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Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

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Comments

  • lgoldinlgoldin Member Posts: 90
    I found that if you follow the manual then you should shift at ~2400RPM. It lets you to keep with a traffic no problem. If you are not in rush then shifting even at 2000-2100 RPM moves the car nicely. I normally shift ~3000RPM, which gives me slight edge over the regular traffic and when I want some fun or need real fast going then, well, 6500RPM does the job. Basically, since Sentra's engine is 2.0L not GM's 3.8L you need to run it at quiet high RPM to feel a power. Between 3500 to 5000RPM is really sweet range for Sentra.
  • narenjinarenji Member Posts: 161
    I just read my manual, and it says 87 is fine. It doesn't even mention higher octanes and what they may add to the engine's performance. I've been filling up 87 octane, and I've used about 5 different brands, and I've noticed no difference in the performance.

    Also, with regards to top speed, the SE manual seems to have short gearing, so I'd be surprised if the top speed is above 130 mph. I don't know though.
  • kstephankstephan Member Posts: 41
    My SE has pretty much every option, except auto transmission. I figured I'd regret it if I didn't get the best one I could find, so it has the PP, ABS/side airbags, sunroof, cabin microfilter, etc.
    I didn't knock myself out going for the ultimate
    price, as I had limited time to shop, so I went through Autobytel. With all the options plus destination, it came to a bit over $16.8K. I've seen lower prices mentioned in this topic, but for what I got, I'm pleased.

    The car is outstanding. I really enjoy driving it; it seems like a much more expensive car than it is--definitely like a mini-Maxima. Very composed on the highway, but nimble and quick in traffic. It doesn't have quite the handling and ultimate performance of my former Civic Si, but overall, I think it's a better car.
  • scottdudescottdude Member Posts: 177
    1. In the Sentra brochure there is an interior shot that shows both the in dash 6 CD player under the a/c and the single CD/radio combo over the a/c. My question: if this is the correct set up, will the single CD player still work, in effect giving you 7 CD's, or is the top one disconnected when the 6 CD changer is installed?

    2. Has anyone gotten an after-market 6 CD in dash player, and if so, what make did you get and how much was it? $399 for the Nissan sounds OK, but I'm wondering if I can do better by going to a car audio store or Circuit City.
  • narenjinarenji Member Posts: 161
    Kstephan, how did you find an SE with PP, ABS/Side airbags, sunroof and manual? I tried getting that exact option set, and living here in California, all dealers and Carsdirect.com told me the nearest one with those options was in New York... Where do you live? I could find many SEs with the PP and/or the sunroof, but none with PP, ABS/Side Airbags, and a manual. I really wanted the ABS/Side airbag because I know that they will pay for themselves in a few years with the insurance discount, but I didn't want to wait too long for a car, and getting a car from New York seemed too far away and possibly risky- what if the car wasn't really available? Hope you enjoy your new SE.

    With regards to the CD changer questions, I do not know what connecting a CD changer would do to the usability of the single CD in the receiver up top, but I can tell you that Crutchfield has some changers that you might want to look at. They have an OEM 6 disc changer (not in-dash) for Nissans costing $300. They also have a Panasonic (I believe the upgraded audio system is a Panasonic system) 8 disc changer (also not in-dash) for $200. They have a Blaupunkt in dash 5 disc changer for $250, but that requires having a Blaupunkt dash unit to control it. Alpine makes an in-dash changer too, but I have no idea about the price. Surely there are other manufacturers who make in-dash units, but Panasonic doesn't.
  • hkchanhkchan Member Posts: 420
    Have you gotten a quote from your insurance agent? I thought many insurance companies (at least the major ones) give practically zero discount on ABS. Not sure about SAB.
  • kstephankstephan Member Posts: 41
    I guess I just got lucky with my SE. I live in Seattle. I spelled out my wish list to the Autobytel rep, and he did a computer search of the Nissan dealerships in the area. He said there weren't a lot of cars out there to my specs, but there were two or three black ones, and a radium, which is the one I got. I would have been willing to lose the sunroof and possibly the ABS/side airbags package if that's what it would have taken to get a 5-speed with the PP, but I'm glad they found the loaded one.

