When Consumer Guide reviewed the late 1980s Nissan Sentra for its annual auto guides, terms like “basic transportation,” “middle-of-the-pack,” “adequate” and “tolerable” were scattered throughout the reviews. Not quite a staggering endorsement, but enough to make this car a justifiable purchase for the Point-A-to-Point-B crowd. When I saw these photos that a friend of mine had taken recently, my enthusiasm for this well-preserved but otherwise unexceptional Nissan probably exceeded all such excitement the car had generated in its first three decades. Finding a car such as this in showroom-like condition is almost unimaginable; it’s worth a closer look.
The 1980s were a satisfying decade for Nissan’s North American operations. Introducing conservatively-styled cars like the Maxima, Stanza, and its value-leader, the Sentra, Nissan shed its 1970s image of odd-looking designs and became more of a mainstream, family-type choice. With a name intended to conjure up terms like central and sentry, Sentra became a significant – though bland – player in the small sedan market. Within a few years of its 1983 introduction, Sentra accounted for over a third of total Nissan sales. Nissan’s US president rightly called Sentra “our bread-and-butter car.”
A second-generation Sentra was introduced to North America in the spring of 1986, as an ’87 model. Though billed as a crisp, modern design aimed at a younger clientele, the car looked about as generic as possible, particularly in lower trim levels. Upon its introduction, a Nissan executive said, blandly, said that the Sentra “continues to offer durable and reliable basic transportation to buyers of average income.”
Minnie Pearl and Nissan USA Chief Executive Marvin Runyon introducing the first US-made Sentra in August 1987.
While the initial second-generation US-market Sentras were built in Japan, Nissan retooled its Smyrna, Tennessee factory in order to produce these cars domestically. The first Tennessee-built Sentra was driven off the production line in August, 1987 by Grand Ole Opry star Minnie Pearl. To illustrate how much people’s perceptions of imports vs. domestics changed over a short period, who in 1980 would have believed that before the decade’s end, an old-time Country musician would introduce a Japanese car built in the Mid-South among a hastily constructed farmyard scene?
Nissan ads during the late 1980s parallelled the Americana theme. The Built for the Human Race ad concept may have seemed a bit contrived at the time, but it undoubtedly helped make inroads into previously import-resistant markets. Plus, these ads make for some good people-spotting from a modern vantage point.
Sentras sold well. Among its multiple body styles, Nissan USA sold about 250,000 units annually over this generation’s four model years. Our featured Sentra is from 1989, though it takes a dedicated fan of subcompact Nissans to spot the differences. New grille and tail lamp designs were the major visible changes for ’89 – if one can call that major. The biggest improvement, however, was not visible. Power from the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine increased from a measly 69hp to a respectable 90, thanks to a new cylinder head with three valves per cylinder. With that extra power, the previously glacial Sentras became somewhat enjoyable to drive.
Design-wise, this was a decent-looking, though generic car for its day. The airy greenhouse, thin pillars and chiseled lines blended in with other contemporary cars. Those huge black bumpers look eye-poppingly brutal today, but in the 1980s, no one gave them a second glance.
Our featured car is a Sentra E – the middle of three trim levels for two-door Sentras. The E added power steering, dual mirrors, tinted glass, and bodyside moldings. And while base ’89 Sentras came only with a 4-speed manual transmission, the E upgraded that to a 5-speed, and also made a 3-speed automatic available. A glance at the interior reveals a no-frills but pleasant environment. These cars generally had a reputation of being well made and comfortable for the small-car class.
Sentra prices started at $6,849 in 1989 – and this particular example likely listed for about $9,000 ($23,500 today).
Sentras were good values as used cars as well. Like most affordable small cars, Sentras tended to be run into the ground, with a low survival rate. The last late-’80s Sentra I spotted was a rare wagon variant two years ago. Its condition was more reflective of the few of these cars that still ply the roads.
