EXHIBIT 5.1(a)

                      [LETTERHEAD OF O'MELVENY & MYERS LLP]



                                August 13, 1999


Nissan Auto Receivables Corporation
Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation
Nissan Auto Receivables Trusts
990 West 190th Street
Torrance, California 90502

         Re:  Nissan Auto Receivables Corporation
              Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation
              Nissan Auto Receivables Trusts
              Registration Statement on Form S-3
              Registration No. 333-82763

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as special counsel to Nissan Auto Receivables
Corporation ("NARC"), a Delaware corporation and wholly owned limited purpose
subsidiary of Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation, a California corporation,
and certain trusts, all of the beneficial ownership of which will initially
be owned by NARC (together with NARC, each an "Issuer"), in connection with
the proposed issuance of $3,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
asset-backed notes (the "Notes") to be offered pursuant to a registration
statement on Form S-3 (such registration statement, as amended, the
"Registration Statement") relating to the Notes. The Registration Statement
has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder. The Notes for each series will be issued
under and pursuant to an indenture between the applicable Issuer and the
Indenture Trustee (as defined therein). The indenture in the form filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 13, 1999, as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement, is herein referred to as the "Indenture."

         We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise
identified to our satisfaction, of the organizational documents of the
Issuers, the Indenture, the form of Notes included as an exhibit to the
Indenture, and such other records, documents and certificates of the Issuers
and public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary for
the purpose of this opinion. In addition, we have assumed that the Indenture
as completed for each series will be duly executed and delivered by the
parties thereto; that the Notes as completed for each series will be duly
executed and delivered substantially in the forms contemplated by the



Indenture; and that the Notes for each series will be sold as described in
the Registration Statement.

         Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

         The Notes are in due and proper form and, assuming the due
authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the applicable Issuer
and the Indenture Trustee, and the due authorization of the Notes for each
series by all necessary action on the part of the applicable Issuer, when the
Notes for each series have been validly executed, authenticated and issued in
accordance with the applicable Indenture and delivered against payment therefor,
the Notes for each series will be valid and binding obligations of the
applicable Issuer, enforceable against the applicable Issuer in accordance with
their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally
(including, without limitation, fraudulent conveyance laws), and general
principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of
specific performance or injunctive relief, regardless of whether such
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

         The opinions expressed above are limited to the federal laws of the
United States of America and the laws of the State of New York (excluding choice
of law principles therein). We express no opinion herein as to the laws of any
other jurisdiction and no opinion regarding the statutes, administrative
decisions, rules, regulations or requirements of any county, municipality,
subdivision or local authority of any jurisdiction.

         We consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the heading
"Legal Opinions" in the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, without
admitting that we are "experts," within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the rules
or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, with
respect to any part of the Registration Statement, including this exhibit.


                                                     Respectfully submitted,

                                                     /s/  O'MELVENY & MYERS LLP