Nissan Micras-any advice before purchase?
Discussion
Hi guys,
Just had to get rid of my 03 plate VW Polo due to engine problems and so Im looking for another (used) car.
Ive got limited money (up to £600 which I know isnt a lot but I also know that you can sometimes drop on a good un) so going to have to be an old one again (which I really dont mind tbh)
Been looking into a few different makes and models. Fiestas keep popping up in my price range but all in excess of 120k on the clock, Peugeot 206s are also an option but again the mileage a little too high, I also like Clios too. But the ones that are really standing out to me are Nissan Micras (04 plates).
Been doing a bit of research and by all accounts they are reliable little cars.
Yes, im a woman lol and id prefer something small. Mainly just for school run, shopping and ferrying kids all over. Only passed my test 5 month ago so need something thats going to be fairly cheap to insure.
Any advice or info about Micras please?
Eg when buying a used one, maximum mileage to consider?
Any common problems?
Im looking for cars with at least 6 month mot on...last thing I need is forking out for MOT and any work that needs doing to get it through a test, this side of Christmas!
Ill also be taking our mechanic with us when going to look so he can give under the bonnet a once over incase anything untowards.
Thanks in advance!
Just had to get rid of my 03 plate VW Polo due to engine problems and so Im looking for another (used) car.
Ive got limited money (up to £600 which I know isnt a lot but I also know that you can sometimes drop on a good un) so going to have to be an old one again (which I really dont mind tbh)
Been looking into a few different makes and models. Fiestas keep popping up in my price range but all in excess of 120k on the clock, Peugeot 206s are also an option but again the mileage a little too high, I also like Clios too. But the ones that are really standing out to me are Nissan Micras (04 plates).
Been doing a bit of research and by all accounts they are reliable little cars.
Yes, im a woman lol and id prefer something small. Mainly just for school run, shopping and ferrying kids all over. Only passed my test 5 month ago so need something thats going to be fairly cheap to insure.
Any advice or info about Micras please?
Eg when buying a used one, maximum mileage to consider?
Any common problems?
Im looking for cars with at least 6 month mot on...last thing I need is forking out for MOT and any work that needs doing to get it through a test, this side of Christmas!
Ill also be taking our mechanic with us when going to look so he can give under the bonnet a once over incase anything untowards.
Thanks in advance!
My wife has an 07 Micra she has owned for 8 years. Still only 46k on it. Lots of short local journeys. Serviced once a year.
One new clutch required. One wiper motor - possibly her fault for switching the wipers on when the blades were frozen. Other than that not much.
The heater motor developed a fault where it only worked on speeds 3 or 4. Common issue Easy DIY fix involving access by removing glovebox and replacing a part. Youtube video on it. Worth checking though so it can be priced in if faulty.
The electric boot lock switch went last year. Again not uncommon on older cars. Easy fix. Youtube videos covering it.
Other than that only a couple of bulbs, wipers etc. All brakes still original.
Never failed to start in 11 years. Still on original battery.
Great wee car for local use. Easy to see all corners for small parking spaces. Worth it at the right price.
It's a camchain engine but I'm not aware of any issues with chains. Not sure how important regular oil changes ad overall mileage are for this.
One new clutch required. One wiper motor - possibly her fault for switching the wipers on when the blades were frozen. Other than that not much.
The heater motor developed a fault where it only worked on speeds 3 or 4. Common issue Easy DIY fix involving access by removing glovebox and replacing a part. Youtube video on it. Worth checking though so it can be priced in if faulty.
The electric boot lock switch went last year. Again not uncommon on older cars. Easy fix. Youtube videos covering it.
Other than that only a couple of bulbs, wipers etc. All brakes still original.
Never failed to start in 11 years. Still on original battery.
Great wee car for local use. Easy to see all corners for small parking spaces. Worth it at the right price.
It's a camchain engine but I'm not aware of any issues with chains. Not sure how important regular oil changes ad overall mileage are for this.