Our featured car is much different, looking like it just left the showroom floor. The lack of license plates, combined with what appears to be temporary registration documents on the windshield, suggest that someone recently purchased this car, perhaps from a longtime owner. Even little details here suggest a car that’s seen only light use. The license plate frame is from Easton Nissan – a dealership that hasn’t existed since 1990.
Even more interesting are the tires. 13-inch whitewall tires aren’t commonly seen anymore, and it doesn’t appear that “Patriot Assurance A/S” tires have been sold in over 25 years.
My friend stopped by the same location a few weeks later, and saw the Sentra parked in the same lot, but this time with new license plates. In all likelihood, someone bought this car for daily transportation. If so, given the car’s simplicity and durability, the new owner will probably be able to enjoy tolerable 1980s basic transportation well into the future.
Photographed in Chantilly, Virginia in August 2024.
Wow. I love this! Well-preserved economy cars are not often seen.
A remarkable find.
Long ago I worked at the last Burger Chef (or among the last handful) restaurant in the US. It was in Cape Girardeau. A coworker / assistant manager did her job, which resulted in some airhead getting ticked off. He then threw eggs all over her dark blue Sentra of this vintage. She was upset, gave me money, and asked if I would go hose it off. I did so, driving it some distance away to a car wash. The egg had already etched itself into the paint.
I love unexpected survivors that no one appreciated when new and very few appreciate today. This is a great example of rare but not valuable.
Hopefully, it’s new owner will continue to care for it as well as the previously owner did.
If the new owner is going to drive this to any extent they need to change those 25+ year old tires! Not only will they be hard and lacking in grip but they will be a significant blowout hazard, something I know from personal experience
That was my first reaction when I saw the pictures of this car. It has a recent safety inspection, so somehow it passed on 25-year old tires.
I had a 1987 Nissan Sentra GXE Wagon which was more of a ‘sportback’ type. All I remember: beautiful fluffy blue seat and the automatic transmission did not last long, yet long before they brought us the cvts.
Nice! I recall when those were a common sight. Last model Sentra with a station wagon variant. Or the rare part time 4 WD with transfer case.
I’ve never really been into the Nissan brand, but I think it was the next gen of this car that I really liked (1993 era?). What keeps popping into my head is how I liked the door handles and the car looked similar to this but with slightly more rounded edges. But those door handles are what I liked the best. I recall them being black and had a thin pull that you put your fingers through and pulled up to open the door. Also liked how the outward visibility was so great with the very thin A, B and C pillars.
Many years ago we traded one in that was red. That’s where I had the chance to look it over and really liked it. I almost purchased it, but the managers didn’t want me driving a Nissan when we sold Honda. So instead I special ordered a new 1994 Buick Skylark. What a great car that was, so I was quite happy with it. Too bad the wife totaled it out a couple years later.
I always wonder what happens to cars found like this time capsule and put back on the street. I’ve followed several like this in Eugene, and not surprisingly, they started to age as they were used as daily drivers and/or stored outside. In some case, it was a bit sad, because they started out so absolutely pristine, like the Plymouth Sapporo I found way back in 2009. It belonged in a museum; how many were left. Instead it was a DD and slowly deteriorated until after about 8-10 years it was gone.
A freind sold her immaculate HA Viva recently she works at an independant repair shop it turned up by towtruck young guy gave it to GF as daily drive 50 odd years since it was built, it didnt cope.
When I married in 1991 my wife had a Sentra identical to this one, an 89 with a 5 speed that I eventually inherited. I loved it. It was the best winter commuting vehicle I’ve ever had. Eventually the synchronizers wore to the point where it would constantly pop out of 5th gear which is when we traded it off. I wish they still sold vehicles like this.
Absoulutely amazing! They were pretty “roomy”. ((relative to size))
What a great find. It, and your post, makes me nostalgic for small boxy cars that sold new for less than $5000 and whose gas mileage was a major selling point. Pretty much the same criteria I had buying my first brand new car with my own money…except I wound up with a diesel VW (it would be another 10 years before I moved to a new Sentra, albeit a more swoopy one by then).
