Four-wheel drive. Manual transmission. Body-on-frame. Solid rear axle. Short overhangs. Handsome, muscular good looks. The Nissan Xterra had all the makings of a collectible off-road SUV, and yet, if you look at the listings for used ones, you’ll see: They are pretty much worthless. In fact, I found a rare, manual, supercharged model for a song, and I’m still wondering if it’s a scam.
The Nissan Xterra’s cheapness has been a “thing” for years, but I would have thought that, by 2024, things would have changed. Real off-road SUVs have boomed since COVID, especially in light of modern SUVs (including legends like the Land Rover Defender) having become unibody, independent suspension-featuring street machines. Surely, by now the Xterra isn’t still a bargain? A nice Jeep Cherokee XJ could be had for pennies 10 years ago, now a nice one will cost you 10 Gs.
Not so with the Xterra. It remains unloved by the American automotive marketplace.
I bring this up because, while browsing Facebook Marketplace for smoking hot car deals even though I totally shouldn’t be given the absurd number of vehicles I already have clogging up the Galpin parking lot, I discovered this:
My screen brightened on its own, a church choir began to sing, and a golden halo hovered above my laptop’s monitor. Look at it: A manual transmission, four-wheel drive, supercharged Nissan Xterra, and in a nice blue color, no less! All for the absurdly low price of $3,400.
I asked the seller if there’s anything wrong with it. No, apparently it runs and drives fine. Then I asked other Autopian authors if this was a scam, and no, it’s probably not. These things are cheap, though part of that is that they do require some maintenance:
Add to that the fact that supercharged models are apparently absurd gas-guzzlers that struggle to reach the double-digits of fuel economy, and they require premium fuel and timing belts (on the 3.3-liter models, which made between 170 and 210 horsepower; later VQ40DE engines made over 260 horsepower, had chains, and were generally considered quite reliable), and the case for buying an Xterra gets a bit weaker.
Still, despite these issues, the vehicle is enticing to me — and actually, not just me. Folks on Reddit are wondering the same thing that I am:
Here’s another Reddit post:
Many of the answers say the Xterra’s cheap pricing comes down to branding in a world where Toyota and Jeep reign supreme. Here’s a quote from Redditor deliberatelycurious:
I think a lot of it’s got to do with the brand – Toyota has a name that Nissan just doesn’t. That, and the lower availability of aftermarket accessories. You also do make some “compromises” but most of us don’t feel like we compromised at all! Compared to the 4Runner, which is the Xterra’s closest competitor, you get an interior that’s not as fancy and lacks many of the bells and whistles. That, however, is one of the things that makes the Xterra so be great: its no nonsense approach.
That, and I like the look/size of the Xterra way more than the 4Runner, which is why I drive one!
Here’s Redditor huckyourmeat2:
They don’t have the name recognition of Jeeps or Toyotas. They aren’t converted into dedicated wheelers as often, so stock vehicles in good condition are easy to find, driving the price down. They are basically just Nissan’s budget truck (Frontier) with an SUV body. The engine, while solid, is an old design, hasn’t been updated since the 2nd gen was introduced, gets crap fuel economy, and isn’t particularly powerful. Early 2nd gens have a rep for radiator problems.
Having said all that, I love mine. I only wish that aftermarket accesories were cheaper and easier to come by…
Here’s sarge21rvb:
It’s simple supply and demand. More people want 4runners or jeeps, so they command a higher price. It’s also kinda meh as an on-road SUV. Very little creature comforts and the gas mileage leaves a bit to be desired. It is very large inside, though (can fit an entire queen sized mattress inside the car), and its off road capabilities make it very practical for bad weather, too.
And here’s WombatWithFedora:
It’s not a Toyota or a Jeep
I think branding is indeed a big part of the equation; it’s not exactly easy to make inroads into the off-road mainstream. The old Toyota FJ Cruiser, for example, didn’t exactly sell in droves. In fact, in the off-road scene, the top dogs have always been vehicles that have had a certain it factor. Obviously, there’s the Jeep Wrangler, which is descended from the World War II Jeep, and has a convertible top; there’s the Toyota Land Cruiser, which has been legendary around the world for 70 years; there’s the Bronco, which has a long-established name and a convertible top; and there’s the 4Runner, which built its reputation for reliability over the last four decades.
The XTerra isn’t exactly as bulletproof as the Land Cruiser or 4Runner; it doesn’t have the pedigree or convertible top of the Jeep or Bronco; and its styling isn’t out of the world, so it doesn’t make up for those deficiencies. The Xterra just doesn’t have an it factor to sling it over the top and into the mainstream, even if — on paper — it seems like a wild bargain. And it really does seem like a smolderingly hot deal; here’s a look at all the Xterras on the front page of my Facebook Marketplace search:
Hot damn those are all cheap. And here’s the thing: Though they may not be Toyotas or Jeeps, though they may get terrible fuel economy, they may be a bit primitive as on-road drivers, and though they may require a decent amount of upkeep, they’re still absolute beasts off-road, especially with a slight lift and some 32s or 33s.
