advice needed please - micra / note - any good stories !

Hi,

I've done tons of research on new cars (following some idiot writing of my old micra !) & i'm aware of the various clutch and ARB bush issues that are mentioned on various sites re: the K13. I have some questions:

1) It appears unclear whether these issues have continued following the re-design of the K13. I know some say that was only the body work etc. but does anyone know of any negative or positive stories about these issues with the new shape ?

2) the clutch issue also only seems to be mentioned with dig-s models of the micra. I have no idea why there would be a difference, though i've been told the software & management systems are different.

3) As far as I know wear on clutches in newer cars tend to be down to folks used to cable clutches using hydrolic ones in the same way. Any thoughts on that ?

4) the dealer I know has some offers on: a new micra visia for £6900 & a new Note acenta 1.2 for £8900. I know the Note is built in the UK & the micra in India. Anyone have any comments on the quality differences between the two ? & do those prices effect recommendations (ie. as they're now quite a bit cheaper than some of the competitor cars).

5) & on a more general point, I know the internet is where folks go to post problems more than if they've had good experiences but do any forum members have good things to say about the micra K13 or the Note 1.2 ?

I actually ordered a new micra yesterday (stressed with the pressure of not having a car & needing one ! etc). I had been into the dealership a few times but actually placed the order over the phone. I went back to the dealer today in a bit of a panic thinking perhaps I shouldn't have ordered. They tell me that I can transfer the deposit they took over the phone to another car but I can't have it refunded. I mentioned 'distance selling' as I had placed the order over the phone but they tell me that because I had actually visited the showroom & spoken to their staff etc. that I wasn't covered by the usual distance selling criteria. Any thoughts ? I've searched the net but can't find much that goes into the detail of such a situation.

thanks !
 
any advice would be appreciated !

  1. A purchase depending on any form of credit deal, personal contract hire etc. in the UK would normally have two weeks cooling off cancellation period!
  2. Placing a deposit over the phone with a credit card or debit card is a distance selling transaction!
  3. Communicate with them formally in writing or email and get their responses in writing. Insist that they put in writing any cavalier statement claims that they make such as distance selling and credit deal cooling cancellation period regulations UK law does not apply?
  4. Have you subsequently signed any contract terms and conditions in their office/showroom? Simply changing your mind is breach of contract and they could possibly sue you for the outstanding amount? A compromise suitable to both parties may be for them to honor your deposit against another vehicle used or new?
  5. Competitor’s starting prices may be higher but they have better JD Power satisfaction survey results with five-year and seven-year warranties! K13 is in the bottom quartile of the JD Power satisfaction surveys.
  6. New asking prices are negotiating starting price point guides only. Main dealers are desperate to shift the fast depreciating iron cluttering up their showrooms to meet their targets at almost any price and will negotiate big discounts off the asking price, especially with an unpopular slow selling troublesome model such as the K 13.
  7. Good K11s with long MOT and years of life left in them can still be picked up for a peanuts and a lot less hassle!
  8. Distance selling and credit deals rules and loads of motoring issues, follow the link;
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=97219

loads of general motoring information in the backroom of honest John.co.UK, the daily Telegraph motoring website.

Good luck
 
OP
OP
J
thanks. Yes, have been reading HJ & Telegraph & all the other sites for days !

I think because I visited the showroom their stance is that it doesn't come under distance selling as I didn't have to pay the deposit that way. I have questioned them on this but I got the idea that it would at least be tricky to get the deposit back. They have offered to allow me to use the deposit on another car - & they do have the new Note as mentioned. I have tried negotiating on the prices for both but these prices are already reduced by quite a bit & they won't budge anymore. I've done a lot of checking & the prices are below anywhere else for these cars.

So, its either stick with the new Micra (& cross fingers !), get the Note (which seems to have a better reputation & rating - also gets good comparisons alongside Honda Jazz & Ford Fiesta etc) or go through the wrangle re: getting the deposit back & then trying to find something second hand (& crossing fingers). I did want something a bit newer this time & so the decent second hand cars I was looking at were mostly under 30-40,000 miles & prices were in the £4 - 6ooo range for reputable dealers. That's what tempted me towards one of these new ones at these prices - seemed to be worth it for the newer car / 3yrs warranty & breakdown cover etc. I have scoured the small ads locally but nowt there & can't wait for ages due to my car being written off.

stress !
 
OP
OP
J
despite a lot of searching I can't find any comments about whether Nissan have now sorted the clutch issues & ARB brushes & the newer K13's are more reliable as a result.
 
despite a lot of searching I can't find any comments about whether Nissan have now sorted the clutch issues & ARB brushes & the newer K13's are more reliable as a result.


In eight years of UK production, Nissan could not be bothered to fix the ever growing problems/fault list of the K-12. Reference: K12 good and bad list and customer reviews.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/nissan/micra-k12-2003/?section=good

Inevitably the K13 will have inherited the cut costs to the bone ruthless cost-cutting Renault management culture together with most of the functional components and assemblies from the K12.

Can they make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear or a k13 fly in India? Perhaps there are no reports of modifications and revisions long-term success because there’s been none and only aesthetic changes?
 
OP
OP
J
thanks. Have spent some time now looking through the HJ good/bad sections on various cars in the same class. The K12 does indeed have a large list. The K13 doesn't have such a long list, though obviously its only been in production for 4 years or so. The Nissan Note 2010 seems to have a much better score all round, with its MOT pass rate also much better than the Micra. I know this is an obvious comment but it is really hard to unpick all the info thats around on the net. Even looking at cars from Hyundai, Toyota & Honda there are problems listed on HJ & on various other sites & MOT pass rates aren't much higher, if at all, in some cases than for the Note for example.

I have, I admit, got myself in a pickle here. As mentioned I put a deposit on a new Micra & it looks like getting that back is going to be tricky at least. So my choice is get a new Note instead (as far as I can tell the Note has a much better reputation - yes ?), risk the K13 micra, buy a second hand other Nissan from the dealer with my deposit towards that (again, they only have cars that are almost the same cost as the new Micra or more than both the micra & the note mostly - they do have a 2013 Note for around £7300 but that's the cheapest of either model they have in stock) or loose the deposit potentially & still need to find a car quick having been scanning all reputable dealers & classified adds in the area for around 10 days now. I don't know if its all the stress from the incident that wrote off my old car but I have to admit that I have got myself in a bit of a state !
 
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