FINALLY got to do a test drive of the Xterra the way I wanted to.

Awsome salesman helped me out at Universal Nissan. PM me if you want his name. I'm pretty sure his manager wouldn't have approved. For now we'll call him Bob.

So Bob picks out an S 4x4 and off we go. He takes me to a very large open lot where I play with the turning radius and blah blah blah. I ask him if I can try out the braking. 'Sure'
Next thing he knows, were doing 40 down the lot and I brake hard. There is this strange knock that comes up through the brake peddle. I do it a couple more times. It happens each time. I'm guessing it's supposed to do that. At first I was alarmed at how mushy the brakes feel, but if you really stomp down on them, you stop pretty quick. This model did not have VDC.

I've been dying to try out the 4x4 ability of this car for some time and asked Bob if it was okay. 'Sure'.
We were in the Hollywood hills. I used to live there and know a place back there where pavement ends and it's just hills.

Once we got there, Bob was looking a little nervous. 'You want to go up THAT?' I really hadn't planned anything serious and put him at ease. I only wanted to get a sense of the kind of control, handling, and so on I could do with and S.

I found this perfect little spot. Two roads, one about 12 feet higher than the other on a decent slope with a nice wide muddy patch at the base of the bottom road. Not deep mud. I didn't want to bring it back all dirty. Just enough mud to mess with traction.

I asked Bob about 50 millions times if he was okay with it. He seemed more excited about doing it than I was.

Switched in to 4Low.
I made my first approach very gentle. The right wheel touched the slope and gave eased on the gas. HAHAHAHAHA the Xterra was like a hungry dog eating up scraps from Thanksgiving dinner. Before I knew what happened we were up and over. Just like that.

Suddenly, Bob is looking at me with a wide grin asking me if I want to do it again.

So, back we go. This time, as the rear wheels move in to the muddy patch I stop for a moment and then ease on the gas. The tires start to spin. The rear ones can't get a grab because of the mud and I'm guessing, the front ones are trying to bit in to dirt that's too soft. Bob starts to look worried. I tell him, no worries.

I back up a foot or so, put it back in drive and this time I give it a little more gas. We go up like it was nothing.

Bob is having the time of his life, "Dude! That shit is tight. Can I try it?"
I tell him, it's his car, go for it. Now I have the salesman climbing this little hill. Before I know it, he's doing it again.

This is the best darn test drive I can ever remember having.

Finally, I tell him we should be getting back. We check the car out to see how dirty it is. Aside from a little dirt on the wheels, it's fine.
I didn't notice a scraping sound each time the rear came off the lip of the rise at the top of the climb. Turns out, it's the mud flaps on the rear tires were scraping on the dirt.

I left with Bob searching their inventory for the model and packages I want. He was great. I didn't get a very good feel for the management, but that's not my problem.
I really hope Bob can find what I'm looking for at the price I want. This guy really earned my business and has to be one of the best salesmen I've met.

WOW, that's awesome. Very few salespeople are that cool. As for the slipping you experienced the second go up, if you had the Off Road edition with the locker it would have just eaten that up. If you can, get the Off Road model for just those situations.

Definitely a great test drive. The brake pedal deal sounds like the anti-lock system at work; it pulsates as you described.

I hear what you're talking about, but this wasn't a pluse. It was just one sharp rap the peddle gave against my foot. It only did it on a hard brake. I'd push down hard and there'd be this noticible smack against my foot, but just once. The first time, I thought I had broken something.

Anybody wants to try it with their 05, get up to about 35 or 40 and push the brake down fast and all the way, until you stop. See if you get that. I'll try it on the one I pick, but before I pay for it.

Update

It's bloody hot and my buddy and I are driven to a dirt lot by a salesman to look for an Xterra. The dealership sign proudly proclaims they have 91 Xterras in stock.

Heat and dust are the only things we find in the entire lot. I'm simi car sick by the time we get back to the dealership and the salesman says he found out they're are several in another lot. Oh, now he knows.

The other lot turns out to be two levels down in an underground parking lot. I find one that I like but the salemens electronic keypad doesn't work. I suspect the cars battery is dead. He then tries to open the lockbox to get the car keys. He doesn't have the right code.

