2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V | Retro Review

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  • čas přidán 10. 09. 2024
  • Nissan's iconic Sentra SE-R...which gen did it better?
    Show 2121 | Original Airdate 01-23-2002
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Komentáře • 572

  • @TheRealSmithFamily
    @TheRealSmithFamily Před 2 lety +272

    Ahh.. the years before Nissan gave us a rubber band as a transmission. Those were the days.

    • @SportsMusicCars
      @SportsMusicCars Před 2 lety +10

      rubber band lol

    • @samsquantch14
      @samsquantch14 Před 2 lety +4

      tho i agree i have to point out they weren't all junk...my buddies murano has almost 250k miles on the original rubber band trans lol

    • @TheRealSmithFamily
      @TheRealSmithFamily Před 2 lety +14

      @@samsquantch14 That wasn’t a dig at the quality or longevity, so much as the lack of driving enjoyment. 👍🏼

    • @E_tiBEAMERBOY
      @E_tiBEAMERBOY Před 2 lety

      Those were good tho most never have problems it's the máximas altimas sentras and the other junk they pumped out for small and midsize cars. Suv's used a dif trans that was more resistant.

    • @ed4253
      @ed4253 Před 2 lety +6

      Every Nissan I see is a freaking Rogue. I hate Nissan for that and their CVTs. Garbage quality now. I had a 96 Maxima GLE and 01 Altima GXE

  • @blue_lancer_es
    @blue_lancer_es Před 2 lety +327

    This car made honda put 200hp in the next SI. And mitsubishi came out with the ralliart. Oh those were the days. 20 years all ready? Damn I feel old 😔

    • @damilolaakanni
      @damilolaakanni Před 2 lety +35

      20 years later, the Civic Si still has 200HP...or so they say.

    • @blue_lancer_es
      @blue_lancer_es Před 2 lety +14

      @@damilolaakanni thats why competition is important. If the mustang was alone we wouldn't see gt500 super snake ect. One up the ante the other have to counterattack or lose.

    • @michaelbernhardt389
      @michaelbernhardt389 Před 2 lety +5

      Nope 2002 the SI it's at 160

    • @K03sport
      @K03sport Před 2 lety +5

      ...regardless of the Nissan offerings, SE-R and Spec-V variants couldn't touch the Si. Nissan was on the right track...than got out of the "hot" FWD compact market altogether. They really didn't race them and they did little in the way of promotion. The Z-car and Maxima were their halo offerings at that time and that's where the money went. I can only imagine where Nissan would be if they kept refining and developing the SE-R/Spec-V packages (on all cars...not just the GT-R)

    • @MastersOfMask
      @MastersOfMask Před 2 lety +20

      @@michaelbernhardt389 did you comprehend what he wrote? He said that nissan made honda put 200hp in their SI after, not during.

  • @MrMACHINE
    @MrMACHINE Před 2 lety +269

    Rear wheels lifting off the ground in the slalom like older VW Golfs. Crazy!

    • @MOBGaming4
      @MOBGaming4 Před 2 lety +6

      Which were considered fun and quick turning!

    • @oreally8605
      @oreally8605 Před 2 lety +10

      Wasn't that crazy???

    • @XenomorphLV426
      @XenomorphLV426 Před 2 lety +4

      Needs a rear sway bar

    • @carsinruin6102
      @carsinruin6102 Před 2 lety +10

      It’s because they both have torsion beam rear suspension.

    • @carsinruin6102
      @carsinruin6102 Před 2 lety +3

      @@XenomorphLV426 I had a old GTI with a rear sway bar and no front and it still lifted the rear tire. I

  • @frailgeek
    @frailgeek Před 2 lety +52

    Been daily driving a 04 SER Spec V for the past 6 years. Shout out to my grandfather for selling it to me and keeping it clean in his garage for all those years.

    • @fatloserboi
      @fatloserboi Před 2 lety +6

      Your grandfather is a great man!

    • @kjrey9878
      @kjrey9878 Před 2 lety +3

      Hey Spec V brother! I still daily the 04 Spec V I bought in 2006. I've got the "Aztec Red". What color is yours? (Tell me it's the Yellow or Orange. Those are my favorite for the B15! Especially with all the boring colors on cars these days. lol)

    • @frailgeek
      @frailgeek Před 2 lety +3

      ​@@kjrey9878 Congrats man, the Aztec Red looks real nice! Mine is just is a boring silver unfortunately, yellow is my favorite for sure

    • @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr
      @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr Před 2 lety +3

      Your grandad?
      Wow man good stuff, you outta thank him for handing down a great little car.

  • @rookietoprobuildz
    @rookietoprobuildz Před 2 lety +20

    Not the quickest car, but something was special about this car. Looks great to this day.

  • @ohhsoofreeman
    @ohhsoofreeman Před 2 lety +126

    A car I always thought I'd own at some point. A friend of mine got an SE-R as her first car, but it was the automatic. Still was fun to drive though.

