Nothing as yet.
Excellent value as a large family wagon.
Excellent economy for the size, 35mpg touring.
Great equipment with twin climate-control air-con and electric everything else.
Surprisingly powerful for a small diesel. Can comfortably cruise and overtake at 100 km/h.
With the engine set well back in the chassis, it is a great deal more sure-footed than the height and narrow track would suggest. Not a sports car but just fine for general use.
Down-sides: Eight seat belts are a bit optimistic; it is a comfortable 6 seater. The dickey seat is only good for short trips. The front seats aren't that supportive on a longer trip The engine is noisy with an annoying boom around 90km/h.
It had to be too good to be true. The cam belt broke ahead of schedule completely wrecking the head and valve gear. Ignoring the 6 week battle I had with MTF insurance to get this paid for; I learned that this model does have a nasty little design feature.
The engine bay (under the seats) is so cramped that Nissan fitted the engine with a secondary belt off the back of the camshaft to drive the injector pump. In their wisdom they also printed the timing marks on the belt. These wear off in time. So, if your mechanic lost the timing when he removed the head, there is no option but to replace the belt with a new one. Of course, this is twice as expensive as an ordinary one and it wasn't covered under the above policy.
All in all this repair cost nearly $3000!
The good news.
Just logged 5000 km in a fortnight touring the South Island.
With 8 passengers, as much luggage as we could fit plus a box for more luggage on the towbar, this little wonder still cruised and overtook easily at 100km/h + and returned 35-40 mpg on diesel. Amazing.
Still too noisy, and when fully laden the tyres' grip is a bit marginal but overall a great little bus.
I too have found my 2.3 turbo diesel to be just what I bought it for. Enough room for 4 kids and all their kit. Drove from the UK down to the South of France with no problems.
The only problem so far is that:
1) No owners manual.
2) Cannot get any heat from the front heater (a bit of a problem this time of the year in England)
Any help to chris.banks@reading.gov.uk.
Generally good value for the money.
I bought a Serena FX turbo diesel 2litre 4WD back in 2001 in England - making it very much a 'gray import'.
Nice, but noisy. Liked the seat arrangement and found it good for a comfy 6 but 7 and 8 people was cramped.
Had a low speed crash where I slid side ways on some ice in to a curb and damaged some suspension bits specific to the four wheel drive. Had to wait 3 months for the parts - insurance company nearly wrote the car off.
Back end of the exhaust then fell off and guess what - had to get new one welded together because not standard at three times the price. Diagnosed problem with master brake cylinder just as the piston rings went and not worth fixing.
I miss it becuase it had so much character, but my new vehicle I know I can just get parts if I need to.
Anybody want to purchase this vehicle for parts in England?
Then leave a message perhaps we could get in contact.
Some of the parts can take months to get!!!
Similar to the above I also purchased a 1993 2.0 diesel turbo 4wd auto Serena imported from Japan around 2001.With only 60,000 km on the clock the cambelt snapped wrecking the head. It has cost me roughly 600 pounds sterling to put right doing it myself with a little help from a friendly mechanic.
With four young boys to lug about there is sufficient room inside, but try taking them on holiday and theres no luggage space at all.
I ordered a tow bar so we could use a trailer, but have now found out that there arn, t any pre drilled manufacturers holes for fixing the towbar which would mean having one specially engineered which would prove costly.
The second hand cylinder head has now been fitted and all seems to be running well although like the other comments I do find the vehicle quite noisy and the dicky seat is uncomfortable for any length of journey. Overall the drive is excellent with a quality power steering system that seems pinpoint accurate and the 4wd seems to make the vehicle quite sure footed.
I have tried fitting tint film in the rear windows to try and keep out some of the suns glare, but always although following the manufacturers instructions to the letter always seem to end up with bubbles in the film creating an unsightly appearance. Has anyone else had the same problem and found a solution?
I agree with most of the above comments about the "FX" model (which I have recently acquired here in the UK) however I do believe that 35mpg is a touch optimistic, more like 30mpg despite careful driving and liberal use of the overdrive.
Access to the engine compartment is rather complicated and not as easy as the Toyota Estima, (I used to own one), being a real pain when one needs to check the oil level.
My model never starts first time in cold weather however the heating and climate control is second to none.
