Is the Pro 4x Worth it?

[stioc]

^ hehe priorities and perspective man! See I find it surprising when people will spend $2k on a drawer system or $200 for a 1960s chuck box etc Yet others find it surprising that I'd put in $8k into a $5k truck

As for the PRO-4X my thinking is as follows. If you want to "overland" across the North/South America get the Pro-4X, load up your stuff and go (may be add slightly uprated springs or airbags in the back, perhaps better tires and sliders if you insist). For overland the focus will be more on reliability, self sufficiency and comfort. In the stock form OR or PRO-4X are stupid capable and they'll take you just about anywhere short of rock crawling. I know we live in the era where everyone thinks that they need 37" tires or Tonka trucks to leave their driveway but it ain't so. Check out the In-Progress Expeditions and you'll see what I mean.

If you want to wheel the truck on double black diamond trails with Jeeps running 35"+ tires then by all means build it to your needs, but that's more pirate4x4.com than ExPo but lately the lines are blurring.

After spending copious amounts of $$$ I consider my truck to be at the PRO-4X level now i.e. rear locker, skids, 32" tires and I can assure you the truck is more capable than I am. It's taken our family on several hard trails (for fun) to several days worth of expedition trails including a week in Moab (the first page of my build lists the places). I never felt I needed more truck even though I love to tinker and grew up messing around with anything that has wheels on it. Sure it has its limitations, I won't be taking it to Dusy Ershim or even the tougher parts of the Rubicon Trail but again that's not something that interests me for more than a few mins -stacking rocks and breaking u-joints all day long is not my idea of fun...I'd rather find a secluded spot, crack open a cold drink while shooting the breeze with family and friends

Just my 2 cents.

 

[trollhattan]

Tires do make a differnce but more then that driver, lines, what phase the moon is in.... I am partial kidding but I have seen rigs with similar builds go up the same obstacle with similar lines and it is always different. Some get stuck. Some get over. Heck, I have been down trails that I have run multiple time and sometimes I ace it and sometimes I have to take multiple runs at an obstacle. I am not trying to say the X is better then the FJ or the JK but it is a capable rig. Here a good example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6tQIpQG4js

from around 4 minutes to around 7 minutes the first xterra struggles to make it up. It finally did and I missed getting on camera. At around 7:10 the second xterra makes it up in one pass. The first x had a titan swap. The second didn't. Both had rear lockers. Driver, tires, luck...

Seeing two Xterras tackle same obstacles in the video, I think there are so many variables that need to considered besides the obvious (tire, driver, lift, line, luck) that it is hard to say which one is more capable than the other, either Pro4X vs S or Xterra vs FJ.

For example, variables such as type of tire, tire pressure, tire wear, tire mileage, tires age, total weight of gears on the truck, weight distribution of the gears in the truck, number of passengers in the car sitting and their weight/location, age/mileage on the coils/springs/shocks/bushing, and etc. I could probably go on but I think all these small factors when combined, can have a significant outcome when it comes to off roading.

 

[colodak]

Just for giggles, an exp. capable driver, can make up for what a vehicle is lacking, and coax it into, through, or over terrain that it might not otherwise go. Years ago, I wheeled 2wd Vans and pickups places that I was told I would never go. I made several exp. off-roaders look like fools for their comments. I took a 2wd Mazda B2000 Longbed with an anemic carbed 4 cyl, over Mosquito Pass in Colorado. I had 31's on it, tweaked (maxed) T-bars and add a leafs. Several 4wds that I passed heading up told me they would wait till I turned around and came back by before heading up. 45 minutes later, we were parked side by side at the summit, before heading back down.

Just food for thought when comparing apples to apples or apples and komquats.

 

[lizardking]

Seeing two Xterras tackle same obstacles in the video, I think there are so many variables that need to considered besides the obvious (tire, driver, lift, line, luck) that it is hard to say which one is more capable than the other, either Pro4X vs S or Xterra vs FJ.

