Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

quark99 · February 2001

If the rust ring is at the extreme edge of the rotor (disk) and in the area NOT swept by the brake pads, it's perfectly normal. All rotors rust at the edge where there is nothing to contact them and keep them shiny. They're NOT stainless steel, just carbon steel. If the rust ring is in an area that IS swept by the brake pads:
Sounds like you have a bit of metal stuck onto the inboard brake pad on the right front wheel. Or, perhaps some other foreign object is stuck there and not allowing the brake pad to contact the rotor in that spot. Either scenario would result in a "rust ring." If you are at all mechanically inclined, remove the wheel, remove the brake caliper unit, and inspect the entire pad and brake assembly. If you are successful and find and remove the offending bit of foreign matter, a quick cleaning of the rotor with a SOS pad will remove the rust.
Good luck and happy driving, Sentra owners!

vtec2 · February 2001

I appreciate the response about the brake rust. I knew about brake discs rusting, but this is the first I've seen it build up so thick. It is on the inner edge of the disc that is not touched by the pad. Why only on one disc? Why not the other front disc or either of the rear ones?

quark99 · February 2001

Weird. Maybe water runs down specifically onto that rotor? Is something else dripping onto the brake assembly? Or was water/fluid displaced from the axle/hub? Now I've got to examine my car to see if this is a common Sentra characteristic.
Anybody else have any ideas?

mnn · February 2001

I just got a GXE 5-sp,and would like to change the plastic gear shift knob with some aftermarket stuff. The main reason being the total height of the stick (stick plus knob) is rather too long for my taste (maybe I have long arms and a short torso). That being said, maybe the stick itself is long and the knob is ok?? Anyway, can I just twist the knob off (like a screw), or is there a clip somewhere that has to be released first (like the VWs). Does anyone know? Help appreciated.

swartzentruber · February 2001

I have a 2000 Sentra SE, and I too thought it required a lot of attention to keep it straight. What I discovered is that the air pressure (from the dealer) was WAY too high. I think it was over 40psi, when it should be somewhere in the 30s. Once I reduced air pressure to Nissan's recommendation, steering feel was much better.

Even so, I'm still not completely happy, and may take it to the dealer to look at the alignment.

ineto6 · February 2001

Yeah, I do noticed that lots of service departments have a nasty habit of putting too much air into the tires. I noticed on all the new cars that we bought.... from different brands and dealers.

Sometimes dealer service would put too much engine oil... not good either.

happyman1 · February 2001

I now have 5500 miles on my SE. When I took it in for the first oil change(over two thousand miles back) it was a quart low and the oil was pitch black. I am not sure what to think of this because I have been told that this is common for the first oil change on a car. I am still leary about it. I think I will wait and see what its like when I change the oil again. Anyone have the same problem? Any suggestions on what I should do are appreciated.

ineto6 · February 2001

I used to change the oil myself. It is normal for oil to be black and low. However, the harder your driving style the more likely the oil consumption is more and darker it will appear. I also used synthetic oils and they look the same after more than 3000 miles. The only way you know that the oil is still good for use is through chemical analysis, but that is an overkill. So it is a good idea to check your oil level every few hundred miles.

adc100 · February 2001

By allowing the oil level to drop to the low mark you are working the remaining oil much harder. Since the Sentra has a 4 quart capacity you are working with only 3 quarts. This will "wear out" the oil a lot sooner. Do yourself a favor and keep the oil up to the upper line. Your consumption will probably be less also. Syn oil is also a god choice because it lasts longer and lubricates. Worth a few extra bucks considering you have a $17,000 car.

Later

mnn · February 2001

Does anyone know the dimension of the speakers on the GXE (front and back). I have a pair of speakers from my old car ( 97 Civic sedan - Front 6 1/2", back 6x9?)that I would like to have installed on the Sentra. However, all the shops I called in my local area don't seem to know unless they take the door panel apart (apparently they have not even done one installation on the new Sentra -and they would have to charge me for just "looking" without installing a thing). I was told that both the front and the back should be 6 1/2", but then no one know how deep is the mount. Has anyone out there succeeded in installing the speakers? I tried to do the front door panels but couldn't figure out how to take the bottom part of the panel out after taking off the single screw at the bottom. Any help?

wazappa · February 2001

Does anyone know where you can purchase an after market front grill for nissan sentra Se? I saw a picture of a sentra with a great looking front grill at www.b15sentra.net. You should check out this site it is mecca to nissan sentra lovers. If anyone can help me find out about any front grills it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

rberus · February 2001

I'm a visiter at b15sentra.net. The grills you've seen on the SE's were made by the respective car owners. Search through older postings; its been posted how they did it, I believe.

