Steering rack and ball joint needed replacement.
Minor welding needed around the rear sills and suspension.
Electric window front far side jammed at 100000 miles.
Rust around the doors on the far side.
The car's performance is very good for its age, and the engine ticks along like one half its age!
The problem I've had is corrosion. The bodywork is a bit worn out, although the car was very cheap at £400 and has not given any trouble apart from the electric window (now held up with a piece of wood!) and the battery needing replacement.
If you can find a low-cost example with little corrosion you'll be onto a winner. The engines in these things go forever!
Watch out for the dreaded rust though! :(
Six months on I still have this little car, I've now covered over 15000 miles in it with no mechanical failures. The clutch plate is getting a little bit noisy at times, but it's not really too much of a problem yet. I have total confidence in this car, if it gets through the next MOT in January I'm quite sure I'll still have it in 18 months.
I bought a 1990 Sunny 1.4LS with absolutely no rust except a blob in the middle of a door, which I patched a few months ago. It had only 84,000 miles on the clock - not bad for 13 years' use.
I agree that if you can find a rust-free example, you're onto a winner. Before I bought it, Sunnys were dull, boring things that only old people drove. But, for a 1.4 litre engine to pull like it does is amazing - my next car will be a Nissan too! (That's if I ever need a next car!) I can imagine this car doing another 84,000 miles, and I see no reason why it shouldn't pass its next MOT - more than can be said for most Escorts and Astras on the road.
Japanese cars are just better than Euro-trash.
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