New member: looking to buy a Micra, what should I look for?

[-SS-]

Hello chaps

I am on here as I would like to buy an AUTO K11 MICRA (Y)

This is a great resource and I'd like to ask some questions please

1. Is there anything in specific I should look out for on these cars eg. anything they are famously known for having as an issue, when buying?

2. I believe in the auto range, there is the 1.0 and the 1.3. Am I right in thinking the 1.0 will be the best on MPG?

3. How easily can these be clocked? I have see lots on eBay with eg. 30,000 miles only and they have had 3 owners and they are 1999 / 2000. 9 year old car, 3 owners, 30,000? Hmmm...

4. I see several different types of K11 with different front grille etc. How can I tell apart the facelift models and when did they start making the facelifts?

5. How are K11s vs. K10s on reliability?

Ta muchly in advance for the help!

 

[joesouthgate]

Hello chaps

I am on here as I would like to buy an AUTO K11 MICRA (Y)

This is a great resource and I'd like to ask some questions please

1. Is there anything in specific I should look out for on these cars eg. anything they are famously known for having as an issue, when buying?

2. I believe in the auto range, there is the 1.0 and the 1.3. Am I right in thinking the 1.0 will be the best on MPG?

3. How easily can these be clocked? I have see lots on eBay with eg. 30,000 miles only and they have had 3 owners and they are 1999 / 2000. 9 year old car, 3 owners, 30,000? Hmmm...

4. I see several different types of K11 with different front grille etc. How can I tell apart the facelift models and when did they start making the facelifts?

5. How are K11s vs. K10s on reliability?

Ta muchly in advance for the help!

1. Rust on the sills and front crossmember

2. Depends what driving you will be doing. 1.0 for town, 1.3 for journeys.

3. 30k is realistic for micras as most have them get bought by old people, garaged and never used.

4. Prefacelift: grille seperate to bonnet, facelift grille and bonnet 1 part.

5. I would go for k11 mate.

 

[-SS-]

Hello mate, cheers for your reply

Some questions back at ya

1. I saw a K11 about 3 months ago locally. Chap said it has done "just 22,000 miles". The steering was so warn and car so tatty for a 9 year old car, there is no way it had covered that mileage! I see that on eBay people do "mileage correction services" *ahem* and wondered how easy it would be for a dishonest seller to "adjust" the mileage...

2. I have Googled but cannot seem to find any accurate figures on MPG of the 1.0 K11 vs. 1.3 K11 - I always get pages about the K12 etc. Does anybody here know the rough MPG between the two?

3. This is an early K11, right?

This is a late model, right?

Is the later more reliable, have more power, maybe nicer to drive etc. or are they both roughly same and whether I get a regular K11 or a facelift = not really much in it?

Thanks again for your help!

 

[joesouthgate]

That is a pic of a second facelift, they come in either 1.0 or 1.4.

This is a facelift:

Prefacelift and facelift 1.0 Auto: 47mpg
prefacelift and facelift 1.3 auto: 45mpg
second facelift 1.0 auto: 46mpg
second facelift 1.4 auto: 44mpg

so not a lot of difference really.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Summary.aspx?model=608

 

[-SS-]

OK, finally found something but not sure how accurate this is?

K11 1.0 = 38mpg

K11 1.3 = 35mpg

I would have guessed the K11 1.0 would be into the early 40s?

K11 1.0
http://www.ultimatespecs.com/?option=4&brand=46&model=1100&car=6717

K11 1.3
http://www.ultimatespecs.com/?option=4&brand=46&model=1100&car=6716

Ah, thanks for that - I was Googling whilst you posted. Where the heck do these sites get their damn figures from! Lol.

Any idea what new road tax bracket the K11 1.3 would fall into, say a 2001 model vs. the 1.0 of 2001?

Cheers for your help mate. really makes a difference talking to somebody who knows their stuff

EDIT: apologies for double posting. I will in future edit posts

 

[joesouthgate]

as i said it would totally depends on where you are driving and how you drive.

they would all come into the <1.5litre category so 125 for a year i think it is now.

anything registered upto march 01 would cost that for deffo, anything after is based on emmisions not engine size.

 

[-SS-]

Thanks dude To be honest the car will mainly be used to travel to central London from the outskirts of London once a week and the other time, just locally, nipping to shops and back etc. Will go on a motorway probably once every 3 months if that.

But then saying that, the 1.3 is a little pokier and really helps to cut down the 0 - 60mph time and at a cost of only 1 -2 mpg!

 

[joesouthgate]

yer tbh, i would always go for the 1.3, the 1.0 has to work much harder so you are unlikely to get less mpg in the 1.3 if you drive sensibly.

 

[-SS-]

yer tbh, i would always go for the 1.3, the 1.0 has to work much harder so you are unlikely to get less mpg in the 1.3 if you drive sensibly.

Thanks dude

 

[BG101]

I'm not so sure the 1.0 has to work a great deal harder, I find it keeps the speed up well even on uphill slopes and fully loaded. The engine seems to be much stronger than the K10 in that respect even though mine is the same size engine. It does probably explain the increased fuel consumption though

However, if the insurance isn't going to cost you an arm and a leg I'd go for a 1.3


BG

 

[sleeper_ss]

As small autos go Micras are suprisingly rapid in whichever engine size,I'd still go for the 1.3cc as the fuel economy differences are insignificant & you'll appreciate the extra performance of the 1.3 especially on motorway trips.Same tax band too.
The autobox is a CVT affair,runs on rubber bands.More problems than a manual sadly,prone to slipping & whining noises but better than the competition (Fiesta/Punto/Clio/Corsa)
I've had auto Micras with 80K & no dramas but we've just scrapped a 50K ex mobility car for noise & slipping so it's luck of the draw it seems...
Other common-ish problem is hard to select gears though this is usually just the adjustment of cable.And the gearsticks are massive!
Rust has been mentioned,run your hand along under rear section of sill feeling for bubbles & filler especially on the nearside,this is where they suffer due to water getting in through inner wheel arch hole.
You can see any crossmember problems by inspecting channel just behind the bottom of the front bumper.Problems are not terminal if caught in time...
The majority of Micras have been used for church pilgrimage,taking kids to school & shopping so lots of mileages will be below average but it's good to see some history/old MOT's/few former keepers.Best to find the extra ££ for an honest car....

 

[-SS-]

Thanks sleeper, very useful mate.