    Maybe you could try Carsdirect again and have them check the Seattle metro area--maybe those black ones are still available. I could give you the name of my Autobytel rep (off the board) if you're interested.
  • dukesunflowdukesunflow Member Posts: 3
    Can anyone recommend a local Nissan dealer in the Louisville, KY area? Or perhaps discourage me from visiting a certain one?
  • narenjinarenji Member Posts: 161
    Well, with regards to the insurance discount, I am insured through Kemper Insurance and before getting my new Sentra SE the two cars I had on my policy were a 1998 Mazda 626 LX and a 1993 Mazda MX6. Both have ABS, and the 626 has dual front airbags, while the MX6 only has it on the driver's side. I didn't check the policy decleration page, but I do believe that the discount for Dual Airbags, ABS, and the Passive/Active Alarm systems appear on the policy premium page. I can check to give you the actual amount of discount I'm getting, but it's something like $120 a year for ABS alone. I'm not sure about the other two safety items. The ABS & Side airbag option should pay for itself even quicker than ABS alone. While cars are all reasonably safe on frontal impacts, they still lag on side impact safety. I'm sure Side airbags should give a sizable discount.

    Kstephan, thanks for offering to give me the Autobytel rep info- but I've already bought a Sentra SE- I live in Southern Calif (near LA), and we felt that forgoing the extremely-difficult-to-get ABS/Side airbag option would be ok, considering that roads are rarely bad enough to warrant ABS. We have ABS on both our 626 and the MX6, and we really were glad for it because we lived in Maine while me and my fiancee went to college, and ABS was useful almost every day in the winter.
  • kstephankstephan Member Posts: 41
    In older messages about the 1000-mile break-in period for the SE, people were constantly saying "don't rev over 4000 RPM," and I think they claimed it was in the owner's manual. There's no such caution in the 2001 Sentra owner's manual. It warns you not to drive at a constant RPM or accelerate at full throttle, but no specific RPM limitation is given. I generally have kept mine well under 4000, but I did zing it closer to 5000 a couple of times (though not at full throttle). I am extremely confident going over 4000 in the break-in period won't hurt the engine in the slightest as long as it's properly warmed up--these aren't fragile, unproven engines--but I'm wondering if anyone knows why past posters have been so adamant about the 4000 RPM limit?
  • kissfan1kissfan1 Member Posts: 283
    I'm the proud owner of a 2001 Pontiac Aztek and my most recent purchase .....2001 Sentra SE.

    I love both vehicles . Just did my first oil change @ 2500 Kms or 1500 miles. I would have liked to have done my first change earlier.

    I will more then likely switch over to Mobil 1. I've been told to wait till 20,000 kms (12,000 miles) to switch to Synthetic. Any opinions or ideas.

    I'm about to hit 12,000 with the Aztek and will move to synthetic.
  • sentrafansentrafan Member Posts: 40
    kstephan,

    According to the 2000 Nissan Sentra Owner's Manual, Page 5-16:
    BREAK-IN SCHEDULE
    "During the first 1000 miles...Do not drive over 55 MPH and do not run the engine over 4000 rpm."

    This would explain why you've seen older posts referring to the importance of keeping the revs under 4000 RPM for the first 1000 miles. Apparently Nissan rethought this for the 2001 Owner's Manual.

    kissfan1,
    Depending on whom you ask, you'll be told you can run synthetic oil from mileage 0, to mileage 5000, or, in your case, at mileage 12000. Mobil 1 claims you don't have to wait to break-in the engine, but another synthetic oil manufacturer (forget which one) claims you should wait. I have one personal data point from which to draw a conclusion. A friend of mine put a brand new engine in his Chevy Impala and from the beginning ran synthetic oil After several thousand miles he tore the engine apart (he does these kinds of things) and found that the engine wasn't sealing and wearing like it should. He came to the conclusion that it was because he was running synthetic, which didn't allow the engine to break-in properly. Who knows? Anyway, with both of my vehicles, I changed to synthetic between 4000 and 5000 miles.
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    Most insurance premiums are only lowered slightly, it at all, by adding ABS. This is probably because of two reasons. First, they (insurance cos.) will make less money if they reduce the premiums. Second, Many studies have shown no overall reduction in accidents for cars with ABS compared to non-ABS. The latter is probably due to driver overconfidence in ABS and driver misuse of ABS thus nullifying its advantages. Car alarms also do very little to lower premiums.
  • mousemover1mousemover1 Member Posts: 3
    I like pretty much everything about my 2001 Sentra SE except the spoiler. The salesmen steered me to the performance package (which of course comes with the spoiler), telling me that I couldn't get the SE these days without the performance package.

