Hello there. The site suggests this to be my first post, so here it is!

I got sick of sedans and bought my first "taller" vehicle, a 2001 Nissan X-Terra, grey, with 58,xxx miles. I live in the Dominican Republic, this came here from Orlando a few weeks ago. Looks to be pretty clean, I had it all checked by my mechanics with the scanner and everything... all found was a sensor (I don't know how to say it in english, but the one one that detects the vibrations of the engine? Like, when the pistons are making sounds? You'll have to excuse my poor englis). But that doesn't seem to be bad enough as the check engine light goes off. I just bought it today and will change coils, filters, oil, etc... then give it a full wash inside and out and see how it feels then. Will get pics online later. Right now I'll just browse these boards for some information about this car.

I sold my beater car ('00 Honda Integra GSR, automatic 4 door) and bought this. My other car is an '88 toyota Supra with a 1JZ-GTE twin turbo 5-spd manual.

thats the knock sensor, alot of us have that code, most of us pay it no mind
ive been ignoring it for well over 18months
welcome to the club!

you should post pictures of the xterra and the supra!

congrats on the X.... yeah post some pics of both..... i to have the code and have also been ignoring it for almost 2yrs....

A 2001 with only 58,000 miles. That's a good find. Welcome to the club!

i was thinking the same thing just didnt say anything....

Welcome to the club

Hey fellas. It seems I've been a victim of the Dominican scamming. For being so cheap and not spending 30 bucks on the online Carfax report, I bought it thinking it did have those miles, seeing as even with the Scanner it did not show anything wrong, my electritian couldn't find anything wrong at all, and he tried by disconnecting a few sensors, etc, to find out if anything had been "tricked". Well, I think the cluster was changed, or something, because the CarFax report says the last reported miles (a couple of months ago before it was sold in late 2007 in an Auction) was 104k. I'm kinda sad, but I suspected something like this. However, my mechanics checked it throughfully and today I took it there to give it maintenance (oil, filters, coils, etc). Everything works in this car though, and it had no reports of anything, so it is pretty clean. I'm just sad about the mileage. Is 104k too bad on these engines? I live in a small country and I don't have to drive long hours. As a matter of fact, I *WALK* to work, for about 1 minute... I very much doubt I can do even the "average" 10k miles in a year... or is it 12k? ... So, should I seel this car immediately now that I've been fooled, or should I keep it if my mechanics today change everything and find nothing wrong with it? (which is most likely to happen as they already checked it for a long while and found nothing wrong, except that knock sensor that you guys tell me to ignore, heh heh).

I will post pics of my X as soon as I clean it inside/out. It's in pretty good condition for a 2001, the paint still shines... but it sucks that the plastics have faded. In the mean time, here are pics of my other 1JZ powered MK3. (Engine bay was very dirty, sorry about that!!!)

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/791000-791999/791249_160_full.jpg
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where did you buy it?????? a dealer or the owner???? i dont know what the law is over there but i do now that if it was a dealer then we has to issue a full refund for selling a car with tamperd or changed cluster.... just food for thought.... hope everythingworks out.....

change the timing belt!

these are good motors

I know over there in the USA you'd get a full refund... but I don't think I can do a thing over here. Dealer owners in here go to those actions in Orlando and other places, and they buy cars that are in good condition physically, but with high mileage (since over there in USA high miles = less value of the car).. they bring them over here, fix the miles somehow, and sell it as a lower mileage car. Not that mileage makes a big difference in cost in this country, BUT it is definitely easier to sell if it says 58,800 or so, than 104,800, numbers close to my case.

Like I said, the car does feel pretty good, I went for a drive last night and it all felt good. It should feel even better after today, with everything checked, changed, and cleaned. If 104k miles aint that bad I'll just keep the car. The dealer received my Integra a part of the payment, so I don't want that car back (that one was in a crash and had the whole front end cut and welded a new one.....).

Bummer on the scam deal man! But no worries, Nissan builds great motors and you've still got another 100,000 at least in it. Definitely have the timing belt inspected. Nissan recommends changing them at 105,000 miles.

I think you will be happy with it even with the mileage issue and they are very dependable. Just keep up with the scheduled maintenance and it will last as long as you need it to.

