Just curious whether anyone has outperformed (or not outperformed a Cherokee or YJ). I'm not talking about a gazillion upgrades though - just relatively stock.

Thanks.

Yep, the jeep had smaller tires but due to having a frame with better clearance, it was able to climb skid plate rock. Strike one against the xterra

That wasn't the answer I was hoping for...are there any mods that would even out the playing field?

I believe a cherokee will always outperform an Xterra off road, unless you first put 150,000 miles on the engine and the jeep ceases to work.

Well that's just great...what CAN we outperform?
(kia...Suzuki...?)

Guys,

The Xtera is an SUV, not a Jeep... With independent front suspension, "road" gears, and no clearances... it is what it is... a great light off road vehicle that can get you to and from work.

Personally, I call my X an UnJeep, just so there is no confusion with Jeep guys.

Replace the front end with a solid axle, buy some gears from hell (200:1), lift it six inches, add some Detroit lockers, and you have the start of a hard core crawler, but you will not be driving it to work.

If you want to get into rock crawling, buy a built Suk, or Jeep. For those of us living in reality, I like my X.

I go ghost towning, run down mine roads, go fishing in out of the way places, and my X works great.

See ya on UnJeep trails...
Doc

You speak as if every Jeep is highly modified as well. You take the typical XTERRA and typical XTERRA owner and put them on Paragon's level II trails with the typical Jeep and typical Jeep owner, and I bet the XTERRA performs as well or better.

Why did you buy an Xterra ?

I wanted a vehicle that I could afford, that could carry 4 adults plus gear, is likely to last well over 100,00 miles, had fairly decent off road capability and good on road handling.

The Xterra is not perfect on any of those, but its a good compromise.

Best attribute of the Xterra is that it attracts an enormous amount of Beaver, so if you're in the hunt for pelt and have a Solar Yellow you've got it made.

On the Greenridge Trail we had 8 X's. A guy in a sotck Grand Cherokee ended up behind us on the trail. When we got to a really difficult mud bog that we had to go around over a rock, the 8 X's (some bone stock) got over fine (with some good spring hanger scrapping). The Grand Cherokee got completely high centered and was totally stuck. Does this mean the X is "better" - no, but it does mean you can find an obstacle the X does much better on.

I have no doubt that given a good driver, both an Xterra and stock Cherrie will do about the same... but that's where it ends... stock. Few Cherries I wheel with are stock. Most are lifted, locked, and geared down to hell.

Given that Jeeps have been off roading a long time (WWII) and the tremendous amount of after market parts, it is very easy to build out a Jeep. As for the front ends... the only serious choice for serious off roading is a solid front axle. Gears... maybe someday the Calmini folks will offer a 78% low reduction gear for the X, but then look forward to blowing out CV joints.

The bottom line is my X is a great off road vehicle... not a rock crawler.

Reliability the X is way above the Jeep. Comfort the X great. And as a chick or dude magnet (whatever trips your switch), the X works like a charm.

I bought an X to go to places that a Land Rover can only dream about... but that's another flame war.

Enjoy your X for what it is... a great way to enjoy the outdoors and don't sweat the guys climbing boulder fields... they're just doing their Jeep thing.

See ya on the trail,
DOc

It was my 1st off road adventure. I was in my brand new stock X on a back trail on Assatigue Island National Seashore in deep sand. I went around a corner came across a Jeep Wrangler frame deep in the sand.

It was 100 degrees and the mosquitos were out in force. Deciding not to risk being eaten alive by the bugs while trying to dig him out, I hooked a strap to him and "walked" him out. (The loser didn't even have a shovel.. he was trying to dig himself out by hand). He thanked me and headed back to the paved roads.

Was my stock X better than his stock Jeep? Prob not... but the X is wonderful in sand. Jeeps are good too, even better if you LET SOME AIR OUT OF YOUR TIRES! (There are air stations at the trail head on the island... no excuse).

HaPpY Trails,

Ken

P.S. When telling this story to Jeep owners, I always leave out the part about the 30+ lbs of air in that guys tires.

Hey Lemsip:

After 2 Cherokees and A Grand, I was heartbroken when they discontinued the Cherokee and replaced it with that gay looking Liberty - obviously targeting the chick market.

I liked the look of the X, and got all excited from the brochures and off-road prowess claims. Plus, I thought Nissan put a lot of thought into it. So far, my gas mileage sucks, my wheel size limits tire upgrades, and I had to wire in my own electric brake controller wire. I still like my X, but I'm looking for some redeeming qualities over the stock Cherokee.

What about an X versus Liberty? Any thoughts?

Yeah, I'll post in "general"!

Best attribute of the Xterra is that it attracts an enormous amount of Beaver, so if you're in the hunt for pelt and have a Solar Yellow you've got
it made.

