Faults:
Water pump just leaved this world (and a lot of coolant on the ground) someday.
Brakes are squeaking.
Rust has taken over the whole chassis, engine bay, most components, and some parts of the body.
The first week I got it, I had an accident due to worn rear suspension and tires.
General Comments:
This car is an excellent daily driver. I've got the four door version, so it's very practical. Requires about no maintenance, and very economical (about 20$/500km)
Cargo space is huge, especially in the trunk! Much bigger than most 4 seater sedans, particularly the new ones.
The performance is a joke. Mainly because the clutch is not adapted to aggressive driving. When trying to get some fast acceleration, you either get near to stalling the engine, or end up spinning the wheels forever. I've been faster than most civics (and newer KIAs) though.
Handling is not excellent (my previous Micra handled way better). Seems like the center of gravity is too high, and most of the weight is located in the front of the car.
2nd Jan 2006, 19:34
I have a Nissan Sentra SE-R and it is a 1992. It has over 200,000 miles on it and still runs just fine except for that noise you may be talking about. I came to the conclusion that one of the valves was blown. Regardless the car still runs, but it was not advisable. I looked into repairing it at the cost of just over $1000.00. It was a small price to pay when you consider how much a new auto costs. Yes they are great cars and I would say it could easily run to 300,000 miles or more.