I drive a 2006 sts model xtrail. Bought second hand in 2016 with 70000 km on it. After 7 years its now on 312000 km. Its an amazing and very underrated car. Been all the states in Australia ( except Tasmania) including 2 times in frazer Island, 1 time outback nsw run (4500 km round trip from Sydney), 1 time simpson desert watching.. and countless time on local 4wd fire trails. Been drove to port douglas and come back to Sydney 3 weeks ago. The cargo space is huge. Over the time need to replace radiator, cylinder head reconditioned, second hand gear box plus regular servicing . Worth every single doller ive spent on it. Never stops on road ormiss a beat. Ya takes a bit of extra fuel but it can take you wherever you want to take it. Very practical and no nonsense electronics free car.
I have a 2006 T30 and the head gasket blew at 220K and cost $4000 to reco the motor. If you remove the oil cap and there is a creamy white layer inside - don't buy it. Also don't buy if the owner is not selling on his driveway property or the car is standing on lawn as he is trying to hide oil drips from the engine.
I ran a 2004 TI from about 120k to 180k and it cost me a small fortune. Not sure if it had been neglected by the previous owner, but I ended up doing the starter motor, alternator, radiator, radiator fans and water pump, as well as all the usual stuff - auxiliary belts, timing belt, gearbox service, etc. It seemed to eat brake pads and rotors and drink fuel - even though it wasn't nearly as quick as you'd expect for a 2.5. And maybe it's because it was black, but the aircon was as much use as a chocolate teapot. The gearbox suddenly let go at 180k, and that was enough for me. I sold it for $1200 to a Nissan guy who was prepared to fit a new transmission. Oddly though, even after all that I still kinda liked it. It felt practical and tough, and always looked more modern than it was. And at least I never had the head gasket problem!
@@twain1669 Of course you're right - thank you. My mistake. For that particular consumable, I've confused the T30 with the other motors I was maintaining back then. Everything else is right though - I went back through the invoices just now to make sure.
@@nathanhodges5419 No problem at all. Thanks for your input yourself. Just bought a t30 today as my first car. Hopefully it won't be as bad as your experience with it.
We had one for about 10 years only sold it last year. Had some big issues in the end, air con fan stopped, 3rd or 4th gear in the autobox wasnt working and it just seemed near the end of its life. It had over 330k kilometres on it and we bought it at 140k. Despite all the issues, i would do it all again because it was a fantastic SUV. Im not too sure why Nissan pivoted away from this design as the newer xtrails have become crappy full soccer mum cars.
I'm still running my T30 auto. Got it off a mate for 3k, so far I've put 120,000km on it. Both crank and cam sensors needed replacing, and I put a new solenoid pack on the tranmission to get all 4 gears back in action. The pulley tensioner needed doing too. The chain rattles like crazy on startup. The biggest downside is the 4 speed auto. Revs at about 3.5k in fourth on the highway using about 12l/100km. But. I love this car, it's the best I've ever owned. I can fit a 2.7m treated pine sleeper with the doors closed. a single 3M length at a stretch or a 3.6M out the passenger window. It's solid and safe in the wet with good tyred, and awesome in the snow and 4wd-ing. The loading area is my fav part. The seats are 100% perfect, and super comfy to drive. Best and most accurate cruise control i've ever used. Can't wait to get a six speed diesel T31. I will miss this car big time
I have a 2003 2.5 SVE with 38k miles. Made in Japan. Not rusty,not for sale. Property check for the rust issue mentioned in the UK,lot harder to fix than swap out parts. It's like getting there in a comfortable conservatory, never going to be a motorway cruiser, it's better than it says on the tin though. Boot is too high for older dogs. I like the basic complete lack of pointless junk tech that gets old every couple years. If you don't know how to look after a vehicle it won't matter what you buy. A good example of a good car is always going to be better than a brand new POS. Good luck out there.
Had one of the T30 model and the only problem we had was the crank case angle sensor, that was par for the course, I now own a T31 which is 10 years old and I'll be driving it until the wheels fall off.
I love the t30 and T31, they are the kings of practicality. I hate the T32 and T33, they become too generic SUVs and lose the any form of practicality.
I've got a 2007 Ti-L auto that I've done a few cosmetic mods to such as 18 inch wheels etc. because it's just such a hood thing. It's not exciting, far from it, but as shown in the video, has loads of nice features. It's also been absolutely bulletproof & despite the wife & I having 2 other more expensive cars in the fleet, the X-Trail is the one on the road the most as it's practical & tough. The older it gets, the more charming it gets. Change the oil every 5,000km to be safe as it's old & it should keep holding together. Everything still works on mine too.
Have had 2002 t30 for nearly 2 years now. Had an air flow meter fail but that's it. Has been crazy practical, did a move from Sunshine Coast to North qld with a camper trailer, 2 large dogs and the family without an issue and use it to the the dogs to some secluded spots off the beaten track without an issue. Only problem I have with it is its possibly the most boring car I have ever owned. But keep it because it's the most practical.
I purchased a new manual 2006 st xtreme in Jan 2007. Best all rounder I’ve owned, perfect for camping. I put on 320,000ks. Good on the beach, can tow 2000kgs, awesome for loading up with gear. The bad; radiator, crank angle sensor, fuel pump then a head gasket at around 280000ks. I was told it was uneconomical to repair as there was a good chance it would fail again.
