The thing is that most people are not car enthusiasts. They just want to move from A to B with people and cargo as easily as possible. But they also want to show off. A crossover looks modern, has tons of space, and doesn't have the acquired feel of a true SUV.
@@Snubrevolver Even at that, correct people to "person" since vast majority of those useless vehicles are single occupancy and "theoretical cargo" since I never see anything in most of them. Sometimes I see a handful of grocery bags that would fit even in a Miata without a problem. It's all about the pea brained idea that sitting up higher is better. And it's something that women 9 times out of 10 strongly prefer for no appreciable logical reason. Look in the average couple's driveway and if there's a utility vehicle present, it's almost always the woman's. Sometimes the guy will have one, but almost always the woman will have one.
Crossovers to me are a cross between minivan and hatchback. If I needed space, I would go for a wagon, and If I needed lots of space, I'd just go all in with a minivan. No shame in that. Interestingly, I saw an article recently that wealthier buyers are starting to gravitate toward wagons. I hope it's true.
This boring-as-hell-to-look-at car is one of the best cars ever made. You really have to drive one to understand how truly brilliant it is. There's even a ton of room inside. Sad Nissan destroyed the SE-R idea by watering it down over the years.
David Weber the handling was amazing. And the “boring look” also added to the coolness of the car in my opinion. I think car and driver dubbed it the “ bmw 2002 of the 90s”
Not sure it got water down over the years so much as it just had mediocre improvements. If they had put a turbo on that 2.0 it would have been a legendary car to get.
oldtwins na the cars that proceeded this one were duds. But this one was indeed legendary. Read some of the articles on this car in that era. It was universally praised. Of course 140 hp doesn’t sound like much by today’s standards. But tons of hp doesn’t necessarily make a great car. Like I said before, this car was dubbed the “second coming” of the bmw 2002, which is considered the birth of the sports sedan.
Wish I still had mine. Bought it new, put 170k miles on it. Never needed anything major, just regular maintenance. It was always a blast to drive. Too bad cars can't be built this simple today.
Solid front sway bar too. The xe had a hollow one. And a larger rear. Great seats too. I found one in a junkyard years back and pulled what I could. I had an xe and that thing was awesome to drive.
I have a 1994 SE-R with headers jim wolf s3 cams jim wolf computer and tune upgrade nx2000 brakes all around . I also bout a turbo I'm going to install this month . Turbonetics
@@ptg805 Hi im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. Iam a old man now. dont wat to go fast. do you know anithing can hel me thank you very much
Hi im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. Iam a old man now. dont wat to go fast. do you know anithing can hel me thank you very much
@@lafollie2219 If you're old you should just sell that car to a young guy that has the passion and money to put it to good use and you just buy yourself a "Versa" that goes well with your "age" lol.
I've always loved the SE-R. There's a white one around the corner from where I live, sitting. It's been there for a couple of years. I wish I knew who owned it. I'd give it a loving home.
This was a great time for little native Japanese car brands like this. Give me these days where cars were simple yet refined without all of the "safety" features that are on new cars.
Yeah, those pesky things that make sure you don't die. Check out the Nissan Tsuru, they still sold this ancient car in Central/South America until last year and it's predominantly a taxi in Mexico. It has an extremely high fatality rate owing to its very old and poor safety design lacking even ABS and airbags. Do you people prefer when car accidents were far more likely to result in an injury or death?
Yeah injury and death is all about driving a car I believe f*** the safety features sometimes you're better off dead then had to have some of the injuries involved in a car accident that's the way I'm getting to see it
This really was exceptional performance in 1991! Those performance numbers were competitive for another 10 years in the "hot hatch" segment after this car was launched, quite impressive :)
I love the SE-R. This is when Nissan made good cars. Pre Renault partnership and slips in design. These were sized just right. Looked just right. Felt just right. Then got bulbous, big and ugly the next few generations. I test drove an SE-R in 93 when I shopped for a new compact sporty car. It was my 3rd fave after the VW GTI 16v, Mazda MX3 GS and tied with Acura Integra RS for me. I bought the 16v GTI because it was a better car in terms of style, seats, engine torque, etc. It had long term desirability . But the SE-R was a great value and even though the seats weren’t Recaro like my GTI (still owned) they were quite supportive. We need simple affordable light fun cars like this again
Nissan makes some competitive vehicles (not so much at the bottom of the car range) but they don't excite or inspire the way most of their vehicles did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The 1991 Maxima 4DSC was one of my favorite 'affordable' sedans ever, and even this SE-R was a hoot. I bet not many Sentras or Versas today can reach 0-60 in 7.5s or slalom through the course the way that SE-R did! On the other hand, Nissan does make safe, predictable cars and SUVs, but the fun ingredient is sadly absent.
@@PeugeotRocket Sadly I will have to disagree with that. Modern Nissan makes nice cars that are efficient, powerful, and are well featured, but they're not built to last. They've become the "more curb appeal, less substance" choice amongst the Japanese makes. Nissan in the 90s and early 00s made good cars that were built to last. Now they just make good cars that will last until a little bit after the warranty runs out...
I bought a new red '92 SE-R like the one tested here. It's still my favorite car of all I've owned. I modded it and drove it hard for six years before moving on to a competitive four-door machine which shall not be named. The enthusiast community around the SR20DE was amazing, and several drivers are still friends.
