BrettX
Test Drive
Username: BrettX
Make: Nissan
Year: 2011
Model: Xterra
Trim: S
Color: Night Armor
Code Name: Ivan, the Xterrable
Hello everyone,
Had the Xterra for 2.5 years now, this thread is everything that's been done so far!
Mods
Interior:
Alpine iLX-207
Alpine HDE-C1100 backup camera
Alpine KTP-450A inline amp
Gentex GENK50 backup mirror, amber display with HomeLink V3, compass, temp, and auto-dim.
Nissan light w/ fog light stalk
Backlit Nissan steering wheel controls w/ Axxess ASWC-1
Exterior:
BFG TA KO2, 33"
Curt trailer hitch
Magnaflow 12580 muffler, y-pipe delete
Voltant CAI intake (unintentional stock horn delete)
Hella Sharptones
Nissan factory fog light install (fog light cover delete)
Pneumatic conversion for hood
Rear Arch repaint
LED HID Retrofit headlights with DRL Strip
TO DO:
Mount the 1/4" PRG spacers for the front, get rid of some of the rake.
Get and install HID retrofit headlights
WOULD BE COOL: (some long-term goals that I hope are reasonable in the scheme of life)
Front/rear bumper
snorkel (hence the volante)
2" lift
I'd totally love to Titan swap the front end and engine, but that's a ways off if ever.
So this is the 2nd Xterra I've owned. First one was good, a bit lacking in the power dept, and towards the end of its life a bit lacking in the keeping oil below the rings. But it was a 5 speed manual, and I wanted another body-on-frame with a manual. Well it turns out a newer Xterra was available locally with sub-50k miles.
New VS old(new on right)
Within a week I had all-new speakers while I figured out which head unit to buy. Here's the tweeter install for the JBLs, I eventually replaced the really poorly crimped connection with a soldered connection so it's secure. I also reused the stock connections, so I didn't have to chop up any of the harness. (I did for the crossovers though) I went with JBL Club 6x9 components up from and JBL Club 6.5 in the rear doors, sounds was better but it was still the stock CD player w/ AM/FM radio.
For a head unit I was throwing around Pioneers, Kenwoods, Sonys. I had used an Alpine in my previous Xterra and it was a champ for 9 years. When they came out with an Android Auto/CarPlay head unit, with all the bells and whistles I cared about, I was pretty sold.
Here's the final result of the head unit. GPS antenna is on the blanking plate between the defrost vents.
I didn't have the RF system, but took a page from it and connected my AUX and USB inputs to that blanking plate on the right. Microphone was routed on the drivers side A-pillar by the mirror.
Here's a closer picture of just the center console, went with a Scoshe trim piece.
A few months later, stock fogs installed
One of the tires finally died, so new ones were required, definitely didn't get HTs again. got a set of 285/75-16 BFG TA/KO2s. 33s are a much better stance than the stock 31s. Had to melt the inner fender liner, as it has been well-documented, to clear but it worked just fine.
Got my autodim Gentex GNTX-453 rearview mirror installed finally, it was warmer that weekend I did it but it was cooling off by the time I wrapped up. I really missed have a temperature gauge and compass in my vehicle.
Took the side steps off before winter again.
Got my Alpine backup camera installed too. Wired into the reverse wire on the drivers sill, it engages when I put the vehicle in reverse. Parallel parking is soo much easier now. I don't do it too often anymore so it's quite nice.
While installing my backup camera, I noticed water coming from the OG muffler, so that was replaced with a Magnaflow 12580. Y-pipe was removed in the process.
Got my Volante installed, and had 1/2 of the stock horns zip-tied in-place. I did a piss poor job with the zipties if I'm honest and purposefully neglected to take a picture.
And with the stock horns not fitting, I elected to replace if I had to make a new harness.
So I delicately removed the grille, breaking almost every last fastener. I've got a new bag from the dealership waiting to go on.
Painted up some bar stock with a few coats of black, mounted the bar stock to some existing holes in the core support structure.
Made a custom harness, didn't use a relay as I've heard people have had good results with the stock system over years. I did manage to find a Chinese supplier of the female end of the horn connector, so that's a win for me to not have to cut into the stock harness.
All wired up behind the grill. Definitely sounds different but they're very directional too. For the price, it was worth it. Great way to try some new things.
