SECOND-HAND SENSEFew cars epitomise the "repmobile" as much as the Nissan Primera has traditionally done. Along with the Toyota Carina, the Opel Vectra, the Ford Mondeo and the Volkswagen Passat, the Primera has spent a long time serving as a mobile office for high-mileage reps who link industry and customers.
To survive as the preferred choice of companies, these cars must be reliable, economical, practical and relatively inexpensive to run. Until recently looks really didn't come into the equation.
That about sums up the Primera. Since 1990 it has been a Nissan mainstay and has been an extremely popular choice for work and family motoring. Dull but reliable is a description which won't provoke too many disagreements.
However, since 2001 the Primera has emerged as a bit of a head turner and its new design has helped it stand out from the others in its class.
The Primera reputation is built on long-term reliability. It drives quite well but without excitement, it has adequate ride and handling and it's an easy enough car to manage in the city. The newer model has quite a big turning circle, which is a bit of a bore. Some complain about the lightness of the steering.
The car has good levels of equipment and is well built. What it doesn't have, however, is cachet. Reps and junior managers tend to be more image conscious than most about the cars they drive and the newer Mondeo has managed to eclipse a lot of the competition.
The pre-2002 model has a bland enough interior but has worn well, while the post 2002 model is altogether more modern. A TV screen in the centre of the dashboard uses a rear-mounted mini camera to show the driver what's happening as they reverse - a huge advantage when there is the possibility of children about. The screen also features all your on-board information, such as sound levels for the stereo system and temperature settings. The new model is more comfortable too, with good head and legroom.
The Primera has had a couple of recalls. Many were recalled in 2002 for a fault in the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors that caused engine stalling - then last November there was a worldwide recall of 1.8 and 2.0 litre models built between 1998 and 2003 because of the same problem. This fault seems to be caused by dirt or water getting on to the sensors.
Primera popularity means that there are plenty on the second-hand market. A four-year-old car with the older shape and a 1.6 engine has an asking price of €9,995, while a two-year-old with the newer shape has an asking price of €16,500. Both cars could be had for a good deal less on a cash basis.
Engines range from the 1.6 to the 2.2 diesel - none is that exciting but they do the job, sometimes a little slowly in the case of the smaller engines. There is also a choice of an estate version - the one with the older shape was actually one of the best estates around.