Hello guys n' gals, new to the club and very sad to say that I am not yet the proud owner of an X, but I am definitely workin' on it. I currently own the same car I had since I was a sophomore in high school, a ruby red '99 V6 manual Chevy Camaro. I have had her for five years and she still purrs like a kitten. A very fun car, yet very small interior space and a pain to even try to drive in the winter. Right now I am just learning as much as possible about the xterra and I know it will be a very nice change once I find the right one. Looking forward to meeting you all. Later

Welcome! What model X are you looking for? what features?

I am looking for a 2004-2006 Xterra, Either an off-road or an SE. I am used to driving stick, so an auto would be very nice this time. It would be cool to have the rockford-fosgate system. I definitely want it to be 4x4. What year(s) do you think is the best to look for (those with the least manufacturer's problems)?

Well those years that you mentioned are 2 different generations. so far there are 2 generations 1st generation went on for 5 years (2000-2004) and 2nd went on for 4(2005-2008). I recommend a first gen.

Welcome to the club!

Im with James. I have a first gen. and I love it.

To be honest, each gen. has its ups and downs(size, power, accessories, etc). Kinda depends on what you want it for.

i as well have a 1st gen and i love it...... and i might be wrong but i think the OR started maby 06.... let me know if im wrong!! i cant remamber... LOL

The new 2nd generation has a higher hp, correct? I just saw a 2003 Xterra SE S/C. If the new gen. have 265 hp, what does a s/c 2003 se have? thanx

The '03 supercharged has 210hp vs. 185hp from the base 3.3L V6. I have an '04 SE S/C and yes it is a bit underpowered for a vehicle weighing 5000+lbs but I've driven much worse. Like was said before, each generation had it's ups and downs but I personally wouldn't trade my 1st gen for anything.

Thanx guys, appreciate your input. And thanks for the welcome!

I go with a first gen SC. My NA is way underpowered, Now normally while wheeling you do not necessarily need a lot of power but I wish I had more. The drivetrain on the first gen is tougher.

the 1st gen is tougher than the 2nd, right? isn't it also a much rougher ride say, in the city or on the highway?

I can't say it's a better ride than the 2nd gens but I put Bilsteins on mine and now it rides better than either of the accords I had. And yes, I've heard the 1st gens are quite a bit more durable, especially in the differential and axle.

Drake, are the Bilteins you put on your x the same model that nissan puts on their off-road models?

no they are not.... he put the HD version.... i have the same ones and i love the way they handle..... the 2nd gen has a bigger motor and the OR comes with a rear locker.....

considering the fact that many of you guys love your 1st generations so much, that means that the extra hp in the 2nd generations is not that important to go offroading, etc.? does the extra hp become more handy when towing? what else might the power be good for? If it is not that important, then the 1st gen, sound pretty good

Check out some of the pics James (Soccerbrace) posts of his wheeling trips and you will see that the Xterra really isn't hurting in the offroad department. I just posted some as well of me and my X (Coal Creek Vids). Mine is an S/C and I really like it offroad because it gets really good torque and I can get through a lot of obstacles without a lot of wheelspin which is good when you're running on bald tires like me.

I think the extra power was to compensate for the massive weight of the Xterra. Mainly to make it more efficient. The drawback is their diffs are pathetic from what I'm gathering in forums I'm reading. I see a lot of blown differentials being talked about and some of these guys don't even have 10K on their xterras.

IMO... best bang for the buck would be an '03 or '04 S/C.

wow, blown differentials in under 10k, that is crazy. all right guys, thanks so much. Now i have a much better understanding and idea of what year and make i want. more questions to come soon i am sure, but thanks for your patience with this newbie

We are glad to help and hope to greet you as a new owner soon! Hope you find what you are looking for.

just cuz you don't have a X doesn't mean you have to leave!!!! stick around and keep us in the loop and tell us how the adventure goes....

oh i will, don't worry. You guys can't get rid of me that easy! :wink-big:

Lol!!!!!!!