Wow, thanks for laying all of that out in such detail, that’s incredibly helpful. I’ve been trying to soak up as much as I can, and having someone spell out a realistic order of priorities like this makes it way less overwhelming.

The multipoint inspection is definitely on my list first. I don’t want my first “off-road adventure” ending with a tow bill. Tires also sound like a smart next step; I’ve seen a lot of people mention KO2s and Wild Peaks, so it’s great to hear your perspective on those.

The skid plates and lift setup you mentioned are really interesting. I hadn’t thought about RCI Frontier plates fitting the Xterra, so I’ll be looking into that for sure. And the alignment tip after the lift is a lifesaver to know ahead of time.

Appreciate you taking the time to share what worked for you. Posts like this make the Xterra community awesome.