1988 Nissan Micra GSX from UK and Ireland - Comments

One dark, cold night while I was on the motorway, she stopped all of a sudden. I thought that she had run out of petrol and called the AA (rescue service). Refuelling didn't resolve the problem. On further investigation the contact point and condensor seemed to be at fault. Replaced them the next day, and have had no troubles since.

The first thing I replaced was the cam belt (the most notorious killer of Micras). Then, I changed the exhaust, brakes, spark plugs and leads (without going bankrupt). A Mountney steering wheel, Knight Rider lights, compass and a 7-speaker stereo system were among the few cosmetic additions.

Being a 1L automatic, my Micra is naturally a bit sluggish, but using 97-Octane unleaded fuel really improves its acceleration (The maximum speed though remains at 98 miles per hour). Regular servicing and tender care is all she needs to stay in shape. In summary, you can't go wrong at all with a Micra!

We've got an '89 LS Micra, which had the same problem, it started to judder and stall and would then be hard to start. Anyway this went on for quite a few months until it was discovered that the points, plugs and condensor were completely worn out. Only wear and tear though.

My 1987 Nissan Micra Collette 1.0 petrol is the most reliable and frugal car I have ever owned. The hatchback is large enough especially when the back seats are folded flat. I have managed to get a single bed in the back, OK it hung out the back, but the back door is easy to tie down. The car starts first time every time and qualifies for cheap tax in the U.K. The 1.0 engine is great for city driving, but not for motorways as it is very noisy and 70 mph is the max really. My other car is a Vauxhall Omega!

This is the original writer of the above review.

Sadly, my car was stolen in March, 2003. I really miss her because I never had any trouble - reliable as any car can be. And yes, the loading space is marvelous. When we moved to our new house a few streets from our previous one, I did not hire a van to move our stuff. My Micra agreed to do everything for me. Even after this, I did loads, and I mean loads of shopping for the house including a lot of DIY (Do It Yourself) stuff, and never had to hire a van or a larger vehicle. Now I own a bigger car (growing family) - a saloon and I really miss my Micra especially when it comes to slightly larger items to be carried.

All you need to keep her going is regular change of oil and filter (£10) : I would say once every 5000 miles or 8 months. Once every 15-18 months, just check the contact point, rotor arm and distributor cap. All these 3 things will cost less than £20 and you can replace them yourself. (Only setting the point gap is a bit tricky, but not rocket science.) And keep an eye on the cam-belt. Make sure to change it religiously every 3 years (£50-60) and you will remain a happy bunny forever!

Hi, can anyone tell me if the cambelt goes on a 1986 micra will it damge the engine as this has just happened to my brother in laws micra 1.0.