Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

zhz · August 2001

Maybe the frame is damaged/bent and not corrected ( I've heard that it's impossible to do a 100% correction).

nofeer · August 2001

What do you think, when was the sentra redesign, if there a better year (price conscious). i figured 98 with abs and 5sp. any problem areas, should i look elsewhere and not sentra. book values are cheaper than civics and corollas. does gxe come with abs or option? what are my chances of getting a 5sp with abs and what model should i be looking for
thanks

jl30 · August 2001

The B14 Sentra was introduced in 1995. The 98 should be a reliable car. ABS is optional on the 98 GXE. I think 98 with ABS and 5sp may exist but it is hard to find. For more reliability info on the car, you can go to carpoint.com. Good luck.

jl30 · August 2001

Is the SE being dropped in 2002? Replaced by the SE-R and SE-R Vspec?

blueguydotcom · August 2001

It'll get replaced by the SE-R and given Nissan's crazy pricing of the Altima, figure it'll sticked OVER 20k.

narenji · August 2001

There is no way the Sentra SE-R will cost 20k, much more than a base Altima with manual trans only has an MSRP of $16349 all the way upto $23149 for the Altima SE with the V6. The base engine is rated at 175hp/180 ft lb of torque.

Check out http://www.nissannews.com for the full pricing announcement on the Altima. The Sentra SE R should be arount $16500 for the SE R and probably $1000 more for the SE R Spec V. That sounds about right. The Altima is bigger but has all the same basic features of the Se-r (engine, transmission, brakes) so prices should be comparable. The only thing the SE-Rs will have over base Altimas is the sport suspension.

The Altima has extremely competitive pricing. I can't wait to check it out in the flesh. I just hope it has better plastics in the interior than the Sentra. All the plastic in the sentra is so hard! Gone are those foam backed vinyl coverings. The plastic looks decent, but I think Nissan should've used Vinyl some more.

blueguydotcom · August 2001

"The Altima has extremely competitive pricing. I can't wait to check it out in the flesh. I just hope it has better plastics in the interior than the Sentra. All the plastic in the sentra is so hard! Gone are those foam backed vinyl coverings. The plastic looks decent, but I think Nissan should've used Vinyl some more. "

A 5 speed 3.5SE altima with just sunroof, leather and the bose (don't want it but Nissan demands it with the leather/sunroof) rings in at 26k. That's obscenely priced considering even a junky Accord comes with slightly better interior, leather and ABS for 25k. BTW, the Altima's interior makes the sentra's look positively luxurious. It's really cold and hard. If Nissan truly aimed at the Passat's interior, they missed. By a long shot.

Given the obscene pricing Nissan assigned to the Altima, it seems likely they'll sticker a fully loaded...as in ABS/SRS, moonroof, etc Sentra Spec-V over 20k.

erhein2 · August 2001

I just thought I'd post a follow-up on the damage to my daughter's GXE. If you remember, it had been hit and had some pretty bad bump steer after it was repaired. We took it back to the shop that did the repair and they started going back through the parts they had replaced. They found that the steering knuckle they had bought from Nissan had a chip, or gouge, or something and wouldn't seat (it that's the right term) properly. They replaced it with one that wasn't defective and all is well. With all of the complicated things it could have been, I'm glad it was something relatively simple and so easily fixed. Thanks to those who offered suggestins.

quark99 · August 2001

Love my SE but made the mistake of checking out the new Acura RSX Type S....the weight vs. horsepower ratio is similar to the Prelude; (2750)
wondering what the weight on the Spec-V and SE-R is projected to be...if they are LIGHTER than my SE, say about 2500 lbs, it could be comparable in performance to the Type-S; if it's as heavy as my SE (2740) then I guess the six-speed 200hp Acura will be faster.
Any thoughts out there, fellow Sentraites?
Note: projected 0-60 for the Type S: 6.9 seconds,
for the base RSX (160hp) 8.1 seconds.....
quark

cyranno99 · August 2001

It's unlikely that the SE-R will be lighter since the engine is significantly larger. The Sentra is almost as long as the current Maxima. I know since we usually park those two cars side by side. The Sentra would still beat the RSX in terms of pricing and probably maintenance costs. I saw a sticker price for a base RSX to be 22k.