    I'm 37, & to me, spoilers are kids stuff. What are my options?
  • jcu1886jcu1886 Member Posts: 39
    Yeah, I don't particularly like the spoiler, either. It is too high. I was using a Maxima loaner for a couple of days; the spoiler on that car is much less obtrusive.
  • roninjoutenroninjouten Member Posts: 201
    A good dealership will work with you on this and will credit you on the final price.
  • mousemover1mousemover1 Member Posts: 3
    Problem is, I've signed already. But I'll still mention it to the dealer next time I stop by...

    ... Actually I'm not sure I've gotten involved with such a good dealer anyway (Yonkers Nissan in New York).

    For example, I didn't do my homework on what the Nissan Vehicle Security System includes. I only read what's posted on the Nissan website, which mentions the Immobilizer, but *doesn't* mention that the Security System includes an alarm which sounds if the vehicle is disturbed.

    I'm sure the salesmen knew that fact, but still they sold me an additional alarm system for $400. (After-market brand.)

    I think Nissans are good cars, but beware the dealers... I had similar negative experiences when I bought my last Nissan (different dealer)...

    Frankly, I'd advise someone who's young or inexperienced to try Saturns instead...
  • stxrx7stxrx7 Member Posts: 10
    I work for an insurance company. Most companies, including my employer, do NOT give discounts for ABS or side airbags.

    The loss history on cars equipped with ABS does not differ from vehicles without it. Since most vehicles do not include side airbags as a standard feature, there has not been enough actuarial data collected yet.

    Anti-theft discounts aren't significant enough to warrant adding an alarm or vin etching. I have all of the aformentioned equipment on my SE, but only for piece of mind.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello,
    I am here to report my first gas mileage readings on my new Sentra SE w/ Performance Package, and 5 speed. I drove from the dealership and went directly to a service station and checked the tire pressure. The book calls for 33 psi front, and 30 psi rear. I added enough air to bring the pressure to 35 front and 35 rear.

    My very first tank I drove 248 miles and put in 9.2 gallons of regular (to the neck), which yielded a hair under 27 miles per gallon...or 26.9 or so. I was pleasantly suprised. This was 90% freeway driving in California. My second tank gave me 295.7 miles and it took 10.2 gallons. My best friend spilled at least 2 tenths on the ground (which is ridiculous to say the least.)Either way, it was close to 29 miles per gallon. Needless to say, I am very pleased.

    I have a few observations though:
    1. The fuel gauge is not accurate. The needle stays buried at the top for the first 120 miles or so, and then hangs around the 3/4 mark for 60 or so miles. At 295.7 miles, the needle had not gotten to the 1/4 mark, yet it took 10 gallons. The car is supposed to have a 13.2 gallon fuel tank, but I don't know for sure. I may have to do my regular test on a new car. (I usually drive it until it runs out...with a 5 gallon gas can in the trunk.) When the tank is completely dry,. I add the 5 gallons, and immediately go to the station and fill it all the way up. That sets my baseline.) More on this if I decide to do that. It is not a good idea to run the car out of gas on purpose, so I may not do it this time.

    2. I wanted an automatic transmissioned car, but on the day I bought mine, I drove 3 or them, and they all slipped badly. I remembered what I read in this website, and I changed my mind and got the 5 speed. THANKS to ALL OF YOU on that on. I do not want to have that kind of problem with a new car, EVEN if they put a new one in.

    3. My car was built in December 2000, so it sat around somewhere for a long time. I do not trust the oil that has been sitting in the crankcase for so long. The dealer recommends 3750 miles as the first oil change. I am thinking about changing sooner.

    4. Fit and finish is very good, although I find that the driver's door closes harder than the rest. The other doors close with a resounding "clunk", but the driver's door has to be closed firmly, or it will not fully close. I may go to get this looked at, but I do not want them to realign the door if it messes up the original settings. Right now, it is not leaking air, nor are there ANY rattles. I hope that this will continue to be the case.

    5. I had to drive about 35 miles from my home, but I got this car for $15,101 + tax and license for a total of $16,464.00 out the door. I was satisfied, but felt they could have done better. That was much better than in San Diego, where the best I could do was 15,600 + tax and license for manual trans and 16,200 for automatic trans. NO sunroof in either case. They did try to slip in a $299.00 "Window Etching" package in on me, but I refused to pay that. They claimed that ALL of their cars get that as soon as they come off the truck, but I said "sorry". They did take off the price with no hassle. I did not see the etching on the car at all, and I was glad that I did not have it.

    All in all, this is the most POWERFUL 4 cylinder non-turbo car that I have ever owned. It runs as good as some 6 cylinder cars I have driven. Just like many other comments that I have read, I am simply amazed at the power and versatility. It is heads and shoulders above the Honda in every respect but fuel mileage. I am sure once I get synthetic oil in the engine, synthetic gear oil in the transmission, and a K&N air filter, I will get better mileage. I can't wait to get it broken in, and to make the changes.

