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Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

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Comments

  • 2young2retire2young2retire Member Posts: 7
    Sorry about your problems but not every car and dealer is a problem. I have had absolutely no problems with my 2002 GXE and would not hesitate to buy another one if something were to happen to mine. Luv the car.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    My a/c leak was finally fixed, a factory defect I was told. A small hole in the plastic pan that the evaporator sits on behind the lower dash in the passenger foot well.
    The car is still very tight and drives like a much larger car. Hope the mpg's improve though.
    Still a happy camper, the wife also wants the car now and wants to give me her 2001 Altima.

    The Sandman :-)
  • tony1034tony1034 Member Posts: 32
    I recently bought a 2003 Nissan Sentra GXE back in March 2003. I've been driving the car back and forth to work every day. My commute is about 35 miles each way. Since the car was new I've filled the tank everytime when needed and have all my slips showing how many gallons to the 1/1000th. I've recorded my mileage on every receipt. I havn't had the car in for any issues ... YET, but will be within the next week. I do my own oil changes.

    Fuel Mileage:

    For the first 3,750 miles I was only getting 26mpg. My commute is all highway. I drive 70-77mph on the open roads. I was very dissapointed. My 95 Toyota Corolla had 186k miles, never in the shop and got 33mpg. I heard the fuel mileage was better after changing the oil the first time and the motor had a chance to break-in. So I changed the oil and drove to 7,500 miles. Fuel mileage was the same, 26mpg. I did try to drive it slow 55-65mph for one week, no lead foot, and I got a tad under 28mpg out of it. I really thought about getting rid of it at this point. I'd of ran over the guy that put the 35mpg window sticker on these cars. So after doing some research, and having experience with my motorcycles, I changed the oil again at 11,250. But this time I used Mobil 1 synthetic oil. Corvettes come from the factory with it in them. It is the best rated synthetic oil you can buy. My wife drove the car a day later and came to me. She said "What did you do to the Sentra?". I was like "why do you ask?" She said the car ran soo much smoother and quieter. Had more pep to it too. I noticed the same thing but didn't have a chance to tell her. I drove the car and now I was getting a tad under 30mpg. WOW! I was really impressed how much this oil helped. Also, bear in mind I drove in the summer with the AC on. My other vehicle is now running Mobil 1.

    This now brings me to my next discovery. I no longer use the AC since its cooler in NJ, but I work very early in the AM and my windows like to fog up. I noticed that if you start the car, turn on the selector to defogger, the AC compressor kicks in (which it should). My window will clear up and after driving for a bit, I'll turn it back to blow out the front vents. The compressor should dis-engage at this point. But it doesn't. I didn't notice it at first, but now that its even cooler out in the mornings, I was freezing going to work, like the AC was on. I pulled the car over and no matter what I selected, the thing wouldn't dis-engage. The only way it will stop is if you turn off the engine. Then the ducts blow outside temp air. I've tested this thoroughly for the last several weeks. These cars get worse fuel mileage when using the AC compressor, so it must be hurting the fuel mileage. I've been busy and havn't had a chance to have it looked at by Nissan, but will call today for an appointment.

    Driving Impression:
    One of the other reasons why I though about selling it at the 7,500 mile mark is that the seats are the most uncomfortable seats I've ever been in. They are the WORST! I hurt my back before going on vacation. On our vacation, we drove a total 1,500 miles in our Honda Odyssey w/ leather interior on this vacation. I was not a bit uncomfortable during the 6 hour, 420 mile ride up to Vermont. I get home. Rest for the weekend and go back to work Monday. My back was feeling better, but after 20 minutes in the Sentra, I was in pain. Had to stop and take a break. The last review is deceiving on the links off Edmund's. The review I read, the Sentra was rated #1. But it was the SE-R, with different interior and power. Reading it again, the test was unfair. It outpowered everything and thats why it won. Then they do another test, with the LE. It still had the peppy motor, but the review is horrible. Take away that motor and use my GXE and its in probably last place. What a hunk of junk. Nissan really let things slide on their econo box. After my experience with the 95 Toyota Corolla, I'm sorry I didn't get the new Corolla, instead of this Sentra. The Corolla is rated at 39mpg highway. My old one was rated at 34mpg highway and got 33mpg, with me driving the heck out of it for 186K miles.

