2004 Nissan Primera ST review from Australia and New Zealand
"Nice car - shame about the suspension"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Had tow bar added and since then, the rear bumper has been rattling - however this is probably a fault of the installer (Nissan Dealer).
Asides from this nothing is wrong with the car to date.
General comments?
The car is generally a nice car to drive. It has a smooth power band, and seems capable when pushing harder. Although nothing mind blowing.
Interior is well spaced out, and seems comfortable for all passengers.
Materials seem to be nice and subdued (mine being black/charcoal), however there are already some annoying squeaks coming from the dash/doors.
When the car is loaded up (for example 4 adult passengers, full luggage, and a small trailer), the gearbox seems to struggle with overtaking maneuvers. It takes a long time to actually accelerate - you can hear the engine revving , but it is as though the clutch is slipping for a bit.
The suspension is absolutely horrible. Around town all seems fine - however judder bars/speed bumps taken at any speed above 5kph will make you reach for the phone number of your back specialist. This is only made worse when traveling at speed with a load in the car.
It seems as though the rear suspension (front appears fine), bottoms out and then wants to get back to the top quicker than the space shuttle! Closest metaphor would be like a donkey try to kick a passenger off. Makes traveling in the car very annoying, and you will find yourself apologizing to your passengers - frequently.
Dials in the middle of the dash take a bit of getting used to however are fine after a while.
The centre control screen - which has the display for radio/cd/climate control seems like a throw back from an early 80's digital dash and generally let's the rest of the car down. The Japanese Import cars which come through have far nicer screens, which makes me left wanting.
The transmission seems quite intelligent, dropping down a gear when the car is going down a steep hill, so that you can make the most of engine braking. In addition to being smooth and painless to drive (asides from the comment about overtaking above)
Styling can take a bit of getting used to - however after owning it for a few months, it is nice to have a car which has it's own styling.
Overall a nice car, if only the suspension could be sorted - I could cope with the other points.
Recommended reviews
| A lot of car for your money |
|
| Very nice looker very badly put together |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 2004 |
| Year of manufacture | 2004 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Ltr Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 3 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 21 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 6900 kilometres |
| Previous car | Nissan Pulsar |
| Date of Entry | 29th March, 2005 |