Used 2003 Nissan Sentra Sedan Consumer Reviews
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nissans are the best
i feel comfortable in it, i can wake up and know it will ride like a dream every morning. very comfortable, and great with gas, that helps with me going to school full time
Very Nice
I bought my car in April, 2003 and it has 26,000 now. I had 0 problems and never had to go to the dealer except for the ECM recall. I highly recommend this car. I usually get 26MPG+. Not bad for a fast car!
2003 Sentra
I have had my Sentra for only 4 months now, but so far like it very much. I owned a Stanza previously for 17 years and that car was worth every penny. I am hoping that this one will carry on the tradition of dependability and quality build.
Sentra 2003
the best car in its class. solid and reliable. not very zippy but it still drives really nice.
Sentra GXE 2003
Up to date, my experience is wonderful, before I bought this car I had a road test with the Hyundai Elentra VE but even if the performance are better with the Elentra, the interior is too much better in the Sentra. I bought the luxury package that game me the 15" mag wheels, in dash compartment and 180 audio system + more... and I appreciate it. The look of the car is impressive ( vibrant blue ) and interior look is just perfect. For fuel economy, i can't really express my self, i'm little disapointed cause it is too much for now, buy I have only 2500 miles done yet. My m/gal will improve soon i'm sure of that i'm not worry.
Somewhat tame SE-R
There's no doubt about it, the SE-R is a supercool car. There is another option though. I have a medical condition (head injury) which makes it very hard to drive a standard. The same condition also makes me want a car with the latest safety features. The LE comes with AT, ABS, and side air bags standard. The SE-R was impossible to find with this combination, at least for me. However, the LE comes with the same 2.5 liter engine as the SE-R. It provides the same grin inducing forward motivation as the near legendary SE-R. The LE is great for driving around town with its abundant low end torque.
Great So Far...
We are leasing a 5-speed, and have been very pleased so far. About 24,000 km to date, mostly highway commuting to work. No major repairs required to date. Controls are easy to find and operate, split seats in back make it easy to "borrow" more trunk space when we need it, great storage space inside. We test drove the Mazda, Honda and Saturn in the same category and feel we are getting more car for the money.
For the price, y not
i got this car in jan 2003 simply out of necessity. i had a 93 altima that was giving more problems as each day passes. budget was a concern so the cheapest, reliable vehicle was what i was looking for, looked at other sedans like civic and corrola but we stopped in nissan first and got a convinng salesman so we got it. pick up is slow, bumper sags, my nissan dealership likes to rip people off so i will not buy a nissan anytime soon.
No Cruise Control!
I bought this car, sight unseen, after a recommendation from a friend who had it thoroughly checked out. Not at all disappointed except for one thing. I have the GXE model and there is one thing that really bugs me - there isn't cruise control. This car is loaded for the price has power everything else including keyless entry. I'm not sure why cruise control isn't a standard feature since it ranks pretty low on the ladder of options. Overall, I'm very happy with it and would recommend this car to anyone who wants reliable and reasonable transportation.
it'll do
I've had the car back to the dealership for a minor problem (water leak in the trunk) the car has been very reliable and has never let me down under some hard driving situations. great errand car!
2003 Sentra GXE
Great little starter car. I purchased it with the synergy package that included power options (windows, steering, etc) along with fog lights and a rear spoiler. One annoying thing concerns the gas cap. If it is not put on tight, the "service engine soon" light comes on and takes days to reset unless you take it in to get evaluated and reset at the dealer. Air conditioner is a bit on the weak side also. Overall, I have been very pleased with the car!
a GREAT car!
loved the Nissan more than my VW convertible! And that's saying a LOT!
GXE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 4A)
I have no complaints with this vehicle. I traveled across country in it going an average of 65mph (following a moving truck) with the AC on and got over 40mpg. Doesn't handle well in the snow or on ice, but has been a terrific little car. Not much leg room in the rear, but fairly comfortable in front.
Good One
Good tight feel. Great for teenagers.
Good
During winter, the heat takes a long time to warm up. It takes a while to accelerate onto freeways. Otherwise, it's a great car!
Sentra quality down
This engine was leaking antifreeze in the engine. We needed a new headgasket.It was covered under warranty but we had to fight to get the Nissan dealer to fix it. The engine has suffered damage from the coolant leak. It takes longer than usual to start. Also during an oil change, the dealer tech noticed we were losing alot of oil through the crankshaft oil seal. also replaced during warranty. This with a car with only 18k miles at the time. I would avoid this car with the 1.8 L engine. I've talked with others who own this car/engine. they had the same problems! Sentras are made in Mexico. buyer beware.
As predicted the brakes failed after 14k
I read reviews before i bought the car and many comments said the brakes would go after only 15. I mentioned it to the dealer and they discounted it to poor driving habits. sure enough, at 14,800kms the front brakes and rotors had to be replaced. they would not cover the replacement as i didn't get my regular maintenance done there. the service absoulutely sucks. you wonder why i didn't get my maintenance there. my first and only maintenance was to get an oil change and winter studded tires removed. when they placed the tires in the car they scratched my car and refused to admit it. When purchasing a Sentra insist in writing that they would cover a brake job if they fail after <20k.
great car
Great car to own, low on initial pickup but flies on the highway. Very quiet and stable at high speeds. It's like driving a high-end sports car, also great in the snow and very good mileage, 28 in the city, 35+ highway.
So far so good
I've had a Sentra in the past and absolutely loved it. This one is much spunkier. Have had zero problems with it, but I have begun to hear a tiny squeak over rough roads.
