Nissan Primera Estate (1999 - 2002) 1.6 16V E 5d (1999/V) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

That practicality and reliability was the key factor when I chose to buy it.

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

They're glad it got me and my family home in one piece.

Would you buy this car again and why?

If I could go back in time to 1999 and buy it new, yes. I've heard later versions aren't as reliable though.

What are you likely to buy next?

Looking at a 2010 Skoda Fabia tomorrow, hopefully no problems with it and 24 hours from now it'll be mine! Otherwise I'd ideally like another estate like an Octavia, Passat or maybe a Golf, or if one comes along then a Mazda 6 or Avensis.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£1,300

When did you buy the car?

June 2015

Did you get a good deal and why?

All in all, I can't complain. The car was probably already on its way out when I got it but it started having noticeable problems around a few thousand miles after I got it (at which point it had about 150,000 mi / 240,000 km on the clock), but this was to be expected and it lasted long enough to do what I bought it for, so I was happy with the price I paid.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I bought a left-hand drive version of the car in Finland (where I lived) to drive my wife, my dog, myself and all our stuff to the UK (where we were moving). I was going for cheap but reliable as my plan was to scrap it on arrival and buy a right-hand drive car.

What was the dealer like?

A quirky Russian private lady seller with three yappy chihuahuas, a nice person and a pleasant transaction overall.

What's it like to drive?

This was my first car so I don't have much to compare with, but I found it smooth and comfortable to drive with a sturdy feel. Our backs started to ache on longer drives as the seats weren't massively comfy, but all in all it's a good solid drive.

What's it like to park?

Again, as an inexperienced driver I don't know if my difficulty parking it is just because I learnt to drive in a small, modern car and then had to try and park this lumbering beast of an estate, but it did feel clunky to me. It's not a short vehicle, steering it to park took some sweat (probably because it was old and already dying to be fair) and it didn't have the greatest turning circle.

Have you had any problems with the car?

After a few thousand miles of using it, one of the brake cylinders started to go which caused a leak of brake fluid, although this was not as extreme as the mechanic seemed to think at the time. The front left wheel also had a problem which affected the steering at high speeds, but again it managed to keep going. In the end it was the clutch that gave in (on the M25!) probably somewhere around 4000 miles after I bought it, and that was the end of the car's life (RIP). I opted not to fix it as I wasn't intending on using it on an ongoing basis - instead I prayed that it would complete the roadtrip I needed it for without any further expenses, and it did.

What's most practical about your car?

It's got tons of space inside, which was great for my purposes. Pretty it ain't, but it'll always have a sentimental value for me.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Not much to shout about by today's standards - but for its time it's a simple, practical and reliable car with all the basic features you'd want.