I got in a really bad accident, a big dodge ram hit my hardbody and flipped us a few times, we ended up upside down. My friend and I both got out of the truck unscathed, what could've killed us in a normal car did no damage to us whatsoever in the Hardbody I can honestly say that a Hardbody saved my life.
Dude that's wild. 3 years ago I got t boned in my 02 xterra, which yes, I get it, is much newer and safer than a hardbody. But it's basically the successor to the pathfinder which was the successor to the hardbody trucks. Same story though, we rolled over, landed on the roof, and the biggest injury sustained was a bruised elbow from my arm hitting the door. My passenger was fine, and we walked right out of a truck that was still upside down. I swear they're built with magic
+RegularCars Thanks for reviewing an old classic Nissan truck. As a design engineer for Nissan, I personally love our older cars and trucks. They are as you said; Reliable and un-killable and that is the exact reason why you just don't see new vehicles like this anymore. It's the very reason why corporate decided to end the Xterra line. People loved them too much, kept them for too long without any major issues, and we never updated the vehicle. Nowadays, cars and trucks are given new trims, styling, and features almost every year and people have too many reasons to buy new. It's an ever changing world we live in.
I'm actually in the market for a 1st gen Xterra right now. Could buy a newer rig, but I don't want a bunch of bells and whistles. I just want a simple and reliable daily driver/off roader. Newer vehicles are anything but simple and reliable. If they're out of warranty you're pretty much screwed.
Tyler Durden Xterras are nice, but I’d try looking for a Pathfinder. Those things last almost indefinitely. I was at an off-road course and found a guy with an old ‘93 Pathy with over 550,000 miles. Same engine, same everything. Not modified at all, and was working great both as an off-roader and a daily driver. Just slap some Michelin Defenders in her and you’re good to go!
***** when we say it runs like a clock, we mean it never misses a beat. 60rpm? Lmao since when a clock runs that fast haha a clock's 3rd hand runs at 1RPM per minute you fool. Someone needs to go back to 1st grade haha
Why RuMad dude I have a 1986.5 Nissan hard body, first year they came out. Odometer broke at 452,000 miles. Still runs. But I now have brake problems. Seems that the brake pedal sinks to the floor with the engine on while it’s ok with the engine off. If the master cylinder going bad it should sink in both instances correct?
It’s strange that I watched this 3 years ago nearly and never gave it a second thought, and now I’ve had my hardbody for around 2 years and it’s legitimately the perfect little work truck
David Shelby Yeah. I had a 91 Pathfinder about ten years ago with 300k on the odometer. And it ran like a Swiss watch. I wonder how many miles are on it now?
Nissan makes absolute pure plastic crap these days. When my 87 Toyota pick up was stolen in 2016 I went to the Nissan dealer looking at a manual five speed Frontier. I test drove it completely under impressed. I ended up finding a 2002 Tacoma with 75K miles and I really love that truck. I'll never go big truck, ever.
One of these was my first car. Bought it for $150 cash from a dude who lost his license to DUI and just wanted a few weeks' drinming money. Ran that piece of shit till it rusted apart. May have been ugly, but it did the job and did it well
In '86 or '87 my dad bought one of these, except it was a long bed "heavy duty" version with a 3 liter V6 and a 5 speed manual. For a truck it was pretty quick with that V6, and it seemed to be built by the same guy that designed german tiger tanks. It was unstoppable. Drove it for 13 years on the original clutch, 165,000 miles.
+Ethan Curtis I hope you don't mind if I steal that line. My buddy's got an 88 Honda with similar interior and he'll fucking have a stroke if I tell him this.
As the proud owner of an 02 dakota, I would love more trucks in that size to be made, even the new ranger makes my rig look tiny, and I have the long bed lol
I wish we could either drop FMVSS and adopt UNECE wholesale, or negotiate a joint regulatory body for cars with the EU so we can have all the nice stuff from around the world. Especially headlights that aren't complete dogshit.
i had a 90 hardbody that I paid 1200 bucks for in 1997 with 114k miles.. I drove it for 8 years and put 100k miles on it with nothing but, oil, tires, tie rod replacements and a clutch replacement, it treated me very well, it was a great truck.
+Lupe Casanova More refreshing, even, than holding down F5 and watching a Geocities page's hit counter go up, giggling all the while, on one of the Gateways in your middle school library.
I had a 91 Nissan Hardbody. It was a fantastically reliable vehicle. I had it in college and I drove pizza delivery in it for about 2 years. I was young and dumb and I am not kidding when I say I did zero maintenance on that truck for two years of hard driving. None. No oil changes, no anything. Driving pizza delivery for two years. And it not only survived, it was great until the day I traded it in. For a Saturn SL1 :( Bad move on my part. I wish I still had that truck.
Fun fact: Chevrolet markets the Colorado as a "Smart-Sized" Pickup. They literally cannot say small truck. GM thinks the truck consumer thinks SMALL IS BAD BIG IS GOOD.
+thegreatcarraway Hell, I want the s10 and Sonoma to come back in the size they were with the good ole long block 4.3 v6 and the 2.5 Iron Duke 4 cylinder as the engines. Now those were good ass trucks. Also the Ranger would be great to have back. I loved small trucks.
+Zack Salter Europe has a new version of the ranger which looks nice. Can even get it in Diesel. It seems slightly bigger than the older ones but it looks pretty nice. Don't know why they aren't available in NA.
+DangerDavez chicken tax. haha. And yea. I know there is still a Ranger, but it's now more of a midsize truck. It isn't the small little mighty worker it used to be.
honestly the best vehicle ive ever owned. i had 4 of them. couldnt get my fill. now i just cant find them. have you tried drifting it? i know it sounds funny but that truck is so well balanced.
I drift mine. Not often but when I want to show off to my nephew or something. Tail kicks out almost completely sideways so easy and those back tires just keep spinnin!
D.J. P I just bought a Nissan hardbody from an old man one owner garage kept with only 37k Miles on it. The best truck I will own, I'm 18 and i am never going to sell it.