Thanks for the advice!
I know any car can have its faults especially older ones but tbh the ones mentioned dont seem like anything major.
I just dont want to get something thats going to last 5 months then conk out on me like my polo did...gutted I was. But hey, this is the risk you have to take with older cars i guess.
My friend (male) keeps telling me to get a fiesta but in next breath says that fords have "chocolate engines" (in other words theyre s
te)
So im defo swaying towards the Micra.
I know any car can have its faults especially older ones but tbh the ones mentioned dont seem like anything major.
I just dont want to get something thats going to last 5 months then conk out on me like my polo did...gutted I was. But hey, this is the risk you have to take with older cars i guess.
My friend (male) keeps telling me to get a fiesta but in next breath says that fords have "chocolate engines" (in other words theyre s
te)So im defo swaying towards the Micra.
My nan has had an 04 plate Micra 1.2 for the last 12 years and it has been a picture of reliability. In all that time all it has had it consumables and a battery as it spends a lot of time locked up in the garage. It only has 44k on it but after my nan had an accident in the house 2 years ago it's barely been driven. It will sit in the garage for weeks and still start up at first fire of the ignition. It has flown through every MOT every year too. For your budget I can't imagine you will do much better, you may get a Yaris but it would be older.
One thing to remember though is that a lot of Micras have relatively low mileage because of the type of owners they attract.
This also means potentially that they’ve only been used for short journeys and were never warmed up. This may not have caused wear but don’t be to hung up on mileage, buy on condition aswell.
In my experience you won’t go far wrong at this price with a Micra though.
This also means potentially that they’ve only been used for short journeys and were never warmed up. This may not have caused wear but don’t be to hung up on mileage, buy on condition aswell.
In my experience you won’t go far wrong at this price with a Micra though.
Yeah ive been reading up about mileage thing this morning as I keep getting told not to get a petrol with more than 100k on but my vw polo only had 70 odd k on it (15 year old) and conked out on me last week 😡. Think i was sucked in by the low mileage tbh. Car in mint condition cosmetically. Interior immaculate. But hadnt been serviced for 5 year.
Higher mileage on an older car apparently isnt always a bad thing....cars like to be driven and just like us, if we dont exercise we cease up. Cars have parts that become brittle if not used much.
First issue i had with the polo was it dropped all the fluid out of the gear box. Luckily i spotted it before it blew my gear box to bits. A seal had become brittle and snapped. Cost me £80 to get it fixed (£20 for part, £60 labour).
Next thing to go wrong was the passenger window - £140 quid repair there.
Then we noticed the oil leak. It was dripping onto the manifold and getting hot so smoking from under bonnet. Oil was also collecting near a couple if spark plugs but not in spark plugs if you know what I mean? So back to garage, suspected head gasket but mechanic said not due to where oil was collecting. Then oil leak dissapeared but it was munching through oil, failed MOT on emissions which I was gutted about as it would have gone through with no advisories according to test guy. Told to put Cataclean in, get it warm and take it back for retest...bad idea. It was chucking big clouds of grey/blue smoke out (not there before) so obvs failed test again and you could smell burning oil from exhaust. Also started getting sluggish, taking a while to get up to speed and juddering in first gear.
So back to garage, told basically it was a nail and needed new engine. I got rid. It went for spares and repairs.
Sooo back to mileage...ive seen a micra with 105k on. Gorgeous condition too. Obviously few age related marks cosmetically but apart from that its nice. Plenty of service history.
Any other makes and models you can recommend though? Something small. Pugs, clios etc. Any advice?
Higher mileage on an older car apparently isnt always a bad thing....cars like to be driven and just like us, if we dont exercise we cease up. Cars have parts that become brittle if not used much.
First issue i had with the polo was it dropped all the fluid out of the gear box. Luckily i spotted it before it blew my gear box to bits. A seal had become brittle and snapped. Cost me £80 to get it fixed (£20 for part, £60 labour).
