New to me Xterra...

Maddmatt

Explorer
Ownership log:
4/3/19 - Purchased the truck, 49,000 miles
4/7/19 - rear diff breather extension
4/8/19 - hood struts
2/22/20 - New Tires - Goodyear Duratrac 265/75/16 - 55k miles
3/17/20 - new rear lift gate struts Arana cheap ones via Amazon - $23 well spent, made a huge difference
4/5/20 - Super-Bright LED's for the reverse lights and lowered the latch on the hood.
11/3/20 - 63,484 miles new rear shocks - Bilstein 5100's, Front Seat heaters added
5/15/21 -66,896 miles - Hefty Fab Sliders added
7/2/21 - 67,968 miles - Gobi Ladder installed
3/19/23 - 84,894 miles - Trailer Plug relocation
6/18/23 -87,XXX miles - Fridge slide
10/11/23 - 90k miles - Bilstein 5100 front shocks

Just thought I'd put up a post, because it's been awhile and I like to contribute once in awhile, even if my contributions are pointless.

So I'm excited to announce: I've added my second Xterra to the stable!

I don't consider myself overly brand loyal, in fact I probably spend way too much time researching, evaluating, testing and thinking before I buy a new vehicle, but for me that's part of the fun.

My Xterra story: I'm a child of the '70s, and learned to drive in a '77 Scout SSII, so when I saw the first generation Xterra, it just felt right. A solid, basic, SUV, with some modern updates (like a radio that worked, windows that rolled down, and even AC!). But it was a long time before life came around to the point where I got one. My first one is a sliver 2010 SE - I bought it with about 40k on it in 2013, and very happily drove it all over (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico) for a few years until my oldest daughter started driving. Then it became hers. She will be going to college in the fall, and I could have had it back (103k miles on it now, but otherwise not much changed from the day I bought it), but then my youngest will start driving, and she'll need something to get her back and forth from high school.

That makes it several years before I get my Xterra back, and a couple years without it have made me realize that I genuinely enjoy driving it. My Titan was showing some age spots at 170K. Nothing mission critical, but I don't allow drips (part of what put an end to my Land Rover phase) and I thought about waiting for the new Gladiator (I think it looks great, but the $50k for one spec'd the way I would want it is a bit out of my budget)

So I realized that it was now or never. Thus began my daily ritual: I took my "first cup of coffee" time, that had formerly been reserved for BAT, and cars I would never buy, and devoted it to the Xterra search. Car Max, Auto Nation, Car Vana, Car Gurus, and then the round up of local Nissan dealers, and other lots that seem likely, every morning... To each his own, some people love wrenching (I can do it, but would rather not), some people like to debate current draws on fridges that they'll never buy, I like to search for cars. We're all a little bit weird in our own way....

News Flash: Low mileage Pro-4X's with leather don't exactly grown on trees. I'm old enough to know what I want, and young enough to wait for it. And when you do find them, they always seem to be in Louisiana, and priced about where the MSRP was when they were new. I call this "the rule of '40s". Back when I was in my Landcruiser phase, if you were looking for an FJ40, everything on the internet was across the county, rust free and priced like it just rolled off the Icon line. The day after you buy one, some random guy in a parking lot will inevitably say "Hey, my dad has one of those in his barn, it's always in the way...." It's just the way it goes.

So imagine my surprise yesterday morning, after only about a month of this, when a dealer local to me posted, on Edmunds.com of all places, a 2013 Xterra Pro-4X with leather and only 49k miles. The interesting part was that the written description completely contradicted the photos - I assumed they used stock photos, so I called and asked the guy who picked up to make sure it was an auto (don't judge, remember I learned how to drive in a Scout. I know how to double clutch. I also know what 2 hours in stop and go though the mountains with a manual transmission will do to your knee and your attitude), make sure it had leather and make sure it didn't smell like smoke. He ran out to the lot and called back within 5 minutes with all the right answers. So I drove in.

They had taken it on a trade the day before, and it was filthy. But all the parts were there, it drove well, the switches all seemed to work, so I decided to trust the detail team and make an offer. After a bit of back and forth we got within $500 of where I wanted to be before I walked in, and we shook hands.

And then I went home, while they changed the oil, changed the filters, put in a new battery, rotated and balanced the tires (which I don't love, but they are in good shape) and finally got it into the detail shop. Dealer closes at 6:00, I picked it up at 5:58 last night...

Long story short (too late, I know) it's in my driveway. Pics or it didn't happen:

508514

The Pro-4X doesn't usually get the running boards, first owner must have added those - eventually I'll replace those with some sliders. Took it out today and exercised the locking rear diff and hill descent control - both work great, along with everything else.

So that's it - no real point to this post, but this is my ride for the foreseeable future...
 
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vgreen

Putting the G in RGB
Congrats! Nice find. Love my 2010 Offroad. I just installed a full OME kit last weekend. Rides stiffer, but feels much more sure of itself. Keep us updated!
 

Maddmatt

Explorer
Ok, so when I was having my short lived affair with a Discovery II - I used my initial thread as a log, to keep track of the wins and losses. Worked well for me, so I'm doing the same here.

Log:
4/3/19 - Purchased the truck, 49,000 miles
4/7/19 - rear diff breather extension - like to do this before everything gets all covered with road grime. I used the kit from Offroad Gorilla - which was shipped fast, and everything was exactly as promised. Hardest part was running the hose through the frame, but as an added bonus I found out that one my hitch bolts was only finger tightened.509385509386

Now I'm good for far deeper water than I ever intend to cross.

4/8/19 - Offroad Gorilla hood struts. Just happened to see them while I was ordering the breather extension, and thought "what the hell?". So far work great.
509387
 

emtmark

Austere Medical Provider
Come on over to the newx website man we got what you need :)

Good find!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Maddmatt

Explorer
3/22/20 - Update just for me
Finally replaced the tires, went with the Goodyear Duratracs in stock size 265/75/16 - amazing how much different the proper size tires can make, previous owner had installed 260/70's -maybe to save money? Truck just drove weird, much better now
Tires.jpg
 

BritKLR

Kapitis Indagatoris
I had a first gen in 2000 and loved it. Would love to find a Pro4 with manual for a reasonable price! Good luck!
 

Maddmatt

Explorer
Small update, installed the cheap Arana rear lift gate struts $23 shipped through Amazon. Made a huge difference in how fast and how high the rear lift gate goes up. Time and money well spent.
 

Maddmatt

Explorer
Only interesting to me, but this is where I log things. Swapped out the reverse bulbs for some from Superbright LED.com - will see if they are brighter, in the day time they look bright. Also lowered the hood latch, after replacing all three bumpers. Hopefully this will do something about the incessant squeak. My 2010 does not have this issue.
 

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