Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

malibu_jack · May 2003

Well...The service manager came through. I re-booked an appoinment and they treated me like gold this time around. The service manager told me he would inspect the car himself and give me another estimate on the brakes. Well as it turns out, the rotors were fine, and all I needed were new pads. He had the rotors machined, cleaned the rear brakes, adjusted and put the new pads up front, at the cost of the front pads only! No labour!

Heck, they even put me in a rental for the day at their cost....didn't have to pay a cent for it! This to me is quite unheard of from Nissan since I have had nothing but trouble with service since day one with my 01 sentra. It has brought back confidence in the brand.

BTW, I saw the new 04's in the dealership and I can't say I really like the new grill treatment. Something looks wrong with the grey buck tooth. I mean, it looks great on the new Maxi, but it looks like it was a last minute decision for the Sentra.

sandman46 · May 2003

Will pick up our Molten Silver GXE tomorrow, as they are putting on the pinstripe, door edge guards, and the wheel well moldings right about now. They got me a car with splash guards and some kind of pollen filter. Terry seems to think we got a good price, let's hope all is well!
We are now a 2 car Nissan family as the wife drives a '01 Altima GXE Ltd. Ed. and still loves it.

The Sandman :-)

pghboy · May 2003

My 02 Nissan Sentra is the worst car I have ever owned. It's loud, I feel like I'm going to blow off the road when it's windy, uncomfortable even for short trips and last but not least NO POWER. I hate this car and would run it off a cliff if I could. I would NEVER recommend this car to anyone and this has definitely soured me on Nissan complely. But I'm not bitter.

alpha01 · May 2003

Compared to what? Supra Turbos? Check the numbers in any car magazine- the 126 hp engine in the Sentra delivers excellent fuel economy and acceleration that compares well with the rest of the small car world.

I have never felt like I would blow off the road in my Sentra, but then again, I used to drive a Civic that was much lighter. I also dont think this car is loud.

What was your previous car? Did you not test drive the vehicle before purchase? Did you expect a smaller Maxima? Why did you choose this car in the first place?

I'd feel alot differently about your post if you hated the car due to mechanical failures, it being a "lemon", something like that. That is unacceptable (though inevitable for all makes) and would definitely sour me on the make. That is not the case though. Its your fault you purchased this vehicle, and nobody else's.

~alpha

sandman46 · May 2003

I ahve 2 questions for ya.
(1) Did your gas mileage improve as you racked up the miles on your car. I only have 102 miles and the tank reads a little above 1/2 a tank. I was told that this mileage should improve up till about 5000 miles as by then, the engine is at its peak.
(2) I noticed in the 2 center air vents, the 1 for the passenger blows a stronger air stream then the 1 closer to me. The service guy came out and took off the center tray and explained that the blower motor is on the right side, thus the stronger air flow. Does this sound feasable to you. They have already documented this in the computer for me just in case a problem arises at a later date. They said it was normal.
Any thoughts? So far though, the car feels nice and tight but I plan to baby it for the first 500 or so miles.

The Sandman :-)

alpha01 · May 2003

(1)Averaged only about 24MPG in a 50/50 mix for the first several tank fulls. After about 2000 miles, I have been averaging about 27MPG doing the same routine, and my best observed has been just under 31 MPG.

(2)I have not noticed that, but it certainly sounds feasible to me. On a much broader scale, if you have central air in your dwelling, think of the vents- mine dont blow with the same gusto, ones furthest suffering most.

Happy Motoring,
~alpha

lgoldin · May 2003

Wow. I can never get better than 25 in my 2001 SE. It is mixed city/hwy driving and I drive hard. But still, 2.5L is better in gas mileage than 2.0L. Alpha, what is your driving style?

alpha01 · May 2003

unless I have friends who I'm trying to impress with me in the car

Honestly though, in a car that weighs what? 2750 lbs? it only takes a light tap on the gas to get to speed reasonably quickly. One thing I have noticed, that I dont like- the A/C takes a distinct toll on acceleration.

