5 Things You Must Know Before Buying A 1st Gen Frontier

[@Mr1Alex91]

As a young man still in hs my father gave me his 2000 Nissan frontier and being the dumb kid I was I didn’t take care of it the way I should have, I got rid of it after it hit around 300k miles and for the next 12-15 years I went through a lifted big truck faze but lost interest one day and eventually went back to my roots and found myself a pristine 1999 frontier with the same 2.4l engine as the one I had before, in a beautiful silver color that really stood out once I waxed it, no dents aside from some tiny non noticeable ones, stock wheels with all 4 caps with the Nissan logo and everything with only 110k original miles and jumped on it, needed a little tune up but now it’s running like a sowing machine! it’s now my favorite vehicle I’ve ever owned and I’m constantly getting compliments!

[@g35s]

Nice i have a 2000 as well

[@magnaman1963]

I had a 2nd gen frontier, same basic truck with a few exterior body panel changes... LOVED it and what ppl don't tell you is the versatility of these little work horses... I used to do "scrapping" in mine and when someone tells you you cant fit that in there? they are wront.... I once hauled 3 upright freezers, 4 washing machines and a small block V8 in the 6' bed at one time..... Yes, I did have Air shocks and helper springs on it but... hey... and don';t go by the epa mileage on these... in a cross country trip, with a full load (was moving) in the bed stacked up 8' tall, I was getting 26 mpg outta it :)

[@Spaceman_Spiff_74]

my 04 is a legend. hasn't let me down in 10 years and 230k miles. has some franken-parts on it for sure, and isn't pretty but I can't bring myself to sell it for a different ride so I keep modding and changing things as my needs change

[@MaxPower-bh7zy]

Just got my dad's 2004. 240,000 miles and it drives like a champ. I've read that some have gotten 400,000 miles. For years I didn't understand why my dad had picked this truck. After driving it I understand. It is a really fun truck to drive. Love the 5 speed manual!!!

[@MattVenezuela]

I have a 2014 Dongfeng Rich ZNA 4X4 here in Venezuela which is basically it's a 2000 Frontier, all the parts are the exact same, the body panels are even stamped Frontier on the back of them, I love it....

[@JamesHuey-nc3qm]

In my area of Texas, currently, even used trucks as this model, go for a premium price. Most folks outside of Texas simply do not know what the term "truck country" means down here. I just purchased a 2004 2-door NIssan Frontier and paid a pretty hefty price for it, but the reality is that I could have shaved off a thousand dollars or more by buying out of state, but then the delivery charge and state tax, license and inspection stuff hits you twice and thus the price jumps up significantly. I bought mine for a runabout town to haul off trash or to go to local runs about town and not really for long distance travel. It reminds me of my old Chevy S10 when they came out. I am hoping this truck is as dependable as most owners claim. My biggest issue thus far is the fact that I keep hitting the intermittent wiper button on the end of the gear shift lever by accident and turning the wipers on. ;-) I do wish the steering column moved up a bit more, as my girth has increased over the years, but all in all, no real complaints thus far. I have previously had a Nissan van, but no experience with the Nissan Frontiers, so your video is helpful for me to learn from. Thanks for posting it. This truck will replace my old Ram 1500 turbo, which actually sat way too high for me to enter without taking a 3-block run just to hop into the driver's seat. ;-)

[@Skedawg88]

Still less expensive than a Toyota.

[@damon3903]

I have a 1998 1st year model. I love the thing. It's my first truck I bought of grampa. That little 4 banger has a weird amount of truck. I love the thing

[@sabian8700]

want one of these, probably one of the few good looking trucks to cope with the fact we didn't get those cooler mitsubishi, toyota, datsun trucks

[@Drifteze]

if you decide to get one i recommend getting the 4cyl engine it may be slower but man are these things bulletproof :)

[@sabian8700]

@@Drifteze will do

[@TaylorDurda]

Just won one at copart with 238k miles and clean title. Have yet to pick it up hopefully it runs well

[@shinobusensui9395]

did it run well?

