1988 Nissan Sentra Reviews - Page 4 of 5

In the four, almost five months that I have owned my Sentra very little has gone wrong. Since September I have replaced the clutch, heater blower motor, and today I installed a new alternator.

Aside from a recent issue with an oil leak. Neither I nor my father (the previous owner) have had much heartache with the car. I consider all the recent repairs to be within reason, as the car is well on it's way to 200,000 miles.

I have not owned my Sentra long. I have done some work to restore it, and I am floored constantly by the low price of parts.

My car already had high miles when I received it, and now it is almost to 175,000 miles she runs like a top.

I deliver pizza, and commute to school with my car. I have noticed the car is great in town, and has the power I need city driving. Highway driving is another issue. I notice there is a huge lack power. I rarely drive over 60 miles per hour.

Overall I like my Sentra. I feel the car offers more than enough room for a compact sedan. I am 6'2" 215 pounds, and I ride just fine. Excellent reliability combined with low maintenance costs make this car a winner. I am happy with the company. I would consider buying a newer Sentra, but only if I felt I could count on Nissan in mechanically hard times.

Excellent, excellent little car. Around 100k I replaced the throttle body when the injector failed. The car still ran but in the computer's "safety" mode. Around the same time the starter motor went bad. That's it.

Everything else I've done I'd consider to be normal maintenance and replacement of wear items. Have replaced struts, ball joints, CV boots, and tie rod ends. Timing belt twice, an easy job on this car. Trunk leaks at the left tail lamp, a minor annoyance, and some surface rust is starting to develop on this non-garaged car.

With KYB struts in front and Autozone's best (forget the brand) in the rear, suspension is very controlled at all speeds, a great improvement if you have worn originals. You won't believe the difference. Suspension has nice, long travel. There is some bump steer.

I returned to the original, narrow tire size, which helps this very light car do well in rain and snow. Ride is also nicer than the wider tires I once tried, and traction is ample for a car with modest performance pretensions.

Reliability has been superb, and I really like the excellent mechanical accessibility. Everything is very easy to work on. The quality of assembly, and of minor parts, rubber and plastic components, etc. is excellent, an important thing as a car ages. The fact that a car sold at this price point is so well engineered and put together is impressive. Nissan obviously spent money where it counts for the long run.

I give the car a "6" for performance, although it is fully adequate and even entertaining if expectations are appropriate. Engine is not strong, but the character of the power is good; torquey and smooth, and the 5-speed shifter is very good. Brakes are good. Excellent feel and feedback from the manual steering. Stay away from the auto tranny.

Reliability and comfort get nines; both are excellent. In 130,000 miles of driving, and with almost 200k on it, I can still count on it to start and run perfectly in any weather. Alternator, all engine/tranny parts, clutch, radiator are all original. Do yourself a favor, with any older car, and replace all coolant hoses and vacuum lines as prevention. Seats are excellent, supportive and comfortable for 1000 mile days; leg and headroom is more than ample in front; rear is obviously cramped. Trunk is very nice for small car. Excellent outward visibility makes makes the drive nicer.

Running costs get a "10;" they are simply rock bottom. Routinely get mileage in high 30s; have seen 40-43 on many occasions. A little lower in summer with the A/C on. Tires are dirt cheap. Insurance is cheap, of course, and repair costs have been virtually inconsequential. Depreciation has been minimal as expected.

My opinion of this car is high partly because it always nice to see a manufacturer put the emphasis on all the minor details, and all the quality issues, which are transparent to the buyer in the showroom but which enable the car to drive so well even after almost 200,000 miles. Even now the car feels more refined, and goes down the road with more composure, than many brand new cars made by other manufacturers. As a result I'd readily buy another Nissan and encourage others to do the same.

Other reviews on this site which mention problems make me suspect abuse by current or previous owner. Cars in clean, original, maintained condition are much more likely to serve reliability and are worth paying up for.