Faults:

I had to replace the brake pads because they have never been replaced before.

The P,D,R,1 & 2 panel does not light up when headlights are turned on which makes it harder to read at nigh.

General Comments:

This is a very good quality car for the money.

Runs much better then my previous car and has more pick-up.

But interior space, especially the back seat is quite small compared to my previous car. But that's not too big of a deal.

Faults:

At 63,000 klm. engine sensor left my wife stranded in Lachute Quebec about 30klm from my dealer. Nissan towed the car back and fixed it all on warranty although the 60.000 klm. warranty was up! (I had complained about the engine sensor prior to this) but it only lit-up the trouble light when it rained, by the time I would take it in to the dealer it would be fine. At 68,000 klm. one of the valve cover gaskets leaked and oil was going into one of the sparkplug wells. Dealer also fixed this no charge. They pick-up my car at home and leave me a loaner and drop the car back when its done even though my home is about 40 klm away. Service has been very, very good.

General Comments:

This car is my third Sentra. I still have a 1994 base two door and except for tires, mufflers (replaced by Nissan at no cost) and alternator and the speedometer that gave up, it's still running well. The 2001 XE is much improved and has a better ride and the pick-up is better with the 1.8 LT engine compared to the 1.6 on the 94.

Faults:

Trunk developed leak at 35000 miles. Water started leaking in thru right rear suspension mount. Dealer said extended warranty does not cover leaks (fine print proved him right). Fixed at local auto-body shop $150.

Changed tires at 45000 miles.

Brakes wore out at 55000 miles. Replaced brake pads and had rotors resurfaced - $580.

General Comments:

The car is fun to drive. It handles well and has sufficient power to give it a bit of a zip. Drives well in snow.

Except for the leak in the trunk, it has been very reliable. I do 600 mile trips every other weekend and it has never stranded me.

The front seats are comfortable, but I would not travel in the back seat for long drives.

Storage space inside the car is ample with sufficient cup holders and two 12 volt DC outlets for the radar detector and the cell phone charger.

The car could do with better sound-proofing. Tire sounds get annoying depending on road surface.

Overall a very good value for money.

Faults:

Nothing--the mechanicals have all worked perfectly and nothing has fallen off or broken.

General Comments:

The Sentra is my first car, and I'm happy to report that my experience has been excellent.

Don't let this car's small stature fool you--it feels more expensive than it actually is. The doors close with a reassuring thud, and the car has a general lack of squeaks and rattles--it has withstood three years of Minnesota potholes. Nissan did not skimp on interior materials--the door trim and fabrics are well-matched, and still feel like new. My only suggestion for improvement would be more thigh support in the seats.

Performance is reasonable if not outstanding for a car of this price range. The engine has plenty of grunt around town, but buyers may wish to opt for a manual transmission to wring the most performance out of the car. That said, the automatic transmission shifts smoothly, and the engine revs and idles quietly. The car tracks well on the highway, and handles nicely. You won't mistake it for a sports car, but, when driven aggressively, it is respectable.

My dealer experience has been excellent--I highly recommend Feldmann Imports to anyone in the Minneapolis area!

The gas mileage is phenomenal-i-taverages about 35mpg under my lead foot.

I would highly recommend the Sentra to anyone looking for a low-priced, high-quality car. Also, Nissan makes a more powerful (albeit more expensive and less fuel-efficient) version of the car for those who need a little more performance.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Nissan has gone to great lengths to improve upon its "compact" car. This is a fun and sporty car for us commuters that still like great gas mileage!