The relationship I have with Nissans is bitter sweet: though they make nice cars I keep having problems with them. My '94 Maxima had the transmission rebuilt 4 times, and my '93 Q45 was just plain junk. Now I hope not to strike out on the third try with my 2004 Spec V. The moniker "Spec V" originally came from the Skyline V Spec which stands for "Victory Specification." But after conflicts with Nissan in Japan and US the named was reversed. I sincerely wished that the spirit of the Skyline was alive in this model, and to find out I started with the purchase.
I returned to where I bought a few cars before: Carriage Trade Auto Auction in Pennsylvania. My hopes were set on a '95-'01 Maxima 5-speed. I came across two that were interesting but lost both to a higher bidder. As the day turned to night, and the last lane of cars was being sold I became bleek. Literally one of the last 5 cars available was a white SE-R Spec V. It had 36,000 miles, mid-level stereo with a subwoofer, and a 6-speed transmission; It has to be mine. Only a handful of people were bidding but I came out on top with the final price of $9,750. With a few papers filled-out and a temporary registration I was ready for the road and boy did I love it. It came with Tein S. Tech lowering springs which made the twisties so much fun. The torque-rich engine made for quick light-to-light sprints a blast. Though not a Rockford Fosgate, the stereo played my CDs with a nice amount of bass. I was oblivious at the time but the miles ahead would be a roller coaster ride.
Nissan's choice of engine, the QR25DE 2.5 liter Inline-4, was definitely aimed for short-term satisfaction. The connecting rods are pencil thin to reduce inertia and vibrations, but were vulnerable to excessive stress. It is strongly recommended that a turbo kit isn't installed because above 7 pounds of boost pressure will snap the rods. Another problem with this motor is it's pre-catalytic converter, or pre-cat. You see, this motor does not use an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve to reuse unburned gasoline, instead it extends exhaust valve timing under deceleration and sucks in exhaust to burn gasoline. Since the pre-cat is made of ceramic and positioned on the exhaust manifold very closely to the exhaust ports, parts of the ceramic will be sucked back into the engine scratching cylinder walls. Perhaps the biggest problem is the '02-'03 piston rings. Since Nissan was trying to reduce costs everywhere, they used cheap piston rings which would deteriorate after 20,000 miles. The result would be oil burning issues and in some cases engine fires. Thankfully the piston rings were redesigned for '04 and up. Another fundamental problem with this engine is it's high stroke. Smaller engines, like the K20 or 4G63, have short strokes which result in high horsepower and higher redlines. However, the Spec Vs 2.5 liter has a higher stroke which means it cannot rev past 6,500 rpm on stock internals. The solution is at least upgraded camshafts and valve springs which will handle up to 7,200 rpm. Though Nissan advertises 175hp, multiple dynos have confirmed about 145hp at the wheels. How is it possible that 30hp have just disappear? A more accurate rating of the hp at the crank (which is how Nissan measures it) would be around 160hp. And another thing: the SE-R and SE-R Spec Vs are the exact same car with only one transmission gear being the difference! The ECUs, exhausts, and final drive gears are the exact same thing.
But enough of the trouble areas, let's talk about something nice. The handling is quite possibly second to none in this class. Only weighing 2,700 pounds, the Spec V adores curves and with an upgraded suspension will dominate road courses. Even WRXs and Evos with multi-link setups cannot compare to the simple solid-rear beam construction of the Spec V. Since this car has so much low-end torque it can launch in second gear with no troubles and it really helps in traffic. I noticed that after 3rd gear the car runs out of breath; 0-60mph is pretty quick but 70mph and above in fourth gear is very slow. Then again, this car was designed to sprint at low speeds and not for highway-racing. Another thing I like about this car is the sleeper image. It isn't as radical as '02-'03 Spec Vs with a front end similar to the base Sentras. Most people aren't aware of the power this car has. To enhance the sleeper image I even removed the "SE-R" and "Spec V" badges so the ignorant racer will be fooled.
5-speeds is sufficient, but 6-speeds is much more fun. Just saying "6-speed" is satifying enough. The throws are pretty short (especially with the Axxtion STS which the car came with) and the gears even shorter. Personally I would prefer longer gears but it makes passing much easier. Most people are unaware that this 6-speed gearbox is the exact same gearbox seen in the 350Z, G35 sedan and coupe, Altima SE-R, and Maxima. The only difference is the Spec V has a smaller final drive gear. Sharing the same transmission means sharing the same problem. The problem is the 3rd gear synchronizer. Nissan cut costs here also but using a single cone synchro instead of a tough double cone synchro. The combination of a weak synchronizer and cheap material means it wears out fast and just about every 6-speed Nissan has a grinding 3rd gear. The only rememedies are a new transmission, and learning how to double-clutch.
The interior is another target of Nissan's cost-cutting. It feels, looks, and even sounds cheap. With 40,000 miles I hear assorted rattles coming from the doors and dash. Besides that, it has a lot of headroom. I'm 6'2" and have plenty of clearance. The legroom on the other hand is lacking, like other cars in its class. One of the Spec V's signatures is the lava red seats which are available as an option, but not for my car. It is equipped with "fishnet" seats which are very grippy and and supportive, definite plus.
Looks are important in the sub-compact performance category. The Spec V has a love-it or hate-it styling, and I love it. It isn't very flashy and outlandish but rather tame and classy. Adding a Nismo front, side, and rear lip would make it perfect (if you had the cash). The tall roof yields great headroom but makes the car look kind of buggish and disproportionate with the rest of the car. With increasing environmental awareness and regulations, Nissan chose to use ozone-safe paint which saves the planet... but chips very easily. Both front and back bumpers are filled with scratches and paint chips.
For the performance enthusiast, you will have to work hard to make this car compete with its turbocharged counterparts. It is very rare for a Spec V to achieve over 200whp simply using naturally aspirated bolt-ons. The most basic bolt-ons would be intake, header, exhaust, port and polished intake manifold and throttle body, spacers for intake, and the Jim Wolf Technology Balance Shaft Removal. These items will probably bring the car up to 180whp but it's more than enough to tackle those pesky Civics and Integras. For those with deeper pockets the best way to go is turbo. Since there is so much air volume in each cylinder, adding so much as 5 psi will yield up to 240whp. Turbonetics offers a kit for around $5,500 and gives a dyno-proven 275whp. Adding a turbo will give this car the top-end it is missing.
At the end of the day and after almost 50,000 miles I have to say I'm disappointed and pleased at the same time. I wish it had more power, but it's easy on the gas and gives me no trouble. The Spec V is truly for the Sentra enthusiast and not for the naive.
Amount Paid (US$): 9,750
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: Spec V