X TRAIL ADVICE

[mellows40]

G`day Guys, My dad is buying a brand new .. x trail.. anyone know much about them... He`s getting the diesel fully optioned... and got a good price on his GQ as a trade in.. I would just like to know what people think of the x trail and how it drives if anyone has got one.


cheers Eric

[pootrol]

like most of these so called off roaders there only good for city driving. i know of one bloke got a manual one to camp with his buddies and the first trip it did up the beach the clutch died.apparently a common fault but seeing as the clutch died outside of normal driving he coughed up 2500 to fix the clutch with some hybrid thing. are these the auto ones that when hot shut off 4wd like some others.thats also real handy on the beach. in a nut shell there nice road cars that can get you where most comondores will go.for go any where robustness keep the GQ. the wife wanted a new car recently and we looked hard at the x trail but thought we might as well get a murano.technically that should go where xtrails go sharing same sort of susp ground clearance etc and 4wd switch but we all know its to piss weak to go off bitumen. my desicion was based on why look like a 4wd when it isnt one.

[Reddo]

The traction control is over the top, and you cant switch it off (on last years model). We lost one down a slippery meddow one evening, and was heading for a 20 meter drop. you could use the brake to lock it, but as soon as you dumped the clutch, it would cut the rev's, the brakes would come on and it would slid further. They have a good ride, but on corrugation, they tend to get a side to side rock going which can make you feel sick. If your messing around and having a lash and start to light one of the wheels up on wet inclines on the rd, the traction control comes on and tends to throw the straight ahead. decide to put them into a four wheel drift is the only way to overide it, it dash will blink at you but the sensors cant keep up with whats happening

My dad has had them for a number of years now (department cars), and i also had a couple while i was working at the uni, my sister had one, and one of my mates still owns one. The interiors have come along leaps and bounds in the last few years, and there is some great little cup holders/storage spaces in the dash, which fit great little boxs of stuff that goes bang. I'd say the clutch is defently the weak point, and the std rubber from the show room (were) a bit shy in wet weather, under heavy braking (note; im not sure what rubber tyhere fitted with now). There quite quick on the street to (we always had the petrol ones with 5 speeds), no idea to what the oiler is like. I'd defently have one when i grow up and get hold of a family, i do like them (before i always though they were a little grimace), however after a good wooping they come back for more. Great cars, and i think you'll be impressed. Never driven them on the beach, so i cant comment there. have wheeled them in the bush and your going to find there limitations pretty quick

anyway thats what i found, but everyone is diffrent in what they expect/find with their cars.

[mellows40]

Thanks guys,
Dad has bought it for towing and won`t take it off road besides that he retiered last month so it will be the last car he owns. I just want to know that it`s not a lemon, he needs a strong vehicle cause his passion is touring this big country of ours. next year he plans to go west and tour the other half of aus and expects to take about 6 months to do it, so reliabilitie is important, I expect he will drive on some pretty lousy roads so traction control will help, thats not to say he`s a bad driver cause I`ve seen him drive the wheels off most other drivers... he is more skilled than most drivers.. 48 years of driving will do that...

I`m keen to know more if anyone can help .... cheers Eric

[shatta]

Hey Eric,

As the others mentioned, as long as it is used as designed, you can't go wrong. I have modified my wife's xtrail, adding a 50mm suspension lift and larger 225 size bfg tyres. I can take it pretty far, but there is no way that it can keep up with my GU.

They are great tow vehicles, but due to the rear spring rating, and being front wheel drive, larger tow ball weights can cause steering issues.

Best to check out the Australian xtrail forum for more specific advise.

Good luck with it.

http://www.australianxtrail.com.au/

Regards.
Brett

[chunks]

What exactly is he towing with it?

[mellows40]

G`day guys,
He`s towing a small/ medium caravan with it he said toight that the gmv of the x trail is 2000kg`s and his van is 1500kg`s so as far as towing goes he`s under the vehicle`s limit, and I let him know about the advice that I have recieved so far and he`s stoaked.... he`s wrapt that he`s getting "the white one" as far as color goes cause mum likes white vehicles.... besides mums not a good driver, so long as she`s happy he can spend a little more on tricking it up...( she pranged the last few cars... even though she won`t be allowed to drive it she has to like it) ...

We laughed tonight as I said that it was going to be the last big purchase as there had better be some left for me when he`s gone..... His replie "no you get nothin.. Hopfully just enough ta bury me with... ok and a beer to say bye bye".. ok ok Beer was involved and on sundays we talk crap and get pissed, we had a very good sunday...lol He`s my best mate.

Please keep the info coming we are getting so much from it it`s great..

Cheers Eric