Thinking about getting a Frontier or Xterra

Thinking about trading in my WRX for a new Nissan Frontier quad cab or Xterra. I love my WRX but I find myself needing a truck or SUV more and more. Anything I should know about these trucks. Any common problems?

Didnt the older ones have some expensive computer problem? I dont know the details for sure though.

Get an older one and swap in an SR20DET. It's a bolt-in swap in first and second gen Frontiers.

I own both I have an 08 frontier (king cab) nismo 6 speed, my wife has 10 xterra s. We really like em. I havent had any problems as of yet...The 6 speed is very good for a truck, not exactly what you get in a corvette or anything but very accurate short throws for a pickup. The auto is liveable. It actually does really good, down shifts quickly and accurately. average gas mileage for the x has been about 24 highway, 18 city...the truck does a little better with the 6 speed (if you keep your foot out of it!)

Seems like the crew cab didnt have as much space as you would have thought...But we have had 5 adults comfortably in the X (and that include a lap around Bristol motor speedway)

I tow with both of em. I reserve the camper and heavier towing for the truck while the x pulls the jet ski...they both do well.

I have been impressed with the VQ40DE or what ever the 4.0 is, it has been a very strong engine and returns good economy.

The only problems I am aware of I have not experienced, but some have had the timing chain tensoiners go early (mostly occured pre 06) and transmission cooler corrosion allowing transmission fluid and antifreeze to mix (pre '08 as far as I know, though it is easy to by pass the radiator and use just the stock external cooler)

I think thats about it, any questions shoot!

Great, thanks for the info. I actually pull a car trailer a few times a year and I’m leaning towards getting an automatic. It would also make my commute to work a lot easier. Kind sick of getting stuck in traffic with a manual and a bad knee. Hopefully once it stops snowing I can go test drive a few.

How is towing with the Auto? I just noticed the rear axle ratio is 3.13 for the Xterra.

Automatic is the best way to go when towing a trailer.

Mine tows a 4000lb boat and trailer (combined weight) just fine on the factory hitch with no brakes... It seems to do just fine (4x4 Automatic...) The 4x4 running gear lops off 1-2mpg highway, but I do NEED it driving to jamestown, ny a couple of times a year, usually in the spring...

I have to say though that mine is modified a bit, because nissan has an electronic mommy below 40MPH that only allows you to open the throttle something like 60%... so I bought a superchips tuner to fix it ($300) and it is MUCH quicker off the line! (and LOTS more low end power when towing!)

It does well...I have towed our camper with the Xterra once (20ft long about 4500 pounds loaded) and you could tell it was there...but it did great. I did keep it locked out of overdrive, But I felt very confident with it. I will say that the frontier is much more stable towing with a longer wheelbase, but the Xterra is a confident towing vehicle.

I also wanted to throw in a comment about the nismo/pro 4x package (or off road package on the Xterra) It does add alot of off road goodies, like skid plates and locking rear differential. But my Nismo forntier has much better handeling characteistics. It honestly handles as well as many sportier cars ive had in the past. It is a firmer ride, but it is a little more fun to toss around, and it helps when towing as well...

You may not find the off road package necessary I just wanted to throw that out there for you...The overall ride is nicer without the stiffer springs and shocks (as one would figure) so it may be a better commuter vehicle to live with for you.

There are acutally a bunch of leftover 2010 Pro 4X's around here that I've been looking at since I can get one cheaper then an Xterra S. Hmm...

I've had a 98 Frontier SE 4x4 4 cyl since new. It now has 314,000 km on it (roughly 200,000 miles) that have been virtually trouble free. I've done a fuel pump, front brakes, an exhaust manifold, injectors and that's it. Original exhaust, clutch, rear brakes, fluids (other than engine oil). Most trouble free vehicle I've ever owned. I wouldn't tow with the 4 cyl regularly, but I've towed a cubic yard of liquid concrete, hauled a yard of gravel and regularly crawl off road (not just off pavement) with a heaping load of firewood in the back. Highly recommended.

The only issues I see on then are fuel level sending units.

John Brown wrote: The only issues I see on then are fuel level sending units.

x2 this, there is a recall/tsb/warrenty extension for this (depending on vin) Also front driveshaft u-joints. Other than that, very solid trucks.

