SC or Xterra?

[varol1]

I've got a '99 4Runner with 220k miles and am becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of power when towing relatively lightweight campers (1,000-1,500 lbs.) through the Colorado mountains. For what it's worth, I didn't buy the truck with the intent to tow - it's a hobby my family picked up and don't seem keen to stop anytime soon.

The two options I'm debating are putting on a supercharger and selling the truck for an Xterra.

While the S/C is of course the less expensive option ($3,795 new or cheaper used), I can get a 2010+ Xterra with lower miles for $12-15k locally (and sell my truck for ~$7k).

Knowing this forum is obviously biased, maybe the better question to ask is, why wouldn't I upgrade to a 10+ year newer, more powerful, and similarly equipped truck for an additional $2-5k over the cost of an SC?

 

[Bad Luck]

I've got a '99 4Runner with 220k miles and am becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of power when towing relatively lightweight campers (1,000-1,500 lbs.) through the Colorado mountains. For what it's worth, I didn't buy the truck with the intent to tow - it's a hobby my family picked up and don't seem keen to stop anytime soon.

The two options I'm debating are putting on a supercharger and selling the truck for an Xterra.

While the S/C is of course the less expensive option ($3,795 new or cheaper used), I can get a 2010+ Xterra with lower miles for $12-15k locally (and sell my truck for ~$7k).

Knowing this forum is obviously biased, maybe the better question to ask is, why wouldn't I upgrade to a 10+ year newer, more powerful, and similarly equipped truck for an additional $2-5k over the cost of an SC?

There's a double edged sword with newer vehicles as there are a lot more vehicle systems and modules. The downside is there are (obviously) a lot more systems/modules that could fail. The upside is newer vehicles are much better about setting a code that will aid in narrowing down what is wrong. I personally find 99/00 4Runners the ideal amount of vehicle systems and technology. I have a friend with a 2010 Frontier (essentially an xterra truck as far as powertrain and engine bay go) and it's a tight squeeze to work on anything in the engine bay.

If you're considering an xterra I would highly recommend test driving a couple if you can find some locally to test drive before spending too much effort into finding an xterra to buy. I thought I wanted a Hummer H3 Alpha once upon a time until I drove one. The interior is horrendous and the ride is pretty bad as well.

 

[varol1]

If you're considering an xterra I would highly recommend test driving a couple if you can find some locally to test drive before spending too much effort into finding an xterra to buy. I thought I wanted a Hummer H3 Alpha once upon a time until I drove one. The interior is horrendous and the ride is pretty bad as well.

Appreciate your perspective - all valid points.

I've driven four Xterra's and have enjoyed the less harsh suspension compared to my truck with a 2" lift. I'd love to see how it tows but am guessing it's smoother - I need to find someone in the area with a SC 3rd gen to see how that feels as well.

 

[Bad Luck]

Appreciate your perspective - all valid points.

I've driven four Xterra's and have enjoyed the less harsh suspension compared to my truck with a 2" lift. I'd love to see how it tows but am guessing it's smoother - I need to find someone in the area with a SC 3rd gen to see how that feels as well.

You're welcome. Test driving a supercharged 3rd gen would be ideal. I'm not sure what elevation you are at, but higher altitudes limit hp/torque gains from supercharging. You can change supercharger pulley/injector/fuel management/etc to get more out of the supercharger, but that's obviously additional money/effort/complexity.

An alterative route to supercharging would be regearing front and rear differentials. I'm assuming you are running a larger than stock size. Combine that with additional weight and a regear may be just as beneficial as a supercharger.

 

[RandyBobandy]

Is yours a manual or auto? The auto feels incredibly sluggish compared to the manual, I’d also consider a 4.0 manual Tacoma.

 

[shadow247]

3rd option would be gears. A set of 4.30 gears would go a long way, assuming you don't already have them.

Mine was a pig before I updgraded to the Elocker wtih 4.30s. Now it pulls pretty well, even on the hills. I have yet to tow a trailer further than 30 miles, but I hardly noticed the 2200lb enclosed that was full of DJ equipment last time I towed.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Did Nissan fix the rod knock problems with the older Xterras? Not very many of them left.

 

[LittleCaesar]

If you go for the Xterra, made sure it is after 2010. Problems galore in the previous years. I would start with regearing and see if it helps.

Honestly though, find a first gen Sequoia or even GX 470with the 2uz for better pulling power.

 

[Devbot]

I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather walk than be caught in an XTerra :lol:
The first gens weren't bad looking, but second gens... sheesh

 

[varol1]

Is yours a manual or auto? The auto feels incredibly sluggish compared to the manual, I’d also consider a 4.0 manual Tacoma.

Mine's an auto and yes, it is insanely sluggish.

3rd option would be gears. A set of 4.30 gears would go a long way, assuming you don't already have them.

I'm running stock gears with 265/75R16 tires (31.6"). Trying to hold any sort of consistent speed while climbing is painful - the tranny shifts endlessly. How much would re-gearing help with that?

If you go for the Xterra, made sure it is after 2010. Problems galore in the previous years. I would start with regearing and see if it helps.

Yup - SMOD (strawberry milkshake of death) affected the pre-2010/2011 models. I should have mentioned the pricing I shared was for 2011+.

