Nissan Micra?

Allison91

Hey just wondering if the Nissan Micra is a good first car? or if you have any other suggestions that would help?
Thanks.

bazz26

What year is the Micra you are thinking about?

Generally they are a good little car and tick all the right boxes with people looking for inexpensive a to b transport.

Others to consider: Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Skoda Fabia, etc.

Allison91

yeah im thinking around 99/00 not the new ones anyway.

Flyer1

Best first car you could get, they're extremely reliable, cheap to insure, cheap to maintain and buy parts for. I owned one for a while, it'd hit me with 50 - 55MPG if you took it handy. It's below 1000cc so it's cheap to tax, but having a twin cam 16valve engine it's one of the " zippier " 1litre's around.

Insurance companies love them, they're not associated with boy racers like something such as a Starlet.

My brother had one for for 4 years, never a problem ( except for when he ran in to the back of another car which didn't turn out too bad ).

You're on to a safe bet with the little micra.

craichoe

They look ghey

L1011

I've a new one as a hire car now. Its plasticky, jittery on the road and the sound system is terrible. On the plus side, its very, very fast for a car its size (its a Sport+ model)...

Slig

very sensible choice, reliable, economical, cheap to tax and insure, still has a usable back seat, comfortable to drive town or country. Ticks all the boxes really.
Just expect people in bigger cars to drive dangerously around you, try to pass you out, tailgate and bully you. Micra has a stereotype attached that is pretty unjustified

sandyg

When i was learning i found the fiat panda perfect for me. I felt high up in the seat and with the back of it being fairly straight there was less of a worry in reversing into somthing!! Would highly recommend it. Its a fun car to drive and is very cheap to run and insure/tax.:D

daveharnett

Great learner's car. More reliable than any of the competitors, cheap to run and insure. If you're going for the older model, just be sure to get one with power steering and an airbag.

woodseb

Slig wrote: »

Micra has a stereotype attached that is pretty unjustified

i disagree, Micra's have a disproportionate amount of learners, OAPs and A to B drivers - i've lost count of the amount of times i've been stuck behind a micra travelling well below the speed limit or doing completely unpredictable things

L1011

sandyg wrote: »

When i was learning i found the fiat panda perfect for me. I felt high up in the seat and with the back of it being fairly straight there was less of a worry in reversing into somthing!! Would highly recommend it. Its a fun car to drive and is very cheap to run and insure/tax.:D

+1

And they're indestructable. Built for use on Polish farms and Italian mountains, but internally re-specced for Ireland. We've two in the family with 140,000km between the two of them and they've never broken down, at all. Just avoid the 1.2 8v engine just in case - it has a problem of eating head gaskets in older Fiats so might still do. 1.1 petrol or 1.3 diesel for a learner would be grand, the 1.4 16v would likely be uninsurable (100bhp).

Eoin

daveharnett wrote: »

Great learner's car. More reliable than any of the competitors, cheap to run and insure. If you're going for the older model, just be sure to get one with power steering and an airbag.

You don't really need power steering in a micra. My sister has one without it, and the steering is very light - especially compared to a fiesta or polo of the same year without PAS.

Slig

woodseb wrote: »

i disagree, Micra's have a disproportionate amount of learners, OAPs and A to B drivers - i've lost count of the amount of times i've been stuck behind a micra travelling well below the speed limit or doing completely unpredictable things

Yup, me too. but surely you realise that was the drivers fault and not the cars.:D

biko

Micra - great first car. Easy to get around, cheap on fuel and small enough to park easy - my gf tells me so

kick-on

sandyg wrote: »

When i was learning i found the fiat panda perfect for me. I felt high up in the seat and with the back of it being fairly straight there was less of a worry in reversing into somthing!! Would highly recommend it. Its a fun car to drive and is very cheap to run and insure/tax.:D

Whatever you do dont buy a fiat heres a old adage ive had drummed into me since i was small "buy a fiat and youll always be on your feet" there piles of s**t, defo go for the micra, i have one at the moment and they are actually indestructible!!!! mines a 93 without power steering and sure its as easy to turn, only problem i have had with mine is a drive and a fuel pump went, minor things which can be expected in a 93 car in fairness and plus parts are easy and cheap 2nd hand, you would easily service it etc yourself, just buy the haines manual and away you go!!!

culabula88

whats the fuel tank capacity in a 99 /00/01 micra??

mollydolly271

best first car u cud have i had a 97 micra for 5 years and only got rid of it in jan my choice to keep it untill then but i gave it to my sister in law so we still get to spend some quality time together ever now and then!! more seriously cheap insurance,tax and petrol u know there are a good car when u still see so mant old ones on the road going strong go for it!:cool:

L1011

kick-on wrote: »

Whatever you do dont buy a fiat heres a old adage ive had drummed into me since i was small "buy a fiat and youll always be on your feet" there piles of s**t

Absolutely and utterly untrue for any Fiat made after 2003.

