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Your Experience with Buying a New Xterra

4K views 31 replies 26 participants last post by  DirtRoad77 
#1 ·
On Friday I signed a deal on a 2015 Pro-4X in night armor and I have to admit the whole buying experience wasn't exactly a fun one. I was wondering if I was the only one who had a bad experience when came the time to buy their new truck.

As far as my experience go let's just say that the salesperson in both dealership I went to had no clue what the Xterra's features were or even the trims available. To make it even worse I had taken the time in both cases to setup an appointment since I had vehicles to trade in. Coming from a sales and managing background I had hopes that they would at least try to know their products since I told them what model and trim I was shopping for.

It seems like the Xterra is such a specific truck that they don't even bother getting to know the specs.

As far as expected delivery go I ended up getting a month or so of waiting time. Anyone else ended up with similar delay ?
 
#3 ·
And this is the reason Tesla wants to sell directly to the customer without a 3rd party dealer to sour the transaction. And dealers have laws in many states that prevent selling directly to the consumer. Presume the maple leafs have something about the same there.

Hopefully it is just a bad salesman, not the whole dealership.

After you take delivery you should get a survey (or multiple) asking about the experience. Tell the truth. Give names and examples. A nicely written letter mailed to the corporate office could very well get action. At this point it is a little late for you, but it can force the dealership to clean up its act and get the staff properly trained. Proper training can extend into the service department, which in the future if you ever need it could be a good thing. So there is still some good that could come from this, although you may never directly recognize it.

I walked into the dealership and had the build sheet all picked out. Gave them a date 3 months away and asked how much out the door, and yes I am shopping around for the best deal. Got a number the research said was good and put a deposit down. Few months later it was in. In my case all they needed to know was how to properly place the order.
 
#4 · (Edited)
First your profile says from a few weeks ago that you already have a stock 2015..but I guess you were planning ahead before actually having it - ok anyway...
So now you signed for it and waiting time is a month - pretty normal thus far.

But Im curious..if you knew what you wanted and did your homework on a truck you wanted to spend about 40G's on..What trims did you want them to sit and talk to you about..
There's only two models we have here. We don't have trims here in Canada anyway - they come pretty full equipped as is. They don't come with much options - the brochure says it all...It's not like in the US where you have different packages. If you're talking about getting floor mats, and bike racks and mumbo jumbo goodies..forget it. Just ask for the towing hitch and that's all. Everything else is way over priced.

And why don't or didn't you sell your car(s) privately..you know you're going to get royally screwed by trading-in..don't forget they have to sell that car after..they don't want to keep it..so they have to buy it pretty cheap to be able to sell it to make a dollar off it. So off that bat you're losing a good 500- to 1000 dollars right there. Plus these guys LOVE playing with numbers and dazzling you with payments and trade ins and throwing figures you're way and at the end, watch, you're still going to be paying about $400 -$500 a month for 5 years. I had a friend at Honda.. Sales guys 'hate' easy sales (meaning no trade ins) ... cause they can't manipulate the sale. Where did you buy it anyway?

That said, if you're expecting the salesperson to be a 4x4 pro and know the ins and outs of this truck that rarely sells these days, you're going to wait for a long time..
Nissan is about the Micra, Rogue and the sappy Pathfinder and these guys just want to sell what people want..and people are not rushing into Nissan for the Xterra.
 
#5 ·
I gave them my deposit on Wednesday almost 2 weeks ago and that's when I changed my profile to reflect what will be my new truck.

Waiting time is not my main concern it's the fact that I had to call 3 times today before I could speak to someone that could tell me when the truck was gonna show up even though they told me I'd get a call first thing this morning.

I realize that I may be getting a lot more picky as a customer than I used to be. I expected a little something from a salesperson when buying a 40g truck rather than a 11g micra or versa. The guy couldn't even say the name of the truck or the trim right. I'm not gonna lie, most of my homeworks were already done when I showed up there.

Surprisingly enough the floor mats and window visors were cheaper than if I had bought them online. When I was buying accessories or parts for my car I came to realize that not all dealers are priced the same so depending where you go you might get a great deal.

I did try to sell both vehicles myself, 08 Acura TL-S and 03 Xterra SE, and I got to the point where what they gave me for the trade in came pretty close to what I could have sold them for. I ended up buying at Albi Nissan in Mascouche.
 
#6 ·
I'm yet to deal with a nissan dealer that knows their trucks and SUVs.

I used to have to argue with a dealership that my Frontier was in fact a frontier not a Titan. I would then have to argue over what came in which model when I was trying to get parts for my truck.