I drive almost exclusively highways, but often there is heavy stop and go traffic. However, I've massaged my communting times to/from work, and I'd say a fair estimate is 35/65 city/highway.

~alpha

gotb · June 2003

I bought a 2003 Sentra 2.5 LE about one month ago and insured it with GEICO. I used their web site to get a quote and when I typed my car's VIN, it showed as Sentra SE-R... I called GEICO and the rep said 2.5 LE has the same premium rate as SE-R and SE-R Spec V because they have the same engine and performance... Does this make sense? I paid $605 for 6 months... I'm a single 23 yrs old male and never had a car before. The Sentra 2.5 LE is great and I haven't found anything to dislike yet.

giant56 · June 2003

I owned a 98 Maxima SE and my policy vehicle description would show as: 98 Nissan Maxima GLE/GXE/SE because the share the same engine. So the Geico rep. was correct in telling you this. My wife and I also enjoy our 2.5 LE. Went on a 600+ road trip and the car was better than what I expected.

m4d_cow · June 2003

hi there,
I'm trying to find a way to increase my '98 Sentra 1.6's power. Is there any turbo kit available for this model, or at least some other ways to increase the power? And how much is the estimate cost? thanx

sandman46 · June 2003

I just saw the picture on Edmunds of the '04 Sentra, they are now calling the GXE the 1.8S. I personally don't like the front facia or the rear tail lights and do prefer the ones on my recently purchased '03 model. This is just my personal opinion.
So far, the only 2 things I'm not impressed with are the air conditioning and the low mpg's I am getting. The service advisor said the a/c is blowing as strong as it can on all 4 speeds and I'll just have to live with it. They also said the mileage should improve as the engine gets worked in, maybe until about 2500 miles, hope they're right.
Other than that, we all love the car, it fits our needs to a tee! We also all love the Molten Silver color!

The Sandman :-)

lgoldin · June 2003

I saw new Sentra at dealership yesterday and actually like it better than old ones. To me the new one look a bit more aggressive. But it is definitely personal view.
Gas mileage indeed improves after break in. I noticed that after first oil change the mileage is more or less stable.

carscout · June 2003

Im thinking about buying either the 2003 spec-v or 2004 spec-v are there any problems I should know about with these cars? I cant find any good road test reviews on them. Is the engine reliable? Does it need tune ups often? And especially with the exhaust system?

tomcat630 · June 2003

"the Sentra should be completely redesigned for the 2005 model year, based on its history of 5 year term redesigns. the current model was introduced for the 2000 MY."

"Should" is right, but reality is that the 2004 has new updates and there is no word on any "redesigned" 2005 Sentra. Why would they restyle a car to run only 1 year? Thus, it looks like the current Sentra will be sold for 2005 and be a 6 year car.

Looks like the Asians, supposedly known for frequent "all new" cars, are doing what the Big 3 are criticized for, stretching car model runs.

alpha01 · June 2003

You say there is no word on the redesigned Sentra yet, but this is common among the Japanese automakers (though admittedly, less so for Nissan). When both the Camry and Accord received their most recent redesigns, the automakers were mum on details and spy shots showed up only a few months prior to initial release. You may argue that there is no word on a redesigned 2005 Sentra, but there is also no word AGAINST its likelihood. The updates on the 2004 are nothing more than a different front and rear fascia and minor trim and equipment changes. I dont see that as real evidence that a complete redesign is being postponed. Nissan is making a major move in the market, and the Sentra has been a mainstay of its line for years, but the 2004 car is already 5 model years old, and not as roomy or stylish as new entrants, even though it has many strong points. It is being killed by the Corolla and Civic and if Nissan is to maintain its vehicles and image, I'd imagine that it would be beneficial not to let the Sentra continue on into a 6th model year.

~alpha

tomcat630 · June 2003

The "new" 2003 Accord and 2002 Camry were well known and anticipated up prior to their release. Even the 2002 Altima and 2004 Maxima had a prior announcements.