As a guy who has run transmission shops for about 8 years, if you get an 05-later Nissan Automatic, please put my number on speed dial. You'll use it every 40k-60k religiously for a major overhaul costing between $2500 and $4000.

The RE5R05A transmission is a flaming pile of cow dung. Not only is it a dressed-up redesigned Jatco transmission (of Rover Discovery infamy) but it uses a pain-in-the-arse integral, proprietary transfer case for 4wd/Awd applications. Parts are fragile and ridiculously expensive. The coupler in the xfer case is $1400 wholesale and there are absolutely no aftermarket parts available.

04-earlier models had a 4-speed auto that still sucked, but at least it was cheap to fix

Get the manual.

^ Interesting, my sister in law has an '06 Xterra auto with about 100K on it and the transmission whines like crazy. I was wondering if they had issues.

Either way I'm just really excited that you might have a reliable tow vehicle for the Challenge!

dj06482 wrote: ^ Interesting, my sister in law has an '06 Xterra auto with about 100K on it and the transmission whines like crazy. I was wondering if they had issues.

The first two things I would check are output shaft bushing and final drum bearing. That can usually be checked by grabbing the driveshaft and seeing if it has play in it. Then I would check the fluid for metal to see if the pump is self-destructing.

Have her take it to a Cottman (or other local good shop) and give me their phone number. Any shop will try to sell her a rebuild but if I play the "my sister is out of town and bringing you a truck" card I can keep them honest. Cottman shops can be all over the board from great (like mine) to shady and scary (like the one across town) but my voice lends greater weight if its at a Cottman since we're all kinda family.

one of the major issues with the 2gen xterra/05+ frontier is that the tranny has a heater for the fluid that recirculates coolant through the tranny cooler's bottom... and they are KNOWN to have leak issues (Coolant in the tranny fluid)... if you bypass it (almost EVERYONE but the coldest areas in the US should be able to do it with no issues) you remediate any issues that could arise.

Here comes the odd ball suggestion.

What about a Merc ML320?

Comfortable, AWD, and rated to tow 5000 lbs.

In the SE you can pick them up between $5K~$7K for 100K miles (when you need to do a tranny filter and fluid.)

We got 24 mpg pulling our race boat on the highway doing 65. (Total weight of maybe 3000lbs towing, and 1200 lbs of passengers and tools.)

Just an off the wall thought, always liked Pathfinders and Xterras.

I had a 99 frontier sev6, the only non wear item I had fail was a hose clamp!? I exceeded the 3500lb towing capacity without issue (mine was a 5 speed, the auto had a 5k capacity whihc si closer to what I towed), keep the timing belto changed and it should go dang near forever

Thanks for all the feedback. Hopefully I'll be test driving a few this weekend. Also I need to put the WRX back to stock for trade in

i have a 2010 that i've put over 25k on this year. the transmission issue is due to the trans cooler in the radiator leaking and mixing coolant into the trans fluid, which lunches the trans. there is a warranty extension on it out to 80,000 miles which is about when they go if they're going to let go.

the FSU was only the early second gen Xterras, and has had a recall/warranty extension i believe.

the next big thing on them has gotten to be the IPDM. stands for intelligent power distribution module, basically an over-complicated voltage regulator that goes around 80-100k miles. when they go, they shut the whole truck down and cause all kinds of weird problems.

on the whole i really do like my xterra, but i think it might be my last nissan. not because of the vehicle, but because of dealing with the dealer and their lack of real service. on my mazda, if i brought it in for a warranty issue, i got a loaner car until my car was done. on top of that, they'd also send me coupons for oil change discounts with a free loaner for the day. when i bring my truck into nissan for warranty work, they have a "courtesy" shuttle that will take me wherever i want to go, but won't come pick me up when my car is ready. mazda and honda, even a couple ford dealers will give a loaner car when you bring your car in for warranty work, some even if you're just getting an oil change.

the dealers also have a reputation for finding any nitpicking reason to deny warranty claims. they waited till now when the xterra is about to be killed to address the radiator issues that have been around since the first 05's were sold.

New truck!

Decided I didn’t really need the crew cab and could use the extra bed space. It was a pain in the ass trying to find a Frontier in blue.

Canoe