Newb from East Tennessee looking for first Xterra for camping/wheeling/daily driving

mtnzuk · Jun 9, 2015

Hello everyone,
I am on the lookout for a nice clean Xterra 1st generation after selling my Big Bronco recently. I have owned and built about a half dozen different suzuki Samurai crawlers and enjoyed them quite a bit but my kids are getting bigger now and my wife while she enjoys trail riding with me does not really care for being too uncomfortable. So after searching online for suitable vehicles that are trail worthy that would be a good compromise between a nice daily SUV and a rock crawler I happened upon some photos of Xterras online that were pretty nice looking and quite capable. I was also interested to read that there is a complete bolt on SAS conversion making the gap between grocery getter and rock crawler a bit shorter of a distance LOL

Anyways I am on the lookout for a good price on a clean Xterra. I really wanted a 5 speed model with 4x4 and v6 preferrably in white or that pewter color but color is not a big issue. There are TONS of them around here for sale but it seems everyone bought them with an automatic tranny. I have so far found two manual 4x4 ones but both are quite a few hours away. I am not in a HUGE hurry but I did sell my daily to get the Xterra and until I get one I am carless and having to drive my wife's car dunno how long she is gonna deal with that hehe

I live in Maryville, Tennessee and I run a small CNC machine and fabrication shop here. I am hoping that I can come up with some cool items to machine for the Xterras and have some fun. I am also hoping to meet some of you guys who have modified Xterras locally and do some trail riding/wheeling. My wife and I were really excited to hear that two major Xterra gatherings are within an hour or two from our home. I hope the Xterra will be a good vehicle for our family and for some offroad fun. Now I just gotta find one. There is actually a good deal on one in Atlanta right now that had a dented in passenger door. Not sure how hard it would be to find another black door around here but I gotta check into it.

Anyways nice to be here and looking forward to some adventures with all of you guys.

Peace

Pete Matos
A&N Precision Machine
Maryville, Tennessee

mtnzuk · Jun 9, 2015

Oh yeah forgot to ask for ideas and suggestions on what to look for as far as damage or issues on a gen1 model. Be nice to know of common problems or areas to look at while I search for the truck. Appreciate any input.

Pete

drbandkgb · Jun 10, 2015

Gen 1 has only a few issues.. Cracked exhaust manifold is one .. Headers fix that issue.

mtnzuk · Jun 10, 2015

Thanks man good to hear. I really like the looks of the gen 1. The search continues!! LOL

Pete

Malin_Rebate · Jun 10, 2015

What gen of the gen one?

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mtnzuk · Jun 10, 2015

not sure what you mean...

Is there more than one gen 1?

Pete

Malin_Rebate · Jun 10, 2015

Newb from East Tennessee looking for first Xterra for camping/wheeling/daily ...

Gen 1 2000-2001
Gen 1.5 2002-2004

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mtnzuk · Jun 10, 2015

hrm.... well not knowing the differences I would say it doesn't really matter as long as it is a five speed 4x4 v6 with decent miles and a lowish price

Pete

Malin_Rebate · Jun 10, 2015

Well that works

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drbandkgb · Jun 10, 2015

2000-2001 square lights 2002-2004 round lights.
Gen 2 2005-2008
2009-2015 bucktooth grill

mtnzuk · Jun 10, 2015

Thanks man

did not know that. I kinda like the round eyes tho. Don't really care all that much about it just wanting to find a clean truck for a good price.

Pete

lbishop · Jun 10, 2015

Valve cover gaskets on these trucks are another problem area. I have had 2 1st gens and both started leaking oil at about 120k.

mtnzuk · Jun 10, 2015

Would you guys describe these first generation Xterras as reliable daily driver vehicles overall? I mean I have been looking at 4x4's lately and a couple other vehicles I considered were rated kinda low or had serious rust issues from other manufacturers. This will be the first Nissan I ever bought. Thanks for the input.

Pete

Prime · Jun 10, 2015

OK. So.

