Nissan XTerra SUV

mindie · November 2001

I think that most of the opinions you'll get around here will be positive ones. I'll have had my X for a year this December, and reliability has been no problem. I have 21,000 miles on it right now with no problems to speak of. I didn't think when I first got mine that I would be into four wheeling, but then I saw the light.

) I thought I would care when I got my first nature-induced pin striping (scratch) but it didn't bother me since I was having so much fun.

I too am of the mind that it's kinda silly to have a truck that isn't a 4x4. And even in minimal snow, I've been very glad to have the four wheel drive. In fact, the night I got my X, I backed it out of the garage and tried to pull up the snowy/icy hill to get out of the driveway. I couldn't do it in 2wd because of the angle of the hill. I slipped it into 4wd and had no problem. So I suggest the 4x4 if: 1. You get snow where you live, 2. You might possibly go offroad, or 3. You care about having a higher resale value if you ever decided to sell your X.

Rob - good to see you around again! It's been awhile since I've seen you pop up on the boards here.

)

Mindie

hotcoffee · November 2001

I agree, get 4wd.

I think if you DON'T really want 4wd. You don't want crappy MPG either.

A lot of the design is "overbuilt" and goes to waste on road- and is awesome off road.

I'd venture to say that if you DON'T want 4x4, you may be looking at the wrong vehicle.

I love my X. And feel the MPG is a price I pay for it's offroad prowess.

gkswish · November 2001

I have a 2000 X-Terra XE and absolutely love it. About a month ago, we were hand-detailing it when we noticed what look like water spots on the passenger windows. We've tried everything to get rid of the suckers. They won't come off, but the paint is perfect. The dealer tried to tell me it was acid rain. I'm having a hard time believing that rain would fall only on two of the windows and not on the rest of the truck! I think I'm getting the royal blow-off from the dealership. Has anyone else had this problem???

cletuse · November 2001

Yup... it's been a while. Suprised you remembered my moniker as it's different on the XOC. I resorted to my old ITW board handle - changed a bit to reflect my new locale. I'll try to hang here a little more as this board provides a more pure exchange of information.

I wholly agree on the higher resale of the 4WD. And this spread generally widens as the vehicles age. A 4WD always has intrinsic value to ranchers, hunters, and the like.

But I'd have to argue that its not "silly" to have a 2WD if you're not into offroading and live in a metropolitan area like Houston, where I once was.

My 2WD hauled me, the bikes, the Homies, and the gear many places most competently... and of course, in a most "stylin'" mode.

Of course snow pretty much un-did all that!
;-)

So now (with GOX under my belt) I get to answer "Yes" to all three of your questions - WaHoo!

Peace.

tidester · November 2001

gkswish,

I'm having a hard time believing that rain would fall only on two of the windows and not on the rest of the truck!

Obviously the rain won't fall on only two windows. Acid rain could very well be the culprit here and you probably have a lot more water spots than you realize. You just happened to catch the most visible among them. Luckily, the rest of them are barely perceptible or not visible at all.

tidester
Host
SUVs

janipoo · November 2001

Yeah, a 4WD will get a higher resale value but you are paying for it up front and in the monthly payments. If you think you are going to get the whole 2K back when trading it in, your going to be in for a disappointment.

I'd have to agree with xcanuk; The X is stylish and roomy. When looking for a new vehicle, I needed more room than just a trunk in a car. With an SUV, I can stack stuff up then trying to cram it in the trunk and eventually having to put in in the back seat or on the floor under my kids feet. The first thing I did was looked at all of the SUV's that I thought was nice looking. I wanted to keep my payment down as much as possible and since I really had no need for a 4WD I wasn't willing to pay for it. There are other SUV's out there that I could of gotten 4WD for around the same price as my 2WD (i.e., Jeep Liberty, Suzuki ......) but the Xterra seemed to have more room and was nicer looking, plus it fit my personality better.