If there is a 2005 Sentra, they would have said so. It would have to be ready for the 2004 Auto shows, which are 6-8 months away. The auto Press would be all over it by now.

If one can get solid proof, like a press release, that there will be an "all new" 2005 Sentra, then I will believe it. Till then, it's all speculation.

alpha01 · June 2003

"The "new" 2003 Accord and 2002 Camry were well known and anticipated up prior to their release."

Yes. Everyone knew they would be redesigned. BUT they didnt appear at auto shows, and there was very little info about them up until, say 2-3 months prior to their arrival. If there is a 2005 Sentra, they would have said so.

I don't agree with your statement "It would have to be ready for the 2004 Auto shows, which are 6-8 months away. The auto Press would be all over it by now." Like I said, the Accord and Camry were not debuted at auto shows, and if you look at the 2000 Sentra which was actually introduced around January of that same year, it was not introed at auto shows, either, from what I remember.

And you are right. For now, with respect to the Sentra, it is all speculation-including your assertion that this model will soldier on for 6 model years, not 5.

~alpha

alpha01 · June 2003

"The "new" 2003 Accord and 2002 Camry were well known and anticipated up prior to their release."

Yes. Everyone knew they would be redesigned. BUT they didnt appear at auto shows, and there was very little info about them up until, say 2-3 months prior to their arrival.

I don't agree with your statement "It would have to be ready for the 2004 Auto shows, which are 6-8 months away. The auto Press would be all over it by now." Like I said, the Accord and Camry were not debuted at auto shows, and if you look at the 2000 Sentra which was actually introduced around January of that same year, it was not introed at auto shows, either, from what I remember.

And you are right. For now, with respect to the Sentra, it is all speculation-including your assertion that this model will soldier on for 6 model years, not 5.

~alpha

louie_j · June 2003

I have a 2003 GXE (1.8L, 5-speed) with 20K miles on it. The car has been flawless since the day I bought it a litle over a year ago. About a week ago, the weirdest thing happened.

I'm sitting at a traffic light, the light turns green and I start to accelerate. When I put the clutch in to shift into second gear the engine basically turns itself off, as if I turned it off with the key. No stumble, just off. While still rolling I try to restart the engine. It won't fire. I coast to the side of the road and try again. Nothing.

I get out and check under the hood looking for loose connections or anything obvious. I check the fuses and relays under the hood. Can't find anything wrong. Get back in the car and try again. It fires right up, no problem. So there I am thinking "what the hell!!".

I have no clue what the problem was. It hasn't done it again, but I'm just wondering if it's the sign of something to come.

malibu_jack · June 2003

I would take it to the dealer and have them run a diagnositics on it. it could have been a computer glitch. Better to catch it early than later when say in the middle of nowhere.

tomcat630 · June 2003

If Nissan does do an all new 2005 Sentra, I'd expect it to be late in the fall of 2004, like the Mazda 6's intro date.

Some recent Asian cars that went over the "5 year cycle". The pre RSX Integra and the 1994-1999 Celica. Some were called a "new generation" because of reskins, like the 2002 Maxima, the 98 Corolla, and the 1998 Mazda 626

alpha01 · June 2003

I would still call those redesigns. New engines, new interiors, completely different exteriors... thats more than just a reskin.

I would agree though, on a late fall 2004 date as a possibility for an 05 Sentra....

~alpha

tomcat630 · June 2003

The 98 Corolla was pretty much the same as before, not all that different. But enough to say "new".

malibu_jack · July 2003

I have a 2001 Sentra GXE. No matter where I take my car for an oil change, the car always smells of burning oil for at least two weeks after. the smell is enough to make me sick. Does anyone else ever experience this? Are these places simply dumping oil all over the manifold or something?

tomcat630 · July 2003

If they are sloppy, yes, I can smell oil also for 1-2 days. But usually no more than that.

ougya · July 2003

I recently noticed a strang thing on my 95 Nissan Sentra and was confused by it. When I start my car in the evening, before I turn on the head light, the display board shows fine (I mean every instrument in the display board are bright to see). But once I turn on the light, the display board is dim and I hardly see any numbers from instruments. However, the head light is as bright as normal. Anyone knows what's wrong?

malibu_jack · July 2003

This might sound silly, but did you check you dashboard illumination knob? If its turned down, as soon as you turn on the headlights, it may appear dim.