Similar to the 80s and 90s Toyota Hilux... virtually impossible to break! In Mexico these trucks are still being produces, with small modifications, like plastic bumper and different interior. What about a 90s Ranger? Mr. RCR, Id love to the a 96 Ranger on your portfolio!!!
No regurts? Right? ..i mean regrets lol...all seriousness though these are equally matched or maybe even better than certain Toyotas of those years..just an opinion..
I bought a Nissan Hardbody new in '86, an SEV6 model. I drove the truck for 10 years and in that time, it had to go back to the dealer once for an unscheduled repair. The throttle position switch gummed up after 150,000 miles. That was it. Everything else was scheduled maintenance, and I maintained it well. It was a great truck. I loved it.
My family has ALWAYS owned one of these, one with 700+K Miles on the engine before the odometer went out, and it was only sold a few years ago. STILL RUNNING
I loved mine. I got it new in 1996, owned it for 17 years and all I ever had to fix was a mass-airflow sensor and a timing chain guide. I sold at almost 200,000 miles still with the original factory clutch.
My boss bought one recently and it was funny because he makes so much money in comparison to me (around 70k a year) and he and I are really good buds. He told me that this truck is unique and rare and I believe him (he also owns a '94 B13 SeR, classic/rare). So this truck is beautiful
An ode to Regular Car Reviews. I got the biggest smile when I saw this video. I'm the owner of a 1992 Hardbody 2wd and drove it for four years. Now with a new spiffy 2007 Tacoma. That light of love dimmed down...till I saw this. Thanks.
My GF has one of these, 96 with 200k miles, in 10 years It's had maybe $130 in unexpected maintenance on it. (upper pulley bearing, fan control resistor, o2 sensor)
+ThatGearHead™ I always wanted that black one in Back to the Future. Last year, I bought a 2001 Tacoma and kinda fulfilled that lifelong dream. Manual trans, xfer, hubs, locks, windows, and no intermittent wipers!
grandpa's insurance told him he has too many vehicles at the cheaper rate he's paying, so he gave me his 1990s, singlecab, 2dr. He maintained this truck based on the service manual he bought and kept it as stock as it could be just to see how long it would last. Can't wait to see it again once I go and pick it up!
From time to time I like to watch this review again, in my family we own 2 D21 and other Nissan and Datsun trucks and despite people making fun of the small size, those are the most humble and efficient trucks that we ever own, yeah they got their share number of issues but despite the hiccups we stumble on the road, they are well made, if somebody find one in sale dont be afraid of buy it
I don't know why, but after finishing this video it got me thinking about all those little pretty girls I see that drive the massive-as-fuck trucks the size of tanks around here. What's even the point in those battle wagons? Why own them? Why can't we have these again or the Chevy Luv? Could we decide that small is good again?
+Aaron MK These little trucks actually did work. Very rarely do you see a large truck being used as worker, it's normally an s10/Sonoma, Ranger/B2200/B3000/B4000, Hardbody/Frontier, Dakota/Raider doing all the work. They were great and bulletproof as hell.
+Zack Salter Not great for towing larger work trailers but my ranger does a good job of hauling my tools around and is ideal for pulling an ATV trailer. You can get a ladder rack for them and such too. Still, some people really do need half and 3/4 tonne pickups. Most people just drive em for no reason though.
+DangerDavez hell, I pulled a 22 foot trailer with a mega truck tahoe on it pretty often with my 1994 Chevy s10 with the 4.3l v6. only thing it ever struggled with was getting up a hill, but there is rarely a large hill around me. It never once gave up. I'm pretty sure if you had the 4.0 in the ranger or the 3.5 in the bardbody it would do the same with ease. haha.
There is nothing such as a too basic truck 2008 Nissan Titan Manual windows, manual locks, manual mirrors Grey bumpers Steel wheels 8ft bed Never happier
My mom bought one brand new in 1990. 4x4, 5 speed, big tires, black with a 90’pink purple and blue stripe along the side that had a squiggly “M” shape in the line on each door, and kids from when I was in 5Th grade all the way to college, loved that thing. They thought it was the coolest truck ever. I learned to drive in that truck; on road AND off, I got my license in that truck, i drove it for a year at one point, and that ol’ bastard that I named “Beasty” never let us down. She still has it. IT STILL RUNS. It’s. Twenty. Nine. Years. Old. I’m pretty sure I will inherit it as I am her only child. Lol
You should keep it in family nice story I see the hardbody truck everywhere....I still have my first truck it’s a 88 Toyota Pickup everything works..I love it
In Costa Rica the D21 are pretty common to see in the cities, in rural areas the most used Nissan truck is the Junior, if you think the D21 last too long, Juniors won by long shot
Daniel van Slooten Dunno, cause this Navara looks like it's been babied for it's entire life, and the hilux TG bought was... well... a bit 'crusty' underneat
+Bruce_Jenner A bit, is a bit of an understatement. It was rubbish to begin with. Get on the great web express and find a good copy of the episode, listen to the engine...yeah, they didn't bother buying something good. The funny part is that after it was left in the sea water and mud and sand and dog piss, it sounded better.
I still have my 1987 D21 rwd. She still runs perfectly and I love it. Although it's not my daily driver she was my first car and I've kept her in good condition and good running order.
I love how all of this applies to the WD21 Pathfinder too, that's a hell of an underdog, and finding one in good shape is also a hell of a task. I just love mine.
Used to see quite a few of these Nissan D21s on the road here in England, farmers and builders loved them because they were tough and reliable with a good 4 cylinder diesel engine and mostly 4x4 versions, just an honest hard working pickup truck.
I agree on taking care of these. Just had a guy come in the shop with a.....96 or 97. Can't remember for sure, but he had around 240k on the odo, and it really needed a timing chain component kit. You could hear it starting to slap around. I priced him out that, water pump, all the major front/top engine seals, filters, fluids, etc. and it wasn't a cheap bill. I explained if he wanted to maintain the thing, it was a smart move. He was thinking about just selling it, until I asked "What are you going to buy instead? You can't get modern compact truck. If you want one, the best thing you can do is treat the one you have right and don't cheap on the maintenance." You could see the light go on in his eyes. He responded with, "Y'know, it hasn't had the diff or trans fluid changed recently, and go ahead and add all the cooling hoses." Smart man.
