Nissan Altima

lsc

I just got back from the Nissan dealer and test drove the Altima SL - automatic and the SE - 5 speed. The people that have been claiming that the interior quality is better on the newer Altimas might be on to something. While still not great, the interior did seem a little better built. The 5 speed SE is just a blast to drive. Although you have to get used to the clutch first..it's very light, so light your left leg won't get tired in a traffic jam. It's so fast and smooth! The 5-speed is also good enough for me. Didn't feel notchy at all. The suspension is also superb, better than the 2000 Maxima I test drove over the same road. (Same dealership w/ the same test drive routes)

The 4 cylinder is was also quiet and smooth. Couldn't believe it was a 4-cyl engine. Seemed like a V-6 Only when you floor the pedal do you hear the roar of the engine, but this by design since the variable capacity muffler opens up and lets the engine growl a bit. I kind of liked it.

The chassis is clearly superior to the Maximas, old and new, and this is the single most important feature for me. The car has to have a solid chassis with a sophisticated suspension set up. I didn't feel the harshness that you feel at times with the Accords double-wishbone setup nor is it too soft like the Camrys. It's firm but not harsh.

The Max might have more features with the heated steering wheel and the leather seats are much nicer than the Altima. But I wouldn't recommend the Altima w/ leather anyway, because it seems like it's made of vinyl. The cloth is good enough for me...it's nice and comfortable.

Don't forget that the Maxima's chassis dates back to 1996 (if it was a new chassis...could even be as far back as ~1991). I'd take a 2002 chassis anyday over an older one.

Sorry for the long post...

Finally, for the people that can't understand why Nissan would make the Altima and the Max so close...this is obviously the side effect of the long term goal of Nissan to improve their line of cars. The Maxima right now doesn't sit just right in their lineup...but it will in a couple of years. They had to improve the Altima to face the Camcords head on.

lsc

One of my immediate family members drive a TL and while it's a very nice car, it's not clearly superior to the new Altima. The engine, supension and chassis are all at least equal, if not better on the Altima. The TL shifts harshly at times, not what you expect from a step up car. But then again while Honda's manuals have always been superior, their automatics have always been pretty poor.

From the interior standpoint, yes the TL's is nicer but the TL does not use the best materials. The leather on the TL has always been it's weakpoint, although the Altima has set a new low with it's weird vinyl-like textured seating surface (actually the 97-01 Camry was the same way). I think the Altima's interior won't impress anyone but the TL's interior was never that impressive, either.

The thing I liked on the TL was it's auto-dimming rearview mirror, but now you can get that on all the Altimas.

Once again, the important aspects on a car for me is the engine, tranny, chassis and suspension. I guess I'm more of a mechanical guy and now I'm glad the Altima's interior w/ leather is bad. Now I won't feel too bad about getting the cloth (which I prefer at least on the Altima), and I can use that money to get better speakers and amps rather than getting the Bose.

Anyway getting back to my point, the Altima's engine, tranny, chassis and suspension compares very favorably to the TL. I've driven the TL enough times to know that.

And the kicker is that it's a lot roomier that the TL, especially the headroom and the front leg room (I can stretch my legs fully on the Altima but not on the TL).

You guys are right, for $27k I'd get the TL...but then again I would just get the Altima and save thousands and not be one bit less comfortable..and also, I'd blow by the TL w/ the manual 3.5 SE

bsproles

Thanks for the review of the 3.5SE 5 speed...that's the one I'm really looking at, and I hope my dealer gets some soon, so I can test drive one

-Bryan

lsc

the dealer that i went to had about 15 Altimas w/ about 5 being the 3.5SE. Only one 5-speed in either model though..the one I drove.

I was very impressed with the 4-cyl. too, even though it was an automatic. It felt like a V-6 and I liked the exhaust note roar as you reach redline. I want to test the 2.5S in manual first before I decide..it's a super value for what you get. We'll see though.

Next up will be the 2002 Camry, followed by the Accord before I buy.

bsproles

Well I posted a review already of the 2 Altimas I tested....one was the 2.5S 4 cylinder 5 speed. It was a great little engine...I'd still possibly consider it, but I really like the V6...

By the way, I found this link...Looks like Nissan's about 18.5% down in sales this time around, so if you take this info to the dealer, I think they should back off of MSRP, if they're still insisting on it..

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-02-2001/0001583824&EDATE=

   -Bryan

bsproles

Well I posted a review already of the 2 Altimas I tested....one was the 2.5S 4 cylinder 5 speed. It was a great little engine...I'd still possibly consider it, but I really like the V6...

