Faults:

I can't really say something has gone wrong with this car. It has always been in superb condition. But there's one thing in it that usually doesn't last: velocity bearing.

Its turn radius is poor like a station wagon. And the acceleration, having a uni-chassis from a Maxima and a 8-valve carb-fed engine, it is sluggish from 1st to 3rd gear. It picks up speed from 4th to 5th gear.

General Comments:

Overall, this car is very dependable and fun to drive. I had this bought by my folks when I was in college, and until now, although I have 2 other newer model cars, I still feel the pride driving it.

Fuel consumption is a little guzzly: 6 KPL city driving and 10 KPL on the highways.

Faults:

Timing belt broke.

Everything else was in the area of general maintenance and preventive maintenance.

General Comments:

I have never had a car I was happier with. I saw a woman ahead of me (on a narrow, mountain road) driving the wagon. When she reached OUR destination and I got an even better look at the car, I really like it. I have a bad back, and asked her if I could sit in it for a minute and see if it was a car I could consider buying. This was Summer 1999.

In January 2002, my husband saw my car for sale on the side of the road. He got the VIN number and looked the car up to check on accidents, etc. Then he practically dragged me to go and see the car. I liked it, so we bought it for $1600. Later that night, I found out from what he printed off the computer THAT IT WAS THE VERY SAME CAR I HAD SAT IN A FEW YEARS EARLIER. I believe "it had my name on it".

We later lucked into a 1987 "parts car", from which we scavenged some costly cosmetic things. Other than that, we have only purchased new and rebuilt parts, and the overall maintenance for miles driven has made it a very economical car. AND it is still the only of our vehicles (and other ones that I have "tried on") that is comfortable for my back - it is almost therapeutic.

Faults:

The muffler had to be replaced when The Nissan was 17 years old - It still had the original muffler.

At 19 years of age, "Betsy" has just started to need the oil topped up occasionally between oil changes.

The back wheel wells and along the bottom of the sides is now starting to rust badly.

The stitching along the seams on the inside roof started to give and needed restitching and reinforcement.

General Comments:

This car is absolutely dependable. At 19 years of age, it starts like a top and accelerates just like a young one.

The seats are comfortable and I just love the little trap door in the back seat to the trunk. It allows me to carry longer than usual objects easily

(like pole lamps, shrubs, etc) and it has a nice roomy trunk.