I've had 3 latest generation Xterras 4x4's. (2006, 2008. 2009) Also great trucks overall, and def more reliable if thats what you're after. Not real good for rocks at all, but that doesnt sound like your top priority anyway. The engine has the power we hope the next Jeep will have, more than enough. The Xterra will blend into the crowd a lot more and not get much attention, but its a good multipurpose vehicle for road trips. Never took any of my Xterras to the dealer EVER for anything. Still have our 2009 with about 17k miles on it.

 

Too bad to hear of your decision. I think with time you will learn that it was the modifications themselves that has caused you not to trust the vehicle; not that it was a Jeep or a Nissan. I have a friend who is a retired Jeep proving ground engineer (been in the Jeep engineering business 30 years) who has a 70's CJ-5 with very few modifications that can out wheel most all of us. He is a wealth of information and wisdom and keeps me in check when it comes to over-modding my Jeeps. I say reevaluate which modifications you have placed on you Jeep and bring it back closer to stock and you will reestablish that trust. If it is too late for the JK, then don't make the same mistakes with the new vehicle so you can enjoy your hobby. Good luck!

 

I sold my Jeep last month, felt the same as you. Didn't get any help from Chrysler, not impressed with them at all. I too loved the Jeep, mine was an 07 Unlimited Rubicon that I purchased in Oct '06. From the start I had issues but the dealership was great and they took care of all problems over the years, for which there were many. But in the infinite wisdom of Chrysler they shutdown the dealership I went to, the other dealer up the road is less than stellar, five stars my backside! So other issues started cropping up and I too lost faith in a vehicle with only 41,000 miles on it. It was hard to sell it but needed to be done because I lost faith in its reliability. I was holding out for the 2011 Jeep Rubi in hopes that it would have a diesel and I would have traded mine in for one! But I think that Chrysler has canned the idea of selling a diesel Jeep Wrangler in the US. I love this forum, the people on it are awesome and have helped me over the years with TSB's and answers to problems with the Jeep - so I too must say goodbye and wish everyone happy Jeep Wheel'n - take care.

 

Very sorry to hear that! Having confidence is a big part of driving a vehicle. I know with all the work I have put into my 'Cuda, I now have a huge amount of confidence in it. However, it took a lot of time and several rides in the tow truck to get it to that point.

I hope the Xterra works out for you, I'm not sure I could trade mine for one. But if it lets you trust it, that's a big deal. These JKs do have their problems, you can either tackle them head first, try to band aid them, or hope they never happen to you. I can understand where you are coming from. I am fortunate enough to be a technician for a living so I deal with things a different way than some. I enjoy changing things, but track bar mounts ripping, axle mounts, etc, are not really things I want to "mess with", it should work out of the box and not be riding the edge of being safe. I do need to upgrade mine!

Best of luck!

I'll be about 250 miles from you by the end of summer, hopefully. We'll have to catch a trail

 

as soon as you start lifting the Xterra you will have the same problems. Any car or truck will have issues when you modify the suspension from oem design like that. You better keep that one stock so you dont get discouraged again.

 

Perhaps, but the only lift-related "issue" I wasn't comfortable with was the track bar. I had everything else pretty nicely dialed in after the lift. The Jeep's track bar failures are not solely related to lifting. Plenty of stock JKs get death wobble. Besides, my JK had several suspension issues right out the box, like a faulty rear shock mount and a disconcerting squeak on the driver's side rear axle that I never could run down. Then there was the factory-installed rust on the steering column shaft and the front axle. The whole undercarriage lacked a certain sense of integrity.

Mine was a very modest lift and, like I said, once I re-tightened the bolt the problem never recurred. But having that steering wheel whipsaw from side to side while you're driving down the Interstate puts a big dent in your confidence.

I've modified lots of cars in my time and used to autocross them hard on a regular basis. I've got a pretty good sense of when something is "my fault" and when it's an issue inherent in the design.

I hope I'm wrong, but I stand by my contention that the factory axle side track bar mount could have been engineered better by Jeep, and that there's too much stress on it in the suspension design. Keep an eye on those track bars, folks, and examine them with every oil change.

In any event, I didn't come to argue about this. I came to express my regret and to thank everyone here for being so great. The JK is a wonderful device. It just wasn't the device for me.

Seriously, let's do that. I'll be looking for a good excuse to pop the Xterra's cherry.

 

Suspension components, like transmissions and clear coat, are not Chryslers strong point. I had an 88 Daytona where the steering column cracked - twice! (couldnt make left turns! To date, Ive never known anyone who cracked a steering column hitting a pothole)

When the car was 2 yrs old, the clear coat started lifting on the top surfaces. When my 2001 Sebring LXI coupe was 3 yrs old, the clear coat on the top surfaces started lifting. Thats at least a 13 yr period where Chrysler knew they had crap paint jobs, and did nothing about it. I also had a 97 Ram 2500 with the same issue. Oddly, my 99 Ram 1500 had great paint, the one yr maybe they got it right. Its no wonder they are consistently at the bottom of quality surveys.

Despite all this, Ill probably take a good hard look at the 2011 Wrangler. Damn you Chrysler!