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Is the mark 1 Almera the greatest car ever?

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    #32
    Yakult
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 7,941 Mod ✭✭✭✭Yakult


    Driving a 98 Toyota Corolla, over 250,000km up on it. Still runs like a beaut, just passed its NCT again today for another year.

    Way more Corolla's on the road than Almeras, in fact I haven't seen one in a while now!


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    #33
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Grab All Association wrote: »
    Corrolla is a good reliable car but you can’t deny it’s overpriced for this market. It’s a 3rd world car sold at first world prices. Hubcaps in 2018 too :D

    Apparently the Diesel engine is the same as it was in 2002 with a few minor changes?
    It's far from a 3rd world car tbh. That diesel engine is a fantastic refined engined and is really the best sub 1.6 diesel on the market, even today.


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    #34
    Pedro K
    Registered Users Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭Pedro K


    I have a 00 N15 Almera. Have had it since September 2008. The car is bulletproof. Outside of basic maintenance, and consumable parts, the car has never, in nearly ten years, let me down.

    However. At the start of this year the clutch started slipping. Another consumable part, and I could go and get a clutch from somewhere and fit it, but given the age of the car, it's getting more and more difficult and exoensive to insure every year.

    As such, I think it may be time to consider getting a newer car. If I do, I will be devastated to see the nissan go!


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    #35
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Atoms for Peace wrote: »
    The mk1 Primera was better, pity they had to make each subsequent mark worse than the one before.

    It really wasn't though. It might of been a better drivers car but the almera and the sunny were better built and more reliable.


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    #36
    Leonard Hofstadter
    Registered Users Posts: 5,540 ✭✭✭Leonard Hofstadter


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    The megan was a ball of sh1te. The e11 was very close to gaining 4 stars in the euro ncap at the time which was very good for what was in essence an early 90's chassis.

    The Mk1 Megane was a fine car, and far more comfortable than a Corolla. Sure it wasn't as reliable as a 90s Corolla (few cars are), but they weren't bad either.

    The Mk2 on the other hand was rubbish even when new.


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    #37
    Arthur Daley
    Registered Users Posts: 4,459 ✭✭✭Arthur Daley


    Mint Sauce wrote: »
    Won every race with her, in TOCA Touring Cars on the PS1, if that's anything to go by.

    :D

    Think that was the Primera in TOCA. It went well up against the dominant Laguna and strong and stylish mk1 A4. The Accord, Volvo S40 and 406 were not as good, midfield runners, while the Mondeo was brutally underpowered in it. What gameplay in that one.


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    #38
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    captainspeed wrote: »
    The Mk1 Megane was a fine car, and far more comfortable than a Corolla. Sure it wasn't as reliable as a 90s Corolla (few cars are), but they weren't bad either.

    The Mk2 on the other hand was rubbish even when new.
    The mk1 megan was a dreadful car, really dreadful. A friend of mine bought one new in 00 and it went through two gearboxes in the first 6 months.

    I can't agree on them being more comfortable either. The seats were comfortable but the ride was harsh and crashy on any hint of an uneaven surface.

    They were also horrible to drive, the clutch wasn't that nice to use and the gearchange was just dreadful, especially on the pre facelift.


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    #39
    Isambard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,796 ✭✭✭Isambard


    no, definitely Corollas from the mid nineties, any number of them on the road still despite scrappage and exploitative Insurance Companies.


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    #40
    Bigus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,939 ✭✭✭Bigus


    The most compelling reason for getting a newer car below @ 1.22

    1998 Corolla vs 2015 Auris crash test , and I'd say a Corolla would fare a lot better than a mk1 almera


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU


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    #41
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Bigus wrote: »
    The most compelling reason for getting a newer car below @ 1.22

    1998 Corolla vs 2015 Auris crash test , and I'd say a Corolla would fare a lot better than a mk1 almera


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

    That's not a 1998 corolla though. It's a 1992-1997 corolla.


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    #42
    JoeA3
    Registered Users Posts: 7,412 ✭✭✭JoeA3


    My Dad had a couple of MK1 Almera saloons as company cars back in the late '90's, early '00's. Absolutely dreadful cars imo, even when brand new. They were a decade behind the class leaders in terms of refinement, comfort, equipment and that's before we get to the styling...


