posted last week regarding buying a mazda 626 , found out quite a bit about them from replies on here, got a primera recommendation from a user and have looked in to it , i have now decided it ticks almost all the boxes reliability/size etc
what i need to know is
apart from timing chains being noisey is there anything else on the engine i should listen/look out for
insurance quotes for a 2.0 are too expensive (1100 3pf&t with 3 years no claims) is the 1.8 sluggish and thirsty as this is a bit cheaper to insure
are body rust on tailgate and rear arches the only common places
do the wing mirrors fold (i know it sounds strange to ask but i have had my wing mirror kicked off 4 times were i live,seems its the local scroates favourite pass time)
can anyone give me some advice as i need to sort out a replacement car asap
thanks
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The 2.0 is prob a better bet as the consumption is not vastly different to the 1.8. sills tended to be the weak point on nearly all Nissans and on Primera check the lower inside edge of the doors too. Clonks from front suspension usually just links or bushings - not dear but use as a bargaining tool, and a service history of some description. Otherwise they are pretty bombproof.
Log on to www.npoc.co.uk and there will be a raft of help and hints for you.
Happy searching
PS I had 2 of them in the past and they were great cars
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With your insurance being so high, also consider the 1.6. pre 99. The performance is not bad considering the size of the car.
It is rare but the 1.8s are more prone to chain stretch than the 2.0. A new chain fitted by an independant will be around £700.
The chain may rattle for a couple of seconds at start up. Any longer than this, don't buy.
The boot rust is pretty standard on any Primera fitted with a spoiler.
Do have a look and ask some questions on npoc.co.uk. They are VERY friendly and helpful.
As you are in a rush, you should also consider other mainstream cars. Vectra, Mondeo, etc buying on condition as suggested in your other thread.
Good Luck.
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thanks for the replies , i joined npoc yesterday but have had no replies yet, not really looking at vectras, had an sri company car years ago, build quality was awful ,got fed up with bits of trim falling off etc , v6 put a smile on my face though ,
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Chain-cam engines are pretty much indestructable, but some rattle due to stretching around 80K miles not uncommon. Mirrors fold - yes, I have an issue with non-folding mirrors as well! SE spec is good news, but make sure all toys work. Rust is not too much of an issue, but sills do corrode.
I had a pre-99 2.0 (also known as the P-11) for a long time. Great cars to drive. Would get 40mpg on the motorway. They were of sufficiently high quality to be badged the Infiniti G20 in the USA.
Buy one, enjoy!!
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I have an 02 1.8 SE. good points are that it is a large comfortable car, available at bargain prices. We have had ours two years with no mechanical problems at all. Certainly seems solidly put together.
Downside is that parts seem to cost a fortune - £300+ for a window regulator at the Nissan dealership (didn't have it fitted, window is taped up, for reasons that would take a while to explain). The mpg never seems to go above 30, even on a long run. The controls for the heater and cd kind of control each other so you end up putting the heater on when you mean to change track. The holes at the bottom of the door clog easily, which I suppose accounts for the rust on doors mentioned by others.
I don't think I would buy another, mainly because I think they are very dull to drive and I would like something more interesting next time.
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I have one myself, and would generally recommend. Mine is a 1.8 Activ (2001 on a Y plate), and the 1.8 engine has plenty of performance, although is a little thirstier than you might expect (my previous 2.0 Mondeo gave better economy around town, even on 190K+ miles). I would agree with the comments that they are generally bullet proof. I've had mine just over two years, and close to 20,000 miles, and it has given no real trouble (a slightly temperemental starter motor, and a need to replace the battery being the nearest thing to problems ). This on a car that has now done over 150k miles, and has skipped a few service intervals along the way.
They're also well equipped, and drive surprisingly well. The only thing to beware of, is that the turning circle is bigger than you would expect. If you do a lot of town driving (or live in a cul de sac!), the extra space the car needs for three point turns compared to many others can be a real pain. Probably because of this, it also feels a bit cumbersome (certainlty compared to my Mondeo) when manouvering in combined spaces.
As a cheap workhorse though, they're pretty hard to beat. Mine cost me around £1,000, and it's certainly been good value for that money. I'd agree though with the poster who suggested a similar vintage Mondeo. That's another car that provided excellent value for money for me, and having lived with both long term, I'd say it was a slightly better bet overall than the Primera. That is of course just a personal opinion though, and others may well disagree
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@TinTin,
If yours is the newest shape, pattern windows regulators are available for around £70.
Google P12 window regulator.
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bad news swmbo tried one out today , its too big for her to drive and the bonnets too long for her to see the front when parking , its looking like an almera is what i am going to end up with , is the 1.5 engine prone to timing chain problems , is the 1.5 any good or should i look for a 1.8
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I have considered getting a pattern part window regulator - not sure how good the quality is though, and how easy it would be to fit. Nissan dealer wanted £300 and £150 to fit, plus said window glass was broken and needed replacing when it wasn't broken. Hence several months of Duck tape and no drive-through food. I tried to look on the npoc site for advice, but it won't let me read the forums even though I registered.
I agree with other posters about the large turning circle, not easy to see out the back either - I reversed mine into a wall whilst turning in a cul-de-sac.
The Almera is an underrated car, but I think they seem more dated inside than the Primera and I thought they had certain mechanical issues.
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