    If I was looking to buy a new econo/commuter car, go look at the Corolla or the Honda Civic (rated best on fuel economy and comfy interior).
    STAY AWAY from the Sentra. It's built more like a Yugo.

    Just my opinion,
    Tony P.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    I disagree wholeheartedly with you re: seat comfort, and not for anything, its your fault for not looking more closely at MPG ratings prior to purchase. Also, perhaps you should have consulted Edmunds True Cost to Own. I personally feel the Sentra is solid small car and an excellent value when properly equipped. One other thing- dont forget this car is 5 years old and is due for replacement soon. It certainly isnt the best small car, but its far from a Yugo- which is a curious comment, given that you havent had ANY build issues with yours, expect possibly the AC, which may in fact be a design issue (see below).

    BUT- with respect to the passage below, my 03 2.5LE DOES THE SAME HIDEOUSLY ANNOYING THING:

    This now brings me to my next discovery. I no longer use the AC since its cooler in NJ, but I work very early in the AM and my windows like to fog up. I noticed that if you start the car, turn on the selector to defogger, the AC compressor kicks in (which it should). My window will clear up and after driving for a bit, I'll turn it back to blow out the front vents. The compressor should dis-engage at this point. But it doesn't. I didn't notice it at first, but now that its even cooler out in the mornings, I was freezing going to work, like the AC was on. I pulled the car over and no matter what I selected, the thing wouldn't dis-engage. The only way it will stop is if you turn off the engine. Then the ducts blow outside temp air. I've tested this thoroughly for the last several weeks. These cars get worse fuel mileage when using the AC compressor, so it must be hurting the fuel mileage. I've been busy and havn't had a chance to have it looked at by Nissan, but will call today for an appointment.

    best regards,
    alpha
  • lgoldinlgoldin Member Posts: 90
    I must be lucky. I have my 2001 SE for almost 3 years. I like its seats which I can adjust to comfortable position. There is always a sound of something working when you turn on vent, but I don't know whether this is AC compressor or cooling fans. Originally I was also dissapointed with a gas mileage which was supposed to be 24/32mpg and I got average of 25. But when I tried to drive along with a crowd and not lead foot it went to 27 on a same root. But what surprised me a lot this summer is a mileage I got on couple of long trips. I was going 70mph for 4 of hours each direction on cruise control and got better than 36mpg!! AC was off but vent was on all the time on defogger, i. e. AC compressor was on as well. So far I am very satisfied with the car and plan to keep it much longer.
  • toga333toga333 Member Posts: 11
    I recently hit a HUGE pothole in wonderful New York, NY. Long story short, I had to replace a front alloy, and tire (I got four new ones). My question is, Even after an alignment I get a noticable shake in the steering @ 70+MPH. I have a '01 SE w/ P/P. I remember always having some feedback through the steering, just not this much! Any Suggestions
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    I now have 3500 miles on my Sentra and plan to change the oil and filter at the 3750 mark, as per the manual. Has anyone here switched to Mobil 1 instead of regular dino oil, and if so, was there any noticeable difference in the car, or should I just stick to my 4k dino oil and filter change schedule?
    Thanks for any help with this question.

    The Sandman :-)
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Either your tires aren't properly balanced or you bent the tie-rod or control arm when you hit the pothole.
  • tony1034tony1034 Member Posts: 32
    Hi Joe,

    Sorry, the Yugo statement was just sarcasm. I don't know how tall you are, and if it makes a difference on seat comfort, but I'm 5'10" tall. The seats are very uncomfortable for me. I've owned at least 35 cars in my lifetime, and I'm just not all that impressed with this Sentra. You are correct on the fuel mileage thing though. If I had looked into it further, I'd probably have bought the Honda Civic. It gets much better reports on fuel mileage. I sold a 2000 Nissan Maxima before getting this Sentra. I loved my Maxima (miss it a lot), but a 26k dollar luxury mid-size was just not practical for commuting. It got like 22-23mpg, but ran on premium fuel.

    The other thing I forgot to mention in my review was that the suspension on this Sentra is awful. I have a 2003 GXE. It has 15" rims with Michelin P195/60-15 tires on it. When you hit the slightest bumps in the road, it's like "BANG!" The same roads I drove with the Maxima, I didn't even know the bumps were there. Don't get me wrong, comparing the Maxima to the Sentra is like comparing apples to oranges. Not even the new Altima compares to the Maxima in driving comfort. My neighbor has a brand new 3.5 Altima. The interior is the cheapest looking interior I have ever seen on a car that stickered for @25k. But I'm sure some people love the new car's "fresh" look. To each their own, that why we call them opinions. By the way, I did own a Yugo for about 4 weeks back in the late 80's. It was given to me for free (HAHAHA....LOL) and my friends and I used it for a baja buggy until we blew the engine. We beat the heck out of it. Would pick it up and put it sideways at the store parking lots, just to get a good kick out of people's reactions when they saw it. For the record, the Sentra is much better than the Yugo.