Just happened across this review. Great looking X-Trail shown here! I bought my 2005 LE in 2015 (west coast of Canada) at about 225,000 km and it now has 405,000 km. Original motor and automatic transmission. Even the original alternator! Somehow, the leather is still intact on the driver's seat. I don't off-road much, but the switchable AWD makes it very dependable on snowy roads. A real pleasure to drive! (Love the visibility, too.) I got it in 2015 for just over $5,000 Cdn and could still get $2,000 for it, despite the kms and the left-rear fender rust. They are VERY popular and long-lasting in Canada, especially on the west coast, where there is less winter salt on the roads, so less rusting. Though they were only sold in Canada in 2005 and 2006, I can still see 4 or 5 in a short drive. They must have sold like VW Beetles in those 2 years. They were never sold in the USA, strangely. I guess because the USA market favours/favoured bigger SUVs. The XTrails have really held their value here and a private sale of a well-kept and rust-free model with 300,000-ish km will fetch $5,000+. Some dealers are asking around $10,000 Cdn. for clean units with less than 200,000 kms. When I got mine, the crankshaft position sensor was faulty and I had the 'pleasure' of replacing it. Just did it again - and the second time benefitted from the earlier experience. (UA-cam videos are great, too.) The AC/heater blower packed it in in 2015 and I ordered an after-market replacement motor and took a couple of afternoons to pull out the housing and put the new fan motor in. Not fun... but there was no need to pull the dash apart, like on many vehicles. I replaced the radiator at about 300,000 km. Other than the shocks/struts and brakes, that's it. That's crazy-low cost of ownership per km. It's good to hear about the head gasket issue. Sounds like it's not a "selling point" to list that repair as 'recent work done.' I'm looking at 'upgrading' to a lower-km, rust-free 2006 X-Trail, so If I get a hint of a head gasket being done, I'll steer clear. (Overheating may be more of an issue in hotter climates?) Considering the cost of new or near-new vehicles, I figure if I only get 2 or 3 years out of another used X-Trail before a catastrophic fail, I could cash it in for $300 at the auto-wreckers and still be ahead. Anything past that and I'm laughing!
Bought my first Nissan x trail T30 in 2011. It was a 2.2 turbo diesel model. I've always had more than one car so it wasn't driven very often it was only driven for anything that required something that was vaguely off road. Most of the journeys I did in it were long journeys, either from the south of England to Scotland or the south of England to the west of Ireland. It was serviced exactly when it should be and it never broke down or ever let me down. It started suffering from rust and during lockdown I decided that because I had more time and it wasn't going to cost a lot of money I removed the entire subframes front and rear and all the running gear and had them blasted and powder coated and removed every piece of rust from it. I also did all the brakes and the wheels and fitted adjustable shocks. For a 2000 and 5 car, it looked spectacular. Took it to a car show in Hampshire in the UK last year and a chap wouldn't leave me alone until I sold it to him. Just recently picked up another one with low mileage and not a lot of rust. As the rust removal. (Media blasting and powder coating) cost me nothing but time. For me, it's worth doing.
I have one and just replaced the rocker cover, head gaskets gone. I replaced the Air conditioner compressor last year, some other AC part needs replacing. All in all it has been a solid cheap car to service, it has done 316,000ks.
I own an old T30 with a 2.2 DCi engine in it. I myself spun some 40000km on it getting it to over 310000km, manufactured somewhere round 2004. Offroad it's ok, not great but not terrible either, the engine just doesn't have enough torque to make it feel good, but the 4WD is working as it should. The air intake is kind of clever actually. It's a snorkely design turned inwards behind the light. So you can get in some almost bonnet deep water and that thing will stay dry. On road it's hungry, with slightly less good aerodynamics than a brick it takes 9L/100km in the city and 7.5L in the countryside. But it's strong enough for some overtaking and will keep accelerating uphill which is nice. It's a tough car, I crashed it in a ditch and it came basically undamaged. I just pulled on the plastic bumper to make it pop back in to shape, inspection found no seriously bent metals. Good reminder to give it good tires because when the back wants to be at the front, it WILL go forward no matter what you do. It's a long boi and it pivots around the engine. Comfy for me, but considering the size of the car, the passenger spaces are funny small. My Alfa Romeo 146 had more space than this thing and that's supposed to be impractical car. My dad has trouble fitting in the X-trail, my wide friend wouldn't fit inside at all. The passenger spaces are just deceivingly small and uncomfortable to get in to. Not for long or fat people. Otherwise the seats are decent, not perfect but reasonable. Has rather impractical boot, yes it's flat but it's just too low to take a washing machine standing and just too short to make for really good sleep. Electric gremlins definitely exist, I'm yet to see an X-trail that shows the correct speed/keeps showing the speed. Also, mine just lights blinkers every now and then. Doesn't blink them, just lights them. No idea how. Tires for that thing are a bit of an alien size, and you definitely want decent ones. Cheap ones will collapse in turns at speed. In case you live in a freezing country, the door lock mechanisms will freeze stuck, and they either won't let you in or they'll prevent you from closing the door. Drenching them in motor oil works for exactly one season. The chain on this engine is prone to failures. Mine is still holding though I'm beginning to hear it. It costs 500$ And the engine needs to come out for the procedure, unless you want to go crazy that is. The fuel tank has stupid construction and is prone to leaking around the fill hose, also for a car that takes nearly 10L of diesel 60L is just too small size a tank. Oil reservoir is paper thin and made of steel - rusts. Fuel filter is attached in demented way making it hard to change. Speaking of oil, after 310000km the engine leaks everywhere. Also, it likes to eat original alternator belts. Don't know why, it just does so. I had to buy a different profile fully braided industrial belt to keep the car from consuming it. No, there is no damage on the wheel surfaces anywhere and there is no way to misalign the belt. Also getting a new belt on is a very large amount of non-consentional butt sex. Had to crank the engine to get the belt on despite the tensioner being all the way in. Speaking of belts, no automatic tensioners. You have to tighten the thing by hand ever so often to prevent the engine from grinding the belt to dust. It's accessible but damn the automatic tensioner wouldn't have killed them. And then, finally, the RUST. Saying goes that Nissan made these things using rusty sheet metal already in the factory. I've had similarly old Ford Fiesta and the difference is just incomparable. My mother's X-trail is basically turning into dust and my own is on that route as well. It's also the reason why I gave up on the vehicle besides the diffs dying. It's just not worth saving anymore. Over all, fun car, made it through lots of snow, did a lot of working with it. But it doesn't leave me with the feeling like I should get another one. It's just one of those cars that's pretty good but also pretty infuriating at the same time.
Parents bought one of these new in 2003. And let me tell you, when i borrowed it on my P's in the early 2000s i would launch the ever loving shit out of it trying to see if an AWD launch would beat my mates mums Commodore, which it would 😂. It went on to be given to my little sister as her first car in maybe 2016 and with 280,000kms on it. We also stopped taking it to the dealer for servicing in about 2006 (end of warranty) and just changed the oil ourselves until the day my sister sold it in about 2019/2020, never had any issues with it other then a fuel gauge issue in the sender unit just before 300,000kms, which still didnt stop it.
For a while pre Covid backapckers were buying them and fitting bed platforms in the back. Shit vans had become overpriced. Oh and the front guards are plastic, its fun watching your mates faces when you knee the guard in about a foot in. Its even more fun when its their X trail and they didnt know about this feature.
