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It starts, but only after flooding/flooring the thing for 5 mins........so...I dont think it is the gas....but thx for the info
Mark
SE-R shod with lighter 195/55-16" (24.45" OD)
Spec V shod with heavier 215/45-17" (24.62" OD)
I'd really like to see a comparison at the dyno and the track.
Spec V. I would predict that there's virtually no difference in acceleration.
I'm looking into replacing a small truck w/ an economy car and need to know Nissan's recommendations for towing w/ a new Sentra GXE w/ automatic. My sailboat+trailer combined weight is about 500# and I wouldn't be towing anything heavier. Anybody willing to check your manual?
Thanks
If you're looking at the Sentra, its a great reliable car, but beware of selecting the sport suspensions on a SE-R. The GXE should be ok. The rear beam axle is old school, Nissan needs to throw that out. The axle makes the rear end a little squirrely on turns with bumps. The rear end gets upset on off ramps sometimes. The Lancer is underpowered, IMHO, but I've heard its suspension is well-sorted. The Elantra is nice, but interior materials are low grade, and insurance is high, even more so than the Sentra. I recently bought a Mazda Protege ES 2.0 5 spd, and I am really liking that car, especially because I was able to get it at 0% APR. Good luck.
The same thing happened to my CD changer at about 9 months....2000 SE, performance package, 5spd,
Dealer had to order new unit...it was back ordered and took about 6 weeks to get in. No problems since, however it has been about five months with new unit and I am waiting for more problems. Because it was back ordered I am thinking that there were many problems with these units. Good Luck!
I couldn't disagree more about the seats, however--but I know everyone fits seats differently. When I first got the car, it took awhile to find the ideal driving position with the height adjustments, but now it's great. I find the seats very comfortable and supportive, even after 8-10 hours on the road. Sorry you've haven't been able to--uncomfortable seats just ruin the experience. I had a Saturn a long time ago, so I know the misery of bad seats.
Did you replace the SE with the Protege ES, or do you have them both? I discovered on my trip that Protege ES drivers get offended by being passed by a Sentra SE. Horsepower envy? ;-) But Sentra owners have handling/ride envy, I guess.
I need to have a 7500-mi service done, and a local independent place quoted me $149, which is outrageous for an oil/filter change, tire rotation, and visual inspection of other stuff. I'm wondering if there are any other Nissan service options in the Seattle/Eastside area that are more reasonably priced. If any of you have any advice, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
I lost money on the Sentra, for sure (thanks Nissan for the ridiculously low resale values), but I now have a car that I feel no remorse buying. I felt a lot of remorse buying the Sentra. It's a great car, but they really need independent rear suspension. Even the lowly Hyundai Accent or even a Geo Metro has independent rear suspension. I'm sure the SER rides even worse cause it's supposedly ready for Auto-crossing right from the showroom floor. If you thought the SE's suspension can get choppy, it'll be a whole other world with the SER Spec V. I saw one at a local nissan dealer in this nasty blue/green shade. The bodykit is good, and the wheels are really nice.
The Altima was in the running of vehicles to replace the Sentra, but it was difficult to find a basic 3.5SE with ABS and 5 spd. All 3.5SEs were loaded, and the dealer unwind WRX was too good a deal to pass up. I'll still hang around these boards until I have nothing to contribute towards the Sentras. $149 seems like way too much for a 7.5k mi service. The dealer will probably charge less. Are they replacing your spark plugs and other things or just the oil/filter and tire rot?
My take on the Sentra is that the current one is a cut above its most obvious competition (the Civic and Corolla), but a little too compromised to compete with the Impreza 2.5RS, Jetta, etc. It's good value for the money, and Nissan has done a nice job with the "mini-Maxima" approach, but the Maxima is an outdated car now by Nissan standards. The next Sentra will likely be a mini-Altima, and be all the better for it.
The Spec V, if bought at or near invoice, is a steal, especially with all the goodies that come with it. LSD is unheard of in a car at this price, plus 17" rims with Z-rated tires and a 300-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo? Wow, need I say more? Oh yeah, side airbags also. Skip the moonroof and the 6-CD changer to get a great price.