Next thing to go wrong was the passenger window - £140 quid repair there.
Then we noticed the oil leak. It was dripping onto the manifold and getting hot so smoking from under bonnet. Oil was also collecting near a couple if spark plugs but not in spark plugs if you know what I mean? So back to garage, suspected head gasket but mechanic said not due to where oil was collecting. Then oil leak dissapeared but it was munching through oil, failed MOT on emissions which I was gutted about as it would have gone through with no advisories according to test guy. Told to put Cataclean in, get it warm and take it back for retest...bad idea. It was chucking big clouds of grey/blue smoke out (not there before) so obvs failed test again and you could smell burning oil from exhaust. Also started getting sluggish, taking a while to get up to speed and juddering in first gear.
So back to garage, told basically it was a nail and needed new engine. I got rid. It went for spares and repairs.
Sooo back to mileage...ive seen a micra with 105k on. Gorgeous condition too. Obviously few age related marks cosmetically but apart from that its nice. Plenty of service history.
Any other makes and models you can recommend though? Something small. Pugs, clios etc. Any advice?
Brands of car often have reputations at this age (obviously exceptions).
Japanese one tend to go forever.
French ones fall to bits
With your Polo, brittle seals may well be linked to lack of use allowing rubber to expand and be lubricated regularly?
I’ve a 50 yr old car in the garage that does less than 1000 miles a year and it’s a constant battle to keep an eye on hoses etc.
Japanese one tend to go forever.
French ones fall to bits
With your Polo, brittle seals may well be linked to lack of use allowing rubber to expand and be lubricated regularly?
I’ve a 50 yr old car in the garage that does less than 1000 miles a year and it’s a constant battle to keep an eye on hoses etc.
Edited by Deep thoughts wife on Sunday 16th September 09:31
[quote=Deep thoughts wife]Brands of car often have reputations at this age (obviously exceptions).
Japanese one tend to go forever.
French ones fall to bits
With your Polo, brittle seals may well be linked to lack of use allowing rubber to expand and be lubricated regularly?
I’ve a 50 yr old car in the garage that does less than 1000 miles a year and it’s a constant battle to keep an eye on hoses etc.
A lot of people have told me to go for Japanese over german or french.
As for fords, parts are sooo easy to get but engines arent cracking. If you get a diesel then you're more fortunate but they are like rocking horse s**t to find- trust me, ive trawled the internet for hours looking for a cheap ford diesel. Seems like people know these are better and tend to hang onto them unlike the petrol varients.
Main thing for me is Reliability. Paid 700 for my polo 5 months ago, £200 quid in repairs, loads of money in oil towards the end. Sold it for spares and repairs for £300. So im quite out of pocket as I never got my moneys worth really and without a car.
The micra ive seen has a fantastic MOT history (did the online check thing) passed this year with no advisories and in previous years its only failed its test twice!! Problem is the garage wont let me put a deposit on it and hold it for another week til I get paid 😡. He said i can put deposit down but cant guarantee it will not be sold! So its a case of checking everyday tonsee if still available. Pffft!
That brings me to another question actually...private seller or buy from a dealer? Bought polo from a dealer. Never got a warranty though 😒
Japanese one tend to go forever.
French ones fall to bits
With your Polo, brittle seals may well be linked to lack of use allowing rubber to expand and be lubricated regularly?
I’ve a 50 yr old car in the garage that does less than 1000 miles a year and it’s a constant battle to keep an eye on hoses etc.
A lot of people have told me to go for Japanese over german or french.
As for fords, parts are sooo easy to get but engines arent cracking. If you get a diesel then you're more fortunate but they are like rocking horse s**t to find- trust me, ive trawled the internet for hours looking for a cheap ford diesel. Seems like people know these are better and tend to hang onto them unlike the petrol varients.
