I found a metric magnetic oil pan drain plug for the Xterra. It has a flanged hex head, instead of the plain hex head that you normally find at the parts stores. Flanged hex head is like the factory drain plug (i.e. washer-faced flange). It also has the same amount of thread engagement as the factory plug. The magnetic drain plugs I've seen at the parts stores are sorely lacking in thread engagement depth, causing me to do some searching.

Thread size is 12mmx1.25. It takes a 14mm socket or 9/16").

I got mine from CG Enterprises, part number 1040M, for about $3.45. They're a Canadian company.

http://www.magneticdrainplugs.com/metric.htm

does this fit all the xterra models/ years?

I looked up the part number for oil pan drain plugs on Rock Auto for 1st gen, 2nd gen Xterra's, 4 cyl & V6, and they show the same Dorman replacement part for all Xterra's which implies this magnetic drain plug will indeed fit all Xterra's including even the 1st gen four-bangers.

hope this helps.

Snake oil, IMO. It's cheap, at least.

these came stock on my Porsche 944 Turbo.... i have even seen loose bolts stick to it. not snake oil in the least bit.

You had loose bolts in your oil pan?!?!?!?!

Magnets are magnets and yes, they will pick up things that are metal (including most bolts). I'm not suggesting that it's snake oil because they use fake magnets or anything. I think if you drained your oil without using a magnetic plug, then ran a magnet through all the oil you just drained, that you'd pick up the same amount of filings as you would had you used the magnetic drain plug.

Doesn't the VW 944 have a [mostly] aluminum block?

yeah, but the point is those little peices of metal stuck to the drain plug weren't being circulated through the engine.

i guess CG Enterprises, the canadian company that i bought my oil drain plug from, no longer has a web presence.