    • @jacobwebb8818
      @jacobwebb8818 Před 2 lety +4

      SE-R Spec-V is a lot faster and only manual

    • @michaelramirez2382
      @michaelramirez2382 Před 2 lety +1

      @@jacobwebb8818 that’s right mine is a 6speed

    • @lifesAtrip513
      @lifesAtrip513 Před 2 lety +1

      @@jacobwebb8818 it's not a lot faster

    • @jacobwebb8818
      @jacobwebb8818 Před 2 lety

      @@lifesAtrip513 mine is 🤭
      Faster than an 8th gen Civic Si by a good margin.
      They had a different tune and exhaust I believe than the SE-R so they made more power

    • @randomautonomousdronepilot3384
      @randomautonomousdronepilot3384 Před 2 lety +1

      @@jacobwebb8818 an 8th gen Si weighs 100lbs more and has 30 hp more.
      Numbers don't lie buddy. A tuned SI would be up t0 50-60hp more. While still retaining the same weight.
      Say whatever you want to say, but what you are saying does not make sense.

  • @yessitsme6884
    @yessitsme6884 Před 2 lety +96

    Had one of those back then! The torque steer was immense and the rear suspension was horrible on bad road surfaces. But it was a lot of fun!

    • @exxusdrugstore300
      @exxusdrugstore300 Před 2 lety +5

      My dad bought a 1997 Maxima with that same torsion beam rear end. The marketing says "4 Door Sports Car" but the ride says "Kia Sedona".

    • @cameronhall0921
      @cameronhall0921 Před 2 lety +6

      I actually have the 2002 SE-R right now

    • @Bonbonbon739
      @Bonbonbon739 Před 2 lety +4

      The suspension is horrible lol you do feel everything, but it’s like a little go kart and it does last forever

    • @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr
      @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr Před 2 lety

      @@Bonbonbon739
      There is absolutely nothing wrong with the suspension as far as ride comfort. The only gripe one could have with it is the solid rear beam instead of a rear multi-link and only performance drivers i.e track or autocross would complain, other than that the Spec ride nice. And if one could find the Nismo coil-overs that improves the stock ride comfort plus adds additional grip is a plus, although there are BC's, JIC's ect which are better than Nismo's still available.

    • @swagboss10000
      @swagboss10000 Před 6 měsíci

      @@cameronhall0921I know someone who’s selling a 2003 for $2300 it has some performance upgrades, do you think I should buy it as a first car?

  • @smartkid1201
    @smartkid1201 Před 2 lety +24

    Those wheels still look good today!

  • @BCJDM
    @BCJDM Před 2 lety +30

    Back when the Sentra was really competitive with the Civic, these cars were the shit they'd smoke civic si's of the era. Early 2000s Nissan was so damn good. One of the reasons why I bought my Altima SER

    • @stupidshethead420
      @stupidshethead420 Před 2 lety +4

      no it wasnt , not in the least.. Most of these SpecV's are in the junkyard these days. My Si laughs in the face of those pathetic sentras, from HPDE driving to commuter traffic, a Civic has it covered.

    • @BCJDM
      @BCJDM Před 2 lety +11

      @@stupidshethead420 lol you sound like an upset fanboy. I love Honda's from that era as well.

    • @stupidshethead420
      @stupidshethead420 Před 2 lety +1

      @@BCJDM fanboy, thats funny, i was in the honda game in the late 80's, definitely not a fanboy.

    • @stupidshethead420
      @stupidshethead420 Před 2 lety +2

      @@BCJDM on the otherhand you sound naïve

    • @BCJDM
      @BCJDM Před 2 lety

      @@stupidshethead420 you sound upset because I said it's faster than civic si's of that era. Get over yourself dude, idc

  • @morrij01
    @morrij01 Před 2 lety +46

    The Spec V was the first car I bought new and I put almost 250k miles on it before having to junk it. I have a 370z now and still miss my Spec V.

    • @jstephens1193
      @jstephens1193 Před 2 lety +4

      Why'd you have to junk it?

    • @mkygod
      @mkygod Před 2 lety +2

      @@jstephens1193 Probably wore out the engine components. I can't imagine too many Nissans surviving beyond 250k.

    • @ks1ngh27
      @ks1ngh27 Před 2 lety +3

      I had the ser version. I loved the car but too many issues and rust prevented me from loving the car all the time.

    • @ks1ngh27
      @ks1ngh27 Před 2 lety +2

      @@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 nice. I think Nissan overall was less reliable than Toyota. I had engine mounts go out many times, starter motor, other constant issues. It was fun to drive but maintenance was needed.

    • @ks1ngh27
      @ks1ngh27 Před 2 lety +4

      @@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 I was in college too when I got it. Had fun racing it with random cars. Everyone thought it had a v6. I have 08 g35 MT 4dr right now. It's fun car to drive. Getting bit old but low mileage still.

  • @Gunsforfreedom
    @Gunsforfreedom Před 2 lety +39

    Bought a brand new 2004 SE-R Spec-V. One of the cars I miss.

  • @kjrey9878
    @kjrey9878 Před 2 lety +13

    Still have my 04 Spec V I bought in 2006. She's still going strong @ 195k miles on the original N/A engine (with a few bolt ons).

    • @flowizphatman
      @flowizphatman Před 2 lety +1

      YES SE-RRRRRR

    • @crillin570
      @crillin570 Před rokem +1

      Nice.. i also still have my 06 which i bought back in 2006 brand new, with 102K miles now.

  • @das280zx
    @das280zx Před 2 lety +14

    My dad bought one new in 2002 and still has it. He used it for commuting and it has something like 300k miles on it. Still runs great, hardly anything has gone wrong with it. Driving this car in autocross competitions made me realize that fwd cars can be a ton of fun!

    • @djhero0071
      @djhero0071 Před 2 lety +1

      Huh. No problems with the precat on the stock headers? Everything I’ve read says they’re a problem with the material inside the precat burning up and being sucked into the engine, scoring cylinder walls and destroying motors.