Rick Zotz Hey Rick, I’ve read your old site and its maintenance/procedures sections a ton over the past couple of years. I finally bought a near-stock red 1991 SE-R in mid-2016 after wanting one for years and your info and contributions to the old SE-R site’s page have helped me out a ton. I’m as old as the car so I wasn’t even close to driving during their original heyday; but what I’ve been able to see of its initial community via some old internet pages is still helpful and encouraging to read. So thanks for keeping that info up for younger guys like me who can use all the assistance they can get to keep it DIY. I’ve had no real issue with the car besides a completely wacky tachometer (it “idles” at 2500-3000 on cold start, but the engine/throttle isn’t stressing, then it randomly free falls to the 800 rpm mark about 15-20 mins into the trip) and possibly some fuel pump/gas mileage issues (been wondering if the high idle has anything to do with it since a time ups don’t help much, but I’m still working at it). Its reputation for being reliable and fun still stands strong, even if mine’s not running perfect. Anyway, thanks again for all the info on these things that you shared with the community back in the day - it’s still appreciated and attempted currently.
Hi Rick im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. I am a old man now. dont want to go fast. do you know anithing can help me thank you very much
I’ve had two B13 Sentras, a 1992 and a 1994, both had over 300k miles and going strong before being demolished in a traffic accident or just trading it in. These are in my opinion the best looking sub compact cars ever and the se-r had to be the best thing nissan ever did
I had a black 92 used, my sister brought me to the dealer. I paid cash for it, she ask why would I want it. Then when I took off at the light they knew why, lol!
@@954brent954 Granted, the b16 Si Civic was actually the faster car in the quarter mile (15.7 s; 91 mph) compared to the Sentra SE-R (15.9 s; 89 mph). That Honda transmission is exceptionally short-geared, with a 4.4 final drive compared to the 4.1 ratio in the Nissan.
@@cbh148 Back then most people was stop light racing! That's back before even the first fast an furious movie even was thought about. So like I said we had fun. The b16s could never leave my car, now did I leave there's. Which equals fun at the time. Thank God I made it thru all that.
I bought a brand new dark grey SE-R in August 1992. Fantastic car. Loved every minute I drove it. Very quick for that time period. This video brought back plenty of great memories. The entire '91-'94 Sentra line was quite good; probably the best version of Sentras Nissan ever produced, but the SE-R was special. Car would cruise at 105-115 any old time (yes rpm's were up there at that speed, even in 5th, but the SR20DE did not mind at all). Tach redline was like at 7500 rpm. A very high-quality well-made pocket-rocket. In 1995, got rear-ended by a Subaru Loyale wagon on I-95. The Subaru got towed, my SE-R had the smallest scratch on the lower bumper; body shop could find no other damage, hidden or otherwise. Ended up trading it in on a Nissan Hardbody pickup because I needed a truck for work, but have always missed the Sentra. Haven't seen one from this early-mid 90-s era on the road anywhere, even in the deep south, in many years.
@@kt81776 True. I remember how close I came to buying my wife a 1993 Maxima SE. That was the one with the VE (not the VG) 3.0 engine. Had 190hp as opposed to the 160 in the VG engine. I recall that I fell in love with it and did not want to bring it back to the dealer.
Concur with all your points... I had a '94 for a couple of years. Outstanding car and outstanding engine; that SR had such a great sound climbing through the midrange... not rough, but very mechanically satisfying. Was pretty good in the snow due to the limited-slip front diff, too. I never cared much for the "QR" series that replaced the SR-20. They seemed not as eager, long-stroke, and had all those early close-catalyst problems. I kinda regret not buying an NX2000 later on; those things could be had for a steal as they were just not moving off the lots.
I always liked this generation of Sentra. A clean and handsome design. The 2.0L engine was excellent and the car overall was quite good. The Sentra coupe was replaced in 1995 with the 200SX, which was just a rebranded Sentra 2-door with mildly different styling. It was offered as the SE-R with this same 2.0L engine.
As the owner of many gtis and golf r I can still say this is probably one of the best affordable drivers cars ever made.. my brother had one back when we’re kids got it brand new. He saved like hell to get it.. I drove it more than a few times.. one of the best handling cars in my opinion
@@economynotstable maxima SE was quicker but it was junk compared to the SE-R. We had both cars and the VE engine in the Maxima was a turd that died after 120k with a well known manufacturing defect. In contrast, the SR20DE could go on forever with no issues.
I remember in the mid 90's, in Fontana, CA, we would get the 'Pennysaver" ads in the mail, it would have these little Nissan Sentra's advertised for about $6,000 to $8,000 brand new! I wanted one so bad! But in high school I couldn't afford jack lol.
Hi im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. Iam a old man now. dont wat to go fast. do you know anithing can hel me thank you very much
I had one of these when I was in High School / College. It was hands down the most fun car I have ever owned, I still miss it to this day. It was that special.
2.0l naturally aspirated 4cyl with 16v and a dohc with 140bhp. Very impressive for '92 and that 7.5s 0-60 is incredible. Shame we didn't get it in the UK.
