School me on the Nissan Xterra

[Todd Black 88]

I am looking for a winter beater vehicle, and this is the one I am looking at.

I need a vehicle my son and I can sleep in the back of, and awd for the trails and mountain ski runs.

School me on their issues and fixes.

[z31maniac]

https://www.expeditionportal.com

[Holland]

Generally very stout and reliable. Horrible fuel mileage though.

[Nick_S]

The fuel mileage turned me off them. The supercharged ones, if you happen to find one are even worse..go figure. My winter beater of choice would always been an XJ Cherokee.

[BobombETA]

I've been looking into them as well, or a 4 door Frontier. Seems like they are overall very tough and reliable, spartan interior, good offroad capability. In some model years there seems to be an issue with cooling the automatic transmission, not sure if that is relevant to you or not.

[oliver.r]

MY DAD HAS ONE, I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH WHILE I WAS PAINTING MY CAR, THE FUEL MILAGE IS HORENDOUS AND THE INTERIOR IS CHEAP AND UNCOMFERTABLE. UNLESS YOU ARE VERY SHORT YOU WILL NOT COMFERTABLY FIT IN THE BACK LAYING DOWN, LEG ROOM FOR THE BACK SEATS IN MINIMAL AND BODY ROLL IS SCARY. THAT BEING SAID, IT IS A suv, I TOOK IT MOUNTAIN BIKING A FEW TIMES, FIT A BUNCH OF DUDED AND GEAR IN IT, IT HEALD UP GREAT SHUTTLING RUNS, I ALSO TOOK IT OFF ROADING ONCE AND IT HEALD UP OK, IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE I WOULD GET A TAHOE HONESTLY

[oliver.r]

not meant to be in all caps

[charlescho]

fuel level sensor goes out all the time, think nissan has recall on it.

not a big deal but you need to repair it to get it to pass smog in CA. not sure about your state, but if you do need it repaired for smog then its the whole fuel sending unit(~$500 / OTD)

[UNHCLL]

I would look at a 4th Generation 4-Runner before an Xterra.
Large back for sleeping, Toyota reliability, better interior.

[ST1G]

I would look at a 4th Generation 4-Runner before an Xterra.
Large back for sleeping, Toyota reliability, better interior.

This.

[mrsleeve]

Nice GMT800 Tahoe/Yukons (the square ones) with less than a 125k miles on them can be had for 5k or less all day long almost anywhere here in the US not sure how the are value wise up there in the hat.

A gm truck SUV of that era is almost simple as a rock to fix, and parts a dirt cheap, and will run like shit longer than most things on the road will run at all. Yes they are a little bigger than a Xterra and that is scary OH NOES I HAVE A BIG ASS TRUCK I DONT NEED, I BITCH ABOUT THESE PEOPLE. Well if you need the space then you need the space. They drive more like a car than a truck, they do have a little truckish like ride too them, but what do you expect for something built on a truck frame. The only real issue with them is the 4l60E trans, some last forever some dont, when they go its about 1800 bucks to get a reman swapped in and about 1200 to do it your self in a weekend. Fuel mileage is decent for the "sophistication" of the power plant (good Ol 350 SBC) and drive line our old POS 99 gets about 17-19 on the highway and longer trips and about 15 mixed normal everyday driving. thats as good or better than than most xterras I have ever seen.


IMO they make some of the best 4wd winter beaters out there, especially if you can get one that was well equipped with options, They will go places you really should not be taking them off the beaten path better than most people think as well. Oh well this is my 2 cents,

[z31maniac]

I've been looking into them as well, or a 4 door Frontier. Seems like they are overall very tough and reliable, spartan interior, good offroad capability. In some model years there seems to be an issue with cooling the automatic transmission, not sure if that is relevant to you or not.

Yep, problem with the radiator slowly allows coolant into the transmission fluid, thus killing your transmission and Nissan telling you to pound sand.

I would look at a 4th Generation 4-Runner before an Xterra.
Large back for sleeping, Toyota reliability, better interior.

And this.

I'm looking for a V8 06-09 as a tow rig.

[travis816]

If you get one.. There is one that's the color of my car ;)

[Danny]

Xj

[Kevinl]

A pre 2005 xterra would be me my last choice in a SUV that 3.3 v6 is such a turd

I would get an Isuzu, Toyota, Jeep, Tahoe, Expedition instead