[@ImJhark_]

I got the 2000 xterra and its a beast gone through so much and still running at 250k miles 💪🏼

[@joelwiens9153]

Good vid, just one correction. The v6 model only had 170 hp, and was not the pathfinder engine. It was a 3.3L sohc, whereas the pathfinder already had dohc at this point. The xterra also had the 3.3L

[@driftisvirtual]

ah okay, thanks for the correction was doing a lot of reasearch about the engines and different models and i must have mixed some stuff up. thank you though for catching that! :)

[@bensalazar5763]

If you ever have to replace the knock sensor, please make a video I bought the censor but can figure out how to get too it and replace easily !

[@zwebslinger3526]

Replaced mine years ago. Instead of removing entire intake manifold, just disconnect it or cut the wire to it and leave it where it's at. Then find a empty bolt hole up top and put new sensor there. Been 100k miles since I did that and no issues whatsoever.

[@dleblanc3592]

In 2021 I went down to Virginia and picked up a rust free one owner since brand new 2002 Nissan Xterra non-supercharged 3.3 b6four-wheel-drive five speed stick with 105,000 miles on it. I am not the second owner. it has 120,000 miles on it still running strong original clutch, I’ve done quite a bit of work to it in the year that I’ve had it basic maintenance oil, changes, sensors, brake job, new tires, alternator, timing, belt, and water pump. Best truck I’ve ever owned.

[@Drifteze]

older nissans such as these frontiers and xterras were built just right everything about em was perfect granted they were slower smaller trucks they still seem to outlast a majority of them today and i got my frontier about 2 years ago now and im the second owner of mine the man i got it from was in his 90s and no longer had the use for it it was maintained really well and has not given me any issues since i got it i picked it up when it had 118k miles and now its almost at 140 love this truck even though its got the slower ka 2.4

[@dleblanc3592]

I am the 2nd owner

[@dleblanc3592]

@@Drifteze before the Xterra I had a 97 pathfinder. I bought it in 2019 for $800. It only had 117,000 miles on it when I got it. I did some exhaust work and four new tires. I drove it for two years it made its feet, October 2021. A buck took out the Pathfinder. I had no chance at 65 miles an hour. I’m surprised the airbags did not go off, but the truck was totaled so in November 2021 I got the 02 Xterra. Best choice I ever made was the first generation Xterra, especially with the five speed, manual and non-supercharged. It’s got 120 K on it now other than general maintenance no problems.

[@DJSekuHusky]

@@dleblanc3592 In May of 2018, I got my 2001 Xterra XE (2.4L, manual, RWD) as an abandoned vehicle at a towyard for $550. I rescued it the day before it was scheduled to be hauled off and crushed. Despite having 153k on the ODO, it was leaking oil from the valve cover and near the exterior of cylinder 3 at the head gasket. The EGR valve was rusted in half, the catalytic converters were plugged, and it was sitting on 4 bologna bands for tires with 15" steelies riddled with bubble-rust, with a transmission that kept forgetting how to find 2nd and 3rd gears and turned out to be filled with green corrosion when I changed the gear oil. I did all the work on it myself except for the transmission (I don't have a transmission jack) and head milling (I don't have a lathe either), but ever since the head and valve cleaning and resurface, it's been running phenomenally. Resealed every mating surface, no more leaks, and I degreased an painted the engine covers and brackets to clean things up. 179K and counting. I'm running the manual transmission, intake manifold, EGR Valve, power steering belt tensioner, and all engine covers from a Frontier (the originals were too pitted to get smooth). I'm also running the intake camshaft, plug wires and distributor cap from an Altima. I love the KA engines for that reasons. People like to say the KA24DE variants of the Xterra and Frontier are slow, but when you consider the V6 only gets you 20 more HP with 2 extra cylinders and double the required maintenance, it starts to look a lot more appealing that the VG33E long-term.

