How To Buy A New(er) B13 Nissan Sentra SE-R For $2,887

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

In response to a comment regarding Nissan’s social media plans for product development, and the revival of the B13 Sentra SE-R, I felt that I should share this nugget of gold with any readers adventurous enough to go marauding in Mexico in pursuit of a well-preserved sport compact.


Once upon a time, a friend of mine was dating a Mexican national, and had planned to bring back a mint air-cooled Beetle to turn into some kind of Baja off-road racer. I had always been interested in the Mexican version of the B13 Nissan Sentra, known as the Tsuru after reading Sport Compact Car’s infamous “Nissan Tsuru Review” (perhaps one of the formative pieces that made me want to write about cars)

A little digging around online (and my poor High School-level Spanish) led me to find that the Sentra SE-R had continued on years after its 1991 demise. The Tsuru GSR-2000 was essentially the legendary B13 SE-R with a funny name. They tended to be in the $3,000-$5,000 range a couple years back, but the end of my friend’s relationship put my plans to rest before logistical issues could torpedo them for good.

Today’s comment led me to Google search again, and prices haven’t moved much at all. SE-R’s of any stripe are impossible to find in the snowbelt (save for the impostor, QR25 powered versions) and the rest seem to have been turned into race cars. If I had some time, a trailer and no semblance of financial responsibility, I’d be tempted to head down and bring one back with me. You can’t even get a decent Civic for 38,500 pesos!

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Roadscholar Roadscholar on Jul 12, 2012

    I would loooove to bring a brand new MkIV Jetta to the U.S. Anyone have a contact or know someone who knows how to do it without paying an arm and a leg? Ship it without an engine? Take the car apart and ship parts separately? There must be a way.

  • Dbcoop Dbcoop on Jul 15, 2012

    I had a used '92 SE-R in college. It was fun to drive but the build quality was awful. I had the 5th gear synchro problem, failing clear coat and springs sticking through the fabric of the front seat poking me in the back. Oh yeah, it caught on fire in the engine compartment while I was driving it (electrical fire) and was totalled. The '93 Prelude VTEC I replaced it with was much funner, more refined and better built. I can't believe people are still buying these 90's pocket rockets. They aren't very good cars by todays standards.

  • CriticalMass CriticalMass on Jul 17, 2012

    I bought my 02 SE-R new in April 92 and it's sitting in the driveway right now. It, and I, returned yesterday from a 1500 mile trip (the second such trip this Summer) including much 80 and some 90 MPH cruising. Loves mountain roads! Still tracks straight as an arrow, very stable and safe feeling, the SR20DE motor only feels better the faster it goes - it's flat wonderful at 90+. My car is unmolested, never modded, never raced, still runs 14 inch rubber (this year Bridgestone seems to have finally abandoned me on Potenza RE960 185/60 or 195/60's I had become fond of) and I wouldn't change a thing. Period. Yes, some rust. Needs paint. Don't care. Happily I never had 5th gear popout. Still has original OEM exhaust system front to back! Nissan completely screwed up when the SR20DE went away but it must have been quite expensive to build. I also think I will hold onto it till it can wear antique plates. That'll be a hoot.

  • Bebetow Bebetow on Oct 02, 2013

    Hi, guys im new here but i can tell you is that these 2000gsr or 2000 gran sport racing tsurus were made from 91-96 im getting one with mexico tags oviously up to date new tags hehe i had a 1998 b13 tsuru gs1 the base nice car awsome 4speed and i had it go passed the odo reader hehe it had 1millon 200something on it this and one rebuild on it this was 2 months ago i sold it to come back to the us and now the person i soldit to (a buddy of mine) wercked it mmm a shame i had it for 3 year i wish i still had it and you cant make them legal here i done tried with a chevy astra (opel astra europe) and chevy swing (opel swing)

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