Opinion on used '06 Sentra

[MC Wack]

Hi guys,

I came across a used 2006 Nissan Sentra SE (Cdn) and had some concerns about buying the car.

I checked it out and it only has 50000Km's (about 31000Miles) and it came from a rental company(Enterprise). When I checked the dipstick I noticed the oil was pretty dirty. I assume oil changes have been neglected on this car.

How much damage is there if oil changes are seldom performed to an engine?

Are there any reasons why I should avoid buying a used car that's been released from these rental fleets?

Are there any problems in the '06 Sentras I should look out for?

How adamant is Nissan in asking for service history before providing warranty service?

thanks!
Modified by MC Wack at 9:09 AM 11/17/2007

[nissantech06]

Hi guys,

I came across a used 2006 Nissan Sentra SE (Cdn) and had some concerns about buying the car.

I checked it out and it only has 50000Km's (about 31000Miles) and it came from a rental company(Enterprise). When I checked the dipstick I noticed the oil was pretty dirty. I assume oil changes have been neglected on this car.

How much damage is there if oil changes are seldom performed to an engine?

Are there any reasons why I should avoid buying a used car that's been released from these rental fleets?

Are there any problems in the '06 Sentras I should look out for?

How adamant is Nissan in asking for service history before providing warranty service?

thanks!

Modified by MC Wack at 9:09 AM 11/17/2007

Let me tell you a story about rental cars from my experience and you decide what you want to do.

Story:

When I was in tech school, a guy in one of my classes (advanced electrical I believe) had a Kia Rio as a rental. Biggest POS ever, but beside the point. We wanted to have some fun, so 6 of us (yes, 6) piled into the car. I'm 6'0 175 lbs, and I am the second smallest in the car, sitting ***** in the middle of the back seat. We have the driver (250 lbs FAT) and the passenger (250 lbs, 6'6) and two other guys sandwiching me and my buddy in the back. We took the car out and beat the living hell out of it. We did neutral drops, brake torques, reverse 180s, slammed it into reversve going 60MPH, cornered hard, etc. It was the MOST FUN I have EVER had in someone else's car.

Anyway, remember the car was driven by AT LEAST 100 other people, all with different driving habits. Sentras, at least the lower model ones, don't hold up very well when driven by fleet companies, we've bought many from auction to sell as used cars by us, every one I've inspected has had enourmous amounts of rattling, etc. The burnt dipstick probably means the engine was driven hard and put away wet.

If you get anything out of this, I am trying to tell you, be careful.

[MC Wack]

Let me tell you a story about rental cars from my experience and you decide what you want to do.

Story:

When I was in tech school, a guy in one of my classes (advanced electrical I believe) had a Kia Rio as a rental. Biggest POS ever, but beside the point.

Yeah I agree. I had a Rio rental and it was just horrible. Feel sorry for the people that own this car.

Quote »It was the MOST FUN I have EVER had in someone else's car.

Anyway, remember the car was driven by AT LEAST 100 other people, all with different driving habits. Sentras, at least the lower model ones, don't hold up very well when driven by fleet companies, we've bought many from auction to sell as used cars by us, every one I've inspected has had enourmous amounts of rattling, etc.[/quote]I'll probably pay someone to thoroughly check this car out.

Quote »The burnt dipstick probably means the engine was driven hard and put away wet.[/quote]What does this mean in layman's terms?

Quote »If you get anything out of this, I am trying to tell you, be careful.[/quote]I'll definitely check it inside and out. I still have about 5600Miles left on the bumper to bumper warranty and about 30500 miles left for the powertrain. If I even hear a creak I'm going to make sure Nissan does something about it within my warranty period. Thanks for your tips!

[NSR_s30]

I would never buy a used rental car. Worst idea ever, cause the car is probably so whooped on. Common things with the Sentras are: the fuelpump recall, the ecm going bad (in some cases), and possible headgasket failure.

[MC Wack]

I would never buy a used rental car. Worst idea ever, cause the car is probably so whooped on. Common things with the Sentras are: the fuelpump recall, the ecm going bad (in some cases), and possible headgasket failure.

Are all these problems occurring regularly on all model years?

[NSR_s30]

The B15 chassis has been ridden with various problems throughout the years.

[Trav1s]

I would also say avoid it like the plague. If you are serious, then there are some things to watch out for:- QG18DE head gaskets - Underwhelming performance of the QG/Auto combo- MAF sensor- o2 sensors - the good thing is the later QGs use 3 instead of 4!!!

[Trav1s]

Also, there are quite a few problems with steering racks on all years.

[MC Wack]

I would also say avoid it like the plague. If you are serious, then there are some things to watch out for:- QG18DE head gaskets - Underwhelming performance of the QG/Auto combo- MAF sensor- o2 sensors - the good thing is the later QGs use 3 instead of 4!!!

I am surprised of all these problems. I thought I covered all the points when researching problematic cars by going through Consumer Reports and Carpoint which both have listed Sentras beyond '04 as reliable. I guess I didn't do enough research.

I already signed for the car but didn't pay them 1 cent yet. The car is going through their inspection but I think I may just hire my own mechanic to check it out.

[Trav1s]

Reliability is better in the later models but those seem the be the areas owners of the later cars have dealt with in my reading. That being said, I owned an 01 GXE and other than an occasional "SES" light for a flaky o2 sensor, the year of ownership was trouble free.

As long as there are MAFs and dirt, there will be problems with MAFs and this is NOT unique to the Sentra. Same issues on G20s, I30/35, Maximas, etc.

o2 sensors are problematic on any car, not unique to the B15 chassis.

[nissantech06]

Yeah I agree. I had a Rio rental and it was just horrible. Feel sorry for the people that own this car.

I'll probably pay someone to thoroughly check this car out.

What does this mean in layman's terms?

I'll definitely check it inside and out. I still have about 5600Miles left on the bumper to bumper warranty and about 30500 miles left for the powertrain. If I even hear a creak I'm going to make sure Nissan does something about it within my warranty period. Thanks for your tips!

Meaning, someone has driven the car HARD, revved it up really high, gone a while between oil changes (mind you, fleet vehicles rarely ever see them AT 3,000 miles. Enterprise doesn't use the dealer, they use Jiffy Lube or the equivalent, and I have seen many fleet cars come in with NO oil or very low oil.

[SHIFTVAX]

I bought my 03 Sentra used with 44,000 miles on it and it was in a rental fleet once; it ran excellent. Only issue was the fuel pump which Nissan fixed becuase it was still under warranty. I was always under the impression that rental or ex rentals were good cars because of proper maintainance.

[nissantech06]

I bought my 03 Sentra used with 44,000 miles on it and it was in a rental fleet once; it ran excellent. Only issue was the fuel pump which Nissan fixed becuase it was still under warranty. I was always under the impression that rental or ex rentals were good cars because of proper maintainance.

Rental places, for the most part, are cheap and will do as little maintenance as possible to keep a functioning car.

[Spoolin4days]

Rental places, for the most part, are cheap and will do as little maintenance as possible to keep a functioning car.

Very true, I work for a dealer 200 feet from an Enterprise. The only time we saw their Sentra is when the transmision went and when the ECM got stuck in limp-home mode. I'd avoid it.

[nissantech06]

Very true, I work for a dealer 200 feet from an Enterprise. The only time we saw their Sentra is when the transmision went and when the ECM got stuck in limp-home mode. I'd avoid it.

I think our Enterprise dealer is 400 feet away LOL.