ee73 · February 2001

Hello - I'm looking for a few good opinions. I have test driven the Civic, Sentra, Corolla, and Protege (2000). I liked the Sentra the best. My local dealer has a 2000 ES with Sunroof,
premium audio, rear spoiler, and side air bags/as - basically all the
options I am wanting. But it is a 2000, and has accumulated 500 miles
while sitting around. The invoice is about $16,000, and they want $15,400 for it. I told them I would give them $15,000. I have had several dealers do locator searches for me, but have only found a couple of other cars similar to what I want. The best price I could get on these was about $17,000. If I order one, I was given
a date in May, which is longer than I want to wait. Does anyone think I should get the 2000 for $15,400? Or, should I stay away from it
completely, at any price (a little scared about the
miles)? My alternative might be to go with a 2001 Protege.
Any opinions? Thanks

adc100 · February 2001

What is the Edmunds True Market Value?? I'm to lazy to look it up. I have a new Sentra SE and it is a truly great car. The engine is a world beater and has been around for 10 years. Go to Yahoo, Yellow pages and do a search for Nissan within say 100 miles or farther if you want to. Call them up and tell them what you want and what you are willing to pay - period. Let your fingers do the walking.

Later
Al

everton · February 2001

I'm sorry everyone, but the one clear difference between the two cars (Volkswagon Jettas and Nissan Sentras), is that Jettas are girls cars. I've been looking at buying a new car, and am only waiting to get a sentra SE, and I would never consider a Jetta. I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those cars.

exsailor · February 2001

I bought a 01 sentra SE Inferno about a month ago now with 1330 miles. Great car.
I like the quick response. great value considering getting all necesseties to make youre driving pleasurable. ie. nice instrumentation, power all, keyless entry, auto trunk opener, fog lights plus more no moon roof tho. overall great car me and wife like it. This is my car while the wife drives a Toyota Sequioa. Differences in gas mileages you can say. The only negatives i see is
the cupholder too small. Can you guys tell me how is your gas mileage? What is the average MPG? thanks .

valde002 · February 2001

I just bought a Green Sentra SE (now 1170 miles) and have only recently been recording the mpg. I came up with 21.7 mpg so far. With the next fill-up I will check it again. Does this sound right? By the way the cup holder can come out and there is a bigger space underneath for the Big Mugs.
S

mdriver · February 2001

What transmission do you have? 21.7 sounds kind of low if a 5sp.

To the person who said he wouldn't be caught dead in a Jetta. Kind of ironic that he would be less likely to be dead in a Jetta (compared to a Sentra), due to the car's better crash rating, weight, and now side "curtain" airbags. Sentra is a better performance value, but not a better safety value. Have you ever tried to get a Sentra SE w/pp and ABS/side SRS? None made it seems. Oh well, one can always open the sunroof while sliding into the car in front, because of lack of ABS availability, but sunroofs on every SE.

rberus · February 2001

Your wrong. At least 1 was made. Mine.

BTW, I also have a sunroof.

As for mileage, I'm averaging ~22mpg in 95% city driving. Rarely do I reach 50mph. I'm at 6280 miles right now, since last August.

rtirich · February 2001

My new Sentra SE with automatic trans and 1900 miles on it,gets about 27.5 mpg.This is about 99% highway driving at 65 mph.

adc100 · February 2001

very timely information I'm going to N.C. from Pa. tomorrow. I have a light foot and probably will be going 60-65 most of the way. I'll let you know. I usually beat the highway # rating on the vehicle.

ineto6 · February 2001

My brother just barely broken in his car. An automatic SE. He told me that for mixed driving he is getting around 25mpg. Pretty good for hilly country.

I test drove his car. It is just about as nice as a pre-96 Max (non-SE) in terms of ride and handling.... probably a little rougher due to sports-tuned suspension.

mixxalot · February 2001

I am looking to buy a new Sentra SE here in Sacramento Calfornia. The dealers here want outrageous price for car over MSRP for a fully loaded 2001 Sentra SE! Any advice?

