This is a Vehicle Whose Existence was Previously Unknown to Me

"BrtStlnd" (BrtStlnd) 08/27/2015 at 12:30 • Filed to: DOTS St. Louis

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On my drive into the office this morning I saw a new thing. That thing was a Nissan X-Trail SE.

From what I’ve read, this was never offered for sale in the United States... at least as an “X-Trail”. The internet tells me it’s basically an old Rogue, but it doesn’t look like the one we got here. Does anyone know more info?

Basically what I’m saying is that I’m calling the authorities on this person because they’ve probably broken the law by importing this.

For Sweden > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:34

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How is someone both a financier and a narc?

coelacanthist > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:35

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Is that a Mexican license plate? I see weird cars from across the border all the time.

BrtStlnd > For Sweden 08/27/2015 at 12:35

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Indeed.

BrtStlnd > coelacanthist 08/27/2015 at 12:35

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No, it was an Ohio plate with a REALLY dirty plate cover.

not for canada - australian in disguise > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:35

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Was sold in Canada for a while, was rather popular here, replaced by the Rogue. I don’t know exactly the law for importing Canada-only cars under 25 years old into the states, but it may or may not be legit.

HammerheadFistpunch > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:36

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The x-trail is a Mexican market Nissan. Its basically a rouge in a xterra body.

dogisbadob > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:36

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It was sold in Canada, so probably easy enough to import here :)

dogisbadob > For Sweden 08/27/2015 at 12:36

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The feds, of course :p

BrtStlnd > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/27/2015 at 12:36

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Interesting. I’m not familiar with Canadian import law either...

BrtStlnd > HammerheadFistpunch 08/27/2015 at 12:38

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It was much smaller than an Xterra. Like, old CRV sized.

HammerheadFistpunch > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:39

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Right, its old rouge underneath, but dressed up to look tougher. Its like a Jeep Patriot or Renegade. They are actually pretty tough

Bonus: sweet child o mine

coelacanthist > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:39

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Plate cover always fishy...

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:40

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I’ve seen one of these, but in Florida with Mexican plates.

Doug DeMuro > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:41

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The X-Trail was a compact crossover only sold in Canada and Mexico (and of course other markets like Asia, Europe, etc., but in North America it only made it to Canada and Mexico).

In the U.S., Nissan decided to instead focus its energy on a less utilitarian and more “comfortable” crossover, which ended up being the Rogue (and the Murano). But they gave this to Canada and Mexico. If you live near either border, you probably see these things every so often.

Here’s the crazy thing. I ran the Ohio plate in Carfax, thinking it wouldn’t return, and it comes back to... drum roll... a 2005 one-owner Nissan X-Trail! Originally sold in Toronto and imported to Ohio when it was only a year old.

Ohio legally registered it, but it is almost certainly illegal to the feds. I suspect this guy doesn’t exactly live in fear of a knock on his door, though.

The real question is: what do the people at the Nissan dealer say when he shows up?

BrtStlnd > HammerheadFistpunch 08/27/2015 at 12:41

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Oh oh oh ohhhhhhhhhh sweet child o miiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiine

BrtStlnd > Doug DeMuro 08/27/2015 at 12:43

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Look at this guy with all the info! That’s very interesting. Somehow this thing made it to St. Louis. Thanks for chiming in.

HammerheadFistpunch > Doug DeMuro 08/27/2015 at 12:45

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Xterra? yeah we service those. what do you mean its not an xterra, It sounds like you are saying “xtrail”...oh you mean an xterra trail? Well then what the hell is it?!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Doug DeMuro 08/27/2015 at 12:48

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“Yes I need to bring my x trail in for service.”

“Im sorry sir, do you mean xterra?”

“Nope, x trail”

“Sorry sir, we don’t service those Chinese knock offs at our establishment.”

“...”

Textured Soy Protein > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 12:58

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That’s a 2nd-gen X-Trail. On the 1st-gen Nissan made an X-Trail GT from ’02 to ’07 which had a 280 hp SR20VET turbo motor from the S15 Silvia. Kinda like a Subaru Forester XT. Nismo had body kits and other accessories for it.

Also the 1st-gen X-Trail had its gauges in the middle of the dash to make it cheaper/easier to build LHD and RHD versions.

Doug DeMuro > HammerheadFistpunch 08/27/2015 at 13:00

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Man, it would probably be such an annoying conversation every time.

Doug DeMuro > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 13:01

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Thanks for the cool picture! It’s fun to see the occasional Canada- or Mexico-only car. San Diego is rife with weird Mexican stuff.

ocbrad1 used to be iamhoff but is now just wandering around > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 13:02

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Looks like a Canuckistan plate (Ontario, I believe). The X-Trail is (or was) sold in many markets around the world, and in Canada and Mexico...but not the US. A soft-roader plus based on the gen 1/1.5 Altima platform (I believe) with the 2.5L I-4, a good solid CUV. About the only interesting thing going for it was the IP was centrally located on the dash, which made it easy to shift between LHD and RHD markets. It was sold in Canada in the early/mid 2000s, but Gen 2 wasn’t sold in Canuckistan, instead being replaced by the Rogue that was sold in the US.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > HammerheadFistpunch 08/27/2015 at 13:02

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Also was sold in Canada. Because reasons, I guess.

BrtStlnd > HammerheadFistpunch 08/27/2015 at 13:04

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“Pull out your entrails?”

“ECKS TRAIL”

BrtStlnd > ocbrad1 used to be iamhoff but is now just wandering around 08/27/2015 at 13:11

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It was an Ohio plate with a cover.

knightsbridge > BrtStlnd 08/27/2015 at 13:44

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It’s a first gen X-trail like you say. An early euro spec SE model judging by the bumper. you guys in the States never got them but they’re pretty good cars; we here in the Southern Hemisphere love em.

Here’s mine:

A second year [2002] SE+, the top of the range model outside Japan (which is the only place the GT was officially sold). Heated and cooled leather seats, a gigantic glass sunroof, rear park sensors, a (barely) multi-function steering wheel, manual transmission and a six speaker sound system. They’re great comfortable cars, good in the city and decent off-road. My only complaints are that the fuel consumption is a bit silly for a 2.0 and parts are f*%king expensive.

wafflesnfalafel > knightsbridge 08/27/2015 at 22:29

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we get a few down from Canada - decent looking rig

pip bip - choose Corrour > BrtStlnd 08/28/2015 at 02:44

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x-trails are common here in OZ.

ocbrad1 used to be iamhoff but is now just wandering around > BrtStlnd 08/28/2015 at 12:42

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Well, I suppose if they moved from Canuckistan and went thru the hassle of importing the vehicle. That is about the only way around the 25 year rule, is if you are living in Canada, and then move to the US and bring your legally owned and registered vehicle. Obviously there are many many hoops to jump through. I am currently working in Alberta, and when I return home to California I will be bringing my wheels with me. Nothing exciting (a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer...great for winter), and because it’s a Canadian spec vehicle I have to get all sorts of Customs/DHS, DOT, and EPA forms. There is actually one physical change I need to make to the vehicle. I need to replace the rearview mirror. In that particular mirror is the indicator light for whether the passenger airbag is active or not is written in English for US-spec vehicles, but is a pictogram for Canadian spec vehicles. So it goes.

Round headlight enthusiast > BrtStlnd 09/30/2015 at 14:23

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Probably just imported over from Canada because someone moved and didn’t want to buy a new car. Canada has lots of weird cars we don’t get in the US (see Acura CSX)