I have a 1999 Sentra that is reaching the end of its useful time in my life. It's been quite a good car for me, but now it seems like it's time to move on.
What I'm hoping to do is sell the car and buy a nice commuter bike and/or some parts for other bicycles that could be better commuter bikes with the right stuff. Like a typical 17 yo car, the Sentra has some issues, many cosmetic or slightly annoying:
-the driver side visor is held up by a magnet
-the windshield is badly cracked after a chip repair failed
-the headliner fabric sags in spots
-the windshield wash spray doesn't always work on both sides
-the dash lights for the heater/A/C don't always work
-there's a few small dents and places that someone has keyed/scraped
-the headlights are somewhat dimmed/faded despite some toothpaste and elbow grease not too long ago
-it probably needs new tires, esp for winter
There's some good things too:
-temp control is GREAT, no probs with A/C or heat
-starts just fine
-radio/MP3 is aftermarket and great (DH may want to remove this but I think it'd be a selling point)
-interior other than the headliner is pretty good. The backseat has hardly ever even been used
-clutch is relatively new (2014) without very many miles
-reliably gets above 30mpg, usually mid-30s unless there's constant A/C use or tons of idling
-can make it to highway speeds just fine
So, do you think I should try to fix any of the problem issues? If so, what? I'm only mildly familiar with vehicle repair-for example, I replace my own windshield wipers, air filter, PCV valve (I think that's what it's called) and put on a spare. If pressed, I could change the oil but normally don't do that myself. I could put in a bit of $ to make it sell but I don't want to blow most of the sale of the car making it look pretty. In the days of yore, it would be the perfect car for a parent to buy for their teenager, but I'm not sure what parents are looking for nowadays.