23rd Jun 2004, 09:42

I was reading the comments prior to putting one one this website and I want to say that I was amazed at what I read concerning the 1986 Nissan Stanza Wagon. I purchase one for 100 dollars and I invested a little money into it 1000.00 and the car is a good runner. My main use for it was to transport baseball equipment and little league players around in all season long. I am completely satisfied with this purchase you have to learn how to take care of a automobile to keep it running good a long time.

20th Aug 2004, 16:25

We love Stanza Wagons so much that we have over the years bought 5 of them (some for parts, some we drove until the wheels fell off). Never liked a car so much nor found one more comfortable to ride in. Still driving one today!

8th Oct 2004, 19:24

1988 Nissan Stanza

This car is ugly, but it never fails to start, not even on cold days. Mine has gone through two timing belts.

A real pain to replace, but worth it when you are done. Overall it's been one heck of a good car. I would buy another one.

6th Aug 2005, 11:07

Just bought a 86 Nissan Stanza Wagon for $50, put about $1,000 including 5 new tires, love the car, but having a really hard time finding parts or another one I can rob parts, am getting ready today to try to install a cd/radio in her. I love her, she has 110k on her and I know I'll get a lot more, just a few things to fix like tail light and back bumper, but no where to find the bumper or a front drivers fender. She's great and with todays cars she can't be classified as ugly, take a look at the new cars for ugly.

4th Dec 2005, 23:42

Best vehicle I have owned. 1986 with 140000 miles and runs like clockwork. All that was required is due maintenance.

22nd Feb 2007, 15:39

My car is nicknamed "the Turtle". It's a 1988 Nissan Stanza Wagon 4WD that I paid $911 for on an EBay auction. It jumps to life with the first turn of the key. With 140,000 miles, I'm the third owner. The car lived most of its life in PA (no salt). The body is has no rust - almost flawless, but for a pencil sized ding here & there. The interior appears untouched! Its insane. Got to love all the little extras. A second set of radio controls that are easy to reach for volume/search. Storage in the door handles. An extra large rear hatch that opens wide & out of the way. Speakers everywhere. The 2 rear sliders are amazing. I wonder why it took so long for other builders to catch on?! Because of its amazing turtle looks & starting speed, I'm sure its among the least of Americas stolen vehicles. I love this car!

1st Mar 2007, 16:38

I was given my '86 Nissan Stanza wagon a year ago. The transmission was fried, but I found one. $800 in parts and freight and a lot of grunting got the thing running. It's a great little car with lots of character. My daughters call it the "Spy Call" because of all the "secret compartments" and they love the jump seats in the back, although I've never let them ride there.

It's got 144,000 miles on it and runs like a swiss watch.

I love this little thing, and I hope it lasts a long time.

31st Aug 2007, 23:23

I have an 87 Nissan Stanza Wagon XE and am the original owner. I have approximately 160,000 miles on it -- don't know since the cable snapped in Dec. 2004 and the mechanic said it can't be replaced. I've spent $2100 in repairs on this car: One clutch, an AC compressor, a seal, and a distributor cap unit which overheated. I've put 4 sets of tires on it. I have babied this car.

It looks mostly new and the interior is fine. I wash the seats every two years and they come out looking like new. Nothing fades. The original radio works. The speakers are worse for wear -- I'll probably upgrade to a CD/Radio unit with new speakers after all these years.

I have driven it on vacations including Red Mountain Pass in Colorado, which is 11,000 feet, and everywhere in California and Florida. Between vacations, I probably drive it 5,000 miles a year. It hardly was used the year I was in Taiwan, and I was plainly unfaithful when I bought a Jeep Cherokee for five years.

During those years, the Nissan patiently waited for me to regain my sense. With $3.00 gas prices, I clearly have. It gets about 28 or 30 mpg, especially here in Florida which is flat. I turn off the air conditioner when I want a fast start or need to cross a busy highway. The car is fairly peppy still. The AC is ice cold, no doubt due to its purchase in July 1998 in Northern Michigan when the previous compressor gave out.

It hauls lumber, bags of pebbles for my garden and all sorts of Home Depot materials. I've carried two chest of drawers, plywood, and sheetrock -- not all at the same time. Originally, I bought the car to haul my son and his soccer team around. Now I carry banana plants, lumber and anything else I need for a large garden.

I paid $13,000 for the car in 1987. Since then, I figure I have saved $25,000 in other car purchase costs, interest, and inflation. I put my son through the University of Virginia from 1995-1999, so I feel I have the numbers right. Surely, if I bought a new Toyota Highlander or a Honda Element, I would have to spend more than $20,000 and there would be interest to pay since I don't have the cash to buy it clear. This is money I'd rather spend on my house. If I ever bought a new car, it would probably be an Element.

This has been a great car. Oddly, my sons never learned to drive it with its stick shift -- must have seemed too old fashioned. My wife never learned either. I must have saved the cost of several clutches as result.

I've gotten more interested in conservation -- I moved closer to work and am bicycling more. I fill the tank once every two weeks. I doubt if I'll ever sell it although parts have to be sent in from California.

The plastic fitting of the triangle where the driver's door is nearly touching the windshield is cracked badly from heat. I expect to make a repair by wandering around Home Depot and finding some material to cover it or replace it. This is the only defect on a flawless body.