    Thanks again,
    GSEREP1
  • jcu1886jcu1886 Member Posts: 39
    You are right about the fuel gauge not being too accurate. Mine will stay above the full mark for about 100 miles. Once it reaches the 1/4 full mark, however, the needle drops fast and the light comes on not long after.

    On another matter, I have had trouble with the remotes blowing a fuse, leaving me without auto door locks, key alarm, all interior lights, trunk light, map lights, etc. Anyone else had the problem? I take it to the dealer, they replace the fuse, but then the same thing happens a few days later. They of course are not able to duplicate the problem in the time they have the car.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Thanks for the quick reply. I have not had the problem with the remotes, and I hope that I don't. I DID, however find out how to silence the horn whenever the doors are locked with the remote. Just hold the LOCK and UNLOCK buttons down simultaneously, and wait 3 seconds. The lights will flash when the change takes place. Then you can lock and unlock the doors without the horn sounding. The horn will still Blow if the alarm is activated. To change back, just hold the same two buttons down together, and it will change back to the horns. I wished that I had better horns. That one horn sounds pretty tinny. Any suggestions on how to get better horns for this car?

    Are splash guards available from the dealer for this car?

    Thanks again,
    GSEREP1
  • richcoff1richcoff1 Member Posts: 3
    are available for all models except for the se with pp. Why? Perhaps a Nissan screw up. As for the fuel gauge, what has been described in previous messages must be the norm for this car. Mine does the same thing. Only problem I have to report is a defective AC thermostat control switch, that was covered under warranty. Thanks everyone for all of the great info. RC
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    Most of the "problems" you describe don't seem to be problems:

    1. The fuel guage takes so long to move off "F" because you fill it to the "neck" of the tank. This is overfilling and could damage emission control eqpt.

    2. I don't understand your remark about three auto trans slipping. Can't believe there are three defective transmissions driven consecutively.

    3. Get an oil change, but 6 months without use not much to worry about.

    4. The driver's door is probably harder to close because it is the last door to be closed and creates a build-up of pressure inside the car. Open the window a little and close the door to see if this is the case.

    5. If you had to drive 35 miles to pick up your Sentra, I presume you already had a car. Did you trade it in and if not, how did you get it back home?

    Apparently, Nissan has just announced a $500 cash rebate on the Sentra, although it may only be regional. So whatever deal you got will be $500 more than now :(
  • wazappawazappa Member Posts: 32
    Splash Guards will fit on the se with Performance Package. But they only fit on the back. They do not fit on the front because of the side sill extensions that come with the performance package. Seems like Nissan should have compensated for the extra side sill, and made a splash guard to fit around the side sill extension.
  • carterfcarterf Member Posts: 5
    I tried to charge a cell phone while driving on a trip and the first thing I noticed was that when I turned on my blinker it blinked super fast. I unhooked the cell phone and the blinker blinked back to the normal blinking speed again. Does anyone know why this happened? Is this normal? Should I be worried?
  • gewaltaktgewaltakt Member Posts: 9
    hey everyone. i'm been meaning to post earlier on my new purchase (2001 Sentra SE w/ PP 5 speed in Radium). i havent had the time until now and i even have a question. on the coolant temp gauge backing (the silver part) theres what seems to be a nick just to the left of the needle head (the part the needle rotates around). i think its a nick but my sister thinks its supposed to be there since its covered up by the needle when my car is warm. she thinks its an indicator of the normal temp. the "nick" itself is dark in the center with the grey outlining like all the other digits. so i'm confused as to what it really is. could sometell tell me if they too have a nick like that. i'm hoping ya'll can help so i dont have to walk onto the local dealship lot and be attacked. all help is appreciated. besides the "nick" though, my loving sentra has been perfect. a perfect combo of style, sportiness (is that a word), and overall quality. i hope to have many a convo in this forum.

    gew
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Thank You for your comments. I normally just fill up the car to the first click off, but when I am on a trip, I DO fill it up to the neck. Filling it to the neck should have no consequence on the calibration of the guage once it starts to move. To have it indicate 1/2 tank and take 10 gallons is obviously not correct. It is not a problem per se, just an observation. This was my first and second tanks of fuel, and I am always hesitant to trust a guage on a new car. This is a learning process for me.