    • @das280zx
      @das280zx Před 2 lety +1

      @@djhero0071 no he has never had a problem with it. I can't remember but I think maybe Nissan fixed this by a certain model year. Not sure. He's on the original clutch also.

    • @das280zx
      @das280zx Před 2 lety

      I just remembered something. I think there might have been a recall where they adjusted the amount of exhaust recirculated by this method. I think that was part of the problem.

    • @djhero0071
      @djhero0071 Před 2 lety

      Maybe. For as much as I know about these cars, a lot of stuff is from before I owned mine. AFAIK though, they never did fix the precat issue. It was a problem all the way into 06.

    • @das280zx
      @das280zx Před 2 lety

      @@djhero0071 well maybe my dad got lucky. I do remember somebody made a header that eliminated it. Probably would still be a good idea.

  • @piston_slap591
    @piston_slap591 Před 2 lety +42

    Came up reading stuff like Sport Compact Car in this period before I could even drive lol. Such a great time for cool small cars. EP3 SI, DC5 Integra, SVT focus, SRT4, Mazdaspeed Protege and this...I'll take one of each

    • @E_tiBEAMERBOY
      @E_tiBEAMERBOY Před 2 lety +1

      Hell yea!!

    • @XenomorphLV426
      @XenomorphLV426 Před 2 lety +4

      Golden Age of sport compacts

    • @youngb1ood
      @youngb1ood Před 2 lety

      I guess the z24 cavalier, ford probe GT, or the corolla/matrix XRS ain’t cool :(

    • @globyboulga1045
      @globyboulga1045 Před rokem

      September 2001 was my first issue. With the 2001 civic on the cover in cgi . Red .

  • @cesarvilla1422
    @cesarvilla1422 Před 2 lety +5

    Some had came with Brembo brakes. Old coworker of mine had an SE-R. He just drove it. He wasn’t into cars but he took really good care of it.

  • @noladol
    @noladol Před 2 lety +9

    I took my Nissan Maxima to get serviced at the Nissan dealership back in 2005. While I was waiting, I decided to test drive one of two older SE-R Spec V Sentras that they had left over and were trying to get rid of. My Maxima was an automatic, but the Sentra was a 6-speed. The salesman asked me if I was able to drive a manual and I told him "I would figure it out." He seemed hesitant, but he decided to take the car out with me. As we were driving, I said "I wonder if this is as fast as my Maxima?" Right after I said that, I downshifted into second gear, screeched around the turnaround going about 40 mph, pulled of and got up to about 85 mph right before turning back into the dealership. I looked over at the salesman and he was clinching his seat and looked over to me an said "I see you know how to drive a manual." I'll never forget that. :)

    • @michaelscholfield7588
      @michaelscholfield7588 Před 2 lety +1

      Hilarious! A Mitsubishi salesman did the same thing when I showed him what an Evo can do back in 2008...funny stuff.

    • @ndawg79
      @ndawg79 Před 2 lety +2

      Love hearing stories like this. HA HA HA I had to read it a second time and I felt that drive...

  • @kowalski5599
    @kowalski5599 Před 2 lety +60

    My brain still can't comprehend how these cars are 20+ years old.

  • @texan176
    @texan176 Před 2 lety +33

    These ended up just like Civics and Preludes of that era. Nearly all of them were beaten to death and destroyed because they were inexpensive enough to make that possible very quickly. It was still great that Nissan offered them. No one makes cars like this anymore where they slap a huge cylinder head on a small engine, 6 speed manual, and a reasonable price.

    • @nunyabusiness896
      @nunyabusiness896 Před 2 lety +7

      >slap a huge cylinder head on a small engine
      What?
      They just put the 2.5 L from the Altima, everything is the same aside from the ECU.

    • @air-headedaviator1805
      @air-headedaviator1805 Před 2 lety +2

      @@nunyabusiness896 the QR in the Altima and SE-R were the same family but like always there were minute differences. Bumped redline, different oil system, different cams. Little things that change the character largely

    • @nunyabusiness896
      @nunyabusiness896 Před 2 lety

      @@air-headedaviator1805 Do you have any proof of this at all? I've never once heard someone mention any of this and was very active on the forums in the mid-late 00's when I had this car. Just a quick search of the stock tachs in both cars from 2002 already shows you are wrong about the redline as they both show 6250 RPM as being redline. Now, the later B16 cars had some differences to bump power to 200 at the expense of low end torque (which is in line with a camshaft change and could increase redline if paired with heavier valve springs), but the 2002 B15 Spec V did not have those things.

    • @oreally8605
      @oreally8605 Před 2 lety +1

      You can't find a Honda prelude SH that hasn't been beaten to death.

    • @albertsantosTP
      @albertsantosTP Před 2 lety

      They do make cars like this still the Corolla GR is one of them

  • @lbmautos
    @lbmautos Před 2 lety +36

    I remember wanting to race one in my focus se and my friend was like "You will loose, don't even try it." lol The beginning of my love affair with Japanese sports cars. ❤

    • @oreally8605
      @oreally8605 Před 2 lety +3

      I'm assuming you lost lol

    • @lbmautos
      @lbmautos Před 2 lety +4

      @@oreally8605 I took his advice. 😁
      Then later lost to a bone stock 240...that's when I learned about engine mods & tuning over cosmetics.