They’re tempting. Very, very tempting. Especially with a stickshift.
[Ed note: You’d better buy an Aztek first, is all I’m saying – MH]
In 2008 I wanted to solid axle swap a modern (targeting ~5 years old at the time) and comfortable rig. I had it narrowed down to the Xterra or Explorer. The dismal fuel economy of the Nissan was the tie breaker. It turns out the Explorer 4.0 was indeed more efficient but still a POS when the timing chains let go at just 95k.
In 2008 I wanted to solid axle swap a modern (targeting ~5 years old at the time) and comfortable rig. I had it narrowed down to the Xterra or Explorer. The dismal fuel economy of the Nissan was the tie breaker. It turns out the Explorer 4.0 was indeed more efficient but still a POS when the timing chains let go at just 95k.
The 2nd gen ones are not cheap, especially with stick. With automatic there are a lot of solid-rear axle IFS front choices.
The 2nd gen ones are not cheap, especially with stick. With automatic there are a lot of solid-rear axle IFS front choices.
I’ve thought about buying a 2nd gen with a manual as an exploration rig for years but for my use it was too trucky to be my daily driver. A friend’s nephew has had both a 2nd gen pathfinder and a 2nd gen Xterra and found them pretty reliable. I’m guessing the pink milkshake problem really deflated the values overall though. My general impression is that they are decently built but that Nissan doesn’t sweat the engineering and build quality on its trucks the way Toyota does (and they still have some misses.)
I’ve thought about buying a 2nd gen with a manual as an exploration rig for years but for my use it was too trucky to be my daily driver. A friend’s nephew has had both a 2nd gen pathfinder and a 2nd gen Xterra and found them pretty reliable. I’m guessing the pink milkshake problem really deflated the values overall though. My general impression is that they are decently built but that Nissan doesn’t sweat the engineering and build quality on its trucks the way Toyota does (and they still have some misses.)
We owned a 2005. The transmission on those early 2nd gens had a habit of mixing its ATF with coolant and making a strawberry milkshake you don’t want. There were pro-active fixes for it, usually involving a separate transmission cooler, which you might want for offroad anyway.
Also remember the chain guides being a potential failure point on that motor.
And is Nissan really that unknown in the off roading community? I get it, the 4Runner, Lexus GX, Land Cruiser, Jeeps are the trendy choices. But it isn’t like no one has heard of an Xterra. The old “based on a truck” Pathfinders weren’t bad either.
There’s a series of Mercedes E-class (I think during the nineties) that had the same ‘pink milkshake’ problem, usually at around 100-120’000 miles. Eventually Mercedes came up with a new radiator design, but it cost 1800 dollars (in my country, from the dealer). Still much less than a defective transmission, but expensive nonetheless.
We owned a 2005. The transmission on those early 2nd gens had a habit of mixing its ATF with coolant and making a strawberry milkshake you don’t want. There were pro-active fixes for it, usually involving a separate transmission cooler, which you might want for offroad anyway.
Also remember the chain guides being a potential failure point on that motor.
And is Nissan really that unknown in the off roading community? I get it, the 4Runner, Lexus GX, Land Cruiser, Jeeps are the trendy choices. But it isn’t like no one has heard of an Xterra. The old “based on a truck” Pathfinders weren’t bad either.
There’s a series of Mercedes E-class (I think during the nineties) that had the same ‘pink milkshake’ problem, usually at around 100-120’000 miles. Eventually Mercedes came up with a new radiator design, but it cost 1800 dollars (in my country, from the dealer). Still much less than a defective transmission, but expensive nonetheless.
S.W. Gossin is wrong in your chat there. Plenty of aftermarket distributors available for the VG33E. I know because I have an ’00 frontier and have changed myself. The bearings inside it basically grenade after a bit. It’s easy to replace. I actually rebuilt my original one (you can replace the bearings) and it works better than ever. The VG33E is a strong engine, if not super powerful. Yeah it’s got timing belts, so what.
That’s funny because the only experience I have woth the Xterra was my younger BIL had one. When it stops moving one day, it was because the timing belt had given up and grenades the engine. That said, I’m sure it had never been changed.
Well yeah you gotta replace it at the recommended interval. I believe it’s 100k miles.