Thanks!
BSP

ineto6 · February 2001

an online dealer? Maybe you can get a better deal online or find a dealer a little bit outside of the city limit...

danca · February 2001

Has anyone installed a wood dash kit on a new Sentra? I've been looking into it. Pricing seems to be anywhere from around $150 to $200 for a do it yourself kit. I'm trying to picture it in my mind, but I'd like to see one installed on a Sentra before I decide to buy.

sheri121953 · March 2001

I am considering a new purchase of a sedan (2 toddlers with car seats)Got rid of dodge NEON finally (worse car I ever had!) Heard raves and boos with new Sentras; comparing T. Corolla, Saturn I series (can't afford I series), possibly Nissan Altima if I can find a 2000;Need good repair record, room for kids and toys,good MPG. Am finding few dealer incentives & loan rates for 60 months. Drive too many miles for lease. What's with these dealers--no need for incentives to sell these??Saturn seems to have no price negotiation--they said they didn't need too. Am finding it hard to locate a new 2000 Sentra. Am I'm chasing the wrong thing?? Need advice....:-)I've been doing my homework on the web to get reviews, running VIN's on possible used cars--(not really helpful if you want to know repair records), checking warranties, insurance, GAP, lease-to-loan. Ran into an Alero/2000 but am hesitant about American made cars in general.
Need opinions/comparisons of Nissan Sentras, Altima, Corolla.

ral2167 · March 2001

why no mention of the honda civic? or the hyundai elantra? the former is costlier, but has better gas mileage... the latter is cheaper but the 2001 model seems to be getting good reviews from consumer magazines and owners, plus it comes with alot of bells and whistles for the money, that you desire.. i have to believe you can buy any of these econoboxes you mention for invoice +$100 (less with any rebate).... times are tough in the era of George Dubya.....nasdaq taking a nosedive.....earthquakes and lightning..... what the heck is your budget? sounds like you're facing tough times and are on your last dime if you're talking 60 month loans on these $15000 or less autos....your mistake was buying that Neon to begin with-- trying to cut costs, eh? but that's history, sweetheart.. by the way, aren't those PT Cruisers basically just Neons with a fancy retro-body? these folks are nuts buying basically a Neon for MSRP.... if you're on a tight budget, sherri, you look for a used camry sedan or accord in the 97-99 model years-- you can easily get a 97 or 98 camry sedan for $12k to $13K...accords seem to hold their value just a tad more.... i'm not too thrilled with you taking out 60 month loans tho... anything more than 36 to my way of thinking, and you can't afford the car... if you end up with a 2000 alero, you're just making another NEON-type mistake.....am i nuts?

dszbj · March 2001

I am getting ready to by a new transportation.
I have narrowed my choices to Civic EX Coupe and
Nissan Sentra SE.
I test drove both cars. Currently I own a Golf with a 115 HP engine, and Honda with the 127 HP engine felt rather sluggish, at least when compared to my Golf.
Nissan felt more sporty, however I slightly prefer Hondas style.
I would welcome any advice related to both cars listed above,
Including mentioning any problems or annoyances.

cyanogel · March 2001

Hi guys,
Does anyone happen to know reputable Nissan dealership in central west NJ?
I almost get a dealer-phobia and would really like some advice beforehand.(I live in Princeton.)
Many thanks.

happyman1 · March 2001

In my opinion, the last choice I would make would definitely be the Civic. My father used to have a civic and I had a Corolla. The difference was when our cars hit 60,000 miles....my Corolla never had to go in the shop and his Civic did. Even the knobs on the dashboard(for climate control, etc.) were falling off. As far as fit and finish go...the Civic does not match up to the toyota. Anyways, I have had my Sentra Se since September(6300 miles) and I love it to death. I haven't had to take the car in except to get the oil changed. It runs quiet, auto transmission shifts smooth, has plenty of power, and best of all its the cheapest of the three even with all the bells and whistles. By the way, I wouldn't touch an Elantra. Long term....such as 6 or 7 years.....JUNK. My fiance and another of my friends both have one. My friends' car is only 2 years old and he already wants to trade it in on a Sentra!

t_zak · March 2001

I recently purchased a 2001 SE and would like to purchase mud flaps for the front and back wheel wells. Has anyone had mud flaps placed on their SE and also what should it cost.

I read on a different message board that mud flaps can't be added to the front wheels because of the sills. If this is the case are there any after market flaps that can be purchased.

With recent rains the side of my car is a real mess and I'm also very concerned about stone chips in the future.

Could this be a design flaw that should be addressed by Nissan and should damaged caused by stones to the paint be warranted by Nissan?

I think we need to voice our opinions to Nissan if we can't protect the finish of our vehicles by installing mud flaps. Furthermore Nissan should make it a standard item on all of their Sentras. I'd pay for them as part of the performance package.

t_zak · March 2001

Mixxalot..

Try Razzari Nissan in Merced.

Exactly 2 hours south of Sacto on 99.

They are right off the freeway and you don't have to deal with Bay Area traffic.

Ask for Mike and I'm sure you'll find a SE or GXE at invoice.

