1991 Nissan FIGARO

Showing just one former UK keeper, this delightful Nissan Figaro offers the enthusiast a chance to get their hands on one of the very first retro modern classics for not a lot of money.

First registered in Japan on the 1st of June 1991, it was imported here a decade ago and UK registered on the 1st of March 2010. In the care of the vendor’s mum for the past five years, it’s been the recipient of a recent head gasket and timing belt and four new tyres in addition to routine servicing.

The vendor readily acknowledges the need for some cosmetic fettling by offering it with no reserve, so it’ll sell from the very first bid no matter how derisory that might be!

The Pale Aqua bodywork presents well overall with its cute and cheeky looks nicely offset by the cream roof and extensive chromework. It’s clearly had some bodywork previously as the colour of the passenger’s door is a little off and the panel gap at the front isn’t to Nissan’s usual standards, but then it is knocking on the door of its 20th birthday and some minor fettling over the years is only to be expected.

The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that the sliding fabric sunroof needs attention in terms of the way it fits. The vendor tells us that it’s been like this for a long time and is only an aesthetic issue; it still opens and closes freely, and seals well being completely water-tight.

There also looks to be a little rust starting at the base of the offside B-pillar and the rear wheelarches, and the chrome bumpers are developing some corrosion. Please see the photographs for details.

But the rest all still hangs together well and it looks like an honest car that’s just in need of a little TLC. Oh, and the OE wheels are fitted with four matching tyres, which were fitted new in April 2018.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance. 

The interior is as charmingly retro as the exterior. Largely cream, it is dotted throughout with jewels like chrome and Bakelite-like controls, a twin-spindle radio, soft-touch paint to the finish, two huge Mini-esque dials, and a suitably kitsch key.

The cream leather seats are patinated but still presentable. We think they’d respond very well to a deep clean and a feed but some creasing would inevitably remain. The driver’s seat is also a little soft but far from being a deal-breaker, good second-hand replacements are readily available from the usual sources.

That’s the bad news. The good is that the rest of the interior is very good indeed with excellent door cards, carpets, headlining and dashboard. It’s still standard too, previous owners having resisted the temptation to drill holes in the dashboard to fit extra switches and dials.

The only other minor issue we can see – aside from the usual stonechips and minor marks – is the door shut for the boot, which is grubby. Still, that would be a very satisfying way to occupy 20 minutes…

The Nissan received a new head gasket and refaced cylinder head in January 2017. The work, which was completed only 10,000kms ago, was comprehensive and included a new timing belt, tensioner, and water pump in addition to a full service.

A new battery was fitted in April 2018 along with four new tyres.

The underside looks strong still (the MOT tester certainly hasn’t had cause to mention it in the past decade) and is in surprisingly good condition considering that few Japan-market cars are protected with underseal.

However, a little surface corrosion is starting and we’d recommend the new owner get this sorted as a matter of priority before the merely unsightly turns into something more serious.

The Figaro’s MOT certificate expires in October 2020. It also comes with some invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it in the UK.

It still has the original UK sales invoice, an export certificate, and a current V5 registration document.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the owner and ask if they can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like them to concentrate on.

As a non-metallic colour, the localized repairs the Figaro needs would be well within the reach of a competent DIYer, allowing them to improve the car as and when time and funds allow.

Being offered with no reserve, the Figaro will sell from the very first bid and we expect the virtual hammer to fall somewhere between £2000 and £4000, at which price point the retro-Figaro offers a cost-effective way to drive something with classic looks alongside modern reliability and ease of repair.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Manchester; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.