2young2retire · July 2003

Happened to me the first time I changed my oil but I saw what caused it and no problem since. The oil filter is directly above the exhaust system and when the filter is removed oil drains onto the piping. Instant oil burning smell for a couple of days. Now before I remove the filter I take a piece of aluminum foil and put it over the exhaust and it keeps the piping clean. The oil gets on the foil, throw away the foil and no mo smell. If you have the oil changed by one of the fast lube places you may have to bring them the foil.

Good luck.

miamicrv1 · July 2003

I read that that the Sentra redesign is scheduled for the 2006 model since both Nissan and Renault are sharing key components for their respective models. If the Sentra turns out looking anything like what's in Renaults line up...I think we'd all be very happy.

I'm looking at buying a gift for my father-in-law. A 2004 Sentra 1.8 with automatic. Total MSRP is $16,598CAN and $17,466CAN with destination and delivery. Any suggestions what we can take the dealer down to...we're going to buy the car either in Victoria or Vancouver

rxu · July 2003

Anyone can give me a hint where the fuel filter is? It's a 2002 Sentra with a 1.8 engine. Thanks!

lgoldin · August 2003

My 2001 Sentra SE is rated at 32 mpg on highway. Till yesterday could not get any better than 28mpg. But I was always driving with an average speed of 85mph with a lot of fast accelerations and fun. Yesterday I took a trip with 3 hours one way. Highway was empty and there was a high chance of meeting a cruiser, so I set my cruise control to 75mph both ways with AC turned OFF. I was absolutely astonished by the gas consumption of this trip. It returned 36mpg!!! I was really surprised. I would expect a difference, but not that much. I am just wondering if 75mph is a sweet spot or the engine is loosened so well. Did anybody experienced this?

sandman46 · August 2003

With 2005 miles on the odo, some new problems cropped up today. There is a leak in the front passengers wheel well under the dash. It's probaly from the a/c and has been leaking there for about a week now, but really leaking today. Hopefully the hose is pinched or is clogged. Also, the rear door drivers side pull came off in my daughters hand as she closed the door this afternoon, the whole unit popped out. Will bring car in this week to address these 2 problems.
Also, the gas mileage is still not that great, but with just over 2k miles, the engine is not fully worked in yet.
Ah, the joys of new car ownership, thank G-d I have this next week off!!

The Sandman :-((

lngtonge18 · August 2003

Maybe you should have listened to the glowing reports of my Lancer? hehehe

j/k

But seriously, hope this is the last of your problems. What kind of mileage are you getting and under what conditions? Unfortunately, it seems most "economy" cars are no longer getting good mileage. All in the name of power I guess. I have always preferred four cylinders for their added efficiency, but bought my first V6 a few months ago. I doubt I will ever go back now. The small gains in fuel economy aren't worth the lack of power and refinement.

sandman46 · August 2003

Only getting about 23.5 miles in all city driving, service advisor assurred me this would change after 1st oil change and about 5k miles on the odo. Is this a feasible answer?
Wish the Lancer had 15" wheels and a bit nicer dash. The brakes are really great on the Sentra also.

The Sandman :-)

alpha01 · August 2003

My 03 2.5LE gas mileage comparitively went through the roof after my first oil change at 3750 miles, so judging by my experience, you can take the service advisor's word as truth. Apparently, they use a special break-in oil out of the factory, though I'm not really sure how that relates to fuel economy (?) but thats what I was told. This was also the reason I was told NOT to change my oil any sooner than the owners manual recommendation.

