Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

freddy_k · January 2002

That is too bad. You can always get an aftermarket roof. The price is about the same that dealers charge, and they are warrentied against problems. I had one installed in my Escort and it was really worth it. It's something worth looking into. Some people worry about cutting a hole in their roof, but this is exactly what the manufacturer does anyway.

corkfish · January 2002

I have a 1993 SE-R that's been bulletproof ( and I've abused the car by smoking Maximas with automatic transmissions). I've performed proper maintenance and can say that it's been the best car I've ever owned ( and I've had a Saab, Honda Accord, Toyota, BMW, and a couple of old mustangs). The new ones are nice, but the performance is a little disappointing given the hype surrounding it's introduction. Keep in mind that Nissan's aftermarket performance division, Nismo, will be selling souped up versions with headers, exhaust etc. right off the showroom floor with full warranty.

freddy_k · January 2002

Thanks, I appreciate the opinions

I've ended up going with the Imprezza, which I didn't really consider. After dropping by the dealer on a last minute decision I was very impressed by the Subarus incorporation quality, comfort and performance. It really matched my needs, and wants, nearly perfectly. Unfortunately I had to give up the sunroof and cruise control, but otherwise the base Imprezza came with all the options

Cheers!

claywaterfill · January 2002

Isn't the Impreza more expensive than the other cars on your list? You think the quality of Subaru is higher than Honda? Hey, that's why you shop around--you never know what you'll get! Enjoy!

freddy_k · February 2002

I found the interior quality of it is better, and nicer, then all three of the other cars, though none were really anything to complain about. The Protege has a fancier looking interior then the Sentra, but it's not actually any better quality.
For mechanical quality, I trust all of them, which is what had made the decision tougher before I found the Subaru.
The Imprezzas price starts out at where the GXE tops out at, but the starting imprezza comes with almost all the same options, short of those mentioned above. Even the base comes with the 165 hp engine now, which offsets the extra 400lbs on the car.

claywaterfill · February 2002

Just for future reference, Impreza has only one "z." Enjoy anyway!

mbbstims · February 2002

After being unable to decide between the toyota corolla or the sentra I have finally decided on the Sentra XE.I do not care to pay for options I consider unnecessary and that's why the XE.However, I am considering the air conditioning package.Can any of you Sentra owners tell me if you have had trouble with your AC? I have already read of some who have but I am trying to determine if several owners have had problems or an insignificant few.I have also heard that the AC may be too cold even when turned down.

salamander · February 2002

your air conditioning can never never never be too cold. 8-) I was deciding between 2 vehicles with the + or - same options and the great air conditioning system on the Nissan sold me. We live in south Mississippi about 90 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico.

glh2 · February 2002

I have a 2001 Sentra SE with 13000 miles. from day one, we have been getting a strong, noxious rotten egg/sulfur smell. The dealership repeatedly tells me that it is the gasoline but I have tried different brands to no benefit. The smell is worse on rainy days. The only way to remain in the car is to use the recirculate air button on the HVAC system.
I have been told that it can also be the catalytic converter but the dealership refuses to analyze the problem any more.
Any suggestions?

seanv13 · February 2002

Yes glh2,
I have owned a '01 Sentra SE for the past year, with 14,000 miles now. At first during the break-in period of 1,000 miles I did smell that sulfurish stink ocassionally. I asked the dealer about that and he said that it was indeed the catalytic converter. He also told me that it is normal at first, but if it was still present after 3,000 miles, then take it in to be looked at. My car stopped farting just as he predicted. I would take it to another dealer if possible or call one so that you can get it taken care of if your primary dealer won't address the issue.

Sean

seanv13 · February 2002

Has anyone purchased an '01 SE and removed the spoiler? If you have, how did you plug the holes? I was thinking about selling the spoiler to someone with an XE or GXE. Has anyone done this, and if so, how much did you sell it for?