We haven't didn't you get the better Toyotas and the better Acura is up there and how does I know they did in Japan all the s*** they sent to the US now is I'm back in 91 those hats tiaras real hard to find very hard to find I live in New York
I bought one new, and really liked it. Very light, with the "fixed" rear windows. Bright, well-located fog lights, for when you needed them. It developed the dreaded "fifth-gear kickout," and I got rid of it shortly thereafter. Stayed with Nissan, though, and got a used 1996 Maxima, I think in 1999, off of a lease (45K miles?). Owning the SE-R was fun! They were pretty rare, so if / when you'd see one, you'd usually get a friendly honk, or a wave from the other driver. It did have some pretty bad torque-steer, when you'd get on it, though!
Love how he went through all the gears than jammed it into reverse with a crunch, gotta put it in second gear first before jamming it in reverse, helps align it
I bought a 93 SE-R in the summer of 07. Best car I've ever owned! Sporty and fast. Soo ahead of it's time! Whoop a lot of Hondas back in the days and no one knew what kind of car it was.
It has more power than most crossovers in the same segment. And it came with a 5 speed. Id say the numbers are pretty good on this pre-renault nissan. Finding one is near impossible these days though, unless you live out west.
I went to buy an se-r in the early 90s and found out the back seats didn’t fold down with access to the trunk, a deal breaker for me. Purchased an nx2000 instead and loved it for several years. Basically the same car with wider tires, more aerodynamic body work and of course a very usable hatchback. (Rear seats folded down! ) Also, the limited slip differential was awesome.
This segment of cars during this time frame was ultra competitive and produces lots of reliable cars. Sentra, Corolla, Escort and Civic were all good reliable cars.
There will be a car renaissance once people of the future figure out that they've been paying 15% more SUV prices simply for a taller body on a car chassis. -Nostradamus, quatrain 875
Pretty fast for 92. I worked at a Nissan dealer in the 90s. I conveniently borrowed a preowned one and went joyriding in it , damn it was fun to drive and handled great. When I drove it back on the lot I got a mean look from the manager , who threatened to fire me if I pulled that again without permission!
I had a 2001 SE-R 2.0 and it was a lovely car. So quick and fun to drive while still being a practical city car, and nice-looking too. Wish I still had it.
Yeah you're right that is real hard to find a good one of them Nissan SE everyone I seen burned oil like crazy especially to get one with a stick shift they burn so much oil did not maintain that all people dog those cause their old junk I'm not typing so I meant to say they're all junk now
This seems like such a fun car, I'd love to own one some day although I probably won't. Have a 2001 Maxima now and by the time that thing goes these will likely be even harder to find.
I remember taking one for a test drive in 1992. Already being an avid Solo2 fanatic, I blasted it down a 270° freeway on ramp. I scared the crap out of the salesman, but I'm sure after we were done he had even more respect for the ability of this little econobox/speedster.
Had a 91 in the mid 2000s. It was a rust bucket, and started popping out of 5th gear, but that sr20 was awesome! I wouldn't mind having another one in nice shape.
had a 1987 Sentra (generation before this) with an SR20VE swap (SR20DE transmission) pushing 200whp. That thing MOOOOOVED. SR 4 bangers are amazing little engines
I bought that car used in 1999. Mine was a 1992 but didn't have the automatic seat belts. It was technically built in 1991 but was part of the 1992 line. That was the funnest car I ever own, but driving it hard, like I did, cost me money in repairs. I surprised people riding in it on it's acceleration. I could take off pealing the tires, shift to second and continue pealing. A friend warned me that will wear my CV joints and he was right. I also spend money repairing the Transmission.
If the similarly aged S13 Silvia is an FF car this is what it looks like, having the same SR20 motor (unfortunately the 240SX should deserve that motor but having the sissy KA24 instead)
I had a 91 ran 15.0 @91mph with a K&N pop charger kit and a turbo muffler from pepboys on stock tires down to 16psi and power shifting ,no lift shifting and ending in 3rd gear instead of shifting into 4th ...had a long 3rd gear . Loved that car, my competition at the track where Gsr Integras , Vr6 Golfs
Here in México this was sold as the Tsuru 2000 GSR, and this was One of the most sold cars in history of México along with the VW Bug, infact, it was even very used as Taxi 🚖
I have 2001 infiniti G20, brought in 07' with 65k miles on it, now it has 189k miles and still drives good, no leaks. With bolt-ons like intake, header, catback exhaust etc. I got 0-60 down to 6.5ish seconds. On 40mph roll, It be able to keep up with older (2000s) V6 mustangs and trucks or sometimes pull ahead lol. SR20DE is awesome
Yeah well I got a nice horror story I got me a 91 G20 with a 5-speed with 100,000 mi on it fast as hell when I got it the car was crushed in a matter of 3 months exhaust fell off the f****** ass smacked it up twice and it just deteriorated didn't run to goodnight read about the same just lost all the power and the brakes locked up I was taking methadone and Xanax at the same time wind-up sideswiping a tree made of gas in the rear quarter lost interest in it I just junked it I paid $250 for it in 2008 yeah I think it was a steal it was really quick for that was the 1991 or 92 with the 5-speed mine did not burn the oil the motor was tight it had the high rib auntie knocking noise like a lot of them do specially when it was cold blood something warm. It was an animal for the first month I was driving it got a couple of speeding tickets I do miss that car I shouldn't have dogged at the way I did or I should have just kept it and fixed it didn't need much but the whatever
Went with a VW GTI 16v instead, but these are on my short list. Still loving the GTI and been mildly modifying it since 99. This was the best era for cars!
