Nissan vs after market bull bars
Submitted: Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:00
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38124
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11
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Member - Ben H (NSW)
Hi All,
I have just ordered my new 06 TD Pathfinder Ti and want a steel bull bar (winch mountable) for the car. Nissan have indicated that I would bet safer under warranty having the Nissan bar on the car as they believe that it will let more air flow through to the inter cooler verses the ARB,TJM and the likes which appear under close inspection to not let as much air through to the inter cooler. Can anyone advise me? I have listed some pros and cons as I see them below.
Good and bad things about Nissan bar:
1. In my opinion likes the neatest fit
2. Keeps all factory warranty intact
3. Nissan bar will cost me the least
4. Nissan have agreed to fit my winch at time of fitting bull bar at no charge
5. I lose my fog lights with the Nissan steel bar
Good and bad things about other products
1. ARB bar keeps fog lights
2. ARB looks I think looks almost as good as the Nissan bar but not quite
3. After market bull bars do not retain Nissan warranty if something should occur to the engine in the car (gives Nissan an out if they feel they need to)
4. ARB claim that their steel bar is stronger
5. ARB will cost me about $350 more than the Nissan
6. After market bar I can not put on the lease of the car I would need to fund separately
If anyone has some advice to add to help me make my choice it would be appreciated.
Ben.
Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:11
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:11
All things considered I'd be going for the Nissan bar (even though they probably get ARB to make them anyway...hahaha)
There are too many positives for the Nissan bar to outweigh the others. Of course ARB would _say_ that their bar is stronger. Looks don't enter into it in my opinion.
It's good to get it all under the lease if you can. Also good to have the ace up your sleeve if you should happen to have any overheating issues......what do Nissan say about adding
driving lights to their bar or even a bug screen?
Good luck
Cheers
Roachie
AnswerID:
196991
Follow Up By: Member - Ben H (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:14
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:14
Hi Roachie,
They will put on the IPF 900's on the front of the bar no prob but I have not asked about the bug sreeen, but I will now! I had not thought about it yet.
Thanks, Ben.
FollowupID:
455394
Reply By: mike w (WA) - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:11
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:11
By the sounds of it, looks like it would be the genuine Nissan bar!!
it seems to me that the only real negatives, is that you lose your fog lights (which you may be able to find a solution for down the track) and the nissan bar, I assume, is a bit weaker than the ARB. The fact that it can be included in your lease, they will fit your winch and will keep your warranty intact, is cheaper and looks better would be, for myself, enough reason to go with it.
At the end of the day, you could always put an ARB sticker on the Nissan bar for that 'ARB Kid' feeling :))))
good luck, regardless of the decision, Im sure you will be happy
Mike
AnswerID:
196992
Reply By: Chris & Debbie - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:25
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 17:25
I would be going for the genuine one as with all Nissan accessories if it is fitted at the same time the vehicle is purchase it is covered by the same factory warranty.
AnswerID:
196994
Reply By: ACDC - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 18:03
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 18:03
What about the weight factor?
A steel bar and winch on the front of a pathfinder, the std
suspension will be struggling.
ARB might be stronger but they are -loody heavy!
AnswerID:
196999
Reply By: ZUKSCOOTERX90(QLD-MEMBER) - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 18:23
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 18:23
Go the Nissan.
AnswerID:
197006
Reply By: howie - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 19:45
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 19:45
a few years ago i wanted a bar on the petrol gu. nissan man said the same about the air flow. (did not believe the salesman)
arb were making the bars for nissan at the time and yes they are weaker, apparently they were made to a budget not quality. (although lighter by the same rule).
in my case the only thing the lease people would not do before delivery is
suspension. keep at them, you are the customer.