I'm sorry to hear of your two problems with your Sentra, but I'm sure they'll be easily remedied.

~alpha

adorable · August 2003

1. Tires.
Also look at the Bridgestone RE730 tires. They're the next generation replacement for the RE71 tires, and I've driven them both.

The RE71 is fun, grippy, and cheap but good low-profile tires, but the RE730 ups the RE71 in three respects - 1. better wet grip, 2. stellar treadwear of 300., 3. quieter than the RE71 -- all w/o losing the grip or performance of the RE71 tires.

I'm very happy with my 205R50/15's on my older 93' Sentra.

tirerack has user ratings for the RE71 and the Yoko's and they're similar in performance and so forth.

2. The rest of the G20 body is boring, but at least it has an attractive toosh. Can't say much for the new Sentra design, which obviously doesn't strike any love accord with me from any angle.

3. Test drove a third SE w/perf. package and I can say that along with the other two reviews I posted earlier, the 2K Sentra SE just isn't 'tight' enough to be worth it for me to upgrade from my '93.

I think I've narrowed some of the mushiness down to a few things.
a. soft suspension. Yep, even with the perf. pack., it's just feels soft and mushy around corners. vague steering and feedback contributes (maybe the non-low profile tires, too).
b. Higher seating than the '93. As a result, w/o lengthening the wheelbase significanlty over the '93' model, you get sort of a floaty feel that emphasizes the bounciness of the suspension more. side to side squishiness is felt more as well.
c. It's just not a SE-R!

Maybe they'll have a 180HP later next year with improved suspension, but their latest tack to go cheap and sell to the basic means they've taken some steps that reduce the 'fun' of the SE model.

In any case, it doens't feel as good whipping the SE around traffic or corners as does my '93 on 205R50/15's. Something unsure about the feedback, and I'm not wanting to do 360's by accident on the new SEs.

As for acceleration, I could fall asleep. The tiny engine really doesn't do justice in this heavier body, and 8.0+ sec. 0-60 times (as tested by the major mags.) really isn't anything to run home about. A V-6 Camry or Accord will easily follow you to the next light w/o huffing much, maybe even beating you (a family car even!)

=

Baby needs a suspension upgrade and NOS/turbo!

However, I would strongly suggest all buyers get the SE model for the bigger engine and not the wimpy base engine -- you'll need every bit of HP you can get and the wimpy engine will make you want to craw under rocks when merging onto freeways. Don't be dumb and try to save some extra $$ on this point - it isn't worth it at all.

----

Anyways, along with the other notable mistakes I've noted before, that's it for the SE model. Out of the competition and I'll be looking for something faster and more stable at high speeds in my next vroom.vroom. (At least a Toyota Celica or something with a bigger engine...)