I'm studying for a semester in Australia and I actually bought a '95 hardbody, although they call it the Navara here. Awesome little truck, really fun to drive in right hand drive too!
I am on my 3rd Nissan hardbody. 1986 D21 king cab SE. V6 5 speed 4x4 with 103,000 miles. Every single one I’ve had has been so reliable that it defines the laws a physics. There fantastic trucks.
Love these Hardbodys. One of my best friends drove one in high school. Eventually I came to find they share a very similar interior to my old 1986 Pulsar N12. Now I have a 1991 Sentra SE-R and that lacks an airbag too, so it’s nice to know I’m not alone there.
I had a 1995 sr20DET swapped 240sx S14 all beefed up. I got rid of it and got a stock hardbody and have never had so much fun. way more fun to drive then the 240 and haven't looked back. Damn I may buy a second one this summer because I love the truck so much. But I never would have considered this truck if it wasent for your review RCR so thank you so much for making this video and helping me fall in love with my truck
Even though I don't like small trucks that much, these things were impossible to kill. My friend had one and ran into a Jeep Wrangler (more like Jeep Wrangled) and the truck, while totaled, could still drive! (to an extent)
I bought a white automatic 1996 Nissan Frontier about 10 years ago with 140k miles on it as my weekend yard truck, almost identical to this one. It now has 155k miles. I have been approached at least four times by strangers asking if I would like to sell it and I of course say no. It has a cold AC, runs like a top and still looks sylish.
I've got an extended cab from 95, the damn thing is indestructible. It's got over 300k on it and the only thing that's gone out in it is the thermostat twice, and the distributor which was rebuilt. Goes anywhere, does everything, but because of its interesting fuel management system it gets oddly low gas milage, haven't figured out a way to get that addressed yet..
My dad had this truck(1990) in white in the late 90s to early 2000s. I loved that truck and called it the white monster because it was a bit rusty. I drove it in high school and took it deer hunting off road. Road tripped to New York from Ohio. Got a kiss from a girl i had a crush on. Lots of memories. Died ar 330k miles. It liked to blow tie rods. The radio wasn't great but worked but you didn't need much when you were listening to Dire Straits on cassette. The jump seats were nice in a pinch, we even had four of us in there which was me and two teenage brothers and our dad, drive two and half hours on a small road trip. The engine sound really takes me back. The tires also sucked but it did okay in the snow when you went out, locked the hubs manually, and switched to 4 low. My dad was also a part time fire and ems guy so when the sirens went off, my dad literally peeled out and id hear him red line until out of ear shot and me being a hugh school kid, was running it hot all the time doing fish tails. We hauled rocks, mulch, rototillers, camping gear, everything. No issue. Had a really high suspension too. The seats WERE verh comfortable. If you're looking at this truck and seeing if it sucks, it doesn't. Its awesome and after my kids are gone, will get this truck. You'll just love this truck.
I was just drooling over watching another video of a 2020 Ford F-250 with the new 7.3 “Godzilla” V8, and then I come across this video of an almost 30 year old little compact truck with an underpowered (by today’s standards) 4 banger. Man, talk about a relic of a bygone era. These are the kind of trucks I remember riding in as a kid (I’m almost 40 now). I bet this little truck is a ton of fun to drive in it’s own way.
Ahhhhh, Nissan BEFORE they were absolutely destroyed by Renault. This was when they were actually good. Don’t try to argue differently...You know it, I know it.
I had an 89 Hardbody Special that I bought new. Z24 4 cylinder, 5 speed, king cab, charcoal gray. Awesome and tough little truck! I had it for 6 years and well over 100k miles. Very few small small, inexpensive, and easy to fix issues. Nothing that was a show stopper. The issue that was not easy to fix was the clearcoat over the paint on the hood and roof. This was in the sun belt and after 4 years it started to fade which later started to blister then peel. Periodic waxing before this didn't seem to help. But still, I wish they still made a little truck just like my beloved and dearly missed D21.
My first vehicle was a 1989 Nissan Hardbody single cab no A/C(bought in Washington) and no power steering oh and the only year with that style grill. Had it 15 years and 250K with no issues. Hated changing plugs on that Z24i engine though 8 plugs on a 4 cylinder.
+awesomeologyism I wouldn't completely write off the Oldsmobile diesel. Read this article a long time ago: www.caranddriver.com/features/battle-of-the-diesel-beaters
+Brian Williams In highschool my best friend had a 1980 Caddilac Seville diesel. Same engine. What a turd. He was actually given the car for his 16th b day, but the engine was seized. He replaced it with the engine out of... wait for it...Oldsmobile diesel Cutlass Station wagon.
My dad was just talking about what massive pieces of shit these were back in the day and how many gas engines he swapped into them... Still I'd love to see a video on it
Great well done video! I just bought a 97 Hardbody with 127k. Nice clean original pawpaws truck. My brother had a 88 Hardbody Z24, he owned for 21 years. At 500,000 miles it blew a head gasket. He replace the head gasket, no machine work or anything, and drove it another 200,000 miles before selling it.
I have the 1994 hardbody white in color. It has the v-6 3.0 engine and is a 5 speed. It is the king cab. Everything still works and it was kept in a garage so the original paint is in excellent condition. It had right over 33k miles on it when I bought but it had been sitting for over 2 years. I had the timing belt changed since it was 20 years old and all of the vacuum lines. I drive it daily and it is very dependable. ac/heat/cruise control/4-wheel drive/power rear view mirrors all still work. The inside is in like new condition. I just hot 48k on it last week. I have taken it off road a few times and it does great. When you put it in 4 wheel low it's like an army tank. They are nice trucks but are very loud on the inside when driving on the interstate. One great thing about the model that I have is that the fan for the ac/heat blows very hard so it cools and heats like no other.
