I have a 4x2 X, 2002. It's great, but I wonder if I should get a 4x4 instead. I would like to do some off-roading, and snow (not much here in OK) stinks.

Does anyone think I should switch? Or does it really matter? Clearly some people prefer a 4x4 over the 4x2, but beyond that, what does anyone think?

In the end, only you can make that decision. Personnly, I could never see owning a truck or SUV that wasn't a 4x4, but that's because I use it and live in area where I have access to trails. Plus the occasional winter blizzard makes it even more handy.

If you're not much of an "outdoors person" (i.e. hunting, fishing, camping, mountain biking, etc) or don't live near any trails, farms, mud or whatever, then no, you probably don't need it. Don't get a 4x4 because it's "cool", get it because you think you'd like to get to places a 4x2 can't take you. And keep in mind, you may someday want to venture West or East and visit some destinations that are ripe with mountains and trails. But again, only you can make that decision based upon your needs, lifestyle, etc.

That being said, yes, go get a 4x4! You'll love it!

here we go again...

i will try and state my opinion with out starting another huge debate on the subject...

I have a 4x2.
I am happy with it, but thats only because of what i want to do to/with it...

-if you are looking to do serious rock crawling
-if you are looking to do a lot of snow/ice driving
-if you would like to spend a lot of time in mud, and get out easily
-get a slightly higher resale

get a 4x4

but if
-you would like to drive on modertae dificulty and lower off-road trails
-pay less for your truck
-save money on insurance(for me a lot of money)
-dont mind hearing and endless stream of put downs from 4x4 owners

get a 4x2

basicly it depends what you want to do, there have only been about 2 or 3 place i would like to have gone that i couldn't... i have been stuck more than most but then again it usually happens when im off-roading with a bunch of 4x4's...

unless you want to get into serious rock crawling then i dont see the need for 4x4, im in Southern california and the only time i see that most people would use it is if they went up to the mountains... i have driven in snow and done quite well...

I personaly am planning to put a Long travel suspension on my truck and go for more of a "desert runner" set up, as that is what i enjoy... i would much rather do 50mph across a desert trail hiting whoop dee doos, then do 2mph over huge boulders... but thats not to say the latter is not fun to watch

[ 11-28-2001: Message edited by: Todrick ]
I'm just gonna edit this thing till i get it right... then i can save time the next time this comes up

[ 11-28-2001: Message edited by: Todrick ]

That should read "very few off-road trails" (and I'll correct you every time you make that false statement).

Go look at the Moab pics I just posted in the Pictures forum, or any picture on Xterra Journal. Those are "most off-road trails", and a 2WD will never be able to drive them.

really?

that seems innacurate, i would imagine there are tons more "fire roads" then there are "3+" trails...

I do know that when i look at topos i generally have to look for trails that are worse than a simple dirt road...
but then again i could be wrong... i will re-phrase...

-if you want to drive on moderate difficulty and lower off-road trails

Not to stir up more shit because you guys know I hate to do that but Ian, does your distain for 2wd x's cloud your opinion? Let's take a look at these un2wheeldrivable pictures you wanted us to see shall we.

What part of the trail in this pic would be impassible by anything other than a Volkswagen Jetta?

Unless a 2WD is somehow taller than the 4wd I don't see this being too much of a problem either.

Ditto for the Jetta comment

It doesn't show how you got there right?

My guess is (based on the other preceding pics) that you drove arround that big rock. Just like a guy in a Subaru Outback would have.

Just to let us lesser 2wd owners know. Are you in 4wd high or 4wd low for this one?

As a matter of fact Ian it looks like a pretty scenic relaxing drive up until you got to seven mile rim . You wanted him to look at THOSE pictures as evidence that a 2wd can't go anywhere that a 4WD can? Granted , maybee I'm not seeing the big stuff somewhere but it sure looks to me like he could have tagged along in a radio flyer for those 1st 8 or so pictures.