newcar31 · August 2001

The new 2.5L is actually lighter and takes up less space than the current SR20 2.0L. Blueguy-- there will be no more SE, it will be replaced by the SE-R.

mdriver · September 2001

I wonder what the mileage will be on the 2.5? If it's as low as 22mpg, then the Sentra is losing its economy ability. The base RSX with its 27/33 mpg is very competitive given it's only 5HP less.

toga333 · September 2001

Personally I am shocked that Nissan has decided to drop the SE2.0, Something tells me there is going to be a few people that want a little more power than the base engine found in the XE/GXE, and not as much as the SE-R's 180. Take for example Volkswagon....they offer three distinct engines in many of their smaller cars, the 2.0 115horse beater/a turbo 1.8 150-180hp/and a VR6 in line 6 cylinder 174-201hp. As far as I know they all sell very well. I think Nissan could still sell many 145hp 2.0's if they offered them. What does everyone else think?

pathway · September 2001

I think that the SE-R is the best thing for Nissan to do... Now they have a high powered vehicle that's small and sporty... and economical. Without a doubt, it is probably the best "Bang for Buck" car for driving enthusiasts.

Now that they have introduced the 2.5 SE-R and SE-R Vspec, there realy is no reason for the 2.0 SE anymore... It only got 10 more horses than the 1.8 XE or GXE, and it will be only a little less than the upcomming SE-r with 170 hp.

I love my GXE. Wish I got the Manual instead of the Automatic, but I have my old Toyota for fun riding like that... my GXE is something my wife and I can feel safe in, while I can still get a good amount of fun out of the car.

Only complaint: The car feels very stiff on the road. Every bump and crack in the road we feel in the cabin. I agree it's not like riding on a lumber truck, but it's deffinatly rough... But when we load the car up (With 4 people plus luggage) the ride becomes much smother... Is there anything I can do, besides add some weights to the backseat, to smooth out the ride?

pathway

blueguydotcom · September 2001

Its engine was far too sluggish. The car desperately needs the 175 hp engine.

As for VW, the 2.slow fills in the low market just like the 1.8 does with the Sentra. The 1.8T and VR6 are really more performance oriented for those who want some go-juice with their car. The 1.8T offers the compromise of lightness and performance, with easy upgrades for even more power. The VR6 fills in a space for more of a luxurious, sweet, easy pulling feel that Jetta GLX buyers seem to like, regardless of the fact one really can't mod the engine much and that it weighs more than the 1.8T.

BTW, VW AG drops that 1.8T in 6 American released cars (GTI, Beetle, Jetta, Passat, TT, A4). And unlike the 2.slow, the 1.8T is known to be a great engine (Ward's names it among the 10 best every year).

gserep1 · September 2001

Hello again,
I have the 2001 Sentra SE 2.0 and I find the 145 hp engine really powerful, but a bit noisy in the drivetrain. If I drive somewhat sanely, I see mileage in excess of 30 mpg constantly. The 170 to 180 horsepower will be nice, but at what expense? Nothing is free. I wonder if these new engines require premium fuel? I am sure that this is the case with the 200 hp Acura RSX. Most of Acura's cars require premium fuel anyway. The only exception being the base CL and TL with the 225 hp engines, but they would run better with premium fuel.

For what I spent, $15,101 + tax and license, it is hard to find a better bang-forthe-buck vehicle. I am really satisfied. To date, I have done the K&N air filter, synthetic transmission fluid, synthetic engine oil, larger oil filter with check valve, and a set of FIAMM horns. One is the FIAMM LOW TONE, (which is the EXACT horn that came standard on my car), and then a HIGH tone unit that I mounted right next to the low one. The difference is DRAMATIC. I changed BOTH horns. My original horn sounded pretty weak. FIAMM calls them code "E" and "F". They are available at Pep Boys or Autozone.It sounds like a German import car. All told, that modification cost about 50 bucks, and 1 hour of labor. Nothing was cut, and it all looks professional.

