Is it really worth the extra money to get the OR instead of the S? What are the differences that really count? Any comments/ suggestions?

This is your task:

Cut/Paste all the differences found on www.nissanusa.com in this thread. Point out all the differences.

When you are done, tell us how you will use your Xterra in Florida.

Then, only when you are done with your portion of the work, will anyone post to this thread. Oh, and that search tool... use it.

(any posts made to this thread that do not comply with the mentioned rules will be deleted)

Welcome newbie! Stay for a while, won't you...

Standard Features S MODEL

Mechanical

VQ40DE - 4.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 engine
265 hp @ 5,600 rpm
284 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
Emissions - LEV2-LEV
Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS)
Nissan Direct Ignition System
Platinum-tipped spark plugs
Electronic drive-by-wire throttle
Variable Intake System
6-speed manual transmission
16" x 6" 5-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels
P265/70R16 BFGoodrich® Long Trail® OWL tires
Full-size spare tire
Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
Front independent double-wishbone suspension with stabilizer bar
Rear multi-leaf springs with solid axle and stabilizer bar
Engine speed-sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering
Front vented disc/rear disc brakes
4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)

Exterior

Tubular roof rack with covered gear box, crossbars and airdam
Rear bumper steps
Front tow hook
Dual power outside mirrors
Front UV-reducing solar glass
Rear privacy glass

Interior

Air conditioning
Retained accessory power and battery saver
Tilt steering column
Variable intermittent windshield wipers
Rear wiper
Front map lights
Digital clock (in radio)
4 12-volt DC power outlets (2 "live")
4 cup holders and 2 bottle holders
Front-passenger's side seat pocket
Luggage side nets
Easy Clean cargo area
Under-floor cargo area storage
Utili-track cargo channel system with 4 adjustable cleats
4 Ceiling hooks and 2 side hooks

Seating and Appointments

Cloth seats
8-way manual adjustable driver's seat
Adjustable lumbar support
60/40 split fold-flat rear seats
Removable seat cushions
Second-row height-adjustable head restraints (outboard positions)

Audio

AM/FM/CD audio system
6 Speakers

Safety and Security

Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt sensors and occupant-classification sensor
Active front head restraints
Front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters
LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
Energy-absorbing steering column
Zone Body construction with front and rear crumple zones
Hood buckling creases
Pipe-style steel side-door guard beams
Vehicle security system
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System

Standard Features OR MODEL

Mechanical

VQ40DE - 4.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 engine
265 hp @ 5,600 rpm
284 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
Emissions - LEV2-LEV
Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS)
Nissan Direct Ignition System
Platinum-tipped spark plugs
Electronic drive-by-wire throttle
Variable Intake System
Skid plates - oil pan, fuel tank and lower radiator
6-speed manual transmission
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) - Late availability for manual transmission models
2-wheel Limited Slip (ABLS)
16" x 6" 6-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels
P265/75R16 BFGoodrich® Rugged Trail® OWL tires
Full-size spare tire
Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
Front independent double-wishbone suspension with stabilizer bar
Rear multi-leaf springs with solid axle and stabilizer bar
Bilstein™ off-road performance shock absorbers
Engine speed-sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering
Front vented disc/rear disc brakes
4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)

Exterior

Tubular roof rack with covered gear box, crossbars and airdam
Rear bumper steps
Front tow hook
Body side moldings
Fog lights
Dual power outside mirrors
Front UV-reducing solar glass
Rear privacy glass

Interior

Air conditioning
Power door locks
Power windows with driver's one-touch auto-down
Remote keyless entry
Cruise control
Retained accessory power and battery saver
Tilt steering column
Variable intermittent windshield wipers
Rear wiper
Front map lights
Sun visors with extenders and dual visor vanity mirrors
Digital clock (in radio)
4 12-volt DC power outlets (2 "live")
4 cup holders and 2 bottle holders
Driver's seatback pocket
Front-passenger's side seat pocket
Luggage side nets
Cargo net
Easy Clean cargo area
Under-floor cargo area storage
Utili-track cargo channel system with 4 adjustable cleats
4 Ceiling hooks and 2 side hooks
First-aid kit

Seating and Appointments

Cloth seats
8-way manual adjustable driver's seat
Adjustable lumbar support
Fold-flat front-passenger's seat
60/40 split fold-flat rear seats
Removable seat cushions
Second-row height-adjustable head restraints (outboard positions)

Audio

AM/FM/CD audio system
6 speakers

Safety and Security

Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt sensors and occupant-classification sensor
Active front head restraints
Front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters
LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
Energy-absorbing steering column
Zone Body construction with front and rear crumple zones
Hood buckling creases
Pipe-style steel side-door guard beams
Vehicle security system
Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System

Ok so those are the standard options.
Here are the diffs:

Bilstein Offroad Shocks - OR only
Side tubular step rails - S only
Load restraint hooks - S only
Cloth main seat material - S only (OR has blue cloth NA in S model)
Curb Weight - lbs S=4,081 OR=4,149
Ground clearance unladen (inches) 8 9
OR doesn't come in Canteen
S doesn't get fog lights
OR gets VDC HSA HDC N/A for S
Different wheels (who cares)
Various skid plates on OR
OR gets power package standard

The rest are upgradeable options.
Let me know what I missed.

