1989 Nissan EXA N13 1.6 DOHC non turbo CA16DE from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

The best car ever, nothing comes close

Faults:

The car was stored in a hay barn, so it had some usual things wrong. Radiator hoses and a heater hose needed to be replaced, rats had chewed through a power steering boot, and a couple of CV boots were split, rust, and some other small things like small removable interior button covers missing etc.

But I have been going trouble free for well over 9 months now.

General Comments:

Great fun car to drive! Responds well to intake and exhaust modifications.

Great looking, with removable targa tops and rear hatch for full open cruising.

With my suspension setup, it corners like nothing I've driven before.

Easy CA18DET conversion, which I am doing soon. I thoroughly recommend it.

I have owned an N12 EXA before too, which was also a great car. The EXA is my favorite car, and I am never going to sell it :)

Check out mine at www.cardomain.com/id/android360 and the Nissan EXA Club at www.nissanexa.com

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st January, 2004

1989 Nissan EXA 1.8 twin cam from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

A pocket rocket

Faults:

Major oil leak, when acquired.

Disc rotors have been previously replaced, but were replaced with normal pulsar rotors. This means that they are too small and quite dangerous.

The air conditioner wasn't connected when bought, and needs to be regassed. This is costly for older cars as they use CFC's.

General Comments:

This car is very fast from 0 - 100.

The targa roof is great in the summer time.

The seats are very comfortable and the car sounds very 'tough' with a sports exhaust.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 24th June, 2003

1989 Nissan EXA CA-18de from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

It's a fairly potent package and has upgrade potential

Faults:

The car seems to be able to take a fair bit of punishment. However, two months after I bought it I had the piston rings replaced because one of the cylinders was low on compression. I think they're damaged again.

The voltage distributer behind the dash is damaged so my fuel and temperature gauges are faulty. I have been told this is a common problem among Nissan's and can be fixed with a visit to an auto electrician.

The only bit of rust on the car is under the bonnet. It's about the size of a 20 cent coin. The rubber seals around the doors are worn which lets in rain when it's raining heavily.

The boot sometimes doesn't open when I pull the latch so I'm forced to use the key.

The door on the drivers side sometimes doesn't lock. I have to remove the key delicately so that it locks. If I center the key in the lock it doesn't lock so I have to keep it to one side. I think this is a result of the misuse by a previous owner rather than any manufacturers fault.

The doors are fairly heavy and they hang about 2 centimetres lower than they should. The car has never been in an accident so I think the hinges maybe become loose with age.

General Comments:

18 year olds aren't easily impressed with speed, but I am satisfied with the cars performance. The CA18 engine climbs the tacho at a fairly consistant speed, but accelaration is by no means fast. It does take the harsh punishment that i give it and i have beaten many 4 cylinder cars in the 400 meter sprint.

The handling isn't spectacular though it does feel superior when you drive another car in it's class.

Steering feels very light and responsive.

My car was made in 1989 but is a ninety model so it was equipped with rear disc brakes. The braking in the car is excellent. I was driving 80/km and came to a full stop in about 9 meters.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th September, 2002

1989 Nissan EXA 1.8 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Don't pay for looks alone!

Faults:

Bolts were missing from Engine Mounts, mechanics will tell you it is a broken engine mount, so be wary.

The Camshaft seal went, this was a big job as oil was leaking on to the cam shaft... meaning it had to be replaced.

The Clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder had to be replaced as clutch fluid leaked everywhere.

Now getting it serviced and is misfiring a little so the sparkplugs need changing. The spark plugs on Exa's are platinum so are great (but pricey).

General Comments:

I love driving this car when it is good condition. I find though that typically for a car reaching 200,000kms it is becoming expensive to keep on the road in good condition.

These cars still look a million dollars and people always think it is much newer than it is.

A sexy, spunky car, but watch your wallet!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 14th August, 2002

5th Mar 2010, 10:16

I have to agree with you. I bought a Nissan EXA twin cam 1.8L 1988 model for $1700. The EXA looks to be in great shape, except there was paint peeling on the bumper and a few dents.

Anyway, I was told by the seller that the speedometer was broken, and there was a few oil leaks. I was so excited about buying my first car, that I didn't take it to the mechanics to get it checked out.

When I got the car, I booked it in at the mechanics for a service and a check over. Two days later, I paid $667 for the service, they said it had 3 oil leaks, one in the steering rack, camshaft and crank seal, the gear box has to be taken out for further diagnoses of why it slips out of 1st and 2nd gear, and brake master cylinder has to be replaced. They have to pull of the dash to check if it's the cable or gauge that's broken, in order to fix the speedometer.

Not only am I freaking out by now, but I love the car so much I just say how much are the parts. Needless to say I'm still waiting on the quote, but I know it's gonna take maybe a minimum of 5 hours to get this all done, and the mechanics charge $125 per hour on labour rates.

So back to the original reason I'm typing this, is that as good as a Nissan EXA may look, not only do they look good, but bloody dog-food their costly. Definitely recommended for a car-headed person than someone who knows jack-poop about them.

Cheers.

1989 Nissan EXA n13 ca18de - 1.8 twin cam from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Performs, and is reliable when treated well

Faults:

There is not a lot that has gone wrong with the car that I would not have replaced anyway. An engine mount collapsed, and 2 ignition coils failed on me, causing slight grief. Aside from that, it has performed well in the reliability stakes, as I look after it like a baby.

General Comments:

The Handling in this car is exceptional, as is the smooth acceleration. One flaw is the braking system (series I & II had rear drums, series III got discs).

I'll be holding on to this car as long as I can, as it has served me well, and will undoubtedly continue to do so.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th June, 2002

22nd Jul 2003, 20:34

I love Nissan EXA's and are sure going to buy one as soon as I turn 18 (in 7 months). I have been told it is very hard to handle. is that true and can the leak be fixed?