"muh truck bigger than your truck"
*ten years pass by* rolls up in a d21*
"muh truck lasted longer than your truck"
"muh truck bigger"
"Muh PP bigger"
Scott L I don’t think a pp can pull stuff and I don’t wanna try
A friend of mine has one of these with over 800,000 miles on it and it is still _airtight_.
Knock on wood.
Do you mean the body? I mean.. 800,000..
Same engine?
mine has 450thounsand miles same moter 2nd clutch
@@andrewmonroe155 mine has 175k and I just put in a clutch kit at 165. But Chinese guy drove it so ruined the old clutch
jonathna11 nice I've owned my truck for 5 years now and I would never sell it
My grandma has one. She's trying to see which will die first, her or the truck.
Dark Bounty I doubt she placed the bet on the truck
She’ll die first. No offense to your grandmother. Hell, she could live 30 more years and she’s still die first.
Bad news for your granny
Im sorry about grandma u.u
@@MK-sk2mi ive one (1989) n still in perfect going strong, perhaps her grandma has gone by now
Got 240k on my 96. Gunna keep it till it breaks in half. Then weld it back together. And keep going.
I got in a really bad accident, a big dodge ram hit my hardbody and flipped us a few times, we ended up upside down. My friend and I both got out of the truck unscathed, what could've killed us in a normal car did no damage to us whatsoever in the Hardbody
I can honestly say that a Hardbody saved my life.
KusoNeko 🙏
Don't know about the D21, but I drive a Datsun 720 and it feels like I would rather have a crash in a cardboard box than in that one. :P
Your hardbody saved your soft one
watch this it deleted it
Dude that's wild. 3 years ago I got t boned in my 02 xterra, which yes, I get it, is much newer and safer than a hardbody. But it's basically the successor to the pathfinder which was the successor to the hardbody trucks. Same story though, we rolled over, landed on the roof, and the biggest injury sustained was a bruised elbow from my arm hitting the door. My passenger was fine, and we walked right out of a truck that was still upside down. I swear they're built with magic
+RegularCars Thanks for reviewing an old classic Nissan truck. As a design engineer for Nissan, I personally love our older cars and trucks. They are as you said; Reliable and un-killable and that is the exact reason why you just don't see new vehicles like this anymore. It's the very reason why corporate decided to end the Xterra line. People loved them too much, kept them for too long without any major issues, and we never updated the vehicle. Nowadays, cars and trucks are given new trims, styling, and features almost every year and people have too many reasons to buy new. It's an ever changing world we live in.
To think Nissan's Cali design studio came up with this great utilitarian truck...and now?
IronManAlchemist2100 Greed ruins everything.
I'm actually in the market for a 1st gen Xterra right now. Could buy a newer rig, but I don't want a bunch of bells and whistles. I just want a simple and reliable daily driver/off roader. Newer vehicles are anything but simple and reliable. If they're out of warranty you're pretty much screwed.
Tyler Durden Xterras are nice, but I’d try looking for a Pathfinder. Those things last almost indefinitely. I was at an off-road course and found a guy with an old ‘93 Pathy with over 550,000 miles. Same engine, same everything. Not modified at all, and was working great both as an off-roader and a daily driver. Just slap some Michelin Defenders in her and you’re good to go!
I wonder if anyone else recognized The door handles lifted directly from the B11 Sentra.
agree 100%, this Nissan trucks are tough. my bro has one with 390000 miles and it runs like a clock.
Mbuuqw Plays Lol
***** when we say it runs like a clock, we mean it never misses a beat.
60rpm? Lmao since when a clock runs that fast haha a clock's 3rd hand runs at 1RPM per minute you fool. Someone needs to go back to 1st grade haha
***** what you need to take is some damn math classes 👉60rpm hahaha this guy lol
Why RuMad dude I have a 1986.5 Nissan hard body, first year they came out. Odometer broke at 452,000 miles. Still runs. But I now have brake problems. Seems that the brake pedal sinks to the floor with the engine on while it’s ok with the engine off. If the master cylinder going bad it should sink in both instances correct?
The old Nissan trucks tho, the new ones are straight crap
It’s strange that I watched this 3 years ago nearly and never gave it a second thought, and now I’ve had my hardbody for around 2 years and it’s legitimately the perfect little work truck
I have a 97 Nissan hardbody with over 300,000 miles and it's all original and still running strong to this day 😏 tough little truck
David Shelby Yeah. I had a 91 Pathfinder about ten years ago with 300k on the odometer. And it ran like a Swiss watch. I wonder how many miles are on it now?
David Shelby I too have a 1997 I am just curious how many timing chains have you done? Mine kills them like a good clock at about 50,000 miles
David Shelby a modern Nissan truck will be lucky to make it to 50k
I love a 97 hardbody
Nissan makes absolute pure plastic crap these days. When my 87 Toyota pick up was stolen in 2016 I went to the Nissan dealer looking at a manual five speed Frontier. I test drove it completely under impressed. I ended up finding a 2002 Tacoma with 75K miles and I really love that truck. I'll never go big truck, ever.
One of these was my first car. Bought it for $150 cash from a dude who lost his license to DUI and just wanted a few weeks' drinming money. Ran that piece of shit till it rusted apart. May have been ugly, but it did the job and did it well
"Thrody Bottle"
+uRev 3:42
i was gunna comment the same thing haha
*THRODDY BOTTLES*
+uRev I heard it and went straight for the comments LOL
+uRev Glad I'm not the only one who misheard
In '86 or '87 my dad bought one of these, except it was a long bed "heavy duty" version with a 3 liter V6 and a 5 speed manual. For a truck it was pretty quick with that V6, and it seemed to be built by the same guy that designed german tiger tanks. It was unstoppable. Drove it for 13 years on the original clutch, 165,000 miles.
same had mine since it came out in 1997 has the same amount of miles and original clutch although it is slipping
Bought my D21 new in '92. With 220k still have original clutch.
Mmmm...90's burgundy interior.