Key to Nissan longevity is maintenance. 1st gens have a particular set of things that need to be dealt with on a recurring basis aside from oil changes and tune ups.

Timing belt. Every 105k. Without fail. While you're in there you should also do the water pump and cam seals. Going rate for parts is in the $600 range for everything that should be done at timing change time.

Manual transmission fluid is called for every 80k. I usually do it at 60k just to be on the safe side.

Same for diffs and transfer case.

If you stay on top of the regular maintenance, there's no reason you shouldn't get 250k plus out of one of these trucks.

Now.... The idiosyncrasies...

Almost every X I know of has a bad knock sensor. If you get one of the naturally aspirated engines, it's irrelevant. The computer will let you know but it won't cause a CEL and nothing will change about how the truck runs. If you get a supercharged engine, plan on replacing it every 60-70k.

Valve cover gaskets leaking at 120k are fairly common. And a PITA to change.

The exhaust manifolds will crack. Guaranteed. $450 for some long tube headers and you'll never have to worry about it again.

If you'd like to find a supercharged with a 5 speed, they're out there. But they were only made for one year. 2002. So they're rare, but not unheard of.

You may have to travel to find the 5 speed X you want. I had to go 8 hours to get mine. Stick to your guns on that and don't settle for an auto because they're available. I doubt very much if I'd enjoy my truck as much as I do if I didn't have a manual.

Also, with the manual make sure that you get one that has the 4.90 gears. This can be found on the door tag. Near the bottom of the tag it will read "HG49" for the 4.90 gears. "HG46" for the 4.60s.

From a daily driver perspective, if you get a clean one to start, there should be no issues at all. So long as you keep up the maintenance.

Happy hunting and let us know if we can help.

TheFauxFox · Jun 10, 2015

mtnzuk said:
Would you guys describe these first generation Xterras as reliable daily driver vehicles overall? I mean I have been looking at 4x4's lately and a couple other vehicles I considered were rated kinda low or had serious rust issues from other manufacturers. This will be the first Nissan I ever bought. Thanks for the input.

Pete

I'd venture to say that 98% of the users here use their trucks as a DD, myself included. They're reliable when maintained, usually north of 200k. Myself and several others have/had trucks make it beyond that point.

Prime · Jun 10, 2015

Also, other than aesthetics, there are no differences between the 1.0 and 1.5 generations.

Redesigned front end, hood, and interior. Other than that they are the exact same truck.

TheFauxFox · Jun 10, 2015

Prime said:
Also, other than aesthetics, there are no differences between the 1.0 and 1.5 generations.

Redesigned front end, hood, and interior. Other than that they are the exact same truck.

In 02-04, the VG33 thing got a 10hp boost, too. :sure:

mtnzuk · Jun 10, 2015

Thanks guys, nice to hear that with adequate maintenance you can probably expect some good life out of it. I am going to keep looking for a good deal. There are some locally but the dealers want a lot for them and there is one down in Atlanta for a good price but it needs a passenger side door replacement. It is black but I am not sure if I want to deal with that or not. Mileage is also an issue as well as asking price on many of them. I am encouraged that there are TONS of them with automatics out there for reasonable prices with decent miles on them. Hopefully someone will post one for sale locally soon that has the manual tranny. We shall see. Right now I am trying to finish this customers welding project and I am kinda behind schedule with it a day or so. Gotta get it finished and then I can spend some more time looking. Peace

Pete

DirtyRice120 · Jun 10, 2015

I'm right down the road from you, south knoxville right on the Blount county line. I've seen a few around lately but haven't really checked them out. I'll keep an eye out though!

mtnzuk · Jun 10, 2015

Oh nice... Yeah I am out off Montvale road. Appreciate it. Again wanting a clean 5 speed for the best possible price of course LOL. Nice to meet ya dirtyRice..

