2004 Xterra XE-V6 Information Needed pls.

[jeddi]

This is my first post! Hi everyone.
I am looking into trading my 2004 Mitsubishi Ralliart for the 2004 Xterra XE-V6 [4x4]. I need all the information I may need. This car will be a daily driven car. Occasional long trips to South Lake Tahoe, CA and other mountains. No hard terrain. No rock climbing. Only rain and snow driving only.

How reliable is this car?
As a daily driven car, what are the pros and cons?
As mountain/steep hills/mud/dirt roads, how does this car handle?
Any particular engine noise that I might hear?
How is the gas consumption on these cars?
How safe is this car compared to other SUV?


These are the only questions I have in mind for now but more advices/informations are welcomed! Thanks

[ChuckH]

Originally Posted by jeddi

How reliable is this car? A: Very reliable.
As a daily driven car, what are the pros and cons? A: Pros, looks good, good visibility, fun to drive. Cons, poor fuel economy.
As mountain/steep hills/mud/dirt roads, how does this car handle? A: Super.
Any particular engine noise that I might hear? Sure, you hear the engine? Take a test drive to listen?
How is the gas consumption on these cars? See above. If you can handle 15-20 MPG go for it.
How safe is this car compared to other SUV? Very safe.

Now, to take this a bit further, I'm honestly not sure the Xterra is for you. For daily driving and long trips the gas mileage could be a problem; especially since you mention that it will not be taken offroad. Honestly, it's not a very good vehicle for rain and snow driving; at least not the kind of snow you find on paved roads. The 4WD system is part-time and just not ideal for those conditions. You'd be better off with something that has full-time 4WD or AWD. Much easier to use, safer, and it works 100 times better on the road. High center of gravity plus part-time 4WD just doesn't work well on icy and snowy roads compared to something lower to the ground with a smart AWD system. I can honestly tell you without a doubt that my Audi quattro was 20 times more capable in those conditions with Summer High Performance tires on it than the Xterra is with A/T tires. Let me ask you this...have you ever driven a pickup truck on snowy or icy roads? The Xterra is basically an enclosed pickup truck and handles the same way in 2WD. You can't use the 4WD on dry pavement, so if you drive where there are patches of ice or snow interrupted by dry sections then you need to keep manually switching back and forth between 2WD and 4WD. Adds a lot of work and stress, IMO. I can deal with it, but can you? I live where there are 4-5 months of real winter so I know well the shortcomings and advantages to both systems.

Other than that, the Xterra is superb and I love mine.