[haneeshN]

This is the story of the purchase and ownership experience of my X-Trail T30. I'll start with a summary of likes and dislikes in a typical Team-BHP review fashion.

What I like:
- The 2.2 dci diesel engine is an absolute gem. This is the biggest plus of this car.
- Very spacious and can seat 5 adults comfortably. Spacious boot as well.
- Safe car: 4 airbags, ABS, disk brakes on all wheels
- Not very expensive to maintain. All consumables are easily available.
- Loads of features: Electric seats, Big sunroof, folding OVRM, completely foldable back seats etc.
- Slick gearbox with switchable all-wheel drive (not a proper 4WD with lockable differentials)
- Good NVH for a diesel car
- Very cheap in the used market

What I don’t like:
- Hard clutch – bad car for city traffic
- Steering feedback is not great at high speeds
- AC isn’t very effective. Takes a while to cool the entire cabin
- No rear aircon vents
- The meter console is in the center and doesn’t look very good
- Spares availability
- Poor authorized service support (reliable FNG must)

[haneeshN]

X-Trail Purchase and Ownership Experience Index

Index:

Chapter 1: The prelude

Chapter 2: The first love

Chapter 3: What car dilemma

Chapter 4: How I met my X-Trail

Chapter 5: Ongoing relationship

Chapter 6: The good and bad

Note: I never expected this post to be such a long one. Feel free to jump to chapter 5 if you want to know only about the car and ownership experience.

[haneeshN]

Chapter 1: The Prelude

The unexpected car sale: There will be times in our life when we want to get something (also get rid of something you have) just for the sake of it without a valid reason. This thought made me sell a car which had no issues and buy something which nobody wanted to buy. Welcome to the story (read as long rant) of my pre-owned X-Trail T30.

A quick background (our family's car scene as of April 2017):
- We have owned multiple cars (all used except one Omni)
- Changed a little over 10 cars between 2003 and 2017 (4 Omni, 2 M800, 1 Santro, 2 Qualis, 2 i20, 1 Innova).
- We always have had 2 cars in the family (one hatch and one MUV – we had i20 diesel and Innova as of April 2017).
- Buying used cars has worked very well for us though it takes a lot of time to find a good car.

A 2014 iGen i20 diesel was my primary car. We bought this i20 in 2016 with 24000kms on the odo and it has covered around 53000kms by April 2017. I started to build a liking for mid-sized SUV/CSUV and suddenly, the i20 was boring. Sold the i20 in few weeks after convincing the family. Since then scraping OLX and the likes were my favorite timepass though I wasn't seriously looking to buy.

[haneeshN]

Chapter 2: The first love

The need for a second car become more by Jul 17 and I started actively looking for a car.

Requirement: An used D segment soft-roader/crossover/SUV on a tight budget (7 to 8 lakhs)
Usage: 95% long distance commute. Bangalore (my work place) to Erode (native) commute + some holiday trips in-between. Expected to cover 15000 kms per year.
Must have: Safe, feature rich, decently power.

I decided I have to buy a car which is a flop (they depreciate very fast) but reliable (am I not contradicting myself). Looks aren’t a big deal for me.

List of cars considered:
1. Skoda Yeti: Yes, you read it right. This was my first preference though everyone I knew warned me against a Skoda. Still, I wanted to get this as I liked the car very much especially for the engine and practicality.
2. Skoda Yeti - grey
3. Skoda Yeti - blue
4. Skoda Yeti - black
5. Skoda Yeti - white

Wait, aren't all the above options the same? Yes, I couldn't think of any other car after I drove a Yeti. Also, Yeti’s resale (or lack of) value is an advantage (I wasn't worried about the maintenance hassle at that time, thanks to my experience building two RD350s from scratch). Family, friends, mechanic, colleagues and pretty much everyone who knew this advised me against it, just because it is a Skoda which looks like a box, but, I was confident (thanks to the likes of Jeremy Clarkson and many others who said only positive things about this car). There were few who didn't have any opinion on my decision because they don't know such a car existed

I watched a lot of videos, spent time on several international forums and it was clear that Yeti is a big hit outside India, very practical and sold in good numbers. Reliability is also not bad. The only (read the biggest) challenge is the cost and availability of spares. Body parts availability was the main issue as the engine is the same 2 litre diesel used in many VW group cars. I was still keen to buy this car and somehow convinced the family.

