Overall pretty reliable

I bought this car almost 10 years ago and it's still going. It hasn't been without it's problems but for a car that's nearly 20 years old that's to be expected. The fact that a cheap 4 cyl car is still going strong 20 years later is a testament to Nissan's engineering. The guy I bought the car from told me I should get a good few years out of it, maybe even five. Well, like an energizer battery, the Pulsar keeps going and going...
For several years I had driven it with a horrible oxidized paint job and a large sun spot on the hood. I figured the car wouldn't last long so no need to worry about the appearance. The car has refused to die so I finally gave up and repainted it. I like the unique look (almost like a Pontiac Fierro actually). Fun and easy to drive. Front wheel drive is great. Blazing this little car out of snow banks while laughing at stuck pickup trucks is always funny. This thing can get through any bad weather. I've never been stuck anywhere, ever! It's not without it's problems but overall it's been a pretty decent car. The only real headache it's ever given me was transmission trouble which is an expensive repair but for a cheap car built in 85 it was about time the transmission started messing up. One of the few cars I've owned that I've actually been pretty happy with. I wish Nissan still made these for America. I might consider buying a new one when this one finally dies.