    I still havn't called Nissan on the defroster/compressor issue. Too busy at work and at home w/ three kids.

    Good luck with your LE.

    Best regards,
    Tony P.
  • tony1034tony1034 Member Posts: 32
    Read your question above about Mobil 1. See my post a few up #1498.

    I have had great success with the Mobil 1 product. I run it in my Honda engine on my powerwasher, my Craftsman SnowBlower and Lawn Tractor and both my cars. I researched oil a few months ago after seeing an episode on the Speed channel talking about oils. Some professor tested a bunch of oils at some Univeristy and concluded that the Mobil 1 was the best oil out there. After only like a 1,000 miles, petroleum based products begin to breakdown very quickly. After thousands of miles the Mobil 1 held about 90% opposed to Castrol GTX that was like 67%. I've seen Dyno runs too where the better lubrication reduced heat and made more horsepower.

    Personally, I've seen a big improvement on my 2003 Sentra GXE from switching to Mobil 1. I'd probably have sold the car this past summer if it wasn't for the improvements from this Oil, as I'm not very happy with my Sentra. Hopefully Nissan will fix the defroster thing (see above) and better, higher profile tires, will smooth the ride. It has P195/60-15's on it and I'm going to replace them with P195/65-15's. The taller sidewall of the 65's should eat up the imperfections in the road better. I can't see why Nissan even put a 60 profile tire on a commuter car. On the high-performance SE-R yes, but not on the other models.

    Best regards,
    Tony P.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    195/60 R15 tires are not that low in profile. It's a common size and is not the main reason why your ride is so harsh. My 02 Lancer has the same size tires and the ride is quite smooth and quiet. The harsh ride is a combination of the short wheelbase of the Sentra and the non-independent heavy rear suspension. 65 series touring tires will help slightly but just know your speedometer will be slightly off. It will read slower than what you are actually going. Didn't your Maxima have low profile tires? That was a commuter car wasn't it?
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    I was told that 195/65/15 might not work on the Sentra and to stay with the 195/60/15's. When I changed the wife's from 205/60/15's to 205/65/15's, the tire shop put it on the receipt that I had requested the change, eventhough they were not the correct size for the car. They had to cover thier [non-permissible content removed] in case a problem cropped up later.
    I suggest you ask Bret in the tire forum as he helped me with the wife's car and is quite knowledgeable.

    The Sandman :-)
  • machaanmachaan Member Posts: 30
    I got my GXE Ltd for $13k in the spring of 1999.
    Since then, I have driven this car in 30 states in 2 countires.

    The car has has ZERO non-scheduled maintenece till now. So far I have
    replaced only front tires, front brakes pads/rotors and wiper blades.
    Last winter, the car has always started on the first crack in
    -10F temps with three year old battery.

    The interior looks in better shape than my friend's 02 Altima.

    Best mpg: 38 trip to Montreal from NY
    Worst mpg: 18 trip to Minneapolis @ temp 15F
    Longest trip: 1150 miles, 7 states NJ-PA-OH-MI-IN-IL-IA

    Since 30k service, all I have been doing is oil changes for $12 at walmart.
    The drivers seat feels flat now. Need to replaced/fix it.

    The thing than most impresses me is the engine. The car cruises interstates
    at 80mph in the low 3k rpm. It still has power to spare at that speeds. It
    can do 95 mph on uphills with a passanger at little over 4kRPM.
    The build quality is terrific. Not a single rattle! I hear some minor
    buzzes when the temps are in the teens.

    My biggest gripe has been floaty feel above 80mph; but it feels
    safe and secure upto 70mph

    Few months back I decided to replace it with 03 protege5 wagon. I changed
    my mind afer the test drive. The 5speed Mazda felt gutless when compared to
    my 4speed automatic which has 0.4L less displacement. Mine also gets better mpg.
    If Sentra comes with a wagon in the next redesign, I will get in a heartbeat.
  • mwcoxmwcox Member Posts: 13
    Plagiarism, I know....
    I got my GXE Ltd 5spd for $14k in March of 1999.