In short, I like my SE just as it is. I will not be able to get anything newer at the price that I paid on this car.
GSEREP1

gserep1 · September 2001

Hello Everyone,
I FINALLY picked up my car from the dealership here in San Diego today, and I can tell you that it is really cold. It seems that they changed the filter drier, the entire evaporator, the orifice tube, 2 o-rings, and the electronic amplifier that controls the compressor operation. After a full charge of R-134A, all seems well. $400 dollars worth of parts and labor (free of course for me), and it is ice cold. Plus I see water running from under the car again. We are right here at sea level, so I expected to see some humidity dripping off of the evaporator. I did not see that before, so wish me the best.

I also got a chance to see the new 2002 ALTIMA at the dealership. VERY NICE INDEED!! All but the price. A 2.5 "S" model with cloth seats and 4 cylinder 170 hp engine was over 20,000 MSRP, plus they were asking $2000.00 over sticker. I won't get one at that price. I also got to see a 2.5 "SL" with 4 cylinder and leather, ABS, air bags in front and overhead for 24,000 MSRP + 2000 mark-up for being a new vehicle. I can almost get into a new 2001 MAXIMA for that kind of cash. I will wait until this model cools down. I would also hate to see how much more the 240 hp 6 cylinder model will cost. The new ALTIMA is as big as an older Maxima. Time will tell if people are willing to spend that much for an Altima. As for me, I'LL WAIT!!
Thanks again,

GSEREP1

narenji · September 2001

I too test drove the 4 cyl Altima 2.5 S over the weekend. Although there was no markup at Empire Nissan in Ontario, CA, he said they were selling very quickly. The 2.5 feels good, but revs a bit too easy. It's pretty quiet, more so than our 2.0L SR20DE. Without even trying I had the engine upto 4.5-5k rpms. I'm sure that that Altima has been abused already since it's the only 5 spd on the lot. It's really big inside, and I think Nissan is taking a big risk making it bigger than the current Maxima. People aren't going to go for the Maxima just because they can get Xenon lights standard and a DVD navigation system as an option. The 6 spd transmission is nice though. The 5 spd V6 Altima would definitely be the one to get if it were reasonably priced. The Altima though is a very big improvement. It handles well, and the interior is nice. Still some hard Nissan plastic around though.

I note that you changed your horns. How difficult was it? I want to as well. How did you put two horns in when there's only wiring for one? Did you splice them or something? And how did you mount the other one right next to the OEM horn? Thanks,
narenji.

gserep1 · September 2001

To Narenji,
Hello again, and thanks for such a quick response. As I said earlier, the FIAMM horns were easy to install. I found out that we already have the LOW tone FIAMM horn on our cars. All you really need is the HIGH tone horn and you are in business.

I did not want to cut and splice wiring, so I got a terminal set with 2 male and 1 female ends on one terminal. That allows the original black wire to plug in to it,(male end, plus it has another male end for another wire to connect to it.) The part that connects to the original horn is female. I did have to buy some extra wire. The female "slide" terminals to attach to the horns, and I bought thicker 12 gauge wire instead of thin 16 or 18 guage wire. The big wire carries more current, which makes for a louder horn. Just remember that one terminal will be HOT and the other side goes directly to ground.

I changed the way the horns were originally wired. The original horn only has a provision to wire the "hot" side, and the ground side is attached by means of the bracket that attaches the horn to the car. This connection will get corroded over time, and as soon as you get a poor ground, you will get a poor sounding horn. I would suggest that you wire it like I did mine. I used one terminal for the hot wire coming from the horn button, and I used the other terminal for the "ground" which I attaches to the frame. Then I used the bracket JUST to attach the whole horn to the frame. There are a number of bolts and studs under the hood. They are all ground if they are metal, meaning that they all go back to the negative side of the battery. I also bought some black plastic "loom" to encase the new wire I ran. This is the same kind of loom used on the original horn, so it matched up. Nothing worse than having a wire showing without a protective covering. The loom only costs about $2.99. It really makes it look professional. Plus I bought a roll of black electrical tape and taped the ends to keep water and rust out, which is what Nissan did with the original horn. That will complete the installation.I will try to send a picture showing the completed project. Once it was done, I had the 2 horns mounted so that the outlet was pointing downwards to keep the water out. One is on one side of the center latching mechanism, and the other one is just on the right of the center mechanism. The original horn position was used for one horn, and the stud to the right was used for the other horn. If your original horn is good, I would suggest only buying the High tone horn. They are both identified by the lettering on the body of the horn, Low is marked with a big "L", and of course, high is marked with a big "H". I just changed them both because of the wiring, and kept the original as a spare. All told, it was less than 50 bucks for everything. Pep Boys has them, and so does Auto Zone. The proper horns are marked "E" and "F", for low and high tones. Believe me, if you buy them from Nissan, they will cost much more. I believe that these are the same horns used on the Maxima,but for a whole lot less. I hope this helps. The sound is awesome.

