Lifting of the Lurk blind

[gv280z]

Hey guys, it seems like it's been so long since I've posted in here I've gone all bashfull and didn't really know where to put this.

 

Well lets see, I've been flying toy helicopters and small drone quadcopters, got my dad hooked on flying. I got him a Syma X4 Assualt and my son and I both fly Syma X11s. Plus I've got a Syma F1 Fiery Dragon heli.

 

Been spending a ton of time trolling through CL looking for a vehicle for my 15 year old son who's turning 16 soon and isn't into the look of any SUV so my pathfinder was out of the question. Looked at a lot of trucks, drove to look at a lot of "dogs", learned patience and eventually settled on a cherry black 95 Honda Civic EX 2 door for $2300. While being in Craigslist Troll status I ran into a lot of scams, which pissed me off so I started flagging heavily. I totally learned the look of at least a few different kind of scams and I flag the hell of out them.

 

Also why looking for my sons vehicle, I kinda started coming to realize I felt it was getting time to upgrade our family vehicle as well. So I've begun looking really hard at 01 - 04 Xterras and R50 Pathfinders. I still wanna keep our Family Vehicle (A) 4 wheel drive, rugged and comfortable as a road trip vehicle or just running around town. I'm have a hard time figuring out which direction I wanna come down on this issue...Xterra has a chassis and the Pathfinder has Unibody. Pathfinder is more powerful and somewhat more handsome. Xterra is rugged as the former wd21, and has it looks like a little bit more interior space.

 

This new family vehicle will replace my wife's Nissan Altima (which she is also apprehensive on letting go of) She says she likes the Xterra and would drive it. Not to mention she will be commuting a little farther on her way to work and I'd like her to be in a stronger, more rugged vehicle than the little Altima. One concern is the fact that she's only driven Front wheel drive before and has no idea how to handle a rear drive vehicle if it ever steps out on her in bad weather. ((We had a horrible fight once because I got a little sideways in the Pathfinder and ofcourse I tried to hold the drift as long as possible, coming out a U-turn under an overpass...what was I supposed to do, pretend I didn't enjoy it?)) Traction control anyone? Xterra? Pathfinder? Women drivers in the rain? Hello? God gave us Four wheel Drive.

 

So I actually came to the point where I said I'm actually going to sell my Pathfinder. My truck just carried us to New Orleans and the French Quarter and back to Houston on the weekend of July 4th and never missed a beat. Thank you Pathfinder. Not only that but damn their roads SUCK! I was soooo glad we took the Path and not the Alty because I'm afraid the bottom would have been torn out.

 

French Quarter was interesting, smells like pee in some places. Cafe Du Monde really does live up to the hype. Guys, do NOT go here on a date. You will not represent your self well while eating beignets covered in a pound of powered sugar.

 

I have had to finally admit I guess after 4 or 5 years of ownership I'd outgrown my truck and wanted something a little more updated. So I started looking at a lot of Xterras...with a few R50s thrown in. Thoughts?

 

Do Xterras get Death Wobble?

 

In other news today I got my new 2012 Chevy Silverado replacement work truck with 45,000 miles and a sweet little 4.8 L vortec V8 aka Family Vehicle B. The Old Man with the 4.3L made it to 410,000 miles and is still slugging it out but he's been moved into semi-retirement.

 

My son's Civic is sporting a D16z16 VTEC or something like that..it's the low rate vtec motor with 125hp single cam head and 4800 rpm engagement. Runs good, engine growls, makes a nice sound and sips gas like crazy. Filling the tank actually makes me laugh. I was able to find a K&N air filter for it on Ebay for ten bucks. Probably the only mod that car gets for a while. Maybe a high flow cat in OEM diameter...maybe. No fart cans..God those things suck.

 

oh yea, DANGER CAT LIVES ON!

 

 

Greg

Edited August 5, 2015 by gv280z

[Precise1]

Hey Bud, I had been wondering about you and Danger Cat (in that order). Post us a few more pictures of him, please...

 

So, getting right to the chase, X or R50... I don't know the Xs. I hear good things about them so I doubt you'd regret getting one.

R50s I do know a bit about, but more the early VG ones than the later VQ ones. Both are great vehicles, and we are considering swapping out our 1999.0 for a 2003-2004, mainly to get a 'fresher' one with lower miles and the more powerful motor. The R50s ride real nice, are comfortable and reasonably well appointed. Stock or decent suspension/tires they also handle surprisingly well for what they are. Put manual front hubs on and (with the VG motor) 20mpg was consistently attainable on the highway; might be a little less with the VQ.

The R50s are fairly easy to upgrade, from simple spacers to SFDs and have a proven track record, but the X has more aftermarket support. The X doesn't have NPORA though...

 

Ok, let's hear from others...