By the way, I found this link...Looks like Nissan's about 18.5% down in sales this time around, so if you take this info to the dealer, I think they should back off of MSRP, if they're still insisting on it..

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-02-2001/0001583824&EDATE=

   -Bryan

cncman

mckague;
That's funny, reverse price fixing forcibly enforced!

Bryan;
Don't know how well that would work, did you notice it said sales of the new altima were up 21.6%? Also, with all that has happened and considering september 2001 was a record year,
I think down only 18% is not too bad. But whatever you think gives you an edge, but I just don't see the dealership or salesperson caring much about that when people are lined up to pay MSRP for the altima.

One thing I noticed that is nice is that you can get a lot of nice options on the S, you can get sunroof and BOSE and other things without having to step up to the SL with leather and all. Usually you have to buy way more than you want to get things like this. I too am waiting for the manual 3.5 SE, Will give more info when I do.

ruski

I think the side crease line on the 2002 Altima reminds me a lot of the side crease on the Toyota Avalon.

blueguydotcom

From what? If you're moving say 5,000 Altimas one month compared to 20k Accords, then the jump is not that impressive, now is it?

wlovett

Does any think Nissan will offer 0% financing like the Big 3 auto manufactures have??

bsproles

wlovett: I doubt it. I think the reason Detroit's doing it is precisely *because* they are American companies, and after the horrible tragedy, they know people aren't going to want to pay for big ticket items so soon. So they give you a good incentive to buy now.

cncman: I did notice the 21% up, but in the poll I saw, Nissan was down the *lowest* of all the Japanese makes with 18.5%...I figured it had to count for something

I can't say the 2.5SL 5 speed isn't nice - because it is. But I'm just used to V6 engines (I've always driven them), and a 4 feels very underpowered to me. The 4 cyl 5 speed Altima is the one exception. It has almost as much hp and torque as my V6 Saturn.

After testing the 3.5SE auto though, I can't *wait* to get behind the wheel of the 5 speed...

-Bryan

cncman

blueguy,
actually the figure was 10,401, and they only way to accurately compare is in percentages, it is easier for accords to sell 1-2000 more than altimas because their #'s are so large, so I think that it is impressive that when Ford, Chrysler and others are closing plants because of slow sales, the new altima causes a 21% jump in sales vs. the 2001 even selling at around MSRP, yes, I would call that impressive, but maybe I am easily impressed.

bsproles,
I never fault anyone for trying, if it works, more power to you, email the article to your friends!
I know what you are saying about the 4cylinder, a friend of mine interested in trading his bonneville told me he drove the V6 altima and said it felt pretty powerfull compared to his bonneville, then he found out it was the 2.5l! Very embarrasing to say the least.

ruski

OK, Altima will accelerate better. And you can have one with HID lights. But I still think 300M can more than hold its own.

Motor Trend tested the new Altima and got 6.28 in the 0-60 test. But the slalom test was at 62.3 mph. Compare that to the 300M - 63.3mph. I thought that Altima's new suspension was supposed to be something REALLY special, based on the Skyline. Check the 300M performance data:

http://www.so-calspeedshop.com/whatsnew/magazine/300Mtest.html

How's Altima's stereo? 300M can be had with the 360 watt, 11-speaker Infinity stereo.

I really like Altima's concept, but the recent reports of poor interior, plus high prices make me like 300M more.

cncman - what kind of Bonneville does you friend have? SE? or SSEi?

lsc

From your article the 300M's 0-60 is at 7.8. So off the line it's no comparison....but the 300M is a very nice car. It is a full size car however while the Altima is midsize. I'm surprised that these two are cross-shopped.

Also, slalom and skidpad numbers don't always tell the story....the BMW 540i's used to pull a .79g while the M-B E430 pulled a .85. Nobody ever said that the E430 was a better handling car... handling can also be very subjective.

What's the selling price of the 300M again? How is the reliability?

The interior in the 300M seems more plush than the Altima. The leather is however, just as 'vinylish' as the Altima if not worse.

The high prices won't last...still sucks though. I'm actually thinking of waiting a year to see if they improve the interior materials and put a 6-speed manual in the 2003.