    The car has had ZERO non-scheduled maintenece. So far I have only replaced the tires, front brakes pads/rotors and wiper blades.
    The interior looks looks great. Paint still shines, despite my neglect.

    Best mpg: 41 interstate
    Worst mpg: 32 interstate with AC
    Longest trip: 850 miles
    Mostly interstate miles, commuting 2hrs/day.

    All I have been doing is oil changes for $12 at Walmart and tire rotation. Get tires at Wal-Mart, buy protection plan. I have only bought 2 of the last 4 sets of tires on this car. Those tires never last their expected thousands of miles. Kudos to Wal-Mart Service.
    The thing than most impresses me is the engine. The car cruises interstates at 80mph in the low 3k rpm. It still has power to spare at that speeds. It can do 105 mph on interstate.
    The build quality is terrific. Not a single rattle! I hear some minor buzzes in the dash when the temps are in the teens.
    Within the last week the clutch has developed a squeek and the exhaust has developed a rattled at 1400 rpm.
  • machaanmachaan Member Posts: 30
    Douglas XTRA Trac. $35 each - installed.
    After 20K miles of aggresive driving more than
    50% thread left. This have to be one of the most
    economical cars to own and maintain.
  • civickiddcivickidd Member Posts: 8
    My sister's been wanting foglights installed on her '02 gxe, but the dealer price seems to be a bit too high (@ $250)..

    ..anyone know if these can be had for cheaper elsewhere?
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    I was looking around and I think the 2004 Sentra 2.5S may be the best deal going right now. With the same 165 HP engine found in the Altima, air, auto, CD and ABS as standard equipment, plus the added floor mats, splash guards and cabin micro filter, the sticker is $17,530. But, Edmunds says its TMV is $16,179--and after rebate ($1500)--you're looking at a selling price of $14,679. That's darn good, IMO, for the money! Of course, it gets better if you don't need the 2.5 engine. I'm interested in hearing the accounts of 2004 model owners.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    I have the same vehicle, except its an 03 and its called the 2.5LE. At the time of my purchase, I received $1000 Cash Back and 2.9% Financing for 60 months. The current $1500 rebate, at least around my parts, can only be combined with a 4.9% rate for 60 months. Its about even, in terms of mo. pmt.

    After about 17K, I have had ZERO issues with the vehicle, it is quicker than any other auto equipped car at a similar price/size point, though MPG is only about 27 in a mix of city/hwy.
    Nice thing about the Sentras is that the side airbag protects head and chest, one of the few in the class that offers this combo. (ION has side curtains, but no chest protection, Civic and Corolla offer only chest....). Offhand, I belive only the Elantra, Accent, and possibly the Protege offer similar side airbag protection.
    I think its a pretty pert handler, tackles off ramps. Seats are supportive, cockpit comfortable and well designed, but the ride could be better.
    Rear seat seriously outclassed, in terms of room and comfort, by most other offerings of this size.

    Unless there is a significant need for added fuel economy, I strongly recommend the 2.5L in this car. Off the line, certainly surprises lots of unsuspecting posers in high peaking 140hp Celicas and 160hp RSXs, especially if they've got autos.

    ~alpha
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    Thanks! I had a feeling it would be a good handler. You say the back seat is tight? Is putting 3 people back there one of those things that only works in theory? You say the ride could be better? What about the ride do you not like? I do think the 2.5S could be a great sleeper as 99% of the folks you run across would never guess it had 165HP! In 1991 I bought a new Sentra SE-R with (I believe) 140 HP and that thing would scoot--and it surprised many people as well. I can imagine how this would drive with 25 more horses.
  • baltychenbaltychen Member Posts: 50
    I owe a 1993 Nissan Sentra 1.6 engine. It gave me nothing but quality. This car lasts 265000 miles until it starts to smoke. I work on my car for 1. brake job (no one touches my brake). 2. General maintenance such as every 5000 miles I change oil and oil filter. Every 20000 miles I change the PCV valve. 3. I do preventive maintenance such as check oil, air filter clean up or replacemtn, etc...

    Now, I have a Japanese used engine intalled for 850.00 dollars which include engine and labor. I do spend extra 200 dollars for water pump (new one not rebuild one), engine front and rear seals, EGR valve from dealer, transmission seal (good time to replace when engine is off the compartment), all hoses and drive belts, spark plug wires, spark plugs, rotar, etc.