[@JacksonMack3742]

Just got one from my coworker (my bosses brother) for $1500 with 300k with a whole bunch of stuff I dont understand recently rebuilt on it, so it runs fantastic just worried about the belt and the ac doesnt work, but I got a new compressor and my boss and his brother kinda value me as an employee so I know theyll help me keep it on the road so I can help them generate revenue (detail procate jets, make great money $20+ hr no experience, but probably generate $50-$100 in revenue on a slow day from my understanding of prices). Im rambling now, not short and sweet, and it's nice people like you that get stuck listening to people like me... But maybe youll know the answer to this, whenever it rains and puddles form (im in florida) or the morning after a flood where all the tires are kicking up water or an oncoming car splashes water over the hood this problem arises where starting from first gear its like not wanting to go, it clunkin amd chugging and bouncing like its gonna stall, like the clutch is slipping then it does it again when I go to 2nd gear, its terrifying, might be spsrkplugs, im truckdumb, but then if you can get it up to 3rd, 4rth, or 5th and maintain speed for 10 min then slow down and try again problem is gone, like the water evaporated. Idk. Definitely need to sure up the protection between the front wheel and the engine but its still done this after just sitting in heavy windy florida rain.

[@Drifteze]

I've never heard of an issue like this nut judging on the story make sure your not getting water stuck in vital places like wiring or inside the engine bay if you need to get mudgaurds to stop even the littlest bot of rain I get the water problem I'm in florida also For your gear issues check the transmission oil check the tranny out see if it's cracked or messed up in any way could need a new one Also check the clutch and all cables relating to it you could just need to replace those or the truck your shifting to early with the truck Double check all maintenence parts like the spark plugs they could Def be throwing it off Do everything you can with easy maintenence first just to see if that fixes some issues Also if water is becoming an issue but not breaking the truck majorly slow down a bit these trucks sit way lower so you can't drive as if your in a fully truck these trucks are just little babies of the bunch I hope I helped some what here

[@williambreeze2659]

Love these little trucks!

[@hessdominguez170]

Growing up my dad had a 01 frontier. Same drivetrain as the 1st gen d22 just had the face lift and it was a 4 door. I loved that truck just as much as he did. I always told him when I got my license I wanted it to be my first car. Well he rear ended a suburban one day back in 2015 and damn near totaled the poor fronty. We managed to get a good deal at our buddy’s body shop and my dad actually had him redo the whole truck. I keyed it as a little kid😅😅. Let me just say that truck looked like it just came from the factory after it got fixed. My mom wasn’t a huge fan of the evap leak it had which for some reason every mechanic overlooked when my dad tried getting rid of the fuel smell. My mom convinced him to get a RAV4 lol 2015. And I came home one day a few weeks after we got the Toyota and the Nissan was gone. 😢 my dad sold it to his cousins friend who had been wanting to buy my dads for a while. Well as the years went on I got a lot more into cars and ended up getting a 66 thunderbird, 78 k10, and an 89 wrangler. Can’t say I don’t love all 3 of them cuz they were all dream cars to me as a kid. But my neighbor passed and his son had a 2000 frontier desert runner. His dad had also bought a rav4 before he passed during the pandemic so his son ended up giving it to his wife and bought one of the new Cummins titans. He parked the 2000 in a patch of grass in front of the house and I watched as they cleaned up the house that it just sat there. Almost a year went buy and it still hadn’t moved so I took my shot and asked the neighbors son if he’d be interested in selling it. We talked for a bit before about my k10 cuz he grew up with a c10 and a k20 so we had something in common haha. But when I asked him about the Nissan he said I was actually gonna junk it. 😮if u want it take it it’s yours. It had 258k on the clock but still ran great. I went the lowered route since it was a 2wd but went through 2 auto transmissions in it. It’s up to 287k now and I just picked up a 99 v6 with a 5spd to swap it over to manual 😊😊. Not my dad’s old 2001 but it’s still a fronty and definitely took me back to when I was a kid for a bit. 😂❤

[@Drifteze]

@hessdominguez170 that's gotta be the most wholesome story about a frontier i have ever heard

[@hessdominguez170]

@@Drifteze ❤️❤️

[@RobertBrewis]

I have a 1999 and wanting to fit a turbo. What other make of cars exhaust manifold will bolt straight on?