I did not drive any of the Altimas, and I probably won't for awhile. No need torturing myself...especially since I will not part with that kind of cash right now. I will wait until the dust settles. It will be fun watching Nissan and Infiniti juggle these prices in an effort to make it all "FIT". 24 to 26 grand for a 4 cylinder Altima SL is a bit much for my taste right now.
Thanks again,
GSEREP1

narenji · September 2001

Hey GSEREP1,
Wow, that was quite a detailed description, although I'm afraid I got a little lost, because I guess I'm not as electrically inclined as you are. Pictures would definitely be a great help.

The terminals that you bought, were they extra? Was anything included in the horn package? By HOT wiring I'm guessing you mean the constant 12 V power source, so that the horn can be applied anytime, as long as the battery has juice, right? So the terminal turned your one HOT wire into two HOT wires for two horns? And you grounded both horns by using the other terminal on the horn, instead of just using the mounting bracket as a ground?

Did you remove the positive connection to the battery before working on this project? I've installed stereos in my other car (Mazda MX6), and I always unplugged the positive side just to be on the safe side...

My low horn is ok, I guess, it just sounds like a Ford Escort rental. How easy is the access to the mounting points? The grille seems to be in the way. That could be removed to facilitate installation, I guess.

Maybe we should continue this discussion via e-mail?
Thanks,
narenji

gserep1 · September 2001

Hello,
In answer to your questions...Yes, some of the terminals are supplied with the horns, but not all. The ground wires are included, but the wire that you need to connect the hot wire from the first horn to the second horn is not. In the case of this horn assembly, HOT means that the wire will be energized with 12 volts only when you press the horn button. That is POSITIVE 12 volts DC. The ground is the NEGATIVE from the ground side of the battery..or BLACK side. The grille does not have to be removed to put the horns in. They slide between the grille and the hood latch with no problems.

If you like, you can disconnect the battery, but it is not required. You will have to reprogram your radio and reset the clock, but that is minor. In a case like this it is not necessary to disconect anything because the only time you get any voltage to the wires is if you are depressing the horn button inside the car.

I will contact the host to find out how I would download the pictures of the horn installation. It is so easy to do, I could disconnect the second horn and show the wiring in about 5 minutes. If you look closely at the area where the original horn is mounted, you will see various nuts and studs sticking out on the frame in that general vicinity. For the first horn, I used the original horn mounting bolt, and for the second one, I used a stud that had a nut attached to it. As I said before, all of these nuts and bolts are ground, so mount them anywhere you can get a stud or bolt through the mounting bracket.

You can also e-mail me at: gserep1@hotmail.com, and I KNOW that I can send you some picture through HOTMAIL.

Take care,
GSEREP1

mdriver · September 2001

Imagine paying an extra $2000 for the opportunity to "test" Nissans new Altima, which it is almost assured will have bugs to be worked out.

When trading a car in for the Altima, tell them you have a $2000 mark-up on the trade-in allowance. The dealer ends up shooting himself in the foot because many other prospective non-Altima buyers with walk out when they see the bogus $2000 mark-up. If the dealer is going to mark-up, don't advertise it on the sticker.

narenji · September 2001

GSEREP1,
If you would please check your e-mail. Maybe you can send me a picture or something. I don't want to take over the Nissan Sentra discussion board with my horn install needs... But your detailed description could definitely be of help for others looking to do the same with their cars. Thanks for your help.

blueguydotcom · September 2001

"a big risk making it bigger than the current Maxima. People aren't going to go for the Maxima just because they can get Xenon lights standard and a DVD navigation system as an option."