The only thing they ever seem to know are the stupid stereos and power features.
 
#9 ·
I asked the parts guy at a local dealership out of curiosity, how much were those stock crossbars are for the roof rack (figured it would be a last resort if I didn't have the $ to buy a proper rack before spring). And he said that they don't make them for the 2010, but they had them for the 07-09, 11-15. :scratch:
 
#7 ·
I knew exactly what I wanted, I looked at the inventory report from the Nissan page, I wrote down exactly my trade-in value and my offering price for the X, drove about 100 miles to the dealership, told the sales manager that I don't have time for conversation as I'm there to talk business and no I don't want a donut, he gave me to a sales guy who read the sheet then brought it to the manager, came back and said let's write it up, I drove the X home about 3 hours later (vehicle prep time).
 
#12 ·
^^^ Ditto on this. I bought my '13 in January. It was practically hassle free. Here's why:

I walked into the dealership knowing exactly the trim and options I wanted. I knew from the online inventory that they had a truck that perfectly matched those specs. I walked in with a print out of that truck from the website. I also knew approximately what the dealer had paid for it and knew what I was willing to pay for it.

10 minutes with the salesman and he knew I had a better idea of what the truck was than he did and he smartly shut up during the test drive. I had my own financing already figured out, was very up front with what I was getting and challenged the dealership to do better. (they ended up beating USAA by .25% with the same terms and I got $500 off the sale price to boot)

They ended up coming up with a final sale price about $1000 more than what I wanted to pay. I told them that and they pulled their fuzzy math calculators out and somehow got it within $200 of my ideal final price.

As I was leaving, the sales guy thanked ME for making the process painless.
 
#8 ·
Its rare to see a car salesman with in depth technical knowledge of thier product.

That said, a certain "type" of buyer likes being sold that way and I'd venture to say, that "type" is also the kind of person who would sign up and join an internet forum about their car.

Sadly, I don't think the majority of people are interested in heavy detail specifics and as a salesman you want to sell... give the masses what they want and if you do bother to read up, do it on what sells.

So as much as you spent on a new truck - the Xterra owner and one that's into the details, is likely an infrequent occurence for most dealerships.
 
#14 ·
Dealt with the fleet salesmanager at my dealership (I bought my Xterra as part of our farm fleet).
He's the fleet manager for 3 other dealerships as well (they are all part of the same group).
I knew what I wanted, went through the accessory catalog with him, said I wanted the all season (rubber) floormats, he included them with the purchase price.
Put a deposit down, 3 months later wrote a cheque for the remaining amount owed, drove away owing $0 on my new truck.

The fleet manager knew about every vehicle he sold, when he went over the predelivery with me he showed me all the cubbies and wetbox, told me how to engage the locker etc. He also talked extensively about the goodies on a 2014 Corvette that was on the Nissan lot for a predelivery detail (the Nissan dealer is part of a group that also has a GM dealership and a Hyundia dealership).
 
#17 ·
I must have been one of the lucky ones. Not only did I get a salesman that was a really nice guy, he was super sharp, knew his stuff and even drove a 2011 Xterra for his personal vehicle. He was great help and has even been there when I needed help months after the sale. I don't know if I got the best deal on the planet but I did ok and I will use this dealership for my next vehicle for sure.
 
#20 ·
I went to a Mazda dealership with a friend of mine (In my truck) to drive a CX5, and we ended up being parked next to a pro4x Frontier that was on the lot. At the sales guy's request, I spent a good 5 or 10 minutes talking about it to him. Not the most useful info for a Mazda salesman, but they had one on their lot, and someone had to know what it was.
 
#22 ·
I had no intentions of purchasing an X exlusively. I went in looking for an suv or truck around $10k. They had me just about sold on a Jeep Commander. I took the jeep to my mechanic for an inspection.....things went south with a quickness. The transfer case was screwed, the engine timing was all out of whack etc. They qouted for $8k worth of work. Needless to say I took it back and raised hell about the fact that this vehicle was even on their lot. They then told me that a guy was trading in an Xterra, I agreed to check it out, remembering that one of my friends parents in highschool had an early 1st gen and I thought it was awsome! I then took it to my mech, got a clean bill of health with a slight look of jealousy and bought my truck for 11k with 62k miles and it was certified. Im pretty sure they didnt want back lash from the jeep incident and probably lost money on the X but I accepted what I could only assume was a bribe and have never loved a vehicle so much. The only thing wrong with my X is a rusty rear bumper and no Nissan 1st aid kit.
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#24 ·
I have to be honest - Xterra was not on list of cars I wanted at the time I went to the Nissan dealer. I went out with intention to buy 2015 Frontier Pro4X.
I liked the way it drove, and I liked how everything was situated, and wife wasn't hating it either.