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    #43
    jacksie66
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,988 ✭✭✭jacksie66


    This post has been deleted.


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    #44
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    I would say the EJ/EK civic is a better and more reliable car, it also looks better and is nicer to drive, is more economical and all round better car.


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    #45
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    JoeA3 wrote: »
    My Dad had a couple of MK1 Almera saloons as company cars back in the late '90's, early '00's. Absolutely dreadful cars imo, even when brand new. They were a decade behind the class leaders in terms of refinement, comfort, equipment and that's before we get to the styling...

    The run out s models were alrite when it came to spec for a car of that era. Don't think they looked too bad either in the s trim certainly no worse than a saloon focus which would of been considered the class leader at the time.

    They were a pretty straightforward and reliable car. The engine in them was excellent in terms of robustness.

    I ran a sunny with that engine to 200k miles and the only hiccup was when the fuel pump went. The engine itself never gave a days bother and never even burned a drop of oil.


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    #46
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »
    I would say the EJ/EK civic is a better and more reliable car, it also looks better and is nicer to drive, is more economical and all round better car.

    An ek civic is way better than an almera in almost every way


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    #47
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    The run out s models were alrite when it came to spec for a car of that era. Don't think they looked too bad either in the s trim certainly no worse than a saloon focus which would of been considered the class leader at the time.

    They were a pretty straightforward and reliable car. The engine in them was excellent in terms of robustness.

    I ran a sunny with that engine to 200k miles and the only hiccup was when the fuel pump went. The engine itself never gave a days bother and never even burned a drop of oil.

    Fuel pump in a sunny???? They were carb'd engines and didn't have a fuel pump.


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    #48
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »
    Fuel pump in a sunny???? They were carb'd engines and didn't have a fuel pump.

    They were fuel injected from 1993 onwards ;) Mine was a 94


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    #49
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Surely the carb' ones had a mechanical pump where the diaphragm could rupture / wear out?


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    #50
    kupus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,151 ✭✭✭kupus


    Bigus wrote: »
    The most compelling reason for getting a newer car below @ 1.22

    1998 Corolla vs 2015 Auris crash test , and I'd say a Corolla would fare a lot better than a mk1 almera


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidhx_f-ouU

    I only had a quick look. Are my eyes deceiving me.

    there is no engine in the corolla?


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    #51
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Augeo wrote: »
    Surely the carb' ones had a mechanical pump where the diaphragm could rupture / wear out?

    Never seen a carb one give fuel pump trouble. It was a common failure on the efi after 100k miles on all nissans from that era.


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    #52
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    kupus wrote: »
    I only had a quick look. Are my eyes deceiving me.

    there is no engine in the corolla?

    That corolla was actually the safest car in it's class in 1997 according to the german tuv.


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    #53
    zilog_jones
    Registered Users Posts: 6,641 ✭✭✭zilog_jones


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    That corolla was actually the safest car in it's class in 1997 according to the german tuv.

    That would have been the E110 Corolla though, which was new at the time. The video is from Australia, where the previous generation (E100, 1992-97 here) was still being manufactured in '98.

    I remember when those Almeras and Corollas were commonly used as taxis in Ireland, and I'm glad to see the back of them as they were so cramped and uncomfortable. Absolutely no legroom in the back, and I'm not tall.

    The last person I know who had an Almera had to get rid of it due to excessive rust underneath. Still know someone with a '98 Corolla and over 250k miles.


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    #54
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    zilog_jones wrote: »
    That would have been the E110 Corolla though, which was new at the time. The video is from Australia, where the previous generation (E100, 1992-97 here) was still being manufactured in '98.

    I remember when those Almeras and Corollas were commonly used as taxis in Ireland, and I'm glad to see the back of them as they were so cramped and uncomfortable. Absolutely no legroom in the back, and I'm not tall.

    The last person I know who had an Almera had to get rid of it due to excessive rust underneath. Still know someone with a '98 Corolla and over 250k miles.