What I'll be using my Xterra for here in FL -

carrying surfboards, carrying bikes, offroading, camping, moving junk, hauling ass (please see new engine specs), rendezvous w/ females, kayaking/canoeing, towing boats (maybe a trailer w/ a motorcycle someday), burning cash, pulling my friends Wrangler, tailgating, sleeping, carrying diving/ snorkeling gear... etc. etc.

You want the rear locker option you can get with the OR version.

It costs you about $2000+ to add one later.

What is the rear locker option? Where does it fit? And why is it $2000 later?

It's a locking rear diff. The ultimate traction device. It keeps power to the opposite wheel when a wheel on the same axle loses traction. As a factory installed option it is built into the rear end.

If you add it later not only will you have to purcha$e it but you will have to pay someone



to have it installed.

The funy thing is that fastdrmr was being sarcastic. The funnier thing is that you actually did it.

The locker will be $2000 later on because it will be aftermarket which you buy and have installed. You can save yourself the trouble now by purchasing the Off Road.

The Off Road also has a an alloy wheel as a spare, whereas the S has a steel wheel. If you get the S with utility and power package, then the only major difference is the elocker (assuming you get a 6MT). If you get an auto, then there's the Hill Decent/Ascent. The rest is cosmetic (fogs, seats, wheels, etc).

The nissan website says that the S with a utility package comes with limited slip ABLS... what is it?

Well I'd say the guy passed the test with flying colors there hehe. He didn't even fire back a retort...good show.

Anyway, the locker is the main difference, and it's a nice one to have. Having driven both, however, I will tell you that the OR seems to have a much stiffer ride. Drive both and see if you agree, and if it's ok with you (and make sure the test drive cars don't have overinflated tires, which seems to be the case alot). I don't mind that stiffness, but my wife isn't crazy about it. ...the newborn loves it though hehe, puts her right to sleep.

The tire difference isn't purely cosmetic btw (though I'm not a "tire-guy").

Excellent work... your post will now be sticky, which means it will stay at the top of the list for being usefull information for everyone to enjoy. Also, thanks for all the good replies!!!

THANKS!!!

Limited Slip is a limited slip rear differential (LSD)...its a traction aid, but the Nissan version is a bit anemic.

The rear locker does what the LSD is supposed to do, and difference in performance is HUGE.



The emphasis on the locker probably was a surprise to you, but members with pre-'05's are PAYING BIG BUCKS to have our LSD's REPLACED with lockers when we can afford it....

The X has a live rear axle, meaning that the two tires are essentially at the ends connected by the big shaft between them....an unlocked rear axle, for street based driving, is set up to go around paved corners....the outside tire has to go further around the same curve than the inside tire...a difference...

The rear differential is designed to transfer the engine torque to the tire going faster (The outside tire, as it has the best leverage to push the rig around the curve...and the inside of the turn tire, with the shortest distance to go in the same time, is just along for the ride...

Off road...if you lose traction on one side, either a mud hole, loose gravel, or one tire is hanging in the air going over something, etc......the tire with no resistance goes faster than the one with traction...its spinning, but not pushing the truck...

and you are stuck...sitting there with one tire on perfectly good ground, watching the retarded tire spin helplessly.

A locked diff MAKES both tires turn at the same speed....no matter what...so even if one tire has no traction, the other tire has all the go go juice it needs to keep you going.

The electric locker in the '05 lets you turn the locker on for rough going off road....and off again for paved roads and normal conditions...plus, it works as a better LSD differential when not locked, a nice touch.

No downside, HUGE offroad advantage...a factory locker is also covered by the factory warranty....the ones we do ourself are covered for 12 months or so, etc.



So - anyway, that's why we're all ga ga over the locker issue.

You also get ultra cool, chrome Off Road badging, and that gives you even more traction Seriously, get the Off-Road package. Also lets Nissan know what we want! I love seeing S models littering the lot and not an Off-road to be found

Mine hasn't arrived yet, but it is due sometime in June.

I ordered the S 4x4 over the Offroad for a few key reasons:

1. Offroad comes with only one choice in interior: Blue cloth with large open loops, which I bet will get pulled and look like crap in a few years.

2. Offroad does not come in Canteen, which would look bad with the blue interior(which I didn't want anyway).

3. After reading the forums, the aftermarket skid plates, although more $$ out of pocket, look much better than the stock.

4. The stiffer ride of the Offroad was a small negative because most of my time will be on the road, and again, if later I feel stiff shocks are important, they can be added.

5. Cost. The offroad would have cost me at least $1500 (retail) more that the S with the same options.

6. It seemed that the HDC and HSA had marginal value, especially after reading these forums.

The biggest concern for the future is the added cost and hassle of adding a rear locker, assuming I get to that point.