This is how Yeti became my first love(in the context of this purchase).

[haneeshN]

Chapter 3: What car dilemma

The search:
Online sites are my preferred options as I can get more direct owner leads there. We also informed the local agents in my native. TN or KA registered car is fine. Preference is KA as it is comparatively easier to sell such a car in Bangalore.

I started the search hoping I can easily find a well-maintained Yeti in my budget. This thought was thrashed within few days. Very few Yeti were on sale and most of them were badly maintained. I could find very few well-maintained ones and they were out of my budget. I wasn’t very keen on stretching the budget as I wanted to buy a middleweight superbike after few months (that’s another ownership review pending).

Change of plans: Nothing worked out after spending a lot of time finding a good Yeti within budget. I traveled to several nearby towns/cities to check cars (something am prepared for and used to with all used vehicle purchases in the family). Yeti looked like a distant dream and I realized I should consider a few more models.

The new wish list:

Mitsubishi Outlander Very good car and reliable. Parts availability is an issue but isn’t this the case with my other choices as well . An awesome sounding Rockford Fosgate sound system means I need not upgrade the audio (a very good sounding audio system is a must for me). Feature-packed and safe as well. The main downer is this is petrol which means running costs will be higher. There were very few for sale and managed to find one good condition car within budget. This soon became my backup as I was very confident that this car won’t sell for long and I can get it after checking a few other models.

Mitsubishi Montero I came across a Montero for sale and it caught my attention. The owner was in UAE and wanted to sell it as the car wasn’t used at all. I got excited and checked the car in person. The body and interior were in perfect condition. It was huge and parking will be a big issue for sure. I cranked the engine, opened the bonnet and end of the story. There was a lot of blowby, and Montero is out of the equation now. I couldn't find any other Montero in my budget.

Pajero My uncle suggested this. This car is reliable and easy to maintain. The only downer is the power (I feel it is adequate) and spartan interiors. The advantage is that this can be converted to an overlanding car. I considered this as a last option and planned to check Pajero’s for sale if I couldn’t find any other models.

I know many of you would have lost hope with my list of options but kindly bare(only a few more paragraphs left).

Chevrolet Captiva I didn’t know much about this car and came across a few for sale. I wanted to explore it and asked our mech for his inputs. He clearly said that if I buy this car it cannot go to his garage (he’s fed up fixing his existing customer’s Captiva). Door closed for Captiva immediately.

Nissan X-Trail T30 I would have seen this car twice or thrice before. All I know about this car was that it’s very expensive and a big-time flop in India. There weren’t many ownership reviews in T-BHP for the T30 model. I started reading about it on international forums and suddenly this sounded practical. This is known for Turbo and intercooler failures (fixed in later releases). Mech had some experience with this car and he said this could be an option.

Other options: Ignored many other options for no specific reasons. I love Safari but family didn’t like it. I was never keen on Scorpio, Endeavor etc. Fortuner was out of my budget with the resale value of Toyota. I would have loved to get a Forester, soon I realized I need to move to US or Japan if I had to get a good Forester

Here is the revised list in the order of priority:
X-Trail
Outlander
Pajero

[haneeshN]

Chapter 4: How I met my X-Trail

Search for X-Trail started in Bangalore and no surprise, all the cars (around 5) were in a very bad state. I am now left in the field only with the Outlander. My love for Yeti was never-ending and I was still hoping to find a good Yeti.

Four months over and no progress. One fine day I saw a KA registered 2006 Dec model X-Trail for sale in Coonoor (TN). The car looked good in the pic. I called up Shahwar Nissan and asked about the service history (got the number from the pic) and they had service logs only till 2013 and this wasn’t encouraging.

