Which way will be better?

I'm a week away from my new X but I'm having problems deciding which route I'm going to go. I can either get the SC and have 210hp right off the bat or get the standard V6 and have 180hp and work my way up. I'm having alot of problems with the gas mileage problem (or lack of). What mods would it take to get the same amount of performance w/ out the SC from the regular V6 and what would cost be? Thanks!

I have a 5-speed non-SC'd X and honestly they are pretty quick...But for what it's worth you might wanna consider this as well considering that you are concerned about the gas miles.The SC's have to run at least 93 octane so it'll cost you more to run...Plus for the non-SC'd you can get a cat-back,intake,and now header to give you some HP increase....
Plus another thing to factor in is if your planning on doing any off roading the SC really is useless considering majority of the time your in lower gears/speed...

But now if your not into wheelin it and you wanna tow the SC will help out alot especially on hills and what not...But basically you gotta decide on what your plans are for it and then go from there adding in these other facts I gave ya....

Hope you make the choice your happy with...

Also, keep in mind that if you get a non-SC and modify it, you will run into warranty implications - assuming you are getting a brand spankin' new X. I have a SC and love it. I have never driven an non-SC, so I obviously have a bias opinion. However, the interior is very cool, and the wheels it comes with are as well.

I'm not going to tow a yacht or anything. Right now I still have and drive frequently my old little 4x4 nissan 4 banger. It has 165k on the odometer and runs like a top. Never had a serious problem with it, and I've beaten the sh*t out of it. What I'm trying to find out is what the horsepower is on a non-SC X w/ headers, intake, exhaust, and maybe a few other minor mods. I've wanted an X since they first came out and maybe even a 4-door frontier. Here is the deal: horsepower + efficiency + style = ????? There are alot of new vehicles coming out in the fall icluding the new fullsize nissan truck and something else I'm looking into which would be the Chevy Colorado...

what to wear... what to wear...

If I were you I'd just get the SC if you want more power. To get that kind of power with the normally aspirated motor will end up costing you more than the SC anyway. Plus, you'll destroy your drivetrain warranty and possibly have problems satisfying emission requirements. Just the headers alone will require custom exhaust work in order to fit the catalytic converters and you still may not pass a visual inspection (if you have them)and there is no guaranty that you will pass the sniff test.

True the gas mileage would be better, but not enough to make up for the costs associated with the engine modifications; especially if you have a drivetrain failure of any kind.

I intend to put the headers and cams in my Xterra this year but I'm well past my warranty period now and that's my only choice for more power without buying a new truck. If it weren't for the $10K in other mods I have already done and the fact that my warranty is up I would not spend my money on them.

If you want power, the SC is the cheepest way to get it.

For 2002, the difference - in dealer invoice price - was $1200. Not only do you get an SC, but the engine is built up, the ECU is tuned for it and you get upgraded rims, a polished exhaust tip, etc.

That's quit a bit of value. After drving an SC Xterra, the choice was easy for me

And that's what it boils down to - whats going to make you happy? If I were you, I would definetly drive both. I know budget car rentals has Xterras - that's where I rented to test out which X I liked best. I went from originally wanting "just" an NA automatic to an SC 5-speed, and now I couldn't be happier with my choice.

If your going to change cars every two years, then it probably isn't as big a deal - me, I keep vehicles for 5-7 years. Since I bought the X new, I intend to keep it for even longer - so I wanted to make sure I would be happy for the long haul.

Also, make sure you read a site like http://www.carbuyingtips.com and take it's advice to heart...

I keep my cars till they die. This concerns me because of issues with SC parts needed in the future, and cost. I love the fact that I'm able to walk into almost any old junkyard and find parts for my little nissan truck. I think the mileage is just turning me off something fierce. Maybe more than that is the fact that nissan made a great engine with almost the worst gas mileage on the market for a 6cyl. Just because it's an SUV doesnt mean it has to drink like one. Nobody hasnt answered my question as to what the max horsepower is on a naturally aspirated modified 6 in an X-terra.

If you go to SLR's site and look in the tech notes you will find your answer. But, I'll be nice and give you a link here. Look under "Other notes" I think and then "Dyno Results."

Short answer: 220 HP with throttle body, cams, headers, exhaust, and intake. That's at least $2,500 for parts and labor and probably more like $3,000 by the time you get the custom exhaust mid section to reintall the cats and the labor to install the headers and especially the cams...total PITA! I can almost guaranty that after all this you will need to burn at least mid grade gas and possibly super.