I'm not in a big hurry to buy, but for others that are, it's too bad that it's selling close to MSRP

cncman

Ruski,
Just an SE, not the big boy,
I see what you are saying about the 300m it is a nice car, unfortunately, the public perception, (real or percieved is another argument) is that the Chrysler is not on par with Nissan in the DQR department, so even with slight advantages in some areas for the 300m, I don't imagine too many people comparing the two when they are laying down their money. Plus better warranty with the Nissan, more advanced engine technology, less maintenance, and chryslers are known for extremely poor resale value.

s852

I don't think the 300M is cross shopped very much with an Altima V6 or not. 300M buyers are looking for something different than Altima buyers and the choose to sacrifice Japanese-type reliability to get those things.
Maybe they get the 300M for the more upscale looks and style, want a bigger and heavier feel and ride quality and they may also want to "buy American" for personal reasons.
I think people who buy 300Ms are more likely to look and cross shop cars like the Lincoln LS instead of an Nissan Altima.

sgrd0q

I remember when I had my M3, and when I was reading more car atricles, there were slalom tests performed by different people/companies that were very different. It seems like everyone perfoms the test differently and under different conditions, and with drivers of different skill. I would not trust the Altima and 300M numbers, particularly when they come from two diferent sources.

mchadwick

We just picked up the car 2 days ago and what a BEAUTY!!! We have the 3.5 SE V6, fully loaded: Leather, BOSE, Wood Trim (which I might add is almost identical in color to the Infinity-light maple), Sunroof, Spoiler, Splash Guards, Wind Deflecter, and less than 5 miles-you name it we got it. We paid $800 over invoice and were out the door under $30k. This is an amazing car!!! We looked at the TL-S and couldn't decide which to buy (went back and forth forever) and finally decided on the Altima.
If you break everything down both cars were pretty close in comparison except for the price. Acura was asking $4k more and we just didn't see a hands down reason to pay the difference.

However, warning to new Altima buyers-CHECK YOUR NEW CAR THOROUGHLY BEFORE SIGNING ANY PAPERS!

We did one complete walk through before signing papers and found several major things wrong with the interior/exterior. The dealership does a horrible job taking care of the car on the lot. There were several deep scratches in the dash and around the exterior. There was also a large groove in the wheel. The sun glass holder did not close right, you had to push it several times to close and when it did it did not sit flush. The new car detail job was a disgrace. Needless to say, we left without picking up our new car. We came back a day later and did another thorough inspection and we were pleased. So, the moral to this story-go over that car with a magnifying glass before even attempting to sign anything.

afty

A year ago, who would have thought people would be cross shopping an Altima and a TL? Look how far the Altima has come!

Congrats on your purchase! Sounds like you got a great deal.

speedracer3

Congrats!....did you get the auto or 5 speed??

blueguydotcom

I had no idea how few Altimas were sold last month. It was just a number for number's sake.

Bsproles: Mopar, Ford and GM aren't offering 0% financing to be magnanimous. They're trying to move their stagnant, useless, ignored carlines. Mopar got slapped with almost a 30% drop in sales. They MUST move those cars.

cncman

blueguy,
I understand, no problem, and it's funny also that everyone is talking about the 0% financing like it is automatic, on everything, there are always restrictions and not everyone gets it, I would be surprised if more than say, 20% of the buyers qualify and end up contracting at the 0%. Just make sure you know which models it applies to, because it is not on everything, and what the term is.

shoes

I only drive German cars (spare me the grief please) but this new Altima looks like a home run for the Nissan boys.

mchadwick

We opted for the automatic and it drives abosolutely wonderful!!!

knight0205

I am thinking to buy 3.5SE with 5 speed manual fully loaded too. I just wondering how much did you pay so that I can at least have range to compare with. If you don't mind. Thank you.

blueguydotcom

http://nissannews.com/cgi/frameset.pl?/nissan/news/products/relNissanAdmin2001103103951.html

I just visited Nissan, wondering about the sales we heard about for the Altima. There's an interesting quote:

"Altima sales, which totaled 10,401 units, reflect a slight increase versus last year, early sales of the newly launched 2002 model, show increased sales of 21.6 percent over last month."

Now does that mean that sales of the 2002 are up 21%? Or across the board? If so, are they lumping 2001 and 2002 sales together? So really, all the rebates and such could be moving the same number of 2001's, and the 2002's then accounted for really only 1700-1800 more Altima designated cars sold.

Also of note, the Max sold nearly as many units as the Altima: 10,401 v. 8,259. Wonder if the crazy high pricing of the upscale Altimas really just drives people to get the invoice-priced Max?

ruski

s852,
I think that since the new Altima is even slightly bigger than Maxima its size should be comparable to the 300M.