Main thing for me is Reliability. Paid 700 for my polo 5 months ago, £200 quid in repairs, loads of money in oil towards the end. Sold it for spares and repairs for £300. So im quite out of pocket as I never got my moneys worth really and without a car.
The micra ive seen has a fantastic MOT history (did the online check thing) passed this year with no advisories and in previous years its only failed its test twice!! Problem is the garage wont let me put a deposit on it and hold it for another week til I get paid 😡. He said i can put deposit down but cant guarantee it will not be sold! So its a case of checking everyday tonsee if still available. Pffft!
That brings me to another question actually...private seller or buy from a dealer? Bought polo from a dealer. Never got a warranty though 😒
Without knowing where you're located, this one looks a gem, and it's MOT history seems reasonable, more passes than fails.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
The MOT history checker is a useful tool to use, to get a feel for which may or may not have been cared for. https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/
If an example is failing every year, or getting the same advisories year after year (IE the owner knows the issue, but doesn't bother to sort it) you can get a feel of which to avoid.
EDIT - I've just seen your last post RE this, you're ahead of me!
£600 appears to be the very bottom price point for this shape, so maybe go in to your search with the flexibility of a few hundred £ extra on your budget?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
The MOT history checker is a useful tool to use, to get a feel for which may or may not have been cared for. https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/
If an example is failing every year, or getting the same advisories year after year (IE the owner knows the issue, but doesn't bother to sort it) you can get a feel of which to avoid.
EDIT - I've just seen your last post RE this, you're ahead of me!
£600 appears to be the very bottom price point for this shape, so maybe go in to your search with the flexibility of a few hundred £ extra on your budget?
Edited by Fermit and Sarah on Sunday 16th September 10:19
OP - as has been said above the pre-2002 plate cars were excellent in terms of reliability and it was really only rust that would kill them. Post 2003 they’re still OK (much better than 206, Clios and on a par with Fiestas) but they’re not as bomb proof as they used to be, possibly due to Nissan’s merger with Renault.
If you want the ultimate in reliability I’d go for a Yaris.
If you want the ultimate in reliability I’d go for a Yaris.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
The K11 Micra ran from around 1993 - 2003, so now they are between 15-25 years old. Yet you still see loads of them on the road. Even early ones. I can't think of another car from that era that is such a common sight.
That tells you all you need to know.
Bombproof little cars really enjoyed my k11sThat tells you all you need to know.
Had a look at that Micra. Seems a little cracker and will take deposit to secure too!! Were in South Yorkshire so i dont think its too far considering we went to Stoke On Trent for the Polo!
Been told by a few ppl that Yaris are great cars.
Ive not thought to look at one if im honest but i will do now!
Been told by a few ppl that Yaris are great cars.
Ive not thought to look at one if im honest but i will do now!
As for private v trade. At this price point I wouldn't discount it, as there may be keener deals to be had. You will probably be aware that you have less (IE very little!) comeback, and private cars are largely sold as seen. If you're not sure what you're looking out for take someone who (genuinely) does, but you've already mentioned a mechanic friend.
The only comeback you have with private buying is that a car can't be misrepresented. If an advert states 'runs beautifully' but it is quickly evident after purchase that the engine is knackered, then you'd probably have a case against the seller.
The only comeback you have with private buying is that a car can't be misrepresented. If an advert states 'runs beautifully' but it is quickly evident after purchase that the engine is knackered, then you'd probably have a case against the seller.
Fermit and Sarah said:
As for private v trade. At this price point I wouldn't discount it, as there may be keener deals to be had. You will probably be aware that you have less (IE very little!) comeback, and private cars are largely sold as seen. If you're not sure what you're looking out for take someone who (genuinely) does, but you've already mentioned a mechanic friend.
The only comeback you have with private buying is that a car can't be misrepresented. If an advert states 'runs beautifully' but it is quickly evident after purchase that the engine is knackered, then you'd probably have a case against the seller.