Make: Nissan
Year: 2011
Model: Xterra
Trim: S
Color: Night Armor
Code Name: Ivan, the Xterrable
Hello everyone,
Had the Xterra for 2.5 years now, this thread is everything that's been done so far!
Mods
Interior:
Alpine iLX-207
Alpine HDE-C1100 backup camera
Alpine KTP-450A inline amp
Gentex GENK50 backup mirror, amber display with HomeLink V3, compass, temp, and auto-dim.
Nissan light w/ fog light stalk
Backlit Nissan steering wheel controls w/ Axxess ASWC-1
Exterior:
BFG TA KO2, 33"
Curt trailer hitch
Magnaflow 12580 muffler, y-pipe delete
Voltant CAI intake (unintentional stock horn delete)
Hella Sharptones
Nissan factory fog light install (fog light cover delete)
Pneumatic conversion for hood
Rear Arch repaint
LED HID Retrofit headlights with DRL Strip
TO DO:
Mount the 1/4" PRG spacers for the front, get rid of some of the rake.
Get and install HID retrofit headlights
WOULD BE COOL: (some long-term goals that I hope are reasonable in the scheme of life)
Front/rear bumper
snorkel (hence the volante)
2" lift
I'd totally love to Titan swap the front end and engine, but that's a ways off if ever.
So this is the 2nd Xterra I've owned. First one was good, a bit lacking in the power dept, and towards the end of its life a bit lacking in the keeping oil below the rings. But it was a 5 speed manual, and I wanted another body-on-frame with a manual. Well it turns out a newer Xterra was available locally with sub-50k miles.
New VS old(new on right)
Within a week I had all-new speakers while I figured out which head unit to buy. Here's the tweeter install for the JBLs, I eventually replaced the really poorly crimped connection with a soldered connection so it's secure. I also reused the stock connections, so I didn't have to chop up any of the harness. (I did for the crossovers though) I went with JBL Club 6x9 components up from and JBL Club 6.5 in the rear doors, sounds was better but it was still the stock CD player w/ AM/FM radio.
For a head unit I was throwing around Pioneers, Kenwoods, Sonys. I had used an Alpine in my previous Xterra and it was a champ for 9 years. When they came out with an Android Auto/CarPlay head unit, with all the bells and whistles I cared about, I was pretty sold.
Here's the final result of the head unit. GPS antenna is on the blanking plate between the defrost vents.
I didn't have the RF system, but took a page from it and connected my AUX and USB inputs to that blanking plate on the right. Microphone was routed on the drivers side A-pillar by the mirror.
Here's a closer picture of just the center console, went with a Scoshe trim piece.
A few months later, stock fogs installed
One of the tires finally died, so new ones were required, definitely didn't get HTs again. got a set of 285/75-16 BFG TA/KO2s. 33s are a much better stance than the stock 31s. Had to melt the inner fender liner, as it has been well-documented, to clear but it worked just fine.
Got my autodim Gentex GNTX-453 rearview mirror installed finally, it was warmer that weekend I did it but it was cooling off by the time I wrapped up. I really missed have a temperature gauge and compass in my vehicle.
Took the side steps off before winter again.
Got my Alpine backup camera installed too. Wired into the reverse wire on the drivers sill, it engages when I put the vehicle in reverse. Parallel parking is soo much easier now. I don't do it too often anymore so it's quite nice.
While installing my backup camera, I noticed water coming from the OG muffler, so that was replaced with a Magnaflow 12580. Y-pipe was removed in the process.
Got my Volante installed, and had 1/2 of the stock horns zip-tied in-place. I did a piss poor job with the zipties if I'm honest and purposefully neglected to take a picture.
And with the stock horns not fitting, I elected to replace if I had to make a new harness.
So I delicately removed the grille, breaking almost every last fastener. I've got a new bag from the dealership waiting to go on.
Painted up some bar stock with a few coats of black, mounted the bar stock to some existing holes in the core support structure.
Made a custom harness, didn't use a relay as I've heard people have had good results with the stock system over years. I did manage to find a Chinese supplier of the female end of the horn connector, so that's a win for me to not have to cut into the stock harness.
All wired up behind the grill. Definitely sounds different but they're very directional too. For the price, it was worth it. Great way to try some new things.
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