Lacking points noted earlier:
1. Cupholders still can't hold a double big gulp, and the silly removable insert to switch between big and small cups is silly vs. the all-in-one design of the past two generations of Sentras. Cost cutting here. Just where are you gonna put the insert you've removed for the bigger cups? iN your lap? in the silly popup box in the dash that's too tiny? At least they put some rubber pad in the empty compartment slot under the radio & AC to prevent things from sliding out -- but that's another dumb-fix, too - how about angling the entire slot downwards a bit so that things never slide out even without a pad?
2. cheap plastic feel to the knobs, esp. air and radio. like they'll break or something. not as smooth as in prior years.
3. Don't see the dual antennas of the 93' body year for the radio. back to one antenna and poorer reception. cheaper and cheaper...
4. No trunk light. Eh? how can they -take out- a feature found in my 93' sentra?!? that's two features they've removed!
5. Stupid migration of the trunk release to the front dash. you spend a few minutes looking down there for it, then realize they've moved it. then spend a couple more sessions later trying to find the trunk release over and over again until you pick it up. Stick the release down there Nissan ! where we 'expect' it to be next to the gas tank. No reason they should have moved this latch at all.
6. Stage II perf. pckag. that isn't. You will still have to replace the wheels and shocks with better to get away from the floatiness even an import tuner mag said they found with the latest Sentra SE. While upper limit performance may be as good or better, the Corolla has somewhat more feedback in the suspension than the floaty Sentra, IMO.
7. Dumb change to the remote window operation. Now it is a pad on a stick rather than a stick, making it more difficult to adjust. Copy Nissan, copy!! Look at how Honda did their pad. Harder to adjust and use than in models before.
8. Two buttons on the cruise, one for cruise on, another for cruise off. Er? What's wrong with simply one button to toggle it on/off? One button inside another too, so you don't know which controlls which until you memorize.
9. Less useable trunk? Rather than being less tall and wider like the '93', it is not higher, but has a greater tuck in where the tires on both sides are. As a result, I don't believe you can stick in as wide of a board into the trunk as before. Smaller lid means it's tougher to get to items way back there.
10. Tiny sunroof. Maybe Nissan should look at at least the Honda Civic 93-95 sunroof? That at least is better positioned and lets in sunlight the -right- way. Not way back behind your head like the sentra. (Besides, how can we stick our arms out on corners and wave? =-])
11. More of an enclosed feel. Not as panoramic as a Civic, not as airy as the older Sentras, and an overall tighter, closed in feel. maybe good for slower, older drivers, but not good if you need to want some space. rear seat room is tiny and forget anybody taller than 5'8" there or you'll be aching over bumps.
12. vague steering. not like a civic at all, nor my 93'. like you can't tell where the wheels are doing much at all, so that limits high-performance maneuvers. great for slow cruising perhaps, but even then, it's more annoying than good. Maybe this is what happens when a well-designed Japanese car gets redesigned in America? becomes a Buick floater...
13. Not white, white dials. Titanium is their name and it's an annoying light gray. hard to read in glare and bright daylight at times, harder than a basic white on black dial, and you do wonder why they couldn't make it pure, bright white for the highest possible contrast.
14. Uninspiring design. Get's lost quickly. Even the honeycomb grille with waterspots looks very old at the dealer lot. Why can't they put some thought into it and make it look better when dirty, like the Civic? (maybe that's why the civic sells better....) The design looks dated, esp. sitting next to the wierd Maximas on the lots.
15. Outside mirrors don't cover both sides as well as the Civic (eg '95 year) does. The left hand mirror on the 95' civic is esp. good at covering your blind spots, allowing for squeeze traffic here in LA much easier than the Sentra mirrors.

------------------------

Other than that, a decently good buy for the low $15K price of a new SE and the features you get in a car at this level. Just don't expect to smoke any Civic Si's however, or do high speed turn tricks or you'll find yourself in big trouble... And make sure you can live with the silly design mistakes they've put into this year's design (and I'd also say wait for the brand-new 2001 Civic to arrive later this year to compare before buying anything in this range, too).

d

lngtonge18 · August 2003

23.5 is pretty low for a 1.8 liter four cylinder. My 2.7 liter V6 automatic is currently getting 21-22 mpg in pure city driving and I only have 3k miles. It has dropped as low as 19 and gone as high as 23. The mileage is rated at 20/26. But anyway, if your car is like my Lancer or Accent, you should see a big gain in fuel economy around 8-12k. My Lancer initially got as low as 23 but now consistently gets 26-27 in the city even though it is only rated at 24.

sandman46 · August 2003

This seems to be the gist of it all. I'll be patient and see what happens within the next 3k to 4k miles.
Thanks again all!

The Sandman :-(

gotb · August 2003

It's been almost three months since I bought my 2003 Sentra LE and the car has 2,300 miles now. About 80% was short trip city driving(My job is only 2.5 miles away). Should I get the oil changed now or wait till 3,750 miles? The manual says 3,750 miles or 3 months... I didn't know Nissan used a special break-in oil out of the factory.

sandman46 · August 2003

The service department told me to wait till 3750 until the 1st oil change. Have an appointment tomorrow to fix the broken door handle and check the a/c leak into the car.
He also told me the mileage should improve about the 5k mark. We'll see. Still am very happy with the car.
Wish me luck tomorrow!

