Decision time: 99 Explorer or 2002 Xterra?

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wood_e

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The Focus is going way soon and I'm looking at an SUV for winter/towing/hauling

I've narrowed my choices down to two models

2002 Nissan Xterra
- 135k
- 4 cylinder
- stick shift
- pretty darn clean
- 4x2
- strong clutch
- passenger window doesn't go up

1999 Explorer Sport
- 88k
- 4.0L V6
- Auto
- also, damn clean
- 4x4
- no issues

The dealer wants more for the explorer than the Xterrra, but I bet I can equalize the two.

So, being its Iowa, and winters are tough...

I'm learning towards the Explorer being lower mileage and 4x4, but I love having a stick shift, and the nissan drivetrain will last forever.

Thoughts?
 
Explorer, that 4.0 was a awesome engine, 4x4 is great on it, plus it has less miles and auto. My mom had 5 of them (2 year leases) she loved them. Also easy to find parts, large forum support.
 
 
4.0SOHC or 4.0 pushrod? My '99 Explorer Sport with the 4.0SOHC has been a reliable truck for me, my dad, and now my brother. The only problem it has had was a sticky idle air bypass, and it now has more than 125K miles on the clock.
 
go ford or go home! but yeah mother had a 99 explorer 4.0 same stuff blah blah thing lasted to 320k would have went longer but puddle+50mph=fail
 
xterras are giant pieces of plastic :q:q:q:q. explorer for sure.
 
i had a 01 explorer sport 4.0 sohc with a little over 100k on. man i HATED that pile of crap! was crappy in the snow, bad millage from the under powered sohc pos. got flooded, i guess they dont float lol.

after that i bought a 00 4 door 5.0 explorer with 125k on it and now its got 193k with no problems, great in the snow and better millage than that damn v6 ever got. ill drive that thing anywhere in any weather without a doubt! just this year ts been to arkansas a few times, New Orleans, and even started when we hit -30F this last winter

dont know why the sport handled so bad in winter but there was some days i drove the markviii instead cuz it did "better". i call my 00 4 door the mountian goat in the winter

now every explorer will need upper and lower ball joints, swaybar links and swaybar bushings etc all common problems that come with age on them

ok rant over
 
chickenviii said:
dont know why the sport handled so bad in winter but there was some days i drove the markviii instead cuz it did "better". i call my 00 4 door the mountian goat in the winter
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It has a shorter wheelbase and it doesn't weigh as much as the 4-door. The tires also make a whale of a difference on the Sport. On the original no-name semi-offroad tires mine had when I bought it, it wanted to fishtail like nobody's business (that once saved me from getting hit by a moron who ran a stop sign). Once I put the Bridgestone Dueler Revos on it, it was incredibly sure footed. The only problem I had with traction after that was when I tried to go up hill on an iced-over road, but all I had to do was to back up and take a longer run at it.
 
I say Explorer also. :cool:

I've had my '99 for a little over 6 years and it has been great! Mine is a 5.0 AWD and has had very few maintence issues other than standard wear items. I'm almost to the quarter million mile mark to boot.
 
SoonerLS said:
It has a shorter wheelbase and it doesn't weigh as much as the 4-door. The tires also make a whale of a difference on the Sport. On the original no-name semi-offroad tires mine had when I bought it, it wanted to fishtail like nobody's business (that once saved me from getting hit by a moron who ran a stop sign). Once I put the Bridgestone Dueler Revos on it, it was incredibly sure footed. The only problem I had with traction after that was when I tried to go up hill on an iced-over road, but all I had to do was to back up and take a longer run at it.
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i agree on the wb and the weight, but it had michelins on it but it was WORTHLESS in snow. the 5.0 awd is a monster in the snow! last year i went to play around in a park parking lot that was knee deep in virgin snow, well i missed the entrance and went through the ditch without a problem, got slowed up for a sec but a quick brip of the throttle and she came right out!
 
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