1985 Nissan Skyline 2.4E 2.4 litre straight six from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Nissan L series engines cannot be killed

Faults:

Since I had the car, the power steering belt snapped. Cost $25 for a new belt, and an hour to put it in.

Parking brake couldn't be used because if I applied it, it would stick on and I would have to get under the car to release it, however it still held the car when tested.

Air conditioning barely worked at all, and overheated the engine. I stopped using it.

Auto gearbox started slipping at 320K. Auto trans mechanic said it would need a rebuild, but the service he gave it fixed the problem.

General Comments:

The paint and interior have stood up well to over 20 years of Australian sun.

It has always started and never left me stranded.

I drove from Adelaide to the Yorke Peninsula (350km) in 45 degree heat. When I turned off the air con (the last thing you want to do on a hot day) it didn't miss a beat. Drove back in torrential rain, wipers worked great and the car always felt safe.

Very stable at freeway speeds. When I wanted to upgrade I looked at a 2001 Corolla, which was bouncing all over the place at 80Km/h. The Skyline felt much better at 120.

Engine sounded gorgeous, but had no torque. This wouldn't have mattered if it had a manual gearbox, but the auto sucked out the power it did have.

When I upgraded to a 1995 Volvo 960, I gave the Skyline to my brother, who has had no problems with it.

The Datsun 200B I had before also had a Nissan L series engine, the motor was the only part of the car that worked properly after 20 hard years.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th October, 2007