Well, I liked that QX4, but...

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 11/12/2014 at 15:48 • Filed to: None

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I just got back to my office from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Overall, I think the QX4 in general is pretty nice. I like how it drives, the interior is comfy, has the features I want, etc. Unfortunately, it all fell apart when I opened the rear passenger door and found this infestation.

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Compared to my Grand Cherokee, the QX4 definitely feels better built. Visibility out the front is better, otherwise mostly the same. Power is adequate. Handling, for an SUV, is maybe a little less chuckable than the Jeep, but we're still talking SUVs here.

The main thing I care about is it's roomy and comfy inside. Which it is...somewhat.

Compared to the Jeep it's a little bit less roomy overall, and the seats aren't nearly as La-Z-Boy plush. But the interior is definitely higher quality. Both the front and rear seats are heated.

I'm 5'11" and I was able to sit in back with the driver's seat adjusted for myself, but it's not terribly roomy back there and the seat is lower down to the floor than ideal. The driver's footrest is farther away than the pedals so your left leg stretches out more than the right.

I don't really like the wood steering wheel. It mostly just feels cold. I wear gloves in the winter but still.

Oddly, both the front and rear driver's side seat heater switches weren't lighting up. Dunno if they're on a shared fuse or what.

The navigation system is pretty annoying, because the HVAC controls are part of the navigation, but you don't get any HVAC status display until you press an HVAC button. You're just shown a 2001-vintage navigation screen, which is pixelated and crappy.

Really though, that rust is the big non-starter for me. Especially since it'd be my snow car, and Madison salts the hell out of the roads, I want something that's not rusting. My Jeep might have a rusty oil pan, but the body's all good.

That said, I think the QX4 (and Pathfinder) with the VQ35 and the full-time 4wd is overall a pretty nice vehicle. So I'm going to put my Jeep on Craigslist and see about finding a rust- and navigation-free VQ35 QX4 (or Pathfinder).

If I can't flip the Jeep for a quick sale, then, well, I suppose I'll spend the money on fixing the stuff that needs fixing.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Textured Soy Protein 11/12/2014 at 15:57

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YIKES!

Thankfully, it looks like my Pathfinder was garage kept for most of its life.

Textured Soy Protein > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 11/12/2014 at 16:10

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Yeah, it's not good.

It was in decent shape otherwise. The front bumper was a bit scuffed up, and the spoiler on top of the tailgate was missing, but otherwise decent.

But I don't think I'll be buying anything with that much of the dreaded tin worm already making its presence known.

TotallyThatStupid > Textured Soy Protein 11/12/2014 at 16:12

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Is that indicative of a replacement body panel, or do they all do that (in rusty places, like MN and WI)?

Textured Soy Protein > TotallyThatStupid 11/12/2014 at 16:15

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I dunno what's going on there, I just know it's not good and I don't want to buy it.

Takuro Spirit > TotallyThatStupid 11/12/2014 at 16:20

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Yeah looks to me like crappy body work at one time.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Textured Soy Protein 11/12/2014 at 16:27

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That's....ummm.....fairly bad.

Those QX4s also tend to collect water and not drain in between the running boards and the body, and that one probably has had other major sealing issues.

My father had one with the VG33 engine. I however, did not fit in it, because I'm 6'2". Somehow, I used the QX4 to pass my initial driving test instead of doing it on the manual VW we had at the time.