I have been looking at buying a full size SUV.

After reading all the reviews, and all reviewing all the spec sheets, I'm a little torn. The Nissan seams to come out ahead. anyone done any research on this?

 

The Nissan has a good engine. But the interior materials are terrible.

The Expy's interior is way better, and there are plenty of mods available to get big power.

 

buy the armada, i would have if i could have afforded it

 

The Armada is ugly. I'd wait until the next model year comes out before I would buy one. This is Nissans first full size truck SUV platform. Usually when car manufacturers introduce a new platform they have problems with the first model year.

I think the only thing the Armada has going for it is it's engine. The expedition is slowest of all full size SUV's. The only mod for an expy that's going to keep up with the armada is a blower.

 

Who cares how FAST it is? Its a gigantic SUV, Do the exhaust(flowmaster), make it sound fast and enjoy.

 

I think most foreign cars are lacking in the interior department. However the longevity of their engines as a rule cannot be argued with.

I have an expedition that I bought new in 1997 and I love. The problem that I now have is that the 5.4 L engine has COP's (Coil Over Plug) for each spark plug. When they go they all kind of go shortly. The cost at Ford to fix this is about $1,100 and that is close to the mark with other repair services as well.

To me that is a crime to design something like that.

I have owned two Expeditions, one Explorer, one Bronco II, and one Thunderbird. I don't think anyone could say I wasn't a Ford man. However with a repiar so simple and yet so expensive I now am questioning my next purchases.

My Thunderbird has 91K and we will trade to a jeep product with that one and my Expedition has 65K and I am considering what to get next.

 

I looked at both and ended up buying a 2004 Expy Eddie Bauer. The Nissan has the better powertrain but the interior sucks (The exterior won't win any beauty contests either). By the way the 2005 Expy 5.4L engine has been upgraded to 300 Hp which makes the power issue moot. And with that the Expy wins hands down

 

Tell that to all the blown/turbo truck owners on this site...

My Procharger gets put on next week. I'm sick of having a truck that just sounds fast...

 

Armada= FUGLEY IMO

 

I dislike the Pathfinder Armada for the same reason I dislike the Titan. It's an unproven product going up against well established name plates. Yes, the '03+ Expedition is a relatively new design as well, but a lot of what went in to it was already in use in the Ford parts bin, the drivetrain, electronics, etc, and has cut it's teeth in terms of durability and longevity.

 

I agree with the fact that the new platforms are usually problem heavy do to being a new product. The assembly is not tooled for it last year and the fact that the Armada new i would have to go with the Expy do to ruggedness and reliabilty. The Armada is only 2 cubic inches larger than the 5.4L and it may not be reliable.



F350 555

 

You know I wouldn't care about fast in my Expy, except for the damn ricers who think it's great to whip a big fat SUV.

Well I gotta put a stop to that.

 

I work my truck pretty hard at times.

IMHO, the domestics know a bit more about towing a 7,000-lb boat thru 115-degree desert heat.

I get a certain piece of mind knowing that the domestics have decades of experience building trucks designed for tough usage.

Plus, I like the fact that if I break-down in the middle of nowhere, I'm likely find someone who can help me out.

Not sure if a wrench in the middle of BFE is gonna know anything, or have any parts, to fix an import.

 

Maybe it's because that's all they can beat with their riced-out Honda's...

My Expy weighs almost twice as much as my Mustang... I don't expect to win stop light races with a vehicle that weighs close to 3 tons...

And yes, the Armada is butt-ugly...

 

why'd you go with a centrifugal instead of a whipple or eaton/roots style blower?

gotta wind up those procharger/vortechs to get any real
boost.

-d