    • @jaffsharp769
      @jaffsharp769 Před 2 lety +1

      Lose.

  • @CaliforniaKonaN
    @CaliforniaKonaN Před 2 lety +5

    Man this car brings back memories! Had a Spec V in silver and was my first manual car in college. Loved it!

    • @BayAreaRushHour
      @BayAreaRushHour Před 2 lety +1

      Same I had a silver spec V for my first 4 years in college. I had to stay a 5th year but I blew the head gasket and my dad got a new car, so I had to switch to his old Prius during that time, until someone rear ended me and destroyed the Prius. Currently in a Mazda 3, and finally back with a manual transmission.

  • @SmangItDrums
    @SmangItDrums Před 2 lety +19

    This was the first Motorweek review I ever saw. I've been hooked ever since.

  • @XenomorphLV426
    @XenomorphLV426 Před 2 lety +6

    These cars with a few suspension tweaks and sticky tires were and still are one the best autocross/track sleepers.

    • @taurianharris9985
      @taurianharris9985 Před 9 měsíci +1

      Yeahh I'm getting mines dialed in a good set of coilovers prob a little bit of camber so I can hook corners

  • @uligonzalez4303
    @uligonzalez4303 Před rokem +2

    I still have my 2002 black SE-R with the interior shown there. Brand new when I bought it. It’s my back up ride but so fun to drive, added lighter forged pistons, Eibach sway bars, Clutch Competition Stage 2 clutch, lighter flywheel. Thing is quick. Always scares the valet drivers and dealer.

  • @DarthVader-1701
    @DarthVader-1701 Před 2 lety +3

    I still have my 2004 Spec-V, runs and looks great.

  • @vaughngraves6723
    @vaughngraves6723 Před 2 lety +22

    Still have my 2003 Spec-v today- once you sort out the butterfly valve screws in the upper intake manifold and change the header with the pre-cat they are reliable little cars. Tons of affordable fun, and even better with the optional Brembo 4pistons from the 2004 that I swapped in.

    • @yourlocalcoolguy
      @yourlocalcoolguy Před 2 lety +2

      Nice I had one in highschool, after I blew two motors I took out the cat also.

    • @kjrey9878
      @kjrey9878 Před 2 lety +4

      Hey, I'm tagging up with all my Spec V brethren! Red 04 Spec V here. Bought it in 06 and still daily it. It's funny, I replaced the header before I even knew the QR25 had pre-cat issues. I "accidentally" dodged a VERY expensive bullet. lol.

    • @dnegel9546
      @dnegel9546 Před rokem +1

      Why did nissan get rid of the 02 front end for the ugly plain one in later models?

  • @SilverScarletSpider
    @SilverScarletSpider Před 2 lety +6

    4:37 my favorite part is when motorweek lists the market rivals

  • @superkryp13
    @superkryp13 Před 2 lety +3

    The first time I ever saw one of these was in a commercial for NeedForSpeed Underground. Got hooked instantly

  • @foster8300
    @foster8300 Před 2 lety +1

    i got a ‘03 spec v in 11th grade and its got exaust and lowered with different headlights and upgraded brakes. its so much fun

  • @matt7090asian1
    @matt7090asian1 Před 2 lety +1

    I live with my Filipino grandparents and my grandpa had one and he kept it so clean through out the years. He put me as secondary driver on our insurance right when I got my license at 17. That was my first car! Man I wish I still had this beautiful ride! I miss it so much :(

  • @doug6191
    @doug6191 Před 2 lety +29

    People who bought the Spec-V with an automatic are the problem. 🙃

    • @JDMHaze
      @JDMHaze Před 2 lety +4

      lmaooo Until this video I wasn't aware that it was offered with an automatic, normally SE-R/nismo models are only offered with manual

    • @J.Nev.
      @J.Nev. Před 2 lety +4

      Only The SE-R Was Offered In Auto. No Auto Spec-V

    • @SK438
      @SK438 Před 2 lety

      There is no automatic Spec V. There's the automatic SE-R, 5-speed SE-R (discontinued in 2004), and the 6-speed SE-R Spec V.

  • @mattm7252
    @mattm7252 Před 2 lety +45

    damn the exhaust was shaking so much when they were launching it! A buddy of mine has a red one and it is a really nice car.

  • @Cichlid_Visuals
    @Cichlid_Visuals Před 2 lety +7

    loved the solid rear axel on these things, e brake turns were effortless and you could easily coax it to oversteer with some well placed left foot braking and trail braking into tight ones.

  • @mikea5205
    @mikea5205 Před 2 lety +18

    I remember in 2006, the Nissan dealership wouldn't let me test drive this, so I went and bought a 2006 Civic Si. I would like to thank that dealership lol.

    • @jareknowak8712
      @jareknowak8712 Před 2 lety

      😉

    • @JimS870
      @JimS870 Před 2 lety

      What was their excuse???

    • @ed4253
      @ed4253 Před 2 lety

      My friend had that happen with a new 99 Mustangs, we were 18 and the stealership knew it

  • @falcon64z8
    @falcon64z8 Před 2 lety +1

    You know you're old when Motor Week does a retro review of a car you remember when it was new....

  • @ramoncarter6585
    @ramoncarter6585 Před 2 lety +12

    Amazing how this car came a long way 20 years later Consumer Reports rated North American Car of The Year. Still see these from time to time wish the newer models would have 6 speed manual.

