones I referenced (and mine) are first-gen. I think it's important to recognize that the first-gen spanned a pretty long time. After 2009/2010, most issues were effectively addressed. Issue reports since have been few and far between. Also, I believe 2016 marked the adoption of the VK56VD engine with direct injection. The VK565DE was the conventional multi-port fuel injection system, which some would argue is the preferred system. My .02. I know OP is looking at newer models.
Yes, I knew all that - I didn’t bother to mention since OP was asking about the 2nd Gen. But port injection engine (1st Gen) is better than the direct injection (2nd Gen) version - and they had so much time to refine it in the first Gen. Also, had a 5-speed AT which is even less complex (and even better IMO) than a 7-speed AT.
I wouldn't buy a Titan. The Frontier can be a decent truck, but unfortunately the Titan had had less than stellar reliability. One of the biggest problems has been the material in the catalytic converter breaking apart and getting sucked into the engine which ends up destroying the engine.
The Nissan quality is not there anymore. There are other competitors that are much better: Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150. If you want to go to a higher level, get yourself a Raptor.
The RWD platforms on the Nissans are not bad. They may not be on the legendary Toyota longevity levels, but worth a look (at the trucks, at least) especially if OP plans to get rid of between 150,000-200,000 miles. Have to research and get the better years that have the fixes incorporated from issues encountered in the older model years.
The Titan gives you a lot of truck for the money, that’s for sure, especially with discounting. I can see an argument that the lower up front cost (compared with, eg, Tundra) makes up for the lower long term reliability.
But if that’s your thinking, I’d look at the Ram. I haven’t looked at their incentives recently, but they are usually among the more generous. Same thing, long term reliability is terrible, (as is resale, like Nissan), but one could argue that the lower initial cost justifies it. But compared with Nissan, Ram has more options, more regional inventory, better dealer network, and it is just generally a nicer truck. The Ram 1500 is a nice-riding truck... as Scotty would say, “... there’s no arguing that.”
