1986 Nissan Micra K10 Goes for a drive
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ส.ค. 2019
- 1986 K10 Nissan Micra Colette 998cc compact car taken for a ride
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Bread and butter cars of the 1980's. Just love 'em. Before computers and chips took over. This Micra is a beauty indeed!
I got bad news for you about how this car was designed and built
@@nuclearlad how?
@Fredrik Larsson He never did reply. This was a fantastic car in every way
Fantastic little car. My parents bought one brand new when they first came out. "A" reg metallic green. Alloy engine and and 5 speed gearbox. Great on fuel, we travelled all around Britain in one.I can still remember the economy figures, 67.mpg when doing 70mph. Granted I was only 13 at the time, so the back seat only really good enough for young people. Very nippy around town, and the fifth gear was dream on motorways. I learned to drive in it when I was 16. I was surprised how solid it "felt" for such a light body. The gearbox and brakes were smooth, the steering the perfect balance between heavy and light. You can see how much leg room there is for the driver in this review,.my Jaguar XF doesn't have anywhere near this amount of leg room available! My feet get very sore it in. They must have owned the MIcra for 6 years or so since new, it was left outside in the snow and rain and never failed to start first time. It never broke down, nor needed any repairs doing to it, from memory. Our neighbours bought a Metro, he drove ours, and realised how crude and basic the Metro was. I've always been a Nissan "person", buying (and loving ) a Primera that I kept for 17 years. I think the Micra started it all off. The only slight problem they had was a bit of rust starting to show in the bottom of the doors and perhaps the rear bumper. I think cars are far too complicated nowadays, we've all been conned into thinking we need all this "stuff" but for 90% of the time all we need to do is go the shops/work and back. A few things: our car was the GL model and from memory it had a soft furry "velour"trim inside on the side of the doors and floors which may have helped the sound insulation, I don't remember it being this whiny and high pitched as it is in the review. The 998 cc was enough power because it was a manual with a light body and no airconditioning. The heating/ventilation system was also a step up from the Marinas etc that were around the time, the recirc function meant you didn't get traffic fumes in the cabin in a traffic queue. From memory British cars didn't have this function at the time. When they came to sell it the phone was red hot and they had numerous people after it. They were such good cars at the time.
When we emmigrated to NZ we asked the Nissan dealers here if we could buy one but got told "there was no marked for small cars here!" Which was a shame because we felt like telling them soon your roads will be choked with cars and fuel with be expensive . At the same time Volkswagen didn't share the same view and were quite happily selling their Golf here in large numbers ! Soon after private second hand imports were allowed in the country and the Nissan "March" was seen on the roads here in NZ, which was a Japanese home market built Micra,. Unfortunately I think the golden age of Nissan ended with the "Primera"/Maxima" era around the 2000 when they got taken over by Renault.,
THIS IS THE WAY ALL SMALL CARS SHOULD BE MADE!! ; 1. No centre console = significantly more room. 2. Flat door cards without obtrusive window switches or storage bins grinding into your knees and legs. 3. Lovely simple switches that work reliably 4. Comfortable hard wearing seats. 5. A non leather hard wearing steering wheel that looks like new even after over 100k, the same goes for the gear knob. 6. Lovely small glove box again giving more room. 7. No cup holders again giving more room - you can add holders to your vents if you want. 8. Manual windows that don't go wrong! It's bloody perfection. They have completely ruined new cars all because people are trapped in an egotistical capitalist psyche and they always want something that 'looks good' trying to out do each other. It's pathetic and it makes me mad! (PS. I think the rear windows do pop out as on most 2drs ) The SIMPLEST designs are the most reliable and efficient.
And Japanese cars of the time sensibly had indicators on the right-hand side of the steering wheel, so that you can easily use them when changing gear
@@mattylamb9194 I suppose that's a benefit, I just get so tired of having to reach up further when people don't turn their beams down!
You are pissing in the wind mate and absolutely correct.so many spoilt posers out there now.
I can't say I agree with any of that Bob Jones... I much prefer my 1993 Honda Civic hatch to this 1986 Micra. It's the height of luxury ;) with sculpted door panels with door pockets, power windows (scissor lift rather than the less reliable cable-drawn), power mirrors, electronic climate control for fan & vent position (apart from manual pull lever for heater), soft-padded dash, two fold-out cupholders (that don't work) etc. Then you add on top of that, an engineering-led chassis design with front double wishbone and rear indepedent trailing arm suspension, and going around bends becomes easy peasy. Sorry to say, this Micra just doesn't seem all that interesting to me by comparison as far as old hatchbacks go... If the modern day Honda Brio (Micra equivalent) was sold in the UK, I'd suggest to check it out, you might like it. It's basic but it's still nice. :) I don't think a basic hatchback needs to quite *so* basic as this Micra!
@@stephenreynolds6378 Electronic touch switches replaced electromechanical ones in home h-fi about the mid-80's, perhaps a bit later in motor vehicles, and for the most part electronic switches are pretty reliable AFAIK. I don't think electronic switches are all that bad! :)
My parents had one when I was about 12 years old. But Collette is a deluxe version - ours didn't have a radio or a rear window wiper. Ours had a grey interior - everything grey. But my sister and I did have storage pockets in the sidepanels on the back seat, and indeed as standard 3point seatbelts.
4 speed manual, 1 liter engine, truly indestructable car. My parents had it for years, not a single issue.
Spot on !
Having the indicator stalk on the right of the steering column in a right hand drive car is the ergonomically correct way, as you can operate the indicators and gearstick at the same time, eg when accelerating and decelerating at junctions. JDM cars are RHD hence the micra. Unfortunately we have now been comprised for standardisation of LHD markets. Probably why nobody here indicates anymore; holding gearstick with left hand etc. Good videos by the way!