    As for the 3 automatic transmissions "slipping", I was as suprised as anyone. But thanks to comments that other Sentra owners gave in this forum, I watched for it when I test drove the cars. At other dealerships, I found cars that worked BEAUTIFULLY, but it was either the wrong color, or the wrong deal, or the car had options that I did not want. There are comments from other owners alluding to the fact that their transmissions had to be replaced soon after taking delivery, so it IS a possibility. I trust Nissan vehicles too, but there MAY be a problem with some of them. They definitely were with the ones I drove this weekend. With 29 years in the automotive industry, I can certainly tell a slipping transmission when I feel one. In fact, my salesman called today and said that he had the vehicles checked, and the transmissions will have to be either adjusted or replaced. Accidents do happen. The shifts were slow on the 1-2 shift going up under part throttle, and when using passing gear from 4 to 3, or 3 to 2. The salesman noticed it too. I just did not want to take the chance, knowing what I know about it now. I REALLY did want the automaric, but now since I have the manual, I LOVE it.

    As far as the driver's door scenario goes, I was also wondering about the air build up inside the car, but the situation seems to occur only on the driver's door. If I close the drivers door first, and close the front passenger door last, that door closes beautifully (all the time). I really do have to close the driver's door with more force, even if the windows are down. It is just frustrating to have to reopen the door a second time, or "slam" the door. I have to use a little more force with the door handle on the driver's door when opening as well. Not too much, but enough to know the difference. The door appears to "bind" just a bit right before it reaches the latch. I am hoping that use will cause it to loosen up a bit. The car is definitely air tight, and free from all rattles and wind noise. I hope that it stays that way.

    As far as the drive to get the car, my wife drove her Explorer to the dealership, and I got the pleasure of driving my new car back home with her following me. It was a great drive.

    500 dollar rebate huh? I FIGURED that as soon as I bought one, the incentives would change. I put off buying it last month...despite the dealers telling me that the 5.9% financing would go away before May 1st. If one incentive ends, generally the deal gets sweeter the following month, until they sell all the cars they want to sell. They give incentives on the Altima ($2000.00 cash back or 3.9% financing) to make room for the new redesigned Altima for 2002. Even though the new Sentra will get a SE-R and a Spec V next year, it took them forever to offer anything other than financing. They seem to sell pretty well without giving away too much money.

    I have about 800 miles on the car now, since I drove to San Diego on Monday afternoon. I work in San Diego, so as soon as I get 1000 miles I will change the oil and filter, and drive it for 3000 miles before the next change. I will use Synthetic at either the 7000, or 10.000 mile mark.

    In answer to the question posed by gewaltakt on the temp guage, I only noticed the little "dot" after you mentioned it. I will have to look in the manual to see if it mentions it. I am inclined to agree with your sister, because it certainly does cover up the dot when the car is warm. I though it was a speck of dirt on the face at first, so I ignored it.

    Thanks for the great comments. Answer soon
    GSEREP1
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello again,

    I have been talking so much about my new Sentra SE 2.0 5 speed, I could not resist telling this story. I have been driving my car for 2 days here in San Diego. A good friend of mine bought a new Honda Civic EX 5 speed with sunroof. It is midnight black, and is quite pretty. Today he got to see my car for the first time. He could not believe that the Sentra offered so much for less money than he spent. He asked about horsepower, and I said 145, and his eyes really opened up. Then he saw the 4 wheel disc brakes. (disc brakes are not available on a Civic at any cost, or with any package. Poor kid was green with envy. He wanted to take a ride in it. I drove him around a few blocks, and I revved it up to about 5,500 rpms or so, and he was really suprised. When we got back, he said that he should have looked at Sentra instead of just at Honda. Gas mileage is NOT everything, and he mentioned how underpowered the Civic is in comparison to the Sentra. The clincher was when I mentioned that the Honda has a rubber timing belt, and the Sentra does not. NOW he wants to sell the Honda and buy a Sentra. He also does not have aluminum wheels... just hubcaps.I hope that he doesn't trade right now, because he probably owes more than it is worth, considering finance charges. Nearly $18,000 for an underpowered vehicle with no rear disc brakes, and a rubber timing belt.

    GO SENTRA!!
    GSEREP1
  • jcu1886jcu1886 Member Posts: 39
    I too have noticed the dot to the left of the needle on the temp. gauge. I think your sister is right. The needle at normal operating temp. does cover the dot, at least with my SE.
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    I agree with everything you said about the Sentra's benefits over the Civic EX - except for one issue: resale value. As unjustified as it may be, the Sentra has a relatively low resale value compared to the Civic. I calculated this to be about $2000 lower when comparing identically priced new Civic and Sentra, after 2 years and about 30k miles (assuming no rebate on the Sentra which may still be the case for many or all regions). If you intend to keep the Sentra for more than 5 years, then resale is not much of a factor. But, what you gain in value over the Civic(rear discs, alloy wheels, 145HP, etc.), you lose in resale value. I think the trade off is worth it for the SE with PP, but not for the mundane GXE or XE.

