Specifically with the supercharged engine.
Any gotchas?
Any gotchas?
Talk to me about the first-gen Xterra
- Thread starter RooflessVW
- Start date
The only thing I know of with those is some of them had the auto transmission cooler that failed and mixed with the coolant, causing transmission destruction. I'm sure there is a way to bypass that and run an external cooler, but worth checking the fluid when inspecting one for purchase.
This is also the only thing I know about them.
The supercharger didn't make it a powerhouse as one might think, it made it merely competitive with the naturally aspirated engines in the competitor vehicles. They are generally fairly reliable.
I didn't realize "SMOD" effected 1st gen 3.3L Xterras. I thought it was a very early VQ40+ 5AT thing.
Either way, I'd go for a 2nd gen just for parts availability, etc.
Either way, I'd go for a 2nd gen just for parts availability, etc.
Typical VG33 issues of the era
Fuel injectors, good luck getting a good distributor these days
If the knock sensor goes, it'll derate, kill boost/timing, and be unbearably slow
It's under the lower intake, quite a chore
But if you find a good one at the right price
Fuel injectors, good luck getting a good distributor these days
If the knock sensor goes, it'll derate, kill boost/timing, and be unbearably slow
It's under the lower intake, quite a chore
But if you find a good one at the right price
They're mechanically identical to the same year Frontier, from what I've seen.
Aside from everything mentioned - they do seem to have more vacuum leak issues. Being the vacuum line rat's nest that the 3.3L engine bay is - it takes a good minute to find that one cracked line, usually the hardest one to get to. Smoke machine helps some, but still time consuming.
Also takes same amount of fuel to move as a 454 powered GMT400. If not same, then very close to it.
Also takes same amount of fuel to move as a 454 powered GMT400. If not same, then very close to it.
Last edited:
I owned a VG, not a fan. Stick to a VQ powered example.
You guys know I daily a first-gen Trooper, right? Can't be any slower or harder to find parts for than that.
I am looking at second-gen Xterras as well.
I am looking at second-gen Xterras as well.
As I recall, a turbocharged engine operating in boost takes more fuel to put out as much power as a normally-aspirated engine does to put out the same amount of power.
I assume the same is true for a supercharged engine.
The trick for good fuel economy with turbocharged engines is to keep them out of boost as much as possible.
Not sure this is even possible with a supercharged engine; never owned one.
I bought a 2012 2nd Gen brand new with 14 miles on the ODO and drove it until 121,000 with no mechanical issues and no repairs that were not basic maintenance items.. Wish I still had it.. was only $25k new with a good end of month deal.. probably could have sold it during COVID for what I paid for it... lol
A 454 powered GMT400 gets 11MPG running 60 on the highway, and worse in any other situation than that. The supercharged VG doesn't do quite that bad. You can get upper teens on the highway if you drive a reasonable speed.
A buddy of mine just sold his 2012 Frontier for $17k
I remember the 3.5 capacity also.
That's crazy. That's what the 1.6 in my Sentra took!
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
A friend bought an '03 supercharged Xterra new and drove it to 200k in Pa with no problems. Timing belt @ 110k I think. Sold it and saw it around for a couple of more years. Horrible gas mileage in all conditions. The 3.3 is gutless so it must be on boost most of the time.
Gen 1 is a good solid SUV with few problems. Run good oil on short OCIs.
It didn't. I recently gave our '02 Xterra to daughter so I was on the forums. SMOD started with Gen 2 in 2005 and was possible until 2010 or 11.
Gen 1 is a good solid SUV with few problems. Run good oil on short OCIs.
Last edited:
My GMT400 with the 350 was 12MPG no matter how I drove. Touched 13MPG like once or twice somehow, but usually 12 is all I could get out of it. City or highway, driving like a teen or driving like a grandpa, all the same MPG.
A church friend with the 3.3L Supercharged Frontier said 15MPG is the best he ever got in 150k miles of ownership, and usually it stayed around 13MPG. Down to single digits when offroading... We called it banana, as it was yellow, crew cab, with the longest bed option.