    Now, my car has 305000 miles on it and runs like new.

    My Nissan made my every penny worth. Thank you Nissan!
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Finally hit over 5k miles this week, and the mileage hasn't improved very much. Took the car up to Gainesville Florida last month and hoped the mileage would've started to improve after the 900 mile round trip. This did not happen. My city mileage runs between a low of 22 and as high as 26. Any suggestions from the Edmunds readers?
    Thanks for any help.

    The Sandman :-(
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    You've done the 3750 maintenance as per the owners manual, correct? If you dont see an increase in fuel economy after your 7500mi. servicing, you should speak to Nissan customer service and/or your service department. I usually average 26-27MPG in mix of city and (in all fairness, leadfooted) highway, BUT I have the 2.5L, so surely, something seems amiss with your fuel economy from the 1.8L. How are you calculating?

    Also- bad news. Sentra reliablity dropped to "Worse than Average" in Consumer Report's latest survey, and so, the model is no longer recommended. HOWEVER, I have had ZERO mechanical or trim issues with mine in the 17k miles and 10 months I've had it.

    ~alpha
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    I had this performed at the dealer, as I wanted at least the first oil change on their books to avoid any future maintenance problems. I did speak to my service advisor at the time, and he assurred me the mileage would get better as I accumulated more mileage. I think he was pulling my chain now, but will give it until 8k to see if it does improve more.
    Very unhappy with this issue, but enjoy the car, as it drives very nicely with the 15" wheels, very similar to our '01 Altima.

    The Sandman :-(
  • 2young2retire2young2retire Member Posts: 7
    My 2002 GXE with 15,000 miles has gotten a low of 31.6 mpg and a high of 39.6 mpg. The average mileage is 34.3 mpg which is ok with me. My vehicle has the 5 speed transmission with Mobil 1 in the engine and Redline synthetic oil in the transmission. Another thing is I am getting a little older and I drive like I want the car to last 200,000 miles.
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    Could your low gas mileage be a result of living in south Florida? Maybe you have to run your A/C a little more than the average person across the country? I live in metro Atlanta and I'm still using the A/C periodically as the temp is either still around 80, or it's raining. Plus, how much idling do you do? A lot of stop and go driving will lower that figure in a hurry. I know in the heat of the summer, the city mileage on my van will drop to about 14, but will get closer to 20 in the fall. I know there are other factors at work, but that A/C is a killer!
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    That could also be the problem. Hasn't been cool enough yet to turn the a/c off. Funny though, my Corolla, which was a 1996 model with the 1.8 engine, got great mileage under the exact same driving conditions. Even the 2003 Corolla bests the 2003 Sentra by a substantial amount mileage wise.
    Guess this is something I'll just have to live with. Having had 2 Corolla's since 1988, I guess I just got spoiled with the great mileage. Otherwise, I really like my Sentra!

    The Sandman :-8
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    You are right there--the Corolla gets mileage like 32/40 where most other cars in the Sentra's class (like Protege, Elantra, and ION) get mileage in the 25/32 range. It does add up!
  • roar1roar1 Member Posts: 193
    Hello all ! I'm new to this board. ( actually
    own a 2k2 max.). My son is having a problem
    with his SE-R . Since he lives in Boston ,
    what dealer in the area has the best service
    dept. ???? Any positive experiences from you
    Bostonians ?
  • sudubetigerisudubetigeri Member Posts: 7
    Hi,

    I bought my 1996 Sentra with 80K miles on it 6 months ago from a local small dealer. Since then I have been finding that I have to fill up a quart of oil every 300-400 miles. That is just too much. I also find that my tail lights and rear fender are coated with a black soot. It would mean that my car is burning oil.

    Recently the check engine light of my car came on. I brought it over to a mechanic who said that the EGr valve is clogged due to some residue (maybe burnt oil) and so he cleaned it. Now, to verify that truely the oil is burning I did a compression test at home. I removed the spark plugs, put the compression tester one by one in each cylinder and found a compression of 128,115,115,120 psi in each cylinder respectively.

    Surprisingly, contrary to what I had thought all the cylinders had the same compression. If there was an oil leak one of the cylinders should definitely show lesser compression. Either this or all the cylinders are leaking oil. Also, after 5000 miles I found that the spark plug were in excellent shape, no black coating, no oil residue, nothing. (only thing was the spark plug gaps were a bit wider which I adjusted) This has got me pretty much stumped.

