'93 Sentra SE - Lots of Rust - Worth Keeping?

[TomMonger]

Hello,

I have a 5-speed 1993 Sentra SE that I bought brand new. I've had it almost 16 years, and the car has been THEEE most perfect vehicle I've ever owned. The only time it has ever failed me was 2 years ago when the (original) alternator died. The engine, transmission and even the rear brakes are still original.

"Nessie" only has 85,000 miles on her. She's recently had a fuel injector replaced, a new front main seal, and two front axles replaced. I still need a MAF sensor, but am waiting to find a cheap one at a junk yard.

Anyway, my Nessie's got a lot of serious rust... both rocker panels, rear quarter panels and front fenders. I've been using expanding foam to temporarily fills the holes, but that isn't going to work much longer.

My question is: should I dump the car, or invest in body work? I really hate to part with this vehicle. It's mechanically sound, and I *think* the frame is still in good shape. Oh, and I get 40+ MPG on the highway, which is unheard of in today's gasoline engines!

Thanks for any advice!-Tom in Scranton, PA

[BigMACKenzie]

IMHO I think you should get some estimates on body work to repair the rust before we can really say if its worth it or not. Your car is a perfect host for a SR20 swap and can be a tiny terror with that engine in its bay. It also seems like a fairly low mileage car for its age and I am thinking that even if you didn't keep it you could sell it to some tuner somewhere for a decent price even with the rust. I think you should restore it but unless its your soggy dream car I wouldn't start selling blood or sperm to foot the bill.

[nametakennow]

I'd get an estimate on the work and see if you can find some rust-free panels at a junkyard that you might could just swap out.

40mpg is a big deal these days, so if you can save it with the justification of saving on gas over X years, and commit to driving it for that long, I say keep it.

[sajori]

repair