    Does your car have ABS? If it does, you have a rare car because I have yet to see a Sentra SE w/PP 5sp with ABS. In fact, I have only seen a few auto trans SEs with ABS. Most Sentras come without ABS. Even though some dealers have as many as 50 SEs, they may have one with ABS and it's always an auto trans. Too bad because at $699 for ABS with side-bags, it's a steal.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Thank you again for your comments,
    Yes I DO have the ABS and Side Air Bags. As you said, this particular dealer had 30 Sentras, and there were ONLY 2 of them with ABS and Side Air bags. Unfortunately, the Radium car had a sunroof, so I passed on that one, and took the cloud white car without the roof. I did notice though however, that the side air bags makes the front seats much thicker, and my first rear seat passengers complained that there was not as much space in back as the cars without the option. My wife and best friend brought it to my attention, as they rode in back while we were test driving the cars. It is indeed a good value for the money.

    I bought a 100,000 mile extended warranty, so I intend to keep this car for awhile. You are also right about the resale value. I seriously considered a Honda, but the lack of power combined with the pompous attitude of most of the Honda dealers convinced me to go for the Sentra. There is no comparison on the ride. It feels like a much bigger car. Other than the driver's door, I find little to complain about. The gas mileage is better than the 2000 Beetle that I gave my girls, so I am happy. I have 900 miles on it now, and it has been a struggle to keep the engine speed down. I hope to be somewhat easy on it... (but not all the time.)

    Thanks to everyone for the terrific comments. I am learning so much about my new car. Does anyone have a clue what the factory shop manuals will cost? I will check today and post the results. I love doing most of my own work, so it is a definite asset to me.

    Thanks again
    GSEREP1
  • majorthomechomajorthomecho Member Posts: 1,331
    I was just curious as to when the Sentra will be redesigned. If anyone has links to photos, it would be greatly appreciated.
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    They just came out with a new Sentra a year ago, so it will probably be another 2-3 years before the next generations come out.
  • ineto6ineto6 Member Posts: 161
    Yup, the Sentra SE is definitely a nice car - I'd say it is just as nice as the current Integra in terms of performance. My brother compared it with the Honda Civic EX and the Toyota Corolla S. The Civic looks more luxurious and the Corolla S looks more sporty on the inside. If you want both of those in the Sentra SE then you have to put more money into the Infiniti G20.
  • bmsorybmsory Member Posts: 17
    Come on please...
    We just bought a 2001 frontier CC. My wife and I is very pleased with our new truck. Now it's her turn, she wants to see the 2001 sentra so we went to the dealer and take a look at it for a minute she walk away and say: Man...this sentra is for an
    old lady it's so ugly...I agree the 2001 sentra
    looks ugly, out of style they should redesign especially the rear end and tail lights. If you like how it looks go for it this guys have a lot of goodies except: The styling...
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello,
    I debated whether to answer this one or not. It seems like a "bait" letter. Then I said "what the heck, why not?" The answer is so obvious. If you do not like it, it is simple..buy something else. There will be PLENTY of us Granny types that will absolutely fall in LOVE with the power, features, and yes, EVEN the LOOKS. It looks like a Mini-Maxima to me, and to ME, that ain't half bad.

    I appreciate your comments. They make me appreciate my new Senra MORE. Beauty IS in the eye of the BEHOLDER.

    Take care and THANKS. Now I think I will go out and drive my super fast, UGLY car around the block.
    GSEREP1
  • ineto6ineto6 Member Posts: 161
    Hmmm... I don't think that my comment about the styling is meant to incite anyone considering that my brother owns a Sentra SE. I do notice that some Maxima owners are not too happy with the exterior styling. If only Nissan is brave enough to put the nice styling of the G20 for the Sentra. Expressing this might encourage Nissan to build better looking cars, other car makers are guilty of this as well IMO. Nissan's performance and reliability are very good so neither me nor the other poster knock it.
  • kstephankstephan Member Posts: 41
    Styling is kind of moot in this class. If that's your most important buying criteria, this is the wrong niche to be shopping in. I sure wouldn't call the current Sentra's styling objectionable or ugly in any way. Granted, it's hardly sleek either. Maybe it's a little tall and bulbous in the rear, but it's far from ugly. Conservative, yes, but I think it's done in a classy way, at least in the higher-level models.

