If you are looking for a vehicle, it is imperative to find one that fits your individual needs. This is the second most important purchase that you will make, and it is one that you could enjoy. On the other hand, it could be one that haunts you with nightmares and increased levels of sweating. The Nissan Sentra is a car that is nothing fancy, but might suit you if it matches your profile. This is a vehicle for college students, commuters, and frugal individuals who enjoy pinching pennies. I'm in the last category, which is why I own a similar sized vehicle with the "bang for the buck" theme. As a car salesman, I have had a lot of experience with different vehicles. When a customer approaches me, I try to find them something that fits their lifestyle.

With high gas prices playing into the mix, I have been forced to deal with customers concerns over fuel efficiency. A lot of large gas guzzling SUVS are starting to collect some dust, compared to previous years when they could not sit for a New York minute. A lot of compact and midsized cars are becoming quite popular, and one of them is the Nissan Sentra. It has been around for many years, and it is starting to show some age compared with some of its competitors. The rest of Nissan's line primarily sells to people looking for upscale cars and trucks, but the Sentra is aimed to satisfy entry level buyers. Currently, these little cars can be had for a reasonable price, and there are a lot of incentives for purchasing one. I have been driving a 06 model(S AT) for the last three days, and have considerable time with previous year models.

The Nissan Sentra is an attractive car, and its overall appearance leads one to believe its much more expensive than its pricetag. The front grille adds a sophisticated look, and it has a lot of European influence with its design. The paint jobs shimmer in bright light, and the aggressive look makes it quite respectable. It is a shame, that Nissan could not do the same for the interior of this fine looking machine.

The interior is drab, which gives it a high level of a boring factor. Nissan should kick the engineers on this, because many of its competitors offer a more pleasing interior environment. Its almost as if Nissan went for a utilitarian look, as a way to please all people. As everyone knows, its impossible to please all, and they need to offer a less conservative approach. Although I am one of the few that believes the exterior is the most important part of the car, it is vital to have a nice interior for a pleasant driving experience. A lot of people may say expectations are too high, but I realize that this is not a Cadillac or Mercedes. It is a entry level compact car, but it needs to raise to the standards of its competitors to remain viable.

Nissan claims its engine is spirited, and I have to disagree. It is not proper to claim this, when the level of performance is subpar. While the engine has very good off the line speed, it becomes Mertle the Turtle at high speeds. If you get it over 30 mph, the level of engine performance slows drastically. In addition, this engine is not refined.(The SE R/SPEC V models are the opposite-and they are fast. However, the pricing is greatly much higher)It has a lot of noise coming out of it, and its not a nice growl or positive sound. It reacts properly at first, but I have noticed some hestitation in higher gears. I'm not sure if its an alignment issue, but it is a bit disconcerting.

The steering and handling is a breeze, and I really enjoyed moving around in traffic. Nissan has some of the best steering in the entry level market, and anyone could move this car in all situations. It takes corners in amazing fashion, and its a joy in parking lot situations. I even tried steering one handed,(not recommended)and I was able to put the car to its paces. Braking is above average, and the Sentra had no problems in stopping in wet and dry conditions.

Leg room is an issue for tall folks, and I had some problems in the driver seat. The tilt steering wheel raises only a bit, which led to my legs feeling quite cramped.The front seat slides fairly far back, but not enough for my ideal level of comfort.(I'm 6"2) The back seats are fine for children/small adults, as long as you don't have taller front passengers. Although the car can carry five people, I would not recommend it due to space concerns. The seats are quite comfortable however, and the cloth seems to be of high quality. The three point seatbelts work just fine, and fit snugly while in the car.

In addition to my concerns over the interiors appearance, I do not like the cheap plastics used throughout the vehicle. This contributes to the high level of road noise, that I found to be quite annoying at even reasonable speeds. The AM/FM CD stereo does not mask this, and you feel every bump on the road. The console in the front barely holds a few CDS, and the glove compartment is useful for only registration/insurance information. The illumination on the gauges needs improvement, as my eyes strained at night to read what speed I was going. The gauges are: Fuel Level, MPH, RPMS, Temperature. The controls all work in perfect unision, and the power equipment is of high quality. They are also easy to reach, which allows for a extra feeling of security at highway speeds.

Although the Nissan Sentra is a good looking car, its performance and overall quality leave a lot of questions to be answered. I had my better halfs car in for service yesterday, so I hung out with our mechanic Rich. Although he is a interesting fellow, he knows a lot about cars and their reliability records. He is a lot like the girlfriend in the movie "My Cousin Vinny", although he isn't quite as pretty as Marisa Tomei! I asked him about the Sentra, and some problem areas he has seen. Rich believes the Nissan line is high quality, and that the Sentra is a very reliable performer. He said the only problem areas in them, seem to be alternators and that they go through brake pads without abandon. Rich also has seen a lot of Sentras with high mileage still performing well, so that is a positive reflection on these cars.

Nissan offers a 3 year/36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty on the Sentra. It also has a 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty, and you can purchase extensions through Nissan for a reasonable price. The Nissan 1.8 S has a 1.8 liter 126 horsepower engine, with the option of manual or automatic transmissions. It weighs in at 2,588 lbs, and gets 28 mpg city/35 mpg on the highway. Fuel capacity is 13 gallons, and it will happily accept 87 octane unleaded gasoline. The model I have been driving has a sticker of $14,782, and it has the following options: A/C, Cruise Control, remote keyless entry, power windows/locks, AM/FM CD stereo,and rear defrost. You can get a lot of custom made after market parts for Sentras, which come in the following versions:1.8, 1.8 S, 1.8 S w/Special Edition, SER, and SE-R SPEC V. The 1.8 is the basic addition, and the additional models have more options such as sport packages, higher performance engines, alloy wheels, spoilers, suspension improvements, etc. The real cream of the crop, is the SE-R SPEC V edition, which comes with a roaring 2.5 175 horsepower 4 cylinder engine. With these upgrades, expect to pay a higher price and have a increased insurance policy.

Although the Nissan does have some major selling points, it leaves a lot to be desired. If you are interested in the Sentra, make sure you compare dealerships to find the lowest possible price. There are a lot of these vehicles out there, so you should not have any problems with finding a particular color or price range. Just be sure to check out some of its competitors,(Honda Civic, Saturn Ion, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra)so you can be sure you are getting the right vehicle for your needs.