Nissan Sunny Hatchback (1991 - 1995) 2.0 GTi R 3d (1993/K) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

I like going fast?

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

My mother doesn't like the idea of me spending alot of money on a vehicle thats 15 years old. TBH I can see her point at times. Neighbour likes it and surprisingly I've not had anyone complain about the exhaust noise yet.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No. Its too expensive TBH. The gearboxes are weak, the clutch is weak, the brakes are weak and all of this is stuff you have to change or recondition eventually. With the brakes for instance you may as well add "bigger wheels" to your shopping list as uprated brakes won't fit underneath the standard ones. Not only that but I like to try different cars each time too so I am unlikely to buy the same of any car again. Once and only once for me.

What are you likely to buy next?

I've been looking at changing to a Vauxhall Astra Coupe (2.0 Turbo version) as I think I'm more of a modern, newer car kind of person. I've given the GTI-R a go and enjoyed driving this car but its too costly and too much effort for me to continue with. Shame as it has such potential once everything is sorted on it.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£4,500

When did you buy the car?

February 2007

Did you get a good deal and why?

I bought a totally bog standard version which are not easy to come by now as most have been modified. I didn't want one that had already been modded as I prefer to do my own stuff to it. Therefore the £4500 I paid was for the privilege of owning a standard example, and also because the Import Specialist I bought it from included 6 months warranty/service/MOT (The usual stuff a dealer includes to bump up the price.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Wanted to try a Japanese import vehicle with good standard performance and a view to uprating the BHP. 4WD was appealing too.

What was the dealer like?

Friendly bloke who knew his stuff about Japanese cars.

What's it like to drive?

I love driving the car. Its not too costly on fuel (for me anyway) and the performance is a stormer.

What's it like to park?

Easy, its a small hatchback.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Not alot. Only thing I've repaired/replaced in the year I've had it is the clutch/brake fluid hose which had split. The trouble with these cars is not whats wrong NOW but what WILL go wrong. Half of the transmission/Drivetrain is too weak even for the standard power - as are the brakes too - and therefore needs replacing. This is very expensive to do. Only tough parts are the 4WD system and the engine is good (to a point).

What's most practical about your car?

Its small and easy to park. And it can burn away pretty quickly.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

My 4 inch after-market Mongoose exhaust with De-Cat. Makes some noise.