Nissan Almera Hatchback (2000 - 2006) 1.5 S 3d (00) (2000/W) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

I will sacrifice 'cool' points in favour of practicality.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

I'm the third generation of Almera owners, so the family like it! Friends think it's a grandad car until they need a lift, then suddenly they love it. Not sure why...

Would you buy this car again and why?

Just did. Now replaced with a '55 SE 5 door.

What are you likely to buy next?

Not sure - not a fan of the new Nissan range. Had a Note as a courtesy car recently, which has put me off those.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£600

When did you buy the car?

June 2011

Did you get a good deal and why?

It was cheap and cheerful. I wasn't expecting much, and I didn't get much!

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Needed the most reliable possible car in an emergency on a very tight budget! 2 Other members of my family own Almeras and have been really happy with them.

What was the dealer like?

Wee bit shady. Not sure I would ever go back there.

What's it like to drive?

Steering is light but solid, fairly nippy and sporty but sometimes lacks oomph in higher gears, especially uphill. Barrels along happily on the motorway, grips nicely on corners. Handles great actually, some people seem to say otherwise but maybe I just got lucky with mine.

What's it like to park?

Never had a problem at all. Vertical rear window makes it easy to judge the back. Bonnet is slightly longer than it looks but wing mirrors are better than a lot of other cars so visibility is really good.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Gearbox failed, so I traded it in rather than fix it (very expensive!). Other than that just the a couple of tyres and exhaust like you would expect on a 12 year old car. Pretty reliable - always started, always made it back home.

What's most practical about your car?

Space! Flat folding seats gives massive boot space. Apparently it's not that comfortable for passengers in the back, but if you carry stuff more than you carry people it's brilliant. Would have preferred 5 doors had I known how much of a pain 3 doors would be.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The S trim doesn't come with anything exciting, but the gadget I've used most has been the volume controls on the steering wheel. Also it has a really useful box in the middle of the console so you can reach things like sunglasses without having to lean all the way over to the glovebox while driving. Small things...