(209)383-0100

www.razzari.com

Good Luck

adc100 · March 2001

I took a trip to N.C from Pa. and attempted to get good gas milage. The trip is 370 miles each way. On the way down I got 37.8 and on the way back 34.4 for an average of 36.1. I was pleased since the epa rating is, I believe 30 highway. I drove from 60 to 65 mph most of the way. I do have synthetic fluid in the auto trans and engine. The car had 900 miles on O.D. in the beginning of trip. Local driving down there (158 miles worth) yielded 29.4 mpg.

sentrafan · March 2001

tzak,

If your SE doesn't have the Performance Package, you can get mud flaps for the front and back. If it does have the Performance Package, you can only get them for the back. I agree, this was an oversight on Nissan's part. I went ahead and purchased the back ones for my 2000 SE w/PP, but am unaware of any aftermarket flaps for the front.

On another note -- I'm thinking about getting my windows tinted, mostly for the comfort of my 3 year old daughter who rides in the back seat. I'm thinking about a light tint up front and a darker tint on the back windows. If anyone has any experience or comments on tinting I'd be happy to hear them.

ral2167 · March 2001

don't be tinting any windows-- put a little shade screen doo-hicky if the toddler is getting too much sun...tinting is for guys named Vinnie with noses pushed to one side..... i want you to stay on the right side of the law, so don't be doing any window tinting-- if you get stopped for speeding, you'll have cops walking up with their weapons drawn--- you get a Joe Friday with a twitchy trigger finger, you might get a bullet hole on your driver side fender real easy. nuts you say? i think not.

hkchan · March 2001

Do you know for a fact that the amount of tinting he's going put on his car exceeds the legal limit in Columbus, OH?

lindathomp2000 · March 2001

Why don't you consider the Protege by Mazda? It is the best. 0% financing. I have had a Pro since '95 and I love it. Will be getting a '01 ES 130 horse soon. It has everything on it and is so much fun to drive.

quark99 · March 2001

With all due respect, the Protege lacks in comparison to the Sentra. The only advantages are more rear seat room and slightly lower price, in relation to the Sentra GXE. If the Pro is compared to the Sentra SE, well, there is a huge difference in package content, performance, handling, refinement, and sophistication. Personally, if value was my main concern (and this is the Protege's biggest strength) I'd take a slight risk and buy an Elantra for about $3000 less, identically equipped. We all fiercely love our cars; we are all somewhat biased. I wouldn't expect agreement from non-Nissan owners, so drive what pleases you. I'll continue to watch the Proteges of the world gasp as they try to keep up with me on the highway, chuckle as they disappear in the rear-view in the corners, and grin as they struggle in the rain as my limited-slip powertrain does it's wonderful magic. Like the Maxima SE, the Sentra SE has set a new standard for "upscale" (if there is such a thing) vehicles in their respective categories. The bar is continually raised; perhaps in 5 years the SE will be bringing up the rear as the new 180HP, 155TQ 2.0l Protege is unleashed upon the economy-car crowd.............

ineto6 · March 2001

even considering that the SE-R and V Specs are around the corner. My brother really enjoys his SE. He used to drive a 94 Max GXE. He thinks that the Sentra SE has more power and better handling. We still have the Max so we can still compare the two. Also, he did buy a used Protege and kept it for a few months. It does has a quiet ride but performance is not nearly as fun as the Sentra.

Then again... to each his/her own

vadp · March 2001

The Protege got a new for '01 YM 2.0 L engine.
Please don't compare apples to oranges. The last year engines (base 1.6 L and optional 1.8 L) cannot be compared to the 2.0 L Sentra engines.

hkchan · March 2001

The '01 also weighs ~100 lbs. more. The '01 2.0 should be slightly faster than the '00 1.8. The gain in max. torque is more significant though.

vadp · March 2001

Yes.
But nobody mentions what Protege they were driving.
The rental ones usually have the 1.6 L engines in their bays.
That engine is noisy and gutless.

rberus · March 2001

The legal limit in OH is 50% all side windows and back window - hardly anything at all and a waste of money.

