Hey all, thanks to everyone for making XOC rock!

so i have a question...they say 2wd gets better gas milage, which is the reason why i got one, but is it just that 2wd's get better milage as opposed to 4wd's with the 4wd turned on? whats the comparison with gas mileage between a 2wd and a 4wd with the 4wd turned off? should i have just gotten a 4wd in the first place?

bus driver,
Firstoff, welcome.

I believe the thinking is that with all of the extra stuff a 4wd needs, it's going to get worse mileage, simply based on the few extra hundred pounds. Now, if you're driving around in 4 high all day, your mileage will suffer as well.

I've gotten between 18-22 mpg in my 2001 XE 4wd v6. I can't see the 2wd version doing much better than that.

Should you have gotten a 4wd? Only you can answer that based on what you intend to use the vehicle for. But, based on a mileage only standpoint, I don't think it makes a lot of difference.

Bogatyr

There used to be alot of 4x4 vs 4x2 discussions on the board; we've been pretty mellow recently.

I however am an ardent 4x4 supporter so my recomendation is trade the 4x2 for the 4x4, and head up into the mountains to try some trails you couldn't do with the 4x2, or contact PNWX for some recomended trails within reasonable driving distance.

The milage isn't much different and having an Xterra without 4WD to me is like having a Hummer that you only drive on the highway.

You WILL become addicted to going where others can't.

SEE!!!

This post and website is EXACTLY why I got the Xterra in the first place; COOL people with COOL trucks helping clueless folks like me who are trying to be cool.

That said, many, many thanks to those who have replied so far. I think it's time to take the plunge to the 4wd. 2 instances made me think that way. 1) I had a friend who's car had broken down, and I figured I could have towed him lik 2 miles to the repair station, BUT I only had a 2x4. 2) I'd REALLY REALLY REALLY like to go out on the wheelin trips with NCCX (nor cal) but hate being a burden if they would need to tow me out of a situation just because of the 2x4.

So it looks like I'm gonna put more in the piggy bank for that 4x4.

Thanks to everyone who has replied, and to who will also reply, thanks in advance!

XOC KICKS A$$

First off feel free to say ASS here were all adults (or close enough to adults ) 2nd if you are going to drive in snow 4X4 is nice, and you can tow someone with 2X4 4X4 is for lose surfaces such as mud, steep uphill when the back tires spin, and snow. Just make sure when you get the 4X4 if you chose to, check here and read the sticker on the roof under the visor about how to operate the transer case, the X doesnt have one of those little pussy dials to switch into 4X4. With that being said WELCOME

Hey bus driver..I'm one of the many who made the switch from a 4x2 X to a 4x4 X...I traded my 4x2 3 months ago and glad I did it...I should have gotten the 4x4 package when I got my first X but was not sure that I needed it..found that out pretty fast when I took my 4x2 to 4x4 trails and gotten stuck many of times...I got a dam good deal on my current X and a dam good trade in value on my first X...gas mileage on my 4x2 was about 18 hwy/17 city....gas mileage on my current 4x4 is about 17 hwy./16 city...It's good to know you have an extra 2 wheels to turn for more traction when you need it from a simple shift of the transfer case....I been hitting the trails, even with a stocked X, the X does great...

That shouldn't be too big a deal. In N out Burger is 4x2 friendly.

If you're going off roading then you should get the 4x4 for sure. There are alot of nice getaways that you can only get to with a 4x4. Some situations are dangerous if you don't have 4x4. For example, I was up in the mountains and it started raining hard, which was nice but it turned the trail into mud soup. If you had a 4x2, you would have been stuck for the night. 4x4 it was easy.

Hey there's nothing wrong with the dial switch. It's got it's advantages. You could say the autolocking hubs suck on the xterra.

4x2 does all I need it to. Wouldn't waste money on 4x4. And don't let people fool you, you CAN go plenty of places with a 4x2.

Not that the people who got a 4x4 made a mistake or anything

Yeah TremorX is right, the 4x2 is good no doubt.
I should be more clear about my opinion. If you are going to do alot of off-roading then the switch to 4x4 is a good idea. Otherwise the trade-in/buying again is a waste of money.

that's a vital point. unless you have money to just toss around, think hard about trading in your current xterra.
how about this, take your 4x2 offroading now. take it easy and see how you like it. do you enjoy it? do you feel a need to see what's on top of the next hill or on the other side of the stream? do you suddenly wish the entire world was one huge, open OHV so you didn't have to follow those dumb, boring white lines drawn on the road ever again? then consider getting the 4x4. if for some reason you instead find yourself more concerned about how to get the mud off your truck than don't bother. don't get 4x4 just because it's cool. there're lots of people who have trouble looking for them and would actually use it.

I traded in my '00 2x4 to a '01 4x4 after 5 months. Didn't really care about the mileage difference but its nice to have 4x4 when you need it. Was introduced to off-roading afterwards.

What it all boils down to is, get whatever makes you happy personally....if you are not happy and contemp with your current 4x2 X and you got questions about it, then trade it in for whatever makes you happy, if not, well keep your current X and make the best of it...we can say all kinds of stuff about 4x2 vs 4x4's all day...but it's what you want personally...as long as you are HAPPY !!!!

Just to toss in my $.02 - if mileage is your only hangup, the 4WD isn't that much worse than the 2WD. One thing to consider is (even if you don't make regular use of 4WD) it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TremorX:
4x2 does all I need it to. Wouldn't waste money on 4x4. And don't let people fool you, you CAN go plenty of places with a 4x2.

But - bear in mind there are also plenty of places you CAN'T go, too, and IMHO they are much more interesting!

and bear in mind that both 4x2s and 4x4s get stuck while offroading. but a 4x4 has 4lo and well...four wheel drive. to get UNSTUCK.