Sean

adc100 · February 2002

Its quite common. You need to take it back and tell the dealer to reprogram the ECU.

petrosjb · February 2002

Well, I decided not to disconnect my battery to clear the light and I was not going to take it in to the dealer to pay their "small nominal fee". This morning, when I started the car, the light did not stay on. It's been about 500 miles since I had the light come on so that must be the distance to travel before the light will clear. No ill-effects with my Sentra. Thanks for all your advise folks.

adc100 · February 2002

is not a function of miles. It has to do with operating cycles/engine temperatures, etc. Perhaps someone can give additional information.

cyranno99 · February 2002

brother's 2001 SE got poor mileage for a couple of months. He later found out that the fuel cap had a crack that caused vapor to escape. He got the cap replaced and the mileage is back to normal.

dannym11 · February 2002

out there that were first disappointed to miss out on the SER, but now aren't too pissed?

Don't get me wrong, I wish I had one for the performance but it's only 1/2 a second quicker to 60 - 7.4 vs 7.9s, the guages don't look as nice as the white ones in my SE (purely IMHO), and those red seats don't look too hot either. I've got most of the goodies (LSD, front strut tower brace, 7 speaker stereo, 4 wheel discs) that the SER has. The body looks nicer on the SER but it's kind of nice to be a bit of a sleeper.
I'd still like one but it doesn't keep me up at night these days

.

kstephan · February 2002

Danny, I agree. The higher horsepower ratings for the SE-R don't seem to translate into way better performance over the SE. The old 2.0-liter engine is a well-developed, responsive, strong engine--in comparison, it sounds like the new 2.5 engine has some work to be done. So the horsepower difference is a bit deceptive.

Suspension-wise, the SE w/PP is at least a match for the base SE-R, and it wouldn't be that hard to bring it up to Spec V performance with some mods.

I agree with you about the gauges and seats. Exterior-wise, neither the SE or SE-R seems to "look the part." I think Nissan really needed to do something special with the SE-R's styling (like introduce a two-door, or even a five-door like the Protege5, which someone else suggested before) to capture people's imagination. The current design just isn't very sporty looking. At least the old SE-R evoked the BMW 2002 a bit.

So, no regrets here about getting the SE instead of waiting for the SE-R. Not that I would mind having a Spec V, mind you...

lgoldin · February 2002

After looking at all reports of SE-R I am happy camper with my SE. BTW guys, what mileage do you get on your cars? I constantly get ~25MPG in winter and ~28 in a warmer time. It is 50-50 of city and highway with a heavy foot. I found that driving at > 80MPH (what I normally do) gives 28-29 MPG at best. Also I tried once 91 grade and, man, what a waste of money. Car wasn't any faster, got the same MPG and it was LOUD. Never again.

kstephan · February 2002

lgoldin, my mileage is pretty similar to yours. Most of my driving is around town, and I usually get 24-26 mpg. The highway mileage is a little disappointing--I got slightly over 30 mpg once or twice, but usually it's a bit below (at speeds in the 70-80 mph range). These figures are pretty close to the EPA estimates for the car. Not great, but not horrible.

dannym11 · February 2002

My mileage hovers around the 28 mpg mark, with mixed driving, usually a bit more highway than city. I usually get about 300 miles on a full tank till my low fuel light comes on (which means there's ~2 gallons left). It was a bit lower than that at first.

cyranno99 · February 2002

The 2.5L needs a couple years to be more refined. It is a fairly large four cylinder so it won't be as smooth as the 2.0L. Of course, you can dampen the noise and vibration, but that would only add to the weight of the car.

My brother's car gets better mileage using Texaco than Exxon... maybe 1 or 2 miles better...

corkfish · February 2002

Motorweek got 0 to 60 in 7.1 seconds. Also, this doesn't include the aftermarket dealer installed parts from NISMO available in the fall

narenji · February 2002

I've test driven the new 2.5 L engine in the SE-R, and the Altima, and it doesn't feel as good as the good old SR20DE. The 2.5l doesn't seem to want to rev as much and is louder doing so. It does have good power, but the SE-R didn't feel any faster than the Sentra SE. The SR20 could give better fuel economy for a 2.0L engine, but other than that, it was sweet. May it rest in peace.

davejay · February 2002

I bought one of the first 2000 Sentras to hit the Chicagoland area, and made several posts here when this original thread started. Since then, I've moved to Los Angeles, given the first Sentra to my wife, and bought another car for me -- a 2001 Sentra GXE. Seems like a good time for an update.