For example, variables such as type of tire, tire pressure, tire wear, tire mileage, tires age, total weight of gears on the truck, weight distribution of the gears in the truck, number of passengers in the car sitting and their weight/location, age/mileage on the coils/springs/shocks/bushing, and etc. I could probably go on but I think all these small factors when combined, can have a significant outcome when it comes to off roading.

That was my point. There are too many variables to make a judgement call on one truck vs one truck or one brand vs one brand.

 

[702krawler]

As a 2011 Pro-4x owner (manual), I'll weigh-in with my $0.02. When I bought my Pro-4x, I was quite a bit more naive about off-roading and expedition travel. At the time, the rear locking differential, upgraded suspension, and bigger/better tires appealed to me. Having put about 30,000 miles on mine so far, here are my thoughts:

1. Tires: The BFG Rugged Trails aren't terrible, but they aren't good. I got about 30k out of them (with two punctures) before deciding to go with Cooper Discoverer A/T3s (which I just put on so can't comment on much).
2. Suspension: My passenger side front shock failed somewhere between 22,500 and 30,000 miles. While I probably off-road more than most, I would have expected better durability from the Bilsteins. In addition, the rear suspension is simply too soft and prone to bottom out (especially when towing a trailer off-road), and probably needs to be replaced right away.
3. Rear Locker: I've used it several times, so I'm glad I have it. However, the rear diff did fail around 20,000 miles or so (locker would no longer engage, Nissan replaced under warranty). Since the replacement, it has been fine, but considering the limited use I got out of it before the initial failure, I'm somewhat disappointed in the build quality here.

Having it all to do over, I'd probably get a S 4x4 with a manual, swap the tires right away (selling the OEMs), upgrade the suspension right away, and buy an ARB airlocker for the rear (and maybe also for the front with the money saved).

So is the Pro-4x good? Yes. Can you do better on your own for less money by starting with a lesser trim level? Absolutely. You just need to know what you want up-front.

 

[702krawler]

One quick addendum to my previous post. As mentioned, the stock rear leaf springs are pretty weak. I recently upgraded mine to an Old Man Emu Dakar pack. In the process of doing that upgrade, I noticed that one of the rear Bilstein shocks was also leaking oil. So, after about 30,000 miles, two of the OEM Bilstein shocks have failed. When weighing if the Pro-4x package is worth it, I would discount the "upgraded" suspension entirely. I think in general Bilstein has a good reputation, but this experience convinced me to replace the OEM Bilsteins with another brand.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

One quick addendum to my previous post. As mentioned, the stock rear leaf springs are pretty weak. I recently upgraded mine to an Old Man Emu Dakar pack. In the process of doing that upgrade, I noticed that one of the rear Bilstein shocks was also leaking oil. So, after about 30,000 miles, two of the OEM Bilstein shocks have failed. When weighing if the Pro-4x package is worth it, I would discount the "upgraded" suspension entirely. I think in general Bilstein has a good reputation, but this experience convinced me to replace the OEM Bilsteins with another brand.

That's interesting. I've had completely the opposite experience. My 2005 Nismo Frontier has 120k on the clock and my OE shocks are in good shape.

 

[702krawler]

I see a lot of moderate speed washboard roads (Death Valley and Hole in the Rock), coupled with a smaller number of low speed rougher stuff (Coyote Flats in the Sierras). What is your typical terrain?

I can forgive the failure of one shock, as it could just be a fluke, but not two. Any idea what model Bilstein shocks Nissan uses, or are they one-offs?

 

[monte67]

I have a 2012 Pro4x with about 52K miles on it now. Had 33K when I purchased it for $20K. Fantastic vehicle. Drove my previous 1984 Land Cruiser 325K miles and it was a manual. Loved it, but have taken the X all over Moab, Grande Escalante, Death Valley, etc. It is twice the vehicle of the Land Cruiser.

