Hey wats up I'm 16 and I'm getting my license next month. And I really want a nissan xterra. I think they're the most beautiful cars and all the reviews seem to be positive about how they run (except for the gas but hey it's an suv) I've never been interested in cars until I started wanting to drive and this girl @ my school drives one and it was like love @ first site. I don't need to go off road or any-thing like that. I just need one to go to school and work and hang out with friends. The only bad thing is I can't afford one. I know teqniqully I'm not an "Xterra" owner but I aspire to be one day, and I think all of yall are lucky to have one cause there isn't another car I could see myself driving. I mean I'll have to be happy and thankful for what I get since I am just now getting my license but wow I would LOVE to have an xterra! It's my favorite car and just the chance to drive it would be amazing. I only like the 2000-2004. Even though I love all of em I'm not really feeling the style of the ones in 05 and after. Do you guys think it's a good first car for a teenager to have?

Err. ok thanks for sharing. Time for your ritalin pill John

Welcome aboard! Most first gens (00-04) are going to be up there in mileage. Not knowing what you budget is, you 'should' be able to pick one up for less than or around $5,000.

It is a very safe vehicle. Like you mentioned gas mileage sucks.

It's my dream car I would love to have it. What does it feel like to drive it? Is it easy to handle and control? Is it not top heavy or easy to tip over?

Only if you drive it like a sportscar.

Otherwise, it is a heavy suv with low HP (fist gens).

Stone.. i have been offered to race mustangs, vetts, and plenty of others. and i raced them. and i meat them to the other side of the intersection, and that was about it. I drive an '04, and the HP is quite shameful. just thought i would re-iterate your point

You can get in a lot more trouble in the second gen. It's much quicker and handles better, but as you note they watered down the styling.

I just bought an '04 Xterra a couple days ago. I sold my '06 Honda Civic. I don't quite understand why a Nissan Xterra is your favorite car. If I were you my favorite car/dream car would be something like a BMW M3/M5 or something fast and fun to drive like that! The Civic was even a little nicer to drive than my new Xterra, because of the small sportier size. My boyfriend has an '06 BMW 550i which has 360-hp! That thing is a blast to drive!! So, I don't know about you, but my dream car would be something luxurious, fast, and super fun to drive.

I just got the Xterra because I'm a college student needing something to go up to the ski area with and to go camping in, plus Xterra's look better than a Jeep or any other SUV in my opinion.

One more thing... When I was about 16, my dream car was a BMW and still is. I'm now 22. You should get a different dream car! Something fast!

Some of us have different opinions about "fun to drive"...





I also have a Honda S2000 - which is truly a joy to drive - but I love the Xterra SO much more...

Oh - and we've seen a lot of Xterras that have been in horrible accidents where the passengers were fine. It's a great first car for that reason alone...

plus you can fold down the back seats and have sechs in it

Kaiser! He's just getting his license! He's only 16 and you're passing on our secrets already?

I can hear it now, his girlfriend's dad calls his dad and says, "Your son got my daughter pregnant. All because you bought him an Xterra and he found out it has a great "back end" for having sechs in from some stupid forum!"

Man, did you open a can of worms...

-G

Is that Telluride? It's beautiful! That is a good point about different opinions of fun to drive. I've been 4-wheeling all my life in my dads 1959 Land Rover Series II and it's been a blast. It's especially fun going out with a bunch of other Rovers in the club.

Yeah - that's the trail from black bear pass going down into Telluride... what an awesome place!

They are great Ninja haulers. All of Chuck Norris' crew ride in Xterras for that reason. Sechs is a given for the Xterra for the girls will throw themselves at you when you drive one. This is one thing that we have, as Xterra owners, just have gotten used to.

There was one time when I was hauling a load of dead ninjas away from Chuck Norris' house when a woman started taking her clothes off in front of me in the crosswalk. I was pressed for time, as the ninja's families were hot on my trail. The quick action of the fold down rear seats allowed me to fulfill my duty to have the sechs with her, evade the families of the dead ninjas and still get back to Chuck Norris' house for his poker game with the Devil. The Xterra was supposed to be part of the pot, but after seeing again, Chuck Norris decided to tel the Devil that it was not. The Devil, knowing Chuck Norris would just round house kick him to the face back to Hell, decided that it was OK and Chuck Norris still has it.

Yes, the fold down seats are good for the sechs.