May be plastic,however hit a kangaroo right front guard put a soccer ball dent in it,gently heated it with a gas bottle and it popped out out!! Perfect.
I drive a T30 2004 model, got it 5yrs ago at 81k kms to 147k now. Since Jan 2024 its been overheating with a huge miss, refaced the cylinder head last week the miss has gone but still overheats. It's crazy coz had been very reliable throughout
I just have this enduring memory of one trying to enter Freshwater camping area on Teewah Beach in Queensland. The guy thought better of it and reversed out. An adventure missed. A beige life in a grey suit or grey chinos. A car that does the job like a kmart vacuum. Everything is adequate. But you'll miss out on life.
the turbo subies dont suffer from headgasket issues as theyre multilayered steel. they suffer from bearing failures from being driven hard and serviced poorly/tuned
@kallenstandish7944 I owned a 2007 non-turbo Subaru Forester that had to have the head gasket replaced. It also kept chewing up wheel bearings. As much as I wanted to buy another Subi, I ended up with Honda's and never looked back.
We had 2x XTrail T30, all in all a great car but we did have the cam sensor issue and water pump issue but otherwise good. But I agree the head gasket issue at this age would stop me buying another one. Thanks again ReDriven team luv your work.
Having had one (never again) from new and a list of faults from alarm module failures, boost sensors, MAF sensors, tracking issues, intercooler leaks and then (with full service history) throwing a con rod at 75k miles, the best thing you can do with an X-Trail is find a cliff and push it over. Never ever had a diesel where the fuel filter freezes up causing starvation issues, but the X-Trail excelled in it during cold weather. And as for Nissan assistance when you have a major problem, forget it, they just don't want to know and threaten you if you start getting noisy with them about build quality. Will never, ever, touch a Nissan junk heap again.
Still have mine in my driveway. Good looking car, kinda looks like a mini old Nissan Patrol with the V grille. Got one with the QR25DE engine, FWD. Dash looks exactly like the one on the video, but the steering wheel is the H version. A lot of repairs over the years, rattles a bunch, not the softest suspension, but pretty stable in the corners surprisingly, almost like a sedan. I wouldn't recommend this car for other buyers though, especially for a daily or work vehicle. There are better and more logical options out there from Toyota.
20006 with a 35mm lift and Cooper AT,s + throttle controller makes a fun and capable offroad unit and a great little go cart onroad. Only issues in the past 7 years has been the oil pump O ring and the crank angle sensor, bit of homework and both easy fixes in the driveway😊
I love this car. I'm on my 3rd and will carry on buying another old one every few years until they aren't worth driving any more. What the X-Trail became around about 2014 doesn't interest me at all.
one of very hated CROSS OVER SUV here in Tanzania (the Nissan X trail T 30), it has problematic engine and problematic gear box (Transmation), though these issues are largely associated with poor maintenance
My family had a brand new 2004 2.5 auto (FWD, because of Indonesia’s stupid tax laws). Ours was okay, very rattly and had suspension issues here and there, but engine and transmission wise, nothing went wrong after 4 years and 100,000 kms (our kms are quite harsh with bad roads and bad fuel). The 2.5 T30 was known to be a pretty fast motor in Indonesia. It was probably the only car in its price range that could sprint to 100 km/h in 9-10 seconds. Replaced ours with a Craptiva in 2008 and then a T31 2.5 in 2011. Can’t really describe in a UA-cam comment box how much of a better of a car the T31 is. Despite its transmission issues (rectified it by 40,000 km trans fluid changes), everything else was much more solid. Was my first ever car, and still have it to this day, doesn’t travel as much as my T30, but so far only had minor niggles with bushings, alternators, and AC due to age. Would’ve probably sold it if it wasn’t for sentiment, but definitely stood the time better than its rivals (bar the RAV4, which we didn’t get after 2006).
My 2008 ST-L AWD that i've had 6 years has had the AC compressor fail twice, the ABS lights come on and off randomly, the cruise control doesn't work, the horn doesn't work and the air-bag light comes on. I've been told the ABS light thing is a computer issue that would cost thousands to replace. While I've absolutely loved the space and I can't imagine getting anything smaller, I just can't handle the AC thing. I'm on the lookout for a Toyato Kluger now
Didn't mention the expensive dual mass flywheel / clutch issues, i know of at least 3 that needed replacement at 120-200k kms. But i am currently still considering one, as a low usage spare car for fishing etc, like anything older, there are things to check first.
Before reading this, I had a 2005 Ti, worked fine however engine was very gutless for 2.5, used quite a bit of fuel, and AC wasn't really doing much. Other than that a good car to go A to B
We never got the GT in UK. We had an NA 2.0 which was snail slow. But we did have 2.0 and 2.2 DCI which in the facelift gave 160+bhp. Good piece of kit, we had loads of special editions like Columbia and other expedition people
2005 xtrail with 330,000k 5 speed manual, did the clutch not that long ago. aircon needs regassing and it gose through oil fast. i started using stronger oil. But my family runs 4 cars, mine gets the most use becuse its cheep to run, got lots of space. and just a good car. i lernt how to drive on it and so did my brother. its hade 4 owners in its life. the person who broughjt it brandnew, then my uncle, my brother and now me. other cars we run are a jeep wrangler, RX-8 and a Nissan patrol with the LS V8 that we put in.
So it sounds like all the positive are the same but a little less great than a forester of the same age. Until I watched this, I was unsure if I made a mistake between a forester and the x trail. I now feel better about my choice :-)
This x-trail is a horrible vehicle. I owned one, and it was the worst decision of my life!!! from the horrible transmission, to the noisy wheel hubs, to the eventual failing of the differential.... My goodness! I was glad to have gotten rid of it, and the persons that I sold it to, eventually lit it on fire!
Nah. Nissan reliability, quality of workmanship, customer support etc fell of a cliff in the early 2000's and has continued to freefall ever since. Toyota, Honda, Mazda and at a pinch Subaru Forrester is the way to go.
Wow! First SUV review where I've gone: "I'd actually quite like that!" =). Like a big Terios. Interesting import - makes sense, nothing very exotic & aftermarket is still all good. Bit sad this was the a*** end of "Nissan Classic". Now we have "Nissan Lite". :( _Import tip: Japanese drivers ime tend to care for their cars. No, not all, but much better than we do._
The rear is not governed by traction control. I know because minne doesn't have it. There is always effort going to the back auto, but at some ratio relating to speed and or rpm.
