Used 2004 Nissan Frontier King Cab Consumer Reviews
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Nissan Frontier Forever
This is my second Frontier. I've had this one for 11 years. These are great small trucks. I just wish it got better mileage. Both trucks had problems with tailgate lock in both trucks.
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Good Truck, Super Reliable
Bought new in 2004 for 17700. 95K miles and no problems. Replaced OEM tires at 55K with same (BFG's) and battery died in 2008, replaced front brake pads around 60K. No other problems, just oil changes. 18-20MPG consistently. Wanted something I could keep for a few years with little to no issue and this has been great. Definitely a 'truck' ride, especially on bumpy roads and interior starting to feel small, but overall it's been a fantastic truck, never let me down.
- XE-V6 Crew CabMSRP: $6,990154 mi away
- XE-V6 Crew CabMSRP: $8,495188 mi away
- XE King CabMSRP: $4,950242 mi away
The Perfect Truck
My grandfather bought this truck new from the dealership in 2004. The whole time he owned it through my childhood and teen years it was phenomenal, and still is today. Recently due to medical issues he had to give up driving and the truck went to me. It is still the the magnificent truck it was the day he brought it home. My wife and I own a small hobby farm and we use it frequently for hauling feed, supplies, produce, animals, and just about anything else you can think of. It's easy to maintain, very simplistic in that there is not a lot of electronics to fail and the gas mileage is unbelievable. We recently took a trip from our home in Western Maryland to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate NY and the truck averaged 34mpg for the trip, and that was with the bed loaded with camping gear. When my grandfather bought this truck he traded in a 1984 Nissan truck for it which had 483,000 miles on it an I expect that and so much more out of this beautiful piece of machinery. If you have the opportunity to purchase a 1st gen (1998-2004) Nissan Frontier with the bulletproof 2.4L KA24DE engine get it. It will be the best investment you'll ever make.
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Great small truck
This is a great small truck,With 170K on a 14 year old truck,never a problem with it.Its been all over the country,23 miles per gallon.Its a 4 cyl.,so there have been times when I would have liked a little more power,but over all it is a great truck,loves to run down the Hwy at 75 all day long. Still Going Strong! This is Great,just turned this over to my son,he loves this little truck,now has 182,000 miles on it. Still no problems,just oil changes,and tires
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Old Cricket
I do courier work in South Florida and put around 50,000 miles a year.The reason I named it Cricket is because since I bought it has a cricket noise on the front end , the only thing wrong from new.Cricket now has 238,000 miles and so far the only thing wrong was the battery once and the alternator once. If you are looking for quality this is it none better. Make sure you change the oil every 3000 miles and these babies are really INDESTRUCTIBLE
A fun little truck
A neat small truck with great mileage and pretty good performance even with the small engine. It has been trouble free and is really fun to drive.
Such a Great Truck
I have had this truck for 5 years now and i love it. Never gave me any problems and i have done very little maintenance to it in 53,000 miles. The cab space could be a little better and engine performance can be upped a little but i have a K&N intake and magnaflow exhaust to help a bit. It does make rattling and squeaky noises but this is a frontier not a bently. All and all this is a great little truck, i would however like to test drive one of the newer ones with the more powerful engines, one of them could very well be my next truck.
Eating Crow and liking it
I've been an auto mechanic for 30 years. I have nothing good to say about Nissan made automobiles UNTIL NOW. W 193000+ mi.im very impressed.it isn't bad on gas, even w 4wd. Plenty of power and my kids love it too..would have been nice to have crewcab.but I'm pleased ,well dinner is ready, Crow . . I'll try to keep an open mind! Try
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I really like this truck
I got this truck here in Metro Atlanta with the value truck package for under $12,000. It is reaaly fun to drive and a great looking truck. It was much cheaper than the competitors.
Great Truck
I had a 1997 Nissan Truck that was stolen a couple of years ago and at the time had 392,000 miles on it and was still running reasonably well so I bought a used 2004 Frontier and for the two years I have had it I have not had a single problem with it and as long as I change the oil every 3,000 miles (I use the cheap Walmart 20$ oil change) I expect it to go for a really long time. I bought it with 123,000 and now I have 140,000 and it seems like a great truck so far.
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Great truck for the money!!!
I've always wanted a small pickup, no need, just greed! you know to haul stuff (It's a guy thing, women don't get it) Just picked it up today for $13,100 with value package, from Girard, New London, CT. PW/PDL,keyless entry, ABS, rear sliding Bedliner, Extender, A/C 5 spd Silver, Exactly want I wanted no less, no more! $13K is a bargain! Toyota, Ford etc don't even come close. Two thumbs up!