Yeah that garbage the Audi's s*** anybody that has a Volkswagen GTI it's an ugly car that wants to be so much more and they drive it like it's a luxury car p I got my 91 Toyota Corolla straight piped sounds better than 100 horsepower 120 miles an hour if Bobby can't beat a GTI off the straight away but it can show act like it's doing it
@@jamescostello7584 you don’t see a lot of restoration on SE-RS, or people keeping them running still. But my MK2 GTI is still timeless 30 years later. Many still around well preserved or being restored. I was never an Audi guy. They can be very expensive to maintain.
This is such a good looking car. I've heard really good things about the handling. I'm a little disappointed with the displacement of the motor but for the time that was more than enough. I would imagine he's world run a very high price nowadays especially in the coupe
Dated a gal that had an Se-R. A 93 bought new. The car refused to start in the rain or snow. Nissan replaced the distributor twice, an ECM once. By 95 she was tired of the problems and traded it in for a 300Z.. on a sunny and dry day!
When the only MotorWeek videos you watch are the Retro Reviews because the only thing you can afford are used cars
CRA_55 lol or you want to see something other than a crossover review
Nah, I like watching them purely because of the older cars. I like hearing what they had to say back when those cars FIRST came out.
CRA_55 relatable
CRA_55 nothing wrong with that
I watch retro reviews because these are the only cars worth buying!
So sad that people are shying away from cars now. Crossovers are boring, and they're basically just tall hatchbacks.
Nothing sad about evolution and buying something that you like.
True. However i still prefer cars that are sleek sporty n lowered down not jacked up (i mean ground clearance)
The thing is that most people are not car enthusiasts. They just want to move from A to B with people and cargo as easily as possible. But they also want to show off. A crossover looks modern, has tons of space, and doesn't have the acquired feel of a true SUV.
@@Snubrevolver Even at that, correct people to "person" since vast majority of those useless vehicles are single occupancy and "theoretical cargo" since I never see anything in most of them. Sometimes I see a handful of grocery bags that would fit even in a Miata without a problem. It's all about the pea brained idea that sitting up higher is better. And it's something that women 9 times out of 10 strongly prefer for no appreciable logical reason. Look in the average couple's driveway and if there's a utility vehicle present, it's almost always the woman's. Sometimes the guy will have one, but almost always the woman will have one.
Crossovers to me are a cross between minivan and hatchback. If I needed space, I would go for a wagon, and If I needed lots of space, I'd just go all in with a minivan. No shame in that. Interestingly, I saw an article recently that wealthier buyers are starting to gravitate toward wagons. I hope it's true.
This boring-as-hell-to-look-at car is one of the best cars ever made. You really have to drive one to understand how truly brilliant it is. There's even a ton of room inside. Sad Nissan destroyed the SE-R idea by watering it down over the years.
David Weber the handling was amazing. And the “boring look” also added to the coolness of the car in my opinion. I think car and driver dubbed it the “ bmw 2002 of the 90s”
Not sure it got water down over the years so much as it just had mediocre improvements. If they had put a turbo on that 2.0 it would have been a legendary car to get.
oldtwins na the cars that proceeded this one were duds. But this one was indeed legendary. Read some of the articles on this car in that era. It was universally praised. Of course 140 hp doesn’t sound like much by today’s standards. But tons of hp doesn’t necessarily make a great car. Like I said before, this car was dubbed the “second coming” of the bmw 2002, which is considered the birth of the sports sedan.
In japan they had the Sr20det turbo motor
@@suavehouse5150 Never knew that. What was the hp?
Wish I still had mine. Bought it new, put 170k miles on it. Never needed anything major, just regular maintenance. It was always a blast to drive. Too bad cars can't be built this simple today.
had a 200sx se-r same motor , put 250k on it and still ran when sold. I loved that car.
Why did you sell it? I’ve had to put a few grand into my 16v GTI from 92, but still love it!
@@djkenny1202 i was in college and blew something in the motor , couldn't work on it where i lived at the time , got an s2000 and turbo miata now
@@I.Gave.Up. na miata?
@@rupert6478 it was the Mazdaspeed one , came with a “very small” factory turbo. Still have it too :)
0-60 mph in 7.4 sec and 1/4 mile in 15.9 @ 89 mph are a dead ringer to the E30 325is. Damn good performance in it's day.
Yeah for sure
The reason I got into a 91 SE-R was because it reminded me of the E30. Now I own both but I like the SE-R more. Go figure.
I had that car and it was a blast. But driving it hard cost me money in repairs, CV joints & transmission.
LardoRetardo I’m buying an e30 325i and a Sentra se-r it’s funny how others share the same view on them 😂
1992 - 5 speed manual with a LSD 👌🏻
Today - Crappy auto CVT trans 😒
Solid front sway bar too. The xe had a hollow one. And a larger rear. Great seats too. I found one in a junkyard years back and pulled what I could. I had an xe and that thing was awesome to drive.
Can confirm. I own a 1992 SE-R. Very fun stock. Sticky tires, good brakes, rear anti-roll bar and rear strut tower bar and go have silly fun!
