| Product: |
Nissan Almera E in general |
| Date: |
14/03/03 (953 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Reliable, Cheap with decent spec, Lots of room
Disadvantages: Image, Turning circle
After my student escapades with the Nova and AX, and with a new sensible office job, it was time to get a normal car that would be reliable, inoffensive and cheap (ish!)
So, I ended up with a metallic green V reg Almera Ambition 1.4 last July. Bought for £5500 on a good finance deal from Arnold Clark Liverpool. The Ambition I think was the model they used to empty the parts bin for the introduction of the new model, as mines got a fair bit of kit for a base model. Only 14,000 miles, Ex-Motability, FSH, Tax, full tank of petrol, new 5 spoke wheel trims to make it look less of a mean green pension machine and a bit sportier, PAS, EW, AC, RCL, ABS, 1.4 engine giving 88- 90BHP and Airbag. It's got a 6 year bodywork warranty - which i have used for blistered paintwork, and you'd never tell it had a respray - a testament to AC Nissan for matching the metallic colour!
What more can I say? Its reliable! Its innofensive - nobody looks twice even in those crazy moments! And the fiance deal is good - so its cheap-ish! Arnold Clark also sorted me with insurance - £670 fully comp for a 22 year old in Liverpool parked on the street.... nobody else got close to it! I gave it a full service a few weeks back - £55 anyone? Yes, its that cheap to run - but if youre not careful it will drink petrol more than you might expect.
The big surprise for me though is that it handles really well, and goes ok for a heavy feeling car (the doors weigh a tonne!) with a small engine. It even impressed a sceptical girlfriend who wanted me to get a smart car (!?). Its ride is comfortable but firm enough to have a bit of fun with it if you want, the sterring wheel talks to you, the gearbox is ok, but maybe a bit notchy, I was only really disapointed with the turning circle - it makes it a bit fiddley to park in a tight spot in town.
I guess its not really a car you would expect someone like me to drive, but its not a bad package if you can weather a few jibes
off your mates. Its more of a family car - theyre very spacious inside - or a motability choice (as mine was in a former life). I bought mine because I know someone who swore by his Sunny and then his Pulsar - they never broke down or cost him much to run. Happy days says I.
I'd reccommend any Nissan (except a Micra - first hand experience says theyre god awful) to anyone who needs a good, reliable, decent spec car.
If your'e in the market for one of these then you will probably be looking at V reg Astras, Escorts and Focuses aswell? I'd go for the Almera or the Focus depending on what you prefer...my logic was "Every swine's got a Focus, so....." Astras are too small and feel a bit cheap inside, and the Escort is based on a 1983 design, say no more. If you get a 1.6 Almera Ambition, it looks like you will probably get a rear spoiler and alloys aswell.
I think thats as good a place as any to finish....
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