Highly Recomended Truck
I bought this a year ago great truck so far taken it off road, commuted, towed, and snow. Not disappointed yet I once slid into a ditch in the snow just put in reverse and 4wd low and came right out. No body damage extremely tough truck can be used and abused high reliability. Only things I don't like I knew about going in was going to buy a Tacoma but Toyota wouldn't negoiate price and had a sticker of 27k configured same as the Frontier got this brand new for 19k sticker was 25k.
Great for the price.
This small truck was exactly what I needed for a new sales job, inexpensive, small, some carring ability and good gas milage. I have been back to the dealer twice to fix a noise in rear when braking, problem still exists. Fun and semi peppy to drive, sporty feel. It should be faster for a 2400cc, 16 valve engine, Gas mileage was 22, I thought it should be better for a 4 cylinder mini truck, K&N air filter and Flowmaster exaust improved it by 10%.
Solid Reliable and a great value
I've owned my '04 for 4 years now. Just got done with a 1500 mile trip to Lake Tahoe and not a single problem, fuel economy average was 26.95 mpg!!! It's true that it lacks power but just use the lower gears and you will be just fine! I have towed 2000 lbs regularly without issues. As far as reliability goes, it is GOLD, I haven't had a single problem so far. In the last 4 years and 55,000 miles I only had a flat tire once!! For the money you can't get anything better in the entry level compact truck segment.
Fun little truck
I have been a nissan fan for years, but if you are looking for more horsepower, hold off until 2005. If you want good fuel economy and need a truck, 2004 is the model year to get. Do research on edmunds and get a good price before you go to buy and do not be afraid to stand up for the value of your trade in.
Cramped and Weak
I made a big mistake purchasing this vehicle. The cabin is the most cramped of any vehicle I have ever driven. I am 6'0" with a 33-34 inseam in pants and my knee always managed to hit the steering wheel no matter where the seat was. The seats were horrible. I could not drive for more than 30min without pain. The gas mileage was beyond terrible. The engine is super weak. I only put 5500 miles on it and I had squeaks in the suspension and rattles in the windows. The steering was very vague and numb. The rear end shuddered when no load was in the back. What a mistake! I have since purchased a used 02 Ford Ranger XLT and I am very happy. The room, features and ride are so much better.
cheap truck
Overall a cheap truck, both good and bad. Engine torque performance at start up and pulling grades was poor, especially with a load. Number 2 plug wire was against a metal bracket and shorting out intermitently for first 5000 miles, once repositioned, performance became marginal. Traction has been very poor when unloaded, until it resulted in a crash into a road bank at 15 mph and $5K of damage. Have now replaced the original 225/70 tires with 205/70 tires. So far that change has proven to be useful, wet and dry traction seems to have improved and the torque/gearing now is acceptable. The speedo/odometer, of course, is off now, as nissan offers no adjustment.
Silver but not gold!
Still holding up just fine. Still gets crappy gas mileage! In general a great little truck. With regular maintenance it has held up well. The only complaint I have is gas mileage!
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Frontier is a great value
The Nissan Frontier base model is an excellent value. The four cylinder is perky, the gas milage is excellent for a truck, and the styling is in a class of its own. It's much cheaper to buy that a Colorado, for example, and has a proven engine that has a reputation for durability. I've only owned it for a few months, but I have been very pleased with its overall quality. It's not a truck for everyone, but for my basic camping and around the house needs, it is great.
Frontier on the Edge
The truck is the hardest working small truck on the market. The interior is laid out so that everything is in reach of your fingers. It's 4-cylinder motor is powerful enough to pull anything you want, except a house, a 30 ft boat, a travel trailer, or a horse trailer. If you needed to pull those things, you should have gotten the Titan. I work at a grocery store. I use my truck to pull trailers full of buggies, pallets of product, or anything we need to. One of my customers has a 97 Nissan pickup. He hauls about 200 cases of cold drinks in it, and it hasn't missed a beat. He's got 270,000 miles on that truck.
GOOD LOOKING TRUCK
Nice truck so far no problems at all the only complaints I have is the MPG!! is really bad for a 4 cyl. I only get like 20/22 miles per gallon and is a 15gal. tank Im only able to put 12 gallons and I get 283 miles the most before I have to gas up again, wind noise in the cabin, the door seals are bad and you hear the wind noise,the rear seat area is really small, and engine is a bit noisy it consumes al least 1/2 qtr. of oil when reaches 3,000 miles, mine has 3100 miles on it and the oil chg, is due @ 3,750 miles, maybe is because is not broken in yet, I'll keep my fingers cross 'til its first oil change.and beyond that.;)
Rides like a piece of junk!
