2006 Nissan Sentra -- ok car, good car, or garbage?

[WhipperSnapper]

I found what looks like a decent deal on a 2006 Nissan Sentra. However, after reading some people's comments at Edmunds, I'm unsure what to think. Does the 2006 Sentra have the kind of build quality that you would come to expect from a Japanese carmaker or does it have shitty build quality?

 

[PhoKingGuy]

It was built in mexico, that should answer your question

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Si, Senor.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: PhoKingGuy
It was built in mexico, that should answer your question

and why does that make it better than made in america?

CARS ARE BUILT TO SPECIFICATION BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Mexicans did not design the car, nor do they decide how the car is made, nor does it decide the quality of the car.

they follow Nissan's design instructions and must meet them.

this applies to everything foreign built.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

I found what looks like a decent deal on a 2006 Nissan Sentra. However, after reading some people's comments at Edmunds, I'm unsure what to think. Does the 2006 Sentra have the kind of build quality that you would come to expect from a Japanese carmaker or does it have shitty build quality?

The 06 sentra was a very good all around car, but make your that you check our other comparable cars such as the civic/corolla/maxda 3 they all have their own personality and may suit your needs better. i was actually interested in the same model year sentra, and the build quality is definately not bad, in fact its interior quality was much better than comparable 06-07 cobalts and focus

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Thanks for your opinion, Louis. I guess I've always thought of Nissan as lagging behind Honda, Toyota, and Mazda in the area of build quality. There sure were a couple less than flattering reviews about iat Edmunds.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Well all reviews and opinions must be taken with a grain of salt, everyone has favorites.

Nissan makes some great engines. their engines win numerous awards.

 

[zerocool84]

My brother's chick has one. It's nice but I don't really like the way it looks on the outside but to each their own. It's fairly roomy and does what it needs to well.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: PhoKingGuy
It was built in mexico, that should answer your question

and why does that make it better than made in america?

CARS ARE BUILT TO SPECIFICATION BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Mexicans did not design the car, nor do they decide how the car is made, nor does it decide the quality of the car.

they follow Nissan's design instructions and must meet them.

this applies to everything foreign built.

Then explain why Volkswagen's own internal audit found their Puebla factory on average making more QC errors on golfs of that generation than ones built in Wolfsburg? That report was a driving factor behind their decision to minimize the use of that factory for the US market. Only Jettas and Beetles are produced there, the Rabbit has been sent back to Germany.

I remember reading a report awhile back on Honda factories and something about how the Japanese ones had the lowest number of problems, the American ones were midpack and the Chinese ones were last.

I'm guessing you would be the first to sign up for an Accord if it were built in China as opposed to one in the US?

 

[chris7b]

I own one...its a decent car. I purchased it new and nothing came close to it in terms of price and value. I was looking for a civic and did prefer the look a bit more, but the sentra is a solid vehicle. Engine is pretty solid and the interior isn't too shabby. Nowadays most compacts come with cheap looking plastic dashboards regardless of where its made. Comfort wise, i've taken a few long trips and the seats do a decent job at supporting the back. The car serves me well and is very simple to work on with the 1.8L. Plenty of room under the hood and everything is so simple. I get about 30-32 mixed driving and closer to 35 on the highway with an automatic. I have the 1.8S Special Edition so its nicely equipped with fogs, leather steering wheel, spoiler, alloys, 6 disc changer with 9 speaker RF audio. I stole the car for just over 14K out the door (sticker was 17.5K).

 

[ElFenix]

i had a 2003, which was the same basic car as the 2006, and it was a rattletrap with an incompetent suspension. i don't know if they fixed it by 2006, but the center of the seat and the center of the steering wheel didn't line up. the backseat was nearly unusable thanks to the short wheelbase, and the long front overhang meant it scrapped things all the time. the stereo was a buzzy POS too. the engine often wouldn't start on the first try unless you left the started engaged for 6 or 7 seconds. that was a strange problem and i could never do it consistently, though it did happen often (never when the dealer was trying it, a-hole just shrugged at me when it happened when i came to pick up the car after they told me they couldn't replicate the problem). also was the only FI car i've ever managed to flood.

 

[CrimsonWolf]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

Thanks for your opinion, Louis. I guess I've always thought of Nissan as lagging behind Honda, Toyota, and Mazda in the area of build quality. There sure were a couple less than flattering reviews about iat Edmunds.

Not sure about the '06 Sentra, but Nissan can make great interiors. The interior on my Versa SL is way better than my GF's dad's 2005 (?) Camry, which surprised the hell out of me. The car has been completely trouble-free. I think the Versa and Sentra come out of the same plant in Mexico.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i had a 2003, which was the same basic car as the 2006, and it was a rattletrap with an incompetent suspension. i don't know if they fixed it by 2006, but the center of the seat and the center of the steering wheel didn't line up. the backseat was nearly unusable thanks to the short wheelbase, and the long front overhang meant it scrapped things all the time. the stereo was a buzzy POS too. the engine often wouldn't start on the first try unless you left the started engaged for 6 or 7 seconds. that was a strange problem and i could never do it consistently, though it did happen often (never when the dealer was trying it, a-hole just shrugged at me when it happened when i came to pick up the car after they told me they couldn't replicate the problem). also was the only FI car i've ever managed to flood.