I loved mine it's the SUV version of a Tiida. Very coolant sensitive, wrong coolant pulls casting sand into the radiator. Heater blower motor bearing failed, exchange fan units available on the Internet.
@@steveedmond9362 I was surprised to discover that its an issue from using the wrong coolant. The Nissan X Trail forums confirm it as well, which is how i found out about the cause. I replaced the radiator and the original one had a fine coating of white stuff inside it.
While the X-Trail looks nice and has plenty of practicality I'd personally look at a Scooby-doo Forester or Rav4. I was suprised that the main mechanical problem of the T30 was the head gaskets and a block thats about as strong as pamarsen cheese and not the timing belt like I've heard people say before. I definitely wasn't expecting the T30 X-Trail as today's review car but that added to the enjoyment of the video. Good work as always guys and look forward to next week's videos as per usual 👍.
I honestly don't know why leather seats are supposedly sought after. In the QLD heat all I think about with leather is sweaty legs sticking to the seat all summer. Yuck.
Had the T30 Ti-L loved it. Contemplated at T-31 but after that they farked the design and made it a school bus. Did some light 4wD and beach work but I had one of the two fuel sensors kark it so I never knew if I had a full tank or half a tank. Not ideal on a vehicle that had a crap range to start with (about 600ks)
I would never own a single nissan since the Renault alliance, it's clear it was done to save massive costs on cars as Nissans quality since then has fallen through the floor, they are essentially French engineered Japanese cars.
I have a 2001 manual and its got 170k and I would never recommend one if you dont know how to work on cars, they are too old, in saying that very easy to work on. I didnt know that head gaskets were a problem with these???(ive had mine for 11 years) 🤔 To say that the engine is gutless... er no way, mine has a ton of power.
I own a 2006 X-Trail an d I will never buy anything Nissan again. Not because it is a bad vehicle. On the contrary I actually love the car. But when it does break down it is a trip to the poorhouse. The first repair I needed to do was to replace the Alternator. Over $900.00 for an alternator. Man what a sucker Punch. Normally an alternator goes for less than $200.00. Now the latest break down. I now have a Blown Clutch. Normally a clutch should cost around $100.00 but no they want $450.00 for one and get this Nissan parts are not available after market. Also I took a look at the changing of the clutch. 20 Hours shop time if you want it done. If I do it myself it is going to be the engine job from HELL. Is it even worth doing the work to fix a 20 year old car. I say NO a BIG NO. And that is even when the vehicle in in very good condition with zero rust.
I went for a test drive in the GT, and was very underwhelmed by performance. It's a shame because on paper they would appear to be a performance bargain.
Is it worth buying a T31 with 300,000ks on it? I found one that otherwise ticks all the boxes and is currently in great condition. I've never bought a used car with that many ks on it though. Can it be worth it or no?
Or you can buy the diesel Renault Koleos. 2 litre Renault diesel, 6 speed conventional auto, X trail driveline, and most X trail mods bolt straight on. They're cheap, and simply don't break down.
I drive a 2006 sts model xtrail. Bought second hand in 2016 with 70000 km on it. After 7 years its now on 312000 km. Its an amazing and very underrated car. Been all the states in Australia ( except Tasmania) including 2 times in frazer Island, 1 time outback nsw run (4500 km round trip from Sydney), 1 time simpson desert watching.. and countless time on local 4wd fire trails. Been drove to port douglas and come back to Sydney 3 weeks ago. The cargo space is huge. Over the time need to replace radiator, cylinder head reconditioned, second hand gear box plus regular servicing . Worth every single doller ive spent on it. Never stops on road ormiss a beat. Ya takes a bit of extra fuel but it can take you wherever you want to take it. Very practical and no nonsense electronics free car.
Tassy will kill it like it does all cars lol
@@stewartlivinglife8661 that's why I haven't been there 😉😉
@@MohammadKhan-nb5xl lol
my T30 already has 200k+ mileage, it still runs like beast with the stock QR25 engine, enjoyable car.
First in, this is by far the best automotive channel on UA-cam.......carry on
You are far too kind. Thank you 🙏
I have a 2006 T30 and the head gasket blew at 220K and cost $4000 to reco the motor. If you remove the oil cap and there is a creamy white layer inside - don't buy it. Also don't buy if the owner is not selling on his driveway property or the car is standing on lawn as he is trying to hide oil drips from the engine.
You let a car overheat, blow a head gasket and complain about it
I ran a 2004 TI from about 120k to 180k and it cost me a small fortune. Not sure if it had been neglected by the previous owner, but I ended up doing the starter motor, alternator, radiator, radiator fans and water pump, as well as all the usual stuff - auxiliary belts, timing belt, gearbox service, etc. It seemed to eat brake pads and rotors and drink fuel - even though it wasn't nearly as quick as you'd expect for a 2.5. And maybe it's because it was black, but the aircon was as much use as a chocolate teapot. The gearbox suddenly let go at 180k, and that was enough for me. I sold it for $1200 to a Nissan guy who was prepared to fit a new transmission. Oddly though, even after all that I still kinda liked it. It felt practical and tough, and always looked more modern than it was. And at least I never had the head gasket problem!
The car uses a timing chain what are you talking about?
@@twain1669 Of course you're right - thank you. My mistake. For that particular consumable, I've confused the T30 with the other motors I was maintaining back then. Everything else is right though - I went back through the invoices just now to make sure.
@@nathanhodges5419 No problem at all. Thanks for your input yourself.
Just bought a t30 today as my first car. Hopefully it won't be as bad as your experience with it.
We had one for about 10 years only sold it last year. Had some big issues in the end, air con fan stopped, 3rd or 4th gear in the autobox wasnt working and it just seemed near the end of its life. It had over 330k kilometres on it and we bought it at 140k.
Despite all the issues, i would do it all again because it was a fantastic SUV. Im not too sure why Nissan pivoted away from this design as the newer xtrails have become crappy full soccer mum cars.