Let's see, the Max has Xenon, LSD, 6 speed and 255 HP. And it's just about the same price as the 3.5SE, but with a better interior. Maybe it's me but the Max seems like a better buy than that Altima right now. Max's go for below invoice, while Altimas are actually fetching MSRP!

narenji · September 2001

Well, you may be right if you're comparing a loaded Altima 3.5SE to a Max SE, but if you just want an Altima with a V6, your price will be lower, and you're going to get a much more modern suspension setup than the beam axle in the rear of the Maxima. The Maxima interior might be better, but only when it's got leather in it. The cloth interior has about the same feel as the Altima's. I've sat in cloth Altimas and Maximas and I think they're comparable. Leather is still an option on the Maxima SE, as is the LSD, according to their website. Also the 6 spd and LSD options won't be available immediately. It says "Late availability." I don't know if "Late" means October or December or next spring. The new Maximas won't be going below invoice (or at least significantly below invoice) for a while because they've been sufficiently updated and are selling at MSRP around So.Cal.

blueguydotcom · September 2001

A moderately equipped Altima 3.5 SE rings in with the sunroof, AT and bose for 25,437.

A 2002Max SE at Mossy is going for 26900 with AT, Bose, Sunroof, Xenon, 255 HP. That's 1k off MSRP instantly - before negotiations. Go to the Maxima topic in Edmunds and you'll see people are buying 2002 Maxs for at or below invoice. Figure you've got another 1k to bargain down and now you're getting a nicer car for maybe $500 clams more. Maybe even the same price.

lgoldin · September 2001

This morning I found a very nice feature in my SE. If key is in ignition and any door is open you can't lock the doors. It means that you can't walk out, lock the doors and forget the key in.

gserep1 · September 2001

Hello,
If you leave your key in the ignition and try to open the trunk by remote control, it will not work either, strangely enough. That is all well and good. What I DON'T like about the system is the fact that you CAN activate the trunk if you are driving down the highway. That should not be. I have a 5 speed, and I know that I can open mine while driving. Has any automatic transmission'ed owners ever tried this? There should be a safety device in place designed to prevent this from happening if the car is in motion.

I have been experimenting with my keys and the doors too. I use the remote 99% of the time, but every now and then I use the key. When unlocking the driver's door, one turn to the right will unlock just the drivers' door. Turning the key twice will unlock the other doors. My other car..(Mazda Protege) has a 2 second timer feature. If I hold the key in the "unlock" position for 2 seconds or longer, the other doors will unlock after the drivers' door has already unlocked.

By the way, has anyone used the "valet" feature inside the trunk? On the latch, (which is at the bottom of the trunk) is a "catch" (for lack of a better word), that can be moved straight up and down. Pushing this catch down with your finger until it clicks will cause the hand held remote AND the electric switch on the dash to be inoperative. Plus the valet key will not open the trunk either. The controls for the rear seat locking mechanish is also inside the trunk, vice inside the car. This provides ultimate security for any items you want to store in the trunk. The only way to open the trunk is by use of the regular key in the trunk lock. To reactivate the normal system, open the trunk and lift up on the "catch" until it snaps back in normal position. Then everything works like normal.

Just my two cents.
Thanks,
GSEREP1

jcarleo · September 2001

Just got my 2001 SE w/pp last week, and I love it so far. Great handling, crisp braking, great acceleration. I just had a question regarding the 1000-mile breakin period. In the user manual, it states not to drive a constant speed during the break-in period. The problem is, my daily commute to work is 90% highway mileage, during which I am at mostly the same speed all the time. Will this cause damage to the engine?

gserep1 · September 2001

Hello,
PLEASE try to vary your speed as much as possible during your drive. Do not use FULL throttle, or drive the car in too "high" a gear.
Shift down to the next lowest gear for traffic or hills. You should use 5th only when you are above 45 to 50 mph, meaning do not be in a hurry to get into 5th gear if you have a stick shift.