Was talking about this actually with our friend just now. (Not the mechanic, but a friend who enjoys tinkering with cars). He said to go private as private sellers dont want any comebacks to their place of residence so they tend to be more genuine but its isnt always the case is it? They could be selling from any old random Joes house. The only comeback you have with private buying is that a car can't be misrepresented. If an advert states 'runs beautifully' but it is quickly evident after purchase that the engine is knackered, then you'd probably have a case against the seller.
My other half bought a car a few years ago now. When log book came it wasnt the same address as we visited to get the car
lanny81 said:
Fermit and Sarah said:
As for private v trade. At this price point I wouldn't discount it, as there may be keener deals to be had. You will probably be aware that you have less (IE very little!) comeback, and private cars are largely sold as seen. If you're not sure what you're looking out for take someone who (genuinely) does, but you've already mentioned a mechanic friend.
The only comeback you have with private buying is that a car can't be misrepresented. If an advert states 'runs beautifully' but it is quickly evident after purchase that the engine is knackered, then you'd probably have a case against the seller.
Was talking about this actually with our friend just now. (Not the mechanic, but a friend who enjoys tinkering with cars). He said to go private as private sellers dont want any comebacks to their place of residence so they tend to be more genuine but its isnt always the case is it? They could be selling from any old random Joes house. The only comeback you have with private buying is that a car can't be misrepresented. If an advert states 'runs beautifully' but it is quickly evident after purchase that the engine is knackered, then you'd probably have a case against the seller.
My other half bought a car a few years ago now. When log book came it wasnt the same address as we visited to get the car
Have you considered Honda Jazz's? They do have a little bit of an OAP image, but if that doesn't bother you they are very highly regarded by owners.
Deep thoughts wife said:
Brands of car often have reputations at this age (obviously exceptions).
Japanese one tend to go forever.
French ones fall to bits
With your Polo, brittle seals may well be linked to lack of use allowing rubber to expand and be lubricated regularly?
I’ve a 50 yr old car in the garage that does less than 1000 miles a year and it’s a constant battle to keep an eye on hoses etc.
I used my polo everyday and in 5 month id done nearly 5k in it. Mainly just nipping about but not forgetting the 2 hour trip back from Stoke on trent where we got the car from and it went to the coast and back. Also travelled 12 miles every morning just taking my eldest to high school which was 5 miles away and then taking the little ones to school. However it had not done that many miles per day since mid June as my eldest had done her exams by then and left. Japanese one tend to go forever.
French ones fall to bits
With your Polo, brittle seals may well be linked to lack of use allowing rubber to expand and be lubricated regularly?
I’ve a 50 yr old car in the garage that does less than 1000 miles a year and it’s a constant battle to keep an eye on hoses etc.
Edited by Deep thoughts wife on Sunday 16th September 09:31
Got to admit though on the recent trip to the coast, the car seemed to hate it. Felt sluggish .Almost as though it was just used to being used for nipping about in?? Probably why it only had 70 odd k on when i bought it? By the looks of the paperwork i got with it, it used to be a fleet car???
Fermit and Sarah said:
You can get shisters in both the private and trade sectors, just go in with your eyes wide open. I think with the demographic Micra's often attract you should have few problems finding sincere private sellers. If I happen to see any £500 bargains I'll let you know, as I'm not far from you.
Have you considered Honda Jazz's? They do have a little bit of an OAP image, but if that doesn't bother you they are very highly regarded by owners.
I dont really care if they look oap ish lol, or mummish cos I am a Mum 😂. Was even considering a C3 when i passed my test (yeah, i know, not good) but i did learn to drive in 1 and i quite liked it tbf but that was a diesel. As long as its got enough MOT to take me through Christmas, decent MOT history and cheap on insurance then its all good. Oh and clean too. Really puts me off when I see a car thats clean outside but scruffy inside ie ground in dirt and dirty fag burnt/stained seats etc.Have you considered Honda Jazz's? They do have a little bit of an OAP image, but if that doesn't bother you they are very highly regarded by owners.
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