Timing chain, Timing chain, Timing chain!

If it rattles, walk away.

These engines are renowned for wearing their chains, particularly if the oil isn't changed regularly. They seem to be particularly vulnerable after 30K. £1K main dealer replacement cost.

Have the headlamps been changed? The reflectors/bulb holders can melt. They were replaced free by Nissan dealers. Check the beam patterns and brightness.

I've had a 2003 model for several years. I bought it because they were so cheap. It's had an O2 sensor done under warranty (remember the Tesco petrol problem?), a faulty seat belt electrical connector problem (£70 main dealer) and I've just had to change a broken front spring (£50 from motor factors).

They're a boring, reliable motor that do what they're designed to do.

That reminds me, I must change its engine oil.

Turn up and listen to the engine when it's stone cold. Take it for an extended test drive and thrash the guts out of it and then listen to the engine again when it's hot.

I should think a main dealer will tell you if the headlamps have been done if you give them the VIN.

I've got a 2000/1 1.8 Almera, so one of the earlier "new" shapes. It's done 108,000 miles now. It's well used but well loved and it's been very reliable (I wrote a reader review of it elsewhere on the site).

I've had no timing chain problems, car gets serviced once a year. I do about 12,000 a year so that actually falls outside the suggested service intervals ( I don't change the oil in-between either, as some people suggest) but no harm seems to have been done. As the car's getting on a bit, I went and asked the guys at Nissan about the timing chain; they suggested, as you have done, that checking oil levels nice and regularly is the way to go about it. They intimated that it's a lack of oil supply that causes problems (this may be exacerbated by the small sump, mentioned above). I don't know that much about the technical side of cars, so they could be bulls***ting me, but it seems to make sense - "look after it and it'll look after you, it's got plenty of life left" was the gist of it...It's not liked they sucked their teeth and tried to flog me a Nissan Note!

As for the car in question with the service history missing, again as stated above, these cars are low priced, often low mileage and I reckon there will be plenty of others around with FSH. It is possible to get the millimetres of the timing chain stretch checked as well. If it's outside the recommended parameters, then walk away.

Aside from that, I think these are excellent cars and I'm going to run mine till it drops, which, as things stand doesn't seem likely in the near future....famous last words!!