The Sandman :-)

mxyzptlk · August 2003

Hi,

I'm going to be pruchasing my first car soon and needed some opinions. I decided to get a used car and I'm trying to decide between a Sentra GXE, Protege, and Hyundai Elantra. Just wanted to get some opinions and suggestions on my choices.

malibu_jack · August 2003

I won't be looking at another Sentra for a while....Although this has been the best car I have ever owned/leased, I doubt I will be getting another. Here is why:

First of all, the service I have reveived from Nissan has been craptastic...Every time I took the car in to have something inspected I would be charged $25 for each item / problem that could not be located or reproduced. This is the case for all three nissan dealers in town. This doesn't seem right to me. Are US Nissan Dealers like this? The last time I took my car in, I tried Walkley Nissan in Ottawa to have my brakes inspected and to have a couple of warrenty items looked at. The car sat on the lot from 7:30am to 4:30pm without being addressed. This was discovered when I called to see it if was ready to be picked up at around 3pm. Basically I was charge $40 for the inspection, non of the warrenty work was done, and was given an estimate of $600 for front rotor and pad replacement even though the rotors were only 1 year old with 15,000 KM on them. Sounds Fishy doesn't it? Well after a llong debate with the service manager, I took the car back in the next day, and had agreed on new pads, machined rotors (dealer claimed they were warped) and a brake cleaning for about $100 (no labour costs). He treated me right, but is this something I would have to deal with each and every time I take my car in? A friend also has a nissan and takes it to them for servicing and its not uncommon for them to not get around to his vehicle on the same day.

All that aside, I get the feeling that this car is trying to hurt me...I have never been injured so much with any other car before. Here is a summary of all the injurioes I have had with this car to date:

-Door closed while getting out causing the corner to jam into my pector muslces (twice)
-Seat belt locked when using my finger to grab it causing my finger to bend backwards (ouch)
-sliced my finger on the Exhaust pipe while washing the car
-gouged my forhead on the corner of the door while going in to vacume (the door started to shut as I leaned down to get in)
-Major car accident in my first year (Cheap crappy Dunlop tires) which caused $5000 damamge

Sigh...

sandman46 · August 2003

After going to 2 different Nissan dealers yesterday, a tiny crack was found in some plastic piece of the a/c unit right behind the console, which explained why the water was dripping into the car. I did have to go back with the 2nd service advisor and show him and the mechanic where the carpet was wet. They came out saying the carpet was dry. Took them back to the service bay, picked up the floor mat, and guess what...water!! Real geniouses these two!
The part has to be ordered from Jacksonville and have an appointment for the repair, I hope< on friday. The whole dash may have to come out to fix it properly. Bummed out because I hope these bozos are capable of putting everything back together correctly. Only have 2200 miles on the car, so a little miffed.
Besides that and the rear door handle coming out, fixed by the 1st dealership, the car drives very smoothly and I do enjoy it. But so goes it when one buys a new car!
Thanks all for letting me vent about yesterday, I feel so much better!!

The Sandman :-(

sandman46 · August 2003

Just got home from the dealer, and the a/c is finally fixed. There was a 1/2 inch hole in the plastic piece which the evaparator sits on behind the dash area, the mechanic assurred me this is where the leak was coming from. Only time will tell, but on the way home, no water leaking and the carpet stayed dry. Time will tell. A pretty long job though, dropped it off at 9:15 this morning and brought around to me at 2:20.
Wish me luck all and hopefully, this will be my only warranty issue!!

The Sandman :-)

lgoldin · August 2003

I wish you luck and hopefully it is your ONLY issue with the car

quark99 · August 2003

Just clicked over 100,000 miles in my 2000 SE 5-SP. It's been a great, fast, fun, and reliable car
History of Problems:
1)Replaced front wheel bearings (heard a noise)
2) That's it!

