Kevin 
1998 Nissan Pathfinder SUV XE 4dr SUV
The finder of paths aka the pathfinder
 I bought a 98 pathfinder used in 2008 for $5000, I think to date it has been the absolute best, most reliable car I have ever purchased. only major issue it had in the 4 years I owned it (it got hit and totaled) was a failed distributor at nearly 175k miles and that was a 10 minute fix. it gets horrible mpg by todays standards but back then it was on par with the suvs of the day. so don't expect great mpg but consistent mpg I averaged either 14 or 15mpg a tank depending on the amount of freeway driving I did. When I bought the suv it still had the factory installed battery from 1998 in it, 10 years old! when it needed a replacement 6 months after purchase I took it out and saw the date code 6/98 and my truck was built 7/98(late 98 model) and this was in early 2009! it got 10.6 years out of the factory battery which is not necessarily saying anything either way about my truck just surprised me. no corrosion nothing terminals came off easy and clean and went back on the new one easy. lets call its engine a tank engine it wont get you there fast but IT WILL GET YOU THERE EVERY SINGLE TIME and this is true except that distributor failure I had it cranked first time every time and ran like a champ never broke down and never needed anything outside of routine upkeep like fluid changes and tires. the drivers seat did get a rip at the outer bolster seam but some needle and thread fixed that and a seat cover prevented new rips. (this seems to be common even on newer Nissan suvs, just like the foam is too plumped out and the fabric rubs and wears out eventually (had same thing happen on a 2000 xterra and I can see it happening on my current 2011 xterra) so seat covers are a must to keep the seat seams nice and wear free, plus it protects from stains. but outside of those minor things this truck is great, especially nowadays as a first car if you want your kid in something safe, reliable, easy to fix and cheap to fix a 98 pathfinder is a winner, yeah their fuel bill might be high but they make up for it in reliability. When mine got hit and totaled a lady ran a stop sign and hit the rear quarter panel of my suv she was in another suv and went all the way up the side at 35mph it was drivable so I drove home and due to its age and mileage the insurance company totaled it, and since I did not want to deal with selling a "salvage title" car later I let them instead of fixing it as they said to fix it, it would then be salvaged  but after 4 years and 50k miles of ownership I only put maybe $1500 in repairs and basic upkeep like oil changes(all it ever really needed) and the insurance company valued it at $5200 4 years and 50k miles later then when I bought it for $200 less! these are great trucks and great picks for anyone looking for a reliable suv on a budget