I give you a lot of credit for knowing your truck and taking the X places that noone else has and taking some great pictures of it in the process. But the limitations of the 2wd aren't as significant as you make them out to be and there are a lot of people , me included that still find plenty of places to take it and have fun.

3 and 3+ trails are moderate.
Even trails rated 2 will stop a 2WD.

I give up, you will never understand how severely limited a 2WD Xterra really is off-road.

SoCalPunx, you would get stuck in 2WD just above the large rock tunnel on Long Canyon. You may make it up, since they have been grading the road occasionally.

White Rim is drivable for 78 miles in 2WD, then you get to HardScrabble Hill, where a 2WD would not make it, and you would be forced to drive back 78 miles to Moab.

What I've been trying to say for 2 years, is that if someone is even remotely interested in 4 wheeling, don't even consider a 2WD, it's that simple.

You, like Todrick, have no clue what you are talking about, and are just trying to justify buying a 4000 lb minivan.

So this was or wasn't a gross generalization? Those were the right pictures , right? Just making a point that maybee "most trails " was giving yourself a bit to much credit.

Almost, there are no pictures on Xterra Journal that a 2WD could get through unaided, except for Shrine Pass, which is a passenger car road, and Long Canyon, if it has been graded.

To tell you the truth Ian those 1st 8 pics were the 1st thing I saw and they looked pretty damn passable to me. That's all.

ok, another 2wd guy here, its not so bad, the 4wd and 2wd look the same, and you will get higher gas mileage too because of less weight. Don't get me wrong, if i had to do it over again i would have opted for the 4x4
as long as its an X, thats all that counts!
Also you can always put the spare tire on the roof to look like your hardcore 4x4 dude!
Here we go with the tire on the roof debate!

I refuse to step into a flame war..

But MAN those are some REALLY nice pics, Ian.

That is a beautiful place. A bit dry for my taste =) (jk), but damn beautiful.. I am missing out. Oh, the curses of living in the swamp. (Louisiana),,

Come east then. Not all of us live in SoCal (thank god) where there are 50 million trails consisting nothing but dust and dirt. I don't "rock crawl" at all and use my 4wd all the time. The majority of the trails I run here in the mid-atlantic begin with a sign that says "Not Recommended For Two Wheel Drives". Why? Because a 4x2 would be useless in there. If you're happy with a 4x2 then fine, but why keep convincing yourself you can go everywhere a 4x4 can??? You can't. In SoCal maybe, but not most other places.

>>What I've been trying to say for 2 years, is that if someone is even remotely interested in 4 wheeling, don't even consider a 2WD, it's that simple.

Depends on yer definition of 4 wheeling. Most folks wouldn't do a 78 mile trail to start with. Or rock crawl. There's a guy in West Va. that did some pretty gnarly shit in a CJ with the front drive shaft detached...granted that's a CJ with a much shorter wheelbase and a locked rear end, but most of that trail was doable with an open rear end, too...

If yer gonna go 2wd, do yerself a favor if yer gonna do anything approaching "rough"..get the LSD rear differential, or better yet a full locker system...you may already have LSD, I dunno...but you can have plenty of fun on the mild trails in 2wd. No shame in it. If yer having fun, who cares?

Bleach, you've just bought an '02 X. This is a question you should've asked before you bought! If you trade it in now, you'll lose big time. I, like many other 4X2 owners, am happy with my truck while others have not been and have traded them in for 4X4's. It all depends on what you're wanna do with it! I have owned 2 Nissan 4X2 pickups in the past so I chose the 4 banger. I love it! It looks and drives great, it hauls our mtbs, kayaks skis, etc. with ease and it fits my personality and lifestyle to a T! Everyone is different, but I personally can't afford to buy a $25,000 vehicle and then beat on it in the woods no matter how tough it is. I'm averaging 21-22 mpg in mixed driving (mostly around town). I'm getting the equivalent of 7 extra gallons of gas each tank full over the 16 - 18 mpg'ers. At $1.50 - $1.60/gallon, I saved over $400 in gas last year alone. That'll help buy lift tickets, bike parts, kayak accessories, etc. To others that's not as important as being able to go anywhere. Just follow the tag line: "Everything you need, nothing you don't"

I bought My 2WD (minivan NOT!) X to tow - not for off road. After purchasing the X I found this club and have been on a couple of runs with the guys.

