[brettski]

So I happily sold my 04 SER Spec V a few months ago. Thanks GOD!
I got mine with under 50,000kms on the clock. I was expecting a reliable fun little car. It was a total lemon. Completely stock standard.
In the 2 years I had it, and very little use I had to replace the struts, wheel bearings multiple times, brake calipers and rotors, crank sensor. The car just felt cheap.
I was at the point where I wanted to drive it to the Mexico plant where it was made and set it on fire outside there office as a statement.
I will never own another Nissan as long as I live. What a piece of crap.

Hope you have better experiences. Personally I'd advise against buying one, save more money and buy a better car would be my advise!

 

[B15pwr]

Just a thought
I own a 2002 black spec and got it at 165xxx using it as my daily drive and had full bolt ons and now running a 70 shot nitrous (still daily) and it's at 208xxx it's still running completely perfect and smooth
Haven't had a single problem other than regular maintenance
I guess u got a bad one? But I'm still loving my spec v and nissans aren't really as bad as people say they are.. U jst have to know the car

 

[i68k]

...The car just felt cheap....

sorry to hear you found a lemon. most of the long lifers are not stock. hopefully you read the precat and butterfly faq and did all your recalls.

at the time of my purchase, it was the cheapest compact car, under $20k after taxes and fees. so it is a cheap car, that was cheaper than the competition. so i would think youd say something like spend more money, and get a better car. unfortunately for me, the worst the car was when it was under 100k miles. now im over 260k miles and it runs good. like b15pwr said, you have to do your research, as it seems you were lacking in that part. if theres any other questions you have, please feel free.

 

[Salem_MA_SpecV]

You had to replace the rotors?

ZOMG, this is clear proof that this car is far bigger POS than I had ever imagined.

 

[B15pwr]

You had to replace the rotors?

ZOMG, this is clear proof that this car is far bigger POS than I had ever imagined.

Replacing the rotors doesn't mean the spec v is a pos... In any other car when the time comes you'll have to replace the rotors... It may not really be considered a regular maintenance like brake pads are but the rotors do count as a sort of maintenance..
In my opinion if you know nothing about how to keep a car in good running order or just don't give a f**k whether the car runs or dies or if you're too cheap to do regular maintenance then you're not suited to drive any car for that matter you aren't suited to drive in general

 

[txspeccer]

Replacing the rotors doesn't mean the spec v is a pos...

I'm pretty sure Salem realizes that, he just forgot to use the sarcasm font.

 

[orangelloSE-R]

Thanks to the information on this forum and the preventative maintenance instructions on this forum, my 2002 SE-R is running well at over 150,000 miles.

Swapping the precat for a header seems worthwhile to me.

 

[rodslinger]

Never had issues with the 2003 or the 2006 Spec-V I've owned. Then again I live in the south and don't have to worry about ***** rusting up so badly which sounds like what most of your issues are probably related to.

When I worked on cars I never saw a car with northern plates come through town that didn't have something rusted up or torn up on it. Your weather is brutal on cars. It ain't the cars fault. Move your butt south.

 

[undertakernismo]

I've had mine for 5 years and over 120K on the clock and so far I haven't done much to it other than maintenance....the only two big issues I had were crank and cam sensor failure 3 years ago (resolved as soon as I found out what it was and it hasn't haunted me ever since) and the famous ECU case foams that killed my ECU shortly after getting the car because the dickhead that owned it before me never had them removed (ECU replaced and so far so good). The car's been driven spiritedly quite a few times ever since it's with me and I've taken it to two drag days in PR and a dyno day last year...still runs like a champ....