    No the e10. There is a vid on youtube from the old top gear in 1997 where it won the customer satisfaction survey for the 3rd or 4th year in a row and i'm sure jeremy clarkson says that the german tuv had voted it the safest car in it's class :)


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    #55
    H3llR4iser
    Registered Users Posts: 4,027 ✭✭✭H3llR4iser


    Depends - I would personally never consider an "A to B" dullbox to even come close to be considered a "good" nor "decent" car, nor I would ever consider "reliability" or "economy" as a factor in judgement, but people with completely different priorities will. At the same time, I can see exactly how considering some Ferrari or Porsche the "best car ever" is a pointless exercise - they're quite specialized vehicles.

    You also have to consider the geographic distribution - people is specific parts of the world won't even know a model that is popular everywhere else; Case in point, the Corolla never had any real commercial success in Italy, at least not even remotely close to what sells here or in the UK (e.g. http://www.lastampa.it/2018/01/02/motori/mercato-auto-ecco-le-auto-pi-vendute-in-italia-fiat-panda-sempre-la-regina-0el5NP4XUmQjG48IZN0dyK/pagina.html - scroll down to see the "top 20" most sold cars in 2017). If you as an Italian about the "best car ever", they will say "Panda" without a doubt - and mean the 1980 model, not the current one :)


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    #56
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    H3llR4iser wrote: »
    Depends - I would personally never consider an "A to B" dullbox to even come close to be considered a "good" nor "decent" car, nor I would ever consider "reliability" or "economy" as a factor in judgement, but people with completely different priorities will. At the same time, I can see exactly how considering some Ferrari or Porsche the "best car ever" is a pointless exercise - they're quite specialized vehicles.

    You also have to consider the geographic distribution - people is specific parts of the world won't even know a model that is popular everywhere else; Case in point, the Corolla never had any real commercial success in Italy, at least not even remotely close to what sells here or in the UK (e.g. http://www.lastampa.it/2018/01/02/motori/mercato-auto-ecco-le-auto-pi-vendute-in-italia-fiat-panda-sempre-la-regina-0el5NP4XUmQjG48IZN0dyK/pagina.html - scroll down to see the "top 20" most sold cars in 2017). If you as an Italian about the "best car ever", they will say "Panda" without a doubt - and mean the 1980 model, not the current one :)
    Probably the reason for that is that there isn't any great presence in terms of toyota dealerships in italy. When I was over there I only seen one and it was a very small setup.


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    #57
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Bought an almera mk 1 new in 2000 with a nice discount as the Mk 2 was due. Drove it for 15 years with no work needed except for normal maintenance and a rust repair. It was never an exciting car to drive, and the gearbox ratios seemed wrong to me - the car would be doing nearly 3000 rpm at 60mph in top gear meaning fuel consumption was higher that I would like. But it was super reliable.


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    #58
    JohnBoy26
    Registered Users Posts: 8,532 ✭✭✭JohnBoy26


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Bought an almera mk 1 new in 2000 with a nice discount as the Mk 2 was due. Drove it for 15 years with no work needed except for normal maintenance and a rust repair. It was never an exciting car to drive, and the gearbox ratios seemed wrong to me - the car would be doing nearly 3000 rpm at 60mph in top gear meaning fuel consumption was higher that I would like. But it was super reliable.

    The rust really was the killer on them. Im sure you had the sills welded at some point? :p


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    #59
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    JohnBoy26 wrote: »
    The rust really was the killer on them. Im sure you had the sills welded at some point? :p

    Indeed I did :pac:


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    #60
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Augeo wrote: »
    Surely the carb' ones had a mechanical pump where the diaphragm could rupture / wear out?

    No they were gravity fed. I think it was only bigger engines that used mechanical pumps.


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    #61
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Bought an almera mk 1 new in 2000 with a nice discount as the Mk 2 was due. Drove it for 15 years with no work needed except for normal maintenance and a rust repair. It was never an exciting car to drive, and the gearbox ratios seemed wrong to me - the car would be doing nearly 3000 rpm at 60mph in top gear meaning fuel consumption was higher that I would like. But it was super reliable.

    Yeah we had an 02 saloon at work and the gears were completely wrong on it, the engine was always screaming no matter what speed you were doing. It was however ultra reliable and as it was a company car it got dogs abuse for about 7 or 8 years until one of the lads killed it when he reversed over it in a huge front loader.


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