He can't get a signal on his cell so he head upstairs. At first, this is a no biggie. My buddy and I chat as we take our time looking at the other cars. Now it's been 10 minutes, then 15 and no sign of our sales guy.
Suddenly, the fire alarm bells go off. These things were right by our head. We decide to leave and find the saleman. We can't go out the way we came in because the gate is locked and you need a pass card. Looking around we find a door that leads to another door that leads, at last, to outside.

There we find our salesman chatting to some people who I can only guess, work in the building.
It turns out, in his effort to get out of the parking structure, the saleman set off the fire alarm. Buzzers and lights can be heard and seen going off all over the building.

I never know what happens here because the salesman leaves and comes back with a car and we go back to the dealership. There I'm handed off to a dealer, the guy who works the price. It turns out the Xterra I was looking at was an Off Road. I didn't know because the lighting was so bad down there and we never did get it open.

So the dealer gives me a price of, are you ready? Thrity one thousand, eight. By now it's past dinner time and my friend and I are starving. I'm in a sour mood after this last adventure, but I don't want to be a complete jerk, so I tell the dealer, give me your best deal. He hardly comes down and I'm saying goodbye when he drops the price a grand. I was pretty impressed until I got home later to check the price on edmunds, but that's not until way later.

As dinner is wrapping up, I'm thinking I'd like to test drive the OR because I've read that the ride can be stiffer. I call the salesman and ask if they could have the car on the lot in a half hour so I could drive it. They say no problem.

I'm thinking it's a gamble that everything will go according to plan, but in for a penny, in for a pound. Well, we get there. No car. WTF?
The saleman says he's 'just' going to get it now. The lot is two minutes away. Okay, won't be a long wait.
Yeah, right.
30 minutes later there's no car and I'm feeling like a moron for standing around. The dealer tells me someone parked another car in front of the OR but the salesman is moving it. But I know it has to be the battery. Just as I'm getting out my car keys, the salesman shows up with the OR.

Okay, finally! Lets try it out... but first... but first what? He has to gas it up.
I let some of my frustration show as I explain in detail why I had called 30 minutes ahead. That they said they'd have the car ready. And the saleman has this pained look and says he's really sorry. What ever. By now it's night.

We get to the gas station and the saleman zooms out of the car telling me this'll just take a second, and smacks the drivers door in to one of the pillars of the gas station in the process.
A few gallons of gas and he's handing me the keys.
I get in, turn the key and ... you guessed it. Nothing happens. The fricken battery is dead!!!

I won't drag you through the rest of what happened. In short, they finally got it started. I drove it a few blocks and took it back. As the salesman was parking the OR I tried to find the dealer to let him know I was leaving. Couldn't find him so I'm bailing. Just as I'm pulling out, the dealer appears at my window. He's really sorry . Go home, I'll feel better after a good nights sleep yadda yadda yadda.

When I did get home, I looked up what edmunds says the OR sales for. After everything I've experienced, I think the dealer might come to a reasonable price. Otherwise, I have an S model lined up with someone else for the price I want.

I'll decide to day which way I'll go or drop it entirly and wait until the 06's come out. I have a working car.

More to come.

I just got a call from Universal City Nissan. The dealer who had been talking with me, just retracted his offer and bumped the price UP an additional 500 dollars.

After all that went on yesterday and this is how it comes out?

Do yourselves a big favor everyone. If you're looking for a new Xterra, save yourself the hair pulling.

The other dealership, in Thousand Oaks just called and came down another 300 on his last quoted price. I'm leaving in an hour to go and pick up MY NEW XTERRA!!!!

Pictures to follow. Tonight I'll be looking for fun places to try out the 4x4 and tomorrow I'll be introducing my new Xterra S to some dirt.

Here's my personal rating of the dealerships I've been to. This is only my opinion based on my own experices.
Thousand Oaks Nissan
Valencia Nissan
Mission Hills Nissan :rolleyes:
Miller Van Nuys Nissan
Oxnard Nissan
Universal City Nissan

Maybe you can send a letter or Nissan Corporate to complain about your experience with that dealership and cc: the actual dealership to let them know that you had sent a letter to corporate.

Welcome fellow X owner....!

Which one did you get? The S or OR?

Congradulations

Finally.............

Unbelieveable...

