The Xterra fell into the hands of our features editor, Scott Mead, for the month of May, fresh out of the body shop from March's encounter with a Chrysler Cirrus. M2 collision in Santa Monica did an admirable job of repairing the contusion on the Nissan's nose, with only a bit of rubbing compound as the tell-tale sign that anything was ever wrong.

In addition to the front-end bash, the Xterra had a few other blemishes (from earlier incidents) that we brought to the body shop's attention - a scuff on the passenger door panel and body side molding, a small dent in the left front fender and the right step-rail which needed to be replaced. These little things amounted to an additional $1416.31 on the final bill.

Had the entire process gone smoothly, we probably could have had the Xterra back within a month - none of the nearly 50 new parts that it needed had to be back-ordered, even though the Xterra's body style is completely new. Our service adviser, Andy, told us that he expected both groups of repairs to take seven to 10 working days - if parts were available. Andy said we could tentatively plan to pick the Nissan up in 2 ½ to 3 weeks.

And then Andy was gone - down for the count with pneumonia. But our new adviser, Dan, told us that he still expected the Xterra to be ready by April 21 (as Andy had predicted) and assured us that all of the parts were arriving steadily. Well, he was almost right - the Xterra was ready for pick up on April 24. Unfortunately, an insurance tangle kept it on the M2 lot until April 27.

During Mead's limited time behind the driver's seat, he gave the Xterra a shakedown to make sure that the repairs were properly done. In preparation for his impending nuptials, Mead drafted the Xterra into service as a wedding paraphernalia chaser and hauler. With the rear seats folded flat, the Nissan swallowed up enough party supplies to keep Martha Stewart busy for a year. The cubbies in the cargo area were handy for holding small items, especially film during photo shoots.

All told, the Xterra was out of service for a whopping 45 days, but now it's back on the road and looking good as new. And yes, the Xterra proved to be an invaluable hauling machine for the Mead-man's upcoming trip down the aisle.

Total Odometer Reading: 14,706
Best Fuel Economy: 18.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 14.0 mpg
Running Average Over Life of Vehicle: 16.0 mpg
Repair costs: $4,336.88
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None.