Mechanical review: mini Micra goes to the Garage for its Entrance Exam (GuideAutoWeb)

[MetroMPG]

(Thanks to Ustauk for pointing out this review in our Micra rust protection thread.)

The Car Guide (guideautoweb.com) is unique for its "on the hoist" reviews of new cars, where they get mechanics to go over & under vehicles looking for pros & cons of the design from a maintenance & durability perspective.

Pros...

- very easy access for oil changes
- also easy to access: filters, fuses, etc.
- good size front brakes for a small car (benefit of parts sharing with the Versa/Note)
- well secured & small stainless exhaust system
- plastic (non corroding) gas tank & straps

Cons...

- Cabin soundproofing & paint are "casualties" of cost-cutting. (I didn't notice anything wrong in these departments myself.)

- They're very wary of how the car will stand up to rust (lack of shielding of exposed underbody components; hollow cross-member that can trap grit/salt): "The little Micra was definitely not designed for our harsh winters." They point out several already rusting areas (front suspension; front struts in the engine bay).

- They also point out the Micra's underbody spare tire stowage means mounting a receiver for a rear-bike rack (or small trailer) is impossible.

Read the full article, see photos (pics have many more comments): http://www.guideautoweb.com/en/artic...entrance_exam/

[Ustauk]

- They're very wary of how the car will stand up to rust (lack of shielding of exposed underbody components; hollow cross-member that can trap grit/salt): "The little Micra was definitely not designed for our harsh winters." They point out several already rusting areas (front suspension; front struts in the engine bay).

Out curiosity, would aftermarket suspension and struts come with a rust proof coating, or be made of stainless steel? And can the cross-members they mention be replaced with an alternate, rust proofed or stainless steel versions, or are they welded into the frame of the car?

[MetroMPG]

One suspension part they were looking at was the part the wheel hub is pressed into -- I don't think you'll find anything aftermarket for that. Also, it's a beefy piece - surface rust isn't really going to hurt it. Though it should have better paint on it than it does.

As for the front crossmember, the best solution is to use an anti-rust spray and coat the inside of it annually.

Same goes for the top of the strut -- or you could just paint that part with better paint since it's easy to access.