The seller of today’s Nice Price or No Dice Nissan 4x4 spells its name phonetically in the ad: “exterra.” Let’s see if its price spells out a good deal.
Lovely to look at and likely still exhibiting its bank vault-like build, yesterday’s 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300 SDL looked to be a solid classic that could be enjoyed daily. At $7,995, it wasn’t too dear either, resulting in an enthusiastic 75 percent Nice Price win.
There’s nothing more frustrating than not having the right tool for the job. When tackling off-road adventures, the right tool is a capable 4X4, preferably one with racks to keep all your stuff safe and brush guards to do likewise for the bodywork.
This 2002 Nissan Xterra might be such a tool. After all, it has its factory-installed basket rack on the roof and an add-on bull bar protecting the grille and lights up in the front. It’s also forest green, so it’s all the better to blend in when out amongst the trees.
Nissan first introduced the Xterra for the 1999 model year as a smaller and more basic 4WD wagon, slotting in below the larger and more fancy-pants Pathfinder. From the B-pillar forward, the model shares much of its structure and mechanicals with the Frontier compact pickup. From there back, however, it has a wagon body that’s immediately identifiable for its iconic stepped-roof design and asymmetrical tailgate glass.
That design allows for stadium seating in the back and the aforementioned stepped roof rack that can allow for a gear basket in front and cross bars in the back. Being a 2002, this one shows off the Xterra’s first design refresh. That switched out the rectangular headlamps of the first few years for squircle units above a slightly massaged front bumper.
According to the ad, this one comes with the killer drivetrain, comprised of the optional 210 horsepower supercharged 3.3 liter VG33E V6 and a five-speed manual transmission. A two-speed transfer case and part-time 4WD give it the goods for solid off-the-pavement adventuring.
The ad shows the truck with 177,124 miles on the clock, but those miles don’t show significantly on either the body or interior. The paint does exhibit patches of clear coat failure on the horizontal surfaces, something all too common on cars of this age. Contrastingly, the factory wheels appear uncurbed and wear tires with plenty of tread.
It’s the same story in the cabin, with decent-looking plastics and cloth upholstery that appears clean and intact. The factory stereo is still in residence, so don’t expect any sort of modern infotainment action.
Mechanically, the seller touts that “everything works good” and says the A/C blows cold. It also has a clean title, so there’s no monkey business there. Aside from its age and minor aesthetic issues, this Xterra doesn’t seem to have anything amiss. We’ll have to decide if that extends to its $8,250 asking price.
What do you say? Considering its kit and capabilities, is $8,250 a fair price for this seemingly solid Nissan 4X4? Or does that price make this Xterra too “extra?”
You decide!
Dallas, Texas, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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