  • @kennethpowers8995
    @kennethpowers8995 Před 2 lety +2

    Man; I bought a first model year 02 black Spec V back in 05 and my young ass thought it was the fastest car on the road. (And compared to all my friends Ford Focus/Chevy Cavalier/base model Civic with an exhaust it was lol)
    I spent majority of the paychecks from my then crappy job throwing intake, exhaust, suspension, tires, Clutches etc at this thing all to drop from 15.4 ET with just an AEM short ram to 14.6x with full bolt ons and sticky BFGs up front. Not to mention teaching myself how to drive manual on the car aka going through a stock clutch disc before the odometer read 20k as well as TWO dealer replaced engines under warranty for pre-cat failure leading to insane oil consumption. By the time I traded that thing in after ~5 years and almost 100k it had been through hell and back. Owning that car was an experience for sure and a big part of my early adulthood.

  • @LilDiabloRob
    @LilDiabloRob Před 2 lety +2

    My bud and I enjoyed the tuner scene back in the mid 00s after high school. I had a cobalt SS brand new and he had a Sentra SER Spec V. Man do I miss those days. But the only thing he hated about that car is that his didn’t have the Brembo brakes. Had the lsd and no traction control. Perfect weekend warrior at AutoX events.

  • @rionduval
    @rionduval Před 11 měsíci +2

    When I was in college I had an 02 SER Spec V in white with a Nismo cold air intake and a custom 3 inch exhaust with the cat removed. Had black aftermarket aluminum alloy 17” rims. This thing would fly. You had to know how to handle the torque steer for sure but once you got used to it it was too much fun. I burned through some tires in mine. If you got on it it would spin all the way though 1st gear and then bark 2nd. The gas mileage was crazy for all the power you had.

  • @Tinrs80
    @Tinrs80 Před 2 lety +3

    That 1996-2004 Hay days of Nissans..man i miss how they used to do cars. WOW! I loved these back then. Watch the back tires come off the ground when it goes thru the cones. CraZy

  • @baller7312
    @baller7312 Před 2 lety +17

    This car must have been in the starter pack for amy street racing game back in its time 😁

    • @djhero0071
      @djhero0071 Před 2 lety +1

      Not with the 02-03 body. It’s only been featured with the 04-06 body. Not much of a difference but the 04-06 looks more sleeper-ish.

    • @nunyabusiness896
      @nunyabusiness896 Před rokem +1

      It should've been, but it was only featured in NFS Underground 1 and 2 and LA Rush.

  • @laowhy86
    @laowhy86 Před 2 lety +7

    This car always felt so much faster than it was. I still can't figure out why.

    • @jacobwebb8818
      @jacobwebb8818 Před 2 lety +1

      They are genuinely faster than you would expect. Mine is kind of a rocket on disguise. I have beat an 8th gen Si by a longshot and even a V6 Camaro. The Honda has like 30 more hp than me and not much more weight

    • @jacobwebb8818
      @jacobwebb8818 Před 2 lety

      Video on my channel

    • @ColdVsIce
      @ColdVsIce Před 2 lety +2

      Bro exactly, I had one and it felt so damn fast haha.

    • @jacobwebb8818
      @jacobwebb8818 Před 2 lety

      @@ColdVsIce there's no telling man but mine legit scares me it's gonna break axles or the subframe or something cause it jumps that hard. I already had to replace one axle but I bought it that way.
      There was a guy on here somewhere who I seen taped washers somewhere on his subframe and said his car felt WAAYY more solid when getting on power and I kept thinking like nahh that wouldn't do anything and right when I was doubting him the hardest he said "And if you don't believe me that it will hold up like this, I taped those on there 3 years ago and they're still holding up"
      My mind was blown 😂

    • @nunyabusiness896
      @nunyabusiness896 Před rokem

      Super wide powerband and pretty short gearing. It punched right off of idle like the 4 cylinder equivalent of a pushrod V8. I have a C5 Corvette now and it feels like you just took a Spec V engine and doubled it and added RWD, which is pretty accurate as 175hp x 2=350hp, which is exactly what a C5 V8 is. Will always prefer the wide powerband of the Spec V and the Corvette over the fussy all-up-top-nothing-down-low of a Honda.

  • @Miradasurfs
    @Miradasurfs Před 2 lety +3

    i had one of these. My favorite car I've ever had. It was yellow and so awesome!

  • @dohc1067
    @dohc1067 Před 2 lety +50

    I test drove one and was impressed by the aggressive speed sensitive steering under acceleration. Unfortunately I was only able to afford the 1.8. Blown head gaskets and fuel pumps became a nightmare during my ownership. The Sentra scared me away from Nissan and never went back.

    • @taurussho86
      @taurussho86 Před 2 lety +4

      Don't feel sorry... They always been kinda crappy.
      I dont buy them either

    • @eVerProductions1
      @eVerProductions1 Před 2 lety +2

      Yeah same here, I’ve driven a few Nissans and owned a 97 Sentra se manual and currently a g35, yeah they ain’t that quality. They fit the bill but the end result is nothing to write home and tell everyone you know

    • @dohc1067
      @dohc1067 Před 2 lety

      @@taurussho86 Agreed 👍

    • @dohc1067
      @dohc1067 Před 2 lety

      @@eVerProductions1 Agreed 👍

    • @fitfogey
      @fitfogey Před 2 lety +2

      A friend of mine worked for Nissan quality control. He said management would pressure them for speed on the job and approve parts that should have been thrown in the trash bin. That alone convinced me not to buy a Nissan.