The build quality is inferior to the Estima (hollow sounding van-like doors when being closed and occasional rattling at speed) however it was a darn site cheaper to buy (30% less) and I would say that running costs are about the same.
All in all you pay your money and take your choice and I would say that the Nissan is good value for what you pay especially if you opt for the superior Japanese imported version.
My nissan fx 2.0 non turbo grey import has just covered over 160,000 kms since purchased a little over4 years ago.
It still returns 40+ per gallon with no smoke on start up.
The rear exhaust has now come to the end of its serviceable life and the cost of a replacement would have been a whopping £350 but a piece of stainless steel flexible hose which was bought for £16 has now been fitted and seems to do the trick, it has just passed its mot without any problems.
Only other problem has been clutch slave cylinders which seem to last about2 years before failing without warning, these are available for about £50.00.
I regularly tow a large caravan without any major problems
but it is underpowered and a turbo would be a definate improvement.
Overall a super no frills mpv which copes with just about anything.
I have recently bought A 1995 Nissan Serena FX 8 seater 2Ltr Turbo Diesel in a UK garage for £2800 with 75000km on the clock.
The rear seating and the sliding door are great, but the front seats are a bit small and hard.
The build quality is OK, it is noisy, but nice to drive.
It starts first time, but smokes a lot, when I use the overdrive it smokes loads on low revs is this normal?
Mine does about 25-30mpg.
I've noticed the POWER light on the mode switch comes on when I accelerate is this normal?
Any information on this will be great
Thank's
jeffrey.bevan@tesco.net.
I Own a 1991 2tl turbo, powerful enough. no Rolls Royce though.I've now got a 1997 2.3 which is very slow on acceleration. I have a 1996 2.3, which I put the turbo engine in, but lost the timing marks, I can get TDC with the crank, but what about the cam. there's a mark on that rear pulley wheel (whih drives the injector pump) but what does it line up with???
I have a Serena fx rio grey import the exhaust has fallen off. Nissan have Quoted £400 for a new system does any one have a suggestion. It's a 1993 2000cc turbo desil auto a great vehicle, but boy that exhaust is dear. 07973298558.
I have a '93 Serena fx Rio 2l turbo diesel. Great all round vehicle, very flexible for loads people etc. Love it to bits, but the spares are so difficult. Currently trying to source an exhaust too, any luck anyone? Why do they make so many different bits for the same vehicle, surely it can't be economic. Also the front heater never gets warmer than barely warm, any ideas?
I bought a 2.3ltr diesel turbo serena about 4 yrs ago.It to was a gray import. I have big problems getting parts ie needed an exhaust £950 complete from Nissan, but my friendly garage £350 stainless steel made up with a life time guarantee.The tow bar was the same so I had to have a custom made one. I am now trying to get a clutch master cylinder so I hope to find one soon as mine is leaking slightly. Other than that a great noisy MPV on motorways.
26 September 2006
I have had my FX 2.0ltr diesel now for 6 years... had to replace alternator (not cheap as has a vacuum pump attached) repaired exhaust rear box as per other comments... touch wood still running well... only 85k miles on a UK J reg plate!!Superb value for money with all the extras you get from a Japanese import.
It's not right good is it?
Hi, I bought a second hand Nissan Serena 2lt diesel fx 4 weeks ago, since then, I've had nothing, but trouble! I had to replace the middle and back exhaust within a week, bodged job done on old one. Now weather has got colder, having trouble starting the thing in the mornings. Took it to my local mechanic and he tested everything he could find on it! Nothing, checked glow plugs, they were fine even though they had never been changed on the car since it was new. The only thing it left was the Glow plug Relay! Well! know one seems to know where it is, or if it's a relay module, control unit module, time and control unit or the 100's of other things I've been told by Nissa dealers. Believe me I phone quiet a few to try and get some help. None have the spec for this car and it is impossible to get a repair manual or even a normal manual for this car. I have 5 children to get to school etc including a disabled child and loved this car when I saw it, great to drive too, loved being higher than the cars, gives a great view and stops the dazzle from other cars at night, I thought great when I 1st got it! I understand that I might have bought a dodge motor, but now I can't seem to find anyone who can help me fix it! If anyone out there has any ideas, love to hear them!