Horrible compared to the domestic trucks. 4 cyl. is loud rough and couldn't get out of it's own way. Interior is extremly cheaply designed and I wonder what the reviewers were on when they drove it. The V6 is only slightly better but still loud and rough and not for anyone who expects a decent riding truck with acceptable drivetrain.
Underpowered
I bought a new Frontier in May 2004 & I just got rid of it for a 2003 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner d-cab,4 cylinder because it is more responsive & has much better fuel economy. I was so disappointed in the Nissan's poor performance, I took the loss & bought a much better truck.
great truck
I have had this truck for a year and a half. I looked at the other midsized trucks and could not find a better deal. bought for 19k compaired to 26 or 27 for the others. I have driven in all conditions such as 4 feet of snow, dry roads, and some light off road. Never had a problem with the truck getting me where I want to go. I would buy again if I had the chance.
Not worth the money
This is the worst truck I have ever owned the gas mileage is really bad 8 miles to the gallon I have had it in the shop 10 times for leaks transmission trouble power window trouble and engine trouble
vibrating ride
Bought this and has vibrated from new.dealer says they all do it.it now has 1900 miles on it ,has had 3 sets of tires.dealer says he won't do anymore to it.im stuck with it.will not recommend this truck and will not buy another.performance very poor.
Nissan Gone Bad
It looks good from the outside, and the inside isnt that bad. The only bad things I have is the terrible MPG and the wind noise.I mean, 20/22 is terrible for a 4-cylinder with 143 horsepower.
Nice Truck
I think the Nissan Frontier is a great truck for the money! I have had a 2002 Ford Ranger 3.0L V6 Ranger Auto and the frontier outperforms the ranger 10 to 1. I looked at the tacoma and for the exact equiped model it was going to be $5,800 more dollars when comparing sticker to sticker.
I made a mistake in getting this vehicle
This truck has no power, and the gas mileage is terrible. There is not much room at all inside. The hauling capacity is mnot that bad for a small truck, but if I have to haul alot of weight up a small incline I am in trouble.
Will not buy another Frontier
This truck is very slow. I know it is a 4 cyl, but it has this habit of shifting into the highest gear when I need it the least (going uphill and accelerating). When I need to accelerate, I have to either press the pedal 1/2 way down to shift, or push the Over Drive button on the shift lever. Speaking of which, you can't shift into a lower gear if you have something plugged into the cigarette lighter. The shift lever is in the way. Also, the plastic plug to the cigarette lighter is always falling out. DO NOT DRIVE this truck in the snow. It will not make it up even the slightest of grades. Even with XL tires, the back end is very light and slips everywhere. Don't buy this death trap.
Great, Fun, Compact truck.
I have the basic 4-cylinder king cab XE. It's fun to drive and the creature comforts are pretty decent. Although the interior design and material have a cheap plastic feel to them, espcecially the knobs for the AC/Heater. Great truck for the price. The four cyclinder version is a little weak and takes awhile to get to highway speeds.
Nissan
Great truck for the price and holds a lot of weight. Great for work and my electrical business.
bad to the bone
this small truck handles like a car yet has the carrying capabilities of some of its larger competitors.it is a very smooth ride,love the drive train!!!
Great little truck,
Had the truck for about 3 months now, with alittle over 2000 miles. Truck has been great, no problems. Have the 4 cylinder, starting to get better gas mileage. Wasn't good to start with, but now getting around 26 in the city. I haven't had it on the highway since it was new so that mileage on the highway is probably better. Picked up a good deal at the end of the year with the rebates.
Nissan frontier fun
Great new truck, have had it for a month. Looking forward to a great ride
01 here's a review with miles
Allright, so I've put 79,000 miles on my truck in less then three years. My driving includes a little of everything, city, highway, even some off road. But to be honest it's handled it pretty well. Recently though I did start having some issues, 1st: the taigate handle started to break and mad useing it very diffucult, but it was a easy $50 fix 2nd: Drivers side window knob broke, **** happens... BIG PROBLEMS- 4th: Throw-out bearing has worn, new clutch- $500+ 5th: Service engine litgh came on- O2 sensors need to be replaced first, possible the cat convertor. Still in the end I've treated this truck poorly so in the end these problems could be expected.
Not bad for the price.
Overall it's a decent truck but have been questioning its durability from day one. The drivetrain is clunky and loose and when in 2WD the gearbox has an annoying rattle which the dealer says is "normal for these trucks." The lack of true power would make one expect better gas mileage but both power and gas milegae suck. It does look great and I have enjoyed taking it off-road. And it came at a great price. However, my final thought on this truck after owning it a few months is, "You get what you pay for."