In the hope of another trip to Ooty I still considered this option. I called the owner and he was very transparent and straightforward. He said the car is being serviced at Ramani Nissan in Coimbatore. I confirmed with Ramani Nissan that all services are done on time. At least this time what I hoped (trip to Ooty) happened

More info about this car:
- Price quoted was a bit higher than other T30s for sale (well within my budget)
- The car had done close to a lakh kms
- No known issues as per the owner

I don’t mind paying a bit extra for a well-maintained car. Since I had to travel to Coonoor to check the car (around 140 from my native), I tried to discuss the cost over the phone (though I never do that). The owner was ready to negotiate a bit. I was all set to go and check the car with my mech in my native. Coonoor is around 140 kms from Erode and we planned to go on a Saturday.

Snippet: I was ready to buy a 10 years old expensive car (costed 20+lakhs in 2007), a market dud and high on maintenance. Few friends who knew this already decided am beyond reasoning.

The driving factor: I believed (or that’s how I convinced) that I did my homework. This was a relatively cheap and easy to maintain car elsewhere. There were many examples that clocked more than 300000kms without any big issues. The parts are quite cheap in the UK and I have friends who travel often and ready to carry the spares for me (perks of being an IT dude ). The only issue is I might end up in a situation where the car should be in the garage for a few days or weeks without spares and I was prepared as we have the reliable Innova at home.

Mech and I started to Coonoor one early morning from Erode. The owner asked us to reach before 9.30 am and we were on time. The car was parked and looked very good. We introduced ourselves and then checked the car. The owner is a retired air force person and a gentleman. He gave the key and moved away (most owners don’t do this).

This is how the car was when I first checked it:


We opened the engine bay first. It was cold and a good sign (engine wasn’t pre-run). We checked for any signs of leaks, accident repairs etc. The rear right side till C pillar seemed like repainted (The owner later confirmed it was a minor accident where the rear got damaged a bit). Mech started the car and we went for a drive. I drove it while returning. Covered around 8 kms on the beautiful Coonoor Kothagiri road. I was sold but mech is the decision-maker. He said ‘finalize the price and let’s drive it back home’. That was a relief, finally!

We came back and started discussing the price. I negotiate hard but didn’t do much with this person as he was very gentle and open. His quote was reasonable. The Insurance was valid for 4 more months, tires would last another 25k kms easily and the battery was replaced a year ago. There wasn’t any immediate expense other than regular service.

I offered a price a bit lower than the quote, and he asked to settle midway. I said yes, and deal done. Initiated the transfer. Meanwhile, I was getting the signature on transfer forms. The gentleman handed over the owner manual, battery warranty card, insurance copies and RC. The fund transfer got completed in an hour. We were checking for the spare tyre, tools and other bits. Everything was intact and even the first aid kit was present. I was already wearing a big smile on my face. The owner couldn’t find the spare key and promised to ship it once he finds it (he promptly sent it after a few months).

This was by far the best experience for us in buying a used car. I was very happy to know the owner in person and we are still in touch

[haneeshN]

Chapter 5: Ongoing relationship
That’s the end of a long rant about the purchase decision and buying experience. Let’s get to the car now.

I got this car on Nov 2017 (odo reading 98,300kms) and I’ve covered 40,700 kms over the last 30 months (would have done around 3k kms more if lockdown didn’t happen). The car never broke/got us stranded even once. This is primarily used for highway runs and I have done many long trips (500 to 2000kms) on this.

Looks and interiors:
It’s a box with hardly any curves. A bit old school design and I prefer this. Not a looker by any chance but won’t disappoint many. Boxy front end with simple grill.


This is a good angle:


Side Profile:


The side and rear profiles are plain without much cuts and creases. The headlights are regular reflective units with halogen bulbs. I upgraded them to 90/100W bulbs. The brightness is good after the upgrade and didn’t found any need for aux lights (it could enhance the looks though). There are odd panel gaps here and there and it doesn’t worry me much.


Wheel wells have plastic claddings. They are strong.


This is a CBU from Japan and it’s very well built. The interior is well put together and there is minor rattles which is good compared to the age of the car. It can get annoying, but I manage it with music. All the switches are of very good quality and will last many more years. The dash is made of soft and hard plastics with some cloth linings around.

Dashboard.


AC Vents and controls. Simple knobs for setting the temperature and mode. AC vents can be completely shut.


Minimalistic console - Easy to read every detail.


Switches - Very good quality.


Easy to reach OVRM control and Headlight adjustment switches. The OBD port and fuse box are located in the console below the switches.


