Faults:

Electromagnetic clutch brushes needed replacing at 51k miles - soldered in similar-sized brushes for a 12V alternator (€7 plus a few hours of head-scratching, but Nissan wanted €250 or so, no thanks).

One of the rear brake cylinders was leaking at 51k miles - replaced both rears, a bit expensive (~€200!).

Passenger side electric window switch failed, which seemed to stop central locking on that side from working properly - rewired around it so at least the other switch on the driver's side works, which fixed both problems.

General Comments:

The CVT gearbox feels very nice, giving smooth acceleration with no jerky gear changes, but the 1.0L engine unsurprisingly doesn't give a whole lot of power.

The power steering is nice and light, although the wheel rubs slightly against the dashboard cowl on the right side.

Suspension feels a bit sloppy, so fast cornering isn't very comfortable. Apart from that and the lack of power, it's extremely relaxing to drive!

A lot of the problems people report with the CVT are due to the brushes which supply power to the electromagnetic clutch. These carbon brushes wear down over time due to constant friction against the slip ring of the clutch. When the CVT warning light comes on, remove the brush assembly and see if they're worn down to stubs. Nissan wanted €220 EX VAT for a replacement brush assembly. Instead, I soldered in similar-sized brushes for an alternator (the shop charged €7) and they've been working fine for 3 months now!

However, if and when the clutch or CVT gearbox really fail, the repair cost would be beyond the value of the car.

Faults:

Front light system required replacing (£120 in total).

Cross-member corroded, requiring welding (£150).

Bulbs appear to blow - front and back lights.

Gearbox is stiff getting into 3rd gear.

General Comments:

Good value car, economical to run.

Handles smoothly and runs well.

Disappointed that there was corrosion and a problem with the bulbs. Apparently these are common problems on Micras according to my mechanic.

Faults:

Cat heat shield fell off, no big deal however.

General Comments:

I bought this car for the purposes of commuting to university, also a good excuse to sell my unreliable Vectra DTi. It came with a full service history and was totally and utterly mint. It looked good in silver. Insurance group 3 was an added bonus.

In the time I owned it, it never let me down once. Everything worked as it should, and the engine always ran sweetly. The only thing to go wrong was the heat shield around the catalytic converter rusted off, but I caught it before it finally let go totally, and it spent the rest of the time in the boot.

It's not the fastest car in the world, but considering the little 1.0 engine, it's to be expected. However, it was a bit tiring at motorway speeds, the engine really having to work about 70mph, but the seats were comfortable enough for it to not be such a concern. One thing I did find, was any sort of 'spirited' driving really dented the fuel economy, but I found I was getting roughly 52mpg during the daily commute to and from work. Engine has a cam chain too, so less outlay required for belt changes.

Sadly however, the car's life was tragically cut short when it was hit in stationary traffic, pushing it into the car in front. It was declared a write-off, as the boot floor was seriously deformed. Although considering the accident damage, the boot and bonnet still opened, and the car still started and drove.

Because I liked this one, I've now gone out and bought another, however a 1.4 this time for motorway comfort. Saying that, I highly recommend a 1.0 for new drivers, and city environments where it seems happiest.