gkswish · November 2001

tidester,
Thanks for your response. I agree that there is no way the spots could be from acid rain. The most likely place to see it would be the sunroof and there's nothing on any of the other windows or the paint. We've been over the whole truck with a magnifying glass. I have a friend who's a biologist and he thinks the only place something that corrosive could have come from would most likely be the factory. The truck is garaged every night and never been off the road. (We call it the suburban "grocery getter") It's highly likely the spots were there when we bought the truck, we just never noticed them before. I would be interested to know if anyone else has encountered this problem.

xcanuk · November 2001

I follow a few boards, haven't read anything about defective windows as you described, and based on what you have said, it sounds like a factory problem. Are the spots limited to the outside of the glass only ?
A real goofy solution, try cleaning one area with coke ( not the new stuff, not Pepsi, good old classic Coke ) enough to dampen, not wet, a rag. This is a very old trick, don't know why it works on stubborn glass stains. Once you finish rubbing a spot, rinse with warm water.

janipoo · November 2001

I don't know if this has anything to do with what is going on with your spots on the windows but my husband washed our X for the first time a couple of weeks ago and what ever he used left really bad spots on the windows. Then later I seen that there were spots and run marks from the solution on the black grill and sides. There were also spots throughout the paint but not as noticable. I immediately washed the truck again and I had to really scrub to get the spots off of the windows and grill. This wasn't the first time that my husband had used this car wash. He had also used it on my old car which was dark. Even after washing I still could tell that there were little spots left on the windows.

JANET

xcanuk · November 2001

normally from using harsh soap ( dishsoap )
car/truck too hot.
washing in the sun.
not rinsing quick enough ( don't try to lather up the whole truck before rinsing )
flood not spray the final rinse.

docla · November 2001

I just purchased an Xterra XE 4WD. I noticed some water spots on the windshield . Dealer said it'll go away. I am going to take it to ACME glass tomorrow and see what they can do. I think it is a factory problem if too many people are having the same problem. Except for the spots, I love the vehicle.

marlboroguy · November 2001

FYI, I am still waiting for the dealer to locate the 2002 SE S/C 5SP Goldrush...
I guess there are automatics, but no 5SP in that color yet or hard to find!!!

rljslick · November 2001

I'm also looking into buying a Xterra, but I have to admit that I'm a little worried about all this talk about poor gas mileage. What do you guys think about the MPG with the Xterra?

staride · November 2001

I wrote earlier about the cruise control problem with the X - it was falling below the set point and then surging back up. We took it to the dealer for the third time and the service rep rode with us on the interstate. It happened about 3 out of 7 times. They called tech service and ended up adjusting the throttle cable. I haven't been able to test it yet to see if it fixed the problem. Will keep you updated.

To those wanting to purchase an X - I love it and it is the best vehicle I've ever owned. The gas mileage is not the best, but I wouldn't trade it.

silverxglider · November 2001

I have a 2000 XE 5 speed and get about 21 mpg with mainly highway and secondary road driving. For most people, the window sticker seems pretty accurate. It all depends on how you drive. If you have a lead foot or like quick starts, your mileage will be lower. If you keep it at around 55-60 mph/2,500 rpm, your mileage will be better.

Don;t know about the SC, if that's what you're considering.

xcanuk · November 2001

Its a shocker if you come from an econo box, but the X is a 4x4 box, low mpg is one of the things you learn to live with. (I've been used to SUV's, so the MPG is AOK )

rljslick · November 2001

Thanks Xcanuk, I'm not sure what I'm planning to buy yet, but XE 5 was one that I'm planning to test drive! I drive a AWD and 21 mpg don't seem that bad.

xcanuk · November 2001

Silverx gets one of the higher mpg I've seen, great driving habits I guess. Heavy city comes out to just over 15mpg, average mix over 18. I don't have a heavy foot, but don't exactly take it easy either. Its on par with every other 4x4 I had.

