Thanks to NeX
Question?
What should I look out for when buying a Nissan Micra?
Answer(s):
check the sills (the bottom of the sides of the car) for rust especially if it has a sunroof.
also check the cross member (at the front under the bumper) for rust.
check that the engine runs smoothly (take it for a test drive)
check the brake pipes for rust.
basically any rust on the car, its the major killer of micras.
all other faults should be easy to repair, common faults like:
CV gators (rubber bits behind the front wheels on the drive shafts) these split and need replacing but take about an hour with the right tools
fan speed only working on 4, the resistor card needs replacing, located in the passenger foot well attached to the bottom of the heater motor, and held in with two positive screws, simply undo, pull out and unplug and do the reverse with the new card.
engine making rattling noise, this is a common thing with micras, its the timing chain rattling and most micras make it and still run for many more miles so no need to worry.
banging from the rear of the car when going over bumps. this is the rear drop links, a couple of bolts and they are replaced. order the new part first and you will know what to look for.
won't start. there are many reasons for this, some are a NATS issue, (nissan anti theft system) but the first thing to try is removing the fuel pump fuse and trying it.
rattle from under the gear stick, this is the heat shield for the second cat, if you get under the car there is a silver plate below the gear stick, a 10mm socket will get this off, and you can run the car without it.
water in the passenger foot well. this is a blockage from just under the scuttle pannel. take off the wind screen wipers and remove the plastic surround and clear out anything inside.
boot not opening when pulling the release cable. alot of micras have snapped release cables, this is a pain to replace just because of the amount of time it takes, but other than that its pretty straight forward.
gear change is a bit difficult. try changing the gear box oil, it can make the world of difference.
headlight is not working, usually passenger. this is where the terminals on the connector get dirty and the electricity starts to arc, this causes the plug to melt. replace the plug but ALSO replace the bulb or it will happen again.
thanks goes to club member Nex for this information.