Pete

DirtyRice120 · Jun 10, 2015

mtnzuk said:
Oh nice... Yeah I am out off Montvale road. Appreciate it. Again wanting a clean 5 speed for the best possible price of course LOL. Nice to meet ya dirtyRice..

Pete

You too man! I'm about 3 miles off of Alcoa Hwy. I drive a delivery truck so I'm always seeing vehicles parked for sale somewhere.

DirtyRice120 · Jun 11, 2015

this one is really clean but it's an auto. http://mobile.dealercarsearch.com/V...655&Guid=5b59c20a-6e20-47f2-92bd-888d791a0837

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

Thanks man...ya know there are probably a hundred automatic models in good shape in the immediate area for sale for various prices from cheap to absurd. I have only found a couple manuals and they were all at dealers for what I consider a high price for the vehicles. There is one not a couple miles from my house right now I went to look at but again the price is too high. I have cash and want to buy outright if possible hopefully from a private owner for a reasonable price.

https://knoxville.craigslist.org/cto/5064043589.html

This looks like a good deal but again it is an automatic. There are many like this online in this price range some are even lower milesand cheaper if you are willing to drive a bit. I dunno why but whenever I decide on a vehicle to buy I somehow choose the least popular something that makes it hard to find. Oh well....THE SEARCH CONTINUES!! LOL

Pete

Muadeeb · Jun 11, 2015

mtnzuk said:
Thanks guys, nice to hear that with adequate maintenance you can probably expect some good life out of it. I am going to keep looking for a good deal. There are some locally but the dealers want a lot for them and there is one down in Atlanta for a good price but it needs a passenger side door replacement. It is black but I am not sure if I want to deal with that or not. Mileage is also an issue as well as asking price on many of them. I am encouraged that there are TONS of them with automatics out there for reasonable prices with decent miles on them. Hopefully someone will post one for sale locally soon that has the manual tranny. We shall see. Right now I am trying to finish this customers welding project and I am kinda behind schedule with it a day or so. Gotta get it finished and then I can spend some more time looking. Peace

Pete

I've done a door replacement, and it's about a 1/2 - 3/4 day worth of work. If you get the right door. I had to convert a manual door to a power door and that took a good bit of time. The annoying parts are stripping down the dash to remove the harness connectors, and getting the door properly aligned. Definitely doable by a diy.

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

Okay thanks good to know. At this point I am not yet desperate enough to buy the one with the damaged door but It is something to consider if I cannot find one locally soon. Just got off the phone with 2 different dealers who advertised 5 speed 4x4 xterras and one already sold it and said it was actually an automatic and the other said the motor was blown in it and it is not for sale currently.... sigh.

Pete

XTP_Dyer · Jun 11, 2015

Just be patient. My thing is once I find what I want, I search every day and wait. I originally bought a white 4x4 with 146k because I settled and had someone hit me and total in one week...after getting a rental from insurance, I literally found a black 4x4 with aftermarket wheels and brand new A/T's with only 114k miles for nearly the same price as the white one. The good deals are out there, but they go fast. Keep an eye out and be ready! I'm between Nashville and Louisville, so I'll keep an eye out for you.

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

Thanks XTP,
Yeah I am searching all over the place and have cash in hand burnin' a hole LOL. I am honestly starting to see the differences between the years of the gen 1. I like the round eyes and neat seats in the newer ones so hopefully I can find one like that for a good price. Again TONS of them out there so not a big deal but It is looking like about 90 percent are automatics or better.

Pete

akinc · Jun 11, 2015

Welcome to the Nation. Hope you can find what you are looking for. I live just north of Chattanooga. So you are in my area too, so to speak......

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

Hey thanks man... Chatt is not all that far. About an hour or so from me.

NismoFire · Jun 11, 2015

I'll sell you mine...

02 SE 4WD 5spd w/ 4.9s, PML, Calmini sliders, 32" BFG KM2s on Frontier Desert Runner wheels, black...If you're wanting to SAS, it'd be perfect.

