Member III
I'm not familiar with the 1st gen (99-04) Xterra. I chose the 2nd Gen (05-15) because they are roomier than the 1st and more powerful and don't have the torsion bar front suspension.
The 2005-2010 Xterras are becoming more affordable but you need to be aware of some issues they had.
#1: The transmission cooler in the radiator degrades and allows the coolant to enter the transmission and ruin the TCM/valve body and usually burn up the whole transmission. This is an expensive fix so be sure to look up SMOD online. Many will say you can just bypass the factory cooler in the radiator and use only the external one but that's not true. It will get you by till you can replace the radiator but if you are off-road with it or towing, you'll need to get the radiator replaced ASAP to maintain the level of cooling they were designed to have.
#2: The timing chain guides in them are known to wear prematurely and need replaced. There is a very noticeable whine, like a supercharger or Ford power steering pump would whine. This is also fixable but at a cost if you cannot do it yourself.
If you don't want to possibly buy a project, it's best to look for the 2011-2015 year models. They are widely regarded as the best of the 2nd gens due to these issues. They will be more expensive as well, but generally found with lower mileage.
Keep in mind though, a nice early 2nd gen with one of these issues can usually be had fairly cheap and then repaired. I bought mine with a new transmission in it really cheap with the timing set whine and was still under book after having the timing TSB performed and the radiator replaced (so I could run the factory cooler again) at a Nissan dealership.
There are 4 packages:
X: Bare bones. Usually steel wheels. Usually no wet box in the roof rack. Plastic strips in the utili-track system in the rear cargo area (just pull them out to use the system). Occasionally found with manual windows and locks and without cruise control from what I've heard online. Maybe not the later models though.
S: Slightly nicer. Usually has wet box and aluminum wheels. Utili-track system will usually be open.
SE: Available leather interior, better radio with steering wheel controls and possibly a sub-woofer. Usually side curtain air bags. Usually has fog lights in the bumper. Available back-up camera in later years. Usually has wet box.
Pro-4x & Off-Road: Driving lights on the roof of the Pro-4x and foglights. Should have a wet box. Later years will have the back-up camera. Usually has leather interior. Comes with lower gearing than the other models and a rear locking differential. (If it doesn't have the locking rear differential, it was a rebadged model that some dealerships sold.) They will also have the Bilstein blue and yellow 4600 series shocks from the factory.
The X, S, and SE in 4x4 all have 3.13 gears for an automatic transmission and 3.54 gears for a manual.
Pro-4x and Off-Road have 3.36 gears for automatic and 3.69 for manual and both have rear lockers.
The rear springs are not the best on any of the 2nd gens. Off-road use will usually kill them off eventually and using a shackle lift in the rear will expedite that. Good replacements can be had from General Spring in an OE configuration but many of us need to carrier heavier loads and opt for custom springs such as the Old Man Emu springs or in my case, full custom packs from Alcan Spring. In my case they have +500lb capacity and 3" of lift.
Check out Xterra Nation for plenty of info on both 1st and 2nd gen Xterras. We're almost as bad as British car enthusiasts for loving EVERY Xterra we encounter.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
The 2005-2010 Xterras are becoming more affordable but you need to be aware of some issues they had.
#1: The transmission cooler in the radiator degrades and allows the coolant to enter the transmission and ruin the TCM/valve body and usually burn up the whole transmission. This is an expensive fix so be sure to look up SMOD online. Many will say you can just bypass the factory cooler in the radiator and use only the external one but that's not true. It will get you by till you can replace the radiator but if you are off-road with it or towing, you'll need to get the radiator replaced ASAP to maintain the level of cooling they were designed to have.
#2: The timing chain guides in them are known to wear prematurely and need replaced. There is a very noticeable whine, like a supercharger or Ford power steering pump would whine. This is also fixable but at a cost if you cannot do it yourself.
If you don't want to possibly buy a project, it's best to look for the 2011-2015 year models. They are widely regarded as the best of the 2nd gens due to these issues. They will be more expensive as well, but generally found with lower mileage.
Keep in mind though, a nice early 2nd gen with one of these issues can usually be had fairly cheap and then repaired. I bought mine with a new transmission in it really cheap with the timing set whine and was still under book after having the timing TSB performed and the radiator replaced (so I could run the factory cooler again) at a Nissan dealership.
There are 4 packages:
X: Bare bones. Usually steel wheels. Usually no wet box in the roof rack. Plastic strips in the utili-track system in the rear cargo area (just pull them out to use the system). Occasionally found with manual windows and locks and without cruise control from what I've heard online. Maybe not the later models though.
S: Slightly nicer. Usually has wet box and aluminum wheels. Utili-track system will usually be open.
SE: Available leather interior, better radio with steering wheel controls and possibly a sub-woofer. Usually side curtain air bags. Usually has fog lights in the bumper. Available back-up camera in later years. Usually has wet box.
Pro-4x & Off-Road: Driving lights on the roof of the Pro-4x and foglights. Should have a wet box. Later years will have the back-up camera. Usually has leather interior. Comes with lower gearing than the other models and a rear locking differential. (If it doesn't have the locking rear differential, it was a rebadged model that some dealerships sold.) They will also have the Bilstein blue and yellow 4600 series shocks from the factory.
The X, S, and SE in 4x4 all have 3.13 gears for an automatic transmission and 3.54 gears for a manual.
Pro-4x and Off-Road have 3.36 gears for automatic and 3.69 for manual and both have rear lockers.
The rear springs are not the best on any of the 2nd gens. Off-road use will usually kill them off eventually and using a shackle lift in the rear will expedite that. Good replacements can be had from General Spring in an OE configuration but many of us need to carrier heavier loads and opt for custom springs such as the Old Man Emu springs or in my case, full custom packs from Alcan Spring. In my case they have +500lb capacity and 3" of lift.
Check out Xterra Nation for plenty of info on both 1st and 2nd gen Xterras. We're almost as bad as British car enthusiasts for loving EVERY Xterra we encounter.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
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