2002 Sentra GXE - Worn Shocks? Head Gasket? (My first post)

[AHQ]

Hi all,

I drive a 2002 Sentra GXE Automatic, no mods. I came across NICOclub via another Sentra forum - this is great! BTW this is my first post, so please bear with me.

A little bit of background information... My dad got the Sentra when it was new; he leased it for a few years, then I bought it after his lease was up. The car has nearly 76K miles on it. Overall it has been quite dependable, with the exception of the car not starting one morning (at 52K miles). Turns out there were a couple of recalls, one for an engine control module replacement (plus its insulation) and another for a crankshaft sensor. Aside from a couple other minor issues (left speakers no longer have any volume, the transmission gear indicator light is out), the car has otherwise been trouble-free.

OK now on to my questions... the Sentra has been driven mainly in Wisconsin, where the roads are frequently in lousy shape, especially after this past winter. I never noticed any issues with the ride quality when the car was new or just a few years old... maybe I'm just getting old and overly sensitive, but over the past year or two, the ride seems to have degraded noticeably. It crashes over bumps and does a poor job of absorbing impacts. It has gotten to the point where I sometimes clench my teeth when going over bumps... it's usually more annoying than downright uncomfortable, although a 90-mile drive to Chicago tends to wear me down by the time I reach my destination. BTW I have a set of four Michelin Harmony tires on it right now, which are almost two years (~24K miles) old.

This Sentra is only my third car, but I've never witnessed a not-so-old car with such poor ride quality, especially one that is about six years old with approximately 75K miles. Are there other GXE owners on this forum that have noticed this as well? Any comments about OEM vs. aftermarket shocks and/or struts? (I'm not sure if my car has struts only up front or at all four corners.)

Last but not least, I am thinking of either getting rid of my Sentra, or perhaps selling it to my mom (she is finally thinking of getting rid of her 1990 Stanza). If she decides to buy it, I'll seriously consider replacing the struts/shocks before I pass my car on to her, but I've also read some info about bad head gaskets on the 1.8 liter engine. Is it a matter of *WHEN* it will need to be replaced, as opposed to *IF* it needs to be replaced?

Anyhow I'd appreciate your feedback regarding the shocks/struts and head gasket. My apologies for the length of this post!

[nametakennow]

Welcome to NICO!

The headgasket is more of an "IF." It's fairly common, but not a for-sure thing on the 1.8.

From what I've noticed, all 00-06 Sentras are a bit crashy over bumps. However, my view may be somewhat skewed because I've had an aftermarket suspension for 3 1/2 years. One thing that may contribute to it, though, is that the top mounts on the suspension are junk. They're a combination of rubber and plastic and wear thin. Those being worn out wouldn't be a surprise with that mileage, particularly if your roads are rough. They're not terribly expensive ($50 or so plus labor unless you do it yourself), so you may want to consider replacing them.