PM Simon. Between he and Pezzy, they have been through 3 WD21s, 2 R50s, 1 X and small child named Oliver... (sing it)

 

B

[gv280z]

I do know that engine wise the X's (okay, well...atleast in the 1st gen models) are still using the VG 33 engines and there were some supercharged models. (what's up with that, YO???? I haven't seen anyone pick up on that little piece of vg33 tech, it gets about 210 hp I think. VG33ER) Two wheel drive Xterras I'm told get 20+ mpg I'm guessing because of less weight and taller highway gearing. I can't completely reconcile with the idea of not having on demand 4 wheel drive and low gearing in emergency situations, which ofcourse may never come, ie...attacked by others, getting boxed in from multiple vehicles, jumping curbs and driving through ditches to take evasive action...I wouldn't hesitate to drive right through another vehicle in 4 low, push them outta the way.

 

I guess in that respect I wanna go for the Xterra having a solid chassis. That's where I was at when I started this quest. I think it's basically just an upgraded wd21, I know it's got coil spring struts or shocks up front, somehow in conjunction with a torsion bar...that sound right? I won't really know until we start looking in person and get some test drives. If someone can tell me definitively no Death Wobble on Xterra then that'll do it for sure. Is that caused by worn tie rod ends or what?

 

Danger's doing great man. He's really sweet and affectionate when he wants to be, other times he's trying to chew your hand off. Every one that comes in the office he gets to inspect and is generally well recieved. He's built himself quite a fan base and gets cookies and treats at Christmas time from our customers. He and my buddy's big black dog Hunter get along great, they chase each other and run and play and sometimes just totally ignore one another. Hunter is Daniel's road dog so he comes to work everyday and goes on delieveries.

Edited August 6, 2015 by gv280z

[gv280z]

Sorry guys, I just found and read this old thread http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/33369-xterra-vs-pathfinder/ so after this now I'm kinda leaning facelift R50. On that note I think this thread can probably be locked. Theres no need to go back down this same road again.

 

Thanks.

Edited August 6, 2015 by gv280z

[nunya]

Danger Cat is still good, nunya is happy

 

you linked a good read for others interested so dead or alive this thread leads to good info (though with its title I don't see it getting the traffic FOR that )

[Lemay]

Hello,

 

first time poster but long time reader!

 

i personaly have all of them, 1988 path to 1994 wd21 trailer queen to 1995 DD and another 1995 wd21, 1 xterra 2002 SE-SC (4x4 only, in canada) + 2001 infiniti QX4 (with 404 000km on odo!)

 

For me

 

Xterra = rugged work truck

It's a little tractor, a wd22 is a wd21 upgraded in some aspect and downgraded in other. I tow regulary 2500 to 3000KG ( 5500 to 6600lbs) ont a uhaul ''autotransport'' (2400lbs i think for the trailer only). i Beef up the rear suspension of the xterra to my 7.3 E-super duty specs and its still fun to drive and will track straight when i tow in 100-120km/h. I love it!! Powerful when you floor it (the supercharge kick only when the pedal is ont the metal or near it)

Very realiable, if take care properly, but if you don't mind bill gas like me, the VG33ER is the best engine in the wd22 xterra.... minus the TD27 (it would be a dream for me to get one)

For towing my normal gas comsumption is 30L/100Km lol

 

I'v chop up several wd21 and one wd22. the frame is wayyy more thick in the wd22 on the feel and on eye, but god dam that many parts are the same from a wd21 to a wd22.

 

QX4 (R50) with the 3.5.... what a beast!!

So powerful, i think it's the best compromise for family truck/ work truck. For hi-way i prefer the qx4 or a wd21 to my wd22, MUCH more economical too!

The 3.5 wo is actualy at 404 000kms in the qx4, start way better than my 2004 mazda 6 with 130 000kms on the odo lol.... the vq just want to start eating gas!

 

 

if you need more simplicity, rugged ( a little tractor) go for xterra, if you dont need to haul very big farm trailer full hay, go for an R50!

 

 

sorry for my bad english, it's not my principal language

[gv280z]

Believe me you speak much better English than most Americans, I really enjoyed reading your post, thank you for your insight.

 

When I started this I didn't really intend for it to become a VS thread, I was just generally saying hi! It's fine with me if this gets moved or retitled more appropriately.

 

I'll try to get some new Danger pics posted soon.

 

Regarding vehicle choice it'll be my wife's daily so she and I need to start putting butts in seats and kicking tires. It's like playing vehicle Planko, there's no way of knowing where the puck (us) will land.

 

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

[Lemay]

tanks alot!

 

i forget to say that the front diff on my xterra was welded 3-4 years ago (i got manuel hub), it's been bash on the rock so many time to count, used in emergency pull on paved road and doing some ridiculous stuff and so far, the R200A is a plenty strong diff.

Broke a driver shaft ( is called halft-shaft i think?) one time, but i was damaged 2 year before with a pull of a car with 4 wheel jam on paved road, the xterra was in 3wheel drive to be able to turn. took me 2 year to broke it after i damage it, and i've trying hard to break it, trust me!

 

either way you will not making a bad choice, nissan truck are juste awesome!

 

Danger cat, it's a funny name!