2002 Infiniti G20 Sport 2.0 from North America

Summary:

Most reliable, low cost fun car you can buy

Faults:

Rear O2 sensor replaced at 20,000 miles, covered under warranty.

Replaced the upper and lower control arms and sway bar links at 130,000 miles. Normal service. Use only Nissan or Febi (Bilstein) upper control arms. All the others are of poor quality and will not last. In fact the Febi units are better than the Nissan ones. You can tell if you need upper control arms, if you get a knocking sound when going over bumps.

Replaced the shocks at all four wheels at 150,000 miles. Normal service.

Driver's rear caliper piston seized at 160,000 miles. I disassembled and cleaned both rear calipers and bled the system. Works fine now. I bleed the system every couple of years now.

Starter motor replaced at 170,000 miles.

Front hood rusted through under the grille. Entire hood replaced under warranty by dealer at no cost to me. Rust due to the car having lived in Michigan the first six years.

Distributor base leaks a little oil. Will fix with new O-ring seal. Normal for this kind of mileage.

Driver's side seat bolster worn. Not the car's fault. I am short, so I rub the bolster a little when entering the car. The rest of seats look like new. Actually the wear is not bad considering the miles.

General Comments:

I have a 2002 G20 Sport with the 5-speed transmission. This is the last year the car was sold in the P11 chassis configuration.

This is the most reliable car I have ever owned, and I have owned over 30 cars of many different makes. I have owned the car since new.

Has driver and passenger air bags, plus side air bags in the seats.

It has never left me stranded.

I get 28 - 32 miles per gallon, no matter how I drive the car.

I am still on the original clutch, although 70% of the miles are highway. Original alternator, radiator, steering rack, power steering pump, A/C, etc.

Engine has a timing chain, so no maintenance there.

Other than normal consumables (tires, brakes, belts), in 204,000 miles I have only had to replace a starter motor and normal wear on suspension components.

The handling on the car is outstanding. The styling has a great modern tight line to it. Mine is the rare 5-speed Sport. This gets you 16 inch wheels and tires, perforated suede leather interior, sunroof, and a rear spoiler.

The only three negatives to the car are:

1. Could really have used more horsepower. The 2.0L engine makes 145 hp. This is fine with the 5-speed, but slow with an automatic.

2. Cupholders. What is there is pathetic. Only Americans complain about this I guess!

3. Sound insulation. The car is not as quiet as it should be. A little bit too much road and engine noise makes its way into the cabin.

The car is very well designed. I expect to get 300,000 plus miles out of it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th February, 2013

1st Jan 2014, 16:44

Original poster here. At 212,000 miles I just replaced the front lower control arms. Ball joints usually go bad. Parts are not too expensive at around $80 - $100 for each control arm. Do not buy the real cheap no name Chinese arms. They do not last.

Also replaced the small O-ring that seals the distributor to stop a very slow oil leak.

Still runs great. Still on the original clutch and hydraulics.

2002 Infiniti G20 Sedam 2.0 Litre from North America

Summary:

A great car that is inexpensive to maintain

Faults:

Had to replace the fuel tank sensor. Check Engine light came on, took to dealer. Dealer replaced unit in two days under 7 year extended Infiniti Warranty plan with no cost for parts or labor.

General Comments:

This is the most reliable vehicle I have owned in 22 years.

Enough power to climb tough hills and pass more powerful vehicles with the 5-speed manual transmission.

A 6-speed manual transmission would have been great for smoother operation above 85MPH.

Engine is noisy. Does not burn any oil at this stage.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th October, 2007

9th Feb 2009, 02:17

Just wondering what stage are you in? How many miles on your G20?

14th Feb 2009, 21:05

In response to comment -- I am at 65,000 mile stage. Did have to replace clutch for 1st time (with kit) at 64,000 miles (at dealership). Replaced belts and front brakes (1st time at the same mileage service). I live in Los Angeles, and the majority of these miles have been stop - and- go daily commutes to work, with occasional long trips on Holidays. Low mileage also due to not being driven for a year in 2003 while I was away in Iraq.

17th Jul 2011, 12:13

July 2011 Update: Replaced the radiator due to a hairline crack on the top plastic housing of the unit. 86,000 mile mark. No other issues to date.

24th Dec 2011, 00:38

Update 23 December 2011: 90,140 mile service. Replaced brake pads & leaking high pressure steering hose. Still a great car, that is dependable and not too costly to maintain properly.