S.W. Gossin is wrong in your chat there. Plenty of aftermarket distributors available for the VG33E. I know because I have an ’00 frontier and have changed myself. The bearings inside it basically grenade after a bit. It’s easy to replace. I actually rebuilt my original one (you can replace the bearings) and it works better than ever. The VG33E is a strong engine, if not super powerful. Yeah it’s got timing belts, so what.
That’s funny because the only experience I have woth the Xterra was my younger BIL had one. When it stops moving one day, it was because the timing belt had given up and grenades the engine. That said, I’m sure it had never been changed.
Well yeah you gotta replace it at the recommended interval. I believe it’s 100k miles.
I loved these back in the day. I’d still like to have one for my imaginary 5 car garage…
I loved these back in the day. I’d still like to have one for my imaginary 5 car garage…
I hear Johnny ‘Bananas’ owns more yellow XTERRAs than anyone in the whole world!
I hear Johnny ‘Bananas’ owns more yellow XTERRAs than anyone in the whole world!
I would suspect that anyone who is calling these “crap” has never owned one. I’m no Nissan apologist, but that just isn’t a fair characterization of the Xterra. The SMOD was an issue when these things were new – pushing two decades ago. Anything rolling around now has already had it’s radiator and/or transmission replaced. My 2nd gen was done around 35k mi. I’m now approaching 350k mi, still on the original, untouched engine, and the replacement rad and trans have almost 315k and still trucking. I have (recently) overloaded it with ridiculous payloads (7,500+ lbs) and it has never let me down. Wheel bearings here and there, brakes, tires and an absolute tank freighter or two worth of gasoline, and it’s humming along. My sister is one of the worst car owners to ever walk the earth and her first gen survived her neglect and abuse from new to almost a quarter million with nothing but consumables, only finally being sent to it’s grave after she ran out of talent on a curve. Archaic? Sure. But that means simple. Simple is reliable. Shitty gas mileage? You bet. It will rival the SUX6000. In the grand scheme, gas is cheap, fixin’em ain’t. These things are built to last. Snatch up a bargain and see for yourself.
For real I dont’ know why everybody here is complaining about the gas mileage. What offroad capable SUV doesn’t drink gas like it’s 1965?
Maybe because driving an real distances comes with a significant costs. Do the math. Beyond cost, there is also a huge environmental impact.
As for off-road capable SUVs with reasonable mileage:
Suzuki Samari
Suzuki Grand Viatra
1st generation Sorento
Ford Bronco (2.3L)
There are loads of diesels out there; their economies may vary by where you live, but in my state diesel is $0.70/gallon less than RUG:
Mercedes G240D
Mercedes G300D
Jeep Wrangler diesel
Jeep Grand Cherokee “ecodiesel”
Jeep Liberty and Liberty diesel
Chevy Colorado ZR2 diesel (not technically and SUV)
Range Rover TD6
For me, some semblance of fuel economy is a prerequisite. I absolutely love the way the Xterra looks and I find the bones attractive, but the lack of fuel economy is a deal breaker for me. This is the same reason I don’t own a Toyota SUV which have the perfect combination of low power, low fuel economy, and lots of unrefined noises from under the hood.
It’s refreshing to see others seeing Toyota for what they are.
The Bronco 2.3 can get mid-upper 20s if left on small tires and driven at moderate speeds. I’ve learned the hard way it can also get 12mpg driven at 75mph with 37s.
No offense but imo most of these aren’t directly comparable to the Xterra. Good look finding a clean Samurai, a Grand Vitara has similar gas mileage unless you get the painfully underpowered 4 cylinder. Nobody shopping an old xterra is cross shopping with a G-wagen or Range Rover new enough to get better mileage. Any MPG savings you get with a Jeep diesel will probably be offset in maintenance costs-and at least where I am the difference in cost between diesel and gas prices all but offsets any savings you’d get. IDK at least in the USA I realize after writing this perhaps you’re in a different market as some of these diesel SUVs you cite are very difficult and expensive to get here.
I would suspect that anyone who is calling these “crap” has never owned one. I’m no Nissan apologist, but that just isn’t a fair characterization of the Xterra. The SMOD was an issue when these things were new – pushing two decades ago. Anything rolling around now has already had it’s radiator and/or transmission replaced. My 2nd gen was done around 35k mi. I’m now approaching 350k mi, still on the original, untouched engine, and the replacement rad and trans have almost 315k and still trucking. I have (recently) overloaded it with ridiculous payloads (7,500+ lbs) and it has never let me down. Wheel bearings here and there, brakes, tires and an absolute tank freighter or two worth of gasoline, and it’s humming along. My sister is one of the worst car owners to ever walk the earth and her first gen survived her neglect and abuse from new to almost a quarter million with nothing but consumables, only finally being sent to it’s grave after she ran out of talent on a curve. Archaic? Sure. But that means simple. Simple is reliable. Shitty gas mileage? You bet. It will rival the SUX6000. In the grand scheme, gas is cheap, fixin’em ain’t. These things are built to last. Snatch up a bargain and see for yourself.
