Just curious...Nissan Micra

[tchase]

Back in '96 when I wrote off my first MJ I needed something cheap to drive so I bought a 1991 Nissan Micra. $475 for a 5 year old car with 150,000km seemed pretty good until I tried to get parts for it. Anything more in depth than an air filter had to come from the dealer. I was told that this was because most of our part come from the U.S. and this car was never sold there, is this actually the case? I've always wondered but have never thought to ask anyone before.

BTW for our european members this would be a Nissan March I believe.

[casm]

Back in '96 when I wrote off my first MJ I needed something cheap to drive so I bought a 1991 Nissan Micra. $475 for a 5 year old car with 150,000km seemed pretty good until I tried to get parts for it. Anything more in depth than an air filter had to come from the dealer. I was told that this was because most of our part come from the U.S. and this car was never sold there, is this actually the case? I've always wondered but have never thought to ask anyone before.

This is correct: the Micra was never a US-market car; I didn't even know they were sold in Canada, for that matter. As for parts availability, this sounds about right - it's enough of an orphan vehicle that your local auto parts place probably wouldn't stock them.

BTW for our european members this would be a Nissan March I believe.

Close... It was also the Micra in Europe. March was the Japanese-market name. Was yours the later rounded or earlier angular body style?

[cherokee89]

Never heard of the Micra.

[tchase]

This is correct: the Micra was never a US-market car; I didn't even know they were sold in Canada, for that matter.

Close... It was also the Micra in Europe. March was the Japanese-market name. Was yours the later rounded or earlier angular body style?

Thanks I fugured it was true. Mine was the earlier style, pretty much identical to the '84 my cousin had at the same time. It was fun parking them both cross-ways in one parking space. In all honesty other than all the oil it burned it was the most economical car I ever owned, replaced one rear coil (after an accidental airborne incident), and lots of plugs but nothing else the whole time I drove it. It had 151,000km when I bought it and I bet people it wouldn't make 200,000. At 199,78?km the timing chain/belt snapped pulling out of my driveway, sold it for $50.