    I haven't noticed any oil puddle underneath the car where I park. Does anyone have any suggestions what would be the possible reason for the oil loss? Do I need to do the compression test some other way? What is the ideal compression for a 1996 Sentra? Any comments/ suggestion would really be appreciated.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    First, you should really get underneath the vehicle and check for oil from the bottom side of the engine. The typical leak generator on a Nissan GA16 motor is the timing chain cover. I have also seen three Sentras that had a lot of oil all over the rear of the engines. This was later traced to the wrong oil filters being installed allowing oil to leak around the filter gasket.

    If there are no signs of wet oil dripping, I would say that your Sentra engine is not leaking oil, but burning it. Most modern engines will gather a lot of miles before the piston rings are the source of oil consumption. The majority of times you'll find that oil will be pulled into the combustion chamber past the valve guide seals either because they have worn or become brittle. Sometimes the valve guides themselves are worn badly and the valve guide seals cannot adequately keep oil off of the valve stems, allowing it to pass by the guide and into the chamber.

    Without checking the Nissan specs, the compression check seems low to me.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • sudubetigerisudubetigeri Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for your comment. So you really do think that the compression pressures are low as compared to the standards. So it would mean that all the cylinders leak oil? Or probably the compression test methodology needs to be modified?

    But I am not understanding one thing. If I am burning oil at such a high rate of 1 quart per 400 miles shouldn' t the spark plugs foul very quickly? This isn't happening and hence I am confused.

    Thanks
    -S
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Refering to a 1993 Nissan Sentra factory shop manual (the latest I have), the compression specifications are as follows:

    GA16 ENGINE

    Nominal - 178 psi

    Mimimuim - 149 psi

    Maximum cylinder variation - 14 psi

    Now, the biggest mistake made by people performing a compression check is in the set-up. The above specifications are based on the following set-up procedure:

    1. Engine at full operating temperature

    2. All spark plugs removed

    3. Throttle at full open position

    4. Cranking speed of at least 300 rpm.

    You may want to run your test again if you did not measure the compression using the above criteria. A less than well charged battery, throttle closed, spark plugs in, or engine not hot enough will affect the readings enough.

    As to the condition of the spark plug. If you were burning a quart per 400 miles -- I know this doesn't sound right if this were a 1960s motor -- but in newer designs with highly efficient combustion chambers that kind of oil usage may not necessarily show up by reading a plug. However, in GM engines that I've worked on that use that much oil, there is rarely a complaint about plug fouling. Those engines the plugs just look a little darker than normal, in the range where you'd think they are just running a little rich.

    If you feel that you didn't get an accurate compression reading, then re-test and get better numbers, I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the rings. It will probably be valve guides or seals.

    In all honesty, I have seen 100s of these Nissan motors with 150,000 miles and even more that didn't burn a drop of oil. If you bought this car used I wonder if someone over heated it and scored some cylinders.

    Let us know what you find.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • sudubetigerisudubetigeri Member Posts: 7
    Yes I think I may have the incorrect compression values. Mainly because I had done a rather crude compression test. I had:
    1. Removed all the spark plugs
    2. Put the compression tester one by one in all the cylinders
    3. Cranked the engine the normal way one starts a car i.e. without touching the throttle.

    The 3rd point may have affected the compression values. Also my battery is now 6-7 years old, so it may not be the best battery to have the compression test. So I guess I may have to do it again, when I get a chance.

    One more thing, my car is right now running fine with 34-35 mpg and normal acceleration except I do see smoke when the car is idling and someone sits inside my car are revs it, there is definitely smoke. I haven't yet seen anything when I am driving and I check my rear view mirror.

    I don't know why someone would overheat the engine or score the cylinders, but I did buy the car from a small local dealer so he might have done something, I don't know. Right now, I am afraid to take it to a mechanic to do even a compression test as I don't know for how much they would rip me off and I am a bit short of funds right now... so does someone have an idea how much a valve guide or seal job would cost? Also, at this rate if I decide to do nothing and keep adding oil every 400 miles, eventually would my car break down? Due to what? What exactly would happen?

