1st Car for P200K budget: 2000 Nissan FE - Is this Ok?

[bududz]

I finally found a car that fits our budget (P200K) that has a high year (Year 2000) model. Any insights about this car guys? This is going to be our 1st ever car.

Any inputs on its:

1. Reliability/Fuel efficiency etc..
2. Re-sale value
3. Things to look out for
4. Maintenance tips (for those who own this same model)
5. Things to check when inspecting a prospective unit
6. Common problems with this car.

My girlfriend and I will just use it for office to home travel (we work at ABS and live nearby - Balintawak) Some provincial drives (probably twice in a month) to Pangasinan.


Is this an ok choice guys?

[orly_andico]

it's a good choice. suspiciously cheap for a 2000 model. oh wait it's a sentra FE. that's just about right. power steering only, everything else is "pawis mode." pretty reliable though a bit kalampagin and less sound insulation it being an entry-level model. fuel consumption is OK, around 12-14 km/L according to a friend who has one.

resale value is through the floor. that's why it's cheap for you. the cars with low resale value are good for their 2nd owners. but don't count on there being a 3rd owner.. parts are OK.

i don't think your 200k will buy a better car. enough said.

(well there is that 1999 mazda 626 (still) on autolink.ph for 208k.. which is arguably a better car, bigger, power everything, beefy engine.. but gas-guzzling and parts cost an arm and a leg)

[bududz]

Hey Thanks Orly!

Do you guys know of any other sites I can browse over for other options? I only know of tsikot and Car Finder (I buy the mags)

[Elroi]

mura yan being a 2000 model.. medyo matipid sa gas being a 1.3L (?) model.. malamig pa aircon.. just check it thoroughly at make sure na walang major accident na nangyari sa car..

here's another LINK

[bududz]

Thanks Raikonen!

By the way, are the 2000 Nissan FE models off the hook na re: the Aircon ban na bago ng LTO?

[Elroi]

i own a '99 EX Saloon and R-134a na ang gamit na freon nito.. considering na later model yan kaya i assume okay na yan..

[kmo]

ummm sa alam ko may cefiro na manual for mga 200k plus although fuel efficiecy ang kalaban

[Flagg]

Si sir niky yung FE lover dito. AFAIK, the best thing about Nissans is the A/C. Calsonic rules!

You know, just add 50-60k and you get a '96 VTEC. Very roomy, surprisingly good ride quality and mileage would be est 8km/l, and you get to kick my slow-M20-engined-ass (except on the highway, mind you).

[aceshark]

Calsonic rules!

[bududz]

Ha ha ha ha...
Cool Flagg. Well, really nice inputs guys. But 200K is the most I can push for. Anyway, uts the first naman. I just want good value for one of my biggest purchases ever. Are the 99 Nissan EX ok with Fuel consumption and ride comfort? I'm pretty particular with engine noise and hum. I just want my 1st one to be 'kalampag free', not too much engine noise inside, and when I listen to the stereo, clear. So noise inside the car is pretty much something I want to consider also.

[orly_andico]

the sentra FE is not going to win your heart in the noise department. it being sold as a fleet car and all, it has less insulation. but considering it's a first car and as you said, your biggest purchase, i'd steer away from the cefiro's and mazda 626's and what-not. practicality is paramount!

you can also check autolink.ph and autoindustriya.com to get some idea of prices.

[niky]

Hmmm... dapat may cut and paste paragraph ako tungkol sa FE... Well, here goes:

2000 Sentra FE: 1300cc carburated

Pros:
Decent space, hard-wearing gray interior, good seat support compared to Exalta... in other words, seats aren't overcushioned and unsupportive. Terrific AC.

Light body, good suspension (not wallowy, like the Exalta, but not too stiff), body control relatively good. Power steering a definite plus.

Tight-geared gearbox (for quicker acceleration), good fuel economy, mechanically very simple, being carburated, so maintenance is easy.

Cons:
Pawis windows (upside: no motors to short out or replace)

No radio (but if we're talking secondhand, it probably has one already)

Shifter action so-so. And you need to shift a lot in this car because of the close gearing.

Fuel economy suffers when carb is dirty (clean every 3-5t km) or if you drive fast. Aircon also drags a lot on the small engine (turn it down if it's not too hot).

No ABS or airbag. Drum brakes in the rear. BUT, those brakes are pretty strong, and as the car is very light, they're not overwhelmed. As a sidenote, the ABS on the Exaltas of that year was very sensitive and if the road was even slightly rough, braking distances with the ABS equipped Sentra could get very long... so the lack of ABS isn't exactly a minus... just watch yourself in the wet.

Very little sound insulation. Upshot? Car feels faster than it is. hehehe... Additional downside? Exciting=more gas used.

-----

Maintenance:

Nissan suspension parts outside don't cost very much, and since this is a light car, shocks don't wear down easily.

Good tip: If you get this car, buy gas shocks for the B13 Sentra. This lowers the front of the car about 1" and makes the ride a bit better. Aftermarket shocks have shorter bodies because they're based on the older Sentra, which has a slightly different suspension geometry.

Other spares are cheap at Banaue... worst you might need is an original carburator at 30,000 pesos from Nissan... but possibly 20-25 outside.

-----

I loved this car when we had it, because it was simple and easy to live with. It's not as fast as a 1.6 in a straight line, but it's fun to drive to Tagaytay and Baguio, being light and balanced.

Of course, it's very spartan, but when you get the money, you can start optioning up... and an advantage of having a carburated car is the possible upgrade to an LPG system.

Too bad you can't stretch your budget. At your price range, you can still get older EFi 1.6s, but if you value maintenance costs, a newer FE isn't a bad choice. Other similar cars to consider are the Lynx LSi (also lots of fun, better steering, but I don't know prices for this) and the 1.3 or 1.5 1st gen City (but they're expensive, have a similar lack of amenities and are much smaller).