Nissans little one. Its a class of its own (Nissan Micra 1.0i 16v S 3dr)

Member Name: uncle_bob

Product:	Nissan Micra 1.0i 16v S 3dr
Date:	05/09/01 (3798 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Small, Cheap insurance, Ideal town car

Disadvantages: Poor handling, poor performance, looks

The Nissan Micra has long been a popular car with young drivers, as well as older generations.
It's small, compact, cheap and insurance friendly.
Designed as a town car it is ideal size for getting into those small spaces and weaving in and out of traffic.
However, as a normal everyday car, it is not worth much at all.

So what is a Nissan Micra?
Well, I call them the upside down bucket. Because that's what they look like to me.
Nissan are a Japanese company who have been around for a long time, and are top contenders in the Japanese car market.
More commonly known for their Skyline, and other high performance cars.
The Micra came in a selection of types, with different engine packages and interior packages.
The 1litre being the popular choice, as it was cheap and I want to say economical, but unfortunately, this isn't the case.
I never owned one, personally, but my sister has had 2, her current one being the 2000 1 litre version. And I have driven it on a number of occasions, as well as worked on it (she has a habit of hitting things)

So, where is the Micra good for?
Well, its size is a bonus for town driving, where parking is getting more and more impossible for your average family car. It allows you to squeeze into spaces, and if it weren't for Nissans reputation of having such small turning circles on their cars, it would almost be possible to park in spaces with only one inch each end.
Motorway driving or long distance driving is a hair-raising experience. Not designed for fast roads or back roads. Its home is definitely in the towns.

What about the engine?
The engine is a Nissan, and so reliability is good. But make sure service is done properly and professionally. Home mechanics will not benefit from a Micra, as home DIY is almost impossible on these engines.
The 1litre lump would, if you dared, see you to about 90mph on a good long bit of road, with 0-60 in about
15 seconds. Not exactly you're high performance car, but of course in a town you are always keeping to the 30mph speed limit, and so top end and acceleration isn't important. Right? ;o)
Manufacturer blurb states economy of about 47mpg but in a town you will do well to get this. And experience with the latest model shows that economy is very poor. I get more miles to the gallon from my 2.0 litre Calibra than my sister can get from her Micra. A problem throughout? Nissan claim there is nothing wrong with the car.

It pumps out about 60bhp depending on year, which is plenty for a car of this size, but don?t expect it to keep up with the likes of the Corsa or Clio. It has enough power to do what it is intended to do, and will carry you and the kids to Tesco with no problems, but does tend to struggle on hills, as torque is low. Often have to knock it down a gear on a steep hill in order to keep it going at the speed limit.

Performance?
Well, performance is not really an issue with this car. But if the need takes you, then like I said before, 0-60 in about 15 seconds, and that takes some work. Top end of about 90mph but this is starting to thrash the engine. Comfortable at probably 80mph.
Handling is not spot on. In fact far from it. It is very high, and has a very high ride height. This means cornering is a little risky at speeds, as there is a lot of roll. Suspension is soft making for a smooth ride, but allows the car to drift slightly when cornering and often means you have a fight on your hands to maintain control on bends.
The power steering is not needed on a car like this, and tends to make handling worse. Not very responsive and tends to under steer sometimes, if you don't have your wits about you.
Its short wheel base does help it to keep roughly on course, but very narrow wheels and the car being narrow and high means it does fight for grip a lot and can catch you of guard if you are used to driving faster car
s. I almost lost it on a bend after driving my Nova, as it just couldn't get the grip like the Nova on the bends. But again, it isn't designed for heavy driving like that.
At speeds it becomes a little unstable, with the sensitive steering and soft suspension it isn't a car you can cruise at 80mph in without having to work. You have to keep your wits about you and hold the car straight. Motorways cause it problems, and I would personally never take it onto a motorway. The passing traffic and high wind pressures from trucks etc, make the car wobble all over the place and coupled with its poor control at speed, is a dangerous car to take out on the motorway. Best stick to towns.

Safety?
Well the Micra has improved a lot in the safety field. Airbags are fitted to all models now I believe.
Brakes are responsive and well suited to the car. Although a heavy load on board does effect its braking performance more than it should. But overall, braking capabilities are good.
The brakes feel responsive and firm, although can catch you out by being too sharp sometimes.
Protection in an accident is a weakness with the Micra. I know someone who was killed while driving a Micra and had an accident. And it is believed if she had been driving a different car, then she may have escaped. Its flimsy body shell and lack of crumple zones front and rear make it a bit of a concern. Slow impact accidents are not a problem, but high speed incidents can easily become serious or fatal. Which is why best kept to towns. But recent models are better and much safer now.

Looks?
Well, it looks like an upside down bucket on wheels. Looks are not what Nissan had in mind when designing this car I feel.
Its bubble shape appearance makes it look strange. And the very vertical windscreen reduces aerodynamics greatly. The front end looks like it was designed by a 4 year old, and stuck on as a last resort. With its bulky lights and unfinished looking
bumper, it ruins the front end. The bonnet curves over the front and then just stops, and doesn't seem to meet up or run into the grille, almost like they ran out of metal when building it.
The rear end is curved and does look a bit better.
The overall look is ruined by its very large wheel arches, with tiny 13inch steel wheels stuck in the middle of them. It is very high off the road, and would make a great off road car with that clearance, but ruins the look in terms of the sports hatchback, which Nissan wanted. High sides and short wheelbase make it look like it was squashed between to busses.
However with the right colour scheme overall it doesn't look as bad as a lot of cars. Would rather be seen in a Micra then something such as those Fiat Multipla or Mercedes Smart cars.

Interior?
It's a very well refined car compared to a lot of hatchbacks. Lacking your air conditioning, and trip computers. It offers simple and useful features without cluttering the dashboard with wasted buttons and lights.
The instrument panel could have been better designed with maybe a bit more on it. It is very basic and doesn't tell you much other than how fast your going.
Seats or short, making long distances a little uncomfortable, but well padded.
Rear seats are very good, in terms of space. Bigger than a lot of hatchbacks, allowing passengers a fairly reasonable ride in the back, with plenty of headroom due to its high body.
The idea of having all driver controls on stalks is not new, and isn't improved in the Micra. You need a degree in nuclear physics to work things like the headlights etc, but experienced Nissan drivers will probably be used to it and not have any problems.
Legroom is not as good as it could be in the front, and long legged drivers may struggle to get comfortable driving positions. But again, headroom is not a problem.
Sunroof is an optional extra and probably worth the money in getting it, a
s the only windows that can be opened (in the 3 door) are the front. It also breaks up a boring roofline giving it a nicer look.
Trim is basic, but easy on the eye. They have avoided the high coloured vinyl trim in favour of a more easy fabric and colour scheme, usually grey.
Electric windows and central locking is not common on the Micra though.

Any thing to look out for?
Well if you are buying second hand, avoid models before 1993. If any still exist. They are death traps.
The pre 2000 editions were faster and more economical, but reliability was not as good as now. Less BHP but seemed to drive better.
The clutch is light and wears out easy, so be careful of clutch slip, and worn parts.
Don?t buy one without a service history, as servicing is expensive with Nissan and you want to know what has gone wrong before, to avoid very high service bills.
Check the front end for damage. It is mostly plastic, and previous accidents will show up easily if you look behind the front surface. It should have a plastic drip tray, if it hasn't, then it has probably been involved in a front end smash. The front strut holding the front cross member is weak, and prone to bending in front end hits. Check it lines up correct and hasn't been re shaped.

Modifications?
If you feel you want a Micra but want it to look different, then I am afraid you are going to struggle. The lack of modifying needs for the Micra mean a lot of companies don't produce parts for them. But the wheels have to go, in favour of some bigger wheels. Also sort the suspension and ride height out, if you want better handling.
Engine mods are limited. But you can squeeze a few extra horses from the 1 litre lump by simple things such as K&N airfilters and better HT leads. But don't expect miracles.

Overall?
Overall it is a nifty little runner for towns. Very popular with the women, and I think it is more who it is aimed at. It won?t make
a family car or a driver's car. But it does its intention well.
Not much use for me and my driving habits, but for someone who wants a small run around then it is ideal. Hot hatch wanters will do better looking else where though.

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