I'm so glad you mentioned this! Just called my mechanic. He told me he changed all the belts in the outside, is changing spark plugs and stuff... he told me he checked the timing belt and it looks in very good condition. He did mention "that's changed at about 100 thousand miles", but I didn't have the nuts to tell him "the car has 104 !!".. I went like "you know, those dealers usually lower those mileages! It's probably around there now!"... but this guy is honest and has been my mechanic for a long while, instead of trying to make more money by changing the timing belt, he told me again that he double checked it and there is no need to change it.

I want the car back today, so I'll just run it like this, it can't be too bad if he says it doesn't need to be changed.

He did mention, before I bought it, that by looking at the oil cap he suspects they didn't change the oil that much. But the motor shows NO signs of problems, not acting weird, no sounds, not under throttle, nothing. He just told me to change the oil every 1,500 or 2,000 miles the first few times, just in case, instead of 3,000. The car looks and feels very good because he kept saying "the car looks very good, this is probably the real mileage"... I just wont tell anyone that I got f**ked. If the car keeps working fine it wont bother me... and like I said, I don't put that many miles on cars! I usually change oil based on time (3 months), because I get there before reaching the suggested mileage, heh. Most drives in this city are very short :)

But will keep the timing belt issue in mind to replace later this year.

Check this thread back again soon fellas, I will post pictures tomorrow or saturday for sure!

good deal
just give you a lil more info on the timing belt

it supposed to be changed at 105k
if it breaks/goes out while the engine is running, be prepared for massive internal engine damage

but if you trust your mechanic, then so do i

cant wait to see the pix!

PICS! I finally took some. Like I said, 3 belts were changed but he said the timing belt looks just fine. He also said the car has new brake pads. I wonder if the timing belt was replaced in the US before it was sold at an auction? I mean, the last reported mileage 4 months ago was 104k .... ?? Who knows. Spark plugs were also changed... and I took it for a full wash (getting all seats and carpet off the car, etc) .. much cleaner now. So far so good. I will change that timing belt before it reaches 110k miles for sure... if my mechanic, who I trust a lot, said it was fine, after I asked him 10 times to change it, then it can't be too bad. Anyways, here are some pics.... did any version NOT come with the things in the sides to step on? Mine doesn't have them.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/791000-791999/watermark_791249_190_full.jpg
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nice X... as to the step rails you dont need them..... look into shrock LOL.....

Looks good. As for the steprails I'm not sure if every model came with them or not but if you are wanting some, check ebay or craigslist. There are people selling them all the time. I've got mine in storage and hoping to sell them as well as a number of other club members here too.

that is a CLEAN truck
very nice!

Thank you fellas.

I don't say this to brag or anything, but I must be a bad photographer, because it looks much cleaner in person. Really, it looks practically new, if it wasn't for the plastic on the front bumper fading a little bit in some places. But not a single dent... well, I think there is a mini-dent in the front-right, but so tiny, you have to look hard to notice it.

The tyres look almost new, and the brake pads were almost new according to the mechanic, so there's some money I wont have to spend in the near future. So far all good, it feels very good, except a little sound in the back when I drive over a hole or bump. I have not yet taken it to alingment... when I do so, I'll have them check and if possible replace whatever piece needs replacement to make it feel like a brand new car.

BTW, I don't know if I mentioned this, but I owned a 1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo, which has a VG30DETT; now these X's have a VG33DE? Then I'm already familiar with these motors! =P ... heh heh. I didn't put too much into the Z though, only dynoed 348 wheel HP =) 13.5 1/4 mile on stock tyres. That car was so clean... I should've never sold it, but oh well. Nissan rocks anyways :)

Really, it looks practically new, if it wasn't for the plastic on the front bumper fading a little bit in some places.

Get some "Mother's Back to Black" for your plastic and bumpers. The stuff doesn't last very long (3 weeks or so depending on weather) but it's as simple as wiping water on your bumpers and it really brings the bumpers black back to life. You can also use it on the rack fairing, mirrors and door handles too.

For water streaks and such on the bumpers, use a coarse coral sponge (similar to the same thing you would use in a shower) and with some soap and water, scrub your bumpers. It will take out streaks, bugs, tar and what not pretty well.