For real I dont’ know why everybody here is complaining about the gas mileage. What offroad capable SUV doesn’t drink gas like it’s 1965?
Maybe because driving an real distances comes with a significant costs. Do the math. Beyond cost, there is also a huge environmental impact.
As for off-road capable SUVs with reasonable mileage:
Suzuki Samari
Suzuki Grand Viatra
1st generation Sorento
Ford Bronco (2.3L)
There are loads of diesels out there; their economies may vary by where you live, but in my state diesel is $0.70/gallon less than RUG:
Mercedes G240D
Mercedes G300D
Jeep Wrangler diesel
Jeep Grand Cherokee “ecodiesel”
Jeep Liberty and Liberty diesel
Chevy Colorado ZR2 diesel (not technically and SUV)
Range Rover TD6
For me, some semblance of fuel economy is a prerequisite. I absolutely love the way the Xterra looks and I find the bones attractive, but the lack of fuel economy is a deal breaker for me. This is the same reason I don’t own a Toyota SUV which have the perfect combination of low power, low fuel economy, and lots of unrefined noises from under the hood.
It’s refreshing to see others seeing Toyota for what they are.
The Bronco 2.3 can get mid-upper 20s if left on small tires and driven at moderate speeds. I’ve learned the hard way it can also get 12mpg driven at 75mph with 37s.
No offense but imo most of these aren’t directly comparable to the Xterra. Good look finding a clean Samurai, a Grand Vitara has similar gas mileage unless you get the painfully underpowered 4 cylinder. Nobody shopping an old xterra is cross shopping with a G-wagen or Range Rover new enough to get better mileage. Any MPG savings you get with a Jeep diesel will probably be offset in maintenance costs-and at least where I am the difference in cost between diesel and gas prices all but offsets any savings you’d get. IDK at least in the USA I realize after writing this perhaps you’re in a different market as some of these diesel SUVs you cite are very difficult and expensive to get here.
A friend used to work at a Nissan dealership. The technicians nicknamed those the “X-crap”. Gives a good idea for the reason they are so cheap.
A friend used to work at a Nissan dealership. The technicians nicknamed those the “X-crap”. Gives a good idea for the reason they are so cheap.
Second Gens are cheap because they’re crap. Same for the Frontier and Pathfinder. The radiators like mixing trans fluid and coolant which then blows the trans and the engine at the same time. It’s a neat party trick.
Second Gens are cheap because they’re crap. Same for the Frontier and Pathfinder. The radiators like mixing trans fluid and coolant which then blows the trans and the engine at the same time. It’s a neat party trick.
I like them, and a few years back when I was auto shopping, I was bummed to find Nissan stopped making them in 2015. Plastic cladding has come back into fashion in a big way, so had Nissan kept with it, they might have something to battle Subaru with. That said, Xterra comes off like a ’90s name. I didn’t know anything about the XTERRA (all caps) triathalon until I looked it up, but after the ’90s, I think everyone got tired of being extreme all the time.
“after the ’90s, I think everyone got tired of being extreme all the time.”
We were living 21st-century lives but without the tech to keep up. It was exhausting.
I like them, and a few years back when I was auto shopping, I was bummed to find Nissan stopped making them in 2015. Plastic cladding has come back into fashion in a big way, so had Nissan kept with it, they might have something to battle Subaru with. That said, Xterra comes off like a ’90s name. I didn’t know anything about the XTERRA (all caps) triathalon until I looked it up, but after the ’90s, I think everyone got tired of being extreme all the time.
“after the ’90s, I think everyone got tired of being extreme all the time.”
We were living 21st-century lives but without the tech to keep up. It was exhausting.
Honestly, I think maybe their public image has been tainted by the sight of so many yellow rusted out Xterras, like the ones we see in Canada. It just feels as though it’s a much more cheaply built vehicle with reliability issues, though that’s just the impression I get. I don’t see the same level of crustyness from Toyotas or Hondas of the same age, on average.
Because Toyotas and Hondas rot their frames/subframes out before the exterior body panels.
Honestly, I think maybe their public image has been tainted by the sight of so many yellow rusted out Xterras, like the ones we see in Canada. It just feels as though it’s a much more cheaply built vehicle with reliability issues, though that’s just the impression I get. I don’t see the same level of crustyness from Toyotas or Hondas of the same age, on average.
Because Toyotas and Hondas rot their frames/subframes out before the exterior body panels.
These look best in yellow. Change my mind.
You could be speaking about any car and I would join you on the hill to die on.