If I like my 1992 sentra xir auto and the way it goes etc for a commute car, thou 750k a week , Will I BE REALLY HAPPY WITH A LATE PRIMERA AS A FAMILY CAR!
cheers
morrisman1,
Feb 14, 4:30am
get one with an SR series engine, the QG models are known to stretch timing chains, SR is bulletproof if you dont neglect the oil changes. Manual is considerably better than automatic but there will probably be a price premium when buying it. CVT requires good maintenance with the correct fluids to be reliable.
Yes you probably would be happy with a Primera.
kazbanz,
Feb 14, 4:32am
if you love your sentra then most likely you will like a primera. I prefer the 1.8 auto because I'm not keen on the cvt trans If you want to upgrade your pulsat I'd buy a kiwi new 1800 pulsaror the jap market name which is bluebird silphy
jason18,
Feb 14, 4:32am
2000 primera is nice. You can get manual, cvt or 4 stage auto. Good cars and affordable. I was happy with ours for nearly 5 years
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 9:47am
You really need to start looking at the economics of running a car for that sort of milage. Like we worked out last time every drop of fuel economy counts, the primera is good but you can get something that makes more financial sense and is a nicer car.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 10:06am
To put it into perspective, if you added what you would save in fuel over 2-3 years to what you would pay for a Primera you wouldn't be far away from picking up a 2005 Grande Punto. I know which I would rather be driving. Food for thought.
spongefrisk,
Feb 14, 10:11am
As a family car! not a bit small!
morrisman1,
Feb 14, 10:26am
I watched the latest top gear last night, they featured a small fiat vehicle. Tested 0-110-0 and it came out at just over 300m (my old sentra can do 0-110-0 in that space but thats beside the point), then they put three more people in it and it took an extra 170m on top of that to do the same sprint to 110 then back to a stop. With a proper size car this would not be the case but in a small and light car with a small engine even though it may go just fine they cannot cope with a proper load. Simple as that. It doesnt matter how magical and technical the engine is it doesnt help with its ability to do some useful work.
The same applies to the punto vs primera here. The punto is a small car, you cannot deny that jazz. It has a small engine. Its performance is just fine when it is lightly loaded but fill it up and the performance penalty will be huge in comparison to the larger engine and larger chassis of the Primera.
The punto will use less fuel, no denying that but the primera will be by no means thirsty. The bluebird manuals get around 14-15L per km on the open road, which is down to 7.5L/100km. Not bad for a 2L largish sedan which is now 20 years old. You can tow a trailer, put 5 people in comfortably and not worry about your performance being abysmal as a result. A Punto will curl up and die at the sight of a 1000kg trailer!
It seems strange that you keep comparing japanese 'normal size' cars to italian compacts and treat their function as being the same.
morrisman1,
Feb 14, 10:42am
So a punto grande at around $10,000 compared to a $5000 Primera will save you $2500 a year in petrol! You realise that the primera IS fitted with a bung in the bottom of the fuel tank to stop it draining continuously dont you!
These Italian supercompacts are truely magic. The petrol companies pay YOU to drive them, you can fill them up with a family and associated luggage plus they never break down of course.
morrisman1,
Feb 14, 10:43am
For the record, No I havnt driven a punto but yes I have been in a couple and No I dont consider them comfortable in the slightest. The girl driving was gorgeous but I dont think every punto comes equipped with one of those.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 10:49am
How about this. you actually go and see and drive a Grande Punto before spouting a whole lot of incorrect rubbish about a car you have clearly not even seen let alone sat in.
1. The Cabin space inside a P11 Primera is very much the same as a Grande Punto. Yes the Punto is slightly shorter but the width is the same and the Punto loses less to the bonnet and is taller. result basically the same passenger space.
2. The 1.9 Diesel Punto has far more power for towing than any of the Primera's, and it is the Diesel I was suggesting. For goodness sake man its the same motor used in the Multipla where its designed to haul around 6 adults in a vehicle with a massive frontal area.
Using your calculations for fuel economy the Primera would cost over $2000 a year more to run.
Also. which would you rather be doing huge open road milage in . a 3 star NCAP Primera or a 5 Star NCAP Grande Punto!