Steering mounted audio control.


Chunky Gearknob.


Handbrake lever. Notice the seat heater switches.


Glove box. There is a compartment on top as well.


Sun visors have a vanity mirror (no lights on either side).


Storage behind the steering wheel (where the dashboard console is present in most cars). This also has a charging point. There is a very useful AC vent right behind the steering. This is not completely visible in this pic though. I made this sticker to remind the driver about idling the engine (Few friends and relatives drive my car at times and this helps).


Two cup holders present in the front. Both have a cooling function.


Cup holder for rear passengers.


Sunroof controls. The Flap can be opened and closed manually. Sunroof opens fully and also has tilt function.


ABC Pedals are well spaced. The dead pedal is very useful. This area is well packed with no exposed cables.


Interiors don't feel like a 20+ lakh car but practical and sturdy. The meter console is big and can read all details easily. I believe it is mounted wrongly at the center. I got confused a couple of times at nights to not see the dash behind the steering wheel . Now I am used to the design. It is tilted towards the driver and visibility isn’t an issue.

Seats.


Height Adjustable seat belts.


Rear seats. There is good legroom.


The driver and passenger seats are huge with leather upholstery. The seat is electrically adjustable with a manual lumbar adjustment option for the driver. There are no memory functions. The seat is very comfortable, and the view is good. The armrest is not very practical and has storage space under it. The seats have a heating function and that’s one feature I’ve never used yet. All the switches are easily reachable. The audio controls in steering are mounted at the side and it took some time to get used to. The indicator and wiper stalks are on the wrong sides and it's annoying. I drive Innova and XTrail back to back and at times the wiper gets on instead of indicators. The steering is adjustable only for height and not reach. This is a feature which Nissan shouldn’t have omitted.

Huge Sunroof.


Flexible boot space with completely foldable seats.


Doors open wide and have dual colour setup. The dark shade at the top fabric and rest are all plastic.


Spare is a full-size steel wheel.


Glass area is generous, and the interiors feel airy (even more with the big sunroof). There are many cubby holes and storage but are smaller than the standard ones seen on other cars. The gear knob is easily reachable and doesn’t have any play. The rear seats have decent thigh support and legroom. Rear passenger space is comparable with C-segment sedans. The boot space is huge and can carry a lot of stuff. The rear seats can be folded flat and that gives loads of space to move things. I have camped a few times in this car, thanks to the huge space. Here is my camping setup:


Engine & Driving
The 2.2dci engine is a turbocharged unit with intercooler. It makes 134 bhp (100 kW) @ 4000 rpm and maximum torque of 314 Nm @ 2000 rpm. This engine is the biggest highlight of this car for me. It’s a very nice motor and pulls till the 4k rpm without any issues. The turbo-lag is very minimal, and the acceleration is linear. The sweet spot for the engine is between 2000 and 3500rpm.

Not the prettiest looking engine bay:


Air vents for the Intercooler. The plastic is still good but the insulation is worn out on the left side.


Engine clatter is minimal but present. The engine uses a timing chain and so, the noise is very much audible during cold start. The noise goes down once oil starts circulating and reaches operating temperature. The engine clatter is hardly noticeable at cruising speeds. It gets noisy beyond 3500 rpm but you’ll hardly rev it to that level.

The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The engine and gearbox combination is very good. The gear throws are short, and it engages very easily. This is a big plus for someone used to Innova’s long throw gears. The clutch pedal is heavy and that is the biggest downer. It gets a bit lighter once we bleed the lines but is a lot heavier compared to new cars. Not at all an option for bumper to bumper city traffic.

This has a monocoque construction and can be driven like a sedan comfortably. The body roll is minimum with predictable handling. The suspension isn’t soft nor hard. The car isn’t as planted like the European cars but it’s safe and doesn’t bounce a lot like a Scorpio. It can comfortably cruise at 120kmph all day long. The engine revs at ~2100 rpm at 100 kmph and around ~2400 rpm at 120 kmph. The steering is an electrically assisted unit and it is heavier at low speeds. The feedback is good until 110kmph and it becomes lighter beyond that speed. The steering is good to hold and I feel it is a bit bigger in size. The car is quite easy to drive considering the size. It is a long car but doesn’t feel so while driving.

