Used 2000 Xterra $1,500 OBO thoughts

[Miner]

We've found a local 2000 Xterra for $1,500 or best offer, I have a feeling we could get it for $1,000. It's had some issues and some may be lingering. I'd like some opinions on this as a first vehicle for our daughter, like the other kids I'm working with our set budget of $3,000; however Cara may kick in a bit of her own to get the Xterra or Frontier of her dreams.

Before the details the basic idea is buy cheap (~$1,000), fix ~($1,200), safety (~$500) and license/tax (~$300), or luck into something for ~$2500 that will safety easily (~$200) and license/tax (~$300).

So this is a cheap fixer....if not one that should just be avoided...

Details:
+~320,000km
- Hasn't been driven in a year, stored in a carport, started frequently
- The timing isn't set properly
- Head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, intake gaskets last year
- Radiator last year
- Spark plugs, and wires last year
- Timing belt and harmonic balancer last year
- Pathfinder Leo wheels
- Tires suck
- Interior is mint
- Body is clean, no dents, only rust is a spot ~3" on each rocker panel

The mechanic that did all the work was a joke, he didn't reconnect a number of vacuum lines, failed to set the timing properly, and a couple other items. He's since "left town".

It looks like the poured money into it and then got fed up and bought a car. I think we could get it for $1,000 but everything needs to be gone over, timing set/fixed, tires replaced, and whatever for safety....or it could be a money pit.

I want knowledge about early X's, opinions on the work that has been done, opinions on it sitting for a year, rants about used cars, everything!

[gtilford]

The only issue I would be leary of is the sitting for a year I have never had luck with any vehicle that I have bought that has been sitting for any length of time most anything else either mechanical or electrical can be worked on I just find the gremlins that take up residence once a vehicle sits are the worst

[Morpheus]

Sounds like a good deal.

Find a set of used tires.

Brakes will be rusty. Take them apart and use a grinder with a sand paper pad to clean them up. Lube up all the sliders. Do this before you start driving it, as you'll f the rotors and maybe the pads if you try driving it to clean up the rust.

The major items on that vehicle are head gaskets and timing belt. Make sure you get a copy of the paperwork, showing it was done. Some people like to lie and say it was done just to get a sale.

Timing is easy to set. Just need to know how to do it.. Make sure the tbs plug is unplugged while trying to set the timing first, otherwise you're fighting the Ecm trying to adjust it as you are.

You also set the base idle on an adjustment screw at the back of the intake on the driver side. It's really hard to access, and many people don't know it's there.

Use www.driveclean.com to check the vin and make sure it wasn't parked because it failed an e-test.

Sounds like a good deal to me.

[Jayman]

I wonder how it will do on the e-testing... Any codes?

[the x kid]

Not sure if I like this vehicle for a 1st time driver. More gas and in the winter you can spin out going around a corner. Kids just don't have the experience yet.

[Miner]

Thanks for the input. I'll do the research and go see it with my code reader in hand.

[Nd4SpdSe]

The major items on that vehicle are head gaskets and timing belt. Make sure you get a copy of the paperwork, showing it was done. Some people like to lie and say it was done just to get a sale.

Happened to my sister on her Prelude. They said it was just replaced, few months later it went, and it was an interference motor too. Looked like an original Honda belt. Car has 175'000kms on it

[petespath]

http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Nissan/Path ... rup=5_15_9

This pathy looks clean Offer this guy $900 if your still looking

[Miner]

Use http://www.driveclean.com to check the vin and make sure it wasn't parked because it failed an e-test.

Best advice I could have been given.

VIN:5N1ED28Y2YC608589
Year:2000
Make:NISSAN
Model:XTERRA
Engine Size:3.3
Cylinders:6
Test Date Drive Clean Facility Facility Identification Test Type icon for test type tooltip Vehicle Emissions Inspection Report (PDF)
Sep 07, 2012 Oil Changers 5772 ASM Pass Sep 07, 2012
Sep 06, 2012 Oil Changers 5772 ASM Fail Sep 06, 2012
Sep 01, 2012 Oil Changers 5772 ASM Fail Sep 01, 2012
Aug 31, 2012 Woodcock's 401 Automotive & Tire 5259 ASM Fail Aug 31, 2012
Aug 20, 2012 DPD Auto Centre Inc. 4599 ASM Fail Aug 20, 2012
Aug 16, 2012 DPD Auto Centre Inc. 4599 ASM Fail Aug 16, 2012
Aug 16, 2012 DPD Auto Centre Inc. 4599 ASM Fail Aug 16, 2012
Dec 03, 2009 Jiffy Auto Service 5815 ASM Pass Dec 03, 2009
Dec 02, 2009 Canadian Tire - E D Derbyshire 4973 ASM Fail Dec 02, 2009
Nov 17, 2008 Jack McGee Chevrolet/Cadillac 3702 ASM Pass Nov 17, 2008
Jan 30, 2007 Oil Changers 1842 ASM Pass Jan 30, 2007

They will accept $1,000 but with this history I think I'm going to walkaway

[Morpheus]

Tell them you know about the drive clean failures and offer them $500. Lol.

Strange it was tested 3 years in a row. Must have been sold, and resold, and resold.

Then they went from place to place trying to get it to pass until they did.
Wow.

[Morpheus]

Also, those are all asm tests. Aka tailpipe tests.
Now it's an obd test. No codes = auto pass.

[Bow_Tied]

Also, those are all asm tests. Aka tailpipe tests.
Now it's an obd test. No codes = auto pass.

^ This is true - but no codes and all monitors at 'ready' is required I think. So scan it to make sure it is in ready state.

[Miner]

It's been parked for a year so the battery has died and been charged a couple times. I would bet this cleared any codes. I'd likely find no codes and no "readiness" if I checked right now, and no legal way to drive it for a day or two to find out what codes come up.

[Simon]

Aside from the codes, I'd never buy a car that sat for a year. Unless it was started/moved regularly, there's a lot of things that can pop up in that scenario.