Used 2003 Nissan Sentra Sedan Consumer Reviews
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I Miss my Sentra
I bought my Sentra new in 2003. It was a great car, but since I live in the north, I found out the first winter that it needed snow tires, and after getting those it was a great winter car. I live in a town with steep hills so great traction is really important. Although the car rode a little low, it never got stuck in snow. The cluster that controls the gauges failed in about the 5th year, and luckily my extended warranty covered it. I recently traded it for a very low mile 2007 Toyota Corolla and regret it so far. The Toyota has horrible road noise and handling. I am going to replace the tires and hope that helps.
Love my car!
I bought my Nissan Sentra in 2003, right off the lot. I wanted something dependable. I had my first issue with the car at 85,000 miles. I had to replace a belt, $30. At 93,000 miles I replaced a battery, $75. At 115,000 miles I replaced a sensor, $160. An now at 125,000 miles I have another $50 issue. So in 7 years, I have only put $315 worth of parts in it(minus tune ups, oil changes, & tires). I can't complain AT All! Daily Driver and now is managing to be my childrens car to learn to drive it. I trust it completly with my kids. Just not sure that I trust my kids with the car! :) My next new car will be a Nissan. Hope this one lasts over 300,000 miles though!
First car
My father got me this car for my high school gradation. It looks like King Kong drop a load on it When i got it. it had all the recalls done to it. It has now 264,xxx miles on the frame, the engine haves around about 150,xxx miles. the last engine die because last owner did not care for it. Now it taking me though college. After i'm out of college I do a complete rebuilt of the car.
Good for the first 7 years
I purchased my Nissan GXE with only 17,000 miles on it.....drove it for YEARS with NO problems, took excellent care of it & then last year the bottom fell out! After reaching 100,000 miles, I started having major repair issues...one after the other...The sensors started going crazy...crank shaft & cram sensors,...the head gasket had to be replaced, the steering rack 6mos later....& these are $1000+ repairs!!! Major disappointment. Don't get me wrong, I did get a lot of usage, but I know people with nearly 200,000+ miles on their cars(different makes/models) & I thought I would be one of them... guess Not! Now I have to consider purchasing another vehicle & I'm Not happy about it one bit.
Excellent Value
I bought my 2.5 Limited Edition one month ago. The major selling point for me was the engine. It only takes 1/2 throttle to merge into freeway traffic. It is really great to know that the car will respond immediately when you want to accelerate, even when it's competition won't (even in the 40- 45 mph where most cars take some time to really get going. I have had no problems (so far) and am very pleased. Do yourself a favor and test drive one before you buy any other car in the same class/type.
A lemon on wheels
I purchased this vehicle new. With less than 100,000 miles I have spent over $4,000 in the past two years replacing major parts. Today I was told I need a new engine. All of this despite regular maintenance. Nationwide of Timonium, the dealership, has done nothing at all to address this problem. So, I need a new car. I can't believe what a lemon this car is/was. So much for Nissan and buying new cars and regular maintenance. I hate Nissan. Please do yourself a favor and buy something else.
Good solid first new car for the family
Stiff ride is very nice. Comfy front seats, though th back is cramped. Good child features. I did notice a couple of asthetic things: a) the Nissan symbol on the steering wheel has one crunched part on it (being asthetic and on the inside, not a big deal I suppose). The muffler has a bit of rust on it (not sure why, I'll bring it in). Engine is a bit loud, but expected with timing chain. Overall good car with nice features (tissue holder in CD holder compartment is nice. Heated mirrors are nice. Good perks on this nice looking car.
2003 Nissan Sentra GXE
Bought an 03 Sentra for my daughter's graduation and would never consider buying a Nissan product again. Head gasket went after 70k and warranty had just run out. Nissan wouldn't listen to our complaints and told us we were on our own. It was extremely tough to get through to any customer service people and when I did they never followed up with us. They don't back up their product and their customer service is terrible. At one point the car just stopped in the middle of an intersection and after a few hundred dollars of diagnostics it was a $3 ignition fuse that was the problem. The dealership I purchased it from was great and the service mgr was very helpful but Nissan is out forever.
No Nissan....ever again!! These cars have a serious safety issue!!