The brakes are very good. It is progressive and feels very safe. It feels a bit soft when you press the pedal mildly, but bites very quickly when pressed further down.

The 4x4 has three drive modes.
1. Auto (AWD mode) chooses whether the 4x4 needs to be activated or not, depending on driving conditions. Maximum power is sent to the front wheels (2wd) by default, more power is transferred to the rear wheels when it senses any loss of traction. I use auto mode mostly when its raining or while driving on hilly sections
2. 2wd mode sends all the power to the front wheels. This is my standard setting for everyday driving.
3. 4x4 Lock mode engages 4x4 full time. Ideal for sandy and mucky conditions and this is strictly not for tarmac. Top speed is limited to 40kmph in this mode. Haven't got a chance to use it so far.

I have no experience driving this car offroad and can’t comment much on the capability.

Other features:
- 4 airbags (2 frontal and 2 in seat)
- Foldable back seats
- ABS and all 4 disc brakes
- Electrically folding OVRMs
- Electric seats
- Huge sunroof
- Charging point in boot
- Automatic climate control
- Multiple small storage spaces
- 60 litre fuel tank gives a respectable range of 600 to 750kms


Accessories:
My car is completely stock with very few accessories. No mods were done to the engine. The previous owner has installed an after-market IVRM with a rearview camera and this is still in use.

I changed the audio system. It is an active setup with a Pioneer DEH 80PRS head unit, Morel tempo 2-way component speakers, Focal 12 inch sub-woofer and JBL GTO 650 6 way amplifier. It’s a sweet-sounding SQ setup installed at Topgear in Bangalore.

Changed all the interior lights to LED. I recently installed a dashcam and TPMS. Got them from Aliexpress.

I also keep an OBD scanner. It is a cheap and handy tool. I used it once when the car wasn’t pulling well after a water-wash and engine check light was on. The error code said a faulty MAF sensor. Checked the engine bay and found that the MAF sensor was not fixed properly (came off during the wash I guess). I think it’s a must-have to diagnose issues especially on a long trip.

[haneeshN]

Ownership and service experience:
Mech did a thorough examination of the car right after purchase and found no issues. The last service was done around 2000kms back and so we didn’t change oil also. The clutch had a minimal play and I planned to change the clutch assembly along with the next service as preventive maintenance (though mech didn’t recommend this). I also took the car to Nissan A.S.S in Coimbatore where it was being serviced and did a check. I was happy to know that the service manager knew this car and owner personally. I got his number and They also confirmed everything is fine and the next service was due on 1,06,000 kms.

I covered around 5000kms within few months and the car was due for service. I wanted to change the clutch and all oils and thought of getting it done at the authorised service. This was mainly because I wanted to experience their service levels. My mech was fine with it (I felt it is important to inform him because he is the one who will be taking care of the car in the future) and I ordered the clutch set by paying an advance. By this time there was some noise coming from the left front wheel, and we suspected a worn-out bearing. I didn’t drive the car much after this and took it directly to the service centre in Coimbatore once they confirmed the spares have arrived (it took around 10 days).

I asked the service advisor to change all the oils, filters (I procured the cabin filter as they didn’t have it in stock), check the noise in the wheel and replace bearing if needed, apply grease wherever required. I was not in a hurry and asked them to take time but wanted the work to be done properly. The brake pads were also worn-out and I procured a set of Bosch pads from the US through a friend (I spent only 8400 INR whereas the service centre quoted a bit over 18k).

They took around 5 days to complete the work. I had to travel 100kms to get the car and so I confirmed twice with the SA if everything is done especially the wheel noise. He said they checked it thoroughly and everything was good, and it was just tyre noise. I wasn’t convinced with the answer but still went to Coimbatore. I drove the car and wheel noise was very evident. I was sure that there is something wrong and they haven’t diagnosed it. The SA insisted not to worry and it is all fine. I checked the bill and was shocked. They added around 3000 for polishing the car. I never asked them to do it and 3000 for just a wax polish was too much. They agreed to reduce 3000 from the overall bill. They didn’t apply grease anywhere. I specifically asked them to apply grease on sunroof railings and that was missed as well. I was convinced that these guys don’t attend to anything other than the routine maintenance tasks. I cleared the bill and took the car. That was the last time my car visited the ASC.