I have a 1994 SE-R with headers jim wolf s3 cams jim wolf computer and tune upgrade nx2000 brakes all around . I also bout a turbo I'm going to install this month . Turbonetics
1993*
@@ptg805 Hi im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. Iam a old man now. dont wat to go fast. do you know anithing can hel me thank you very much
Hi im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. Iam a old man now. dont wat to go fast. do you know anithing can hel me thank you very much
@@lafollie2219 If you're old you should just sell that car to a young guy that has the passion and money to put it to good use and you just buy yourself a "Versa" that goes well with your "age" lol.
I've always loved the SE-R. There's a white one around the corner from where I live, sitting. It's been there for a couple of years. I wish I knew who owned it. I'd give it a loving home.
Go offer $500 and restore it.
Put a sticker with your number, I did that and the owner called to tell me he wasn’t selling 😢
0-60 in 7.5 In those days for this type of car is basically like a 0 to 60 of 6.0 in a Corolla
Very beautiful this Nissan Sentra
The late 80's/early 90's was definitely a fun era of automobiles, they take me back to a simpler time of life.
Yes finally a tbt on this legend. One of the best from the 90s
This was a great time for little native Japanese car brands like this. Give me these days where cars were simple yet refined without all of the "safety" features that are on new cars.
Treva Graham get yourself into a new vw gti with a manual base price 25k fun not bloated
@@kt81776 The GTI would be fun. That or the BRZ/GT86
@Fred Wucher True, I should've said native Japanese car brands.
Yeah, those pesky things that make sure you don't die. Check out the Nissan Tsuru, they still sold this ancient car in Central/South America until last year and it's predominantly a taxi in Mexico. It has an extremely high fatality rate owing to its very old and poor safety design lacking even ABS and airbags. Do you people prefer when car accidents were far more likely to result in an injury or death?
Yeah injury and death is all about driving a car I believe f*** the safety features sometimes you're better off dead then had to have some of the injuries involved in a car accident that's the way I'm getting to see it
This really was exceptional performance in 1991! Those performance numbers were competitive for another 10 years in the "hot hatch" segment after this car was launched, quite impressive :)
I love the SE-R. This is when Nissan made good cars. Pre Renault partnership and slips in design. These were sized just right. Looked just right. Felt just right. Then got bulbous, big and ugly the next few generations.
I test drove an SE-R in 93 when I shopped for a new compact sporty car. It was my 3rd fave after the VW GTI 16v, Mazda MX3 GS and tied with Acura Integra RS for me. I bought the 16v GTI because it was a better car in terms of style, seats, engine torque, etc. It had long term desirability . But the SE-R was a great value and even though the seats weren’t Recaro like my GTI (still owned) they were quite supportive. We need simple affordable light fun cars like this again
Well it's not going to happen ever again and don't expect it to
@@jamescostello7584 not really in the US. But there’s cars of that spirit in Europe and Japan.
Nissan's golden age. Then Renault bought them and now they make crap rental cars. Just pure crap.
Nissan still makes some awesome cars. What are you talking about?
Nissan makes some competitive vehicles (not so much at the bottom of the car range) but they don't excite or inspire the way most of their vehicles did in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The 1991 Maxima 4DSC was one of my favorite 'affordable' sedans ever, and even this SE-R was a hoot. I bet not many Sentras or Versas today can reach 0-60 in 7.5s or slalom through the course the way that SE-R did! On the other hand, Nissan does make safe, predictable cars and SUVs, but the fun ingredient is sadly absent.
Apparently Aurora's never seen a GT-R.
Nissan's quality has increased since 2007+ not counting cvts. The 350z (HR), 370z, GTR, Infiniti line, are some of the best cars they built.
@@PeugeotRocket Sadly I will have to disagree with that. Modern Nissan makes nice cars that are efficient, powerful, and are well featured, but they're not built to last. They've become the "more curb appeal, less substance" choice amongst the Japanese makes. Nissan in the 90s and early 00s made good cars that were built to last. Now they just make good cars that will last until a little bit after the warranty runs out...
Hits:
Sporty handling
Smart styling
Unbeatable price
Misses:
Every Sentra that's followed
I mean the 96 sentra looked cool and reliable
I bought a new red '92 SE-R like the one tested here. It's still my favorite car of all I've owned. I modded it and drove it hard for six years before moving on to a competitive four-door machine which shall not be named. The enthusiast community around the SR20DE was amazing, and several drivers are still friends.
Rick Zotz Hey Rick, I’ve read your old site and its maintenance/procedures sections a ton over the past couple of years. I finally bought a near-stock red 1991 SE-R in mid-2016 after wanting one for years and your info and contributions to the old SE-R site’s page have helped me out a ton. I’m as old as the car so I wasn’t even close to driving during their original heyday; but what I’ve been able to see of its initial community via some old internet pages is still helpful and encouraging to read. So thanks for keeping that info up for younger guys like me who can use all the assistance they can get to keep it DIY.
I’ve had no real issue with the car besides a completely wacky tachometer (it “idles” at 2500-3000 on cold start, but the engine/throttle isn’t stressing, then it randomly free falls to the 800 rpm mark about 15-20 mins into the trip) and possibly some fuel pump/gas mileage issues (been wondering if the high idle has anything to do with it since a time ups don’t help much, but I’m still working at it). Its reputation for being reliable and fun still stands strong, even if mine’s not running perfect.
Anyway, thanks again for all the info on these things that you shared with the community back in the day - it’s still appreciated and attempted currently.
