Nissan Almera Mk 1 Gearbox Advice

Round_The_Bend

I have a Nissan Almera Ambition 1.4 Mk 1, registered in 2000, and has just done 100,000 miles. I bought it in 2008 and have done around 50,000 miles since then, servicing it every six months. The mechanic who has recently serviced it suggested that the gearbox needs replacing and that while this is being done, I should also have the clutch replaced; estimated cost including labour is around £400. Apart from rusting, which is a common problem with this car, from what I have read, does this car have any other major problems that I am likely to encounter over the next two/three years (50-75,000 miles)?

I really like the car and am loath to change it, particularly given that it has been trouble free since I bought it. I would be grateful for any opinions as to whether I should be looking to change it now or whether it's worth just running it into the ground, so to speak. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance.

benham3160

Depends, if you like it get it fixed. If it's the old GA engines they will litterally last forever.

£400 isn't bad considering the work, pay somebody to give it a really good undersealing too!

Regards,
Andy

Strider590

I just paid £700 to get my box and clutch done, the job on the Vectra involves a lot of work as the front subframe has to be removed. I don't know what the Almera is like.
The cheapest quote I had was £460, but that place had a bit of a kwik-fit for gearboxes feel to it, so I went with a recommendation instead (recommended all over the internet), better to pay now than to pay twice as much later!

What's wrong with the gearbox? if it's not making noises and it's not overly "notchy" then it should be fine!

Changing a car costs money, and when you think about depreciation it's ALWAYS cheaper to fix your current car. You either pay for repairs or you throw money away. Aside from the perceived idea of reliability there's no real reason to change a car at all.

skiddlydiddly

If thats including the price of the clutch and either fixing your old one or replacing with a 2nd hand box thats a bargain.

Round_The_Bend

Thanks very much for the responses, which were basically what I was hoping to hear. The guy who does the work is an old family friend, so I've no qualms about the work or that it needs doing. I was going to discuss it a little more with him on Monday, as I don't know much about cars and wasn't sure how long I can expect my current car to carry on without it no longer being cost effective. He has previously resealed the underside but thanks for the suggestion.

Many thanks again.

avantra

Round_The_Bend wrote: »

I have a Nissan Almera Ambition 1.4 Mk 1, registered in 2000, and has just done 100,000 miles. I bought it in 2008 and have done around 50,000 miles since then, servicing it every six months. The mechanic who has recently serviced it suggested that the gearbox needs replacing and that while this is being done, I should also have the clutch replaced; estimated cost including labour is around £400. Apart from rusting, which is a common problem with this car, from what I have read, does this car have any other major problems that I am likely to encounter over the next two/three years (50-75,000 miles)?

I really like the car and am loath to change it, particularly given that it has been trouble free since I bought it. I would be grateful for any opinions as to whether I should be looking to change it now or whether it's worth just running it into the ground, so to speak. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I had two of those 1.4, they are generally trouble free apart from the rust and the sometime notchy gearbox.

I left my gearbox to it's own as the car wasn't worth much and it was still like that when I sold it, it was a bit sticky to get into reverse.

Rust starts under the wheel arches but if you hose it every few days in winter it will usually be ok. Nice little motor.

Hintza

Round_The_Bend wrote: »

Apart from rusting,

If you are happy with the car it would be the potential of increasing rot that should be the deciding factor in your decision. If it is just surface rust and not structural then go ahead an get it fixed.

Sounds as if the car owes you nothing and £500/year is cheap motoring.

Round_The_Bend

Thanks again for the additional replies, both providing further reassurance that the right option is to keep the car. Just out of interest, does anybody have any idea how long the engines on these things keep going or is this a bit of a silly question?

Hammyman

They'll keep going forever if they're regularly serviced although you really want to be servicing it a little bit more often, even if you're only doing an oil and filter change. Judging by your higher than normal mileage, like me I doubt it spends its life doing short journeys round town so thats in its favour as well. My Mondeo is on 143k with full service history and showing no signs of dying yet. I'd be surprised if yours doesn't make 200,000 miles. As others have said, £500 a year is cheap motoring and if your mechanic is doing a gearbox and clutch change for £400 all in, you'd probably be looking around £300-£400 for an engine change inc 2nd hand engine at those rates if it does pack up..

optimus_primera

I was quoted £300 to do the clutch in my Primera (shared engines and boxes as Almera, but did it myself)

£400 for clutch and gearbox, i'd take his hand off.

Stigy

Sounds like a bargain assuming it's a recon gearbox and not one from a scrap yard (nothing wrong with one from a scrap yard, although you're typically unaware of its history!). It makes sense to do the clutch aswell, as the gearbox is coming out anyway, all you'll really have to pay clutch wise is for the part!