Need to know how reliable a 2002 Sentra SE-R is

[newdude1]

Hey all. I looking at a 2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V. I want to use it just as a daily. Its pretty much stock. Has about 70k on the one Im looking at. I just want to make sure that I wont run into any issues since I want it as a daily you know. So any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[ABNRML4U]

Welcome to NicoClub Man! Enjoy your stay and have fun. A 2002 SE-R is a very reliable car when taken care of do a Carfax report before you buy it.

[CoupeVQ35CVT]

Not gonna lie, the 2.5 engine from the 2002-06 Nissan models has been known to have some issues on some individual cars.

Butterfly screws getting loose and falling into the engine...overbored engines eating oil (if your car lasted this long it's probably fine obviously), pre-cat in the exhaust manifold disintegrating and getting...yes.. sucked back into the engine.

Now if you '02 SE-R is still working, and checks out otherwise maintenance wise and other obvious bodywork areas, you've got yourself a nice find. I always wanted one, and when I could afford it, the damn dealers didn't have anything but the stupid '09 SR FE+ models (all looks, 2.0 slow engine)...

Good luck.

[nametakennow]

Steps to owning a reliable 02-06 SE-R1. Confirm all recalls were done or get them done2. Get a header3. Loctite the butterfly screws4. Enjoy!

Honestly aside from the couple of idiotic catastrophic issues (which, as stated above, are easy to fix), they're pretty comparable to any other car in the segment.

[ABNRML4U]

Not gonna lie, the 2.5 engine from the 2002-06 Nissan models has been known to have some issues on some individual cars.

Butterfly screws getting loose and falling into the engine...overbored engines eating oil (if your car lasted this long it's probably fine obviously), pre-cat in the exhaust manifold disintegrating and getting...yes.. sucked back into the engine.

Now if you '02 SE-R is still working, and checks out otherwise maintenance wise and other obvious bodywork areas, you've got yourself a nice find. I always wanted one, and when I could afford it, the damn dealers didn't have anything but the stupid '09 SR FE+ models (all looks, 2.0 slow engine)...

Good luck.

<<<< ^^^^^ Do you have anything good to say Man, You just like to bash people Dude,

[D3stro]

Overall, it's a good reliable car. Got mine for 6 years now. I wouldn't be scared if everything as been checked to keep it in good health. Maybe a good advice, buy it from someone who got one already mod, like just the header with a new engine, you should be all good.

[CoupeVQ35CVT]

<<<< ^^^^^ Do you have anything good to say Man, You just like to bash people Dude,

Yes I LOVE bashing people I have no life and that's all I do. Yup that's me.Just like this: Now excuse me, I have to go wipe my club.

I don't like to bash people. I may be what you call blunt in my expression, perhaps. But I can bash you, to show you how that would look like.

A 2002 SE-R is a very reliable car when taken care of do a Carfax report before you buy it.

No offense, I like to state things how they are. Your flowery description of "they are reliable if taken care of" wasn't exactly helpful. You could say that about any car. A carfax report won't quite tell him if the original engine failed because of a bad pre-cat, or if the engine ate the butterfly screws, or will it (I am not sure)? So I decided to lay it out for him to make a FAIR judgment for himself.

Did you not read my entire last paragraph where I tell the guy I wish I could own a 2.5 SE-R when I finally had the money? I was simply warning him about the issues he should check for before purchasing one, or at least getting them taken care of. and wished him good luck. Is that what you call bashing? It's called differing opinions maybe, something that happens in real life.

Anywho, "nametakennow" listed the problem issues unique to the 2.5 SE-Rs pretty much nicely. Enjoy your car. I have the 1.8 version, and it's been behaving well for 3 years (of course the 1.8 has its own head gasket issues $$$).


Modified by CoupeVQ35CVT at 2:18 AM 8/8/2009

[VMPhil]

yes it is true that the issues with the BF screws and bad designed header put a damper on things but once those are taken care of its a pretty reliable car.