Nissan X-TRAIL Problems

Because you want to travel to the snow, and visit farms, I would suggest an all-wheel drive compact wagon, and with your need for low running and service costs I would suggest that it be an Asian brand. Models to consider would be a Subaru Forester, Nissan X-Trail or Kia Sportage.

For beach and basic trail driving I'd be aiming for something with a locking centre differential, which all-wheel drive versions of the previous generation X-Trail certainly had. Another suitable good value option would be an all-wheel drive Hyundai ix35. Both of which were available in diesel. Any common issues will likely be highlighted on our X-Trail and ix35 problems pages.

I doubt that it’s the battery or starter that’s causing your problem. I would suggest digging deeper into the engine itself, perhaps even check for a leaking head gasket.

Despite having numerous drivers, who might or might not care about it, it’s generally not something to be overly concerned about. Being a government car you can expect that it has been properly maintained and serviced. It’s quite normal to get a car inspected prior to purchase, and I would urge you to do that. The odometer reading is not high; it falls within the average band for cars of that age.

You’re looking at the T30 X-Trail, which was a sound model, but it’s now an old car and needs to be assessed as that. On average a 2002/2003 model will have done 200,000 to 300,000 km, so you should expect it to showing some wear and tear. The body should be free of bumps and scrapes, the interior should be clean with no tears in the trim, the engine should be clean and with no oil leaks, and there should be no indications of off-road use. It should have a record of regular service. Expect to pay $2000-$5000.

It’s impossible to know if it will get worse, all you can do is closely monitor it and keep a record of what you observe. I’m tempted to believe that there’s nothing wrong with it, that it’s just the CVT transmission doing its thing.

I don’t believe that what you want is out there, and can only reiterate past advice, buy a Patrol/Pajero/Prado/LandCruiser.

Properly maintained the X-Trail will be as reliable as any other Japanese-built car or 4x4. They have a good number of on-board features and options, though they aren't considered a luxury vehicle.

The Nissan X-Trail is made in both two-wheel drive and four-wheel-drive (4WD) variants. While it is not regarded as a serious 4x4 it is a capable machine in sand and light dirt situations.

The Nissan X-Trail is made in Nissan's facilities in Japan (Kanda, and Fukuoka), as well as Saint Petersberg in Russia, Dalian in China, Purwakarta in Indonesia, Serendah, Malaysia, Miaoli in Taiwan, Samut Prakan in Thailand, Tennessee in the USA, and Busan in South Korea.