While it may seem like the hardest vehicle to find is a vintage Italian sports car or some thundering American drag racer, it’s actually the vehicles long considered “throwaway,” or disposable, that take the most amount of time to dig up. If it was a Japanese pickup from the 90s, you’re almost guaranteed to be searching for a while for one worth owning. That’s why this 1994 Nissan “Hardbody” XE pickup with the extended cab is such a find – these trucks were used hard and put away wet, and very few still exist in anything resembling decent condition.
In the world of 1990s-era pickups, there are numerous options to choose from. If you want a muscle truck, the Chevy SS and Ford Lightning are solid choices. The Ford Ranger Splash is at the other end of the spectrum as a cheaper truck but one that embodies 1990s style. Mazda had its version of the Ranger in the B-Series, which is still fairly unloved in today’s marketplace. And if you want a real oddball, the Dodge Dakota convertible is the way to go. The Nissan Hardbody line of pickups were offered in commuter-friendly 2WD form and burly 4WD trim, easily distinguished by its upgraded suspension and mudflaps.
The truck shown here is a genuine, one-owner example from the Pacific Northwest with under 100,000 original miles. It has the preferred 5-speed, too, so this Nissan checks all of the must-have boxes. The seat upholstery is in excellent shape, and the same goes for the carpets. Interestingly, the last time I was in Oregon, I saw numerous mid-90s Japanese pickups still being used as the owner’s daily driver runabout, so I am not surprised that this Nissan has survived with seemingly minimal cosmetic flaws. The listing notes that the original owner was as fastidious about maintenance as they were about the truck’s cosmetics, so hopefully some records come with it.
The XE trim was middle of the road in the Hardbody lineup, offered with some additional comfort and convenience features over the base model. A six-cylinder engine was optional but this one is equipped with the 4-cylinder, and I believe it made about 134 horsepower and 152 lb⋅ft of torque. While not particularly powerful, the 5-speed should help. With no rust and the preferred extended cab configuration, this Hardbody is one to own – provided the reserve isn’t too high. Find the Nissan here on eBay with bids to $5,600.
I was looking for one of these a few years ago,
until I talked to an owner that told me that he was
getting about 12mpg.I decided that I could get a bigger
truck that got better mileage for the same/less money.
Sure looks nice. Clean and straight. Seeing one of these in Michigan in any condition is rare today.
Just like mine..Did you know they float..Went down river from sandbar to sandbar…
for me, these are really nice. They have the lill bigger cab (even in my fav rig – the 6th gen ford F series pu I feel like i\m sitting at the kitchen table “square” ‘in all my angles’ – knees arms, hips, ankles. It’s much more comfortable to stretch out when racing OR driving). Here the nissan allows such. I also like the efi But…
I still like the single thickness bed, smaller older vehicle. Some had the 5 speed. The Toy even had a tocoma model before pumping-up-a-size. My idea for these smaller 4 cyl imports is “a ’85 corolla w/a bed”… aahahahaa
Wanting something like this (more lux, bigger, shinny) I’d go similar Ranger & lighten the springs w/a 11 pac or whatever is offered for the rear when used asa Daily. All of them need lightening as to stiff bouncy ride.
I had a 90 regular cab 2 wd with this setup, 4 cylinder, with a 5 speed. What a great little truck it was, absolutely loved it! Handled well for a truck, had a nice ride to it and was fun to drive. The only reason I got rid of it was the bed got very rusty. I bought a 2005 Dakota, very nice in it’s own right, and gave my Nissan to a friend. He drove it for about a year and gave it to his friend’s son (as he got a vehicle given to him). The kid put a flatbed on it, put a clutch in it (the original clutch , too! It had 197,000 miles on it! Unfortunately, at 2:30 in the morning, some drunk lady plowed into the front of it in front of his apartment and bent the frame. He had 237,000 plus miles on it and it didn’t burn a drop of oil. If I were still looking for one of these, I would buy it in a minute!
They were ok new, definitely not the truck a Tacoma or Ranger is but this one’s clean
I’m a retired fixed director, general manager of multiple auto dealerships over my 52 year career. The most enjoyable store’s I ever worked in were Nissan. Outstanding customer satisfaction, parts easy to obtain when needed even for older models and the hard body trucks in particular were bullet proof. On multiple occasions I tried to purchase high mileage clean trucks to shine up and display in our sales area. When I say high mileage I’m talking 400,000 to 500,000 plus. The owners stated every time they would probably never sell them. I finally was able to get one that “only” had 350,000. Other than timing chains and tensioner blocks they would just keep going. Amazing vehicles.
I bought a 96 reg. cab 4 cyl, 5 speed around 1999 and sold it in 02. Never put a cent into it. Never let me down. Manual steering, bucket seats were less than enchanting, but overall a great truck.
I could drive this the rest of my life and be perfectly happy.