Hi, I've been lurking on these boards for several days now; a lot of useful info in here! 
I'm trying to decide on a new car. It's my first new car, so I want to get it right! I'm considering a Sentra SE, Honda Civic EX, and a Ford Focus ZX3. Well, after test driving all 3 over the weekend, I've pretty much decided against the Focus. I didn't like the way it handled, it was noticeably slower than the Sentra, plus it looked kind of "toyish".
I like the look of the Civic, and I think it has better colors available, but I really liked the way the Sentra drove. Lots of power, and shifting was smooth as butter (I stalled the Civic three times while taking off at stoplights, no problems whatsoever with the Sentra).
My only complaint with the Sentra at this point is the exterior. Don't get me wrong, I think it's very attractive and quite luxurious looking, but I originally wanted something that looked a little more "sporty". The rather bland colors don't help, either. I wish I could wait until the sportier SE-R comes out (love the yellow exterior and those yellow seats!), but I can't wait 6 months, and probably couldn't afford one anyhow.
One thing that does make the current model a little more "sporty" in my opinion, is the sunroof wind deflector and nose mask, as seen in the Sentra brochure. But are these even available from the Dealer? They are not listed as build-to-order options on the Nissan website. Anyone have these, or know how much they cost?
Other options I'd probably buy include the SE Performance Package (pretty cheap for all it includes) and a Sunroof (I hate to admit this, but a sunroof is the number one requirement for any car I buy). Should I buy the ABS brakes? Are they really neccesary?
Also, how common are the problems I've been reading about? I'm not sure if I want a car that "smells like farts!"
Thanks,
Torajima
I'm trying to decide on a new car. It's my first new car, so I want to get it right! I'm considering a Sentra SE, Honda Civic EX, and a Ford Focus ZX3. Well, after test driving all 3 over the weekend, I've pretty much decided against the Focus. I didn't like the way it handled, it was noticeably slower than the Sentra, plus it looked kind of "toyish".
I like the look of the Civic, and I think it has better colors available, but I really liked the way the Sentra drove. Lots of power, and shifting was smooth as butter (I stalled the Civic three times while taking off at stoplights, no problems whatsoever with the Sentra).
My only complaint with the Sentra at this point is the exterior. Don't get me wrong, I think it's very attractive and quite luxurious looking, but I originally wanted something that looked a little more "sporty". The rather bland colors don't help, either. I wish I could wait until the sportier SE-R comes out (love the yellow exterior and those yellow seats!), but I can't wait 6 months, and probably couldn't afford one anyhow.
One thing that does make the current model a little more "sporty" in my opinion, is the sunroof wind deflector and nose mask, as seen in the Sentra brochure. But are these even available from the Dealer? They are not listed as build-to-order options on the Nissan website. Anyone have these, or know how much they cost?
Other options I'd probably buy include the SE Performance Package (pretty cheap for all it includes) and a Sunroof (I hate to admit this, but a sunroof is the number one requirement for any car I buy). Should I buy the ABS brakes? Are they really neccesary?
Also, how common are the problems I've been reading about? I'm not sure if I want a car that "smells like farts!"
Thanks,
Torajima