2003 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V from North America - Comments

There was a recall for the pre-catalyst - if driven hard for extended periods the pre-cat could overheat and the ceramic coating could break off and get sucked into the engine, scoring the cylinder walls and causing excessive oil consumption. They reprogrammed the ECU and replaced a heat shield to "fix" the issue.

There is a "clunk" noise in the steering that is becoming more and more frequent. It used to happen just when the car was cold and had been sitting, but now it occurs fairly often when the wheel is turned past center from one side to the other. The dealer blew it off the first time I had them look at it (same time as the recall) but I will be sure that they fix it before my warranty expires.

First off, I just want to say I love this car. Compared to my previous "sport" compact, a 2001 Cavalier Z24, this thing is a dream. The Z24 is OK for someone who is just starting to work on performance driving in an econo-sport, but this car really takes it to the next level and beyond.

Power delivery is strong right off the bat - almost too strong. Torque steer can be an issue, but just be aware of it and you will begin to appreciate the fact that you have plenty of power to work with. The QR25 is an excellent engine and pulls strong right up to 6200 RPM. It may seem like overkill to use such a "large" 4 cylinder, but keep in mind that despite the larger displacement, this engine is actually smaller and lighter than the previous 2.0L engine (the SR20) which is so highly regarded in the sports compact community, and makes significantly more naturally aspirated horsepower (175 vs 140). With some work, you can easily make 200 N/A hp out of this engine. If you want turbo power, I have seen talk of early turbo kits that produce almost 270hp at 8psi (SRT-what?). From what I have read, this engine will probably not handle over 350 without extensive internal work.

The 6 speed transmission is great, a significant improvement from the 2002 model (from what I've been told). It shifts well and has a solid feel when going into gear. Occasionally when cold it will feel a bit stiff, but once warmed up it is fine. In 6th gear, the car runs at about 3100 RPM at 80 mph, which is fine. This car is drag-limited at about 135mpg from what I hear. I've only had it up to 120 (off-road, of course ;) but felt like I had plenty of room to go. The only problem is getting it into reverse if the car has been sitting; sometimes it won't go all the way into gear, but either putting it into a forward gear first or letting the car roll a little will fix this little problem every time.

This car handles extremely well for an economy sedan platform. The suspension is fairly stiff, but not to the point of being uncomfortable; just slow down for those speed bumps. Steering is nice and responsive, with a good feel for the road. The wheels, though they look nice, are unnecessarily bulky at a hefty 24 lbs. If you want to squeeze every bit of performance out of this thing, consider lightweight aftermarket wheels. The Continental tires are fine for most spirited driving on the road (these tires even come stock on BMWs and Porsches), but like most street tires they will break loose if pushed hard (I was all over the place while autocrossing on them). I will most likely go with a different brand when the Contis are finished (which I am estimating will happen around 20,000 miles for the fronts).

Other good points: GREAT seats, decent cabin layout with handy flip-open compartment on the dash (although taller drivers might be annoyed with their right leg rubbing against the center console), high-quality leather covered steering wheel with nice white lacing, red gauges (although this is pretty subjective), decent 180W stock stereo (400W Rockford-Fosgate upgrade available)

Bad points: rear seats do not fold down unless you get the upgraded sound system (don't know what they were smoking there), rear spoiler is somewhat cheap and flimsy (rattles when you close the trunk)

Overall, for the price this car has no competition, and there are several more expensive sport compacts that this car can hang with.

Dear Steven.

I own a 2002 SE-R Spec-v.I also have a problem with my steering making a "clunk" noise when turning side to side. Like you I also was blown off at the dealership when I brought it in to get fixed. It may be because it was right before the recall had come out about the 2.5 liter sentra and altima's, and they wanted to get it out quick to make room. I don't know. They told me that they couldn't find anything wrong with it, and that they had greased some parts as well as tightened some bolts.This, however, made little improvement. A few days later it was making the same noise.

I was wondering if you had gotten it fixed, and if so what was the problem.

Sincerely,

John.

P.S. Other than than recall and the "clunk",I have had no problems with my Spec-v.I love it and wouldn't dream of buying another car for the price.

I was wondering if you have had any clutch problems, mine makes a humming noise near the release point.

Just bought a brand new 2004 red spec v. was just wondering if any one knows how to take that rev limiter off. it cuts me off right when I'm just starting to have fun? also like to know if I can do any thing with the air fuel ratio? thanks

luis.

You really shouldn't take the rev limiter off. that's a big cause of engine failure. not saying you can't drive, just saying that it's not meant to be reved higher than 6200.

Justin

02 blue spec v.

I have a 2003 SER Spec V. I had that whining noise at the point of release and then it only got louder and louder. The dealership replaced the clutch and flywheel. NOW...2 months after replacing it... it is making the same whining noise again. ALSO, I have a clunking noise in the back which they say is the heat shield rattling. They said the entire exhaust system needs to be replaced. I called a muffler shop and they said it didn't and that the heat shields need to be tacked back up. Could this really be the case? I'm not sure with the comments I read above about the clunking noise in the back.

PS) I am a 37 year old woman and haven't driven that car as hard as a younger kid would. :)

I have a 2003 Spec V in black with 17,000 miles. The only problem I have is when I turn left or right, I hear a clunk noise near the front of the car and the dealership is saying car is fine yada yada, you're better off taking it to a performance shop where they specialize with the Spec V.

In all honestly, while this car is a great performance value. However, if I had known what I do know about it, I would have never have bought it. The engine is plagued by all sorts of issues that are well known within the SE-R community. Here's a short list of most common issues...

1. Pre-Cat break-up. The pre-catalyst is known to break up and get sucked back into the engine, wreaking all sorts of havoc.

2. The butterfly plate screws within the intake manifold are known to come loose and get sucked into the engine, and bounce around in the cylinder and of course, that's very bad.

3. The mass air flow Sensor is overly sensitive to vibration and can go bad.

4. The crank position sensor goes bad.

5. The head gasket is known to blow.

More information on all the above and other issues that plague this car can easily be found on the following websites:

www.b15sentra.net

www.thevboard.com

www.myspecv.com

OK to keep people on track, the two major engine issues, corrected early on, like adding a header and using loctite on the butterfly screws, Spec's are approaching the 150,000 mile mark with no oil consumption, some using turbos, some naturally aspirated, and most of these reports are from people road coarsing their rides.

Overly sensitive MAF was from over oiling gauze filter and poor mounting.

My spec just turned 52,000 miles, makes no noises, consumes no oil, has a header and warm air intake.

People are three times more likely to get on the Internet to complain rather than post a positive experience. This is why 9 times out of 10 you can find complaints over great results.

I really think that some of these comments were overly critical. I've had my 2003 SER SPECV since 11 of 2002. It's got about 61,000 miles on it. There were a few recalls, yes. There is a common air conditioning problem that can be remedied with a parts and labor under 200 bucks. I'm working on six years with it and am still getting wonderful performance (knock on wood). I used to be a devout Honda owner, but my position changed with this car. Suffice it to say, my next one will be a used 2003. If you are buying used, make sure that all of the recalls were dealt with before anything major broke.