For what it's worth, I live in Columbus and have my front doors @ 38%, and back doors with back window @ 28%. I've had no problems yet, though it's only been on 2 weeks.

mdriver · March 2001

You could write the differences in performance between an 01 Sentra SE with PP and an 01 Protege ES on a postage stamp.

quark99 · March 2001

2001 Protege ES facts when compared to Sentra SE PP: Same weight. 10% less power. Same torque. $1500 more expensive with similar equipment. No rear disk brakes. No limited-slip front axle. Same trunk space. Engine is heavier, yet produces less horsepower with same displacement. Sound system is inadequate. Sunroof is archaic compared to Sentra. Louder NVH than Sentra. Lower redline.
Let's look at performance #'s:
Sentra SE PP: 0-60 7.9 seconds Skidpad: .84 (5-speed)
Protege ES w/lux package: 0-60 8.7 seconds Skidpad: .80 (5-speed)
The difference is night and day. The Protege is an inferior vehicle in terms of refinement, handling, acceleration, braking, package content, technology, and price. Out here in CA, we call that VALUE. Don't mind me, continue to enjoy your Pro. Just don't challenge anyone with an SE and you'll be all right. There is nothing that makes the new '01 Pro stand out from an average run-of-the-mill Civic, Corolla, Elantra, Excel, Neon, etc. Front-wheel ABS? Don't make me laugh. Rear-wheel ABS might provide some value during braking. What is Mazda (Ford) thinking? (Besides how many more drivers they can kill with inferior products and get away with it)

hkchan · March 2001

Are we talking about the '01 Protege ES here? Or are we talking about pickup trucks? It has four-wheel disc brakes with optional four-wheel ABS.

1ss427 · March 2001

With 1457 miles on my 2001 SE I decided to have the oil changed. Since that time
the vehicle has been "Immobile". The car was flat bedded to the dealership...and I
was told that the chip in the key for the "Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System" is
sending the signal but the computor is not listening. So,what this translates to, is
that the car has been down almost two weeks with the parts on back order!....so is
this telling me that this has been a problem?.....has anyone else had this happen?
Other then that I have been very pleased with the vehicle.....just wish that I could
drive it again. Oh, and bye the way the Altima I was given to use....is terrible....so
glad I bought the Sentra

missbhaven · March 2001

This discussion should really be an SE forum, as us peons with the lower models ain't worthy. I too, was to get an SE, butI needed a car ASAP, and could not wait for the PP. Also, there is a squeaking noise coming from under the hood... my car has less than 5200 miles on it. My gas milage sucks, no room up front, but I still love it!!! Also, if I replace my speakers, can I get better sound w/o replacing the stereo?

gateway9 · March 2001

We bought a Nissan Sentra. I really appreciated this site and all your help. We think we got a good deal and wanted to see if our experience might help you.

I got a GXE stick (dealer's invoice, 12,343), convenience package (131) and floor mats (58). Adding the destination charge, the dealer's invoice totaled $13,052. My purchase price was $13,295. That is $243 over dealer's invoice. That was within my target range. We went around and test-drove pretty much all the cars in this size and price range including the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda Protége and decided upon the Sentra. (I dropped consideration of the Saturn.) We had our pros and cons on each, and this website helped alot. I also read The insider's Guide to Buying a New or Used Car by Burke Leon and Stephanie Leon and What Car Dealers Won't Tell You by Bob Elliston.

We went around trying to get the best price, trying to create competition between dealers. It looked like everyone was sitting on about $6XX over dealer's invoice ($13,699 and $13,648). They were very pleased to show us their invoice with the Advertising Adjustment. I was confused because the AA hadn't come up in my research. I wanted to buy a car at a fair price to me and at a fair profit to the company. I assumed they'd get a fair profit because they are professionals. I have never bought a new car before.

My domestic partner called on this ad I had cut out of Sunday's paper. It gave $12,999 as a no haggle deal for the exact car I wanted. She called and asked for all costs and fees. It looked good. We went out there, and it was a real bid, not a bait and switch or something. The price they gave us on our aged car was $90 over wholesale (as gotten from www.kelleybluebook.com), and we signed.

So they made the $375.96 hold-back (we think 100% profit because we literally bought the car directly off the truck) and the $243 over invoice, not counting any profit on our trade-in. We got a better deal through our bank for the financing. They were extremely nice.

So my theory now is that if I were going out to buy, I would go around to the dealers and talk to them about buying right off the truck, like "When do you have a 2001 Nissan Sentra with these options arriving? I offer you [say $300 over dealer's invoice] when it arrives." With that deal, they get all of the hold-back, i.e, they haven't used any of it for financing the vehicle on their lot, and the $300 profit over what they paid for the vehicle. Basically that is what my deal was.

Also you can look in the paper and watch for deals that look like this. Dealers apparently know there are people out there who know what they want to buy but haven't found the right price yet. I think they attempt to harvest those ready-to-buys-at-the-right-price people.

I am sorry about writing so long a response. I hope every bit of it is very helpful.

ral2167 · March 2001

i thought sentras had 3.9% financing now--- your bank beat that? am i wrong? nuts?

Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

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