+accountnumber90 Stained red by the hymens i busted in high school.
+Ethan Curtis well, that's just flat out savage
+Ethan Curtis Holy fucking shit
+Ethan Curtis I hope you don't mind if I steal that line. My buddy's got an 88 Honda with similar interior and he'll fucking have a stroke if I tell him this.
Haha glad you got such a kick. Go for it.
Man I wish the chicken tax was repealed and we could make trucks small again.
As the proud owner of an 02 dakota, I would love more trucks in that size to be made, even the new ranger makes my rig look tiny, and I have the long bed lol
Jacob Benns I loved the older S10 trucks too.
@King Jace The Mighty Nissan Frontier was the last small truck
First we have to stop coddling Ford and GM
I wish we could either drop FMVSS and adopt UNECE wholesale, or negotiate a joint regulatory body for cars with the EU so we can have all the nice stuff from around the world. Especially headlights that aren't complete dogshit.
i had a 90 hardbody that I paid 1200 bucks for in 1997 with 114k miles.. I drove it for 8 years and put 100k miles on it with nothing but, oil, tires, tie rod replacements and a clutch replacement, it treated me very well, it was a great truck.
still a more refreshing body style than the Titan.
+Lupe Casanova More refreshing, even, than holding down F5 and watching a Geocities page's hit counter go up, giggling all the while, on one of the Gateways in your middle school library.
Fuck no. We have a titan and its great
Weston Meyers you have no standards
Hardbody for men, titan for the ladies
I had a 91 Nissan Hardbody. It was a fantastically reliable vehicle. I had it in college and I drove pizza delivery in it for about 2 years. I was young and dumb and I am not kidding when I say I did zero maintenance on that truck for two years of hard driving. None. No oil changes, no anything. Driving pizza delivery for two years. And it not only survived, it was great until the day I traded it in. For a Saturn SL1 :( Bad move on my part. I wish I still had that truck.
Most of us guys were dumb. And the majority wish they ( still ) had their first car/ truck and girlfriend ( who they should have married but didn't).
I have a 91 2wd lowered 3inchs She's cherry red. With 127,000 original miles. It's my baby. I just drive her in the summer.
Fun fact: Chevrolet markets the Colorado as a "Smart-Sized" Pickup. They literally cannot say small truck.
GM thinks the truck consumer thinks SMALL IS BAD BIG IS GOOD.
+thegreatcarraway Hell, I want the s10 and Sonoma to come back in the size they were with the good ole long block 4.3 v6 and the 2.5 Iron Duke 4 cylinder as the engines. Now those were good ass trucks. Also the Ranger would be great to have back. I loved small trucks.
+thegreatcarraway I had a 94, and it was the best truck I've owned.
+Zack Salter Europe has a new version of the ranger which looks nice. Can even get it in Diesel. It seems slightly bigger than the older ones but it looks pretty nice. Don't know why they aren't available in NA.
+DangerDavez chicken tax. haha. And yea. I know there is still a Ranger, but it's now more of a midsize truck. It isn't the small little mighty worker it used to be.
In a 1990s the s 10 was carburetor and slow af compared to my 1996 hardbody was efi
honestly the best vehicle ive ever owned. i had 4 of them. couldnt get my fill. now i just cant find them. have you tried drifting it? i know it sounds funny but that truck is so well balanced.
D.J. P yeah lmao I crashed while doing it tho
Mine is a RWD so damn ill have to try that
I drift mine. Not often but when I want to show off to my nephew or something. Tail kicks out almost completely sideways so easy and those back tires just keep spinnin!
D.J. P I just bought a Nissan hardbody from an old man one owner garage kept with only 37k Miles on it. The best truck I will own, I'm 18 and i am never going to sell it.
@@jonathan1932 buy something else and keep that thing clean, great trucks
I have owned a 97 since 2002. It's been the best little truck ever!
I have a 95 reg cab n 97 king cab. Killer trucks. They run forever....
I've owned 4 sadly every single one has been from the East coast and has rusted horribly, maybe one day I'll find a nice one for a reasonable price
Mr. Regular. Come to Puerto Rico. Car culture here would give you enough videos for a year.
+Eric Xavier I can't wait for him to rip on Technicas, 3 potes and Punto 8s!
Aw hell yeah. Tercels. Corollas. Mirages. Mustangs... Sidekicks and anything similar... All from the 80s and 90s and stanced.
+Eric Xavier It's possible. Roman (the guy who sings the songs) is Puerto Rican
+RegularCars I read your comment during his song at the end
+RegularCars if you want cool cars I've heard Cuba is a good option
Similar to the 80s and 90s Toyota Hilux... virtually impossible to break!
In Mexico these trucks are still being produces, with small modifications, like plastic bumper and different interior.
What about a 90s Ranger? Mr. RCR, Id love to the a 96 Ranger on your portfolio!!!
this truck simply oozes 90's charm.
Bought a 94' three years ago to resale, Had 2 other trucks, sold them both, kept the hardbody. Reliability and simplicity at it's best .
No regurts? Right? ..i mean regrets lol...all seriousness though these are equally matched or maybe even better than certain Toyotas of those years..just an opinion..
I bought a Nissan Hardbody new in '86, an SEV6 model. I drove the truck for 10 years and in that time, it had to go back to the dealer once for an unscheduled repair. The throttle position switch gummed up after 150,000 miles. That was it. Everything else was scheduled maintenance, and I maintained it well. It was a great truck. I loved it.
my friend has my old truck like this. He is up to over 350,000 miles on the complete original motor and he says it still doesn't burn any oil.
My family has ALWAYS owned one of these, one with 700+K Miles on the engine before the odometer went out, and it was only sold a few years ago. STILL RUNNING
I loved mine. I got it new in 1996, owned it for 17 years and all I ever had to fix was a mass-airflow sensor and a timing chain guide. I sold at almost 200,000 miles still with the original factory clutch.