The 2000 Sentra (GXE Automatic) has not had any problems, except for a noise under the hood. Sounds like the air conditioner compressor, so I'm going to have it looked at this month, but I'm not particularly concerned.

In fact, this car just took my wife and I on a cross-country trip from LA to Chicago to New York and back to LA, and we didn't have any Sentra-related difficulties at all. We're almost out of warranty, mileage-wise, although the car is only two years old.

Our second Sentra, the 2001 GXE 5-speed, has about 7000 miles on it. So far no problems. Literally none. Zero. Zip. >nothing<. Even the 2000 had a few teething problems.

The power steering isn't as strong in the 2001, which is nice, although I'd disable it altogether if I could. Also, a small oddity: on our 2000, the passenger door has a keylock. on our 2001, the passenger door does not. I guess that's one of the ways that Nissan got themselves profitable in 2001. (Both cars have the keyless entry system -- Nissan tells me that cars without the keyless entry system have locks on both sides.)

One car has been in for the recalls, the other is going in this weekend. None of the recall problems have occurred, I'm pleased to say.

The only regret I have in purchasing either of these Sentra is this: having two identical cars (except for color) sitting side by side in our parking garage is a bit embarrasing. But they're going to be there for quite a while.

adc100 · February 2002

I've had my SE for over a year now. The origional AutoTranny went out at 100 miles. Since then no problems. The SR20DE is a tremendous engine. I think the 2.5 has some oil burning issues and durability is not yet proven. Unlike many-mine gives good milage. I drive very conservatively and am 55 years old so thats expected. I routinely get 34 on a trip and 27 in suburban driving. That 34 is at usually 60-65 mph. Probably a lot less than most drive. One thing with an auto that gives good milage is to keep the rpm's below 2500 and getting and keeping the torque converter locked up. If you do that milage goes up bigtime.

jeff186 · February 2002

Anyone know what Nissan is offering now on the Sentra??? I've heard $500 cash back and maybe low rate financing? Anyone know what the rate(s) are and if it's financing AND a cash rebate? I'm looking to move fast on a GXE and any feedback on recent prices paid would be welcomed. I'm in NJ. Thanks.

raider4life · February 2002

Hey everyone. I'm a proud owner of a 2002 Sentra SE-R. I was just wondering if any of you have put on an aftermarket muffler? Does anyone know of a good one to use, and how much it might cost?

Thanks

corkfish · February 2002

One thing for certain, buy one that's stainless. I put an HKS cat-back exhaust on my 93 SE-R and it rusted out after a year. It cost's more, but you'll save in the long run. Stillen, Greddy and Borla are the first places I'd look. Keep in mind that Nissans racing division (NISMO) will be offering modified SE-R's right from the dealer with full warranty. They'll have intakes, headers, and exhaust systems. Available in the fall.

rjs200240 · February 2002

I was wondering if anyone has adjusted the timing on their 1995-1999 Sentra/200SX. I have a 1995 with the 1.6l engine and I swear the timing marks are not on the crankshaft pulley. I know I need to fill them in with white color to see them with the timing gun, but I can't find any notches or anything (I see the pointer on the block). I've cranked the engine about ten times and checked from the top and under the car. There are never any notches lined up where I can see them. I really think they aren't there. Has anyone else messed with the timing or had this problem? The notches are supposed to be on the crank pulley closest to the block right? (There are sort of two pulleys on the crank, a big one close to the block and a smaller one after the big one). Thanks!

raider4life · February 2002

Thanks Corkfish, i'm goin with my friend Wednesday to look at some mufflers. I'll keep those brands in mind. I know for a fact that Borla is a little more expensive then what i'm looking for. I went to the flowmaster site, and i heard the 60 series delta flow muffler that's designed for small engines. It sounds pretty good, but i didn't see a price listed there. Anyone else know from experience what's the best for my car?