AnswerID:
197035
Reply By: itsdave - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 20:08
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 20:08
Had my genuine Nissan Bull Bar and
snorkel fitted yesterday and was told by Nissan that it was made by TJM although ARB claim its made by them so who knows. The bar weighs 120 kg and is very solid and
well made and the main reason I went genuine was the air bag factor,any problems with it now would become warranty issues. Also cheaper than ARB
It took nearly 9 hours to fit the
snorkel and bar. Its such a major job cutting the front bumper and drilling something like 30 odd holes to accommodate the bar I figured I wasn"t going to let just any one do it. Any stuff up and Nissan would cover it.
I wouldn"t hesitate go genuine
Cheers Dave
AnswerID:
197037
Follow Up By: ACDC - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 20:51
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 20:51
9 hours wow!!!
They must be slow.
We fit genuine accessories for the local Nissan dealer because they don't know how.
snorkel 1.5 hrs
bull bar 2.5 hrs
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Ben H (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 20:57
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 20:57
Hi Dave,
Was yours fitted onto a current Pathfinder also? That does seem a long time.
Thanks, Ben.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: itsdave - Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 14:08
Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 14:08
Hi Ben
Mine was fitted to a new Navara STX which is the same as the Pathfinder front as far as I know.
How it can be done in 2.5 hrs amazes me considering the work involved, even TJM told me 5 hrs for the bar
Cheers Dave
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: ACDC - Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 20:05
Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 20:05
We have a template for cutting the bumpers easy!!
FollowupID:
455670
Follow Up By: DMH122 - Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 21:26
Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 21:26
Mate,i have fitted the steel bar in under 2hrs am yet to fit a
snorkel to one but i think it would be under 2hrs also.
FollowupID:
455684
Reply By: Gerhardp1 - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 21:38
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 21:38
I think you may have inadvertantly supplied a clue as to what causes Nissan 3.0 Tds to blow up.
It happens only to cars with a non-Nissan bull bar !!!!!
The no-genuine item disturbs the air flow through the intercooler causing the problem.
AnswerID:
197052
Follow Up By: Member - Ben H (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 22:36
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 22:36
Hi Gerhardp1,
I have had a good run from my Patrol, I have done a hundred thousand k's in the last 2'1/2 years and never had a problem with it, I do how ever have the genuine Nissan bar on it and I am more than likely going to have the genuine part on the new Pathie. It would be interesting to see some stats on the ones that have gone bang though, there would have to be a common thread between them all.
Thanks, Ben.
FollowupID:
455499
Reply By: Angler - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 21:51
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 21:51
Have a read of the caravan forums about the pathy towbar before you fit one made by nissan. Aparently they break off fairly easy. Make sure you get a hayman reese in lieu of the nissan product.
k here
AnswerID:
197060
Follow Up By: Angler - Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 21:53
Thursday, Sep 28, 2006 at 21:53
Try again for URL
Site Link
FollowupID:
455487
Reply By: Member - Ben H (NSW) - Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 09:42
Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 09:42
Thanks all of you for your feeback, I think that I will stick with the Nissan bar to keep warranty in tact, with my luck I will the one that somthing goes wrong on.
Ben.
AnswerID:
197108
Follow Up By: dj Patrol - Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 12:34
Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 12:34
My thoughts buddy Go for the NISSAN BAR I did nothing wrong with them,SAFER if ya blow ya engine????
dj patrol
FollowupID:
455584
Follow Up By: ACDC - Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 20:04
Friday, Sep 29, 2006 at 20:04
At the end of the day they cannot refuse to honour there warranty, if the product has been independantly tested and engineered they cannot refuse!
What are they going to do next tell you if you don't use BP fuel your warranty in void, they are just conning people big time to sell genuine accessories.
Also most aftermarket producers have product insurance for this reason.
FollowupID:
455669
Reply By: Burnie M - Sunday, Oct 01, 2006 at 20:03
Sunday, Oct 01, 2006 at 20:03
What about approach angle ?
The Nissan bar duplicates the poor approach angle of the standard body work.
I seriously doubt if ARB would expose themselves to any action in regard to lack of air flow. They have been in the 4WD accessory business for a long time and would consider their opinion above Nissans on a offroad component any day of the week.
AnswerID:
197388