  • @greg6941
    @greg6941 Před 2 lety +3

    I have a 07 se-r spec v with 132k mi and it still puts a smile on my face today. I thought about getting a wrx premium back in 2018,but every time I hop in my spec v or just see it in my garage I change my mind. I've been thinking about getting rid of it for the new Elantra N and the same thing happens. Especially if I drive my other cars and don't drive the spec v for awhile. When I see it or get in it, I decide to just keep it and invest what I would of spent on a new car.

  • @Alpha_Marketing_Boss
    @Alpha_Marketing_Boss Před 2 lety +3

    This car was amazing back in the day. Everytime I got in it it always made me excited to drive.

  • @christopherwilliams9418
    @christopherwilliams9418 Před 2 lety +4

    Totally underrated little cars.

    • @Skyisthelimit4me
      @Skyisthelimit4me Před 8 měsíci +2

      Cheap rattle trap car with an Altima motor. That's it. Nothing else.

    • @christopherwilliams9418
      @christopherwilliams9418 Před 8 měsíci +1

      @@Skyisthelimit4me You have no imagination, lol. Not everything needs to be a Mustang or a Supra.

    • @Skyisthelimit4me
      @Skyisthelimit4me Před 8 měsíci +1

      @@christopherwilliams9418 Don't care for Mustangs or Supras either. I just tell it like it is. There's nothing unique about the Sentra SE-R Spec V...I like my cars to have exclusivity. Such as a unique driveline.

  • @VinnieNiZero
    @VinnieNiZero Před 2 lety +2

    was never a big fan of fwd macpherson but this car is a guilty pleasure of mine

  • @Doobie1975
    @Doobie1975 Před 2 lety +3

    I remember my apparel manager at my first job used to have a Nissan Sentra SE-R of this vintage, it had the 6 speed manual (she preferred driving a stick over automatic).

  • @kva1770
    @kva1770 Před 11 měsíci +1

    not mentioned was the valve actuated multi-length intake runners that opened up at 3500 RPM that made a satisfying engine roar in the cabin. This was the ultimate budget boy racer car

  • @GTStuning-
    @GTStuning- Před 2 lety +2

    Up on 3 wheels during the slalom was crazy to see, I don't remember any car doing a slalom like that wow

  • @djhero0071
    @djhero0071 Před 2 lety +3

    I never thought I’d see Motorweek’s review on this car. I’ve owned one for 7 years now and I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better first car. I worry about it a lot but it’s honestly been a fun and fairly reliable car.

  • @christopherbanuelos4780

    It was early 2002, I was driving a 1989 Honda Accord and looking for a new car. At the time, my best friend was working at a local Nissan dealer, it was less than 2 miles away. He knew I was looking to buy a new car, so when a mechanic had him drive a PDI he figured he'd bring it to my house to check it out. It was a brand new 2002 silver Nissan SE-R Spec V, that thing was BEAUTIFUL! I didn't get to drive it, obviously, but I got it in and I loved it. That weekend I went to the dealer and bought one. It was so much fun. I ended up selling it about 6 years later. I blew the head gasket and then all sorts of things started to go wrong. I got it running perfectly but I just didn't wanna risk having to put any more money into it. I now drive a 2012 Honda Civic Si. The best car I've ever owned. It's 10 years old and I haven't had a single mechanical issue with it.

  • @96st206
    @96st206 Před 2 lety +12

    It's a shame these cars turned out to be kind of unreliable. Lots of issues with the QR25. Still would like to get one. The early front end on this looks better than the later front end

    • @foxtrot685
      @foxtrot685 Před 2 lety +3

      Oh yeah. The bucktooth grille and over boxed off fascia’s for the refresh ruined this design. They were horrible looking after that.

    • @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr
      @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr Před 2 lety +1

      Unreliable?
      Not true, the main thing with the QR was lock tight the butterfly screws, drop the pre-cat for an after market exhaust and you were golden. I still have my original '02 running strong as hell.

  • @DCLT05
    @DCLT05 Před 2 lety +7

    I still miss my '06 Spec V. It was the first car I bought with my own money, and I absolutely adored it. It was such a sad day for me when I had to trade it in in '16. But, what was I to do? My wife can't drive manual and we had a baby on the way. It's not really a family car. In my opinion this is one of the most unsung 'future classics' of the 2000s.

    • @dnegel9546
      @dnegel9546 Před rokem +2

      How is it not a family car? It has 4doors.
      I made my camaro work with 2kids. And even then i got a 4 door car.
      Never understood why ppl feel they need a 8 passenger van for a single baby.

    • @carlocastillo1036
      @carlocastillo1036 Před rokem +1

      Teach the wife manual

  • @highlife2k10
    @highlife2k10 Před 2 lety +2

    These still have pretty big following I drive a 04 spec to this day

  • @B0xlife1
    @B0xlife1 Před 2 lety +1

    Still got a 04 ser spec v since 2008, still running no issues besides alternator and general maintenance.has 160k on it and always starts!

    • @salenty2361
      @salenty2361 Před 2 lety +1

      no cats?

    • @B0xlife1
      @B0xlife1 Před 2 lety +1

      @@salenty2361 aftermarket exhaust all the way from manifold back to the axel then stock muffler.
      Couldn't deal with the constant banging of the pipe on the rear axle since it's lowered so the rest of the exhaust back I took off and put back stock
      But no cats since 40,k miles

  • @joec1774
    @joec1774 Před 2 lety +40

    How's John not mentioning the consistent inside-rear wheel lift through that slalom!?!

