Ann's XTerra

On April 5, 2007, I purchased a 2003 Nissan XTerra SE.

We had been looking for a car to replace my trusty Saturn SW2. We decided while looking to try and get something with towing capabilities (not just the 1000-lbs I could tow with my wagon). I had some specific requirements (standard, AC, and a CD player). Everything else was wide open. My husband test drove the X - I didn’t even drive it until the day I brought it home. It wasn’t what I wanted and it was a gas guzzler besides. Then we had some big rain storms at the end of April. I went through places that I had never seen flooded before and at one point drove through a river that had never been with water as deep as the hood (had I known, I wouldn’t have done it, but the X came through without even a sputter). I had to say, from that moment on, I was impressed. Had I been in my Saturn, I would’ve been submerged.

So, I had this automatic vehicle with 4-wheel drive. I hadn’t driven an automatic (other than rentals and work cars) in close to 25 years. I had also never seen 4-wheel drive where you didn’t get out and lock the hubs. So, I did some research and came across this group of people who owned XTerras and took them off road. They had tons of information and seemed friendly enough. So I went off roading with them. Now, it was a little more, um, structured than wheeling with my cousins in NJ, but it was a great day and my daughter and I are hooked. She’s definitely a mud chick J