Nissan loses its relevance

[97 F350]

Maybe it was a lemon - I don't know - but it turned me off Nissan for good. What's funny is I really liked the Renault Encore I had a few years earlier which everybody calls a turd. Great college car - cheap to fill up. Only reason I got rid of it at 110k was it was not the studiest vehicle ever built. I rear-ended a Silverado and scratched his bumper a bit. Completely totaled the front of the Encore - like smashing a beer can on your head.

[silvrsvt]

Only reason I got rid of it at 110k was it was not the studiest vehicle ever built. I rear-ended a Silverado and scratched his bumper a bit. Completely totaled the front of the Encore - like smashing a beer can on your head.

 

I think all Renaults where like that..my dad got rear ended by a Renault Fuego in his 1986 Escort GT going into work...the Escort had a scratch or two on the bumper and the well where the spare was pushed in a bit, but you don't tell it from the outside...mean while the Fuego was just about totaled in the front with it leaking out coolant all over the place.

[Eel]

Wow, guess I'm the only one who likes Nissan around here.

 

Wife has an '04 Altima, no issues except having the front struts replaced twice in 80K mile. Then again, I think that is more my wifes driving than the car. She's very hard on her vehicles, taking speed bumps and dips much too quick.

 

Mother still drives her '96 Sentra. Only major item to replace was the clutch at 105K miles, otherwise normal up keep.

 

My brother had a '93 Honda Civic coupe (maybe '94) while I had a '93 Sentra SE-R coupe. During the time we owned these vehicles, his was in the shop many more times than my Sentra. Can't remember the issues, but it was a much more costly vehicle to keep running than the Sentra was. Only major items replaced on the SE-R were a CV boot and alternator. Also, the Sentra was a much better performer in the ricer category than his Civic.

 

I will admit for the most part, the interior quality of Nissan's aren't nearly as good as Honda or Toyota (Yota of the past not currently). But from my experience, they are just as reliable Honda/Toyota counterpart.

 

 

I have had experience mostly with Nissans and Fords. Since we are discussing Nissan let me share my experience. I had a white '92 SE-R, and it was a really great car. The only down side to it was that it always was slow to start, from new. Engine turned over a lot before finally starting, but once started, it ran great. Traded it in for a new '98 SE-R, which was also a good car, much better equipped, but just not quite as fast. The '98 had several issues upon delivery, but the dealer did make things right.

 

My wife has an aging Altima, 2002, with 64,000 miles. Has been a good car, with only occasional problems. It gets 30 or over MPG on the highway. It is 4 cyl. This engine runs good, but it has always sounded a little rough. Had money been more plentiful, this car would have been traded just due to it's age.

 

I currently drive a '06 Frontier, which has been a very good vehicle. I will probably keep it at least 3-4 more years unless it starts having problems. It is the ideal size truck for me as I have very limited parking space and do not haul a great deal. I have had 1800 lbs of concrete mix and blocks on it, and it handled it just fine.

 

Finally, the gem among the Nissans in our family is my mother's 1997 Black SE-R. She seldom drives it, I take it out just to keep it limber and the battery charged. It has 11,000 actual miles, always garaged, never any damage. She never drives it in bad weather. She bought it new in the fall of '96. I change the oil twice a year, wash it for her and generally maintain it. She will probably have it until she no longer drives.

 

Once they quit offering 2 dr. SE-R's, I lost all interest in them.

 

The new Nissans are OK, but I doubt if I would consider them very strongly when trading. Our local Nissan/Honda dealer closed this year and that will hurt sales of both in this area. Someone will probably open them back up when the economy improves, but that may take awhile.

 

Anyway, we will be shopping Ford primarily when we trade, if we can deal with them satisfactorily.