Hi Rick im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. I am a old man now. dont want to go fast. do you know anithing can help me thank you very much
I’ve had two B13 Sentras, a 1992 and a 1994, both had over 300k miles and going strong before being demolished in a traffic accident or just trading it in. These are in my opinion the best looking sub compact cars ever and the se-r had to be the best thing nissan ever did
Can i have one, i want to rwd n v8 swap one of these, they'd be a fast ass car to own, i think even beating a Fox Body built one..
I had a black 92 used, my sister brought me to the dealer. I paid cash for it, she ask why would I want it. Then when I took off at the light they knew why, lol!
7.5 seconds to 60 would have surprised a few guys!
Yes it had less HP but more torque then a b16 si civic. I use to have fun with them all the time.
Very respectable performance for the time.
@@954brent954 Granted, the b16 Si Civic was actually the faster car in the quarter mile (15.7 s; 91 mph) compared to the Sentra SE-R (15.9 s; 89 mph). That Honda transmission is exceptionally short-geared, with a 4.4 final drive compared to the 4.1 ratio in the Nissan.
@@cbh148 Back then most people was stop light racing! That's back before even the first fast an furious movie even was thought about. So like I said we had fun. The b16s could never leave my car, now did I leave there's. Which equals fun at the time. Thank God I made it thru all that.
Still the best early 90s sport compact by far. Those performance figures actually still hold up.
I bought a brand new dark grey SE-R in August 1992. Fantastic car. Loved every minute I drove it. Very quick for that time period. This video brought back plenty of great memories. The entire '91-'94 Sentra line was quite good; probably the best version of Sentras Nissan ever produced, but the SE-R was special. Car would cruise at 105-115 any old time (yes rpm's were up there at that speed, even in 5th, but the SR20DE did not mind at all). Tach redline was like at 7500 rpm. A very high-quality well-made pocket-rocket. In 1995, got rear-ended by a Subaru Loyale wagon on I-95. The Subaru got towed, my SE-R had the smallest scratch on the lower bumper; body shop could find no other damage, hidden or otherwise. Ended up trading it in on a Nissan Hardbody pickup because I needed a truck for work, but have always missed the Sentra. Haven't seen one from this early-mid 90-s era on the road anywhere, even in the deep south, in many years.
ctranger nice story , yup anything from nissan 90 -94 was great especially the Z maxima even the rugged pathfinder
@@kt81776 True. I remember how close I came to buying my wife a 1993 Maxima SE. That was the one with the VE (not the VG) 3.0 engine. Had 190hp as opposed to the 160 in the VG engine. I recall that I fell in love with it and did not want to bring it back to the dealer.
Concur with all your points... I had a '94 for a couple of years. Outstanding car and outstanding engine; that SR had such a great sound climbing through the midrange... not rough, but very mechanically satisfying. Was pretty good in the snow due to the limited-slip front diff, too. I never cared much for the "QR" series that replaced the SR-20. They seemed not as eager, long-stroke, and had all those early close-catalyst problems. I kinda regret not buying an NX2000 later on; those things could be had for a steal as they were just not moving off the lots.
I always liked this generation of Sentra. A clean and handsome design. The 2.0L engine was excellent and the car overall was quite good. The Sentra coupe was replaced in 1995 with the 200SX, which was just a rebranded Sentra 2-door with mildly different styling. It was offered as the SE-R with this same 2.0L engine.
These were great cars. Loved to rev. Fun gearbox. Very light on its feet. Even the seats were great.
As the owner of many gtis and golf r I can still say this is probably one of the best affordable drivers cars ever made.. my brother had one back when we’re kids got it brand new. He saved like hell to get it.. I drove it more than a few times.. one of the best handling cars in my opinion
Ah yes before cvts
Back when Nissan didn't suck.
I love these I always wanted one now if I find one in a great condition I would buy it as a daily driver
Quicker than the maxima of the same time?
92 was a hot year for Nissan.
The SE-R was also just as quick as an e30 325is 0-60 and in the 1/4. The BMW probably had a higher top speed but that's irrelevant most of the time.
@@economynotstable maxima SE was quicker but it was junk compared to the SE-R. We had both cars and the VE engine in the Maxima was a turd that died after 120k with a well known manufacturing defect. In contrast, the SR20DE could go on forever with no issues.
Quicker than the 240sx too and close to the 300zx in its day.
YESSSSS I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR A GOOD QUALITY VERSION OF THIS!!!😮 THANK Y'ALL!!!
Yeah, Testdrive junkie has the same video, but not great
I remember in the mid 90's, in Fontana, CA, we would get the 'Pennysaver" ads in the mail, it would have these little Nissan Sentra's advertised for about $6,000 to $8,000 brand new! I wanted one so bad! But in high school I couldn't afford jack lol.
Finally junked mine last year... 420,000 miles on the original engine, still ran great!
Hi im own a 1991 SE-r . i need new camshafts. OEMpart. i am from south america , and its imposible find here. I dont want to upgrade. Iam a old man now. dont wat to go fast. do you know anithing can hel me thank you very much
Thumbs up for a 24 hour retro motorweek marathon just like they had last year!! Please!!!!!!
I had one of these when I was in High School / College. It was hands down the most fun car I have ever owned, I still miss it to this day. It was that special.
The slalom control was just ARTISTIC
2.0l naturally aspirated 4cyl with 16v and a dohc with 140bhp. Very impressive for '92 and that 7.5s 0-60 is incredible. Shame we didn't get it in the UK.