It's ok but.....
I've had this pick-up for 9 months now, and it is ok. The ride is the biggest disappointment. The truck has a vibration when driving 40+, had at the dealership twice. They rebalanced the tires both times, but truck still has vibration. It also has numerous little rattles in the cab. On the positive side, you get a lot of options and a nice looking truck for a lot less than other models.
Best Buy for the $
My 2003 XE-V6 Kingcab 4x4 Frontier has 22,350 miles on it now,and I've used it for hauling, towing,commuting, and 4-wheeling. It has yet to let me down. Gas mileage averages about 19.5 mpg with 31 inch tires and about 18.5 avg with stock 30" tires, which I am very happy with. Don't be supprised that this truck doesn't ride like a Caddy, or have the frills that come with a luxury vehicle. The Frontier is the old hardbody Nissan truck with a beefed up drivetrain and new visually appealing design. I have only been back to the dealer for 2 very minor problems. To date I have NO regrets & don't expect any either!
Better than Ford
This truck is a joy to drive. I previously had a Ford Ranger. It had a 4cyl engine and couldn't get out of it's own way. My Nissan however is almost as peppy as my 6cyl family sedan. I am very pleased with this vehicle and I haven't had a single problem with it. The Ranger was in the shop more times than I care to mention.
great truck
I think nissan will be sorry for not keeping this smaller and more adgile little truck.
Good Truck Revisted
1st reviewed a year ago. I still love this truck. My wife bought an '05 Xterra. Very jealous of the new design. Considered new Frontier, but sticking w/the '04. Feature I would like most the rear door on extended cab for easier access. Golf clubs are hard to get in and out from behind back seat. Other than that, I've really enjoyed this truck. Good commuter vehicle and great for hauling whatever.
Efficient, Great Truck
Owned truck since new for over two years now. Very dependable, not issues to report at this point. Gas mileage is around 27 in the city and around 30 on the highway (5 speed manual). Doesn't feel like a 4 cylinder. Pulled a 2000lb trailer with plenty of power still.
Great Value, Quality & Reliable
You cannot go wrong with this truck or really any Nissan. Good quality and no issues to report. Great acceleration and power for size of engine and vehicle. Own the 5 speed and had cruise installed at dealer when purchased new.
Frontier XE (4 Cyn/ 2.5) 5 Speed
Excellent ride for a truck. The Stabizer bar makes it handle better. ABS feature is excellent, it has helped me avoid a couple of accidents! Hansome both in and out! It's the same reliable engine I expect from Nissan. Also, the XE has a reasonable price and has all the BASIC features one needs. It's great for hauling all kinds of heavier or bulky items, yet great for daily commutes. Although the 4 cylinder could use more power/torque, most of the time I do not need 6 cylinder power/fuel consumption on a daily basis--especially with gas prices increasing every moment! Overall: Thumbs Up!
Tapioca
I've owned the Frontier for over 8 months now, and I am selling it today. Any major problems? No, just a coolant leak. Maybe I am too young and immature yet, but the truck, while not bad in any particular way, is just not what I was looking for. I would keep it if perhaps if I needed a truck and wasn't using it as a daily driver.
Frontier Rocks
The Frontier really could be used on the open Frontier.
Exellent style
I like the 4cyl but , I would like to trade it for a king cab 6cyl without down payment down. I own Three nissans
Great Compact truck for the Money
If yur looking for a compact truck with outstanding quality, great features, and a super low price. The Frontier is for you. I shopped all makes Ranger, Dakota, S-10, Colorado and non of them compare to the value you recieve from the Frontier. Nissan should own the small truck market. Ford, Chevy they have nothing to offer except higher priced compact trucks. We love our Frontier.
The Good, Bad and Ugly
My 2nd Nissan Pickup-last was a '98- great-this one not quite as good. This one had good ride, dependability, great mileage. Owned 6 years, 42,000 miles- same tires mileage between 25 and 28 normal, and on trip to Yellowstone, 32+ amazing! Range 290- 330 miles 'cause gas gauge design always made truck look like it was running out! Full was 9 O'clock, 1/2 was 7 pm and empty was 6 PM. Very bad on confidence. Overall, truck performed ok but emission controls choked what could have been more horsepower. Problems were, Steering wheel squeaked from new, Oxy sensor failed, Parking brake cable fell off mount, Horn quit in snowy winter, rattle in headliner. All in all a good truck but some small issues