    Thanks everyone,
    -S
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    It's definitely the valve guide seals. Some older Nissans and Mitsubishis are prone to this problem, which is usually caused by someone not changing the oil often enough. I had a 91 Stanza with the same oil burning problem. It burned about a quart every 400 miles or so, but it barely smoked. Using thicker oil along with oil additives helped some, but this can only be done if you live in a warm climate. Symptoms of bad valve guide seals are: blue smoke when first starting the car, a little visible blue smoke while idling, and sometimes a large plume of blue smoke when accelerating from a stop after idling awhile. The sypmtoms you mentioned mirror these. There is no immediate danger to your engine. As long as you watch the oil level, the car can continue driving like that for a long time. The greatest danger is burning out your oxygen sensors and catalytic converter, and clogging the EGR valve and PCV valve (requiring more frequent replacement/cleaning). But again, that would take a long time to occur. To fix the problem would require a valve job, which can cost anywhere from $400-800 for a four cylinder.
  • sudubetigerisudubetigeri Member Posts: 7
    I guess you have nailed it. What you have described is exactly what is happening. 2-3 weeks ago my check engine light had come on, the mechanic said that it was the EGR valve which was clogged, so what you described above makes sense. I will keep you guys posted.

    Thanks!
    -S
  • vladi57vladi57 Member Posts: 1
    Here is my story. We have Sentra GXE 2000 manual. It was not bad car, and to take care for it for the season to come on 09/23/2003 I drove the car to Brown’s Sterling Nissan in Ashburn, VA, for Fall Car clinic and transmission fluid change.

    When I went back to collect the car, the advisor told me that they have broken it – “In an attempt to remove the magnet bolt to drain out the fluid, the technician had broken the transmission casing” she said. “We will fix it as warranty”.

    Fine. Three visits to this dealership later (either the spare parts are not there, or something is missing, or they just forgot about me?), on 10/14/2003 the car was back for repair. When I came to take the car, first thing I saw was the upholstery on the drivers seat was soaked with grease and oil! Any way, I took the car for a test, and noticed that there is a problem switching on third gear.

    The service manager Tony Beaks agreed that this are real problems, and offered me a to hold the car until is fixed properly, and on a mean while to give me another car. What can I say? I agreed.

    So, Tony called the nearby Enterprise office, and told them to give me a car, and to charge the dealership for the rental. He did not mention anything about what is covered, and what – not for the rental period!

    I drove the rental car for 22 days! During this period, I did about 5 visits to the dealership, to find out what is happening with our car, and all the time I heard “we are changing spare parts”, or “we are waiting for another spare part” etc.

    The car was fixed on 11/06/2003. Well, the upholstery was “cleaned” (how do you clean a carpet, covered with oil and grease?), but the transmission now back to normal.

    But, as the top of everything, I ended up with $402 bill for additional insurance for the rental car, that the dealership refuses to cover. I opened a case with Nissan Customer Services, with more than a modest success – seems, the ignorance is the common signature of this people.

    So, tomorrow I’ll drive what have left out of our Sentra to the Leesburg Court. Anyone to offer different choice?

    Vladi57
  • xtremeracingxxtremeracingx Member Posts: 2
    i was wondering if i can put se-r/spec-v parts,accesories and performance parts into my nissan sentra 2003-manual...because i want to get the body kit, carbon fiber hood, aem intake, hks headers, pulleys..ect... and all the parts i looked at are for the se-r/spec-v type and i didnt see any for the GXE so i was just wondering if they will fit and work on my car? someone plzz tell me :)
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    wont it wind up costing you more to do all those upgrades than it would have if you initially purchased the SE-R/SPEC V?

    I am not sure about making any of those mods, you may want to search the web for a specialty Nissan enthusiasts page, or even a specialty Sentra enthusiasts page.

    Best of luck,
    ~alpha
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    The body kits and hood should fit without a problem. The engine is a different story. Those parts were designed for the 2.5 liter, not the 1.8. I would suggest you look for parts specifically designed for the 1.8 engine.
  • jerentjerent Member Posts: 8
    Hello:
    Does anyone know of a manual way to pull the diagnostic codes (not using a diagnostic tool) on an 01 Sentra? For example, on my Durango, you turn the ignition from 'off' to 'on' 3 times, the code will read out on the odometer. Is anything like this possible on the 01 Sentra? Thanks in advance.
  • rose99rose99 Member Posts: 1
    Some idiot broke the shell around my right mirror on my Sentra SE 2001. Had to buy an entire replacement mirror (since they don't sell the just the shell). Paid $82 to have it painted too!