My boss bought one recently and it was funny because he makes so much money in comparison to me (around 70k a year) and he and I are really good buds. He told me that this truck is unique and rare and I believe him (he also owns a '94 B13 SeR, classic/rare). So this truck is beautiful
An ode to Regular Car Reviews. I got the biggest smile when I saw this video. I'm the owner of a 1992 Hardbody 2wd and drove it for four years. Now with a new spiffy 2007 Tacoma. That light of love dimmed down...till I saw this. Thanks.
My GF has one of these, 96 with 200k miles, in 10 years It's had maybe $130 in unexpected maintenance on it. (upper pulley bearing, fan control resistor, o2 sensor)
Just got a new heater blower--after 24 years. I want a new bench now, with fresh springs.
You need to drive the almighty 1984-88 Toyota 4X4 Truck
+ThatGearHead™ They're both amazing trucks.
+ThatGearHead™ I always wanted that black one in Back to the Future. Last year, I bought a 2001 Tacoma and kinda fulfilled that lifelong dream. Manual trans, xfer, hubs, locks, windows, and no intermittent wipers!
+ThatGearHead™ Shit, if he comes to Georgia, I'd love for him to review mine. lol
+ThatGearHead™ And take it to MOOOAAAAB!
Just a Random Dude YEAHHHH, MOOAAABB BRO!
Please review my bedtime, I think it might be too late.
+Stingray Which bed is best bed?
+Stingray TWENTY SIXTEEN MIDDLE AMERICA BEDTIME.
FOR WHEN JERKING OFF UNDER THE SHEETS NEED DISCRETION
+anewacc haha "night soilings"
+broman191 Anything but my bed, I've moved to the couch it's so bad.
grandpa's insurance told him he has too many vehicles at the cheaper rate he's paying, so he gave me his 1990s, singlecab, 2dr. He maintained this truck based on the service manual he bought and kept it as stock as it could be just to see how long it would last. Can't wait to see it again once I go and pick it up!
From time to time I like to watch this review again, in my family we own 2 D21 and other Nissan and Datsun trucks and despite people making fun of the small size, those are the most humble and efficient trucks that we ever own, yeah they got their share number of issues but despite the hiccups we stumble on the road, they are well made, if somebody find one in sale dont be afraid of buy it
Amen!
I don't know why, but after finishing this video it got me thinking about all those little pretty girls I see that drive the massive-as-fuck trucks the size of tanks around here. What's even the point in those battle wagons? Why own them?
Why can't we have these again or the Chevy Luv? Could we decide that small is good again?
I drive a miata and feel. Small is cool but not lucrative
Safety regulations won't allow it ever again.
+Aaron MK These little trucks actually did work. Very rarely do you see a large truck being used as worker, it's normally an s10/Sonoma, Ranger/B2200/B3000/B4000, Hardbody/Frontier, Dakota/Raider doing all the work. They were great and bulletproof as hell.
+Zack Salter Not great for towing larger work trailers but my ranger does a good job of hauling my tools around and is ideal for pulling an ATV trailer. You can get a ladder rack for them and such too. Still, some people really do need half and 3/4 tonne pickups. Most people just drive em for no reason though.
+DangerDavez hell, I pulled a 22 foot trailer with a mega truck tahoe on it pretty often with my 1994 Chevy s10 with the 4.3l v6. only thing it ever struggled with was getting up a hill, but there is rarely a large hill around me. It never once gave up. I'm pretty sure if you had the 4.0 in the ranger or the 3.5 in the bardbody it would do the same with ease. haha.
There is nothing such as a too basic truck
2008 Nissan Titan
Manual windows, manual locks, manual mirrors
Grey bumpers
Steel wheels
8ft bed
Never happier
Hahaha I LOVE your profile pic and profile name! “I am Cornholio! I need TP for my bunghole!”
If only it could have a manual trans
I also have a 2008 Titan all manual locks and windows.
You can still get a frontier similar to this truck . I’d prefer a king cab, auto and v6 but it would do all I need a truck to do,
My mom bought one brand new in 1990. 4x4, 5 speed, big tires, black with a 90’pink purple and blue stripe along the side that had a squiggly “M” shape in the line on each door, and kids from when I was in 5Th grade all the way to college, loved that thing. They thought it was the coolest truck ever. I learned to drive in that truck; on road AND off, I got my license in that truck, i drove it for a year at one point, and that ol’ bastard that I named “Beasty” never let us down.
She still has it. IT STILL RUNS. It’s. Twenty. Nine. Years. Old. I’m pretty sure I will inherit it as I am her only child. Lol
You should keep it in family nice story I see the hardbody truck everywhere....I still have my first truck it’s a 88 Toyota Pickup everything works..I love it
Pretty sure I’m gonna inherit it someday lol
I love at 4:24 "as far as safety... just don't crash".
I had one. They actually did pretty good as long as you didnt hit a wall or a tree. IMO they were about as safe as small vehicles got back then.
I laughed so hard
these things were very popular in rural areas of greece.
In Costa Rica the D21 are pretty common to see in the cities, in rural areas the most used Nissan truck is the Junior, if you think the D21 last too long, Juniors won by long shot
Is this Matt Farah's million miles Lexus?
No I think that had the different headlight fluid injection system
+Hugh Jass don't you mean, Is this Top Gear's Indestructible Hilux?
+Bruce_Jenner If Top Gear UK tried to destroy this Nissan alongside that Toyota Hilux back in 2003, who'd win? ;-/
Daniel van Slooten Dunno, cause this Navara looks like it's been babied for it's entire life, and the hilux TG bought was... well... a bit 'crusty' underneat
+Bruce_Jenner A bit, is a bit of an understatement. It was rubbish to begin with. Get on the great web express and find a good copy of the episode, listen to the engine...yeah, they didn't bother buying something good. The funny part is that after it was left in the sea water and mud and sand and dog piss, it sounded better.
I got a 95 hardbody back in October, its the 4cyl extended cab with rwd and only 81000 miles.
How's it going?
@ 3:43 he says Throtty Bottle instead of Throttle Body lol
TheAK47s mr. Regular is real and unedited. That's what makes him great.
