Le Sentra
Woah woah, Nissan is not French. The headquarters, design studios and engineering happen in Japan. Nissan entered into a strategic alliance with Renault around 1999 because they were hurting financially. However, it would be Renault benefiting here, not the other way around when it comes to the engineering.
Agree; like Mazda, Nissan fell on hard times, not because the mad bad cars, but because their business model included too many platforms and models to be economic. Renault’s chief, Carlos Gohne?, saw a golden opportunity to benefit from Nissan’s excellent engineering and bailed them out by buying controlling interest.
Since that time, as mentioned, both sides have benefited, but Renault more so. Platforms are shared now, but don’t expect a Renault to have the same quality and reliability as its Japanese Nissan version. Both companies make very good diesels for small cars, so expect Nissan to introduce one soon in the US.
Likewise, Ford’s small car engineering is largely done by Mazda, and the Focus and Mazda 3 are built on the same platform. The execution is different, of course. Same for the Fusion and the Mazda 6.
Your Nissan was made in Japan. I have a '96 Maxima SE with 150k on it - runs like it’s new.
You don’t say which engine/transmission it has.
For reference, check out the MSN review for this car @ http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Reliability.aspx?year=2005&make=Nissan&model=Sentra
Things happen sometimes with any car. See if you can get another mechanic to look at it.
I could be wrong, but I thought all Sentras, like our 1994, were built in Smyrna, Tennessee. In any case there should be very little difference between a Sentra built in Japan and one built in the US, since all the design, quality and manuafcturing technologies are the same.
I think the Sentra is made in Mexico, I could be wrong thou.
Nissan does have an assembly pant in Mexico; the old 1990s model is still built there as a taxi and service vehicle, as well as an entry level familiy car.
Hello,
Not sure how old this question is, but I have a 1994 Sentra, I am the original owner, and yes I have babied this car being its only a 4cyl., but I have 248,000 on it right now. Its a standard, and I don’t want to say anything, but I still have the original clutch. I just want to say, as they say, you can actually drive a Nissan if its well maintained till the wheels come off. I as I saw another reply to your question, and I would agree that you need to get a second opinion. Even though you take your car to the dealer, they don’t always have the best mechanincs, maybe they are to young or what you to buy a new car, but after only 70,000 miles, that engine should still be in good shape, unless the person who drove it wasn’t very gentle with it, these sentra’s have very small engines and can’t be driven like a v8. Get a second opinion.
it should still be under warrenty. i think it is 80,000 miles or less., plus if there was recall, and there are many for this car, and that open recalled part caused this problem, they will fix it for free. my girlfriend just got them to put a brand new engine and many other parts for this exact same reason, even though her sentra was running fine before. So call nissan North America at their 800 number and give them the VIN, they will tell you exactly what recalls are open for your moms car and what the warrenty will cover.You maybe able to get this all taken care of for free. Good Luck.