    But what other car in this class is much better?
    The Corolla? The new Civic? Hardly...both bland as hell. The Focus and new Impreza are acquired tastes, but hardly beautiful. The new Mitsubishi Lancer looks like a typically bland combination of everyone else's styling cues. Some like the Protege--to me, it's nothing special. I'd say the Sentra looks better than most of these, and certainly no worse.

    But Nissan is coming out of its conservative phase (evidenced by the new Altima and Z car), so maybe the next Sentra will be something unique.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello Again,
    Your comments were fine, ineto6. Some of us were taken aback by comments of "bmsory" # 736 of 739, and even his comments were no cause for alarm. Everyone is free to express themselves in the manner they see fit. I just disagree with his opinion. It is not the best looking small car I have ever seen, but neither is it the worst.

    I find it stylish, and THAT is why I spent MY money on the new Sentra SE. I simply like the way that it looks and feels.

    Most styles are a trade off at best. It is a huge risk for a manufacturer to make a vehicle with a "give a damn" attitude and demeanor. That kind of car will generally appeal to just a few, while most companies want to appeal to the masses. For a car that costs so little in the general scheme of things, the manufacturer obviously wants to sell a lot of them to recoup their investment.

    Bottom line is: I like it just the way that it is.... and as evidenced by the sales, so do a few others. Can't win 'em all, but it sure gets my vote.
    Respectfully,
    GSEREP1
  • corkfishcorkfish Member Posts: 537
    I don't know if the new SE-R qualifies as a redesigned Sentra, but the styling is different and the car will be available in September. I suggest you try typing "2001 Sentra SE-R" into yahoo and you'll get plenty of photos and information on the new SE-R.
    As far as Honda's are concerned, I swear I don't know why people choose them over Sentra's. I have a 1993 SE-R and absolutely smoked a Civic the other day. It wasn't an Si, but the kid had a big wing on the back, fancy tires and rims, an aftermarket exhaust system,and probably an intake as well. He must have had $4000 worth of aftermarket garbage on the thing. He was driving like a maniac on the highway so when I saw him get off my exit I was thrilled because I knew there was a stoplight and 1 mile stretch of straight road off that exit. Sure enough the light was red so he had to stop which gave me time to pull next to him. He looked over at me and smiled. When I saw it wasn't an Si, I even gave him a head start and I caught him in second gear. When he shifted to 3rd I knew he would'nt keep up because the torque would drop off ( torqueless Hondas). He looked pretty dejected in the rear view mirror as I pulled away strong and he eventually stopped trying. Pretty sad when an 8 year old Sentra that cost $13,000 new can smoke a new Civic with $4000 worth of extra parts on it.
  • mdrivermdriver Member Posts: 385
    Fancy wheels, and a wing don't make the Civic any faster and the exhaust is debateable. What isn't debateable is the fact that an 8 year old Sentra is considerably lighter than a new Civic. That's where the main advantage is. The fact that Edmund's own 0-60 tests show the Civic EX at 7.9s and the Sentra SE at 8.6s is evidence that the Civic EX is faster. In fact the Civic LX was faster than the Sentra SE at 8.4s. Those are Edmund's numbers not mine - check them out yourself.

    Now if you're talking about handling, I'll give you that one. The Sentra SE is simply better in every respect.

    On the subject of styling. I like the Sentra's front, but the rear is simply generic. Absolutely no imagination went into the rear, similar story with Civic coupe's rear. At least the rear overhang isn't a mile long like the Civic's, which was done just so that someone can get an extra suitcase in the trunk.
  • bmsorybmsory Member Posts: 17
    I totally agreed with you about the sentra's front end it looks good but the rear end is just not for me and my wife. I expect the sentra to be a sport sedan and it means to be built for younger
    drivers but I do not beleive that this guy will get the young drivers much attention. Same thing with the new Toyota echo. But again, people are not the same some says pam looks sexy and beautiful and some says she's got big lips small legs and...sorry not for me Jennifer lopez looks a lot better. Whenever you see a car passing by you say: "Wow that car looks great " You are simply falling in love with that car's styling without knowing it. Me, my car is just like my partner I gotta like how it looks first B4 getting inside of that models. Sorry I used the word " Ugly " this could hurt the owner's feeling I should have used the word " Not look good to me " But, I bet the sentra will have to redesign soon, Just like my Frontier CC it has to redesign right on the next year model. Be happy with your car...BM
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Hi friends,

    Catherine Heins is looking for people to interview who have switched from American to Japanese cars in the past few years-- especially folks who wouldn't have given a Toyota or Honda the time of day in the 1970s.