Good car so far knock on wood
Car had an o ring leak at one month of age. At 6 months of age head gasket went leaked anti freeze on belt, Dealership replace head gasket but refuse to replace belt that still from this day squeals cause of glazing. Paint is chipped on bottom of doors due to stones and road salt. Car interior seats stain badly. Car flooded in cold weather just from moving car off driveway onto side of road. Handles great on turns and awesome braking. Great on gas. Small interior for leg room not meant for a family car. handles okay on icy roads.
It's alright for the price
Recall for faulty rims.No other prob.Accel ok for 126hp after broken in. Good mileage. Ride/noise ok when tank full. Instrument average, funct, nothing fancy.Corolla/Civic/VW better. Room ok when seats back. Seats short but comfortable, even on long drives.Trunk space ok.After ~10,000 miles,minor rattling from glove compartment and door.Stereo ok.Brakes BAD!Skidded many times,esp when raining.Get ABS option! Steering/handling good;steering wheel stiff.Cheap rubber/"duct tape" seals on door;tape peeling already.Inconsistent accelerator pedal from complete stop;makes me nervous. Design/styling "old lady." Can't accessorize.
Nice car
Very reliable car, bought it with 44000 miles on it and have never had a major mechanical problem, now has almost 73000 miles on it!
Love my Sentra
I've owned this car since late December. I have a little over 5,000 miles as of late April. I have had NO problems what so ever. My mileage has varied between 30 and 39. I commute 39 miles a day each way. Most of my miles are freeway miles with few hills. I'm a big guy, 6'3" 230lbs. The car is comfortable. I got the synergy package. It's an incredible value. I also test drove a Toyota Corolla and a Mazda Protege. I liked those cars too. But, I got more car for the money with the Sentra. PS: It is a fun car to drive.
Take it for a test drive.
The Nissan Sentra LE compares quite favorably to ever other car I test drove (Protege, Civic, Corolla, Elantra, Jetta). The 165 HP engine is at the top of the class and is mated very well with the automatic transmission. Handling is relatively tight - though perhaps not as tight as the Protege. Interior velour cloth is a nice touch and the stereo stystem is truly wonderful (180 watt with 7 speakers). I bought this car on the last day of March as incentives were to expire (they may well have come back by the time you read this).
Nissan Sentra 2003 GXE
I've put 9000 miles so far in the first 3 months(expected). I have one problem where the engine idled rough, and was hard to start, and the "Service Engine Soon" light came on. I scheduled an appoint to take to dealer, but the light went off by the time I did, and service dept. didn't find a problem - been fine since then. I bought this car for the fuel economy. The sticker had 29Cty and 35Hiwy, but only 31.5 to 32 MPG. However, it has increased steadily from 28 to now at 32.+. Maybe by 6 months I might hit the 34-35 mpg range? Overall, it appears to be a solid, well built little car.
Great Car for the Buck!
Overall, great car so far and from all I've read (which is a lot) it should be for a long time. I have the 1.8L 4cyl which is the one I wanted because of the great fuel economy, but it could stand to be a little more peppy. With the rear spoiler, fog lights and alloy rims package, which I got, this car looks really good for a sedan, kind of like a small Maxima. The Stereo/CD system sounds great.
Very nice package
Very good and solid small car. It competes well with other cars in this catagory.
G14 RJX
Tough,Relaible Confortable family cars, Falls inbetween compact & MidSize
Love my Sentra
I've owned this car since late December. I have a little over 5,000 miles as of late April. I have had NO problems what so ever. My mileage has varied between 30 and 39. I commute 39 miles a day each way. Most of my miles are freeway miles with few hills. I'm a big guy, 6'3" 230lbs. The car is comfortable. I got the synergy package. It's an incredible value. I also test drove a Toyota Corolla and a Mazda Protege. I liked those cars too. But, I got more car for the money with the Sentra. PS: It is a fun car to drive.
The most features in its class
I absolutely love the features provided with this vehicle (165 hp/ABS/Side Air Bag/4 wheel disc brakes/alloy rims/audio package/cruise control on steering/...) the most in its class. The car is very quick with good low-end torque. Took a while to get used to steering wheel stiffness; wish it was stiffer at higher speeds. Good interior design (I disagree with many car reviews). If the car hood had more character then the exterior design with the tail fin is better than the competition's. I wish this car had the SE-R sports-tuned suspension. Major complaints: uncomfortable seats, too much noise entering the vehicle at highway speeds.
Best compact car for the money
I was shopping for my first car and was looking for Corolla, Civic, Focus, Elantra GT, etc. I bought a 2003 Sentra LE for $14,200 and out the door price was $14,600. Corolla CE basic model with manual windows was invoiced at $14,000! I just passed 1,200 miles break-in period and I'm very satisfied with this car. This is a car you want to buy if you want a economical compact car and this car is fun to drive.
Got what I paid for and more
Considering the fact that my old Sentra drove 193,000 before someone turned into the front of it,I went out to purchase another one.I purchased it with the Synergy package and the side airbags/anti lock brakes.I do wish that Nissan would work on the overall build quality with the sentra.For example, the window trimming would become disaligned upon lowing the rear window.The dealer fixed it immediately.The car is quick in comparison to the others in its class. The car is certainly fun to drive, and the sound system is wonderful. Be careful however of the stiffer steering wheel which took me some getting used to, as well as the slight torche steer.
Really good!
Nice car, nice ride, great looks with the snergy package (spoiler, foglights, alloy rims to name a few items that comes with that package). If your in the market for a compact car,(not as compact as it used to be) you need to look at the Sentra.