This 2004 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V Was Built To Dominate Autocross

Date:2025-08-28 07:02:28 Category:tech Views:1 Comment:0

From the Honda Civic Type R to the Hyundai Elantra N, Toyota GR Corolla and even the Subaru WRX, we live in a time where mainstream compacts offer truly incredible performance for your dollar. Nissan, however, isn't even in the conversation and hasn't been for years. I mean, it sort of tried back in 2017 with the Sentra Nismo, immediately got beat at its own game by the Elantra Sport and then gave up. But back in the day, the Sentra was a legitimate sport compact, and the best of the bunch was the Sentra SE-R Spec V. And now there's one for sale on Cars & Bids.

With a 2.5-liter inline-four under the hood making 175 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, you won't be winning any drag races in this car, unless the person racing you drives, I don't know, a Toyota Echo. But there's also more to sporty cars than straight-line speed, and this thing has autocross champ written all over it. That's partly because the Spec Vs got sportier suspension setups than the regular Sentra SE-R, but Nissan also stuck a helical limited-slip differential in there, which was still a big deal back in the early 2000s. Not bad for a car that cost about $18,000 when it was new.

So yeah, it may still be a front-wheel-drive Nissan Sentra that's down on power compared to a new Prius and still has a Sentra interior, but it's still the Cool Sentra, relatively rare and set up to be an absolute hoot on an autocross course. Oh, and you can't forget the six-speed manual transmission. As MotorTrend said at the time:

The Spec V's standard Torsen-type limited-slip differential makes the front end feel as if it's really digging for traction, no matter how much throttle pedal you throw at it. Whip the steering wheel back and forth, and the power assist keeps up with your enthusiasm (a rare thing in this class). The brakes are effective, and the optional ABS doesn't intervene too soon.

Less Than 1,500 Miles A Year

2004 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V interior manual transmission - Cars & Bids

Still, we're talking about a two-decade-old Nissan Sentra here, so it's understandable if you're concerned about how it held up. The good news is, while there could always be a few gremlins in there that you'd have to deal with, it looks absolutely incredible for its age. There are a few scratches and chips in the paint, some interior wear and a little rust here and there, but the previous owners took incredible care of this car (considering it's still a Sentra at the end of the day).

Part of that has to do with the fact that it only has 31,100 miles on it, which works out to a little less than 1,500 miles a year. They also kept the interior about as close to showroom condition as you're going to find on a 22-year-old Sentra. That said, it isn't entirely stock. According to the listing, it now comes with an aftermarket air intake, a cat-back exhaust, an engine oil catch can and LED bulbs in the headlights and foglights. Thankfully, at least based on what you can hear in the video the seller included, the new exhaust didn't completely ruin the car. Still, you'd probably at least want to have the headlights looked at so you don't blind oncoming drivers with the LED bulb swap.

As for the interior, it may have felt cheap back in 2004, but a little nostalgia goes a long way in 2025, especially if you're tired of screens and touch controls. There's a small display that shows the time and the radio station, as well as a digital odometer, but that's about it for screens. Even better, there's an actual, physical control for every single function. Want to turn up the radio volume? Turn the knob. Want colder air blowing out of the vents? Just turn the knob. Want directions to that new restaurant? Print 'em off your computer or bring your phone, because this puppy sure as hell doesn't have a navigation system.

Is this car going to be for everybody? Not at all. But if you've been looking for a generally affordable autocross car, you can definitely do a whole lot worse than this 2004 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V. After all, odds are, this thing won't even hit $10,000 by the time the auction ends.