Thanks

dannym11 · February 2002

...I couldn't tell you, but I'll bet someone on
www.b15sentra.net could.

rjs200240 · February 2002

Thanks for the assistance!

carterf · February 2002

I brought my 2001 Sentra 1.8 GXE to the Nissan dealership last month for an oil change and they put about a quart and a half too much oil in the car. I didn't notice this until 1500 miles later when I checked to see if I need oil. I didn't drive it too hard or often, but I know I hit 80 MPH on the highway a couple times. What damage can this cause if any? Should I be more upset with the dealer? I'm bringing the car back tomorrow.

lngtonge18 · February 2002

The most it could cause is leaks on such a new car. Had it been older, a lot more could have gone wrong. I bought a 91 Stanza with 134k on it a little over a year ago. I had the oil changed the day I bought it. I got on the highway to see how it ran and got it up to 80 and when I got off, the lifters were making all sorts of racket. The engine tapped loudly and sounded like a diesel, which freaked me out because I thought I bought a lemon. I stopped the car and checked the oil and it appeared to be fine. I took it home and let it sit for a half hour and then rechecked the oil. It turns out the quick lube joint had overfilled the engine by at least a quart! I drained out the extra quart and after about 5 minutes idling, the lifters stopped tapping. However, running at such high speeds with so much oil damaged the valve guide seals and caused a horrific oil burning problem (burned a quart every 400 miles). One of the hydraulic lifters was also permanently damaged and would tap unless I put thick oil and oil additives in. Had I not noticed the overfill, it would have eventually blown out the seals in the engine and probably destroyed it. I normally change the oil myself and the one time I decided to trust a quick lube joint and they ended up damaging my engine. That is the LAST time I will ever trust one of those places. Lesson learned: Always check your oil as soon as you get home if you don't do it yourself and always allow 10 minutes or so before checking to get an accurate reading. Never assume they know what they are doing and filled it properly. If I were you, carterf, I would make sure the dealer knows its mistake, so that hopefully they avoid any future mistakes.

corkfish · March 2002

People laugh at me for changing my own oil. Just another horror story from the quick change places. I knew a woman who seized her motor because the quick change place didn't tighten the drain plug.

sksk8r · March 2002

Hi everyone. Since we are on the subject of oil change. When is it recommended to get your first oil change or I should say at what mileage.

Thanks.

carterf · March 2002

That's a nasty oil change story lngtonge18. I had an old 1979 Malibu that had leaking valves so I had to change the spark plugs every 2 ½ weeks to keep it running. Then the brakes went so I gave the car away. Anyway, NISSAN "looked" at my car, and said everything was fine. They let out some oil and parked the car out back under a tree full of birds. When I came to pick the car up at the dealership there was about 65 bird craps all over the car. I was like "your gonna clean that off, right?" They did.

kstephan · March 2002

carterf: Find another Nissan dealership! Don't give them any more of your business. Overfilling your oil that much was serious and unforgivable. If there isn't another Nissan dealership in your area, find a reputable independent service place. If you haven't already, I'd consider writing to Nissan Corp. to complain about the dealership. Also, let the dealership know that you'll tell others about your bad experience there. Word of mouth is the best weapon consumers have against bad service.

sksk8r: You'll get many different answers on your oil change question. Some are advocates of early oil changes after break-in. But with modern engines and oils, I wouldn't worry about it until at least 3,000 miles. I waited until 3,750 (shame on me). The manual probably says 7,500, but you won't find many people in the Town Hall who'd wait that long.

carterf · March 2002

kstephan, I was pissed and I will be changing my own oil now that spring/summer is getting here. By the way everyone, the NISSAN dealership I went to was Cambridge NISSAN in Boston. I hope they read this. If they don't, they can read the letter I send the company about them.

jeff186 · March 2002

Either this car doesn't sell much or its owners are a contented lot. Dunno which. Anyways, we just got an '02 GXE, auto tranny, and it's the solid commuter car we thought it would be. Feels really tight and quiet on the highway at 75-80, getting 30 mpg.