I took the car straight to my mech’s garage. The wheel bearing was worn-out, and I am sure the service guys didn’t bother to check it. I took a pic of the bearing and sent it to SA. He apologized but I don’t think they understand the damage it could have caused if I continued running the car. We ordered the bearing locally and got it back after a couple of days.

I’ve covered 40,700 kms over the last 30 months. The first service was done at 1,06,000kms and I’ve been changing oils regularly at 6000 to 6500kms intervals. The car isn’t very expensive to maintain if you have a reliable mechanic. I haven’t spent much on maintenance. The regular service costs around 7000 including parts (oil is the biggest expense as around 5 litres of fully synthetic oil is needed). I also spent around 5000 for balancing and alignment so far.

Issues faced:
1. The front wheel bearings are changed twice (~6500 in total)

2. The AC started giving some trouble and this was because one of the radiator fans stopped working (there are two fans in total). The new ones come in pair and authorised service quoted around 28000. I couldn’t find any used ones and my mech finally replaced the faulty motor with a tata one with a minimal workaround. The car had to be in the garage for a week (~3000 in total)

3.Around July 2019 the timing chain started making more noise and the adjuster needed replacement. My mech said he could source the part. This was planned for the scheduled service. I also found that radiator started leaking a bit and it was time for service. My mech ordered the adjuster and it took over a week. The entire front right wheel assembly must be removed in order to change this and during the process, the weak front right CV boot got damaged. This caused further delay. My mech said he can procure it and I wasn’t bothered. After two weeks he called and said he got the wrong CV boot kit delivered. I checked in Bangalore but couldn’t get them. Luckily a friend was returning from the UK and placed an order there and got it. The radiator leak was fixed meanwhile. Because of the delays in getting the spares the car was parked in the garage for almost a month. This could have been avoided if he asked me to procure the spares, but it was fine as I didn’t need the car. (~4000 in total)

Tyres:
The car had Bridgestone Dueler H/T tyres when I got it. They were good and lasted long. I got a set of Michelin LTX force at 1,37,000 kms (I could have used the Bridgestone for few thousand more kms but didn’t want to take any risk). These tyres are more silent than Dueller in spite being an A/T.

Replacements expected in future:
The turbo whistle is audible since the last 4000kms. Mech advised not to open it as the power delivery is still good and a lot of life is left. I might have to change or service the turbo in the next 15000 to 20000kms which could burn the wallet by around 25000. It might work out cheap if I can service it. Either way I am prepared for this.

The suspension is slowly getting softer and an overhaul might be needed in around 30000kms.

I am also planning to install an oil catch can and block the EGR valve. The car is due for next oil change and I will get these done along with the service.

Spares:
I always keep one set of consumables ready at home (air, cabin, diesel & oil filters, one set of brake pads, oil & coolant for top-up). I also have sourced few electrical parts (crank angle sensor, cam angle sensor, ABS sensor etc.) from UK which are prone to go bad at times. These are much cheaper there and difficult to procure quickly in India. I am sure even with all preparations some unexpected part could get damaged and I will have to wait for some time to procure them.

Value proposition: Yay or Nay?
Overall, I’ve spent around 55,000 for regular maintenance and occasional parts breakage over the last 40,000 kms. This doesn’t include the cost of clutch replacement (~30,000) as I clubbed it with the purchase budget. The per km expense comes to around 1.4INR (excluding tyre and insurance cost). This is fine as I was spending almost the same for my i20 with the authorized service centre. This could go down if I change the oil as per the recommended interval (10,000kms) but I do it much earlier (every 6500kms) considering the age of the car.

I don’t track the mileage per litre very closely. Overall, I get 12 to 14 kmpl with AC on always (95% highways & 5% in the city with 80% on 2wd & 20% auto mode).
The car was in the garage for almost 40 days over the last 30 months (30 days just for the CV boot issue). This could be deal-breaker for many who need their car daily but works for me.

