So I realise that the pathy sold but I had to chime in. I own both 2000 XJ and a 99 Pathfinder. They are not an apples to apples comparison. The Xj is noticeably more powerful even with double the km's on it (330k vs 150k) but it is also 800lbs lighter in stock form. The Pathy is my wife's dd so I can't speak to serious off road ability, but it handles snowy roads and moderate fsr's with absolutely no issues in stock form. My XJ is built for more serious aplications but the handling when stock seemed better at highway speeds (now it just sucks on the hwy... lol) but that could be due to the aged suspension on the Pathy. The Pathy is definitely larger both inside and out which is good and bad. It makes for lots of comfort when travelling but might make it challenging on some tighter trails (especially if you don't like pinstriping). That being said, I am not a small guy but I find the drivers seat in the XJ roomier and more comfortable for longer days. If you can get over the lack of power, towing with the Pathy is reasonable. You just won't be making any speed on hills etc. It handled my loaded 10' utility trailer (~3500lbs) with no issues on a 230km move with some pretty good hills.
Mechanically, the XJ is much easier to deal with. It has it's quirks, but I personally prefer working on it over the Pathy. Anyone who has had to change the spark plugs or knock sensor on the pathy's 3.3 would likely agree with me. Whoever designed that engine compartment should re-think their career choice in automotive design. In typical Japanese auto fashion, the Pathy has proven to be very robust and well built. I have owned several Toyotas in the past and it seems to be on par, quality wise.
If you are still thinking of getting a Pathy, check to see if the rust recall has been done for the front strut towers. There is a rust issue for the front end (especially in north east us and eastern/central Canada) but it is a pretty easy fix in most cases. They look at the damage and the overall condition of the vehicle and determine if they will repair it or take it off the road. Get this checked BEFORE you purchase it, because if they determine that it is not road worthy, they can essentially condemn the vehicle and not let it leave the lot. I am not sure about compensation in this case but it is better to be sure before shelling out on a purchase.
As a travelling vehicle, purchase price will be offset by fuel costs. There are steps you can take to improve the mileage but the gains are minimal. Just accept that the Pathy is an underpowered gas hog. I have looked into adding the supercharger from the same era frontier, but so-far have not had much success.
As far as I can tell, mods/upgrades for the Pathy are more expensive and less abundant than for the XJ but I haven't researched much for the Pathy yet. That is coming in the near future (lift, rims, tires etc.). If you are into modifying your vehicles, the XJ is definitely more approachable IMO.
Sorry for the long winded post, but I felt that I could offer some insight into both sides of the coin. Hope it helps.