We haven't didn't you get the better Toyotas and the better Acura is up there and how does I know they did in Japan all the s*** they sent to the US now is I'm back in 91 those hats tiaras real hard to find very hard to find I live in New York
My first car! I bought a used red 1991 when I was in college. Man did I love that car.
love these retro videos
I bought one new, and really liked it. Very light, with the "fixed" rear windows. Bright, well-located fog lights, for when you needed them. It developed the dreaded "fifth-gear kickout," and I got rid of it shortly thereafter. Stayed with Nissan, though, and got a used 1996 Maxima, I think in 1999, off of a lease (45K miles?). Owning the SE-R was fun! They were pretty rare, so if / when you'd see one, you'd usually get a friendly honk, or a wave from the other driver. It did have some pretty bad torque-steer, when you'd get on it, though!
Still waiting for the retro review for the P10 Infiniti G20, the 4 door variant of the SE-R.
Infiniti GTI They Have One Already
Its not the same chassis.. the G20 had a live rear axle.
New voice for the "made possible by" intro. Not sure how I feel about it
Y siguen estando bien fuertes ...desde hace 30 años que los hicieron. .... Vivo de esos carros hasta la fecha ...arreglando muchos de esos
Back when Nissan made great cars. I really like the SE-R in the all white trim, white mirrors, grills, door handles, trim with white wheels.
Love how he went through all the gears than jammed it into reverse with a crunch, gotta put it in second gear first before jamming it in reverse, helps align it
I bought a 93 SE-R in the summer of 07. Best car I've ever owned! Sporty and fast. Soo ahead of it's time! Whoop a lot of Hondas back in the days and no one knew what kind of car it was.
When you realize the sentra got an SR20 but the Silvia series didn't get it in the Americas
It has more power than most crossovers in the same segment. And it came with a 5 speed. Id say the numbers are pretty good on this pre-renault nissan. Finding one is near impossible these days though, unless you live out west.
I went to buy an se-r in the early 90s and found out the back seats didn’t fold down with access to the trunk, a deal breaker for me.
Purchased an nx2000 instead and loved it for several years. Basically the same car with wider tires, more aerodynamic body work and of course a very usable hatchback. (Rear seats folded down! )
Also, the limited slip differential was awesome.
Love these sleepers with the SR20!
This segment of cars during this time frame was ultra competitive and produces lots of reliable cars. Sentra, Corolla, Escort and Civic were all good reliable cars.
Had a 91 was one of the best car I have ever owned once I got the suspension done.
This thing was built in Mexico until 2017 as the Tsuru - awesome car!
The best sport compact of his time ....
I have always wanted one. Back when Nissan made cars just as good as Honda and Toyota.. miss this era so much
I'd take this or a Civic Si hatchback, but I would not sit in the back seat in either
before Renault showed up and drained the life from Nissan's bones, there was a real Sentra SE-R
There will be a car renaissance once people of the future figure out that they've been paying 15% more SUV prices simply for a taller body on a car chassis. -Nostradamus, quatrain 875
Pretty fast for 92. I worked at a Nissan dealer in the 90s. I conveniently borrowed a preowned one and went joyriding in it , damn it was fun to drive and handled great. When I drove it back on the lot I got a mean look from the manager , who threatened to fire me if I pulled that again without permission!
This was my first car lol. Bought it for 2000$ in 2005. Drove it for 3 years before selling her. Drove it across Canada twice. Loved that car.
What a Sentra back then, I was 1 when this vehicle cam out and I rather take this one than the new model.
Still to this day, I miss my 91 se-r. Had it through the og fast and furious rage until I graduated high school in 03. Regret selling it all the time.
Now do the 92 Ford Escort GT. That car is a sleeper.
I had a 2001 SE-R 2.0 and it was a lovely car. So quick and fun to drive while still being a practical city car, and nice-looking too. Wish I still had it.
Yeah you're right that is real hard to find a good one of them Nissan SE everyone I seen burned oil like crazy especially to get one with a stick shift they burn so much oil did not maintain that all people dog those cause their old junk I'm not typing so I meant to say they're all junk now
This seems like such a fun car, I'd love to own one some day although I probably won't. Have a 2001 Maxima now and by the time that thing goes these will likely be even harder to find.
I had a 91 SE 2dr. It was a bunch of fun. I always wanted an SER.
Still looks good today. What I'd give for coupes like these today...
Now the sentra is a bloated mess that looks like it just came out of an oven.
@@marshalgeneral4756 yea manual but try a auto with CVT 🤢🤢🤢🤢
The Infiniti G20 rocked with that 2.0
Nice...Cant wait for the B14 model now
I remember taking one for a test drive in 1992. Already being an avid Solo2 fanatic, I blasted it down a 270° freeway on ramp. I scared the crap out of the salesman, but I'm sure after we were done he had even more respect for the ability of this little econobox/speedster.
Had a 91 in the mid 2000s. It was a rust bucket, and started popping out of 5th gear, but that sr20 was awesome! I wouldn't mind having another one in nice shape.
had a 1987 Sentra (generation before this) with an SR20VE swap (SR20DE transmission) pushing 200whp. That thing MOOOOOVED. SR 4 bangers are amazing little engines
Gawd I miss my 91 and 96 SER models!
