I am looking to get a small reliable pickup truck on a budget. I would obviously love to get a Toyota Tacoma but the market right now is insanely inflated! So I have been looking at 2nd Gen Nissan Frontiers which seem to be a bit more reasonable in price. I know that Nissan's quality has gone down since Renault took over, but I have heard good things about Nissan Trucks. I would be doing minimal towing, at most I would be towing a small pop-up camper. Would it be worth it to buy one? What sort of lifespan can I expect out of one? Any common problems to look out for?
They are excellent trucks. Peruse owner forums and social media groups and ask the people who own them. Read through Edmunds owner reviews. There are two main issues that they experienced, one from only 2005-2009 (isolated reports for 2010). They don't have "transmission issues" per the post above. They have a RADIATOR issue that CAUSES transmission failure if you don't do your due diligence to avoid a SMOD-affected truck. It's easy to check for and a $200 radiator swap on those older models will correct the issue completely. 2011 and up, you don't even have to worry about this at all. The other issue is if your differential breather is corroded shut which can lead to axle seal failure. It's a whopping $15 or less fix. Search my previous posts here as I have addressed both things pretty comprehensively. I'll take either of those over frame rot any day. Check carcomplaints.com and compare the Frontier and Tacoma. I think you'll find that what you think is true or what you hear is true is only half the story.
The Tacoma is not some worlds better pickup....in fact, it's arguably not as reliable as the Frontier. Don't believe me? Do some searching: The 2019 Nissan Frontier is More Dependable Than the Toyota Tacoma (motorbiscuit.com); Nissan Frontier vs. Toyota Tamcoa - Compare Ratings and Reliability (repairpal.com)
Good luck.
Thanks so much, this was super helpful
You are most welcome. If I were you, I wouldn't have any hesitation about a 2011 and up model (outside of the newer engine that's forthcoming; I think that's going to be a wait and see situation being it's not port injected). I bought a 2011 myself and it's a SOLID truck. Others have more bells and whistles available, but for simplicity and reliability, I think it's tough to beat. And while their styling is considered "dated" (they're damn good looking trucks to me, so this isn't an issue at all), it's nice that you can buy a pristine condition 2005 and people not be able to tell if it's a 2021 model. 😉 Something to be said for timeless designs.
They’re actually pretty good pickup trucks, but not as good as the Tacoma. I encourage that you hire a trusty mechanic to check one out before purchase.
here are a list of Nissan Frontier years you should avoid: https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-worst-used-nissan-frontier-years-to-never-buy/
Thanks for the help!
You’re welcome!
I think you would be thrilled with a Nissan Frontier. I had a 2007 for 10 years 240,000 mi. Still looked like a new one on outside. No repair problems whatsoever, fluid changes serpentine belt battery an of course tires an breaks. Was the best pickup I have ever had.
Only cons were ride comfort an turning raduis wasn't very good hard to park in reverse.
I would buy the older models and if possible with manual transmission.
Not as good as the Tacoma, but still very good. You can get a good price on them with good powertrains, including a manual which can run forever. There is one guy that went 1 million miles in his 2007 Frontier with a stick, so getting a manual frontier is the most reliable option. The automatics are pretty good but definitely won't last as long as the manual.
See above. The data says they are easily on par with Tacos (and definitely haven't had some of the issues that recent Tacos have suffered from). As for the auto, that's always going to be the case, with some exceptions. Still, it's a solid tranny and certainly not a weak point. Again, doesn't suffer the shifting issues that many Taco owners have experienced, so definitely do your research when buying and don't just go based on brand reputation. Either is still going to be a solid choice over anything else in their segment.