I got a ride out to Thousand Oaks. I was so excited, I was a mix of 'should I be doing this' and 'Oh man, I'm gonna have so much fun'.

The dealer rolls up with it and I ask for a quick spin. He says sure.

I get inside and... no VDC button. Huh? No fold down front seat? But... No Utility Package. Where's the Utility package?

The dealer feels terrible and says that his paperwork said 'Power utility package'. I never saw his paperwork to confirm this. I tell him I need a minute and he gives me some room.
I'm this close to getting a new Xterra and this happens. I talk it over with the person who drove me out there and she's saying if I'm happy with it, then no biggie. If I have to talk myself in to it, it's no good. I decide to take it out for a drive, all the same.

It's got no get up and go. I step on the gas from a stop and it kind of growls and goes, but the engne is clearly working hard. Maybe my head is playing tricks on me. I drive it again, but it's becoming clear that I'm not happy with it.

I'm so depressed. And it's the only 4x4 he's got. I tell him I'm going to sleep on it, but we both know it's not going to happen.

I'm so incredibly bummed. When my ride drops me off back home, I go to a nearby dealer just to see if my mind was playing tricks on me. They have a S 4x4 and drives like a dream. There's no mistaking the difference between the two. This one doesn't growl. It's quite like the many others I've tested.

Guys, I have to say, I'm burned out. I would like to have one, but after all I've been through, I think I'm going to back away from this for a bit and give myself a rest. Maybe I'll wait until the 06 comes out. The thought of going through this again does not excite me, I can gell you.

I really thought I'd be out kicking up some dirt today. sigh...

Your head is indeed playing tricks on U. Its all the same engine.

I'm sorry to hear that...especially since I was going to try hitting you up for a test drive on the '05 to avoid dealing with the stealership

I appreciate well-documented experiences like this (although I didn't see Culver City Nissan on your list - had decent experience with them). Best advice I can give you is to never settle, and if it doesn't feel a 100% right - don't do it.

I took my sweet time before getting my '04 (even with the knowledge of the redesigned '05 coming out) and have never looked back. Very happy - you should be too.

Man, you're taking that awfully personally. I mean, I like our vehicles, but this sounds like a soap opera.

For what its worth, you did the right thing. If you bought it, the fact that it "wasn't exactly what you wanted" may haunt you for however long you own the rig. Don't ever settle. Patience will prevail. You'll eventually get what you want.

You should see if you can afford an OR model. It has all the bells and whistles of a fully loaded S and its standard so you don't have to figure out if you're missing anything.

I completely agree with max6spd. I ordered mine on April 8th, was scheduled to come in on July 8th but actually came in 1 week early. It was a long wait mostly because I wanted an OR, 6 speed with side curtain airbags and that combination was later in the production cycle. (The manufacture date on the door sticker is early June). In the interim, my dealer let me take other Xterra's out for a "test" drive which kept me going and also let me learn more about it.

It sounds like your region (So. Cal.) works against you more so than mine (New Hampshire) where 4x4 are more common than 4x2.

You could always order like I did and than you know that your getting exactly what you want.

-mark

Try Performance Nissan in Duarte - They have been good to me for the last three (3) I purchased there...

DONE!!

You are currently reading a post from a brand new Xterra owner.

I would have never believed it would happen, especially after all I've been through, but it did.

Here's what happened.
I'm helping my buddy replace the brakes on his car and I get a call from Daniel at Universal City Nissan.

Let me take a moment to add a side note. My neighbor works for Nissan corporate and as she was congratulating me on my new Xterra, I mentioned the dealership name. The first words out of her mouth was, "A$$holes, everyone knows that." I guess everyone but me, until now. Okay, back to the story.

Daniel wants to know 'when', I'll be down to pick up the X. Uh... no. I'm really not interested any more. He asks why and I briefly explain.
20 minutes later Leslie (a sales manager) calls me and asks me the same thing, as if Daniel never said anything to him. (These guys work on the same team). I tell him the same thing I told Daniel.
Leslie gives me a quote and goes in to a long thing about how many times can he apoligize. I see where this is going and I say I'm not looking for anyone to kiss my rear. Thanks, good bye.

Okay, this will take too long, so I'll cut it down a lot. Why should you guys suffer too.