Upkeep I did:
Oil Changes @ 3500 mile intervals
Tires @ 30,000 mile intervals (Z-Rated Tires)
Wiper Blades (I was bored)
Brake Pads (they looked thin)
Radiator Flushed @ 85000 miles
Tranny Oil changed @ 40000 mile intervals
All other fluids kept full and clean

Vehicle Condition:
Clutch is still strong, all else holding up
well. Usual 100,000 miles worth of Freeway
Road/Gravel Nicks on front bumper cover and
leading edge of hood.
Interior still untorn and unscratched.
Everything still works, AC, Heater, all lights,
sunroof, door locks, windows, etc., all electrical correct and works well.
180W 7-spkr stereo still blasts.

I hope everyone else's Sentra hold up as well
as this car-I plan on hitting 250,000 miles

-quark

tomcat630 · August 2003

Automotive News reported that the next generation Sentra is for 2006 model year, as someone sated above. Not the usual 5 year cycle, as some earlier insisted.

Looks like Asian makes are seeing how costly it is to make "all new" cars.

alpha01 · August 2003

Or possibly Nissan has just had so much going on in recent years (Altima, Maxima, 350Z and 350Z Roadster, G35 sedan and coupe, Murano, FXs, Quest, upcoming Titan and Armada...) that there just werent enough resources (capital or equipment) to allocate. Just a guess.

~alpha

angrynissan1 · August 2003

Okay, I bought my car from Mark Escude in Jackson, MS with only 7 miles on it. I bought it in December of 2000. I was told when I left that if "I take care of my car, my car will take care of me." I was also told that I should be receiving more paper work and my extra set of keys in the mail. I did not get either of these items. After several months of waiting, I had to drive all the way back to Jackson from Laurel, MS and ask them about the items-they said they did not know what I was talking about. When I asked about my extra set of keys, they could not find them and that they had already sent them (or should have)->but then someone finds them and gives them to me.

Then, for the first few months, I had a blast with my new car. No problems. No problems until the recalls. I had 3 recalls within the first year.
When I took my car for one of the recalls, the mechanic at Columbus Nissan in Mississippi tells me that one of the pieces to my air conditioner had been broken and that the freon had leaked out every where. Now, this was not my fault. Up until then, I had been taking my car to get its oil changed every 3,000 miles. The part was something that I could not just break-so it was a defect from when I bought it. They had to replace the part and fill up my car with freon-which I had to pay for. This whole time I was sitting and waiting for about 8 hours and was late for work. They told me originally that it would take less then 3 hours so I waited b/c that was the city I had to work in. They seemed real nice about it but I was worried that they would find other things that were wrong with my car.
At that time, my engine light had come on. I thought it was the recalls, and the mechanic said it might be that and that it might be the air conditioning part that had broken. I fixed it and it cost me about $175. He told me that my light should then go off in the next couple days-it didn't.
Recently, within the last month, my car stopped completely on me at a stop light. Well, I took it in to Chris Posey Nissan in Laurel, MS and they told me that it was the sensor that was messed up and then they insisted that I get a 'fuel iduction' which I have no idea what it was. When I asked them-they told me it was something to get done every 60K miles-now mind you, my car's service soon light has been on for over a year and it has less then 50K miles on it at the time. So they ordered the part and I paid $124. I was told that my sensor should work and that the service light should go off-it didn't and my car stopped again while at a light.
I take it back to the same dealer and they say that I need the fuel induction thing again. Then they put it on the machine and they tell me it was the 'idle air valve'. Okay-which is correct?
Anyways, it would cost me $100 for the part and $100 for the labor. I said I would bring it back. Then they call and tell me that a part has come in for my car. I ask them about the part-apparently they ordered a part for my car without asking me and without telling me that I needed it. Keep in mind-I did not order the part and did not give permission for them to order the part. The part was not part of the idle air valve.
So, my car is currently sitting in front of my house and can barely go down the street without stopping on me when I slow down or break.

Nissan Sentra 2006 and earlier

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