The miles will pass quickly. Please do not operate the engine rpm's in the "red zone" at any time. This would be a good habit to keep even when the engine is broken in.

This engine is very tough and durable, so the slightest infraction will not mean instant death. It has been built for the last 10 to 12 years, so there are a lot of them out on the road. Most don't have any problems. Just use common sense, and vary your speed a LOT when you can. Please watch your temperature gauge. If you look closely, there is a little dot on the temperature gauge face. Make sure that the needle is up to thet dot before accelerating normally. Go slow until it warms up. The needle also should not move above this dot either. If it does, investigate immediately. Overheating is death to the engine, so be careful.

Have fun and enjoy the heck out of your car. I love mine as well, and I have managed to accumulate over 13,000 miles on my Sentra since Memorial day in May.

It is a GREAT CAR,
Thanks again,
GSEREP1

corkfish · September 2001

And if the performance is as good as I expect I'd buy it over the new Altima anyday. With 255 horses, a six speed and a curb weight of about 3200 pounds, this car should run with the previous M3. The economy is slowing and dealer markups won't last. You'll be able to buy a new stripped Max for $26,000 if you take the time to look and you're patient. I'm in no hurry, my 93 Sentra SE-R still feels like it gives me the 7.4 second to 60 times it did when it was new! Nissans are incredibly durable.

kroliph · September 2001

I have been reading about the new SE-R Spec V. Does anyone know when this car will be available?

jrk2 · September 2001

I love my 1991 civic but it needs to be replaced with a new car soon. I test drove several vehicles but am really liking the 2001 Sentra GXE. I was quoted 13,400 for a "loaded" model. I am looking to have this car 10 + years. Would like some feedback on reliability over time. My Honda spoiled me with few problems until the 10 yr mark.
Thanks

blueguydotcom · September 2001

October for the SE-R.

kroliph · September 2001

I heard that the SE-R Spec V was going to run around $18,000. If that is true, that is going to really compete with the Civic SI and the SVT Focus. Besides, it would be nice to have 4 doors.

kroliph · September 2001

I just got my new Autoweek and they had a nice preview of the new SE-R's. The base SE-R will be around $16,900. The Spec-V will be around $17,900. They recommended spending the extra money for the Spec-V. If Nissan can keep the price in that range, I don't see why this car would not dominate the under $20,000 performance market. Besides, having a 4-door might be a real advantage for some.

sentrafan · September 2001

gserep1,

Which oil filter brand and part number did you wind up going with?

Thanks.

mdriver · September 2001

4 doors may be useful, but a hatchback is even more useful. Nissan should have brought out the SE-R as a hatch, which is sold in other countries, not the U.S.

cyranno99 · September 2001

placed the Sentra SE on top vs. Civic EX vs. Corolla S. Great value... hopefully the SE-R will be as well. Like it or not, the hatchback market is still too small. The last wagon from Nissan for the US was a RWD Maxima, if I am correct. Oh yeah, they did have the NX.... pretty bad in terms of sales.

blueguydotcom · September 2001

Why would Nissan release a hatch when the hatch is dead? Maybe in a few years they'll come back, but until then it makes sense to stick with one bodystyle.

gserep1 · September 2001

Hello,
I have changed my oil yet again. I am rapidly approaching 14,000 miles now. I moved to synthetic oil at the 10000 mile mark. I could not find the Purolator ONE filter, so I settled for an AC durafilter, and used Mobil 1 0W-30 oil. This combination was really quiet at first, but after 3000 or so miles, thew oil felt really thin, and it got really dark FAST, so I switched back to a heavier oil. This time, I got the Mobil 1 oil filter (it is a very LITTLE filter like the stock one, and I used Mobil 1 10W-30 synthetic. It seems better, but only time will tell. I have a 700 mile trip I need to make next week, so I will know more then.

By the way, I was STUCK in Chicago for a whole week when this disaster struck last week. I finally got back on Monday night. I can truly say that I am glad that this part of my adventure is over. REALLY scary.