    • @jackdough8164
      @jackdough8164 Před 2 lety +10

      Because that’s not a problem.....

    • @saabstory69420
      @saabstory69420 Před 2 lety +1

      Ridiculous looking

    • @gsxellence
      @gsxellence Před 2 lety

      He did

    • @joec1774
      @joec1774 Před 2 lety +1

      @@jackdough8164 - didn’t say it was- it’s just not something ya see often

    • @XenomorphLV426
      @XenomorphLV426 Před 2 lety +2

      Is was infamously known as the "pissing dog" move on the forums.

  • @gabrielttenroc2906
    @gabrielttenroc2906 Před 2 lety +1

    I miss that grille, I thought these were so cool when they came out and even today I’d still drive the hell out of one

  • @srcej6
    @srcej6 Před 2 lety +8

    That tripod action though!

  • @johngogan7781
    @johngogan7781 Před 2 lety +1

    I had a white 2002 ser specv. I loved that car. It was fun to drive and it sounded awesome with headers,full exhaust and cold air intake. I miss that Lil pocket rocket.

  • @ceelobrown27
    @ceelobrown27 Před 2 lety +2

    I bought the SE-R in 2003 and I loved this car and so did the ladies.

  • @870expressmag
    @870expressmag Před 2 lety +1

    I remember test driving the spec v. Seemed like a fun car.

  • @B86432
    @B86432 Před 2 lety +15

    Back when the world wasn't consumed w social media nonsense was a good time to be alive

  • @KevinCruz-pu2ue
    @KevinCruz-pu2ue Před 2 lety +21

    These cars were bad little MFers when they were new but were also prone to head gasket problems at around 100k. The valve covers also tended to crack and break due to the extreme heat this engine generated. I had a friend whose ex wife had one and I was over there helping him fix it a couple of times.

    • @CBXweb
      @CBXweb Před 2 lety

      Ouch. The 1.8 engines didn't fair much better either. It's a shame, I really liked these cars when it first came out.

    • @SK438
      @SK438 Před 2 lety

      It's funny you say 100k. I just had the head gasket randomly fail on my car with 115k.

    • @SK438
      @SK438 Před 2 lety

      @@CBXweb I'd beg to differ. I own two Sentras, one with the QR25DE and one with the QG18DE. The QG car has proved itself to be very reliable. I've had it for 5 years, and have put countless miles on it but it has yet to give me any major problems. My QR car which I've owned for 2 years however, has given me something to fix at least every 6 months.

  • @serjiang
    @serjiang Před 2 lety +12

    Had a 2003 SE-R 5-spd. Loved it so much, so fun to drive. Too bad the exhaust manifold disintegrated and destroyed the engine…twice.

  • @snackslover
    @snackslover Před 2 lety +2

    still have my 02 spec v, it is only a few years younger than me haha! Changed the header, took out the pre cat and swapped out for a new engine from Japan, fun little stock car (almost) to daily drive and to track some times

  • @redey1290
    @redey1290 Před 2 lety +2

    Oh man I love these. My dad wanted to buy one around the time I was born, according to him though no local dealers had any or could get any in a timely manner. He ended up getting a SE 2.0 I believe.

  • @dimaslopez-dejesus2371
    @dimaslopez-dejesus2371 Před 2 lety +4

    2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R has a 2.5L with 165 hp for the 5-Speed Manual or 4-Speed Automatic, but the Spec V gets 175 hp and only with the 6-Speed Manual.

    • @vampyrelycan99
      @vampyrelycan99 Před 2 lety +1

      Pure sports vehicles were strictly MT only. Well at least the Spec V had 6MT and the much-desired LSD......

  • @pappalink7734
    @pappalink7734 Před 2 lety

    That background music sounded like it came from an early 90s corporate training video. I like it.

  • @outerfroggy1
    @outerfroggy1 Před 2 lety +5

    Back in the days when Nissan was my favorite import manufacturer. Before they turned to cranking out ugly CVT crossovers and the god awful cube...

  • @GameOver321
    @GameOver321 Před rokem

    My guy had the rear wheels off the ground in the slalom. Legend!

  • @dwighta8215
    @dwighta8215 Před 2 lety +2

    That’s a lot of money 20 years ago. Then again, today’s prices on cars =😱

  • @foxtrot685
    @foxtrot685 Před 2 lety +3

    My favorite teacher in hs had one in yellow, pre facelift. I always told him I wanted his car.

  • @Tony-re3ds
    @Tony-re3ds Před 2 lety +2

    I was in 10th grade I always loved them back then. Like the Nissan 240 they're nearly impossible to find now

  • @runsintowall1755
    @runsintowall1755 Před rokem

    I remember test driving this and a Corolla XRS in 2005, I went with the GTI VR6 and still have it to this day.

  • @SP84Fanatic
    @SP84Fanatic Před 2 lety +2

    I remember seeing on Nissan's website in 2002-2003 verbiage that tried to link the SE-R with that of the Skyline GT-R. Also, perhaps in an attempt to cater to the people who played Gran Turismo, the SE-R badge was made to look like the GT-R badge on the R32-R34 Skylines.