I bought this car exactly 4yrs ago for my GF. it had about 33k miles on it. it now has about 93k miles on it. These cars & other nissians , have had recalls due to crank and or cam sensors going bad. When this happens...your car STOPS...the engine just shuts completely off! You could be at a light, driving on the highway, going up a hill or on a wet or icy road....the car will just die without warning! BOTH senors went out within a few months of each other. Once on my GF in busy commute comming home! We have no kids and don't smoke and we take care of our cars, however we also have had, 2 window motors die, glove box just broke, visor fell apart, ignition won't unlock..etc etc
2003 2.5LE Sentra
I purchased a limited edition sentra in oct 2002.Overall, I am pleased with the performance of the car- good acceleration, and for the price there is no other car in its class that can compete with all the features that this model provides (ABS/side airbags/165hp, etc) I am upset however because no more than a month after I had the car, I discovered that I had a pin-size hole leak in one of the lower radiator tubes. I am surprised at this and did not really anticipate experiencing this type of problem from a company such as nissan. However, all in all the car is a good buy for commuting.
Newbie
I really love my Nissan; its not hard to handle and comfortable. The air conditioner seems to only have a few settings though: Too Cold or VERY Cold. I constantly seem to be trying to adjust the temperature so that its comfortable. Great stereo system though. Fun to drive, AND THANK GOODNESS for AMAZING GAS MILEAGE. I pay typically about $10-15 of gas every week or so and so its not bad whatsoever. It's a very steady car, reliable, and compact enough that it'll fit practically anywhere. The doors are a little small for moving things, but you can pack a lot of stuff into the car once you get past the door.
Bad paint job
The car rides a little rough. You can feel every bump in the road. My car also came with a bad paint job. Two months after purchasing the car the paint job started showing light blotches on one side of the car. After 2 months, 4 trips to the dealer, and 19 phone calls(calls made to dealer and nissan customer line) they are repainting part of the car. I have also been having trouble with the A/C. Once you use the defrost setting, you can not shut the air conditioning off until you turn the car off.
Fun Affordable Car
Drove it for 13 years before buying a Toyota definitely miss the more sporty feeling of the car though. Car handled like a dream. Car always had minor issue but nothing to major ignition coils, ball joints, tie rod ends, rear struts, evap vent valve, crankshaft and camshaft sensor, the notorious horrible factory radio, and window motor. Engine had decent power for the size of the car. Smooth transmission before the days of the horrible cvt. Would recommend it as a good first car with the 1.8l engine.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
OK, but not great in bad weather
I've owned this car for 4 years now. The engine seems kind of thrashy... doesn't shift smoothly. This car is HORRIBLE in any weather other than bone dry. I even put really nice all season Michelin tires on it and I hydroplane on everything from snow to rain to leaves, even going slow. It's a great first car, but I don't feel safe in it
People need to take better care of cars
When I bought the car it only had 55,000 miles on it. Now 2 years later it has 78,000 miles. I only had to change some wear and tear parts. With Nissan Sentra, like any other car, if you don't keep up on the maintenance the car won't perform or run properly. Little problems turn to bigger problems. If you keep having head gasket problems let up and quit horsing the damn car, and if you are having radio problems keep the volume down or get a hearing aid. Factory radios can only take so much power on any car not only Nissan.
This Car Stinks
All we've had was problems with it the engine is terrible has no good features the head gasket blew at around 60,000 miles and all we've had to do was put extra money out for the car it's a piece of trash and nissan's customer service is terrible to they don't care about there customers at all i recommend don't get this car or any Nissan at all just avoid them at all costs just a month ago we were in an accident with it and i have to say it lasted pretty well but the airbags never went off so it could have been deadly it's not a safe car and takes more money to take care of it and fix it then it actually costs and also when we bought it used it was in a huge hailstorm no one told us
I will never ever own a Nissan again!
I bought this car in 2003 as a graduation present to myself, little did I know what a piece of crap I bought. I'm not joking when I say my CD player broke about once a month. Something went wrong with my electrical system and my lights would randomly turn off. Just about any replacement parts have to be bought from Nissan (rip off). After my radiator and my head gasket went at 60,000 I got rid of this car. I couldn't afford to keep up with all of the repairs and of course Nissan kept trying to turn everything around on me even when my car was under warranty! I traded this piece of crap in for a Toyota Matrix and 3 years later I'm still happy I did so! I swear I will never buy a Nissan again
A lot of problems...
I bought this car in 2006. It has about 76k miles on it at the moment. I have had a LOT of problems with this car. One time the car shut off in the middle of an intersection, cost about $500 to repair. The tires wear unevenly, the dealer said it's because the tire arms went bad, and to replace everything wrong with it right now he said it's going to cost over $2,000. Terrible car from a maintenance perspective, and doesn't get nearly as much gas mileage as it claims. Probably will never buy Nissan again, and I do NOT recommend this car at ALL.