rljslick · November 2001

I just did a quick look-see and all of the 4x4 that I'm looking at have about the same MPG. Xterra with 15/19, 4 Runner 16/19, Pathfinder 15/18 and the Rav 4 (which is what I have now) at 23/27.
One other thing Xcanuk, I think I read that to lock the Xterra into 4wd you have to go outside and lock the wheel kinda like I use to have to lock my wife's old Suzuki, is that true? Man I thought that went out years ago!

xcanuk · November 2001

only if you swap them yourself, the X comes with auto self locking hubs. ( reversing to unlock them after coming out of 4wd ) , but thats another thread.
I've had both series of hubs on different trucks, manual have their place, especially offroad, auto's are just easier. I just had to get used to the unlocking part.. ( didn't have to on my Toyo's )

xcanuk · November 2001

I think there is 1 version of the X that does come with manual hubs.. enthusiast ? package ?? Just can't find the info right now

silverxglider · November 2001

Yes, the "enthusiast package" on the '02s comes with all the good stuff - LSD, manual hubs, intermittent wipers (I think) and some other stuff. Seems to me like Nissan took the really useful stuff out of the sport package so now you have to buy even more packages.

sheldent · November 2001

I am looking to buy a 2002 Xterra SE 4x2 w/ microfilter and tow hitch as the only options. Can anyone tell me what they paid for a similar vehicle or what they would consider a fair price?

xcanuk · November 2001

Have a good Long week-end, just remember you have to wash the mud off by Monday

ohioxt · November 2001

After nearly 70K on the original tires its time for new ones before winter hits (still waiting for snow here in Ohio). I'm curious about any recommendations (good or bad) fellow XT owners have. I've been generally happy with the BFG Long Trails, though they do seem to squeal a bit when turning on pavement and use the truck mostly for commuting with an occassional off road journey, though nothing serious. Any suggestions would be welcome

beckp · November 2001

My post is similar to the previous one regarding tires. My wife drives a 2000 X, manual, w/4WD and the extent of our 4 wheeling is pulling off to the side of the road (I know, we are one of those but at least we own a real SUV). She drives it primarily so I have to take her word for it that she often feels the stock tires are too slippery. She said they squeal all the time (pressure is OK) and to her they feel very slick in wet weather. Can anyone recommend a good tire as a replacement and remember that off roading isn't a consideration. We do live in an area that get's snow from time-to-time so that's when we use the 4WD. Any advice, recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

xcanuk · November 2001

Regardless if you offroad or not, moving to an all terrain tire is a good upgrade, (pick your favorite brand) BFG A/T 's seem to get a good nod, I like them for general use, but not for our winters, quite a few drivers do like them in the snow though. Although you have to trim a slight bit, going up a size to 31's would help too.

If you have to deal with real snow... I still find my winter duelers a good match for our conditions. ( having spare rims make it a painless swap )

As far as the squeal, bumping up the pressure to the 30+ region usually makes it go away, never heard anything from my longtrails until the dealer lowered them to the reccomended 26.

silverxglider · November 2001

Other people speak highly of Pirelli Scorpion A/Ts. They're also supposed to be pretty good in snow if you're going to have just one set of tires. Also Yokohama Geolander A/Ts have been mentioned.

Nissan is now using BFG Rugged Trails as stock tires. One of the 4WD mags. recently reviewed a Frontier wearing them and spoke highly of them. Don't know what sizes they come in though, because I think all the Xs now have 16" wheels?

hauntedshadow · November 2001

Hi.
I'm wondering if anyone can help me with the programming of the remote that I've just purchased for 2000 xterra xe. I can't really find the time to go to a dealer to program it for me at the moment.
Any help will be appreciated.

mike_s_i · November 2001

I am looking to buy a used 2000 Xterra with a V6 and 4WD. For all the current owners, How are the towing capabilities of the V6 4WD Xterra? I'm probably looking to tow a trailer and a couple of snowmobiles. Thanks!

jmuth · November 2001

mike_s_i,

5spd or Auto? I've got a 2000 SE V6 4wd Auto, and I've taken several 4+hour trips to northern WI towing a trailer with 2 HEAVY sleds (Ultras), and I've had no problems at all. And if you get caught in a snow storm...relax...this thing ROCKS in the snow. Now I just wish we'd actually get some snow...geesh...almost December and I'm still golfing :-)

Joe

davv62 · November 2001

I am considering getting an Xterra as a second vehicle and I know some people who have Pathfinders and really like them.

