I moved to a new city a few years ago with my wife for my wifes promotion.
I gave my 2001 Xterra away to a family member. He had a 16 year old son interested in working on cars, specifically 4X4s. I was super sad to see it go, but figured it was going to someone who would truly enjoy it. At that point it needed tires desperately, an oil change, possibly a fuel pump (It would occasionally die stopping downhill.) And the thermostat would run away showing overheat when it really wasnt hot, and the A/C would stop working when the thermostat ran off, and had an engine misfire check engine light. I just didnt have the money or time to deal with it.
Fast forward 3 years. Both of us wind up getting promotions in the town we used to live in, and luckily we held onto our house so we moved back. That same family member came into my place of work couple months after we got back and mentioned his son never touched it, and asked if I wanted it back. I said "HELL YEAH, I GOT TIME AND MONEY NOW!"
It sat for 3 years. We swapped the battery and it started right up, and drove me home.
I changed the oil, cleaned the rats nest out of the air filter and changed that, changed the fuel filter, threw new wiper blades, headlights and brake lights on, and new tires and topped off all the fluids. I put a fuel system cleaner in the gas tank.
Suddenly... the A/C worked out of nowhere and the thermostat wasnt running away. After 3 years of sitting.
We had a deer hunt coming up (My wifes first buck tag). It was a 3 hour drive over mountain passes and the trails on this hunt are GNARLY. 75% of people on these trails are on side by sides.
I told my wife "Fuck it. Lets take it. Id rather leave that on the mountainside than my truck"
This little Nissan, after 3 years of sitting freaking rocked the drive, there AND back (14mpg), killed it on the trails, got us to 11,000ft elevation on muddy rocky trails. It got us back home going over a snowy pass that was closed while we were on it. (Received 18inches of snow the evening we drove over it). AND the check engine light went off. No more "this little light of mine, im gonna let it shine" for me.
I have never loved a car more than this Nissan Xterra. Another memory made in this 1st Gen.