Buying Guides

Nissan Micra (1993-2002) Buying Guide

Pictures shown may not represent exact model specified

by Richard Dredge

The Micra is the perennial driving school favourite, thanks to its reliability, ease of driving and low running costs. There are also plenty to go round, with the car often being one of the UK's best-sellers during its decade-long production run. The cars aren't bullet-proof though, so watch out for the items listed below.

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We Like	We Don't Like
Easy to drive Well built	Early examples rust Power-assisted steering is rare

Key Dates
1/93	Mk2 Micra on sale as three or five-door hatchback. Choice of 1.0 or 1.3-litre petrol engines.
1/96	Minor facelift with high-level brake light, new grille and higher equipment levels.
3/98	Revisions include new grille, headlamps and more standard equipment.
7/00	range revisions with new bumpers, revised transmissions and more equipment.

Checklist
* Must have six-monthly oil changes to avoid timing chain trouble. * Can suffer from poor starting in damp conditions. Poor starting can also be caused by the wrong temperature sensor being fitted. Mass airflow sensor fails - an expensive fix Throttle bodies get choked by running cold on lots of short runs. The small fuse box behind the radiator supplies the fuel injection system. Dirt and moisture get in, leading to misfiring. Clutches of early cars don't last; most will by now have been replaced. CVT suffers electromechanical clutch problems; if it thumps when you move the lever to drive, or if the lever is hard to move, walk away. Check for rusty sills, floorpans, front crossmember. On 1996/1997 cars the plastic headlamp bulb holders can melt due to electrical faults.

Checklist

* Must have six-monthly oil changes to avoid timing chain trouble.
* Can suffer from poor starting in damp conditions.
Poor starting can also be caused by the wrong temperature sensor being fitted.
Mass airflow sensor fails - an expensive fix
Throttle bodies get choked by running cold on lots of short runs.
The small fuse box behind the radiator supplies the fuel injection system. Dirt and moisture get in, leading to misfiring.
Clutches of early cars don't last; most will by now have been replaced.
CVT suffers electromechanical clutch problems; if it thumps when you move the lever to drive, or if the lever is hard to move, walk away.
Check for rusty sills, floorpans, front crossmember.
On 1996/1997 cars the plastic headlamp bulb holders can melt due to electrical faults.