Well, it turned out it was over budget by.... well, a lot. LOL
I was just going to go home until sales guys showed me xterra. Was not pick up I was looking for, but I liked.
And wife liked it much better then the truck.
Plus it was $10000 cheaper.
 
#25 ·
My recent purchase was relatively painless. In fact, it was too easy.

I shopped Carmax.com for a late model Pro4x and found a 2012 with 12k miles at one of their dealerships in Houston. I figured I would pay the $500 transfer fee to get it to Albuquerque to purchase. I talked to a salesman and went to see him.

Before I went to see him, I got pre-approved for an auto loan by my credit union, which took maybe 5 minutes online.

When I got to the lot, the guy I talked to was busy, so I walked around and found a 2014 S at the back of the lot with a no-haggle price of $23k. Not the Pro4x I wanted, but with 17k miles I figured a bird in the hand- plus, the wife's Buick was living on borrowed time. So, few hours later, I left the lot with my new X.

I remember when buying a car was a lot more hassle.
 
#26 ·
The trick to buying any vehicle, imo -- whether it's used or new -- is to do your research so you know what you're talking about, instead of being at the mercy of the dealer's staff. Because, as you can see from the posts here, when it comes to product knowledge, professionalism and even ethics at times, the winds are high and variable once you step foot on their lot. That said, here's my story.

Been in sedans my whole life, but I've always had a not-so-secret crush on old school utilitarian military-type vehicles that can go anywhere and do anything. But I've never owned one. Spent the past 20 years in Honda Accords -- first two I bought used, and the last one, my loyal and indestructible 2005 5-sp VTECH Nighthawk Black Pearl EX.

[Aside: They're great cars, if you've never driven them -- well-engineered, solid mechanicals, reliable, comfortable, pretty good looking (except now every sedan looks like an Accord). Almost bizarrely good in ishtty weather for a FWD. I'll miss the damned bulletproof Honda MT that shifted like butter, and the legendary low-end torque that let you accelerate from 60 to 80 when you needed to without feeling like you were driving into the wind. If you're ever in the market for a solid car, do yourself a favor and put the Accord on your list of things to check out. If they made a 4X4 lifted Accord, I probably would have bought one!]

Only thing I didn't like was how low the darn thing rode. As careful as I tried to be, I managed to scrape the bottom a number of times, and the front and rear bumpers hang so low that they are always exposed to damage -- those things are like ding magnets, and as soon as they get marred, it takes away from the overall appearance of the car (and they cost a fortune to repair!). One day a few years ago, when I was going out for a hike and was maneuvering the Accord down a lumpy dirt road at under 5 mph felling like I was going to shake it to pieces, I had an epiphany: If there is an obstacle or road condition that I could easily traverse on foot, I really ought to be able to drive over it in a roughly ~30K vehicle! So began one man's quest to get off the ground.

I'll admit -- I was excited by the idea that I'd get a Jeep. They are cool looking, you know? (who doesn't love Jeep porn?) Until I saw the prices.....holeee crap! I had no idea. Since any vehicle I bought would need to be my DD, I need to have a 4-door and the new Wranglers were just out of my range. Wasn't deadset on new -- I'm all for letting someone else take the depreciation hit -- but even used ones were pricey, imo. If I'm gonna spend over $20K on a vehicle with 50K miles on it, I may as well see if I can swing a little more money and go new.

It wasn't helping that I haven't purchased a vehicle in 10 years, and haven't had a car payment for five! I definitely had moments when I was thinking, "yikes! maybe I'll stay in the Accord! it only has 125K on it...probably another 10 good years in it...I'll just have to drive slower..." And it is at moments just like these where, fortunately, The Universe steps in to provide guidance to wayward seekers. I was continuing to do my research, and I kept seeing these Nissan things showing up. Caught my attention. Better price, people seem to love them, and they look like they can do anything except go topless -- and do I really have the time and patience for all of that take me apart and put me back together stuff? It's a vehicle, not a woman!

So I started researching the X. I liked what I was reading, and I liked the pictures I was seeing. I liked the vids I'd seen comparing them to other 4-wheelers. This thing was different -- kind of a nerdy badass vibe to it. And you don't see them everywhere around here, which appeals to me. While driving around NEOH to visit family over the holidays, I did a few unscientific surveys -- the ratio of Jeeps to Xterras around here is about 10:1. No lie. I have no idea who all these people are who have the bucks to drop on loaded Wranglers and Cherokees, but Ohioans in these parts do love their Jeeps. And I'm stunned by how many that appear to be driven exclusively as grocery getters! For all that hardware and all that money, the most action they see is driving over an empty juicebox in the school parking lot! It's madness, I tell you. Madness.

