Topic: Sentra

[silver]

I took a test drive of the 2008 Sentra and I really enjoyed it! I was going to go with the Honda Civic, but now I am not so sure!

The cars seem pretty comparable, but the Sentra  S is a bit cheaper than its Honda counterpart.  They have better financing right now as well as a cash back incentive, so Sentra is looking pretty good!

Any comments???

[Frontier1]

I took a test drive of the 2008 Sentra and I really enjoyed it! I was going to go with the Honda Civic, but now I am not so sure!

The cars seem pretty comparable, but the Sentra  S is a bit cheaper than its Honda counterpart.  They have better financing right now as well as a cash back incentive, so Sentra is looking pretty good!

Any comments???

We just bought one 2 weeks ago and no regrets, it is in fact cheaper than the Civic and a much better riding car.  The fit and finish is very good, the engine is whisper quiet and smooth, the Civic is not.  FYI we also bought an Altima and a Versa, we are very much a Nissan family, the Xtrail(traded) experience made us decide to go with Nissan.

[silver]

I was impressed with the look of the Altima, but I want something a bit smaller. I have admired the Versa as well, but it was a bit too small for me, so the Sentra is perfect. Hmmm i sound a bit like goldilocks!

The more I think about it, the more I am sold!

[LBJGH]

I'm just guessing here but would the Honda have better resale after a few years?  The difference in price can always be made up on the other end.  Nothing agains Nissan or for Honda here.

[silver]

I know that Hondas have great resale - Nissan would be close. Re-sale isn't a factor as i tend to drive cars til they die. My current car is  a 92 Accord!

I think Honda's may have better fuel efficiency on the highway...

[SkiBunny]

Re-sale isn't a factor as i tend to drive cars til they die.

Although resale isn't a factor then, maintenance will be.  I've owned 4 Nissans (a 1980 200SX, a 1985 300ZX, 1990 300ZX, and 2001 Altima).  All were very good for the first few years.  But around 5 years, three of these Nissans became very expensive for maintenance due to frequent costly breakdown.  Also, my 300ZX dissolved into a rustbucket so badly that it had to go to car heaven after just 6 years.  Parts were outrageously expensive on all the Nissans.  For example, I recall being forced to pay $400 for a genuine Nissan windshield wiper motor about 20 years ago (the universal wiper motors like at Canadian Tire wouldn't work).  Nissan parts are ridiculously priced.

[EV Dan]

 
Thats pretty much my thoughts on Sentra. Regardless on whats inside some designs grow on me over time and some become more an eye sore every time I see one. Sentra is among them, being just another a$$ mover, similar to the previous Malibu (same designer?).
It has nothing to do with the make, but some cars I consider fashion statements (Chargers, Magnum, Sivic (esp. coupe), G coupe, G8 to name a few; and the rest to be just um.. things on four wheels. It is similar to how some must have everything Apple and most buy a PC coz its familiar and just works. To each their own though.

[dr_spock]

Go with the Sentra if you don't like the split level dash gauges. 

[Mitlov]

From what I've read, the Civic has sharper handling and a slight fuel economy edge due to lighter weight.  The Sentra has better sound insulation and a more upright seating position (which may or may not be your cup of tea).  The Sentra has a more compliant suspension--typically French (remember the new Sentra is a rebadged Renault Megane), but not as sharp on a twisty road.

[Frontier1]

Mitlov, the Sentra a rebadged Megane, wrong.  They share the platform, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_M%C3%A9gane.  As for fuel economy well my co-worker has a Civic and he's was hoping to do better than what he gets.  As for the ride, to each his own, for me the Civic is downright tiring after a while, as well seating is to low and a pain to get in and out.

[Frontier1]

I was impressed with the look of the Altima, but I want something a bit smaller. I have admired the Versa as well, but it was a bit too small for me, so the Sentra is perfect. Hmmm i sound a bit like goldilocks!

The more I think about it, the more I am sold!

IMO, the resale value is cancelled out with the simple fact that you will pay $700 or so in interest if you finance over 5 yrs with Nissan.  100 days no payments is also a good way to pad the savings account if you're as disciplined as I am   Remember Canada is a Civic nation, Nissan missed the boat years ago with the marketing of the Sentra so the sales numbers are not there.  So that means your not the xth guy on your street with yet another Civic.

[Frontier1]

Re-sale isn't a factor as i tend to drive cars til they die.