    • @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr
      @SiCaRiI_DaGgEr Před 2 lety

      The story behind that is Nissan North America marketing. When they designed the SER they wanted to use the Skyline V-Spec as the foundation which Nissan Japan rejected so Nissan NA used SER Spec-V using a redesigned Skyline front fascia and altered badging.

  • @MrDoubledime
    @MrDoubledime Před 2 lety +1

    I had a silver one with the red interior, I really miss this car. I have a Veloster Turbo now, and while its more refined with more niceties, im not sure if it is more fun than my Sentra Spec V. I still miss that car.

  • @TimJoseph08031990
    @TimJoseph08031990 Před 2 lety +1

    I remember seeing a few of these cars as a kid. I still see a few of these on the road.

  • @jbar_85
    @jbar_85 Před 2 lety +3

    I remember my friends boyfriend had this version but I think 2004. It was a nice little car! They don’t make them cute like this anymore. I wish Nissan would do automatic transmissions again!

    • @cristianchavira8591
      @cristianchavira8591 Před 2 lety

      Would do automatic transmissions again??

    • @jbar_85
      @jbar_85 Před 2 lety

      @@cristianchavira8591 I wish they would build Nissan’s with automatic transmissions again.

    • @cristianchavira8591
      @cristianchavira8591 Před 2 lety

      @@jbar_85 they dont anymore??

    • @jbar_85
      @jbar_85 Před 2 lety

      @@cristianchavira8591 nope. Only CVT except the new Armada coming out.

  • @theKevronHarris
    @theKevronHarris Před 2 lety +2

    I've remember the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V on the NFSU2 game.

  • @nickpatterson492
    @nickpatterson492 Před 2 lety +2

    I remember seeing these brand new as a child I can't believe there 20 years old

  • @mercuripietro6888
    @mercuripietro6888 Před 2 lety

    i was in loved whit this car when it came out i wanted one so badly i just loved the look of it even today it still looks great

  • @DizzyMan24
    @DizzyMan24 Před 2 lety +2

    Wow, quick little thing! I've always wanted one in yellow.

  • @AAB6432
    @AAB6432 Před 2 lety +1

    I had a white spec v needed new piston rings after 75,000 miles, fun to drive but, it lived in the shop

  • @donovancampbell3092
    @donovancampbell3092 Před rokem

    Watching it tripod through the turns is such a throwback. I feel like this was the peak of affordable, practical performance. Yeah, today’s offerings are pretty good, but they’re few and far between, and most have no character.

  • @MarcBarkyMarta
    @MarcBarkyMarta Před 2 lety +1

    The rear wheels lifting off the ground... Crazy stuff

  • @mariodagostino6401
    @mariodagostino6401 Před 2 lety +1

    Had it for 64000 miles, great car, never an issue

  • @NovejSpeed3
    @NovejSpeed3 Před 2 lety

    Had a silver 2003 Spec V and I loved it.....was my first manual. Was such an easy engine to work on and was able to push 200 horses to the wheel....She def prepared me for the Torque monster that is my Mazdaspeed 3 which has double the power!!!

  • @thedant21
    @thedant21 Před 2 lety +3

    As a kid I always weighed in my head whether I would buy one of these or a Focus SVT when I got my license 😂. Unfortunately my budget only allowed for a 97’ Thunderbird LX at the time. Can’t find an example of either that isn’t a rag any more.

    • @ferrari250lm
      @ferrari250lm Před rokem +1

      I have an '02 Spec V with 19k miles, so there is at least one left 😁

  • @TheChim1000
    @TheChim1000 Před 2 lety

    Owned and enjoyed it since the past three years. I adore this car, still going strong. However, I have had to store it for 6 months. Hope it is still good when I comeback.

  • @zeldamenefee5008
    @zeldamenefee5008 Před rokem

    One of the most underrated cars in history

  • @swiftgt11
    @swiftgt11 Před 2 lety

    I had a black 2002 SpecV. The handling and acceleration were great. Tons of torque steer. The original and replacement motors consumed oil.

    • @rionduval
      @rionduval Před 11 měsíci +1

      Yup I went through 2 motors in mine. Broke motor mounts like crazy with all that torque.

  • @RetroCarsForever
    @RetroCarsForever Před 2 lety +2

    Okay so now I want one...

  • @houseofell7749
    @houseofell7749 Před 2 lety +2

    Ahhh the good ol days. (Had a '02 yellow spec v) 😏

  • @davidbaron6647
    @davidbaron6647 Před 2 lety +1

    my friend had the one, the good old days

  • @mrdaykurutakuchannel
    @mrdaykurutakuchannel Před 2 lety +1

    Probably the last hot Nissan compact sedan. I hope the current Sentra has an se-r trim again!

  • @stillhaventcomeupwithaname9371

    Let’s go Sentra Chads we’re finally being recognized

  • @LoveMyZJ
    @LoveMyZJ Před 2 lety +1

    I remember wanting a yellow Spec V when these first came out...the closest I got was a promotional bookmark lol Drove one for the first time in 2010, granted it was raining but what I remember most is the torque steer and the front tires struggling to put the power down

  • @tercdawg
    @tercdawg Před 3 měsíci

    I had this 2002 spec v back in 2006. I would pick one up again for nostalgic purposes

  • @patrickkay9059
    @patrickkay9059 Před 2 lety +1

    This car was my main rival for my SVT focus back in high school lol with the couple of bolt ons I had I could normally pull away from a roll. From a stop though the limited slip in the Sentra would normally put it out in front