ETA: It does have the valve cover leaks. I have the new gaskets, just haven't put them on. 190k and climbing, it's my DD and I live 45mi from work.

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

Got any pics?

Can you send me some pictures of it and maybe message me your asking price. Honestly I was hoping for something will less mileage on it but if the price is right ya never know. Why are you selling it?

Pete

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

Well my wife got off work and since I am without a vehicle I picked her up in her truck today. She got off a bit early so we drove around looking at local used car lots. I drove by one that appeared to have some trucks with roof racks out behind the building and decided to have a look. I pulled in and they were closed. The lot was open tho so you can drive around if you want. I cruised around back of the building and LO AND BEHOLD there is a really beautiful all white Xterra first gen with the round headlights back there. It was already lifted on what looked like 33's and it has a nice roof rack atop the factory rack and some other goodies on it. I held my breath as I walked up praying it was a manual tranny......NOPE!! Bastard bought it with a slushbox LOL....

There was a real nice one at another dealer advertised on Craigslist so we cruised over there to look at it but they were also closed and there was no Xterra so the guy must have driven home in it or sold it. His price is crazy high so I am sure it is the former option. SO the search continues... I did notice quite a few rolling around locally today and it just makes me want to find one sooner. Peace

Pete

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

NismoFire said:
I'll sell you mine...

02 SE 4WD 5spd w/ 4.9s, PML, Calmini sliders, 32" BFG KM2s on Frontier Desert Runner wheels, black...If you're wanting to SAS, it'd be perfect.

ETA: It does have the valve cover leaks. I have the new gaskets, just haven't put them on. 190k and climbing, it's my DD and I live 45mi from work.

Can you send me some pictures of it and maybe message me your asking price. Honestly I was hoping for something will less mileage on it but if the price is right ya never know. Why are you selling it?

Pete

NismoFire · Jun 11, 2015

mtnzuk said:
Can you send me some pictures of it and maybe message me your asking price. Honestly I was hoping for something will less mileage on it but if the price is right ya never know. Why are you selling it?

Pete

Click the link in my signature that says Everything You Need, Nothing You Don't and you'll find my build thread. I'm selling because I need a truck bed. I love my X. I cried thinking about selling it the other night.

$5000

lbishop · Jun 11, 2015

I'm just above dalton, Georgia... There's tons of xterra that pop up for sale down here. I'll keep my eye for ya

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

NismoFire said:
Click the link in my signature that says Everything You Need, Nothing You Don't and you'll find my build thread. I'm selling because I need a truck bed. I love my X. I cried thinking about selling it the other night.

$5000

LOL I understand that... I have sold trucks I had a lot of time and work in and almost cried watching it drive away... Lemme look at the thread here and see what gives. I am sure you probably have a lot of work in the truck too...

Pete

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

lbishop said:
I'm just above dalton, Georgia... There's tons of xterra that pop up for sale down here. I'll keep my eye for ya

Thanks man appreciate it. There are TONS of them around just no 5 speeds LOL.. Nice to meetcha!

Prime · Jun 11, 2015

mtnzuk said:
LOL I understand that... I have sold trucks I had a lot of time and work in and almost cried watching it drive away... Lemme look at the thread here and see what gives. I am sure you probably have a lot of work in the truck too...

Pete

Her truck is a 5-speed. And I can vouch that it's been well looked after.

mtnzuk · Jun 11, 2015

Prime said:
Her truck is a 5-speed. And I can vouch that it's been well looked after.

Thanks Prime. I am considering all options right now. Looking at the thread it appears she has indeed taken good care of it.

Pete

drbandkgb · Jun 11, 2015

Since they were built in middle TN search the mid tn Craig's list.. We have xterras everywhere

Newb from East Tennessee looking for first Xterra for camping/wheeling/daily driving

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Nissan al Gaib

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Titan Swapped / SAS'd

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Bought an X

Bought an X

Shut up Baby, I know it!

Bought an X

Titan Swapped / SAS'd