Truth be known the 2WD cannot do everything the 4WD can do...duh :rolleyes: , however there are a lot of things the 2WD can do that the 4WD guys think they can't, thouogh it is much harder in a 2WD...

Here in Cali we are blessed with many 2WD passable desert roads that those to the east do not have the privelage of. The key is to know what you personally and your vehicle can do - and go from there, when you challenge the limits be prepared to pay the consiquences.

Thanks for this info. I am in OK now, but I would like to move back out to CA where I am originally from. I lived in the Pismo Beach area and in the Lompoc area. I have been wondering if my 4x2 would do any good out on the sand dunes off Pismo's coast. I did consider getting a 4x4 since I enjoy outdoor activity, but I just wasn't sure. Thanks. Send me an email so I can ask you more questions about driving in SoCal. Thanks.

4x4=2H,4H,4L
2x4=2H
Sorry, couldnt imagine how difficult and dangerous it would be to try some of the trails Ive been on with just a HIGH gear. Most of the time its not always a matter of having 4x4, its that low range that will make things so much better...

sir... i've driven a 3... not sure but i think i have also done a 3.5, i'd have to look at a couple maps...

a 2 will not stop an x 2wd or 4wd

i have never... and will never say that... that is what causes the debate...

most of you think thats what im saying, but in reality i am just defending against ians repeated coments that the 2wd X is a "4000lb. minivan" which is not the case...

im not an idiot i know the 2wd wont go everywhere the 4x4 will but it will go a lot further than most give it credit for

I think that this statement is what is being debated. IMO it is also a question of geography , as in what part of the country you live. Here in So Cal there is a huge desert running culture and there are way more desert type trails than there are hard core rock crawling and mud trails. They can be done in 2WD and it's fun to go FAST .

Can they also be driven in a minivan ? Sure why not. It's not as much fun but hey , each to their own. Noone here ever said that a 2wd can do everyhing a 4wd can do . It can't . Who cares ? I don't try to . I do what I like to do and I have fun doing it.

Ian , your condescending remarks referring the 2wd only make you look petty . It can be translated as trying to splinter this community that by your own definition is for all Xterra owners. It is your site, your club and therefore your ball. We play by your rules. But assuming that all 2wd owners regret thier purchases , however informed their buying decision was , because it doesn't do the mighty , majestic , wonderfull and exotic things your magical supertruck does is missing the mark. It serves no purpose. 2wd owners love their trucks. They have fun in them and they're allways going to . Why not encourage them instead of berating them? Regards, Patrick.

My petty remarks only come to light when Todrick continues to try to convince people that a 2WD is almost as good as a 4WD off-road. It's not. It's no where even close.

People can buy all the 2WD Xterras they want, I don't care, just don't try and convince new buyers, or those thinking of trading up that a 2WD will get you places it wont.

I'm so glad they don't even sell them here in Colorado, so I don't have to deal with it.

i thought i was right up front about this...
for most trail the 2wd is fine... for anything moderate or below. for anything tougher, or for mud or rock crawling your better off with a 4x4...



my response is the same as the previous...
but what about trying to convince them it's a mini-van?

I have taken my truck to some amazing places... and really dont have a desire to "rock crawl" so i dont need more, if someone doesn't need more why is it you have to bash them for having the truck that suits their needs?

how bout this:
I go and buy a disco, then whenever you make ANY comment about the 4x4 X i can tell you that you drive a "Station Wagon"... and if i see someone who wants to buy an 4x4 X i can tell them the same thing. think about it, its silly, childish... and doesn't do anyone any good

You're right; it's not a minivan... the minivan would be better in the snow, haul more (except for towing), get better mileage, and most likely be faster and handle better.