--------------------
Brap On! That's fuggin great!
-cbx

You MUST be joking...unless you are talking Freelander.

A Disco and a Rangie will outperform an Xterra offroad just as easily as a Cherokee and a Grand will. (no need to even mention the Wrangler or Defender)

Outstanding that the X was able to make it up. It really was made to look easy.

But a question: It looked like the LR was hung up going up hill in the last sequence due to its' long wheelbase and due to the departure angles being impeded by the extended ass of the truck. It looked like the entire rear end was dragging as it was impeeding progress.

The X has a shorter wheelbase and thus wasn't hung up as it scooted up. Dare I speculate that it has a better departure angle as well?

Right; wrong?

Just another story. On vacation my brother with his YJ got stuck on a snowy hill and could not get to the road. Our friend with his Cherokee got stuck in the ice tring to pull him up the hill. By the time I got back with the X a Ford had pulled the Cherokee out and I didn't spin a tire pulling the YJ up the hill. There are good days and bad days.

I like Jeeps but I think you need to spend more money to make one more compedative off-road than an Xterra. Now the Cherokee has a 3 inch lift (that brought it up to the same height as my stock X) and a winch. There is no doubt that he could go anywhere...but I would not have any problem following.

O.k., o.k....I get the picture - the X is a better 'stock'vehicle, but would get it's ass kicked by a done-up Cherokee!

Is this a good summary?

Well I have a 2001 Frontier Crew Cab, not an Xterra. But 6 months after I got it I went to Moab. All I had done was to add a topper and a hitch.(2 things that hinder not help off road ability) I was even still on my stock tires.
Around lunch one day I ran into a Jeep club on "Steel Bender" All of the jeeps were highly modified and the smallest tire in the group was 35". I hopped out of my stock Nissan with a trail map. I had not been paying close attention to where we were on the map. All of the Jeepers seemed to be looking at me. I asked them where on the trail we were. The answer was "between this virtually-impassable spot and this totally-impassable spot. They were all staring at me. I decided that it was time for lunch and to go back down the route we had taken to have lunch by a creek we had crossed. As I went back to my truck the entire group was still looking at me as if I had 3 heads.
I later figured out why they were staring, I guess they didn't expect a stock Nissan to be able to make it that far. I figure anyone of them who had had trouble with that section of trail felt sheepish after seeing a stof Frontier had done it with no damage.

A lot of what can be done with a vehicle has to do with the driver. I am not saying that I am an expert -- I consider myself a novice, I have only been at this for a 2 years or so. My father-in-law always say about most people in 4x4s (and don't know how to drive them) "just because you have a scalpel, it doesn't make you a doctor."

That's me and my X in that clip. I believe the Rover was the 100" wheelbase model. The X has a 104" wheelbase. The Rover has a much better departure angle than the Xterra stock, and that one is lifted and on 35" tires. He also has a locker in the rear diff.
His problem was that he was intent on crawling up, and there was a rut at the foot of the rock face that was just big enough to swallow his tires. All he (and I) needed was a little goose to start up it and it was a piece of cake. He shouldn't have had any problem at all, but he had a one-track mind.

Brent

Well, seeing as I currently own both, let me throw my .02 cents.

Stock - Hill Climbing Cherokee all the way. Modified - Cherokee all the way.

Stock - Mud - toss up, more driver than anything.
Modified - toss up again in my book

Stock - Rock Crawl - Cherokee all the way
Modified - Rock Crawl - Cherokee all the way. That solid axle is tough to beat, plus you can mod the hell out of a cherokee for half the price of the X.

Stock - Getting babes - X all the way
Modified - Cherokee - A modified Cherokee looks beastly and is a chick magnet

Ride/reliability/comfort/ - Stock or Modified Xterra hands down. I love the Cherokee, but it feels like an amusement park ride on regular pavement compared to the Xterra. Also, I add an extra hour on my work time whenever I work on the Cherokee just for broken bolts. I swear DC makes parts out of tinfoil and peanut brittle.

The things the Cherokee has over the X is

1. Much lower gearing
2. More horsepower
3. Solid Axle (this is debatable I guess)
4. Lighter
5. Cheaper, and easier to fix

I think that if you were strictly going for an off road vehicle, a Cherokee is a very good choice. I am not a wrangler fan, and from what I here the longer wheelbase of a Cherokee makes for a better climber anyway.

What is it with you guys and 'chick magnets?!!' :p - where was this truck when I was single??? .

I must admit, it is a nice looking truck, and I get an awful lot of looks with it, but I'm trying to hypnotize myself into feeling good about taking it into those 'hard-to-get-to' fishing spots.

I may have to spend $1000 and get the BFG All-Terrains as a minimum.