I am very happy with this car and it is still going strong. I have no intentions to change it soon. It ages really well and doesn’t look like 13+ year car. The best part is I spent less than what a top variant petrol swift cost and enjoy a much safer, spacious and powerful car. I know I will hardly get anything if I decide to sell the car but, the total I spent so far on the car including maintenance will be almost the same as the deprecation from a new car (around 15 lakhs). Not to mention the ongoing EMI commitment on a new car. Financially, this is the best value I can get from a depreciating asset. The perks of ‘lateral upgrade’ .

I would never recommend such a purchase to anyone who doesn’t have the time or willingness to run around for spares and plan all the replacements well in advance. Also, it took me almost five months to find this car and most will not be ready to wait for such a long time. This entire experience is also fun, and I am enjoying it.
I took me three years to write this but this timeframe has allowed me to assess the car in a neutral perspective.

That's all for now. Thanks for patiently reading my first ever ownership experience post here. I’ll try to update this regularly.

Stay safe and drive safe (hopefully soon),
Haneesh

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[evoker]

Fantastic review! I love reading reviews of these lesser known cars. Love the side profile of the x-trail.

[WhiteKnight]

Thank you for the brilliant thread. Congratulations on the purchase.

I've been evaluating both Pajero (my dream car), and X trail (the sane buy), but decided not to, as I did not get support from my garage. Second problem was the worry about ban on large diesels. Respect your courage.

Would love to know your insights on

• Did you get to see any 2.4 X-trails? Even though they look similar, these had much better interior and engine?
• Care to mention the garage? Would be very useful for rest of us.

.
Thank you

[haneeshN]

Originally Posted by evoker

Fantastic review! I love reading reviews of these lesser known cars. Love the side profile of the x-trail.

Thanks, Evoker.

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

Thank you for the brilliant thread. Congratulations on the purchase.


Would love to know your insights on

• Did you get to see any 2.4 X-trails? Even though they look similar, these had much better interior and engine?
• Care to mention the garage? Would be very useful for rest of us.

.
Thank you

I got this car in 2017 and there wasn't much talk about diesel engine bans at that time. The fitness of my car will get over in March 2022 and I am not sure if I can get FC done considering the talks about vehicle scrappage policy. Nevertheless, I am not worried much as I have two more years to use. I wouldn't buy such an old car at this moment for the obvious reasons.

Nissan launched the XTrail T30 and T31 versions in India. Both came with a single-engine option. Mine is T30 and it has 2.2-litre diesel and T31 has a much better 2-litre diesel engine. I don't think X-Trail came with 2.4 engine. Other markets got 2 and 2.5 petrol engines on T30.

My mech's garage is located in my native, Erode. I am not sure if you can use his service as you are in Bangalore. I can get you any help from him if needed.

[BZ25]

Lovely review sir. Quirky looks aside, the X-Trail is still a great car. It's such a shame that Nissan overpriced it, as this iteration is very capable off-road and is really practical and could have possibly even beaten the Endeavour, if it wasn't for Nissan's lackluster attitude towards the Indian market.

The 2.2l dCI is well known for its traceability and is a workhorse. I find it amazing that you could find a well maintained example like this one! Kudos to the gentleman who took car of this machine.

Do take care and please don't forget to keep updating this thread.

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by haneeshN

Nissan launched the XTrail T30 and T31 versions in India. Both came with a single-engine option. Mine is T30 and it has 2.2-litre diesel and T31 has a much better 2-litre diesel engine. I don't think X-Trail came with 2.4 engine. Other markets got 2 and 2.5 petrol engines on T30.

My bad! I meant the 2.0 that was on sale from 2011-14. The 2.4 came in from the Grand Vitara, which I was looking out for.

[ads295]

Hello,

It is such a joy to read your review. There's a stigma attached to used vehicles in India that is really blown out of proportion, considering the benefits.

A good mechanic is a priceless asset for cars like these. (That said, there is no question they're a quirky bunch.)
Being a Jap car I often wondered if X-Trails were reliable, and your review seems to indicate it is. There are also plenty of off-beat cars on OLX I often ponder over (Isuzu Trooper, Toyota Hilux etc) but these are all old and lack the finesse of this one.

Also, great that you can source parts for your car from the UK. I imported spares from Thailand for my bike and it blew the ASC's quotes out of the water. (Tell us more about the bike you mentioned, btw?)