Anyway, I will keep mileage figures on this oil. I DO notice that NOTHING quiets that valvetrain noise when running, so I will just have to live with it. It does not affect performance, but it is the noisiest little 4 cylinder that I ever owned. I am not used to that, but maybe a little valvetrain noise is not so bad.

Keep me posted everybody. I really feel terrible. I was supposed to meet up with "katraak" while he was here in California, and my job schedule prevented that. I apologize profusely my friend. I hope to meet you in person in the very near future.

GSEREP1

kroliph · September 2001

I agree with mdriver. It would have been interesting to see a hatchback version of the SE-R offered in the States. And like I have mentioned about the Civic Si, a hatchback design definitely has some utility advantages over a 4 door sedan. The thing that is most exciting about the SE-R Spec-V is the fact that Nissan is actually going to build and sell this vehicle. Allot of car companies will build 'sporty' editions of a particular model that are really no different than the rest of that model line. When Nissan makes an SE version of something, they actually make real changes to the vehicle to dial up the performance and handling. I know that other companies make a great effort to enhance the performance to their cars but I think that Nissan has made a consistent effort to do this over a longer period of time. I'm looking forward to driving the Spec-V.

mdriver · September 2001

Yes, I am lookin forward to the Spec-V, but not its price. It is supposed to start at $18K. Add in a sunroof (which is almost mandatory the way Ive seen the old SEs packaged) and ABS and you're close to $20K. That's VW GTI territory. OK, they are probably going to perform very close to each other, but the GTI now has the better warranty (2002) and safety with its side head bags (not just side air bags in the seats). I don't doubt that the Spec-V will be a very nice car, but the Mercedes-like interior of the GTI is tough to pass up.

tdogg1 · September 2001

I have decided to purchase either the SENTRA SE or the Focus ZX3. The price I have is a black se pp/5 speed with sun roof. List 17k sell for 15,500 with the 500 rebate. I am in MASS, is this a good price? Has anyone have to have made a similar decision?

jcu1886 · September 2001

I have a Focus ZX3 since Dec. '99. For most recent car, however, I chose the Sentra SE pp/5 speed because I wanted better acceleration. Both cars have been excellent as far as reliability is concerned.

mdriver · September 2001

Insurance is considerably cheaper on the Focus. The Focus is much better laid out in terms of room. It has a better shifter and steering. The Sentra SE has a slight edge in handling and power and build quality. Since it is almost impossible to find ABS on a manual Sentra SE, I would go with the Focus with ABS. The Focus also scored better in crash tests, though not as good as the Civic. Resale is similar on both.

zhd · September 2001

I took a look at the data of '02 sentra. Compared it with Civic and Protege, sentra is (a little) longer, wider, taller, heavier, but (much) SMALLER in term of xxxrooms and xxx volumes. Any thoughts on this?

tdogg1 · September 2001

I am leaning towards the SE. The Focus is listed at better MPG. What are people getting on SE AUTO or a SE 5SPD?

kstephan · September 2001

tdogg1, I have a 2001 Sentra SE 5-speed, and in mixed driving, I tend to get around 26-27 mpg. In all-city driving with a lot of stop and go, it seems to be about 24 mpg, like the EPA rating. I haven't had any long highway trips to measure accurately, but it doesn't seem to get much better than 30 mpg...but keeping it under 75 mph is tough, which is a factor. The mileage isn't great for a four-cylinder, but the performance is pretty good, so it's a worthwhile tradeoff. Get a GXE if mileage is a main consideration.

By the way, I'd only recommend buying an SE now if you get a CONSIDERABLE markdown from the dealer, since the model is about to be replaced with the SE-R, which in base form is likely to be only slightly more expensive than a well-equipped SE. However, I'd think that with the 2.5 engine, the mileage on the SE-R won't be so great.

cyranno99 · September 2001

I'll have to say that the interior is a little tight. My brother wants to switch to a Civic based on the perceived roominess. However, I think the Sentra is partly bigger than the other car is because of the engine room. Probably big enough to fit a V-6 in there... very tight though.

Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

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