Well, having traced my electrical problem to the alternator after charging the battery and managing to run it until flat, I started pricing up a replacement.
Turns out a standard Nissan alternator for the Nissan NX 1.6 carb engine is £190. Not good.
Local garage offered to get one and fit it for about the same.
Local autofactor cost about the same, but then added a surcharge to put it over £200 and more than a new original part!
And an auto-electrician said he'd have a look and suggested he might be able to find a replacement for £60.
In the end I thought the difference was worth taking a chance and went with the auto-electrician. And although he said it would take a while, he phoned me back with a couple of hours, for a cost of £30!
So once I've fitted it, I may have saved myself £160! It's always worth staying calm and thinking about your options, particularly if a part may just be repairable and it won't compromise your safety.
Friday, 28 November 2008
Sunday, 23 November 2008
One lesson I've learnt about Nissan in car entertainment
It's probably obvious to anyone more sensible than me, but it was only the combination of an electrical fault and the Haynes manual that made me realise something rather important.
I've bought a 15-year-old car secondhand. The manual is long gone, and more importantly, so is the security code for the original radio. And that's the security code you need if you disconnect the battery for any reason.
Crap.
I've bought a 15-year-old car secondhand. The manual is long gone, and more importantly, so is the security code for the original radio. And that's the security code you need if you disconnect the battery for any reason.
Crap.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
We're losing all our power...
I knew it was a bad idea to book a holiday and leave my beloved NX alone for a week.
But I thought it would be because I'd have cleaning and other work to do when I got back - not that it was spiteful enough to break down on me two days before I went away!
The symptoms suggest the alternator, as the dashboard lights started to dim on my penultimate commute home before the vacation. I was fooled for a moment when I had to park and grab some shopping, as I thought it might not start again, but everything seemed fine after it fired up first time.
And then I got to within 2 minutes of my house, and it started lurching, everything went dim, and with a whimper it cut out. Cue 15 minutes of pushing the car in the evening rain onto my driveway - at least I know the NX is surprisingly light.
Annoyingly the English winter means I have to wait till this weekend to get under the bonnet to trace the fault, but at least it gives me an excuse to get some work done. I just hope it isn't raining, and I don't need to jack the car up. Mainly because I've got a sloping driveway - and trying to jack up a lowered NX is a bit of a challenge at the best of times!
But I thought it would be because I'd have cleaning and other work to do when I got back - not that it was spiteful enough to break down on me two days before I went away!
The symptoms suggest the alternator, as the dashboard lights started to dim on my penultimate commute home before the vacation. I was fooled for a moment when I had to park and grab some shopping, as I thought it might not start again, but everything seemed fine after it fired up first time.
And then I got to within 2 minutes of my house, and it started lurching, everything went dim, and with a whimper it cut out. Cue 15 minutes of pushing the car in the evening rain onto my driveway - at least I know the NX is surprisingly light.
Annoyingly the English winter means I have to wait till this weekend to get under the bonnet to trace the fault, but at least it gives me an excuse to get some work done. I just hope it isn't raining, and I don't need to jack the car up. Mainly because I've got a sloping driveway - and trying to jack up a lowered NX is a bit of a challenge at the best of times!
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
The best car in a movie?
Even though it doesn't feature a single Nissan 100 NX..(harumph), I'm still enjoying seeing what happens with Car Magazine's vote for 'The Greatest Car in Film History'.
The good thing is that it's open to other suggestions - so the lack of titles like American Grafitti and Taxi, and the lack of cars like the stars of The Fast and the Furious, and Initial D can be rectified...
I'm tempted to try and get everyone to vote for the Toyota AE86 Trueno...it might not be a Nissan, but at least it's a cool Japanese car...:)
The good thing is that it's open to other suggestions - so the lack of titles like American Grafitti and Taxi, and the lack of cars like the stars of The Fast and the Furious, and Initial D can be rectified...
I'm tempted to try and get everyone to vote for the Toyota AE86 Trueno...it might not be a Nissan, but at least it's a cool Japanese car...:)
Sunday, 12 October 2008
My unloved NX...
I've been quite rubbish, and not really done anything with the NX - in fact I'm finding it hard to find time to even wash it at the moment!
But I've had some encouragement - in the last few days I've seen not one, but two Nissan NXs driving around the local area. Both look standard, but both also looked far cleaner and more loved than mine at the moment - a definite incentive to get the sponges and car shampoo out!
It seemed weird to see such as unusual car twice in one week - but the benefit of owning a car like mine is that you tend to spot any other owners instantly - which you wouldn't in a more normal car!
Hopefully I'll get out and give the NX some cleaning this week - I'm using Autoglym car products at the moment, so I'll let you know how they perform...
But I've had some encouragement - in the last few days I've seen not one, but two Nissan NXs driving around the local area. Both look standard, but both also looked far cleaner and more loved than mine at the moment - a definite incentive to get the sponges and car shampoo out!
It seemed weird to see such as unusual car twice in one week - but the benefit of owning a car like mine is that you tend to spot any other owners instantly - which you wouldn't in a more normal car!
Hopefully I'll get out and give the NX some cleaning this week - I'm using Autoglym car products at the moment, so I'll let you know how they perform...
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Upgrading the brakes on a Nissan 100 NX
I've finally started to make a bit of a difference to the performance and reliability of my Nissan NX, but loaning it to my girlfriend indicated I might need to change priorities.
Being used to a more modern car, she came back complaining about the lack of braking, and insinuating that my performance car is some kind of 'deathtrap'.
Having had a look on the expert 100NX Club forum, it appears that larger front discs may be a good answer, as well as replacing and maintaining the standard set-up. The larger AV22F calipers from a Nissan Sunny GTI/GTIR, Almera GTI and Primera SRi should do the job.
I'm just compiling the parts, and I'll let you know how I get on. Setp-by-step instructions are on the club forum, but you need to be a registered member. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures as I try to follow them.
Being used to a more modern car, she came back complaining about the lack of braking, and insinuating that my performance car is some kind of 'deathtrap'.
Having had a look on the expert 100NX Club forum, it appears that larger front discs may be a good answer, as well as replacing and maintaining the standard set-up. The larger AV22F calipers from a Nissan Sunny GTI/GTIR, Almera GTI and Primera SRi should do the job.
I'm just compiling the parts, and I'll let you know how I get on. Setp-by-step instructions are on the club forum, but you need to be a registered member. Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures as I try to follow them.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
Keep your bootlid up with 100NX boot struts on a budget
There are several parts which can fail and lead to irritation more than rear danger on the Nissan 100 NX.
Two of these parts are the boot struts which can begin to struggle to raise the boot and standard parcel shelf after 10 years - let alone if you've put a bigger pair of speakers in the shelf!
Well, it turns out you can get a re-gassed pair of genuine Nissan tailgate struts from 100nx.co.uk for less than the price of one new part from Nissan (look under Parts for Sale on the site). Get a pair for £50 plus £7.50 postage and packing (presumably just in the UK). Plus a £20 surcharge that you'll get returned if you send your old struts (so they have more to refurbish and keep the supply going).
Two of these parts are the boot struts which can begin to struggle to raise the boot and standard parcel shelf after 10 years - let alone if you've put a bigger pair of speakers in the shelf!
Well, it turns out you can get a re-gassed pair of genuine Nissan tailgate struts from 100nx.co.uk for less than the price of one new part from Nissan (look under Parts for Sale on the site). Get a pair for £50 plus £7.50 postage and packing (presumably just in the UK). Plus a £20 surcharge that you'll get returned if you send your old struts (so they have more to refurbish and keep the supply going).
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