[@dylano7242]

Look at the exterra if are on a budget. The frontiers go for way more than the exterra. In my area of colorado even an old frontier go $7k minimum. Where i can find exterra $2k- $4k with low mileage, especially the 4cyl 2wd manual transmissions, they go dirt cheap. And probably out last the v6 4x4, and cost next to nothing to fix and get way better mpg. Right now in colorado found a 2006 frontier 90k miles 4cyl, 2wd 5 sp manual is $8k. While a 2004 exterra v6 4x4 110k 5sp manual is $3.5k, 2003 eterra 4cl 2wd 5sp 160k is $2k.

[@MariaVazquez-dk2eg]

Where did u get the hood shield looks nice

[@Drifteze]

Ebay

[@1cjs4u]

Just donated mine to charity! Got the 22’. Would have kept it but no room for it.

[@RohanSanjith]

Could've given to me.

[@g35s]

@@RohanSanjith fr

[@javierrodas1877]

Eres buena persona Dios te bendiga yo deseo comprar una de esas viejitas son las buenas aquí en Honduras están caras yo trabajo con frutas y vegetales pero primero Dios algún día tendré una saludos

[@derekdobbs7796]

What year Exterra body parts work?

[@Drifteze]

Before the face-lift 00-01 after face-lift 02-04

[@Grow3D]

I got my 2000 crewcab xe for 2500 and it runs like butter

[@RicardoRodriguez-om6qr]

Good truck i have the version xe whit motor k24

[@metallord7660]

Just hit 237k on my 02.

[@networth9151]

I bought a 2002 Nissan Frontier XE 4 Cylinder in 2008 for $8000. It is my daily drive and will remain so until I am buried in it.

[@legion1630]

oh my God the horrendous bull bar

[@408SPLKINGS]

A useless bull bar mounted to a cosmetic 5 mph bumper...that bull bar & front bumper would fold at exactly 6 mph 😂😂

[@Matt_from_Florida]

Those look like Florida trees. Am I right?

[@williamswindle5445]

That's the same motor that's in my 01 XE

[@robertoperezjr.1119]

i love my 98

[@davidhorne2326]

I had a ‘98 Frontie 2wd 4banger,and straight drive. Best truck ever, but due to instrument cluster failure, total miles were unknown. I’m guessing 300k! The timing chain tensioner failed and I didn’t want to change it. Was that a mistake, I sure wish I had kept it! Only real problem I had with it was the white paint peeled off.

[@Drifteze]

yea i would say that was a mistake on not fixing it if it was the tensioner that is usually what causes the engine to misfire and run like a rx8 going through a midlife crisis i have a small issue with my truck peeling paint very tiny spot on the front passenger side but still annoying

[@rogerrabbitonpcp6021]

1998-2004*

[@MarkKienholz-z3t]

That is not true

[@408SPLKINGS]

If your looking for a cheap affordable compact American made truck this is it Proudly made in Indiana unlike the big 3 domestics aka Ford, GM, Dodge 75% made either north of the border aka Canada or south of the border aka Mexico less than 25% are made in the good ol USA by Americans that are actually immigrants 😁😁😁😁

[@rogerrabbitonpcp6021]

Lpl 5 to 7 grand?? Mfs in texas b askin 8 to 5 figures w 200K on the engine! My 2000 just hit 150K

[@Drifteze]

here in florida i find them all day long for 3 in terrible shape but good condition im finding for 5 pretty but damn 8 thats way to much for a first gen

[@rogerrabbitonpcp6021]

@@Drifteze my buddy in florida has me convinced the cocaine n corruption down there keeps used car prices low w how easily he finds camaros n firebirds lol

[@Drifteze]

@@rogerrabbitonpcp6021 very very true lmao

[@Ace-44]

Dang! Are these little trucks that reliable?

[@rogerrabbitonpcp6021]

@@Ace-44 if ur lucky, the standard transmission models are far more reliable than automatics, I just got rid of my frontier last week due to all the issues it had

[@MrGary1]

W video