I'm still running my T30 auto. Got it off a mate for 3k, so far I've put 120,000km on it. Both crank and cam sensors needed replacing, and I put a new solenoid pack on the tranmission to get all 4 gears back in action. The pulley tensioner needed doing too. The chain rattles like crazy on startup. The biggest downside is the 4 speed auto. Revs at about 3.5k in fourth on the highway using about 12l/100km. But. I love this car, it's the best I've ever owned. I can fit a 2.7m treated pine sleeper with the doors closed. a single 3M length at a stretch or a 3.6M out the passenger window. It's solid and safe in the wet with good tyred, and awesome in the snow and 4wd-ing. The loading area is my fav part. The seats are 100% perfect, and super comfy to drive. Best and most accurate cruise control i've ever used. Can't wait to get a six speed diesel T31. I will miss this car big time
I have a 2003 2.5 SVE with 38k miles.
Made in Japan.
Not rusty,not for sale.
Property check for the rust issue mentioned in the UK,lot harder to fix than swap out parts.
It's like getting there in a comfortable conservatory, never going to be a motorway cruiser, it's better than it says on the tin though.
Boot is too high for older dogs.
I like the basic complete lack of pointless junk tech that gets old every couple years.
If you don't know how to look after a vehicle it won't matter what you buy.
A good example of a good car is always going to be better than a brand new POS.
Good luck out there.
"When is being logical ever equated to having fun?"
Word.
Had one of the T30 model and the only problem we had was the crank case angle sensor, that was par for the course, I now own a T31 which is 10 years old and I'll be driving it until the wheels fall off.
Is the T31 much better than the T30?
@ramirocastellon2921 Both really good to own.
I love the t30 and T31, they are the kings of practicality. I hate the T32 and T33, they become too generic SUVs and lose the any form of practicality.
I bought a T31 X trail after your t31 video and I’m loving it so far. Handling Southern Africa like child’s play
I have both T30 and T31 love them. Would never go for the new one's.
I've got a 2007 Ti-L auto that I've done a few cosmetic mods to such as 18 inch wheels etc. because it's just such a hood thing. It's not exciting, far from it, but as shown in the video, has loads of nice features. It's also been absolutely bulletproof & despite the wife & I having 2 other more expensive cars in the fleet, the X-Trail is the one on the road the most as it's practical & tough. The older it gets, the more charming it gets. Change the oil every 5,000km to be safe as it's old & it should keep holding together. Everything still works on mine too.
Have had 2002 t30 for nearly 2 years now. Had an air flow meter fail but that's it. Has been crazy practical, did a move from Sunshine Coast to North qld with a camper trailer, 2 large dogs and the family without an issue and use it to the the dogs to some secluded spots off the beaten track without an issue. Only problem I have with it is its possibly the most boring car I have ever owned. But keep it because it's the most practical.
I purchased a new manual 2006 st xtreme in Jan 2007. Best all rounder I’ve owned, perfect for camping. I put on 320,000ks. Good on the beach, can tow 2000kgs, awesome for loading up with gear. The bad; radiator, crank angle sensor, fuel pump then a head gasket at around 280000ks. I was told it was uneconomical to repair as there was a good chance it would fail again.
Had T30 2.2 TD 2004', except regular oil change and planed timing chain change, no other visits to mechanic, did over 200k km with no problems at all.
Just happened across this review. Great looking X-Trail shown here!
I bought my 2005 LE in 2015 (west coast of Canada) at about 225,000 km and it now has 405,000 km. Original motor and automatic transmission. Even the original alternator! Somehow, the leather is still intact on the driver's seat. I don't off-road much, but the switchable AWD makes it very dependable on snowy roads. A real pleasure to drive! (Love the visibility, too.)
I got it in 2015 for just over $5,000 Cdn and could still get $2,000 for it, despite the kms and the left-rear fender rust. They are VERY popular and long-lasting in Canada, especially on the west coast, where there is less winter salt on the roads, so less rusting.
Though they were only sold in Canada in 2005 and 2006, I can still see 4 or 5 in a short drive. They must have sold like VW Beetles in those 2 years. They were never sold in the USA, strangely. I guess because the USA market favours/favoured bigger SUVs.
The XTrails have really held their value here and a private sale of a well-kept and rust-free model with 300,000-ish km will fetch $5,000+. Some dealers are asking around $10,000 Cdn. for clean units with less than 200,000 kms.
When I got mine, the crankshaft position sensor was faulty and I had the 'pleasure' of replacing it. Just did it again - and the second time benefitted from the earlier experience. (UA-cam videos are great, too.) The AC/heater blower packed it in in 2015 and I ordered an after-market replacement motor and took a couple of afternoons to pull out the housing and put the new fan motor in. Not fun... but there was no need to pull the dash apart, like on many vehicles. I replaced the radiator at about 300,000 km. Other than the shocks/struts and brakes, that's it. That's crazy-low cost of ownership per km.
It's good to hear about the head gasket issue. Sounds like it's not a "selling point" to list that repair as 'recent work done.' I'm looking at 'upgrading' to a lower-km, rust-free 2006 X-Trail, so If I get a hint of a head gasket being done, I'll steer clear. (Overheating may be more of an issue in hotter climates?)
Considering the cost of new or near-new vehicles, I figure if I only get 2 or 3 years out of another used X-Trail before a catastrophic fail, I could cash it in for $300 at the auto-wreckers and still be ahead. Anything past that and I'm laughing!
Bought my first Nissan x trail T30 in 2011. It was a 2.2 turbo diesel model. I've always had more than one car so it wasn't driven very often it was only driven for anything that required something that was vaguely off road. Most of the journeys I did in it were long journeys, either from the south of England to Scotland or the south of England to the west of Ireland. It was serviced exactly when it should be and it never broke down or ever let me down. It started suffering from rust and during lockdown I decided that because I had more time and it wasn't going to cost a lot of money I removed the entire subframes front and rear and all the running gear and had them blasted and powder coated and removed every piece of rust from it. I also did all the brakes and the wheels and fitted adjustable shocks. For a 2000 and 5 car, it looked spectacular. Took it to a car show in Hampshire in the UK last year and a chap wouldn't leave me alone until I sold it to him. Just recently picked up another one with low mileage and not a lot of rust. As the rust removal. (Media blasting and powder coating) cost me nothing but time. For me, it's worth doing.
I have one and just replaced the rocker cover, head gaskets gone. I replaced the Air conditioner compressor last year, some other AC part needs replacing. All in all it has been a solid cheap car to service, it has done 316,000ks.
I own an old T30 with a 2.2 DCi engine in it. I myself spun some 40000km on it getting it to over 310000km, manufactured somewhere round 2004.