Has anybody considered both, and if so, what made you choose one or the other?

docla · December 2001

I have looked at both Xterra and Pathfinder. The Pathfinder is larger and quieter inside and more plushed but the Xterra is cheaper, more rugged and is better offroad thanks to its high ground clearance. Not to mention the looks of the X is far more appealing than the Path. I ended up buying the Xterra XE 4WD. I love it and enjoy it as much as i enjoy my 2000 BMW 323CIC convertible.

davv62 · December 2001

Thanks for the input, man. I also have a BMW - a 2001 530i. That car satisfies my desire for sporty luxury, but I also like rugged vehicles. That's why I've been leaning toward the Xterra, since I don't really need another relatively luxurious vehicle like the Pathfinder. I like the rugged looks of the Xterra and it's great to hear that you like it as much as your bimmer.

I don't like the monster SUV's like the Yukon, and the Xterra seems to be the smaller SUV most designed to appeal to male buyers. Some of the others (especially the Toyota RAV4) seem so "cute" and so obviously designed to appeal to females. Happy motoring, dude.

salvadordc · December 2001

One thing I don't see or hear much about is lifting the Xterra's suspension for better off-roading. I'm interested in pursuing this (and maybe a body lift), but would love to hear people's comments on the subject. Has anybody done either of these?

I've learned that Rancho sells a 2 1/2" susp. lift but not many shops in the DC area think it exists (even after I give them a part #). Worse off, since they haven't heard of it, they haven't done an Xterra lift and thus are hesitant to do the job. It's frustrating, though I'm sure it's the nature of the beast since the X is a relatively new vehicle.

Lastly: for anyone who has done this, can you please tell me what size tires you were able to upgrade to?

Thanks all!

petitgrapon1 · December 2001

Has anyone looked at the new JWT Pop-Charger to boost performance?

xcanuk · December 2001

There are lifts out there, both suspension as well as body.. finding someone to do it will be your main problem. For further info.. check out XOC www.xterraowners.com most of the info is there for the ins and outs. As far as tires.. 31" are the normal upgrade without a lift ( just a little trimming is involved by the plastic wheel well.. ( some are running 32" + with a lift )
Same goes with the pop charger.. but for the real benefit.. swap the exhaust as well, most people are on the fence about the pop alone.

salvadordc · December 2001

Was that 31", keeping my stock 15" rim? Just checking.

xcanuk · December 2001

I seem to forget there are other rim sizes, my winters at 31 x 10.5 x 15, summer is a mix between my stock long trails and BFG A/T's ( 31" ). Personally, if you go for the lift, I'd go bigger.. but its not my money ;-) ( Not 100% sure, but if you go to 32" +, not sure if the spare will fit in the normal spot, 31" does.. just something to consider )

bskohler · December 2001

Just ditched my crappy General Grabber death tires after 6,500 miles and put on a set of Yokohama Geolandar AT+II tires. Wow! Talk about night and day. The stability in the rain and the resistance to hydroplaning is excellent. I now feel safe in the rain. No snow yet here in the mid-atlantic, but I can't wait. I went wheeling over the weekend and the tires were awesome. They really grip. I would not however, recommend these tires to soccer moms or people who don't leave the pavement as they may seem a tad harsh. Michelin makes a tire called the Cross-terrain which is perfect for SUVs that don't leave the pavement. Anyway, so far I love the Geolandars. I chose these because I have owned BFG ATs in the past (great tire) and I just wanted something different. I have heard Scorpions aren't too good in the snow or mud, so I went with the Yokohama's. I give a snow report if ever decides to get below 50 here in metro D.C. area and actually snow.