Looks like everything was wrong with your car...

can't all be manufacturing defects. if u bought it in 03 why didn't u bring it to the dealer before that 3 or 5 year warranty was up back in 2005 or 2007?

did you even do any maintenance on your car? you know cars need that every once in a while.

 

[StageLeft]

I think that car will be fine. Know that resale on them is poor, so I want you to run away unless it's going for WAY WAY WAY less than $10k. I haven't looked at comporables now, but these should be nearing a point of being free. If money was a prime concern I'd look at one of these over a corolla/civic because you will get something much newer with far fewer miles.

 

[evident]

if it is the previous generation those were pretty decent and looked good. i can't stand the way the new sentras look ( shrunken altima)

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: PhoKingGuy
It was built in mexico, that should answer your question

and why does that make it better than made in america?

CARS ARE BUILT TO SPECIFICATION BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Mexicans did not design the car, nor do they decide how the car is made, nor does it decide the quality of the car.

they follow Nissan's design instructions and must meet them.

this applies to everything foreign built.

so then why are cars built in japan usually more reliable and better built?

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
Well all reviews and opinions must be taken with a grain of salt, everyone has favorites.

Nissan makes some great engines. their engines win numerous awards.

Especially yours.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: evident
if it is the previous generation those were pretty decent and looked good. i can't stand the way the new sentras look ( shrunken altima)

It's the previous generation. The new one came out in 2007.

If anything, I'd group it with the older Focus or a Cobalt. It's not a great car, but it's cheap and reliable enough.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i had a 2003, which was the same basic car as the 2006, and it was a rattletrap with an incompetent suspension. i don't know if they fixed it by 2006, but the center of the seat and the center of the steering wheel didn't line up. the backseat was nearly unusable thanks to the short wheelbase, and the long front overhang meant it scrapped things all the time. the stereo was a buzzy POS too. the engine often wouldn't start on the first try unless you left the started engaged for 6 or 7 seconds. that was a strange problem and i could never do it consistently, though it did happen often (never when the dealer was trying it, a-hole just shrugged at me when it happened when i came to pick up the car after they told me they couldn't replicate the problem). also was the only FI car i've ever managed to flood.

Looks like everything was wrong with your car...

can't all be manufacturing defects. if u bought it in 03 why didn't u bring it to the dealer before that 3 or 5 year warranty was up back in 2005 or 2007?

did you even do any maintenance on your car? you know cars need that every once in a while.

when do "u" think the bolded happened?

and yes the maintenance was done. often by the dealer. until i got fed up with them for claiming they couldn't replicate problems.

can you be a bigger troll?

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
Well all reviews and opinions must be taken with a grain of salt, everyone has favorites.

Nissan makes some great engines. their engines win numerous awards.

Especially yours.

what does he drive?

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: ElFenix
i had a 2003, which was the same basic car as the 2006, and it was a rattletrap with an incompetent suspension. i don't know if they fixed it by 2006, but the center of the seat and the center of the steering wheel didn't line up. the backseat was nearly unusable thanks to the short wheelbase, and the long front overhang meant it scrapped things all the time. the stereo was a buzzy POS too. the engine often wouldn't start on the first try unless you left the started engaged for 6 or 7 seconds. that was a strange problem and i could never do it consistently, though it did happen often (never when the dealer was trying it, a-hole just shrugged at me when it happened when i came to pick up the car after they told me they couldn't replicate the problem). also was the only FI car i've ever managed to flood.

Looks like everything was wrong with your car...

can't all be manufacturing defects. if u bought it in 03 why didn't u bring it to the dealer before that 3 or 5 year warranty was up back in 2005 or 2007?

did you even do any maintenance on your car? you know cars need that every once in a while.

when do "u" think the bolded happened?

and yes the maintenance was done. often by the dealer. until i got fed up with them for claiming they couldn't replicate problems.

can you be a bigger troll?

dude you have a 2003 car with almost every type of problem there can be: electrical and mechanical. engine not starting in a 2003 car? either u got the lemon or you're not taking care of it.

the dealer can't replicate the problem? why don't you replicate it for them then? thats what i did on one of my trips to the dealer for another car that i drive. if you can't replicate it either then you can't blame them for being assholes.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
Well all reviews and opinions must be taken with a grain of salt, everyone has favorites.

Nissan makes some great engines. their engines win numerous awards.

Especially yours.

what does he drive?

i drive a 2005 Accord V6

 

[bananapeel42]

^^^^ jap lover

 

[LOUISSSSS]

^^^^ banana lover

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I think that car will be fine. Know that resale on them is poor, so I want you to run away unless it's going for WAY WAY WAY less than $10k. I haven't looked at comporables now, but these should be nearing a point of being free. If money was a prime concern I'd look at one of these over a corolla/civic because you will get something much newer with far fewer miles.

The car in question (loaded 2006 Sentra) has about 33,000 miles on it and the dealership wants about $8700 for it. Show me where I can find a used Corolla or Civic with miles like that for around that price? I've seen them for 10,500 but that's $2000 more. By the time we're ready to sell our next car (say at around 120-150,000 miles) it will have attained junker status regardless of what it is.