Although resale isn't a factor then, maintenance will be.  I've owned 4 Nissans (a 1980 200SX, a 1985 300ZX, 1990 300ZX, and 2001 Altima).  All were very good for the first few years.  But around 5 years, three of these Nissans became very expensive for maintenance due to frequent costly breakdown.  Also, my 300ZX dissolved into a rustbucket so badly that it had to go to car heaven after just 6 years.  Parts were outrageously expensive on all the Nissans.  For example, I recall being forced to pay $400 for a genuine Nissan windshield wiper motor about 20 years ago (the universal wiper motors like at Canadian Tire wouldn't work).  Nissan parts are ridiculously priced.

I really don't think your point is valid here, 200SX and 300ZX are expensive to repair just as Celica, Supra, Prelude would be, also at 5 years you will start fixing cars regardless of the brand.  My Echo parts we're pretty hard to swallow at times, $65 for exhaust donut, $300+ for the VVTI sensor, $400+ for the MAF sensor, $338 ea for the lower control arms because in Toyota's infinite wisdom they do not make the $20 bushing to repair them .  A close friend has a an 05 Civic coupe, twice they had to replace the brake pedal assembly because it was making an annoying creaking noise, 2 alternators that left her stranded, $600 for the first(oe part) the second one was on warranty, so it just goes to show.

[SkiBunny]

Not really as in our experience, our 97 Ford Escort parts have been cheap and plentiful.  In contrast, it can take a week to get a custom-ordered part, or even custom-built part, for our Mitsubishi Eclipse and the parts are very expensive. 

I don't know about civics, but I'd hope that they'd be well supplied for parts at good prices by after-market suppliers because of the large number of civics out there.

[silver]

I test drove the civic and the sentra. For me - the sentra had a better field of vision (sholderchecking) plus, i could see over the top of the hood - which is important to me. With the civic i couldn't.

For the look - i like the Sentra better on the exterior and the civic better on the interior

I have owned two hondas in my driving life and both seemed to last forever! Never had any problems other than the usual stuff. My current Honda (15years old) had cost a lot over the last few years and further repairs are no longer worth it ... i assumed Nissans were comparable in terms of durability and longevity and both on the more expensive side to fix.

with .9 financing  for 5 years and $600 cash back with Nissan i am thinking I would save over the Honda which is a 2.9 financing

[Schmengie]

Before the Versa, my previous Nissans were actually Datsuns, a '76 B-210 and a '71 510. They were both as reliable as anvils - I can't remember anything breaking on either one, although rust was a problem with the 510. The build-quality of my Versa is impressive and it's amazingly solid and quiet for a 'small' car, so hopefully those are good signs. I know Nissan builds cars in Mexico, but I'm not sure if replacement parts originate there. Should make them cheaper if they do, but who knows.

[johngenx]

We looked at all the compact cars in our search, and preferred the Versa to the Sentra.  Just seems like a better package and better overall value.

Nissan dealers were huge turnoffs, however.  Very aggressive, sleazy-style tactics, etc.  Shame, 'cause the Versa HB is a neat car...

[Mitlov]

Nissan dealers were huge turnoffs, however.  Very aggressive, sleazy-style tactics, etc.  Shame, 'cause the Versa HB is a neat car...

That's funny; we had the exact opposite situation when shopping for my wife's truck.  The Nissan dealer was great; the Toyota dealership was sleazy (downright lied about the Tacoma and its competitors; we caught them on three separate occasions), high-pressure, and condescending to my wife (during the sales process and afterward, they have always referred to it as my truck, even though we corrected them repeatedly and told them its hers.  Even when she brings it in for service, they ask her if it's Eric's truck).

[silver]

The salesperson at the Nissan dealership was the best - was unimpressed with the Honda dealership ...

[Schmengie]

Nissan dealers were huge turnoffs, however.  Very aggressive, sleazy-style tactics, etc.  Shame, 'cause the Versa HB is a neat car...

 Of all the dealers we shopped Nissan was the best, very straight-forward and didn't put us under any undue pressure or try to over-sell us. The Mazda dealer was the worst I've ever been to, and that's being kind. They refused to even consider a cash offer or to disclose final numbers unless we agreed to their terms.  Mazdas are great vehicles, in fact we had our hearts set on a Mazda5 at the time, but the experience was so negative I swore we'd never go back.

I'm glad we made the decision to go with the Versa. It's an excellent car and so far the experience with it and the dealer has been a good one. 

[Mitlov]

Yet more proof that the quality of a dealership is not tied to the type of cars they're selling.  There are good Nissan dealers and bad Nissan dealers, good Toyota and bad Toyota dealerships, etc.