bskohler · December 2001

check out http://purenissan.com/suspension.htm

Calmini has a 3" lift. I think Automotive Customizers does too. Stay away from the Rancho lift. From what I have heard it's not a true Xterra specific lift. They use a lot of generic parts that don't always fit the right specs/dimensions. With a 3 inch lift you should be able to fit 32's easily and probably 33's. There are a few guys running 33's, but you'll rub the fuel line if you stuff the tire, so additonal mods to relocate a few things might be needed after the lift is finished. Call Calmini, they'll help you out.

jnutter2 · December 2001

I have a 2000 Xterra SE with 31,000 miles on it. I was just told my break pads need to be replaced. the whole job is going to cost $400 does that sound right to anybody. It seems extremly high to me.

xcanuk · December 2001

pads are 65$ at xterraparts, maybe 2 hours work ( maybe 3 if the mec is real slow, at 60$ /hour (?) I have no idea what us labour rates are at. Very max 200$ which I think I'm still over estimating. Maybe your dealer meant the 30K check up with pads ?
Check a different dealer.. their prices vary quite a bit.

bskohler · December 2001

Sounds high. I'd call a few other dealers, or just skip the dealer and go to a local tire/brake/muffler shop. $200-$250 (USD) is about what you can expect to pay. $400 is pretty excessive inless they are also going to turn and machine your rotors (which shouldn't need it anyway).

jac76 · December 2001

I'm in the market to buy an xterra in the next month or two and saw a used 2000 XE-2wd, V-6 with 50k miles on it. That seems high, but I wanted to consult the experts and get some feedback. I own a Honda right now and at over 150k miles, she still runs like a champ. I wondered if Nissan has the same reliability, reputation, etc... Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

thecoach · December 2001

I am looking into purchasing a 2002 Xterra and would like to know if anyone has experience/info on problems with skidding in a "misting" rain on the higways. Please include type and size of tires you have. As you can tell, this is one of my concerns.

xcanuk · December 2001

Any used car, ask for the maintenance record and bills.. best indication. The X is solid, 50K isn't that much.. but buyer beware in any case. Don't only look at the year, look at the drivers door jam for the manufacture date, then calculate the # months driven from there.. 50K on a Oct 2000 is driven harder than one made in Aug 99.

Tires, stock LT, BFG A/T's, Winter Duelers.. the only time I slipped with any of them is within the first few minutes of a new rain... which is normal as street oil rises to the top. No problems on the highways if driven at the proper speed due to conditions.

silverxglider · December 2001

I would also want to know why the person got rid of it. If it was someone who bought a 2WD and then traded up to a 4WD, it might have been thrashed a bit off-road, and that's something you'd want to know about. Also, check the VIN through Carfax for its history.

Tires: stock BFG Longtrails with 25,000 miles, never had a skid (except in snow where they don't do too well on hills).

bskohler · December 2001

Tires: The stock tires on any Xterra in my opionion are horrible and need to be tossed immediately. I had the General Grabbers on my 01 SE 4x4 and they were downright dangerous in the rain. I now have Geolandar ATs and they are excellent on and off-road. Same for the BFG Longtrails/rugged trails...they are pretty bad in the rain/mist as well as off-road. The X is an awesome vehicle--nissan just puts crappy tires on them. If you get an X I highly recommend the first thing you do is either get the dealer to put on different tires, or go out and get yourself a better set ASAP.

Overspray on the dash: I put newspaper or a towel over the dash when cleaning the windows to prevent spots. Use Nu-Vinyl if you do get any spots. It wipes right up and is safe for dashes, trim, window stripping, etc. Don't use Armor All.

smcafee10 · December 2001

Couple questions - it seems my options are limited in replacing the tires on my 2000 SE 4WD. (Got 45k on my BFG Long Trails, with some fairly extensive off-road use). In looking for a more aggressive tire, I find nothing in the 265-70-15 size. Does anyone know what other sizes will work? Also, what does the wheel well trim to accomodate 31's entail? Thanks!

Nissan XTerra SUV

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