Nissan has stopped production of the Xterra

[PapaSmurf2k3]

The last Xterra (built/sold in the US anyway) rolled off the assembly line a couple weeks ago, August 7th.

Its a damn shame too, because its definitely one of the more charismatic vehicles Nissan makes. I remember when they first came out, advertising an active lifestyle - and even putting a first aid kit in the rear hatch, which of course needed its own boss stamped into the sheet metal.



They always seemed to give the car a decent thrashing in the commercials too. And for good reason - it could take it!







Unsurprisingly, I know a lot of people that have them, or have had them (you probably do too). I have yet to meet anyone that didn't like them (you know, except for the abysmal fuel economy).
Its definitely in my top 5 for zombie apocalypse vehicles, and I'm sad to see it go.

Does anyone have any crazy Xterra stories?

[MinisterofDOOM]

In a world where s*** like the new Neon--er Dart-based Cherokee passes for "off road capable" there's really no market for real trucks like the Xterra. It's depressing and infuriating, but carbuyers are dumb and enthusiasts don't drive the market.

Fortunately, GM is supposedly bringing back the Trailblazer so we'll get a new BOF truck to sort of offset the loss of the Xterra. But the Trailblazer is hardly a meaty offroader, with full independent suspension.

It's a sad time for anyone needing a TRUCK that's not big.

The Pathfinder went FWD
The 4Runner has kept its BOF underpinnings but has gone so soft it takes a whole lot of money to make it go far offroad.
The Explorer went FWD
The Xterra is going away
The Trailblazer is gone
The FJ Cruiser is gone
The Cherokee/Liberty (depending on country) went FWD
The Durango went unibody and will be gone next year anyway (we keep the Grand Cherokee but it's also unibody and the transmission is s***)

What the f*** are we supposed to buy if we actually want to haul, tow, or go further off-road than the curb we didn't see at the supermarket?

Meanwhile, half-ton trucks are stupid expensive and midsize trucks are so effing big that the V8s get better fuel economy than the V6s and if you tried to put a 4 in one it'd have a stroke.

I want a supercharged 1st gen Xterra bad. Throw an 8-lb pulley on it, do a front solid axle swap, add some lockers and rock guards and you're set.

[krazy skwerel]

sad day indeed

[OriginalWheelman]

RIP, the one of 3 good Nissans left. All Ghosn has to do is kill the Z and the GT-R and they're Toyota. Wait, no Toyota has a cheap fun RWD car...

[BusyBadger]

We loved the one we had and never had a single issue with it. Sadly as capable as it was we never came close to fully exploring the limits. It was a blast in the snow and one of my favourite winter activities was heading to the mountains and shaming the Jeeps and Rams that couldn't handle the deeper white stuff.

The highest honour for the Xterra I can think of was paid to it by either Car & Driver or Road & Track when they placed it alongside the venerable Porsche 911 and BMW 3-Series as the finest examples of their respective types; sports car, sport sedan and SUV. Given the much shorter life of the Xterra it's quite an achievement.

As sad as I am about the last X rolling off the line I'd rather remember it how it was than watch it go the way of the Mallfi....err Pathfinder. With the way things Nissan is ruining the best things they have going, in the eyes of the enthusiasts anyway, it's no small wonder I'm shopping Boxsters & Caymans to replace the Z when the time comes.

[Bubba1]

Since the Xterra has not changed much in a decade, and with Nissan's current focus on fuel economy, it's not surprising to see it go.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Since the Xterra has not changed much in a decade, and with Nissan's current focus on fuel economy, it's not surprising to see it go.

I counter your argument with this:


Still in production.

[Bubba1]

If you're talking about the redesigned Mallfinder, I'd hate to see what it looks like after it lands...

[PapaSmurf2k3]

That's an Armada.

[Bubba1]

That's an Armada.

Ah,the full sized SUV that Nissan eliminated it's "off-road" package 4 years ago, that's so heavy that it's name refers to what's required to get it towed when it either gets stuck or breaks? j/k

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I mean, its a giant body on frame SUV with even worse fuel economy than the Xterra, and I think the sales numbers are lower too. I would have figured it would have gone before the Xterra. Maybe Nissan just makes more money off it somehow. Its not like its built alongside the current QX56 or whatever they are calling it now like it once was. Very few parts (if any) are shared between the 2 now.