Interesting information but then a third 1/3 of modern cars sold are automatics, so I still think it's laziness that causes people not to indicate.
I've never had a single problem with using indicators, mainly because you do things in stages..... not all at once. Even on the rare occasions when things are hectic on a roundabout, you just do things more quickly......one at a time.
Kei cars and other japanese market vehicles still have their indicator stalks on the right so it shouldnt be that expensive. its probably laziness from the other manufacturers making it an accepted norm.
@@Lollllllz Australian/New Zealand market vehicles also usually have their indicators on the right too. I agree that it seems more sensible to have the indicator, as the (should be) most frequently used column control on the right on right-hand drive cars. It pretty much always was this way round on vehicles well into the '70s. My impression is that it largely seems to have been the Germans that drove the change in Europe, though Mercedes-Benz, interestingly, continued putting the indicators on the right in right-hand drive cars into the '90s where, on left-hand drive vehicles they are on the left, which would suggest they rather felt it may be a safety consideration. Merc drivers are also notoriously bad for not using their indicators, ever. For that matter they often seem to have absolutely no idea there is anybody else on the road at all...
I totally agree it's so practical. Especially at roundabouts. My 1982 Mercedes W123 has the same setup.
This K10 Micra was built during the good old days before Nissan merged with Renault in 1999...
I had a K10 Micra for a while about 12 years ago, when they were just old and not yet classic.
Recall paying £300 for a really clean G reg with low miles, 100% reliability and superb mpg.
If only I could go back in time and advise a 19 year old myself to get a used 1988 Micra rather than an austin metro city x 🙂
Yes. The micra was mechanically far more refined and reliable.
@90 day 90 day feels like a tractor to drive compared to a micra.
It was on my list as a 21 year old in 1986, but I decided on a Fiat Uno 60s. 5 doors, 5 gears. 299 for the sunroof. 6k OTR. Didn't regret it.
@@01322521959 How many miles did it accumulate before falling apart? Less than 80k?
@@sunilayya8948 Did 40k then parked it in mums garage as I went abroad. Had to sadly let it go. Immaculate. Wish I could have kept it
My uncle in Cyprus bought one of these as a hack for when he didn’t want to use the “nice car” (lovely “88 Audi 100). It stood up to forestry roads and whatever else he threw at it
Small light cars are usually pretty good for hurling along poorly made roads, or even just across country where there's no real road to speak of. They bounce and dance, rather than crash and smash.
I have a 1988 LS model. Fantastic fun little car that I’ll never sell.
Well, hope you never crash, because...
My advice - sell it and buy a modern safe car.
I have a 1983 Datsun Micra GL, one of the earliest and one of 7 GL’s left with a blue interior which I found in a barn hidden for 23 years with just only 50k on the clock!
I passed my driving test in 1988 in the LS model
Stephen Astbury LS for “low spec” haha, no rear wash/wipe on mine but it does have a sunroof 👌🏻
Ауто камере Србија / Dash cams Serbia I have one , it’s really not safe😂but it’s more the smiles than the saftey
UKW is german and means Ultrakurzwelle (ultra short wave)...so is FM.
Yep. Correct. Nissan have a long standing relationship with Blaupunkt, and loads of 80s Nissans had "UKW" radios in them.
@@pook2830 think it might have been a Clarion in this, Nissan used both.
Or in other words, it's the German for "UHF" ... or more correctly, _"VHF"_ ( _uber_-kurzwelle ... German is confusing) - which, whilst not actually a direct cognate of "FM", is one of the few bands that FM audio transmissions have ever really occupied, and similarly FM is pretty much exclusively the only transmission method that's been used for VHF audio broadcasts.
Most radios just go for "FM" because it'd otherwise be too easy to confuse for the _TV_ "VHF" band (particularly on portable analogue sets where you get the choice of UHF, VHF, or FM... the first two being TV and the latter being audio); notwithstanding, I have owned at least one radio which was marked LW, MW and VHF (possibly with one or more "SW" bands in-between the latter two ... it was an awful long time ago), with the transmissions picked up on the latter clearly being those of the local "FM" band.
@6:25 My first car was 89 Micra and I know there is a hinge at back of the window and you can open it.
Rust has finished these cars off now but they were long-lasting little things considering how lightweight the tinwork was. K10 Micras routinely ran for 20 years or so while the Fiestas and Novas had mechanical problems that wrote them off long before then in general.
I have a 31 year old K10 and there's barely any rust. Runs like it's brand new too. Just a shame the suspension is made out of marshmallows hahaha
Learned how to drive in one of these, it was quite the shock when I got a Fiesta after passing, the Fiesta felt and drove like something from the Ark by comparison. The old Nissans had such sweet controls.
Yeah, agreed, I passed my driving test in one of these in 1989 and I think the fantastic controls helped a ton there. (Especially compared to the Metros that the British School of Motoring used!).
It could be argued the Micra K10 was everything the Metro wasn't.
Yes Boring to drive
Its not a class of car that was designed to be engaging or interesting to drive, i find it frustrating when people judge a car in an area they are not meant for. It’s like judging a metro for its lack of off road potential. After owning both a micra and a metro, and would not consider the metro any more interesting to drive than the micra.
@@kf-dk5pb I disagree The metro, 205 and AX were all fun to drive. It's easier to do with a light manoeuvrable car.
It's not so much the driving characteristics I was going for, I feel Nissan in a way out Metro'd the Metro, the K10 was cheap motoring for the masses but was a better quality product overall.
@@Dan-up6do I have driven a Corsa and uno and mark 4 golf GTi. just boring boxes. my metro always put a smile on my face. What's the point of driving if it doesn't make you smile. :)
I hired one of these to drive from West Sussex to Manchester back in the eighties. The gear ratios were great - you could cruise at 85 mph in top gear with relatively low revs, and was therefore very economical on fuel, especially for motorway driving. Great little car.
A couple of features the Colette had over the base spec:
- Quartz clock in the dash
- Passenger side mirror (yes, seriously)
- Intermittent option for front wipers
- Rear wash/wipe
- Cassette player (base was AM/FM only)
- More plush seats with adjustable headrests (although the base-spec 'tombstone' seats have become a little more cult-like since)
The MA-series engine was (allegedly) based on the BMC A-series engine too.
The Super Turbo (Japan only) is a fantastic little car (Mighty Car Mods fans may well know it from Turbos and Temples 2). 930cc super-and-turbocharged engine with 110bhp. If my friend gets his back on the road I'll let you know so you can have a go!
Didn't the Colette also get the pop-out opening rear windows over the base car too? A friend of mine had an '86 Micra L which didn't have the pop-out windows which made it horrid in the back in summer sun as it also had grey vinyl seats...
@@gosportjamie I had an LS, which was an '89 base spec and it did have the pop out rear windows, although it was a facelift so maybe they added that to the base options later on!
@@micrasportsclub It could well be, the Japanese did seem very keen on making tweaks to specs year-on-year. It could also be that my friend's car was an import as a lot of people have said that a UK market L should have had cloth seats...
You're right about the MA engine being based on the BMC A-series as it was developed from the engine that was used in the first Cherries that we got in the UK back at the beginning of the '70s which was very clearly a slightly improved copy of the A-series, which Austin licensed to Datsun in the late '50s or early '60s...
I miss my J reg one I had years ago, basic motoring but was fun. Brilliant to watch people's reactions as you passed them at 90 on the motorway lol
Or even at traffic lights, due to its super light weight.
My brother was always doing that especially with taxi drivers in their heavy Peugeot 406s.
Bought mine when I was 14, got a 1992 LS 5 door and I’ve never loved a car so much! Had an xr2 and a nova before hand and I prefer the micra! Learning to drive in it now and I love it!
These were cracking cars. All independent suspension - super economy - easy driveability - cheap maintenance - they just suffered from the usual anti-Japanese car prejudice from motoring journalists at the time, They had similar features and were as good to drive as an Uno or a 205 and left Metro's and Polo's standing
True. They had much better mechanicals and lighter controls than euro rivals.
Used to borrow one back in the 80s. It exuded a feeling of reliable, no nonsense functionality. If that's all you wanted, it was perfect.
2:18 The indicators and wiper controls are on their CORRECT sides! Wipers left of steering column, indicators/lights on right of steering column, EXACTLY WHERE THEY SHOULD BE!
Your filming is fantastic and sets the standard for driving reviews. Your reviews are factual with enough humor to make them a pleasure, and the multiple angles you use keep it interesting.
Alot of people's 1st car in the 90's and 00's. None of it's rivals could beat it for reliability.
I love the basic-ness of it . What a great timewarp car
I love the Nissan Micra. I currently bumble around the Oxfordshire Cotswolds in a 2003 K12, and it's the perfect car for that purpose. Had a K11 before it and loved that too. Never driven a K10, but an aunt had one back in the day and I've very fond memories of being taken out on day trips in it. Wonderful little cars, and arguably the modern equivalent of the good old Morris Minor. Well made, reliable, and bought by the same type of sensible person who wanted an attractive, entertaining drive that didn't let them down. Probably my favourite car of all time.
Love the K10, it was the first car that I had use of when I passed my test. It was spacious, economical and just kept going. I remember seeing it as a Datsun prototype at the NEC motor show in the early 1980s too.
While not as old as this, I have a 2003 Micra that I bought as an everyday car to keep my "nice" car... well.. nice. The nice car has gone now, but the "microbe" still soldiers on. 140,000 miles on it's 1.0L engine, with no sign of stopping any time soon.
We're so impressed in fact, we're buying another. I'm looking for the latest K12 shape N-Tec I can find... which is 2010 on a "60" plate. The K13 is a dog's dinner of a design..... they tried to update it but keep its cute mouse like looks, resulting in something that looks like it was designed by two people that never met. The new K14 is no longer a Micra. It's big, and gone all butch. It's lost the Micra ethos entirely. They should have killed the Micra name off at that point and just called it something else. Why have a car as big as the K14 called a "Micra"? It makes no sense.
Fantastic cars.
Actually, I should mention that a 2010 model K12 Micra was made 11 years after Nissan merged with Renault in 1999.
@@joshbacon8241 I know. I'm not sure what that has to do with anything though :) The Clio III used the same Nissan B platform.
@@pook2830 The new micras are no where near as good as the old ones. But the old micras tended to rot now the new ones are renault and leave you stranded like any french car should.
@@MonkeyHunch1 I already have a K12 Micra. It has done 147,000 miles, and has never, ever let me down. The only major expense incurred was a timing chain replacement at 80 something k... done as part of the service schedule, not because it failed (obviously). It has been utterly bullet proof. It is on the same clutch after that mileage too. The engine and gearbox are still absolutely fine. In fact, everything is fine. It's just old, and looks like crap. My mother has had two K12 Micras, and both of those have been utterly superb. In fact, she abuses them, never has them serviced etc. and neither of them let her down, ever. It's been the most reliable car I have ever owned, by some margin... and I've owned a great many cars.
On what are you basing your opinion? Actual fact, or just a dislike of Renault? You do realise it isn't a Renault, don't you? The engine isn't Renault, nor is any of the running gear. In fact, it's Renault that borrowed from Nissan when they developed the Clio III. They used the Micra platform... it's not the other way around.
My experience, and that of my Mother would suggest you are wrong.
It's the Indian built K13 you need to point your resentment towards... it was pants. The new K14 is the one that you want to accuse of being "renaultified, not the K12. That's even built in France. K12s are bomb proof.
My K11 Micra 1.3 was the most relaible car i have ever owned but the tin worm killed it.
I drive the 30 year old child of that car; a 2016 Nissan Pulsar. It is just the same, but the caramel has turned to grey. A bit dull, but reliable as hell, no fancy gimmicks. 1800 cc 3 speed auto 5 door. I love it! The Police don't see it and it is way to uncool to be stolen. Greetings from South Australia
Here in Australia (RHD) all indicator stalks are on the right hand side. So much easier when driving with one (right) hand .....
I didn't know you'd stuck with it there, because so close to Japan and their imports?
My friend has a Euro GM car which has it on the left and he hates it lmao
@@furiousdriving Not sure, but could be the reason. I'm enjoying the videos by the way!
Just bought this exact car today, not even home yet and I already love it. Its still exactly like it is in this video.
I have to be honest, I absolutely love old Micras. I own a 1996 (Bubble Shape) K11 My self and it runs rings around alot more modern stuff.
So basic but you know it will not let you down. That's the thing I love most about Old Nissans/Toyotas or Hondas.
A comment I have to so so agree on in this Video is the fact you mentioned. "Its Just you and the car and no electronics to tell you, You did it wrong" Nothing is more true than that.
I also know HML has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Is there really an Alfa Romeo Arna Lurking somewhere? I really can not wait to see if there is! What a great review of a great little car 👍
Brought back a lot of memories learning to drive in a Colette in 1988 ! Great review
My mother had 2 of these K10 Micras, the first one she got in 1992 was a red 2 door E reg 1.0 Collette, and she liked it so much that a couple of years later she bought the 5 door version on a G plate, again a 1.0 in a nice gold colour. The 5 door was much more practical for her to ferry my younger brother to school in, and do the shopping and everything else the busy mother would want a car for. She had absolutely no problems with either of her Micras, and she kept the G plate model for a good 10 years, before finally replacing it with a 1999 Toyota Yaris, because she didnt like the K11 shape Micra. So all in all, she drove a K10 for a good 12 years, and loved its simplicity, ease of driving, and its compact size, plus she liked the fuel economy from the 1.0 engine, and the fact that apart from the odd minor issues like needing a new battery, and I think she needed a new exhaust, it never really let her down. The K10 was an iconic car, so common on the UK roads for most of the 80s and 90s too, and I cant get over the one you have driven is 33 years old - I remember them when they first launched on a A plate, and like you said, they were badged as Datsun Micras. My mother's sister like my mothers so much that she bought a K10 2 door base model, brand new, and that had even less options than the Collette, like a strange front seat with integral headrests, that were non adjustable, unlike those in the Collete that could be removed from the seats and moved around. A truly great city car of the 80s, pity I myself ended up driving a Metro City X in hearing aid beige in the early 90s, lol
I bought one of these new in 1985. Watching you drive surrounded by all that beige really bought back memories. I needed to drive for my work so put a lot of miles on it quite quickly but it never let me down. Only gripe was that mine did have an annoying rattle at the back. It was under warranty so they looked at it for me free of charge but never worked out what it was.
I learnt to drive in '86 they did come from the factory with the squeaky door but they did not come with the seatbelts in the back.
Btw it is obviously an Ital design, the graph paper instrument pod on a shelf is similar to that era of Pandas and Unos, and outside the door closing going into the roof and around the door seals, also the creases on the sides and wheel arch flares are similar to an Uno. Like most '80s hatch light, easy to drive and a total trap in anything above car park shunt speed. Thanks for the review, cars of this era have a certain charm I think because they had no need to look aggressive that most modern car designers think modern cars need.
I didnt know it was an Ital Design design, the styling cues are very Japanese, although this could have influenced later Nissan design?
@@furiousdriving Sorry I was too bullyingly boisterous with my tone, Nissan deny the Ital thing, but the shut lines and hidden rain gutters are very similar to the Uno, Croma, Saab 9000, a couple of years after and the rain gutters were very similar, and the hidden rain gutter thing had been previously seen on the Ital design Lancia Medusa and Orca show cars.
Do you also find it that car design was more interesting because the details use to serve a function? Now they seem to be covered in fake grills and shabby pits of plastic to make the windows look bigger than they are, rant over.
Come to think of it, off the top of my head and without googling for proper references, the shape already seems somewhat "127-ey". Like it's a more pinched off and wedge-nosed evolution of the same general design.
Parents had one for 16 years, only non-consumable parts it ever needed in that time where a clutch and exhaust. Would like to see a modern Nissan try to make that claim.
How modern is modern? I have a 2003 K12 with 140k on it... only had a timing chain (a service schedule item.. it had no symptoms) and a new set of brakes, and a new exhaust... not bad for a 16 year old car.
My 1999 Nissan Primera is awesome, had it 11.5 years and virtually no problems.
My friend had a 1988 E reg 5 door Micra it was a great car and had a nice note to the engine something I didn’t pick up on your video which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks.
My dad bought one from an elderly lady that had it from new. When he bought it at 12 years old, it had just 18000 miles. He gave it to my brother but he got an XR3i instead so my dad took it back. I borrowed it to meet up with my girlfriend back in 2005 and we are now back together. This video brings back so many good memories. The car's demise came when someone reversed into the B pillar back in 2007.
Lovely little car. Never marketed in the USA. You guys in Europe did not realise how lucky you were to have access to all these great little cars. Too small for a family car or for long journeys. Great for a single person or couple or for a family as a second runabout.
x yz sold in Canada until 88 or 89. Parts are a difficult to get not being also sold in the US. Pretty reliable though the carb was a little quirky...
x yz sold in Canada until 88 or 89. Parts are a difficult to get not being also sold in the US. Pretty reliable though the carb was a little quirky...
Styling wise it looks a lot like the Datsun 310. I drove a 1980 one but didn't the money to buy it.
Learned to drive in a J-reg Peugeot 205 diesel. After an errant pupil damaged the gearbox, my instructor chose to replace it with a brand new, very shiny red petrol Micra rather than get the Pug repaired. My first lesson in that was the one before my first driving test, and it was a very different experience from the French diesel - I kept stalling it! Needless to say, I failed the subsequent driving test, although not on anything related to the car! Finally passed third time in the Micra - ten days before that test, the test centre closed suddenly so I was on a route I had only driven for the first time an hour before the test!
I own an early K10 in GL spec. It's very clearly an Ital designed car if you look at the features of the first 3years of production with their tombstone seats smaller neater bumpers and tailgate design with an early golf style "Swallow" tail and neater rear clusters. In essence its very much a Mk1 Golf /Uno mix. The K10 and the Mk1 Prarie were both launched in the UK at the 1982 Nec Motorshow. The Mk1 Prarie has its roots in the Ital Megagamma concept of 1978 too.
By 1986 for some reason Nissan had revised the K10 with the larger uglier bumpers, rear tailgate design and numberplate lamps we see here and although it's essentially the same car - visually it lost a lot of its charm. It's my guess that Nissan paid Ital a rather large sum of dosh to keeps its lips closed about their involvement in the styling the K10 and the Prarie in order to further their kudos in the cutthroat early 1980s.
The K10 is quite a significant car in the fact that it was the first fully competitive Japanese front wheel drive Supermini. Time and the speed of supermini development in the 1980s have made people forget that fact. With its success though internationally it could be argued that the K10 Micra is probably one of the most significant cars that has come from Japan. An excellent revue.
2:09 Having grown up in New Zealand and currently living in Australia all the cars I owned had indicators on the right (Vauxhall Viva, Nissan Sunny, Ford Falcon, Mazda 6, Mitsubishi 380 etc). It wasn't until I purchased a European Skoda Octavia did I run into the left-indicator business. Being right handed it meant I could just extend my fingers to indicate all while still holding the wheel (admittedly I often drive one-handed), but now I have to use my left hand to perform the move. Having the stalks this way around also messes with the high beam and windscreen washer that is so completely etched in my brain!
I had a Cherry and 2 Micras .... not the trendiest by any means but totally reliable .... they just went on and on ... pretty economical too.
My girlfriend (which I married) bought our Micra in Belgium as it just hit the market in 1982.. It was cheap, lovely to drive, light and yet nimble (only 50bhp 1000 cc) - For us, coming from an old Escort and Mazda 323 TS, we didn't care. The roadholding was perfect, as was the (very basic) finish, the engine and it's wonderful lightness. For years we crisscrossed Europe, including the UK in it on holidays, with our tent and supplies in the back. It conquered all the Alpine passes and we went to deep it the 'then' Yugoslavia. Children born in 1990/1992 - fitted perfectly, and even with the extra 'load' from our holiday gear, it NEVER once failed us. You hear - NEVER. ONCE - It was in perfect condition. Petrol: 6,5 l/100 km max in normal use. We sadly sold it in immaculate condition in 1995 - And when I mean immaculate - it was, from top to bottom, front to end. In hindsight we should never have traded it in. 💕
Really enjoying this channel, you’ve got a new patron. Coincidentally my mum used to have a 1987 one of these.
Thank you so much, and really happy to see your enjoying the channel
Love these. The favoured car of driving instructors in my day. Always reminded me of Bumble Bees :)
What a great channel this is and such an interesting choice - these used to be absolutely everywhere.
You are spot on when you described the k10 as a very pleasant car, which also sums up my impression of this sweet and reliable little car. It had a super light clutch and steering, a brilliant gear change and a superb driving position thanks to the low set dash and upright windscreen . According to an article on the Independent on april 7 ,2007, the k10 micra had a survival rate of 28%, while rival generations of metro, uno, fiesta had figures between 1.6 to 3.3 %. This is testimony to the car's reputation for supreme reliability. The only issue was that some early cars had an issue with the fuel pump that could leak fuel in to the engine which resulted in very rough idling, but was easily fixed if diagnosed on time. I had a k10 for 23 yrs and it never let me down, ever. I then went on to buy a k12 which was far more refined and solidly built, while looking stylish in its day. I now drive a suzuki swift 1 L turbo because it reminds me of the k10 due to its driving position and light weight . Also, i don't trust nissan after their association with Renault, which is a shame.
This brings back so many memories. My grandad had an identical Colette, except his was a 1988 on a E reg. He was the type who had very little clutch control, full throttle then slowly bring up the clutch. You'd hear the engine screaming before you'd see it! Hill starts were always particularly revvy experiences. Having said that, despite years of mechanical abuse it never went wrong mechanically.
Did he happen to own a white K13 in later years? Clutch was shagged on mine after about 40,000 miles, didn't realise that was the reason for its weird characteristics and general weakness until it started full-on slipping after a year or so. Whatever was left of the friction material must have been left as a hopeless, hard-glazed mess by a leadfooted previous owner taught to drive in the days of 10-horsepower engines...
I love all your shows I find that your patter is so engaging and pure entertainment. I love the vehicles you drive. Thank you so very very much for all your efforts
Thank you, really appreciate the positive feedback!
Learned to drive in one. Two things I remember - the incredible amount of time it took to get the car to 70, and it's excellent visibility. I have no idea how kids learn to drive in modern Fiestas and the like - you can't see anything! This car is practicality over style - today it is style over everything. Excellent video. :-)
This was my first car, and what a lovely car it was! Really light car, so fun to drive with the big and skinny steering wheel. The brown and blue interiors of the 80's japanese cars look so nice nostalgic to me! Now it's all dark grey, no colors at all. These won't last past 200 000 km though. Rusts like hell, and the engine starts going loose and burn oil.
Which batch - the first ? No ? Our car went over that limit and was as new as we first used it. No oil burning - But it was always checked by our regular Nissan dealer. AND NO RUST anywhere or blue smoke.
I think the vents in the doors are to do with stopping condensation and making your ears pop when you slam the door. My bluebird has them
I remember a friend's Peugeot 205 GR from the same era which had them in the back door and the idea was to deliver hot air to the feet for the back passengers. Unfortunately it only delivered cold air (it was very old) and it would made you freeze over.
I think it might be the tweeters lol...
I had a NIssan Micra. I had for years and drove it all over the country which I needed to do for my work. It never ever let me down. It was, as the man said, just a pleasant and easy car to drive and absolutely reliable. You could go on a very long journey and not feel wound up and exhausted atthe end. It sat nice and steady in the inside lane on the motorway and could get round the odd lorry or coach although it couldn't overtake much else! I eventally sold it for scrap when it finally fell to bits with a massive mileage on the clock. I'd have one today if I could get it in the condition of the one in the vid.
The Colette was mid range at the time, the base has seats with built in non adjustable headrest, just a Radio and no rear wash wipe, the top of the range got a 5sp gearbox, a 1.3 engine, better seat trim and a remote tailgate opener.
Btw the rear windows open on the Micra, it opens at the rear..
Joys of working at a Nissan dealership back then and also learning to drive in one....
Thanks for some great memories. Learned to drive and passed my test in one of these. I had no money at the time but dreamed of owning one. By the time I could afford one they had stopped making this model. I still hanker after the unaffordable but I still think of this beige beauty sometimes. Thanks for the review.
Another great video. I test drove one years ago for a new driver and my abiding memory is how forgettable it was.
Guigiaro's Ital design did design the shape as a proposal for the Fiat Uno and then sold it to Nissan when Fiat rejected it although the design was more or less reserected for the Fiat Palio. The Micra didn't really replace the Cherry as the Cherry was slightly bigger and the Cherry continued as the N12 from 1982 to 86. The Cherry Europe was a seperate model built by Alfa Romeo with the Alfa flat four engine, transmission and front suspension in the Cherry N12's body with different rear lights and grille (also sold as the Alfa Romeo Arna). Why anybody thought combining Japanese styling with Italian mechanicals and steel would be a good thing is still a mystery.
Great video, I worked for Nissan in 1989 and owned a cherry that could accelerate to 70mph in second gear and would leave xr2 and xr3 drivers baffled 🤣 great little cars! And... Those reclining seats were very handy for staring at the stars when out on a date 😆 ahhh the bygone days of no cctv!
In early 2000's I had a friend with one of these. We drove in it quite a lot.
Nice little car, well built, no rust, no problems with the plastics, no noise, very economical and it was fast enough for a 1.0l engine but the engine was not durable. It didn't brake down that often but he did had some serious trouble.
Maybe he was unlucky with the car or something.
I almost bought one of these ten years ago for around £200. It was a 1989 facelift model, with the three speed automatic gearbox, rust in all the usual charming places, and was being sold locally. The seller had been using it to go to work, and had never changed the (very black) oil. I remember the car being quite slow, with very heavy steering and a really annoying button next to the ignition barrel to take the key out, and it had a factory radio with no cassette player at all. These cars seem to go on forever!
that would be the auto box, its no ball of fire as a manual, but an old auto would be glacial, worse with a neglected engine! Rust was the undoing of many great Japanese cars then, they just didnt underseal them well and they dissolved around perfect engine, interior and electrics!
@@furiousdriving, yes indeed. It wasn't fast at all, just as well the speed limit where we were was 40 mph. There was a little too much rust for my liking, and the servicing clearly had been a bit neglected, but she was still running and in daily use for a 20 mph, which says a lot about the abuse these cars can take. £1995 sounds quite reasonable for the one you drove!
You must be psychic - I was (quite sadly) looking for Micra K10 vids only yesterday, wondering why neither you nor Ian Hubnut had done one! I did my driving lessons in one in 1989!
My first car was a K10 Super S 5 speed. I absolutely adored it. I still miss it after 18 years.
Just subscribed because of this video!
My first car, aged 17, in 1992 was a black over silver, 1986, K10 Colette! It had a grey interior and it took me all over the U.K. i did over 60k miles in it before I handed it over to my brother. I loved it and would have another tomorrow!
Best cars I’ve ever owned, had a 84 datsun, 90 and a 91
I'd probably get a Metro but or reliability...the Micra. Don't forget, all cars become cool once they're a rare sight on the roads.
Back in the early 90's I bought a Metro and a workmate the Micra. Both where good practical small family cars at the time but I much preferred the handling of the Metro as it hugged the roads far better, the Micra rolled about a lot more.
They look small these days but cars where smaller, these where family cars not "city" cars like now, I drove from Cambridgeshire to Cumbria at least once a month back home with the wife and two kids from my RAF base...
Peace
Charlie 🇬🇧
Had one in blue as my first car. I still miss it all these years later. It was picked by my dad and grandad and, at the time, I wanted something sportier. They made a good choice, I just didn’t realise it at the time.
I had 2 of them one was E reg the other a C. Tbf to the car it was reliable. The only thing that went in it at about 80tho was clutch. But a decent enough car for the time good video mate as always don't worry to much about the shaky camera lol 👍👍
Hello There, a very interesting walkthrough/retrospective on a well serviced nostalgic car. Cheers Peter Mc :-)
I had one up until June.
K10 normal version that is.
Never ever had trouble with the car, its just that rust ate away at it, the engine never had any trouble whatsoever, even ran without oil for half a year in the end, woops.
In the end there just was no car left so it had to be scrapped, the interior was in mint condition till the end. Oh and I've always had people give compliments about the comfortable chairs. And yes, they were comfy as all hell.
I learned to drive in the exact same car same colour white and beige inside cracking little car but then that was the first car I drove great video
I'd totally have one. Simple yet robust and fun with minimal driver aids. Gotta love the stick out numberplate lights too. I think Collette spec got you a rear wiper, passenger door mirror and cassette player with your radio
That brown interior still brings me out in a nervous sweat, I learnt to drive in a 1992 one of these!
I learnt to drive in one of these👍 nice car...even used it as a daily for some month's 😎
Seeing this today brings back old memories
Very 'pleasant' indeed. What a beautiful example. I certainly wouldn't say no to a little Micra, beige and all. Good review, thank you.
Interesting. As the owner of a K13, also in Dishwasher White, I think I'd probably have to agree with the assessment. It's something I can entirely deal with driving for a few years because it meets my needs, which happen to align with the odd niche that it's burrowed into, by dint of Nissan ignoring what everyone else has been doing for the past fifteen years (ie, adding things to their small cars, inflating the size and weight, and compensating with bigger engines) and doing their own thing (iteratively remaking and refining the same thing with successive generations of modern technology, adding only the features that make sense, and cleverly finding ways to shave weight and thickness here and there to keep it under a tonne and under 3.75m, so that the various tricks used to get more power with similar economy and refinement in rivals' engines can instead be used to make similar power but improve economy and refinement). It's just the right size, and it's got all kinds of useful features or genuinely valuable safety tricks with very little shiny fluff that pulls in the more easily dazzled punters, but anyone who actually reads a car's spec in anger really gives a toss about.
Do I love it? Not really. It doesn't twing any of those strings. It's an appliance. I've already considered making styling tweaks to it just to add _interest,_ rather than as any kind of personal statement. The previous owner did, in the form of fake diamante eyebrows over the headlights, and I just can't be bothered to remove them, because they actually add a tiny bit of flair. The built in style is ... OK. Inoffensive. It's pretty much a preschooler's cartoon idea of what a car would look like. It hasn't quite got the jellymould charm (or horrific seasickness inducing jellysprings) of the K11, but it's not the frogeye hellsprite horror of the K12 either.
But ... barring some silliness with the gear ratios clashing with the powerband profile (I think someone got drunk and turned their spreadsheet upside down at a critical phase of the design), it's rather nice to drive. It's responsive, the handling is absolutely on-point for a little runabout (sharp and grippy where you need it, without harshness... or bounciness and rolling), the controls are light without being numb (in fact the PAS feels a bit stiff at first, until you realise that's because every other modern car has about as much feel as a Playstation controller; it's still far lighter than unassisted steering), if you just want to cruise it'll whisper smoothly along with barely a suggestion that it's powered by exploding dinosaurs (including when you take it to the pumps - my mostly-urban-with-occasional-mid-distance-sprinting average is about 43mpg, _from a 1.2L NA petrol,_ and if you really hypermile it you can see _twice_ that), but if you need a bit more speed it'll do its best with a pleasant 3-pot grumble at low revs before bringing the VTEC and surging more purposefully towards the limiter with something akin to a straight-six howl. And for low speed manoeuvrability, I haven't found anything to match it for turning circle that isn't at least two of "shorter wheelbase", "rear-wheel drive", and "literally a bike". It's also amazingly surefooted thanks to the trick traction control / ESP system, which abuses the ABS actuators to produce a decent simulation of a car equipped with an "e-diff" LSD and an Active Yaw Control module; if you shoe it with good all-season tyres and then try to do unreasonable things on greasy or icy roads (or do them by accident), it's very difficult to break traction and keep it broken for more than a second, and the end results can literally make your head spin. Skidding is more or less a thing of the past.
On top of which, it's just a nice place to sit. The seat is amongst the best I've ever sat in as a driver, comfort and position-wise. The controls and gauges are all well laid out, easy to see (well, with the exception of the mirror and headlight adjust buttons, and the climate control buttons in sunlight, but for all of them you soon learn which clearly separated _position_ does what, and the only CC things that aren't replicated on the dinky LCD are the LED-telltaled vent/recirculate and AC on/off settings), reach and operate, feel nice with positive feedback, and generally look nice too. The vents make intuitive sense and do just what you want. The cupholders are perfectly positioned. The sunvisors are just the right size. The gearlever feels "right" in operation. The mirrors are nice and big, with a built in wide-angle curve. All round visibility is surprisingly good despite the 21st century pillar width. It's quite easy to park in tiny spaces. The lights are, quite simply, great. So on, and indeed so forth. Even the integrated stereo / handsfree / satnav system, whilst it lets itself down on the reliability front (a remarkable bit of ball-dropping by the company that may well be a deliberate ruse to show that they, too, are human and capable of failure, and therefore Totally Not A Corporate Front For An Insectoid Alien Invasion), is actually pretty good when it deigns to work. The display is clear and updates promptly, it routes reasonably well, the touchscreen just _works,_ they don't do any of the moronic stuff beloved of Vauxhall and Citroen like routing _every single last god damned function of the car_ through that one point of failure and operator congestion (heater, lighting, etc controls all stay firmly separate, and can all be adjusted simultaneously with the nav or audio by driver plus passenger), it has a measure of platform agnosticism (DAB is given the swerve, but we have a three-band analogue radio, regular-and-MP3 CD playback, a USB plug, AND analogue Aux), and it just sounds good. Between that and the seat I've lost more time than I'd care to admit to Driveway Songs.
Or in other words, whilst few if any of these things happen to _excite,_ they certainly _please._ They are, individually and collectively, pleasurable. As you said... it's a _pleasant_ car. You don't hanker after it, but if you were given one, you'd be happy with it. It does everything you need it to, and a reasonable amount of the things you want it to given the asking price, with perfect competence and a high degree of reliability. If you're not a fashion victim, it's all the car you'd ever really need. It's a continued embodiment of the philosophy of the K10, although it's sadly lacking a tea-shelf (something I really miss from my first two cars, but, well, progress marches on - it had to give way to passenger airbags), properly hardwearing paint (guys wtf r u doin) and, irritatingly, heated mirrors (something claimed in all the specs, and that I partly bought it on the strength of as they proved to be extremely useful on previous cars with them, but found to be a complete lie).
Also, like its predecessors, it is not a car in which you are _ever_ going to pull. It is a street cred and sex appeal black hole. Attached, celibate, and desperate people who don't really care, just need a machine to move their body around, and do their attempted pulling away from the road only need apply.
What that means for its potential status as a future classic will need another quarter century to determine.
Something about Japanese cars that regardless of age or mileage, you do not expect them to break down. In Ireland, these were also a great favourite with nuns.
The positioning of the indicators and wipers is a throwback to when Japanese manufacturers used to build British Cars under licence. I had 2 Toyota Corollas from 1990 until 2001, both had this arrangement. The one after had them the opposite way, and it was Japan built! I prefer indicators right, wipers left, as we are a RHD market in the UK and it is logical!
I had a blue F-reg (1990) one with gingham upholstery. My first car in 1997.
I didn't care it was a grandma car. It represented personal freedom for me.
When I fitted a Sony CD player I had everything I wanted :D
I had one for a while. Bought it off my auntie who couldn't drive anymore. It was the slightly higher spec version with 1.2 and auto box, which really struggled at motor way speeds as engine was screaming at 70mph. But it was fun and practical. Carried me over until I got something bigger...
i'm a total anti micra fan, but found your vid great..thank you...love seeing cars in this condition....
This was the best version of the Micra ever! Simplicity, no electronics to go wrong, a simple heat/vent system that gave cool air at face level even with the heater in use, no costly air-conditioning to go wrong (although it was it was an option in parts of America and other warmer territories), and a reasonably pratical interior plus plenty of special editions, remember the Nissan Micra Colette? It's a shame the rustproofing wasn't good and the dreaded tinworm disease of oxidising metal got the better of it and dissolved most of these into oblivion!
I’ve a 1988 k10, runs a dream. Lovely little car.
I used to own one. Actually my first car and it was a great little car at that.
My first car, in white too. Loved that car. Only had one wing mirror from the factory though
My first car.....loved it. It was a rust bucket but it was mine. Only cost me £80 and got through a second mot for another £80. Fantastic.
Brings back memory...I had a 'H' reg. back then 990cc engine and in white...it was a joy...
My best-friends mum drove one of these back around 1990. Memories of being an 11 year-old in the back, the car bouncing around a lot on the road, and steamed-up windows in winter due to poor ventilation. That family were die-hard fans of Japanese cars, had a Camry as well.
Used to love the gear box whine.
Top end speed? The one I had (H557CPO - 998cc, 4sp, 3dr in beige), would easily do 95mph and that was without pushing it. My brother said his mate in an RS turbo clocked him at 115mph (my brother always had a very heavy right foot). I got 55mph in 2nd gear as well and the engine still wanted to go. It was a very free revving engine. A friend of mine had a 5 door Micra as a loan car and he said they are rapid little cars and I must agree with that. I must add, I used the Micra to do my ADI training and one thing for sure was the all-round visibility was excellent, the gear change and clutch was so effortless and the engine had a great spread of torque. One of the best cars I ever drove. Would I have another? Yes, without doubt. My girlfriend loved the car and if I still had the Micra, I would love to teach her how to drive as she wants to learn. The Micra K10 was always a winner with driving schools.
Wow, thats going some - official figure is 87!
I owned a four door Micra HB and it was the most reliable car and fun car to drive. It was easy to maintain and when the back seats were folded down could carry as much as a small van. I did over 140,000 miles with it and apart from wear and tear it never let me down.
I learned to drive in one of these, passed 1st time too. I’ve not seen one since! Ah, memories 👍🏻
bringing back memories from 1987 the car i learned to drive in
This car kind of reminds me of the Mazda 121 I learnt to drive in. Quite similar shape. I'd love to have a drive of cars like this now!
My first car was the first Micra (the one with the sunken rear reg plate panel) when I was a Pte in Germany. It was fantastic. After driving an Army landrover on exercise for weeks, getting back in my Micra was like driving a Jaguar. I could drive from Germany to Birmingham on a full tank. When I came back from the Falklands after six months it started first time. It was surprisingly nippy and good in the snow when all the BMWs were sliding about. Nothing broke. It may seem basic now but a lot of the features weren't on other cars at that time. Good memories.
Nothing like a Nissan from that time for reliability. Did Nissan do the tax break deals for personnel serving in Germany then?
@@furiousdriving Yes, and tax reduced fuel. It was ace.
I had an '87 version of one of these as my first car in 2000 (cost me £425!). It had done over 100,000 miles and was pretty rusty. The gearbox drain plug fell out on the M4 and I did about 200 miles with no oil in the gearbox - I just filled it back up again and got another 12,000 miles from it! Eventually it stuck in 3rd gear and wouldn't change, so it went to be a parts donor for another car.
I have a 1988 gls f plate auto micra, in your description you say about the rear windows not opening but they do but no winders and mine is a
998 cc auto which you also say it had a bigger engine to compencate the auto, but sorry you are wrong about that as mine is a 998cc. I love my micra and its very reliable and stands out in a croud and i love being different 😀👍
not bigger cc, bigger power to cope with the loss through the 'box
My apologies i misunderstood but aren't they fun to drive, my 13 year old granddaughters first choice is to go out in the micra, she loves it 😀
I had a J reg LS for a couple of years, good little car, my only gripe on the 1.0litre was the oil filler cap (rubber bung), always a pain to refit the bugger.
Just watching this again and noticed your comment on the radio. UKW is Ultra Kurtzwelle, which is German for ultra high frequency, AKA - FM
Simplicity at its best, not exciting but reliable and functional.