I always welcome robust debate, but its annoying when you just make stuff up thats completely absurd and I have to spend time explaining your stupidity.
morrisman1,
Feb 14, 10:56am
Show us, show us exactly how a Punto can be run on $340 a year. Because if primera uses 8L/100km which it is entirely capable of if you dont do 100% city, then it will use 1120L of fuel over the distance that is considered average for the NZ driver: 14000km. 1120L of fuel is $2340.
I am asking you to prove how you can run a punto on $340 a year, covering the same distance and inclusive of road user charges.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 10:58am
Sure. all you have to do is read the original post. *facepalm*
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 11:00am
Reading comprehension. you don't seem to have it.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 11:02am
You know when you go to starbucks. and the "Grande" sized cup is larger. theres a clue for you.
morrisman1,
Feb 14, 11:04am
There would be more room inside a nuns vagina than there is in the back a of a grande punto. I struggle to see how you can compare it to a proper family vehicle. Perhaps your standards are a little different from mine or you are short. Im just over 6' and I am yet to find a car of similar size to the fiats you rave about where I can fit in the back comfortably without feeling cramped
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 11:07am
Ummm so perhaps a taller car than the Primera would be better for you. like the Grande Punto.
lllllll ^ Theres some straws for you.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 12:25pm
Anyhow toysky, Sorry about polluting your thread. All I am saying is perhaps re-think the entire situation. It wasn't clear whether this car would be replacing your commuter car or was in addition to it.
Assuming you need two cars (so your spouse is not left stranded) I would suggest using your current Sentra as the second car or selling it and getting something suitable as a cheap second car.
Then getting a safer fuel efficient car to commute in and then use as well as the family car at weekends. If the Grande Punto is too small there are many other options as well. However, most likely a common rail diesel vehicle would be the way especially if going a bit larger. BTW, remember the Grande Punto is larger than the regular Punto you looked at a while ago.
Basically, do as much of your collective milage as you can in the fuel efficient safe vehicle. Your old Sentra is not only costing you plenty to run its going to be a death trap in ahigh speed collision. Its not a safe vehicle to be doing those sorts of km's in at all.
Anyhow, thats my 2C. Best of luck with what you choose.
thejazzpianoma,
Feb 14, 12:25pm
Anyhow toysky, Sorry about polluting your thread. All I am saying is perhaps re-think the entire situation. It wasn't clear whether this car would be replacing your commuter car or was in addition to it.
Assuming you need two cars (so your spouse is not left stranded) I would suggest using your current Sentra as the second car or selling it and getting something suitable as a cheap second car.
Then getting a safer fuel efficient car to commute in as well as use as the family car at weekends. If the Grande Punto is too small there are many other options as well. However, most likely a common rail diesel vehicle would be the way especially if going a bit larger. BTW, remember the Grande Punto is larger than the regular Punto you looked at a while ago.
Basically, do as much of your collective milage as you can in the fuel efficient safe vehicle. Your old Sentra is not only costing you plenty to run its going to be a death trap in ahigh speed collision. Its not a safe vehicle to be doing those sorts of km's in at all.
Anyhow, thats my 2C. Best of luck with what you choose.
r15,
Feb 14, 7:05pm
Op, don't be fooled by the fiat / vw salesman.Buy something japanese and common. That way if it breaks anybody along your large journey will quickly be able to diagnose and fix it.not spend months in a workshop while nobody can quikly source the parts tools or model knowledge to fix it
jason18,
Feb 14, 7:38pm
Primera I sold mine for 4.5k 2000 wagon 2lt cvt. 148kms easily getting 7lt per 100kms open road. It was cheap to run. Boring tho had heaps of room being a wagon
tonyrockyhorror,
Feb 14, 8:06pm
ROFLMAO
phard,
Feb 14, 9:19pm
We have a 1999 P11 Primera wagon 2L manual good car. we can easily do 700km round town driving air con going. nice to travel in handles well. had it for 6 years done 75,000k only battery 4 tyres and oil and filter changes.
vtecintegra,
Feb 14, 9:59pm
One thing to be aware of is the Primeras come in 4wd - don't buy one of these as it has a dramatic negative effect on economy.
toysky,
Feb 15, 12:20am
Thanks guys -------------- it would be replacing a Hond civic 1997 nz new full leather
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