And 300M does not feel heavy as you may think. It is actually very nibmle.

bsproles

I'm sure there were ulterior motives in their decision...I'll bet it went something like this: "Well, the US was attacked, and we *do* feel sorry for the people in New York. But at the same time, we're not doing so well ourselves - let's offer a 0% financing plan to help people out, while at the same time it helps us move cars."

As much as a tragedy like this can shake people, it can *also* be a blanket to do something else. Sure it was great for all those companies to offer millions of dollars in aid, which I'm sure they *wanted* to do just because it's good to help others in need. But I expect they also thought "hey, this is a worthy cause donation - nice tax write off."

It may sound cynical, but it's also logical. If you can help others, that's wonderful. If in helping others, it also helps you, that's great too

-Bryan

afty

I think the Maxima usually sells almost as much as the Altima. I think it's something like 130,000 Altimas/yr and 120,000 Maximas/yr. Could be wrong on this though, but I thought I read it somewhere.

blueguydotcom

Nissan said earlier that they were cutting Max sales to like 80k a year so that the new Altima would take up the slack. It appears maybe they were off. We'll see.

bsproles: It must just be me, but I can't see a corporation ever doing anything nice without an ulterior motive.

mchadwick

Scroll up a few times and it'll show you all that I wrote previously. With our new Brushed Silver/Black Leather Interior, Bose, Sunroof, Wood Trim, Splash Guards, Wind Deflector, Automatic, we were out the door total: $29,800.

brad45

Here's my update.

To answer ronoboy's price question. I purchases a 2.5S 5sp with floor mats $70, auto dimming mirror w/compass $209 and in cabin micro-filter $45 (prices are from memory, don't quote) MSRP $18995. They gave me $1k over cash value for my trade.

400 miles so far.
Pros - handles awesome, very good power. very roomy, I had 2 6ft+ 200lb+ buddies in the back seat yesterday and both gave rave reviews for head and leg room. Seats are very comfortable. Great engine sound for a 4cyl. As for styling that is a personal choice I think the interior is excellent, I don't have any plastic wood and never will in any car.

Cons- 5spd is a little chunky when cold, but a lot of that is me not being very smooth yet(I'm talking shifter action, the clutch is great). It's seems to be improving. No alloy wheels, I will rectify this soon. That's it for cons the car had and has no defects that I have found.

For $19K this is an unbelievable car. Bigger and more powerful than anything else for the price.

I am going on a 300 mile trip this weekend - all back roads. This should provide excellent info for my next post. I just want to let people know how the car is working out for me. This site has about 1500 posts and 1450 of them are pure conjecture. I thought some facts may be welcomed.

I will try to log on more often if anyone has any specific questions.

ahossa

Did you test drive the 02 Camry SE? If you did how does it stack up except for the 175HP.Do you hear engine noise in the cabin? I test drove both and the Altima seems to be noisier than the Camry. When at stop lights the Camry is super quiet. How about the Altima? I'm debating which of the 2 I should buy?

fasterthanu

My work buddy just bought an Altima 2 weeks ago: 2.5SL loaded. He got a fairly good price of $24,500 but listen to this:

The dealership talked him into an 8 year warranty for $1700, road hazard warranty (replacement tires) for $800. If I had been his in-dealership advisor, he would never have walked out buying that stuff. These were charge On Top of the $24,500 purchase price.

Anyway, he brought the car back to the dealership the following week to have foglights and alarm installed. When he picked it up, he found a long scratch on the bumper where the fog light was installed. The service and sales guys all denied responsibility, saying he had done it. They even went so far as to say they would fix it for $2300, and that it would cost $8000 elsewhere (I was like, what!?!?!?!?! when he told me this - all that to fix a scratch?!?!?!) Needless to say, a huge argument ensued, with his ex-boss - a lawyer - doing him a favor and calling the dealership's manager. They agreed to fix it on the following Monday, but instead of finishing it within the day as promised, they kept the car overnight.

Now he's got the car back, but his insurance company called to say the VIN doesn't match up with their records and they want a $3000 deposit. He called several other insurance companies, and they also could not find a matching record for the VIN. (A friend of his also bought an Altima recently, and came across the same mismatching VIN problem).

So I told him he should go to the dealership, demand the F&I guy fix the VIN mess and get him proper insurance. Not only that, all the insurance companies are charging OUTRAGEOUS rates (one wanted $7000 per year).

So in the last two weeks, his ownership experience has been a nightmare. Has anyone ever come across a VIN problem like that?! I've never heard of it, but the dealership told him that since it was a new 2002 model, there are delays with VIN records. This sounds ludicrous to me - no one should sell a car unless it's properly registered in every way. This is supposed to be Nissan Motors ... not Joe [non-permissible content removed] Motors. They said it will clear up eventually but for the meantime his insurance is in danger of lapsing unless he can come up with the $3000 deposit.