paddler1 · March 2002

Well, after spending a day at the KC Auto Show my search for a car is down to the Protoge ES and the Sentra SE-R. My thoughts so far: Exterior: About even although the Nissan has an ugly, ugly rear. Oddly it doesn't look that bad in white, my preferred color.
Interior: Once again about even. The material used in both cars is nowhere near the quality of the material in my 93 Protoge. We can see where the sacrifices are made to keep costs down. Still both cars are far superior to Honda which have the cheesiest interiors on the planet when you consider their premium price.
Mechanicals: We'll see when I test drive both cars next weekend (if I can find an SE-R with a manual). Road tests on the new 2.0 in the Mazda make it sound like a rather staid low-revving engine. But in the real world of driving mostly below 4000 RPM that may be ok.
I am excited about the 2.5 in the SE-R but have heard reports of excessive oil usage and so-so performance for what is promised. I may be looking for a used SE 2.0 if neither car pleases. Would appreciate opinions from anyone with experience with either or both.

skawttey · March 2002

I have finally decided that the SE-R (not spec v) will be my next car. I was wondering if anyone has had any major problems with reliability with this car. Also, what is the over all feeling from owners on this car?

adc100 · March 2002

I also have some concerns about the long term reliability of the 2.5 engine. I own an 01 SE and am more than pleased with the engine. This engine is rock solid. Since this engine is no longer available, I would give serious consideration to the Protege. I bought the SE because of the seat comfort and the 2.0L engine.

skawttey: check out this link http://www.b15sentra.net/UBB.html

quark99 · March 2002

Haven't posted for a while...No problems as so far as my odo hits 50,000 miles. Still love the car, still love my BFG KDW 215-50-16's. Not impressed with the new Spec-V; I believe Nissan should have evolved the 2.0 SRD20E motor further, as Acura has done with the RSX. Hope everyone else here is happy with their Sentra; to me it's still the best bang for the buck; I don't care how good the new Protege is; it still ain't got that wonderful limited-slip front-end that allows us 5-speed SE owners to rocket out of corners. Of course, not everyone is a speed or cornering junkie like me...
quark

kstephan · March 2002

Please tell me more about the 215/50-16 BFG tires you have. I don't know what KDW means...are they high-performance tires? When I replace the OEM tires on my SE, I'd like to upgrade the size, but can't find any 215/50-16 tires listed anywhere.

kstephan · March 2002

I should have checked TireRack.com before asking that. I just did a search, and sure enough, there's the BFG KDW. Must be fairly new, because I searched the site not long ago, and the only 215/50-16 that showed up was the same Firestone model that comes standard on the car.

Still, how's the dry traction and steering response with the BFG tires? Considerably better than the OEM tires (which aren't totally horrible, IMO)?

brn5336 · March 2002

Hi I was just wondering what kind of lease deals people are getting on the 2002 Sentra GXE. Please let me know what a good lease would be for this vehicle. I was quoted $216/month for 39 months, 12k miles, and $1600 out of pocket. Kind of high if you ask me.

th83 · March 2002

Has anyone here had any experience with an automatic SE-R? I'm looking for a new car in the Protege/Sentra/Civic class and I want an automatic but I also want a sunroof which the GXE doesn't offer(stupid decision by Nissan). So my only other choice(in the Sentra line-up, at least)would be the SE-R. I'm coming from a Legend so I'm hoping the SE-R auto has decent power. Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

jeff186 · March 2002

Hi, I'm in NJ also and we just bought a GXE. We're paying $290/month over 60 months with Nissan low-rate financing, with nothing down. So your lease seems kind of high to me. If you're interested, I can tell what dealership and sales rep I worked with.

se_rlady · March 2002

This past weekend I've purchased an SE-R/auto with floor mats and air filtration for $16,092 + T&T in the DC/Baltimore area. Was this a good price? The dealer also mentioned that every car that is sold in the U.S. gets tagged with some sort of manufacturer's advertising fee, which in MD is $400, is this true? I am enjoying the car so far, the performance is so much better than a Honda Civic, I just hope that the car will hold up for many years to come since I plan on keeping this car until it dies.

Sandi

Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

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