[Bubba1]

Yeah, I imagine Nissan makes a goodd profit on the Armada, which could help explain why they still build them and not the Xterra. And since Nissan already went to a different platform with the QX56 or 80 or whatever the hell they call it now, plus grew the Mallfinder, I think it's just a matter of time before the gas guzzling Armada goes buh-bye too.

[Buzzman]

RIP, the one of 3 good Nissans left. All Ghosn has to do is kill the Z and the GT-R and they're Toyota. Wait, no Toyota has a cheap fun RWD car...

So what am I supposed to get to replace my 2002 Pathfinder?
The only alternative I could see was the Xterra, or finding a cream puff, low mileage, rust free R50 somewhere in the south (I'm in Canada, where everything rusts.)
Nissan has blown it big time the last 10 years.
The last good Pathfinder was built in 2004. The last decent Sentra was 2006. Last decent Altima, also 2006. The list goes on.
I was at a dealership recently picking up a part, and had a quick sit down in the new Maxima. Absolutely horrific.
There is not a single Nissan product, save the GT-R, that I would even bother looking at in a dealership showroom.

[nissangirl74]

It would be so awesome to own the last one that rolled off the assembly line. I'm sad to see it go. Jason owns one and the damn thing is bullet proof. It has over 250K and it just keeps on going. Also, while I was watching those commercials, I was trying to remember the last time I saw a commercial for one. It's been years.

[nissangirl74]

It would be so awesome to own the last one that rolled off the assembly line. I'm sad to see it go. Jason owns one and the damn thing is bullet proof. It has over 250K and it just keeps on going. Also, while I was watching those commercials, I was trying to remember the last time I saw a commercial for one. It's been years.

[Desert Rat]

I bought a Frontier 4x4 new in 1998. I still own it, though it's FAR FAR from stock. I bought an Xterra new in 2002. Drove it for a while, did a solid axle swap on it (the build was featured in an issue of Four Wheeler Magazine). It was a good truck but the auto trans was garbage and would starve for fluid on steep climbs. Had it had a manual I might still own it.

Stock first gen Xterras were underpowered and had steering that was very prone to trail breakage. The latter could be fixed with some aftermarket parts.

Second gen X's debuted that awful aluminim R180 front housing that broke like an egg if you wheeled it hard in the rocks. That could be fixed by swapping in an entire Titan front end.

Overall they were good trucks and had a good run. Would have been nice to see what they could have done with a next gen, but given the way Nissan has gone, it would have been a unibody CVT equipped pile of s***.

We bought our last new vehicle - a Murano LE AWD in 2012. That will most likely be our last new Nissan. They simply don't build anything I want to buy anymore.

[icrf]

I helped a buddy SAS a 2001 X with a pair of D60s underneath. With the doubler tcase, the lack of power wasn't a problem for the rock crawling it was intended for. Then they closed Tellico. Definitely a fun rig, sorry to see it go out of production.

After a stint with a Mazda, which I enjoyed, I moved over to the Infiniti arm of Nissan, and am enjoying an M37x. I could see buying further Infinitis, but yeah, Nissan as a brand isn't offering much that's very appealing anymore. I doubt I'll ever get rid of my '93 HB. Still going strong, eventually plan a D44 SAS.

[Fezzik]

This is very sad to hear. I absolutely loved our xterra. My wife says its one of the best cars she had.. We wouldnt havent gotten rid of it if it wasnt so bad getting kids in.

[Buzzman]

I'm thinking that now that they're out of production, there should be some great deals to be had on leftover 2015's on dealer lots.
I'm thinking they'll discount the crap out of what's left just to get rid of them.
May be a good time to buy.
I need a replacement for my 2002 Pathfinder.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Go for it. Let us know how the deals are.

[Buzzman]

Started looking last night.
Found one 2015 Xterra at a local Nissan dealership (seems like the only one around).
Instead of an MSRP price next to the listing, they had a note saying call us for pricing.
That's a pretty good indicator that they want to deal on it.
I'll let you know what they say.