Nissan X Trail

Harry mac

Well-Known Member
I have the chance to buy a Nissan X Trail for a good price. The guy is off to Australia, so the car has to be sold and is priced to sell. It's a 04 reg with 62,000 on the clock and full service history. He's reknowned for being a bit on the anal side when it comes to his car and consequently it's immaculate inside and out.
I've heard that X Trails can be prone to turbo failure. Do any of you know if this is a one-off fault, or if the repaired turbos also fail after a while? Is this a really common fault?
The areas I shoot are well served with graded tracks and the hardest it will be asked to work would probably be traversing a rutty woodland track or crossing a meadow, so I'm happy it will be able to cope with that side of things.
Is there anything else I need to be aware of?
 
Ive had an 03 2.2 sve I brought it with 72k on the clock serviced every year. It commutes, school run, shooting bus pigeon,deer and anything else I do has coped great off road. This year spent £ 2500 on new turbo blew two
Months ago, new accelerater pedal and sensor and this week fuel pump sensors. It has 152k on it now. The turbo I think seems to go on most as I know three others that have had it go. The fuel pump also seems to b a common problem too. If you want to talk at length pm me ill give you me mobile save me finger getting saw. Would I buy a second one yes as it does everything to a good standard and the seats are super comfy
 
Turbos are a known weakness (at least until 2007 new model - don't know if that is better); essentially the turbo is not a great design. I bought mine with 59k which had had the turbo replaced months before. There is a alternative turbo design one can fit (article on X-trail forum I saw) which would greatly reduce chance of a repeat, but i suspect you would have to source, etc... as garages wouldn't know about it and it probably some minor mods to fit.

Key thing you can do to look after you turbo is to spool the engine before switching off, particularly after sustained higher speed running. A good example is cruising on the motorway at say 70mph pull into service station and stop immediately at pump - turbo temperature will rise massively whereas if you keep the engine running for a minute or to this temperature spike will be largely avoided.

I think it sounds worth going for from what you have said - most diesel turbos are prone to failure above 100k anyway!
 
The turbo problem was supposed to have been solved in 2004/5 - later T30 models have a greatly extended warranty just in case and the 2007- T31 model don't have this issue.

I've run an X Trail for the last two years for both commuting and shooting duties without problems. If you buy one with 17" wheels you'll find a very limited choice of all terrain tyres, with Yokohama Geolander GO12 225/60/R17s being the only choice and hard to get hold of. This isn't a problem with 16" wheels.

Ground clearance isn't great but not a problem if you are careful. Vast load space, excellent road manners and my 2.2l diesel returns a comfortable 40mpg in general use. An alternative choice in similar vein is the Mitsubishi Outlander - this is what I'll get next as I like the very clever dropped tailgate design.

Adam.
 
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i bought one new in 05, turbo went at 35k intercooler went just after, useless for towing anything more than a small trailer, as duel mass flywheel overheats, fuel consumption not bad fast motorway driving 33mpg, steady 56mph up to 46mpg, averade about 37mpg. overall comfortable, nice to drive, but would not buy another, cheers geoff
 
I have an 05 xtrail in my garage at the moment, the turbo let go spewing oil into the inlet manifold, the engine ran on it's own oil (un-governed) revved it's tits off with the keys out of the ignition until it got so hot the radiator exploded and the engine locked up.
Second hand engine £1500
Re-con turbo £500
New Radiator £170
15hrs labour (est) £600
+ oil, antifreeze, ATF etc

Total £2870+vat
 
I have an 05 xtrail in my garage at the moment, the turbo let go spewing oil into the inlet manifold, the engine ran on it's own oil (un-governed) revved it's tits off with the keys out of the ignition until it got so hot the radiator exploded and the engine locked up.
Second hand engine £1500
Re-con turbo £500
New Radiator £170
15hrs labour (est) £600
+ oil, antifreeze, ATF etc

Total £2870+vat

if you had got it stationary put in 5th gear and let the clutch go it would have stalled, this happens a lot more than is reported. Diesels are oil burners and if there is a source of oil it will run. On other diesel rigs offshore (not cars) we stall them by killing the air from the inlet side. these are intrinsically safe (no electrics) and it works like a charm.
n
I had a pertol x-trail for 4 years, slow as a week in the jail, not very economical, but i ran it till 125,000 miles and then traded it. fuel consumption is not the real cost of ownership, depreciation is.

Buy it, look after it, drive it hard and change the oil regulary you are laffing. problem with most modern diesels is they dont get gunned enough to clean out the carbon and deposits.
 
