Scottpat Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 I need to replace my trusty F150 and I'm really considering the Nissian Xtera. My concern is my little 6'1" 260lb body and if I will miss my big truck. I'm curious if anyone has an Xtera and how it works as an inspection vechile. I like the ground clearance and I need a good clearance due to all of the rural and new home construction work I do.
Richard Moore Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 Scott, the main reason I sold my pick-up and bought my Mini was that I wanted something that was going to be enjoyable to drive if I was going to be in it almost every day. In other words, I made the car I wanted* work for me as my inspectomobile. If you like the Xtera, get it. It sure seems like it could easily carry enough "stuff". If you really crave something else, then get that and adapt it. At our age, the number of new vehicles we have left to enjoy is limited. *A Porsche 911 would probably look silly (sillier?) with a ladder on the roof, but I'm tempted.
Scottpat Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Posted June 22, 2012 Yep, not many new cars in my future. Heck my last new one was the F150 in 2001! Ya, those high mpg are nice to look at but they sure do make my backside hurt! My wife has a little 4 banger in her car that gets 38mpg, it seems you give up comfort for those higher mpg. I'm happy if it gets 20-25mpg on the highway. The Ford Escape was high on my list till I drove the Xterra..
Bill Kibbel Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 Kurt has one. He's discussed it here several times. Here's one: https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... IC_ID=1336
Steven Hockstein Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 Yep, not many new cars in my future. Heck my last new one was the F150 in 2001! Ya, those high mpg are nice to look at but they sure do make my backside hurt! My wife has a little 4 banger in her car that gets 38mpg, it seems you give up comfort for those higher mpg. I'm happy if it gets 20-25mpg on the highway. The Ford Escape was high on my list till I drove the Xterra.. Regarding good mileage vs. comfort. I drive a 2012 Passat TDI SEL. It is efficient and comfortable. They are not mutually exclusive. I get 49 MPG on the highway and average over 40 MPG per tank. I wish American companies would get their act together and make decent diesel cars to sell here. I would prefer to buy from an American company. At least my car is assembled in the U.S. Click to Enlarge 6.18 KB
kurt Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 I've had two, a 2004, and my current 2010. It's an excellent inspection vehicle, but the mileage really blows. And sucks. I get about 15 avg. in the city., 21-22 on the hwy. I put it through some hard paces and into some wild construction sites; they hold up.
Scottpat Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Posted June 22, 2012 Yep, not many new cars in my future. Heck my last new one was the F150 in 2001! Ya, those high mpg are nice to look at but they sure do make my backside hurt! My wife has a little 4 banger in her car that gets 38mpg, it seems you give up comfort for those higher mpg. I'm happy if it gets 20-25mpg on the highway. The Ford Escape was high on my list till I drove the Xterra.. Regarding good mileage vs. comfort. I drive a 2012 Passat TDI SEL. It is efficient and comfortable. They are not mutually exclusive. I get 49 MPG on the highway and average over 40 MPG per tank. I wish American companies would get their act together and make decent diesel cars to sell here. I would prefer to buy from an American company. At least my car is assembled in the U.S. Click to Enlarge 6.18?KB That is great mpg.... VW opened a huge plant outside of Chattanooga TN a couple of years ago, they are making some very nice cars now. I like buying made in the USA also, the Nissan Xterra is made in Smyrna TN which is about 30 miles from me as the crow's fly. I found Kurt's thread, that pretty much tells me everything I need to know. I think Kurt is a few inches taller than I am so it should work great for me. Ya, the mpg is not all that great but it is better than my truck I now have. They say that with the 2012 they boosted the mpg up a few more miles so we shall see. Worst case is I keep it for a few years and give it to my son and get me something else.. []
John Kogel Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 I drove Nissan 4X4's for bush work and found them to be tough and reliable. My 2004 Ford Ranger which I bought in August is in the local shop for the 3rd day with a mystery computer glitch that kills the battery at random times. My '97 F150 used to lock the doors if I got out and left the engine idilling. I bought the plain Jane model Ranger with manual locks and window cranks, hoping to avoid this kind of BS. It has a stiff ride, and I don't think you'd like it. Reaching into the rear seats from the front is only for the double-jointed. What you save in fuel consumption can be lost in down time and shop hours. I'd give the Nissan a try. They have decent headroom, don't they?
allseason Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 Nissan makes a good truck, I've owned three, all 4 wheel drive. A 1984, '94 and now a 2003 four door with a five foot bed. It's easy to park and can still carry an 8x4 sheet with the bed extender. Solid ride and comfortable even after 100k mi. It was built in Virgina. I average 17 mpg. with an automatic and power everything.
Inspectorjoe Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 Scott, have you looked at the Frontier? It has a lot in common with the Xterra. Outfitted with a good cap and ladder rack, a Frontier would be more versatile than an Xterra, and probably cheaper as well. I had a '98 Frontier and loved it. It was extremely comfortable and other than having to have the evaporator coil replaced under warranty, I didn't have a bit of trouble with it. Right now I'm driving a Mazda min van. For my next vehicle, I'm leaning toward another minivan, the Ram CV: http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/2012/ram_cv/#/default/
Tom Raymond Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 I drive a KIA Sorento, V6, all wheel drive. All my gear fits inside, even with the car seat in place. If I need to cart people and gear, my folding ladders fit on a hitch rack. I average 22 MPG with regular fuel and 24 with 89 octane, more if the ethanol content is low. If you don't need to tow anything the 4 banger makes decent power and the mileage will reach into the 30's. Its very well appointed, comfortable, assembled in Georgia, and cost less than 26K. A 10 year, 100K mile warranty is hard to beat. If I had to do it over, I'd buy a lower trim with all the options. The cost and equipment would be comparable, but it would have a more sensible (read longer lasting and less expensive) wheel and tire combo. That's my only complaint.
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