SECOND HAND SENSE:GENERAL MOTORS looks to be going the way of Lehman Brothers, Irish dealers are importing second-hand cars by the ferryload and there's still no indication as to whether a scrappage scheme will be introduced.
It was a conversation along these lines that led an acquaintance to change his mind about buying a mid-sized second-hand MPV and opt for something smaller. He and his wife are city-bound with one child and really don’t need anything bigger than my suggestion – a Nissan Note.
The Note is a clever small car that may not have a great deal in the way of looks but is infinitely practical and cheap to run. Better still, it is bigger and better than Nissan’s own favoured city car, the Micra.
The car comes with a basic 1.4 engine that produces 86 horse power, but there are other options. The 1.4, however, is great for city work and that’s what the Note is best at. If you need a car for longer journeys, look elsewhere – the Note is not comfortable on motorways, and the interior won’t win any prizes.
Where the car comes into its own is with space: there is lots of it, with plenty of room for a tall driver and passengers. The seats fold and slide, making for a versatile interior.
The car will fly around the city with great economy and will park on a sixpence. However, rear visibility is an issue. The awkward design of the rear pillars means you cannot see what you really need to in tight situations, which can be a real issue for some drivers, so check the car suits you in this respect.
The Note usually has twin airbags, anti-lock brakes and Isofix child seat arrangements. It may seem like a small point, but the radio is excellent. The SE model has better equipment than the S.
A four-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test programme is respectable and Nissans have a good reliability record.
But it’s not cheap. A 2006 SE model with 1.4 engine, air conditioning and 77,000km has an asking price at one dealership of €11,795. A 2007 model with the same engine and equipment and 25,000km is €15,195. These are ridiculous prices these days. Unless you can get a substantial discount (about 30 per cent), tell the seller you are off to wait for the arrival of the next ferry.
STAR RATING: 6/10