After about 10 more calls from Daniel and Leslie, now Daniel tells me, at great risk, he's gone around Leslie and taken the deal to the owners son, and they guarantee a price of 25,600.

I'm wondering why I hadn't turned off my phone long before now or blocked their calls, but I realize how funny all their calls are. In spite of what ultimate uber crappy treatment they gave me before, they're expending a huge amount of energy in to getting me back.

I tell them I'll think about it. Honestly, the idea of going there again to be screwed with was the last thing I wanted to deal with. But the price sounded good. I finally decided I would do it, but with a condition.
I call Daniel about an hour later and tell him this is how it has to be. They have all the paperwork, contracts, whatever written up. All I do is walk in, sign the docs, write the check and I'm out.
Ten minutes from the time I walk in, I want to be signing the last document. Understand? One zero. Ten. Daniel understands. He tells me the X is in the wash rack, right now. I talk to a different sales manager, he gets it too. I give them the information they need to write it up and hang up.

I show up 40 minutes later. Who meets me at the door? Leslie. AND... he tells me the car is just going in to the wash rack. I smile.
I walk in and Daniel comes over looking like he just blundered in to a Hells Angels Dull Knife convention and he's the test dummy. I see why when I see he's got some blank forms. (Are you kidding me?) He begins filling out a credit app and I calmly tell him, he's got 10 minutes. Spend them however he wants.
He's got the form done in three. He quickly moves us to the finance office where we wait. Daniel looks very nervous and worried. Three minutes, and I walk. Daniel gets on the phone.
(Remember, I'm really pissed with these guys. I am not pulling punches this time)

Suddenly, I'm wisked in to the finance office and I'm signing one doc after another. Nobody even whispers under body coating.
Next thing I know, I'm standing in front of my dripping sliver Xterra. I go over it with a fine tooth comb. Everyone is shaking my hand and telling me what a pleasure it was to meet me. Please come see them for my next purchase.

I drive off the lot. The sun has set and I'm taking in the sense of driving a new car. The glow of the dash lights. The radio is low. After a few miles I ask myself if I made the right decision. Did I rush it? Did I let someone push me in to it?
Will I regret this in the morning. A few miles later I ease a little more in to the seat.
I'm a new Xterra owner. I'm happy.

Congrats. So what did you finally get? S? OR? What options?

I went pretty simple. I like to add my own stuff.
I got a sliver S 4x4 with the power package.
I'll be putting in an Alpine radio with a jack to plug in my iPod.
I'm shopping for fog lights, tires, skid plates, etc. A friend of mine just had that clear plastic put on his car to protect it from chipping the front of his car. I'm going to look in to the pricing for the Xterra.

I might even have a sun roof put in over the rear seat, but that's low on the list.

Half the fun of having a car like the X is making it yours.

Now Im totally confused on this soap opera. I thought he wasnt happy with the performance? They all have the same engine..just different tranny and gearing. So did I miss an episode of this soap opera?

Another thing, all this aggravation .....for an S model? Last time I looked around, thats all that I saw at the dealers. So now the saga continues with the great hunt of new tires, skid plates, radio, fog lights...wait, did I say RADIO and FOG LIGHTS? Oh no, before U start asking about the wiring for the fog lights and radio....please do us all a favor. Use the SEARCH button above.
Congratulations!
PS: Thats Y I bought the OR even though Im a cheap-o. All I have to do is drive it and not worry about adding this and that.

I understand your confusion. Never the less, the one I got is much more responsive, faster off the line, and doesn't growl or whine.
Just because they're all supposed to be the same, doesn't mean they are. You've never heard of lemons?
You've never heard of someone getting something everyone else loves and theirs doesn't work right?
Or are you simply looking for an excuse to write 'soap opera' a few more times?

But you didn't get the Utility Package, right? That package had the VDC and the foldable front pass seat.

Not around this neck of the woods, and not in the color I wanted.

You bet! That's what makes it fun. Personalizing your X. Isn't that why everyone posts pictues of theirs? I don't know much about the Fozzz whatever radio, but I do know about Alpine.

Uh... 'do us all a favor'? I'm hurt. Wounded, even. To think this is the welcome I get from my Xterra brothers and sisters. hahaha.
No sweat. I'm sure this forum is a wealth of information from others who have already traveled that path. I'll try to keep my noob questions to as few as possible.