Ziggy's GXE
This is my second Sentra and I went back and bought a second one for a reason. My first one '94' was the most reliable car I have every owned. I bought it used with 7000 miles drove it very hard and very often for 7 years. When totaled at 170000 miles it was a true loss. It started 'Every Time' and 'Anytime'. I have driven it as much as 16 hours straight and it was always ready for more. I have driven it in every weather condition and it had always performed very well.
I love this car!
I have owned this car for 1.5 months and I absolutely love it! It is comfortable, smooth, and looks great with the 5 star rims and fog lamps, and the tints I added. This car looks and runs great, and I am VERY happy with my purchase!
3rd time sentra owner
This is the 3rd nissan sentra I've owned. You can't kill the engines. I wouldn't but the automatic again it really takes away from the gas mileage. My 95 5speed got 35mpg. With the automatic its about 22 in the city. The interior comfort is poor. the a/c blows very cold. The bottom line is for comuting back and forth to work its ok. And the price is right.
GREAT SMALL CAR
ALOT OF FUN TO DRIVE GOOD ON GAS AND IN NYC EASY TO FIND A PARKING SPOT GOOD LITTLE CAR AND HAS SOME POP
Good car
Good car no real problems until recently (185,000 miles) and now just things wearing out. Drives well and still gets 28 mpg combined. A few minor things bother me like cup holders and the fact hat the fold down rear seats give limited access to trunk. I would definitely buy again. Not as good as the civic I had but still very reliable.
hmm...
nissan should much care about the interior quility and service dept. dash board got peeled off after 4months drive. service dept got replaced dashboard but it took 4days..huh..the worst is they'done really clumsy work..glues are all over the window..missing parts..gaps...
Your info is wrong!
Your info listed for this car is wron! There are many more options than you list. You have 'not available' listed for many things that are available! I have auto locks/windows/ mirrors, front interior map lights,vanity mirrors on both sides, abs brakes, split seats in the rear that fold down w/ acces to the trunk, alarm system that shuts the engine down if someone tries to steal it, cd player and other things. So, please list that these things are available. Thanks!
Foreign is the only way to go.
After owning a Honda, then a Ford and now a Nissan, I have to say I will never own another domestic car. The options I got on my car are incredible for less than 15k and the reliability and depriciation was a major factor in my purchase.
Limited Edition is a great deal now!
Hi, I disagree with the editors review that the Limited Edition is too expensive and folks should go for the Altima instead. Comparing the feature sets available with the Altima 2.5S and the Sentra Limited Edition, both come with same engines, but Sentra has better features.. in safety, audio systems as well as comfort features. and while the Altima is difficult to obtain at Invoice - $19.7k, I got the Limited Edition for $14.2k (Invoice-1% - $1000 cashback -$500 New Graduate discount + 0.9% financing..) thats a cool $5k less than the equivalent Altima. and doesn't justify my opting for an Altima since i don't need a larger car.
The best car to buy
I picked this car over the Civic and Hyundai Elantra. I love the way it rides and this car dooes very well on the road if you like to travel.
Mr Bud Green
Looked at the Toyota Echo, Honda Civic, Ford Focus. I think the Nissan Sentra was the best I drove of the 3 Cars. Nice to handle and a little more plush then the other 3 and very comfortable. Nice job Nissan!
nissan vibe
I had a Sentra from 89. Reliable and smooth. I wish I hadn't give it away. It's more than one year now since I bought a brand new 2002. Problems with the brakes and the suspension. Safety problems too: today it's been the tenth time that I press the brake and the transmission won't work and car wouldn't stop. RPM increases to almost 4000 sometimes. Very poor on gas. Poor transmission too. I took the car to the dealership for vibration problems. From 2400 to 2900 RPM front vibrates. Very unpleasant in overdrive. They wouldn't say what it is jsut gave me the keys of two new ones. They were worse. I envy the Toyotees.
Happy...but..
I just bought a 2003 sentra gxe w/ road package on clearance. It is a nice car but I am questioning the integrity of the paint and interior components. It has been two weeks and nearly 1600 miles so far. On the first day the "coin draw" fell off and by the second week there have been some concerns with the paint quality. Overall t has been a fun car to drive with road package. It was my fall back car due to the deal I received ($11000). I test drove the jetta wagon mazda protege and lastly the Sentra. I actually wanted a wagon but fell in love with the smooth ride, tight clutch, and looks of the sentra.