I bought that car used in 1999. Mine was a 1992 but didn't have the automatic seat belts. It was technically built in 1991 but was part of the 1992 line. That was the funnest car I ever own, but driving it hard, like I did, cost me money in repairs. I surprised people riding in it on it's acceleration. I could take off pealing the tires, shift to second and continue pealing. A friend warned me that will wear my CV joints and he was right. I also spend money repairing the Transmission.
Such a neat little car. It would have been a lot of fun to own back then.
If the similarly aged S13 Silvia is an FF car this is what it looks like, having the same SR20 motor (unfortunately the 240SX should deserve that motor but having the sissy KA24 instead)
I had a 91 ran 15.0 @91mph with a K&N pop charger kit and a turbo muffler from pepboys on stock tires down to 16psi and power shifting ,no lift shifting and ending in 3rd gear instead of shifting into 4th ...had a long 3rd gear . Loved that car, my competition at the track where Gsr Integras , Vr6 Golfs
My dad didn’t own a Sentra se-r but he did own three maximas and he loved them. Old nissans were great
I luv these retro cars fun to drive, dependable, reliable, maintenance friendly and cheaper to repair.
Handsome car with a nice set of light weight wheels.
I turned my 4 Door 94 Manual into a SE-R. I Love that car
Here in México this was sold as the Tsuru 2000 GSR, and this was One of the most sold cars in history of México along with the VW Bug, infact, it was even very used as Taxi 🚖
Nissan had the best 90’s cars
Love those 1990s nissans, 2 weeks ago a saw a first gen maxima burgundy interior man I wish it was mine
I have 2001 infiniti G20, brought in 07' with 65k miles on it, now it has 189k miles and still drives good, no leaks. With bolt-ons like intake, header, catback exhaust etc. I got 0-60 down to 6.5ish seconds. On 40mph roll, It be able to keep up with older (2000s) V6 mustangs and trucks or sometimes pull ahead lol. SR20DE is awesome
Yeah well I got a nice horror story I got me a 91 G20 with a 5-speed with 100,000 mi on it fast as hell when I got it the car was crushed in a matter of 3 months exhaust fell off the f****** ass smacked it up twice and it just deteriorated didn't run to goodnight read about the same just lost all the power and the brakes locked up I was taking methadone and Xanax at the same time wind-up sideswiping a tree made of gas in the rear quarter lost interest in it I just junked it I paid $250 for it in 2008 yeah I think it was a steal it was really quick for that was the 1991 or 92 with the 5-speed mine did not burn the oil the motor was tight it had the high rib auntie knocking noise like a lot of them do specially when it was cold blood something warm. It was an animal for the first month I was driving it got a couple of speeding tickets I do miss that car I shouldn't have dogged at the way I did or I should have just kept it and fixed it didn't need much but the whatever
The 90's BMW 2002Ti......
Indeed. Or an E30 318is... only quicker (7.4s vs 8.7s)
Known as the poor mans bmw. I had this exact car in the mid 90s and it was a gem
More like the successor to the 510 but resembles the e30 alot.
Faster than anything of it's era, including Honda.
the sheer weight of it was crazy. barely 2000lbs. 140hp. insane.
I miss my old Nissan Sentra door couple w/ Manual transmission
It was fun to drive & dependable
yes, great car. I still have this in my garage putting in a jdm sr20de. I call it the FWD miata. SR20DE NA sounds unbelievable.
Man these are classics
That Seatbelt thing was pure garbage though. No one got in the car like that LOL
I know LOL I say that every time I see it 😂
I had a 92 and it was a sweet little car. I wish I had hung on to it.
Mamalon el tsurito..
Sudomisador de autos que le doblan el precio
One of my favorite cars. Always wanted a sedan with a sr16ve n1 swap with the itbs from the pulsar gti-r. Would make a fun little car.
Please post a retro review of the 2002 sentra spec v, it punched way above its weight, I am sure a lot of people would love to see it!
What a lost gem, and am i the only one who sees a mini R32 in this car?
Went with a VW GTI 16v instead, but these are on my short list. Still loving the GTI and been mildly modifying it since 99. This was the best era for cars!
It's a certain kind of people buy Volkswagens and Audis I think they're all garbage I had a feel and that s***
Yeah that garbage the Audi's s*** anybody that has a Volkswagen GTI it's an ugly car that wants to be so much more and they drive it like it's a luxury car p I got my 91 Toyota Corolla straight piped sounds better than 100 horsepower 120 miles an hour if Bobby can't beat a GTI off the straight away but it can show act like it's doing it
@@jamescostello7584 you don’t see a lot of restoration on SE-RS, or people keeping them running still. But my MK2 GTI is still timeless 30 years later. Many still around well preserved or being restored. I was never an Audi guy. They can be very expensive to maintain.
This is such a good looking car. I've heard really good things about the handling. I'm a little disappointed with the displacement of the motor but for the time that was more than enough.
I would imagine he's world run a very high price nowadays especially in the coupe
This is a whole lot better than the ‘18 garbage I just rented for a road trip.
Dated a gal that had an Se-R. A 93 bought new. The car refused to start in the rain or snow. Nissan replaced the distributor twice, an ECM once. By 95 she was tired of the problems and traded it in for a 300Z.. on a sunny and dry day!
I always thought this generation of the SE-R resembled a BMW E30. I'm sure it wasn't an accident and it looks great.