The Panda was introduced in 2003. Companies gone from a bankrupt basket case to a highly profitable manufacturer of extremely reliable cars.

However, this crap still gets trotted out by people who know no better.

itarumaa

there cannot be easier car to drive than automatic Micra

kick-on

MYOB wrote: »

Absolutely and utterly untrue for any Fiat made after 2003.

The Panda was introduced in 2003. Companies gone from a bankrupt basket case to a highly profitable manufacturer of extremely reliable cars.

However, this crap still gets trotted out by people who know no better.

a friend of my father had a brand new punto last year and ended up trading it in after 4 months, d electrics gave terrible trouble with it, and another problem ive heard of is dodgy gearboxes!!!!!!!!!!!!, i tink i no better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

woop

micra is good nice and nippy being 16v etc
however they are a little bit pricy if youre looking for something to learn in and are going to be trashing
other than the micra Id take a look at the arosa, good car, rather frugal engine but solid and strong
and good value at the moment in places other than carzone.ie, has the added advantage of being higher up which I know yee wimmins like for parking etc.
get on with power steering though
heres one although the price is madness!
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Arosa/1.0/1068485/






yup fiat supposedly getting good and toyota getting bad


whats the world coming to

peasant

kick-on wrote: »

a friend ...another problem ive heard of ...

Hearsay your honour ...not admissible in court

zilog_jones

The Seat Arosa is a smaller car - it's a "city car" like the Lupo, Ford Ka etc., unlike the Micra which would be considered a supermini (like Fiesta, Corsa, Polo, Yaris, etc.). However, the Arosa is apparently wider and taller than the Micra so may not be all that worse off inside (expect probably rear/boot space).

I agree mostly with what people said about the Micra so far. However, compared to the late '90s competition I find the interior rather old fashioned and tinny, and it's not as safe as the Fiesta or Polo from that era according to EuroNCAP results.

Also, look out for the Japanese import versions - badged Nissan March. My friend has one and it's much better specced than typical Micras sold here - passenger airbag, ABS, aircon etc. Some parts like headlights and rear light clusters are different to the Micra though, so may be hard/expensive to replace - just don't crash it too much

skyhighflyer

culabula88 wrote: »

whats the fuel tank capacity in a 99 /00/01 micra??

35 litres AFAIK

spank_inferno

I drove a family members 01 Micra for a week before I got a 01 Skoda fabia.
Despite being same age and approximately same value
There can be absolutely no comparison, the fabia is far better.
- More room
- almost as economical (46mpg for combined urban/motorway driving)
- more spec
- higher build quality.
- a boot worth having

I will admit that I've never been in a current generation micra though.

challengemaster

itarumaa wrote: »

there cannot be easier car to drive than automatic Micra

Anything automatic is easy to drive, problem is.. it's automatic. hence not worth a sh!t. Where's the fun in the car doing all the work? or the skill? Learn to drive an automatic and you'll only ever drive automatics..

Flyer1

Anything ever made by FIAT is a piece of ****e. I've been around cars for years, I wouldn't own one if I was guarenteed a lotto win every second wednesday.

I thoght the micra tank was 40litres, not 100% sure on it.

Eoin

challengemaster wrote: »

Anything automatic is easy to drive, problem is.. it's automatic. hence not worth a sh!t. Where's the fun in the car doing all the work? or the skill? Learn to drive an automatic and you'll only ever drive automatics..

Having just bought an automatic, I would find it hard to drive a manual again. But to say no automatics are fun is bollocks.

Edit - wow, speaking of sweeping statements... Good work there Flyer1.

zilog_jones

spank_inferno wrote: »

I drove a family members 01 Micra for a week before I got a 01 Skoda fabia.
Despite being same age and approximately same value
There can be absolutely no comparison, the fabia is far better.

You're comparing a car that came out in 1992 to a car that was launched in 1999, so it's not surprising. The Micra was looking quite outdated by then. The Fabia is supposed to be a nice car (haven't been in one myself) but watch out for the 1.4 pushrod engines which won't live up to your claims of fuel economy (I assume you drove a 1.2?), and being more modern cars (only came out here in 2000 AFAIK) they may not be as cheap as Micras.

Guy:Incognito

eoin_s wrote: »

Having just bought an automatic, I would find it hard to drive a manual again. But to say no automatics are fun is bollocks.

Edit - wow, speaking of sweeping statements... Good work there Flyer1.