Offroad it's ok, not great but not terrible either, the engine just doesn't have enough torque to make it feel good, but the 4WD is working as it should.
The air intake is kind of clever actually. It's a snorkely design turned inwards behind the light. So you can get in some almost bonnet deep water and that thing will stay dry.
On road it's hungry, with slightly less good aerodynamics than a brick it takes 9L/100km in the city and 7.5L in the countryside. But it's strong enough for some overtaking and will keep accelerating uphill which is nice.
It's a tough car, I crashed it in a ditch and it came basically undamaged. I just pulled on the plastic bumper to make it pop back in to shape, inspection found no seriously bent metals. Good reminder to give it good tires because when the back wants to be at the front, it WILL go forward no matter what you do. It's a long boi and it pivots around the engine.
Comfy for me, but considering the size of the car, the passenger spaces are funny small. My Alfa Romeo 146 had more space than this thing and that's supposed to be impractical car. My dad has trouble fitting in the X-trail, my wide friend wouldn't fit inside at all. The passenger spaces are just deceivingly small and uncomfortable to get in to. Not for long or fat people. Otherwise the seats are decent, not perfect but reasonable.
Has rather impractical boot, yes it's flat but it's just too low to take a washing machine standing and just too short to make for really good sleep.
Electric gremlins definitely exist, I'm yet to see an X-trail that shows the correct speed/keeps showing the speed. Also, mine just lights blinkers every now and then. Doesn't blink them, just lights them. No idea how.
Tires for that thing are a bit of an alien size, and you definitely want decent ones. Cheap ones will collapse in turns at speed.
In case you live in a freezing country, the door lock mechanisms will freeze stuck, and they either won't let you in or they'll prevent you from closing the door. Drenching them in motor oil works for exactly one season.
The chain on this engine is prone to failures. Mine is still holding though I'm beginning to hear it. It costs 500$ And the engine needs to come out for the procedure, unless you want to go crazy that is.
The fuel tank has stupid construction and is prone to leaking around the fill hose, also for a car that takes nearly 10L of diesel 60L is just too small size a tank.
Oil reservoir is paper thin and made of steel - rusts. Fuel filter is attached in demented way making it hard to change.
Speaking of oil, after 310000km the engine leaks everywhere.
Also, it likes to eat original alternator belts. Don't know why, it just does so. I had to buy a different profile fully braided industrial belt to keep the car from consuming it. No, there is no damage on the wheel surfaces anywhere and there is no way to misalign the belt. Also getting a new belt on is a very large amount of non-consentional butt sex. Had to crank the engine to get the belt on despite the tensioner being all the way in. Speaking of belts, no automatic tensioners. You have to tighten the thing by hand ever so often to prevent the engine from grinding the belt to dust. It's accessible but damn the automatic tensioner wouldn't have killed them.
And then, finally, the RUST. Saying goes that Nissan made these things using rusty sheet metal already in the factory. I've had similarly old Ford Fiesta and the difference is just incomparable. My mother's X-trail is basically turning into dust and my own is on that route as well. It's also the reason why I gave up on the vehicle besides the diffs dying. It's just not worth saving anymore.
Over all, fun car, made it through lots of snow, did a lot of working with it. But it doesn't leave me with the feeling like I should get another one. It's just one of those cars that's pretty good but also pretty infuriating at the same time.
Parents bought one of these new in 2003.
And let me tell you, when i borrowed it on my P's in the early 2000s i would launch the ever loving shit out of it trying to see if an AWD launch would beat my mates mums Commodore, which it would 😂.
It went on to be given to my little sister as her first car in maybe 2016 and with 280,000kms on it.
We also stopped taking it to the dealer for servicing in about 2006 (end of warranty) and just changed the oil ourselves until the day my sister sold it in about 2019/2020, never had any issues with it other then a fuel gauge issue in the sender unit just before 300,000kms, which still didnt stop it.
Haha doing the same on my Ps with a 2004 in 2024, the paint has gone to shit from 10 years parked in the sun but it’s still super fun to drive :)
For a while pre Covid backapckers were buying them and fitting bed platforms in the back. Shit vans had become overpriced. Oh and the front guards are plastic, its fun watching your mates faces when you knee the guard in about a foot in. Its even more fun when its their X trail and they didnt know about this feature.
May be plastic,however hit a kangaroo right front guard put a soccer ball dent in it,gently heated it with a gas bottle and it popped out out!! Perfect.
I drive a T30 2004 model, got it 5yrs ago at 81k kms to 147k now. Since Jan 2024 its been overheating with a huge miss, refaced the cylinder head last week the miss has gone but still overheats. It's crazy coz had been very reliable throughout
Bought a 2.5 CVT in 2018… and early this year, bought another one 2.0 CVT for my son.. Its rugged and still reliable
I just have this enduring memory of one trying to enter Freshwater camping area on Teewah Beach in Queensland. The guy thought better of it and reversed out. An adventure missed. A beige life in a grey suit or grey chinos. A car that does the job like a kmart vacuum. Everything is adequate. But you'll miss out on life.
Just buy a CRV of the same vintage for hassle free motoring. The Subis and this have head gasket issues.
the turbo subies dont suffer from headgasket issues as theyre multilayered steel. they suffer from bearing failures from being driven hard and serviced poorly/tuned
@kallenstandish7944 goodluck finding one with that engine though.
@kallenstandish7944 I owned a 2007 non-turbo Subaru Forester that had to have the head gasket replaced. It also kept chewing up wheel bearings. As much as I wanted to buy another Subi, I ended up with Honda's and never looked back.
@@damilolaakanni xt foresters can be found quite easily in australia
@@georgepappas4628 yeah the non turbo ones has graphite coated gasket that tended to fail at around 100k km
We had 2x XTrail T30, all in all a great car but we did have the cam sensor issue and water pump issue but otherwise good. But I agree the head gasket issue at this age would stop me buying another one. Thanks again ReDriven team luv your work.
The CR-V and Rav4 are definitely too boring to consider. To be happy daily driving one of these, no question the X-Trail is the best.
Having had one (never again) from new and a list of faults from alarm module failures, boost sensors, MAF sensors, tracking issues, intercooler leaks and then (with full service history) throwing a con rod at 75k miles, the best thing you can do with an X-Trail is find a cliff and push it over. Never ever had a diesel where the fuel filter freezes up causing starvation issues, but the X-Trail excelled in it during cold weather. And as for Nissan assistance when you have a major problem, forget it, they just don't want to know and threaten you if you start getting noisy with them about build quality. Will never, ever, touch a Nissan junk heap again.
