1996 Infiniti G20 2.0 liter I4 (SR20DE) gasoline
Summary:
Very disappointing
Faults:
After 7 days of owning it, the car broke down on me during heavy rain at a stop sign. It had to be towed to a nearby garage to be fixed. It needed the following:
New radiator.
New serpentine belts.
New battery, because the battery in the car was too small. The previous owner installed it.
Total cost: $1,025.
Another week later, the car broke down again, this time at a stoplight, and some good Samaritans helped me push the car to the side of the road.
Once again, it had to be towed, and now it needs a new fuel pump for $400 or $500.
In the end, I will likely have spent $4,000 on this car in total.
General Comments:
This was my first real car purchase, and I bought it because I wanted something smaller, more practical, more fuel efficient, and something different from a Corolla, Civic, or Sentra. I paid $2,000 for it (which is the good condition value according to KBB), and now I think I made a bad purchase. I should have inspected the car more thoroughly, or taken it to a mechanic before I bought it.
Cosmetically it was not perfect, because the silver paint is baked, and the passenger leather seat has a tear in it. It also has bad radio amplifiers, but I don't care about that much. I also spent a whole day removing the peeling window tint, which by the way is not fun to do. I used a steam cleaner and a razor blade to do this.
I wanted to like this car, and I wanted to make the best of it. I don't think Infiniti G20s are terrible overall, but mine is not one of the better ones. I was hoping to find a 5 speed (either a base model with cloth seats or a G20t), but they are hard to find. I wish now that I waited a little longer to find one.
If I knew it was this bad of a car, I would have either paid $1,500 tops or walked away. This is also my spare car, so I do have another car, which is a lot more reliable than the G20. I am debating whether to keep the car or sell it. I know I will lose some money if I do sell, but I think I'll be sticking with my Acura RL for a little longer.
At least there are some pros such as:
Styling.
Visibility.
Small size.
The cool sounding door chime.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 27th April, 2012
28th Apr 2012, 06:50
Hey, we feel your pain. But you overpaid on the car (we all did once or twice in our lives). However, you do have a legendary engine in it (SR20DE), the same one they used in the first Sentra SE-R.
Sounds like you may be done with major repairs for a while (keep your fingers crossed on the transmission). If the motor is in good condition, you can keep the engine, sell the body (you won't get much) and either swap into your future project car or sell the engine on e-bay. But, hopefully you can keep this; as Nissan products back then were known for their fuel pump problems (Sentra's especially), which you took care of already.
GOOD LUCK!
20th Feb 2013, 16:43
There is no way that a radiator, two belts, and a battery, including labor costs over $1000. You got taken. You need to call around and get some competitive quotes before you let someone start repairs. I own a 2002 G20. You should have paid no more than $500.
Fuel pump should have been done for around $400.
All of these items are normal maintenance for the miles you had. Things do not last forever.
27th Apr 2012, 08:34
The car is 16 years old and has 130k on it, that is normal wear and tear dude. Seriously? I own a Ford, and have only owned one import, which was a 90 Honda Accord (awesome car). When they get older, you expect it to run/be as reliable as a new car?