Used 2004 Nissan Xterra SUV Consumer Reviews
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Xterra Del Fuego, 12/18/2020
2004 Nissan Xterra XE 4WD 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5M)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
If I wasn't in to upland game bird hunting, fly fishing, mountain biking, and such-like, I wouldn't own anything as truculent as a truck. Since I am into those things, I've had some kind of low range, four-wheel drive vehicle since I was 21 years old, starting with an '87 Samurai, followed by an '89 Isuzu Trooper RS short-wheelbase 2DR, a '73 Bronco, an '88 Montero 2DR, and '87 Pathfinder, a '97 TJ Jeep, a 2007 4X4 Ranger, and, finally, my 2004 Xterra. I have a 2002 Mustang to drive every day. I only use the Xterra when my motoring plans require four-wheel drive, or I need to pull my M-416 cargo trailer to the home improvement store for a load of fertilizer for my garden, or get my boat to the water, in the water, and out of it. I was in the market for a gen-one Discovery or Discovery II when I came across my 2004 Xterra with 160,000 miles on it for $3,000.00. It had the same "command seating" position that I like in the Discovery/Discovery II. It has a similar "stadium seating" arrangement for the rear seat, too. It's a little narrower and less tall, which is nice on some of the trails I run, and it has a tighter turning radius, too. My Xterra also presents near-new, inside and out, and unlike pretty much every Discovery / Discovery II I've been in that wasn't new, my Xterra has zero squeaks and rattles. It also has the ground clearance I need to get where I want to go on the stock 31" tall tires and stock suspension and can take a 32" tall 265/75 -16 with no lift. A Discovery / Discovery II can't. PROS: Trail-friendly dimensions, command seating position, stadium seating for rear passengers lets them see what's coming on the trail; trail-worthy ground clearance, approach, departure, and breakover angles, in stock form; tight turning radius, good interior room, plus useful cargo capacity behind rear seat; highly functional factory roof rack; limited-slip rear differential; sufficient capability to handle majority of legal, open routes on BLM and Forest Service land; easy to clean, durable interior materials; a very easy to shift transfer case lever; a sweet-shifting five-speed manual gear box; acceptable 19-20 mpg Interstate fuel economy; comfortable ride on all road surfaces; currently enjoys good parts availability for a near 20 year old vehicle. Cons: The factory LSD could do a better job of sending torque across the rear axle. I wish it had 4:1 or even 3:1 low range gears instead of 2:1 as a lower low range would make my life on the trail a bit easier with my five-speed manual gearbox. Steering components, like tie rods, seem a little undersized and weak. It could use about 40 more horsepower and 40 more foot-pounds of torque. The engine bay is an unorganized mess of excessive wires and hoses and is a bit cramped for D.I.Y. wrenching. Stop and go city fuel economy is dismal and I average about 11 mpg when putzing along trails in low range and first, second, and third in the main box. Automatic freewheeling hubs kinda suck. Will replace with Warn manual units at some point. Not keen on factory location of spare tire. Common Problems I Know About: Leaky valve cover gaskets (mine were replaced by prior owner shortly before I bought my Xterra) that piss oil on the starter and cause that to fail, too. Exhaust manifolds crack and fail, catalytic converters fail ($3,100 in genuine Nissan parts to fix, plus another grand in genuine Nissan dealer labor); knock sensor failure; distributors sometimes eat themselves alive; plastic-tank radiator is no more or less reliable than Ford's. The engine is an "interference type" with belt-driven overhead cams. If you buy one of these, get proof (like I did) that the "front of engine service" was done at the recommended interval or budget to do it or have it done as soon as you buy. A broken cam drive belt in an interference engine can lead to serious internal engine damage. The Xterra isn't the sort of vehicle I'd personally want to drive every single day of my life. But, if you are the kind of person who has a use for the low-range four-wheel drive capability the vehicle has, the Xterra is something of a bargain considering what they go for now compared to how well they perform on the trail in stock form. Figure about 3K to get in to one, and another 3K to catch up on prior owner neglect, and you'll have a vehicle that will do everything a new Toyota 4-Runner will at a mere fraction of the price. As one of the last of the true off-pavement capable, body-on frame SUV's with low-range four-wheel drive, I expect that we're at the bottom of the value curve on these and clean, well-cared for ones will soon start seeing a rise in asking prices. Mine is worth a whole lot more to me than what I am into it for.
Nice Vehicle even as "bare bones" model
Che57vy, 10/20/2004
2004 Nissan Xterra XE I4 Rwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
Bought vehicle used with 39,000 miles. Now it has 84,000 miles. So far, only part replaced was thermal sensor for the fuel injector, A.K.A. "wax kit", which measures engine heat for the fuel injector through a radiator hose. Wax kit, dealer installed, was $230.00. Covered under accessory warranty (3yrs/36K miles), not under drivetrain warranty (5 yrs/60,000 miles). The 4 cyl/5 spd manual is nice and economical with hwy/city mileage almost always 20 MPG with regular gasoline. It's easy to work on mechanically, with a lot of extra room in the engine compartment. Rides nice and secure on the highway. The 4 cyl / 5 spd manual is an excellent value, even if purchased brand new.
Great Mid-Sized SUV
tobymcgee, 03/07/2011
2004 Nissan Xterra SE Rwd 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 4A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I bought a 2004 Xterra brand new and it was a great car until a patch of black ice and a telephone pole last week. Very safe vehicle, as I was uninjured from the crash. I had racked up close to 170,000 miles without any major issues, just your usual suspects (brakes, tires, etc.). Engine and transmission were still running great. The only thing I had noticed was the heater/AC blower motor would only work on high (seems to be a recurring Nissan problem, I've had it happen to 2 other Nissans). Other than that, a great car! I'm seriously considering buying another one to replace it.
Everything you need, nothing you don't
Musher, 10/28/2016
2004 Nissan Xterra XE 4WD 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 5M)
28 of 31 people found this review helpful
I bought my 04 new over 12 years ago. It now has 188,000 miles and still has the original clutch and rear brakes. It has been extremely easy to maintain and is the best vehicle I have ever owned and it may last another 100,000 miles. Only complaint I really have is the poor acceleration in the quarter mile and for passing. If you want a back to basics SUV that is tough, affordable, and cool the X may work out for you. It's a good little beast in 4wd.
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If you want a TRUE S.U.V.
82BlackShark, 07/14/2004
2004 Nissan Xterra XE I4 Rwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
I compared the Saturn Vue and the Hyundai Sante Fe before making my decision on the Xterra. The Xterra has a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. while the others have only 1,200 lbs. The ground clearance and cargo capacity is larger than the others too. Get the 4 cyl 5 speed manual if you want the power. It does seem underpowered at first and it took me three days to get used to the shifts. Now I can make this truck fly fast. It has three regular V belts instead of 1 long serpentine belt so no worries if you run into deep water. Nissan built a real SUV.
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