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If you buy one with 17" wheels you'll find a very limited choice of all terrain tyres, with Yokohama Geolander GO12 225/60/R17s being the only choice and hard to get hold of. This isn't a problem with 16" wheels.

Did you by any chance manage to find a source of the Geolanders?

I have failed and, basically, given up in my search for an all terrain tyre to fit mine. When you look at the number of them on the road it has got to be worthwhile to make a tyre for them.
 
if you had got it stationary put in 5th gear and let the clutch go it would have stalled,

It's a customers car, he was very lucky... pulled onto the hard shoulder when he realised something was wrong, turned the key off - engine carried on running so he opened the bonnet. Smoke was coming out of the turbo so he went to un-hitch the caravan in case it caught fire. That's when the top of the radiator blew off.
 
Thanks for all the replies lads. Sounds like a bit of a mixed review. I'll have to ask him if he's had any trouble with the turbo.
 
The main question you need to ask him is if it is 16 inch or 17 inch wheels!! :)

If it is 17 inch then forget at as there are no tyres on earth to fit it except for what are basically road tyres. Despite my best efforts and lots of ringing around and web surfing I've never been able to source an AT tyre to fit here in the UK, the only option appears to be to import from Australia.

I have one of the newer ones and it is great for my purposes and will certainly do what you require but my engine is totally different to the one you are looking at so I can't comment on turbos etc. What I will say is that I would buy another one if it were not for the tyre problem.
 
Did you by any chance manage to find a source of the Geolanders?

I have failed and, basically, given up in my search for an all terrain tyre to fit mine. When you look at the number of them on the road it has got to be worthwhile to make a tyre for them.


I have finally got a sensible answer!

I went along to see the guys at the 4x4 tyre stand (All Country 4x4) next to us at the Midland Game Fair to see if they could solve the long running issue of sourcing proper all terrain tyres for an X Trail with 17" rims. I know there are other X Trail owners on here with the same problem. Tthe answer is that even though the factory fitted tyres are 215/60 R17s and there is not a single AT tyre imported into the UK or approved for UK use in that size, the Yokohama Geolander GO12 AT in 225/60 R17 will definitely fit. According to All Country's computer programme (and previous fitting for another customer), the change in actual size is only 1.7% and will only mean a 1mph increase in speedometer reading at 70mph, plus won't bugger up the X Trail's sensitive electronics or foul on the chassis / bodywork.

The tyres are available in the UK as All Country 4x4 have them in their warehouse.

A.
 
Thanks for that Adam, I have emailed them to enquire as I thought the GO12 was only available in the UK in 225/65 which would be too tall. If the 225/60 is available then I would imagine that would be OK. Reports will follow.
 
decent tyres are a nightmare, try a shogun running 285/55 x18. bought new tyres for winter and then yesterday my stalking friend calls and tells me he has a chance of a full set of 16" alloys on BFG's for £300

lucky I am not.
 
hi there

had my x-trail 05 plate for 3 yrs and its been great...comfy , economical, spacious etc


mine has 17" wheels so i put on

pirellis scorpion atr snow mud rain tyres....ran them last 2 winters of very bad snow up here in angus area of scotland....when snow came down flicked switch to 4wd and left there for bout 3 months till cleared up.....didnt even have the flashing loss of grip symbol come on on the dash....went anywhere and pulled a good few neighbours etc up hills etc on our local housing estate to get em to work..and odd car at side of road etc that was snowed up....needing to replace fornt ones shortly...will get pirellis again

sauer
 
Have a look at post No #43 here Harry:
http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?3100-BEST-4X4/page6&highlight=throttle+sensor
I finally solved the Turbo lag problem which turned out to be a blocked fuel filter!
Many of the turbo problems eminate from a stuck EGR valve which then cause the turbo to run very hot.
Mine is still going at 125,00 miles but it is fairly battered now. It's just had a new wheel bearing and rear pads and passed the MOT without a CAT fitted!:eek:
Mine is on a 02 plate which has the Renault 2.2 common rail TD engine. The newer ones are different. The very latest ones are supposed to be more sturdy.
Despite my problems, i reckon one would suit your needs.
MS
 
dont worry about the turbo yes they are prone to blowing, take the turbo of take it to turbo techniks they will put a heavy duty bearing and seal in it £85.00 including vat it will last the car out, dont get stuffed by oh no mate you need a new turbo,ITS ********.

paul
 
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