Sentra GXE
I really enjoy the car alot, but the finish leaves something to be desired. While driving the wind noise from the doors can be very loud. The dealership says this is normal. I have had Hondas and VWs and never heard this much noise from my other cars. Also I doubt my odometer is accurate. It seems I am now driving about 6 or 700 hundred miles a month more than I did with my previous car. Would I buy this car again? Hmmm I do not know. It is fun to drive but the issues mentioned above mean alot in a car priced at $16,000 and change.
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
Love the car... hate the tires
I love the car I justwish there was more room in thebackseat and that the tire (Bridgestone Potenza's) were better in wet weather. I have slid into a curb causing the alloy wheel to be replaced and hydroplane quite often at such low mileage (4300) the tires are horrible but the car is great.
First Time Nissan Buyer
Nissan Sentra Was Going To Be A Cross Country Road Trip From New Jersey To California. Plus A Trip From New To Key West Florida. During The First 4 Months That I have owned The Nissan Sentra It has performed wonderfully, without any problems. I purchased It on June 29, 2002 And Today It Is November 28, 2002. The Auto has 25,000 Miles on it and the next trip will be to Seattle, Washington and Bownsville, Texas. Great Small Car.
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!
My Third Sentra
This 2003 Sentra is the third one for me. My first, a 91, lasted me for eight years and I drove that car like there was no tomorrow. Wish I still had it. My second was a 98. Although I didn't like that as much as the 91, it was still a great car. Now I have the 03 model. I love everything about this car. It's sporty (I have a spoiler), great on gas, love to drive it, and it has ample power. I definetly get noticed with this car. There is just so much greatness about this car. I am sure I will be in love with this car for quite some time!
My first NEW car and its fantastic!
I have only 500 km on the car but it has been a pleasure to drive. The interior finish is excellent and very well layed out. The power is more than adequate and it is very relaxing to drive. Overall, I couldn't be happier. A lot of car for the money!
This is a car built for 2
There are a few things about this car that I don't like. The back seat is built for midgets, there is absolutely no leg room for the passengers in the rear. also, my Sentra is sometimes a little sluggish when you take off or are climbing a hill. I like the cup holders in the back, but the ones in the front are too close to the stereo, so only the small to medium drinks will fit in them.
2ND Nissan Sentra
This is my 2nd Sentra, the 1st was a 2000 with a 2.0 ltr. on a lease. The 2nd was to buy and keep and thus so far it has been a great car. The only problem i've had was to replace the CD player 2 times because the CD's wouldn't come out, but other than that 3rd CD player seems to be working good, thanks to a warranty. Since this is a 1.8 ltr. it is not as powerful as the 2.0, but the gas milege is pretty good and the car feels soild and comfy.
Good car so far, but some problems
I bought this car in October 2002. I had a 1992 Honda Accord that I bought in 2000, but put $6,000 worth of repairs into. I have heard good things about Nissans so I thought I'd buy one.
Sentra 2003
the best car in its class. solid and reliable. not very zippy but it still drives really nice.
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.
Very good commute car
Bought this car for commute purpose. With Synergy Package. Worth the price.
My First Foreign Car!
I gave American auto dealers 30 years to get it right but American cars are actually worse today than ever- and Ford didn't even honor their own recall! Sound familiar? So I bought a Nissan! I have been surprised at the performance and when a Honda skid to a crash, I was steady on the road. I just got nicked on my left mirror by a guy going 60 miles an hour down a side street today (and the mirror is still solid) and this is only my 3rd week! Buy one, it's a great value for a foreign car and you only have one life!
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.
Yikes...
This car has real punch. I'm still amazed how quick this car is after nearly a month with it. The transmission does a good job of kicking down quickly too. Nice to get 4 wheel disc brakes, side airbags and abs in a car for $15.8K
My Old Faithful Nissan Sentra
I have nothing bad to say about my 2003 Nissan Sentra GXE. Ever since I bought my car in 2003 it has performed very well, just the normal wear and tear maintenance issues like tires, struts, belts, etc. Great, reliable car.
awesome car
the car is great.. this is my 1st car & i am thrilled w/ it. im glad i picked this over the civic - its nicer lookin, more horse & more fun to drive
Sentra Good? My family owns three!
The Sentra GXE offers great styling, and reliablity. The ABS/Side air bags are only availiable as an add-on package. Fuel economy is 29-32MPG, with about a 300-340 mile Range. We have had no issues with the 3 Sentras my Family owns (01SE,02GXE,03GXE). 180 Watt stereo in uplevel packages are a plus, so are alloy wheels. oh, and make sure you get a rear spoiler, it really improves the rear look of the car!