If you have extra moola, by all means, get the WRX as it is really the best performance bargain out there. But if you can only pony up for a Spec V, hey, your money just buys more car than what's out there.
As I've said before, ABS should be included in the SE performance package, and I still believe ABS/Side Airbags are a stand-alone option on the Spec Vs so it'll be difficult finding that option.
Kstephan, I agree Nissan did a decent job with the Sentra, but that axle suspension has got to go. Maybe that would be ok in 1989, but not in 2002. That same suspension hurts the Maxima/I35. I rented an I35 (it was the loaner when my Pro ES was getting some window moldings replaced), and while the VQ35DE engine is superb, the cornering dynamics of the I35 was just as unnerving as in the Sentra because the rear end would want to step out on a bumpy fast turn.
Crikey, I wasn't really comparing the WRX to the Sentra, I was comparing their rides. If a Protege can provide a well-controlled ride/handling balance, I think Nissan can do the same with the Sentra. I doubt you'll find the SPEC V at invoice for a while. The WRX is just starting to be available around invoice, maybe $200-$500 above. I chose the WRX as a replacement to the Sentra because:
1. I didn't want to get another Protege, even though I like them a lot.
2. The WRX offered the best combination of performance, utility, and safety (ABS/Side Airbags/AWD standard).
3. Other cars competing with the Sentra didn't offer much. The Civic is slow and overpriced, the Corolla is outdated. The Elantra is nice, but almost as expensive to insure as a WRX! The Lancer doesn't deserve its name.
I guess I was shopping across classes, but I realized that it's difficult to get everything you are looking for in a car. The WRX came the closest. Sure, the Accord or Camry would be slightly cheaper, but none performs like the WRX. The Altima would have been difficult to find w/ ABS. VWs are great but not reliable enough for me. Kstephan, I live in Upland, CA. It's not really the best place to open up the WRX, but there are plenty of roads in the mountains where it shines (and there are no cops around). Sorry for the long essay.
By the way, I'm one of the few fortunate ones with an SE w/ABS and a 5-speed. I got lucky.
To the various people who say you can't compare the SE-R Spec V to the WRX--you're right. We weren't doing that. The WRX is clearly in a different league. The Spec V is undoubtedly a lot of bang-for-the-buck for someone who doesn't want to spend an extra $6-8K on a WRX.
It is pity though to loose you as a Sentra supporter. 8-)
How do you find cornering abilities of WRX over Sentra on a flat surface? The reason why I am asking is that couple of weeks ago I had followed WRX. He jumped in front of me just before a 25MPH rump to highway and pushed forward. He wasn't taking it easy. I followed him and we passed this rump at 65MPH (ouch). Normally I am going there at 50MPH. But Sentra kept well. No squeals, no complains. Granted, the surface was flat, but still I was pleased. Well, after we went to a strait line he just vanished, which make me think he did his best on the rump as well. What is your view?
Lgoldin, thanks. I was happy with the WRX deal, but less so with the trade-in on the Sentra, but I expected poor resale, especially because the SERs are here. Plus, used cars that are less than 2 years old are in a bad spot due to the incentives for new car sales. If you had an older used car, you may not be affected so badly. I had negative equity on the Sentra, but if I don't keep the car, I'd still lost money no matter if I traded now or next year. The Sentra probably wouldn't have a problem keeping up with the WRX on the curve, I think it even pulls higher g's on skidpad. The WRX feels very flat in turns, and the handling balance is mostly neutral, but still biased towards understeer. The Sentra pushes in turns just as all FWD vehicles do. I agree the Sentra feels good on smooth turns and ramps. Throw an expansion joint or bumps into the mix, then its a different story. I haven't driven the WRX really hard yet, but it's very willing and wants more even going fast on ramps. With AWD, you can't let off the gas completely mid-turn though, cause the rear will want to step out, you have to let off slightly to slow down. Do you have the Firestones or have you changed to different tires? The Bridgestones that come standard with the WRX are mediocre as well. The Sentra's suspension is pretty well sorted for very smooth roads, but here in the US, that is rarely the case, and this is where independent rear sus is superior.