    She's a business reporter at the Yomiuri Shimbun, which is the biggest daily paper in Japan with a circulation of 14 million. They are writing a feature story about Japanese automakers' continuing success in expanding production in the U.S. and snatching market share from the Big Three even on their former home turf of light trucks.

    If you fit this description and are willing to be interviewed, please call her directly at 212-582-5827 or e-mail her at catheins@yahoo.com. As always, you can contact me at jfallon@edmunds.com if you have any questions.

    Thanks,

    Jeannine Fallon
    PR Director
    Edmunds.com
  • ineto6ineto6 Member Posts: 161
    moving on :) It's good that foreign carmakers restyle their cars more often than domestic ones - back in the good(?) old days you'll see dramatic styling changes almost every year. Yup, the new Altima is a bold move. Anyway, the old Altima is still alot nicer looking than the boxy Stanza.

    corkfish - you were lucky that Civic didn't have a turbo. A coworker of mine is putting a turbo in his car and the only hint that his car has the get-up is the big exhaust pipe. My brother really likes his Sentra SE, but he wants to find more performance parts. Unfortunately, aftermarket performance parts for the Sentra is limited.
  • roninjoutenroninjouten Member Posts: 201
    But the clean lines of a Stanza still hold up nicely after 10 years. Boxy, perhaps, but there's something about the crisp light setups on the front and rear that I appreciate. Sorta explains why I think the Jetta's rather boxy, but still clean, sharp lines are attractive.
  • ineto6ineto6 Member Posts: 161
    I still like the shape of my dad's '93 Max just a little more than my mom's '96 Max. But the Stanza is a little boxier than the Max.
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    Hello,
    In response to "mdriver" and "bmsory", I have yet to see a Civic with 1.7L outperform a 2.0L Sentra SE. The facts are this: Honda, 127 horsepower, 114 lbs of torque... Nissan 145 horsepower, 136 lbs. of torque. Also the Sentra is heavier, but only by 100 or so pounds. 110 pounds heavier in the manual, and 98 pounds heavier for the automatic. Go to nissandriven.com as well as www.honda.com and do the comparisons yourself.

    It is TORQUE, not horsepower that gets you down the road, and 22 lbs of extra torque equate to faster 0 to 60 times. The car simply feels crisper overall. Strap that 1.7L engine to an automatic, and it is as slow as molasses. I have driven both. Is there anyone else out there who will concur with this?

    I like the Honda too, and if value was all I worried about, a Civic would be sitting in my driveway right now. But I like real-world driving, and the Sentra gives it to me in spades.

    You have to sacrifice something in automobiles, and Honda chose to sacrifice horsepower (AND torque) in favor of fuel mileage and emissions cleanliness. That is commendable if that is what you want. For Honda, a 6 to 8 mpg advantage on the highway is a BIG advantage with the manual transmission. 100 miles more per tank of gas is no small feat, and a definite advantage. To each his own, I always say. But to suggest that the Sentra is more than a half second slower than the Civic from 0 to 60 is simply not the case. Unless the Sentra driver went to sleep.

    By the way, I like Jennifer Lopez much better too, but that is another unrelated story.

    Thanks again,
    GSEREP1
  • ineto6ineto6 Member Posts: 161
    Ok, this is the link that I just read. The Sentra is slower than the Cavalier (crazy kids who want to race my car :D)


    Yep, if there is a perfect then we all would want one. Real world compromises sometimes are not fun.


    Anyway, GSEREP1, what are you thinking? Her fans call her J Lo now :D

  • hkchanhkchan Member Posts: 420
    "It is TORQUE, not horsepower that gets you down the road, and 22 lbs of extra torque equate to faster 0 to 60 times."
    While I agree that the Sentra SE should be faster than the Civic EX, where would the Golf/Jetta TDI fit in this race? It has only a maximum of 90 hp at $3,750 rpm but a maximum of 155 ft-lbs of torque at 1,900 rpm.
  • ineto6ineto6 Member Posts: 161
    I've argued this point with some college kids before - there are many variables involved. Don't forget that a truck with a wicked amount of torque is not designed to accelerate, but to tow. I don't want to reharsh my argument from the sports car forum. However, Edmunds numbers that I gave are not fair since they are comparing autos to manuals link
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