I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather walk than be caught in an XTerra :lol:
The first gens weren't bad looking, but second gens... sheesh

Beauty (or lack thereof) is in the eye of the beholder

 

[96RedRunner]

Check out the Exterra forums for model year your looking at see what people are having issues with. The shorter wheel base changes things when towing trailers also look for towing threads.
Exterra has theater seating in rear seat way less headroom be sure to sit in rear seat, for short people or children it fine sucks for others.

 

[RandyBobandy]

If you like to drive a manual I’d consider a manual swap, it’s like a whole different vehicle and the drivability in the mountains is significantly improved

 

[Endlessblockades]

I drive with OD Off and fly (relatively speaking) up hills with 4.30 gears and hundreds of pounds of gear. I have nothing to say about a Nissan. I like some Datsuns but it stops there.

 

[96RedRunner]

Here's a little tid bit about main body structure Yota vs Nissan:
Both are held together by spotwelds more spotwelds make a better box for us to ride in.
Toyota puts their vehicles together with 13-18% more spotwelds than Nissan.
Nissan chooses to save a few dollars in production costs with fewer spotwelds.
Just sayin.

 

[3bears]

i like toyotas....if I needed the extra power and space I would look at a sequoia.
next would be a tundra.
I think regearing would be better than a super charger, but have to admit, I have not had a super charged 4runner so cant say for sure which is better.

.i have pulled about 2300 pounds behind my 4runner, and up hills too.
I admit it does not like hills with that weight. I also have tundra brakes to stop it, which is another item if your thinking of pulling weight up and down hills you might want to do the tundra brakes too.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

regearing is better for durability & reliability.

supercharging increases the stress on the drivetrain, while regearing reduces the stress on the drivetrain by making use of lower gears.

i like toyotas....if I needed the extra power and space I would look at a sequoia.
next would be a tundra.
I think regearing would be better than a super charger, but have to admit, I have not had a super charged 4runner so cant say for sure which is better.

.i have pulled about 2300 pounds behind my 4runner, and up hills too.
I admit it does not like hills with that weight. I also have tundra brakes to stop it, which is another item if your thinking of pulling weight up and down hills you might want to do the tundra brakes too.

 

[gamefreakgc]

regearing is better for durability & reliability.

supercharging increases the stress on the drivetrain, while regearing reduces the stress on the drivetrain by making use of lower gears.

No it doesn't!!! Oh wait, my transmission just gave out, I guess so...

I am regearing it at the same time I swap out the transmission so here's to hoping it does reduce the stress my poor overworked automatic transmission sees.

 

[Unner]

My two cents, supercharging the 3rd gen doesn't sound like it's going to really solve what you are looking for. I don't care for Xterra too much having test driven one about the year range you're looking at awhile back. It was a manual and I didn't like the way the clutch felt, but it certainly has power compared to a 3rd gen. I think the Nissan interiors are ugly as well.

Why not a 4th gen 4Runner? More interior space, more creature comforts, better ride, just about as capable as a 3rd gen factory vs factory, but much more power. Even the V6 would pull a little trailer like that with ease, the V8 you won't even know it's back there. Plus they're just as reliable as the 3rd gens. Both the 1GR and 2UZ are known for reliability and longevity.

 

[vegask]

I had a SC on my 3.4 for a few years and loved it. However, its not gonna solve your problem.

At your elevation and with towing (3rd gens hate towing in hills) you are only gonna get the benefit of the SC when you get on it. That and the trans doing a shift while you have things pegged is a recipe for disaster.

You also need to consider the costs of fuel management hardware/software and or water meth setup to go along with the SC for it to be reliable.

So I was in the exact same boat as you, I took the SC off my 3rd gen, sold the URD kit and used all of that on a down payment for a 05 V8 4runnner. At the time they were really cheap if you were willing to travel to an area that does not have snow (got mine in Phoenix).

 

[binhsterbinh]

I had a chance to drive 2014 Xterra 4WD Auto for a month while working in California - putting 3000 miles on it driving up and down a lot of highway hills on the 101. Compared to my 2000 SR5 V6 with Auto, the Xterra had a lot more pep with the factory 5-speed and gear ratio. The 4.0 motor makes decent low end torque. It would tow a small trailer just fine. Similar to the 3.4 3rd gen motor though, I remember it running out of steam at the upper end of the rev band.

I think the biggest drawback of the 3rd Gen Auto is the Auto itself. There's just not great spread between the gears like the 5-speed manuals. I remember thinking to myself that I wish the 3rd Gen Auto felt as peppy as the Xterra. That's sort of where it ended. The interior of the Xterra was cheap hard plastic and my luggage and crap would slide across the trunk all day long on that plastic floor.

I vote looking at GX 470 or 4th Gen 4Runner with V8 and keeping within the Toyota family. 2010 GX 460s are starting to come down in price too which gets you into 6-speed auto territory with 3.91 gearing. I was able to tow an Axis A22 surf boat (6500lbs) relatively comfortably for short stints using my wife's GX 460. Just don't think I'd enjoy it on long road trips as the wheelbase is still pretty short and worried about straining the transmission over mountain passes. :cheers: