Primera 2.0GX 1997 Model - BUY IT! (Nissan Primera (1996-99))

Member Name: parva4

Product:	Nissan Primera (1996-99)
Date:	04/12/01 (3971 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reliability, Comfort, Running costs

Disadvantages: Bland looks, Expensive if it goes wrong!

I bought a 1997 'P' registered Nissan Primera 2.0GX 5 door hatchback (newer shape but not the latest one) in December 2000. After almost 12 months of ownership I can honestly say it's the best family saloon I've had to date.

Having owned a Bluebird in the past and having a good experience with that followed by a disastrous 3 years with an Escort 1.8 diesel I decided it was time to return to Nissan and I haven't been disappointed!

First and foremost, the car looks bland. Even with the go-faster spoiler on the boot it's no eye-opener it has to be said. However, I didn't buy it for its eye-catching qualities. I bought it because I wanted a car that wouldn't let me down when I needed it and was zippy enough for my sometimes heavy right foot and practical enough to carry a wife and two kids in comfort and the Primera does this very well. Apart from the spacious interior the Primera has a cavernous boot for those big shopping trips!

The car may not be much to look at but it's definitely a drivers car. It corners like it's on rails (easily out-manouvering equivalent Vectra's / Mondeo's etc), the engine is rock solid and pulls hard all the way up to the red line and the car has a very comfortable driving position. I did a non-stop drive at 85-95 mph average speeds from Glasgow to Leeds (naughty boy!) and despite adverse conditions on the way the car coped admirably with the extended punishment and returned an average of 39 MPG! Not bad for a 2 litre!

Having said that, my short 6 mile trip to work (motorway - 70 mph on a cold engine) and then return journey aswell as a little general running around still gives a respectable 28 MPG. If I could curb my tendency to be heavy footed I could probably get another 5 or 6 MPG out of it.

The GX version is the base model but still comes well equipped. Air-conditioning, remote central dead-locking with immobiliser and electric front windows are
standard fitments. The air-con is a boon in all weathers. Great for keeping cool in summer and superb for demisting the windscreen in rainy conditions when everyone else is getting the hankies out to clear the screen.

With hindsight I would've liked a better equipped S/SE/GT version or some such variant with extra added goodies such as all four windows being electric and a sunroof but then I've always been a gadget man! :)

As for reliability, the only thing that I've had to pay for (apart from usual servicing requirements every 9000 miles) was an exhaust front-pipe. The original part started blowing and I was shown a split in the front flexi-pipe. The price of a replacement front-pipe was a heart stopper! After much phoning around the best price I could get was £220!!! Yes, that's what I had to pay in the end! And no, that price doesn't include a catalytic converter or something, that was the bog-standard downpipe. GULP!

It would seem that repairs can cost the earth but in my experience, it won't need them often. Apart from the front-pipe I've had no other problems after 15000 miles of hard driving.

Conclusion: If you want a reliable car that does what's asked of it, returns a reasonable MPG and don't mind driving something that won't turn any heads then test drive one of these, you won't be disappointed!

Addendum:

I've now owned this car for approaching two years and it's as reliable as ever. I had an ABS sensor go and needed new rear disks which ended up costing a whopping £510! Having said that, I don't for one minute regret buying it. It's quick, comfy and reliable. I'll almost certainly buy another Nissan and if not, it'll definitely be another Japanese make - I'll never touch Ford or Vauxhall again.

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