As for the roads, then I can't tell that all roads in Canada are ideally flat, not even close to that. I am lucky enough to have a couple of good flat rumps on my way to work and back, so I can enjoy them. But you are right, suspensions are not the best in a class and on uneven pavement the car is a little too choppy. Oh well, it works for me nicely.
Congrats again on your purchase. Enjoy.
I also wonder if the viscous LSD on the SE w/PP could lead to more torque steer.
Maybe this isn't so unusual in most decently powerful FWD cars, but I got spoiled driving a 2000 Civic Si previously, which had next to no torque steer. Of course, it also had next to no torque...
Yeah, under hard acceleration I get a good deal of torque steer too (SE w/PP, 5-speed). At first it was irritating, almost unsettling, but now I don't mind it. Also, I agree that the back end gets skittish going over bumps, especially in a turn, and that the ride can be pretty harsh with the Sport-tuned suspension, but under most driving conditions I'm pretty happy with how it's set up. I've got 19,800 miles on my SE, and I'm still very happy with it. Planning to keep it for several more years.
1. Resale of Corolla much higher
2. Reliablitly good on Sentra, but better on Corolla - see JD Power and Consumer Reports
3. Corolla rides better and is quieter inside.
4. Corolla and Sentra interior are the same size - the smallest of the small sedans.
5. The only real advantage to the Sentra is it is a little quicker, but one second or so doesn't matter to me. The Corolla is actually pretty peppy, especially with the manual tranny.
6. Mechanic friend of mine says it's a pain to work on Nissans, but loves Toyotas, and agrees with JD Power and Consumer Reports.
You could wait until the new Corolla comes out in February, and buy it. It will have more interior room than the Sentra, probably the same power as Sentra, so the new Corolla would win on all counts. But, if you want to buy now, I would go with the slightly slower Corolla, because the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
The Corolla is pretty pricey for what you get. I looked at the corolla (and everything else) and ended up getting the Sentra SE w/PP. I'm not disappointed with my choice, I've put 16,000 miles on it since Febuary and all it's had done were oil changes. It's no Viper, but you can surprise some people who think they'll cut in front of you.
That said, my sister has a late-model Corolla with an automatic--totally the formula for a rental car. But I like the car anyway. It's much smoother and quieter than the Sentra, almost plush in comparison. It feels a lot roomier inside too. The handling and steering are a bit numb compared to the Sentra SE, but it's pleasant enough to drive--less boring than you'd think. For a comfortable, no-fuss car, it's hard not to recommend a Corolla.
So it depends what you want. If you want more performance, try to find a discounted 2001 Sentra SE...a much better deal than any Corolla. But if you want comfort--consider the Toyota first.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/011213-1.htm
Just to be safe, Nissan really needs to rev the Sentra in a couple of years, with a far sleeker body and more interior room.
The car was every bit as comfortable the day I sold it, as it was the day I bought (new). The only changes I made was pulling the CD player from the wife's 98 200SX and replacing the exremely crappy General tires with a set of Pirelli P400 Tourings, which completely transformed the car.
I will miss that Sentra, and can honestly say it was the best car I've ever owned. With that you may wonder why I sold it. I traded it on a midsize sedan because I got tired of seeing a cheap-looking ugly car every time I went down to my driveway, and here in Los Angeles, we tend to spend a lot of time in our cars, and I wanted more car to spend that time in.
Replacement is a 2002 Mitsubishi Galant ES with my first-ever automatic transmission for my own car (wife always had ATs). Time will tell if it was a good move, but so far the Galant seems about as well made as the Sentra, which means EXTREMELY.
Jerry
Year of Recall: 2001
Manufacture: 2001
Manufactured: FROM 2000JAN TO 2001MAY
Component: ENGINE
Summary:
Vehicle Description: Passenger vehicles equipped with a 1.8 liter engine. The engine could stop running while being driven due to a defective crank position sensor. This could also result in the "Service Engine Soon" warning light coming on or reduced engine power.
If the engine stops running while driving, this could result in a crash.
Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Owner notification is expected to begin during December 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).