Long-story short (if that's possible at this point in this post -- sorry!), I went to a dealer, told them I wanted to drive one, and they had a MT Pro-4X on the lot.

Yep. The X pretty much had me at "dam! we're looking at everyone's roofs out here!" The thing felt solid as hell, and it was fun to drive. Spent a few weeks waiting to see if I could get some year-end action happening on the dealer side, but nothing was happening. That part of the vehicle-purchase experience sure has changed -- no one seemed terribly interested in negotiating and, while all the dealers I visited were friendly, and not pushy at all, they also didn't seem to really care if I stayed or went. Then again, by choosing the X as my vehicle of choice, I think I pretty much landed on what's basically a specialty vehicle -- meaning, you either want it or you don't, because there's not really anything else out there like it. Like, you're not gonna find good beer for five dollars a six-pack -- but, if you like beer, you're gonna pay for the good stuff.

In the end, I went back and forth with myself about whether to go AT or MT, and whether to be sensible and go with the S or just spend a little more and get the Pro-4X. Last dealer I met with actually spent time with me, knew the vehicle and -- pretty much unlike everyone else -- followed up. I told him I wanted to wrap things up, because I was tired of looking (true -- my research was beginning to look less like shopping and more like full-blown obsessive-compulsive disorder!), winter is here, the Accord was due for the 120K maintenance and it was time to renew the registration.

On my end, I was like, screw it. I work every day. I take care of people -- I want the Pro-4X. 6-speed. Night Armor. With the big-ass Hankooks. Nailed it at $28,695. Picked it up Friday. Not crazy about the 6-yr note, but...yeah...I pretty much love it! :happy8:
 
#28 ·
On my end, I was like, screw it. I work every day. I take care of people -- I want the Pro-4X. 6-speed. Night Armor. With the big-ass Hankooks. Nailed it at $28,695. Picked it up Friday. Not crazy about the 6-yr note, but...yeah...I pretty much love it! :happy8:
Congrats on the purchase! Just don't hate us when you start getting the modding bug like pretty much everyone here! Do your research on the kind of things to do, some are easy and cheap and should be done right away (like the differential breather mod, but I'm not sure you have to do that with your 4x) others are a little more expensive but still worth it to do initially, like a Volant CAI and an IMS available in the Members Product Sale. Then, if you really like it (and don't mind spending the money) you can start to lift and armor up! My X is my DD as well, so I was worried about turning it into an obese tank, but honestly with the Volant, and the IMS I don't really have any MPG or power penalty. I have front & rear shrockworks bumpers, and sliders on the way. Haven't lifted it yet, but my new Alcans are on the way as well so I'll have to lift it soon.

Good luck, welcome and happy modding!
 
#29 ·
Transfer Case Question

My wife is looking at trading her '94 Cherokee Sport 4D MT for a 2015 Xterra S MT. The dealer is clueless about whether or not the two speed transfer case comes with all the 4WD Xterras and the only 4WDs they have in stock are Pro 4X. The S in stock are all AT and 2WD. Do all the 4WD models have the two speed transfer case?
 
#31 ·
My wife is looking at trading her '94 Cherokee Sport 4D MT for a 2015 Xterra S MT. The dealer is clueless about whether or not the two speed transfer case comes with all the 4WD Xterras and the only 4WDs they have in stock are Pro 4X. The S in stock are all AT and 2WD. Do all the 4WD models have the two speed transfer case?
Yes, all 4x4's have 2 speeds. And with the Pro-4x you'll get a rear locker too.
 
#30 ·
Hey there,

I just bought the same truck as you. I knew what I wanted and didn't really ask any questions regarding the truck, but the sale went extremely smooth. Friendly (as expected), and they even gave me a $3k discount for being military.

This was Thursday, not even a week ago. They didn't have the Pro-4x in stock, but there was one in Ontario that they could have delivered within a week, so I bought it. There's been great communication between myself and the sales associate I dealt with, and only one delay. Bad weather, so they had to push the delivery date back a day (which is tomorrow now).

Great experience at the dealership. Though, the associate didn't seem to know EVERYTHING about the truck, they were fairly knowledgable.

To DirtRoad77: I did test drive an S model Xterra, and it did have 4HI and 4LO, but not a locking diff.
 
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