Still have mine in my driveway. Good looking car, kinda looks like a mini old Nissan Patrol with the V grille. Got one with the QR25DE engine, FWD. Dash looks exactly like the one on the video, but the steering wheel is the H version. A lot of repairs over the years, rattles a bunch, not the softest suspension, but pretty stable in the corners surprisingly, almost like a sedan. I wouldn't recommend this car for other buyers though, especially for a daily or work vehicle. There are better and more logical options out there from Toyota.
"by design they just fail. Sometimes they fail and the car overheats. Sometimes the car overheats and then they fail. They just fail."
~JIM, 2023.
its stupuid...or its fake...its problem of fuel pump!
i have 2006 and still love it..
My aircon fan is broken, fuel gauge is faulty and sometimes my x-trail ST-S X stalls going up steep hills.. I still love her though.
20006 with a 35mm lift and Cooper AT,s + throttle controller makes a fun and capable offroad unit and a great little go cart onroad.
Only issues in the past 7 years has been the oil pump O ring and the crank angle sensor, bit of homework and both easy fixes in the driveway😊
As an xtrail owner with the sun roof let’s see if they mention the weird double l tool in the back is for ;p
I love this car. I'm on my 3rd and will carry on buying another old one every few years until they aren't worth driving any more. What the X-Trail became around about 2014 doesn't interest me at all.
one of very hated CROSS OVER SUV here in Tanzania (the Nissan X trail T 30), it has problematic engine and problematic gear box (Transmation), though these issues are largely associated with poor maintenance
Those were the best X-trail ever made
My family had a brand new 2004 2.5 auto (FWD, because of Indonesia’s stupid tax laws). Ours was okay, very rattly and had suspension issues here and there, but engine and transmission wise, nothing went wrong after 4 years and 100,000 kms (our kms are quite harsh with bad roads and bad fuel).
The 2.5 T30 was known to be a pretty fast motor in Indonesia. It was probably the only car in its price range that could sprint to 100 km/h in 9-10 seconds.
Replaced ours with a Craptiva in 2008 and then a T31 2.5 in 2011.
Can’t really describe in a UA-cam comment box how much of a better of a car the T31 is. Despite its transmission issues (rectified it by 40,000 km trans fluid changes), everything else was much more solid.
Was my first ever car, and still have it to this day, doesn’t travel as much as my T30, but so far only had minor niggles with bushings, alternators, and AC due to age.
Would’ve probably sold it if it wasn’t for sentiment, but definitely stood the time better than its rivals (bar the RAV4, which we didn’t get after 2006).
Thank you.
Through your Infos I decided to pass on this.
I just get scared when I hear the death word starting with head and ending with gasket
Love those T30 and JIII Grand Vitara 2.4 or the 3.2 V6!. Hope you bring one of those to the show, even a Suzuki Kizashi quite a unique underated car.
Haha love the Mighty car mods lanyard hidden away in the glove box
My 2008 ST-L AWD that i've had 6 years has had the AC compressor fail twice, the ABS lights come on and off randomly, the cruise control doesn't work, the horn doesn't work and the air-bag light comes on. I've been told the ABS light thing is a computer issue that would cost thousands to replace.
While I've absolutely loved the space and I can't imagine getting anything smaller, I just can't handle the AC thing.
I'm on the lookout for a Toyato Kluger now
Oh and it's only at 220k km's.
Rav4's seem to have far less space??
Didn't mention the expensive dual mass flywheel / clutch issues, i know of at least 3 that needed replacement at 120-200k kms. But i am currently still considering one, as a low usage spare car for fishing etc, like anything older, there are things to check first.
Before reading this, I had a 2005 Ti, worked fine however engine was very gutless for 2.5, used quite a bit of fuel, and AC wasn't really doing much. Other than that a good car to go A to B
Lmao, Jim killed me during his part of the segment. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
We never got the GT in UK. We had an NA 2.0 which was snail slow. But we did have 2.0 and 2.2 DCI which in the facelift gave 160+bhp. Good piece of kit, we had loads of special editions like Columbia and other expedition people
it's only for japanese market, not a worldwide
That’s a very clean GT spec! Would be a great family car project 🙃
2005 xtrail with 330,000k 5 speed manual, did the clutch not that long ago. aircon needs regassing and it gose through oil fast. i started using stronger oil. But my family runs 4 cars, mine gets the most use becuse its cheep to run, got lots of space. and just a good car. i lernt how to drive on it and so did my brother. its hade 4 owners in its life. the person who broughjt it brandnew, then my uncle, my brother and now me.
other cars we run are a jeep wrangler, RX-8 and a Nissan patrol with the LS V8 that we put in.
The (T30) X-Trail ST-L was the first car I drove as a Learner, as a P plater and till I got my full license.
So it sounds like all the positive are the same but a little less great than a forester of the same age.
Until I watched this, I was unsure if I made a mistake between a forester and the x trail. I now feel better about my choice :-)
The AWD system will never do even split to all 4 tyres, they will only lock front to rear
This x-trail is a horrible vehicle. I owned one, and it was the worst decision of my life!!! from the horrible transmission, to the noisy wheel hubs, to the eventual failing of the differential.... My goodness! I was glad to have gotten rid of it, and the persons that I sold it to, eventually lit it on fire!
oh yeah, Thanks mate, I also forgot that my blower motor failed also... man I had a rough time with that vehicle
Nah. Nissan reliability, quality of workmanship, customer support etc fell of a cliff in the early 2000's and has continued to freefall ever since. Toyota, Honda, Mazda and at a pinch Subaru Forrester is the way to go.
Just take care of radiator fans (esp aux fan) to prevent overheating and you are good to go.
Wow! First SUV review where I've gone: "I'd actually quite like that!" =). Like a big Terios.
Interesting import - makes sense, nothing very exotic & aftermarket is still all good.
Bit sad this was the a*** end of "Nissan Classic". Now we have "Nissan Lite". :(
_Import tip: Japanese drivers ime tend to care for their cars. No, not all, but much better than we do._
The rear is not governed by traction control. I know because minne doesn't have it. There is always effort going to the back auto, but at some ratio relating to speed and or rpm.
