Nissan Micra (2003-2006 models), good little cars?

ddlooping

Hi all

My partner and I are looking to buy a second hand small car (she's used to driving an old classic mini) and our budget is £3000 max.
Its main usage will be city driving, with the occasional long trips on the motorways.
There seem to be quite a few Nissan Micras, with lowish mileage, good service history and in pretty good nick, on Auto Trader.
Any opinion on them?

TTony

How old are you?

Nissan Micra owners have to be either over 65, or under 25 (who choose them for the typically low insurance premiums for Micras, because most Micra drivers are over 65).

jd0272

Brilliant brilliant little cars, Usually dead reliable and can park em anywhere. Cost nowt to run, and the manuals have great gear boxes. And if you're only humping yer own stuff around on weekends, will easily take a coupla guitars, a head, effects case, bag of essential 'stuff', and a full size 4x12. I know this cause our other guitarist drives one.

Although me mother-in-laws died the death, but she did buy it from a driving instructor. 

RobDavies

If you're not bothered about image, they're brilliant little cars. I've got far too much going on in my life to worry about what my car looks like. I had one of the older models for several years, and with the seats folded down you could get LOADS in it. Huge mpg and totally reliable. Because it was old and the bodywork was borked, I didn't care where I parked it either, which was great when some knob in an Audi decides to take up two spaces in Asda. :-)

gilby

I always google up "honest John car reviews" when nosing for a new used car. It's pretty comprehensive and unbiased although sometimes quite cutting. The review of the fiat stilo contained the statement, "the best thing fiat ever did with the stilo was to discontinue it".
For three grand, small used car, the Toyota Yaris is worth looking at in addition to the micra.

ddlooping

Thanks for the advice, everybody, and no, I'm not too worried about its looks.
I find it quite cute actually.

Handsome_Chris

I've still got a Nissan Almera if your interested?  You can have it for a lot less than £3000 too.

ddlooping

Handsome_Chris said:

I've still got a Nissan Almera if your interested?  You can have it for a lot less than £3000 too.

Thanks, Chris, I'll have a word with my gf.
I don't think she'll go for it, though, probably not her type.  :-S

Fretwired

My mother has one - she's 76. No rust, never gone wrong, nothing major replaced, economical, always starts ... just looks boring.

ddlooping

Fretwired said:

My mother has one - she's 76. No rust, never gone wrong, nothing major replaced, economical, always starts ... just looks boring.

That could do us nicely, thanks.

chillidoggy

TTony said:

How old are you?

Nissan Micra owners have to be either over 65, or under 25 (who choose them for the typically low insurance premiums for Micras, because most Micra drivers are over 65).

What he said, plus they are incapable of travelling at more than 20mph, and have a propensity to stop suddenly when they see Doris and Arthur from the care home.

Mick

I've got a 1000cc Micra sitting in my front garden.  We confiscated from my 90yr old father, before he kills himself, or someone else.  It's still got all four corners on it.   I used it for work a few times (wearing a balaclava to protect my id) goes pretty well actually, but anything over 60mph it drinks fuel like there's no tomorrow.  . 

Great for around town, but not for driving down the A12.  Hence why it's residing in front garden atm

EDIT: Should have said.  This is an older 99 model, the newer one's might be better on fuel.

ddlooping

Thanks for the info, Mick.

monofin

At least you know 4th and 5th gears will be mint

Mick

monofin said:

At least you know 4th and 5th gears will be mint

I'd check the clutch though.  Seen many going along at one mile and hour with the engine on the point of valve bounce. (ie, revving its nuts off).

ESBlonde

The other thing with cars owned by old folks that don't go anywhere is the exhaust, the condensation stays in the pipe/box because the car never goes far enough to get hot, as a result they can rust from the inside out. Otherwise they can represent excellent vfm as old folks tend to have them serviced regularly.

boogieman

Manuals are fine, just don't get the CVT version, Nissans rubber band version of an automatic. They break after about 30k miles and cost gazillions of your British pounds to fix.

ddlooping

Thanks again for the advice/opinions guys, unless we find something better for our money we'll probably get a Micra.

I might through a few Auto Trader links at you in the very near future.

RobDavies

boogieman said:

Manuals are fine, just don't get the CVT version, Nissans rubber band version of an automatic. They break after about 30k miles and cost gazillions of your British pounds to fix.

My CVT lasted longer than the cam belt which snapped on the M3 after 88,000 miles.

ddlooping

We're going to try a Citroen C1 tomorrow.
Not as sensible as the Micra (much less options, more mileage for the money) but much cuter.
Having said that it should hopefully be cheaper to run.

ddlooping

Got a Toyota Aygo in the end.
Groovy lil'car.