That's a gorgeous Hardbody.. between those and the Toyo Pickups the world hasn't seen a better little working man's truck.
I still have my 1987 D21 rwd. She still runs perfectly and I love it. Although it's not my daily driver she was my first car and I've kept her in good condition and good running order.
i'm very satisfied with this review, my daily driver in a 1986 D21 and its great
I've got an 87. Gets 25 miles to the gallon!
I love how all of this applies to the WD21 Pathfinder too, that's a hell of an underdog, and finding one in good shape is also a hell of a task. I just love mine.
Agreed but the VG30 is hungry for timing belts
@@michaelgrubbs3788 The VG33 had a new design of pulleys with a round-tooth belt that goes about 20k longer, you can swap them in.
I watched this 4 years ago. Drove my new 93 D21 home last week.
Used to see quite a few of these Nissan D21s on the road here in England, farmers and builders loved them because they were tough and reliable with a good 4 cylinder diesel engine and mostly 4x4 versions, just an honest hard working pickup truck.
Had 2 of these, then graduated to a 01 Frontier. Nissan Trucks = Love
I've got a 2001 frontier myself. Clutch just went out but, I feel like after that it'll be a good truck.
This thing's like jeans or leather jackets. Hard wearing and timeless. Love it.
That truck is beautiful.
+Whalerguy Thank you!
I keep coming back to this video, its the video that introduced me to your channel, but also I just love Hardbodies.
I keep coming back because this is me and my family's truck in the video. It was stolen and this is some of the few footage we have left of it.
my dad owned 2 of these, wrecked one and it STILL RUNS. We may not of gotten the hilux but this is probably just as good.
Man, love my '93 WD21. Thing has nearly 350,000 miles on it but it's still chugging along.
The Kerminator just bought one for 750 bucks awesome rig!!!
WD21 and R50 Pathfinders are just about the greatest trucks one can buy!
Did my truck!!! Thanks for the kind words about my old friend.
Hard Body. Soft frame. lol.
Regardless, great trucks.
"trucks" MURICA.
No quotes needed, it's a real truck.
tytotheler92 rip. got one that was clean af and looked under and holy frame. 1k later it's pached and it's so nice to drive with 88k miles.
Picked up a 93 from a tow yard a few months ago for $800. Runs like a champ.
I agree on taking care of these. Just had a guy come in the shop with a.....96 or 97. Can't remember for sure, but he had around 240k on the odo, and it really needed a timing chain component kit. You could hear it starting to slap around. I priced him out that, water pump, all the major front/top engine seals, filters, fluids, etc. and it wasn't a cheap bill. I explained if he wanted to maintain the thing, it was a smart move. He was thinking about just selling it, until I asked "What are you going to buy instead? You can't get modern compact truck. If you want one, the best thing you can do is treat the one you have right and don't cheap on the maintenance." You could see the light go on in his eyes. He responded with, "Y'know, it hasn't had the diff or trans fluid changed recently, and go ahead and add all the cooling hoses." Smart man.
It was great! I had the extended cab. The clutches were to hard to repair , darn hydrolic truck. Z21 loved it
I'm studying for a semester in Australia and I actually bought a '95 hardbody, although they call it the Navara here. Awesome little truck, really fun to drive in right hand drive too!
The Navarra is the 4 door model right?
I was in Colombia two years ago and this truck was EVERYWHERE!!! that and eighties and nineties Toyota 4runners
fun fact, Mexico was making and selling D21's until 2008, and Venezuela was selling brand new D21's until 2014
Darren Mountain they Are indestructible
Just scored a '92 with 52K original miles. Underneath looks like new.
My entire life on UA-cam is JRE and Regular Cars. Thank you for bridging that gap.
I am on my 3rd Nissan hardbody. 1986 D21 king cab SE. V6 5 speed 4x4 with 103,000 miles. Every single one I’ve had has been so reliable that it defines the laws a physics. There fantastic trucks.
my old boss loved these trucks to death he always had 2 or 3 and when he saw one for sale he could not ignore it lol
LOVE my 2003 Frontier! Still runs like new. Yes I fixed it up and take it off road constantly!
My first "car" was on of these. Excellent vehicle.
Love these Hardbodys. One of my best friends drove one in high school. Eventually I came to find they share a very similar interior to my old 1986 Pulsar N12. Now I have a 1991 Sentra SE-R and that lacks an airbag too, so it’s nice to know I’m not alone there.
Still driving my D21... Since 1987! Such a convenient little truck. 25 mpg.
The best truck generation that Nissan made.
Wait till you drive the 4 cylinder in the Hard Body that has 8 spark plugs. Crazy amounts of torque
I’m thinking of getting one of these as my first car. Good idea?
Do it man!! 🔥🙌🏼
I just got a hardbody as my second car after a crapy 2002 mustang and its the best truck i could of gotten , things a beast
i want one as my first car too
*definitely*
4 years later I finally found my own. Thanks, Mr.Regular
I had a 1995 sr20DET swapped 240sx S14 all beefed up. I got rid of it and got a stock hardbody and have never had so much fun. way more fun to drive then the 240 and haven't looked back. Damn I may buy a second one this summer because I love the truck so much. But I never would have considered this truck if it wasent for your review RCR so thank you so much for making this video and helping me fall in love with my truck
I appreciate your love for 90s vehicles, especially foreigners
mikeanthonybrooks the Japanese were killing it in the late 80s and early 90s, both in consumer products and motorsports.
Even though I don't like small trucks that much, these things were impossible to kill. My friend had one and ran into a Jeep Wrangler (more like Jeep Wrangled) and the truck, while totaled, could still drive! (to an extent)
The new Colorado's and Canyon's mine as well be full size trucks. They're huge.
I bought a white automatic 1996 Nissan Frontier about 10 years ago with 140k miles on it as my weekend yard truck, almost identical to this one. It now has 155k miles. I have been approached at least four times by strangers asking if I would like to sell it and I of course say no. It has a cold AC, runs like a top and still looks sylish.