I loved mine it's the SUV version of a Tiida. Very coolant sensitive, wrong coolant pulls casting sand into the radiator. Heater blower motor bearing failed, exchange fan units available on the Internet.
How can there still be casting sand in the cooling system? That doesn't make sense
@@steveedmond9362 I was surprised to discover that its an issue from using the wrong coolant. The Nissan X Trail forums confirm it as well, which is how i found out about the cause. I replaced the radiator and the original one had a fine coating of white stuff inside it.
Thank you very much for your honest and clear review. It's so much appreciated. 😊
While the X-Trail looks nice and has plenty of practicality I'd personally look at a Scooby-doo Forester or Rav4.
I was suprised that the main mechanical problem of the T30 was the head gaskets and a block thats about as strong as pamarsen cheese and not the timing belt like I've heard people say before.
I definitely wasn't expecting the T30 X-Trail as today's review car but that added to the enjoyment of the video.
Good work as always guys and look forward to next week's videos as per usual 👍.
Lol Rav-4 is so expensive though, but i know what you mean
Ive ran 363 000 km with mine and not a single problems with this. Just regular parts like brakes and oil change.
I'm actually interested with the AWD variant of this here in the Philippines. Great review nonetheless
Love your Chris Hemsworth summary!👌I Like the talking animation thingy😅
What kind of media/CD player is that? I have a 2006 Nissan X Trail LE 2.5 and mine doesn't look like that
I honestly don't know why leather seats are supposedly sought after. In the QLD heat all I think about with leather is sweaty legs sticking to the seat all summer. Yuck.
thank you for the hard work.
could you do a video on the Lexus RX330 ?
Please do a review about the Ford Escape 2nd Gen (2008-2012)
2002 xtrail auto. bought in 2004 with 47,500ks.It's now on 409,700?.
I'm a little confused as your video on worst SUVs referred to Nissan X-Trail - good or no good?
Mn triton cab chassis...do it..or maybe a c200 kompressor w204. I will keep asking.
Biggest problem in diesel Xtrails t30 is over 250k - fuel pump. you have to regenerate that. You dont have to say thank you....
Had the T30 Ti-L loved it. Contemplated at T-31 but after that they farked the design and made it a school bus. Did some light 4wD and beach work but I had one of the two fuel sensors kark it so I never knew if I had a full tank or half a tank. Not ideal on a vehicle that had a crap range to start with (about 600ks)
The GT (according to Wikipedia) was only available in Japan. If that's right, then the one you drove is a grey import. Damn
That’s correct
Takata airbag recall took my old CRV. Replaced it with a Nissan X-trail and regretted it straight away. SO plastic!
I would never own a single nissan since the Renault alliance, it's clear it was done to save massive costs on cars as Nissans quality since then has fallen through the floor, they are essentially French engineered Japanese cars.
Is the dualis variant better or still have rear rusting issue?
Can you guys please do the Infiniti Q50 Hybrid? Really interested to see what it’s like to own a car that doesn’t have manufacturer support anymore
I have a phase 1 Renault Koleos and I just had that transfer case problem you described. Fun! ,😂
Great video, Can't wait for the mazda 3 mps video
How about the Gen 3 Grand Vitara? Is it any good?
Good that you asking Mate. It is a real 4WD and very good. I had two of them.
"The Toyota and the Honda are generally superior to the Nissan"
Touché
But the XTrail has more interior space to work with, than the Rav4 and CRV of the same age.
I have a 2001 manual and its got 170k and I would never recommend one if you dont know how to work on cars, they are too old, in saying that very easy to work on. I didnt know that head gaskets were a problem with these???(ive had mine for 11 years) 🤔 To say that the engine is gutless... er no way, mine has a ton of power.
Bloody love the sr20vet, way better than the ej20g and the likes from the forester gt.
CR-V with the picnic table! 👌
Is there also problems with the 2.0L naturally aspirated petrol version?
I own a 2006 X-Trail an d I will never buy anything Nissan again. Not because it is a bad vehicle. On the contrary I actually love the car. But when it does break down it is a trip to the poorhouse. The first repair I needed to do was to replace the Alternator. Over $900.00 for an alternator. Man what a sucker Punch. Normally an alternator goes for less than $200.00. Now the latest break down. I now have a Blown Clutch. Normally a clutch should cost around $100.00 but no they want $450.00 for one and get this Nissan parts are not available after market. Also I took a look at the changing of the clutch. 20 Hours shop time if you want it done. If I do it myself it is going to be the engine job from HELL. Is it even worth doing the work to fix a 20 year old car. I say NO a BIG NO. And that is even when the vehicle in in very good condition with zero rust.
Please cover the Pathfinder R50,,,
Now we need a review on nissan d22 navara's particularly the v6 petrol it shares the same engine as the 300zx!
I went for a test drive in the GT, and was very underwhelmed by performance. It's a shame because on paper they would appear to be a performance bargain.
Must not be a properly working GT lol because they do in fact haul it in Boost especially when vvl switches
Is it worth buying a T31 with 300,000ks on it? I found one that otherwise ticks all the boxes and is currently in great condition. I've never bought a used car with that many ks on it though. Can it be worth it or no?
Honestly don't know how you found this one 2002 & with only 150,000? That's a unicorn.
Was about to buy a 2006 with 280 000km on the clock before I watched this video. Decided against it.
Had my dash replaced 4 times in my t30, kept on failing, was an issue when they were new. Great car though.
Your dashboard?
@@otikokoso1956
Yup - the speed sender/receiver unit failed intermittently and I’d be left with no speedo, and the odometer did not function.
How can i get one, I am in Uganda East Africa
What's that fine looking Red car in the back of Jims workshop?
Can only just see the roof, but it reeks of fine quality.
I love the look of these too!
Im going to buy a 2-door Vitara, add portals and drive it through Victorian High Country ... if it doesnt work Ill blame Jim
Or you can buy the diesel Renault Koleos.
2 litre Renault diesel, 6 speed conventional auto, X trail driveline, and most X trail mods bolt straight on. They're cheap, and simply don't break down.
Saw a manual diesel one with 475,000km body was fucked but was still kicking down the road fine
Would you say subaru forester is also in that trio?
Recent;y got the t31, love it
Hey have you guys covered the Hyundai Tucson of the same vintage 2006ish I’m looking at getting me as a cheap run around.