Can't wait to get my 05X!

Lloyd, are you THE Lloyd that used to own a sweet Montero and frequent the Montero forums over on Outdoor Wire? Just curious. I, too, used to own a '90 LWB, but now have moved on to an Xterra! Just wanted to say hi.

Yep, thats me I have a feeling more Monteros will jump ship in the next few years. Nissan is selling the kind of products old Montero owners dig, especially if reliability and strength come up closer to Mitsubishi levels. Kind of sad to see the end of an era. I drove Monteros since I was 18, started a club, tried to get Mitsubishi involved, had LOTS of good times...yadda, yadda...Its always hard to move on. But I met some good people at Gone, and began a fresh start. The 90 is being maintaned as best as possible(for 250,000 hard miles), and will still run more difficult trips like the annual Sierra Challenge for a few years, as I slowly funnel off mod money from the Montero to the X, and as 05 parts come out.

Hello,

I am thinking buying a 05 Xterra and I have a question or two before I get serious and sign the dotted line.
I reviewed the older posts regarding towing and the Xterra but I wanted to get somemore input.
Is any of the 05 Xterra models (S,OR,SE) better for towing? Has anyone had any issues with towing a car with their 05? I will be going the auto trans route and I saw posts about adding a trans cooler but I don't think I ever saw an answer if it will void the warranty.

Mods if this is posted in the wrong place please move it to the correct location.

Thanks in advance from this Xterra rookie.

Good to hear it's you Lloyd. I recently sold my Montero...it was on it last legs, and have been seriously considering going the way of the new Xterra. I agree that it has a lot of what we Montero owners thought a truck should look and act like! I talked my parents into getting a brand new Xterra and they have been very happy with it. So who knows, maybe in the next few months, I too will take the plunge. Good to hear from you.

actually I am wondering the same thing. I'm looking at either an S or OR with the 5spd auto to tow my 3500lb enclosed motorcycle trailer. I'm coming from a 2000 ranger which struggled a bit with that setup. I'm assuming the added HP on the Xterra will make short work of the weight, but will the tranny handle the extra load without a cooler? will the additional height of the OR change dynamics at all?

I'm in a unique position because the dealer has BOTH the S and the OR on the lot right now, in the exact trim I want. decisions decisions....

thanks

- Jonah \ momentumphoto.net

The extra height of the OR will not be noticable. If you thing you may getting into some fun situations... get the OR. If you have a hard time getting dust inside the X, dont want a single scratch on any bumpers or cringe at scraping your frames on rocks and stuff... you are not ready for the OR, so get the S.

The S is capable of taking you places that will scare the average person. If you have taken vehicles offroading and actually know when/how the locker, then get the OR. Otherwise, the S will be just fine.

On the topic of needing a transmission cooler... I have no experience and welcome someone else to pipe in.

Sadly, my wheelin' days are over. back in college I had an '87 Bronco that got thrashed every single weekend. it was modded to the gills so trust me - the thought of a FACTORY locker gets me excited. Problem is, I spend my weekdays at a desk job, and weekends shooting photos at racetracks all over the midwest. The only OR'ing I have time to do now is the grass on the infield

Still wondering about the tranny cooler. Anyone?

Thanks.

- Jonah \ momentumphoto.net

I tow quite regularly (boats) and have found the 05 X more than adequate. I assume your trailer is braked. Over the years I have found the most limiting factor to towing/GCVWR to be the master cylinder size/capacity of the tow vehicle's brakes. I do not run a tranny cooler. I would keep an eye on the rear diff fluid and change it more often (perhaps upgrade to synth) for regular towing. A properly wieghted and loaded trailer goes a long way to making a tow safe and comfortable.

In your case I would avoid the OR as it has a taller final drive, louder, less efficient tires, and a locker it doesn't sound like you'll ever use. The extra half inch of height on the OR is not a show-stopper. You can add the OR skid package to an S for less than $200. IMHO the HDC and HSA found on Auto ORs are not value added. For me the RF stereo was also not neccessary.

Ha! I found lots of OR with the cool badge. Not one of them was 4x4! They were all 4x2. So I got an S with 4x4. I will add my own aftermarket stuff.

as far as a tranny cooler, I would definitely reccomend it. I tow alot; work trailers, jet skis, boat and it is just that extra peice of mind.
As far as voiding the warranty, the dealership has to prove that the cooler ruined the tranny. Since it is the purpose of the cooler to prolong the tranny it is almost impossible.
I got a high performance heavy duty cooler from Uhaul onstalled for about $120.

I have also seen plenty of new "off-road" xterras that were not 4x4. I have alot of experience off-roading (previous car was a modified wrangler), and when it came down to it, with the type of vehicle that the xterra is, behing not the most rock-crawling type of vehicle, the locker just didnt make a big enough difference. You can buy the skidplates pretty cheap later, and if you get serious enough to have a locker than you can get that too. Otherwise, I would recommend getting a 4x4 S or SE for the casual off-roader.