Plus, who the hell is buying a mirca to have "fun" in anyway. Whatever about peoples opinions in sports cars or "hot" versions of standard cars (S4, M3 etc) , theres no reason that all A-B cars shouldnt be auto. Theres no advantge to a manual and this is just multiplied when the car is mostly in traffic .

L1011

Flyer1 wrote: »

Anything ever made by FIAT is a piece of ****e. I've been around cars for years, I wouldn't own one if I was guarenteed a lotto win every second wednesday.

Also means you haven't driven one for years, quite clearly.

kick-on wrote: »

a friend of my father had a brand new punto last year and ended up trading it in after 4 months, d electrics gave terrible trouble with it, and another problem ive heard of is dodgy gearboxes!!!!!!!!!!!!, i tink i no better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

'friend of my father' = 'I totally made this up, I also can't spell properly as it happens'

challengemaster

Stekelly wrote: »

Plus, who the hell is buying a mirca to have "fun" in anyway. Whatever about peoples opinions in sports cars or "hot" versions of standard cars (S4, M3 etc) , theres no reason that all A-B cars shouldnt be auto. Theres no advantge to a manual and this is just multiplied when the car is mostly in traffic .

well.. ok thats true. kinda went off the micra subject for a sec there..:o

And eh, there is a reason. With manual you learn clutch control, needed mostly when the car is in traffic. without that you're stuck driving auto's for the rest of your life..

Eoin

challengemaster wrote: »

And eh, there is a reason. With manual you learn clutch control, needed mostly when the car is in traffic. without that you're stuck driving auto's for the rest of your life..

It widens your options if you learn in a manual, but to say automatics aren't fun is still crap IMO.

Flyer1

MYOB, i'm around countless numbers of makes of cars every day. I work for a comany who run about 40,000 cars in Ireland alone, I drive a different car every 5 minute's. Unfortunately I have to drive Fiat's every once in a while, and yes they're a terrible car, they're crap to drive, reliability is crap, build quality is awful, of the 500 new Fiat Bravo's we trialed, all but about 5 didn't end up having some kind of problem in the first 10000kms. Any nissan or toyota's or honda's we've operated haven't had any major problems whatsoever. Japs are tops when it comes to cars.

Guy:Incognito

Flyer1 wrote: »

, of the 500 new Fiat Bravo's we trialed, all but about 5 didn't end up having some kind of problem in the first 10000kms. Any nissan or toyota's or honda's we've operated haven't had any major problems whatsoever. Japs are tops when it comes to cars.

The least reliable cars in that segment last year were about 82% reliable (18 issues per 100 cars) so your saying that the new Bravo has 99 per 100 and no one bats an eylid?

L1011

And I don't believe a word you're saying, sorry. Firstly you've clearly exaggerated ("drive a different car every 5 minute's") and secondly what you're saying has not been shown at all in reviews in the press, feedback on forums, etc.

There are people with hangups about Fiats. You don't need to make stuff up if you don't like them - just say you don't like them. I find Japanese cars horrible, simple as - I don't go lying about them (reliability, build quality) to put that across.

I'd also question the existence of 500 Bravo's in Ireland to begin with - Fiat were last year the 22nd highest seller in the country - nobodies buying them. As a result, very few people have actually driven a recent one. Someone provided figures here that they've sold 49 cars since the start of July, compared to 19 in the same time period last year. Assuming 100 a month since the Bravo was introduced, that suggests about 1100 sold... of which you're suggesting about half are Bravos, and you have most of them? Riiiiiiiiiight so....

Few simple facts - you don't win Car of the Year more times than anyone else by selling cars that drive badly. You don't offer 4 year warranties on cars that are unreliable. You don't get 5 star NCAPs with poor build quality. Any other lies you'd like to throw forward?

Diabhalta

I drive my Nissan Micra K11 (1994) for more than three years now and can't say a bad word about it. It let me down twice, but that can happen to any car (fuel pump and igniton leads were faulty)... I went for a good few trips around Ireland with it and always without problem. And it's quite huge inside too

Merch

Flyer1 wrote: »

MYOB, i'm around countless numbers of makes of cars every day. I work for a comany who run about 40,000 cars in Ireland alone, I drive a different car every 5 minute's. Unfortunately I have to drive Fiat's every once in a while, and yes they're a terrible car, they're crap to drive, reliability is crap, build quality is awful, of the 500 new Fiat Bravo's we trialed, all but about 5 didn't end up having some kind of problem in the first 10000kms. Any nissan or toyota's or honda's we've operated haven't had any major problems whatsoever. Japs are tops when it comes to cars.

:eek: do you mean 4000? even that would be a lot? no??

colm_mcm

This thread is 4 years old :eek:

Who digs up a 4 year old thread about micras?