To think that something like this Sentra could have been a good seller back in its day reminds me that I now live in an entirely different universe from the 1980s.
We can read the tire size as 155-80-13 …..
My new-bought 1982 Renault LeCar came with blackwall 145-80-13’s …. held on by 3 lug-nuts, typical of the French cars.
When the tires wore out, I wanted to replace them with whitewalls.
No one produced whitewall 145-80-13’s, so I went up a size, and mounted 155-80-13 whitewalls.
Can’t believe I drove that car on interstate highways where cars ran 75 & 80 mph, just like today.
In Canada, when Nissan get the new 1991 Sentra, the 1987-90 model continued as Sentra Classic until 1993, only available in 4-door sedan.
I had no idea about that! I love older-model cars that are rebranded as “Classic.” Right now, I’m mourning the loss of what’s probably the longest-running such example, the (Dodge) Ram Classic, which I understand was discontinued last month.
It was made in Mexico into the 2010s, that’s probably where the ones sold in Canada came from.
If Wikipedia is correct, the ’91 to ’93 models sold in Canada were the Mexican made Tsuru II, rebadged as a Senta Classic with pre 1989 8 valve engines.
Such a great, throwback find, and great history provided. I had not one, but two good college friends who had this generation of two-door Sentra. They were perfect transportation cars – economical and unkillable.
The 3 valve/cylinder US Sentra variants were short-lived I believe. Only 1989 and 1990. Two good friends both bought new 1989 Sentra’s. The did have a nice increase in power over the previous 1.6 8 valve engine. This gen must have been sturdy if spartan. One friend gave his nearly no love at all until something broke and it served him for 10 years. The other friend’s model received basic maintenance. He kept his Sentra for 11 years. At least one of those two 1989 Sentra’s had a J VIN number, so I guess they were not all made in Smyrna or Mexico. I’ve forgotten the numbers, but Sentra’s had huge US sales records at about that time.
The US 1991 B13 model with a 16 valve DOHC 1.6 engine was another big step up. Again, with the scarce Sentra SE-R 2.0 models of ’91-’93. (I had new ’91 and ’93 SE-R’s) There had been a big improvement in crash worthiness around the time of the ’89 models. Ah, the days prior to Renault’s firing of more than a thousand Nissan parts vendors, a bit down the line.
I had a couple of end of life 90s Sentras they both ran really well 1500 engines 5 speed cars one was ex JDM with all the fruit, little of it work though the rev counter did I found out after I sold it a functioning rev counter is sought after, dont care they guy drove it off the lawn and didnt come back the other one a 97 I bought for my daughter rather than the TDI Xsara but no she didnt want it ok I sold it and seen it still going recently, great little cars they rust badly near the coast that killed the first one but they are hard to kill entirely.
I met a guy at a show with a ratrod Superminx wagon like my pet car, anyway this rusty beatup heap has an odd stance front on, its a Sentra as far back as the back axle with a Superminx welded on top a Sentra is wider, I left mine basically stock.
Awesome find and great posting! Thank you. They may not be valued as costly classics but they do provide someone on a limited budget an entree into the classics. I absolutely love the love the sharp chiseled boxy lines of the 1980’s and some of that boxiness is coming back as seen in some new Toyota/Lexus SUVs. My daily 1987 Maxima wagon gets lots of positive looks and comments most days.
I used to sell Nissans for a short time in 1990 and again in 1992, so I am pretty familiar with this vintage of Sentra. The 1990 model was the last year of the second-gen Sentra featured in this article. Very solid economy car. We sold loads of the 2-door XE model for $6995 in those days. 5-speed manual, full cloth seats, body colored bumpers, chrome trim rings and hub caps on the wheels, etc. I’d tell consumers that the Sentra approached the Corolla and Civic for build quality and durability, but they were priced closer to its American competitors. The third-gen 1991 Sentra was a huge leap forward.
My first car was an 87 Sentra. Got it in 95 with well over 150k miles and it ran like a champ.