Bought a 92 Hardbody back in February. Had 272k miles, now up to 278k. Most fun i've ever driven.
I've got an extended cab from 95, the damn thing is indestructible. It's got over 300k on it and the only thing that's gone out in it is the thermostat twice, and the distributor which was rebuilt.
Goes anywhere, does everything, but because of its interesting fuel management system it gets oddly low gas milage, haven't figured out a way to get that addressed yet..
Same only a 93 , what motor do you have?
Reminds me of my 95 Toyota T100, Looks similar, mines the SR5 4x4 too. Both are rare now a days, and both are just very good, yet very simple.
+Ian Thompson And Goodluck finding parts for either....
the toyotas are everywhere
I had a 1996 XE . 4cyl. 4x4. Manual
Best truck I've ever owned.
My friend people absolutely love this trucks in mexico
My dad had this truck(1990) in white in the late 90s to early 2000s. I loved that truck and called it the white monster because it was a bit rusty. I drove it in high school and took it deer hunting off road. Road tripped to New York from Ohio. Got a kiss from a girl i had a crush on. Lots of memories. Died ar 330k miles. It liked to blow tie rods. The radio wasn't great but worked but you didn't need much when you were listening to Dire Straits on cassette. The jump seats were nice in a pinch, we even had four of us in there which was me and two teenage brothers and our dad, drive two and half hours on a small road trip. The engine sound really takes me back. The tires also sucked but it did okay in the snow when you went out, locked the hubs manually, and switched to 4 low. My dad was also a part time fire and ems guy so when the sirens went off, my dad literally peeled out and id hear him red line until out of ear shot and me being a hugh school kid, was running it hot all the time doing fish tails. We hauled rocks, mulch, rototillers, camping gear, everything. No issue. Had a really high suspension too. The seats WERE verh comfortable.
If you're looking at this truck and seeing if it sucks, it doesn't. Its awesome and after my kids are gone, will get this truck. You'll just love this truck.
I was just drooling over watching another video of a 2020 Ford F-250 with the new 7.3 “Godzilla” V8, and then I come across this video of an almost 30 year old little compact truck with an underpowered (by today’s standards) 4 banger. Man, talk about a relic of a bygone era. These are the kind of trucks I remember riding in as a kid (I’m almost 40 now). I bet this little truck is a ton of fun to drive in it’s own way.
258k on my hardbody and still going strong :D
Ahhhhh, Nissan BEFORE they were absolutely destroyed by Renault. This was when they were actually good. Don’t try to argue differently...You know it, I know it.
RENISSAN?? BLAAAAAH NO GOOD.
Datsun/Nissan now that's a whole different enchilada. .
By the way by 1997 it had port fuel injection. I did the White Rim road in mine, it is a great off-roader. To the Nineties.
My dad has had one for many years. That thing would sit for a year and start up and drive like it was driven yesterday.
I had an 89 Hardbody Special that I bought new. Z24 4 cylinder, 5 speed, king cab, charcoal gray. Awesome and tough little truck! I had it for 6 years and well over 100k miles. Very few small small, inexpensive, and easy to fix issues. Nothing that was a show stopper.
The issue that was not easy to fix was the clearcoat over the paint on the hood and roof. This was in the sun belt and after 4 years it started to fade which later started to blister then peel. Periodic waxing before this didn't seem to help. But still, I wish they still made a little truck just like my beloved and dearly missed D21.
Simply...A Truck! Just wish it would fit in my Matchbox case.
My first vehicle was a 1989 Nissan Hardbody single cab no A/C(bought in Washington) and no power steering oh and the only year with that style grill. Had it 15 years and 250K with no issues. Hated changing plugs on that Z24i engine though 8 plugs on a 4 cylinder.
I want you to review my GM... DIESEL.... V8......Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham
hmm different
+Brian Williams Get out of here with that abomination
+awesomeologyism I wouldn't completely write off the Oldsmobile diesel. Read this article a long time ago:
www.caranddriver.com/features/battle-of-the-diesel-beaters
+Brian Williams In highschool my best friend had a 1980 Caddilac Seville diesel. Same engine. What a turd.
He was actually given the car for his 16th b day, but the engine was seized. He replaced it with the engine out of... wait for it...Oldsmobile diesel Cutlass Station wagon.
My dad was just talking about what massive pieces of shit these were back in the day and how many gas engines he swapped into them... Still I'd love to see a video on it
Great well done video! I just bought a 97 Hardbody with 127k. Nice clean original pawpaws truck. My brother had a 88 Hardbody Z24, he owned for 21 years. At 500,000 miles it blew a head gasket. He replace the head gasket, no machine work or anything, and drove it another 200,000 miles before selling it.
Just picked up a 91 2wd with 130,000 miles. One owner since new, repair documentation goes back 25 years. So happy with it. So clean.
I loved my hardbody... drove it hard and put it away wet, never let me down. Eventually rolled it at over 300k... RIP Hardbody.
Omg, that was my grandpa's truck!!! I loved this Truck
Damn, its 4 am.
Somewhere in the empire it's 5pm. Uncorking.
I've owned 7 of these trucks and currently own a 97, Hands down the best vehicle I have ever owned.
Damn!! I need to talk more to you...that is pretty rad ...would you mind telling me the specs of all the ones you have owned? Very interesting...
I have the 1994 hardbody white in color. It has the v-6 3.0 engine and is a 5 speed. It is the king cab. Everything still works and it was kept in a garage so the original paint is in excellent condition. It had right over 33k miles on it when I bought but it had been sitting for over 2 years. I had the timing belt changed since it was 20 years old and all of the vacuum lines. I drive it daily and it is very dependable. ac/heat/cruise control/4-wheel drive/power rear view mirrors all still work. The inside is in like new condition. I just hot 48k on it last week. I have taken it off road a few times and it does great. When you put it in 4 wheel low it's like an army tank. They are nice trucks but are very loud on the inside when driving on the interstate. One great thing about the model that I have is that the fan for the ac/heat blows very hard so it cools and heats like no other.