    Can't afford to have a mechanic install the thing, plus, parts guy said all I had to do was snap out the little panel near the mirror on the inside of the door, undo the old mirror, plug the new one in, etc.

    Problem is step 1 -- I can't "snap out" the panel!

    Does anyone know if it actually snaps out, or is there something else I need to do??

    As I said, I can't pay the mechanic to install the mirror -- especially if it's something I can do for myself. Please help.

    Gratefully,

    Rose99
  • linsalatalinsalata Member Posts: 1
    hello all....my girls 2003 sentra hasa machine gun sound from lefttire when brake pedal is depressed all the way down and stopped. it does not happen when braking any idea what it could be? car has 6k miles on it . should nissan be responsible? thank you . Tom
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Anyone know of a good place to get some new wheels for a 2003 GXE in the Ft. Lauderdale area? The bolt ons are pretty nice , but really want some nicer 15 inchers.
    Thanks for any help and Happy New Year!

    The Sandman :-)
  • mr_digby1mr_digby1 Member Posts: 7
    Ok....you have all been good at convincing me to get a Nissa Sentra....not too many nightmares on this board about this particular model...I was about to buy a used GXE but instead I paid 700 more and got the 2004 model brand new....buying a new vehicle is normally against my religion but I could not resist because of the price. I paid 14k for it.(out the door price). I'll hang out here and tell you my experiences. While the sales person was so good to give me a good deal, I ended up realizing that I did not get cruise control which I needed and specifically asked for. Sales relented and will pay for it to be added. Now that the burden of the sale is behind me, I'll see how this all goes. I'm in California.
    Steven.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Did you also get the 7 speaker cd/stereo? I'm sure glad I did, makes the car much more enjoyable to drive.
    I got a '03 GXE with the Road Trip Package for $14.3k out the door and was very satisfied with the price.

    The Sandman :-)
  • mr_digbymr_digby Member Posts: 1
    No, it came with the standard 4 speakers but the sound system still sounds very good. I took it for its first couple of commutes this week and I'm "settling in". Feels pretty good right now.....of course I am going to be curious about the gas milage.....I've been warned not to expect much until after it's break-in....I have 220 miles on it so far. You sound like you got a really good deal on your car....right now there are $2500 rebates on the sentra GXE's....but just so you know.....the car dealerships will take rebates and apply them to new cars also......they do whatever they need to in order to get those sales numbers....and I was a 7:00 PM customer....hehe.
  • 98pontiac98pontiac Member Posts: 2
    Hi Steven,

    Just bought my daughter a 2004 sentra 1.8s with 10,000 miles on it. Called today to get cruise put on it, Nissan says they don't do aftermarket, referred us to other shops. Both shops say you CAN'T put cruise on a 2004 1.8s -- something about "drive by wire" -- one shop said they tried it, finally had to take it off, it didn't work. I'll be interested in your response, my daughter is distraught, she really loves cruise.
    Thanks,
    Tom
  • ampaampa Member Posts: 1
    I'll be in the market for a new small car in late Spring/early Summer and the Sentra 2.5S really caught my eye. It has all the safety feature I'm looking for, including Side airbags and ABS, STANDARD.

    I did a dealer inventory search on Nissan's website, and there are no 2.5S models in stock at my six closest dealerships. I started to randomly type in ZIP codes and was able to locate only three 2.5S models out of about 50 dealers. All they have are the 1.8 models.

    Has anyone else noticed - Are the 2.5S Sentras in short supply? I could probably inquire at a dealer, but I'd rather wait a few months before dealing with that "headache".

    Thanks.
  • mr_digby1mr_digby1 Member Posts: 7
    Hi all, I am still waiting for my dealership to contact me about the cruise control issue. I have an automatic and I noticed that the light is already attached if the option was installed when the car was built. My dealership told me that they will have it installed. I bought my car in Grass Valley, California at a Ford Mercury Nissan Dealership. Is the question specified for the Automatic or the Manual shift? I don't know if it makes a difference but when I find out if it can be done, I will post the answer here.
    Steven.
  • regoretteregorette Member Posts: 2
    I have had my Nissan Sentra 1.8s for about a month, the MPG should be 28/35 (city/highway). So far I am only getting 24 to 25 MPG. Is anyone also having this problem? 90% of my driving is to and from work, all highway. Anyone have any ideas?
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