The 4Runner is overpriced, has no clearance, even in the TRD model as there is too much hanging down. It is a $45K out the door in California and is the most ugly truck I have ever seen. The 4runner used to be one of the most beautiful designs and you saw them off road all the time. Now, you rarely see a new one off road unless someone is really rich and modifies them for about $7500 with lift, etc. The Pro4x is actually a bargain in the automatic. I added a 2" lift, really Hefty skid plates, rock skids. The rear locker is worth it. Read about some of the problems with the ARB locker that you will spend $2000-3000 on. Compressor failure, switch failure, more problems that it is worth. Have had no issues w/ locker on Pro4-x, Bilsteins are adequate and changed out to 5100s in front for $200.

There is nothing close to the Pro4-x unless you spend about $52K as Toyota has priced itself out of the market. The 4runner is for people who cannot afford a new $80K Land Cruiser. Range Rovers are really show cars and there dependability is questionable unless you really mechanically inclined or wheel with a bunch of other Rovers who really know the vehicles. If you really take care of the Rovers they can be very cool, but you are now in the $90-115,000 range for new.

 

[KiwiKurt]

the 4runner is unquestionably more expensive, but it has more clearance, more suspension travel, more available lifts and parts, holds its resale value better.

When I looked at the 2 trucks back to back, I decided to save 15 grand and get the xterra instead of the 4runner. If I knew then what i know now, I would have paid the price to get the 4runner. Seeing the toyotas back to back against he xterra off road, the toyota is unquestionably the better vehicle. At this point, I own the truck, would lose too much to trade it in (trade in value sub 20k after a year of ownership ), but buying nissan is not a mistake i will repeat in the future.

 

[702krawler]

I had the chance to drive a friend's current gen 4Runner off-road (no rock crawling), and it was nice, but felt big and ponderous. My Xterra felt more the sports car to the 4Runner's station wagon.

Don't get me wrong, I like Toyota, in fact, I almost bought an FJ Cruiser, which I think is closer to being the Xterra's true Toyota competitor. As for ground clearance, Nissan lists 9.5" for the Xterra Pro-4x, while Toyota lists 9.0" for the 4Runner TRD Pro.

Also, I like my Xterra. It has never left me stranded or stuck. I was just disappointed with the upgraded tires and shocks that came as part of the Pro-4x package, hence my response to the original poster that if I had it to do over, I'd roll my own off road package based on the S model.

As for resale value, you're right, Nissan's sucks compared to Toyota's, and that won't change until Nissan ups their perceived quality. Though on the plus side, Nissan's are typically cheaper to begin with, and are more readily purchased new at a decent discount off MSRP.

 

[KiwiKurt]

^ all good points.

Stock to stock the xterra may have slightly more clearance, but not after you lift it. But the suspension travel is where the toyota makes its money articulating.

To get an xterra to articulate like a 4runner or a FJ you have to make it look like it should have come out of HotWheels packaging.

 

[chmura]

^ all good points.

Stock to stock the xterra may have slightly more clearance, but not after you lift it. But the suspension travel is where the toyota makes its money articulating.

To get an xterra to articulate like a 4runner or a FJ you have to make it look like it should have come out of HotWheels packaging.

So what is your plan now? Dump it and purchase a 4runer? Or just keep it?

You seemed to have spent some money modding your rig. My opinion is just keep it and don't look back.

**edit** Nevermind saw your post 85 above. ^^

 

[KiwiKurt]

Yeah. Its bought and paid for and I'm not going to lose my shirt over it. I'm going to run it for several years and when I get posted in africa may try to swap it out for a diesel 70 series.

I'm bitter, and maybe overly so. There are many things I like about it, and had I spent big money on a long travel lift where the difference between the runner and the x wouldn't have been so great, it wouldnt be that big a deal.

 

[702krawler]

I wouldn't be too bitter. The Xterra is still a solid platform. We all tend to get wrapped around the axle when discussing differences in our chosen vehicles, but they are usually so minor that they probably don't really make any difference at all in terms of our overall enjoyment in getting out and exploring. It isn't like you picked a Ford Escape over a JKUR to be your overland steed. Maybe then you'd have cause to be bitter.