Has anyone come across these problems and found a fair resolution?

cupholder1

I currently have a Passat, and I am in the market for a new sedan. The new Nissan Altima and Maxima looked fairly attractive.

However, I won't get any car that doesn't have side airbags. Upon investigating the Nissans further, I have found that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get side airbags without having the car loaded up with tons of other needless extras. With the Maxima, you CAN'T get side airbags without a sunroof and an $800 stereo. I do not want a sunroof. I wouldn't take one for free... I never use them, and they wind up taking up too much headroom (I'm tall).

I wonder why Nissan insists on these crazy configurations. In fact, I was interested in getting the Maxima 3 years ago when I got the Passat, but didn't for the same reason... impossible to get the car unless it was loaded with options and other needless extras.

hvan3

I had a chance to visit a local Nissan dealer to check out the Altima. From reading this board, I was expecting to see cheap plastics. I believe it is cheap plastics but that doesn't bother me too much. I think the Altima is a NICE looking car. Perhaps next year, they will improve the interior.

Did you notice that the right side of the dash board is vinyl coated, while the left side of the dash board, it's plastic. You can't even tell the difference unless you actually knock on it.

lsc

your buddy should report that shady outfit to Nissan Motors. sometimes you run into a crappy dealer like that. a lot of times you can tell what type of service to expect during the buying process. the general attitude of the dealer seems to be driven from top down.

never heard of a VIN # problem like that. Call the police. And tell them that a dealer sold you a stolen car. :-)

bluesky999

There are very clear laws regarding how manufacturers register the VINs, and Nissan or any other manufacturer is not stupid enough to try to violate them for any reason. It would be the same as shooting themself in the foot. Either the dealer made some kind of crazy error, or the post by fasterthanu was a scare tactic of a salesman from a nissan competitor. But in either case, it's no reflection on Nissan motor company. Geez, in all the decades I've been reading about cars I've never heard of such a thing--not even from Yugo or Hyundai in their early days. No offense meant to you, fasterthanu, i'm just stating what the possible causes are here.

ntenbroek

I love this car. So far no vin problems or anything and my dealer has been great. The inusrance rates have been reasonable and I live in Massachusetts!

I just can't get over how refined the 4cyl is. It feels like a six to me and the car feels lighter with the 4. The manual is a little heavy though. Maybe I'm just not used to it since my last car was a civic.

gerapau

Although front headroom and legroom on the Altima are slightly more generous then on the 300M, the 300M is still quite a bit larger and heavier (by about 400 pounds) then the Altima. I agree with s852 that I doubt that many people cross shop these cars. I also agree with lsc that you shouldn't put much faith in numbers that are published by different sources. Your best bet is to go out and drive both cars back to back. I am sure that you will find that both these cars have certain advantages over the other. It all comes down to what you like.

cncman

I think that possibly insurance companies may not have their files updated for 2002 models, have your friend ask the dealer for the original invoice or MSO and make sure the VIN matches up, he can even take that to his insurance, they should have no problem with that, sorry he is having such a run around from that dealer. And not to insult your friend, but did he just not think about the extras they were selling him? The extended warranty is not extremely out of whac, but the road hazard? I have never heard of a dealer trying to sell this at all, usually it is done by a tire shop for around $20. $800 would easily buy you two complete sets of tires! He should cancel that if he can. SO far as the scratch, even if the dealer is uncertain whether or not they caused it or it was there before, they should be willing to at least deal with him on it, there is no way it costs more than a couple hundred bucks unless they have to replace the bumper cover as it may not be able to be repaired. Just shows you how important it is to find a dealer that you can trust and when you do reward them with your business and your friend's business.

fasterthanu

blueguy

I can definitely undertand your skepticism. But as unreal as it seems, this is all true. My friend was very excited to get this car, although I had tried to convince him to get an IS300 instead for a little more $$. He liked the Altima and the price closed the deal. But after all is said and done, at this point, he's paid a price much closer to the IS and for the short two weeks of ownership, it has been a nightmare. I don't doubt this will all be resolved and he can finally enjoy his car, but now the guy is looking for $3K to put down as a deposit only to keep his insurance in effect! That to me is really unfair. The VIN problem could be an error, as I too have never heard of such a thing, but all the insurance companies can't verify that number which indicates a real problem (especially since someone he knows has the same prob with his Altima (an SE, I believe). I'll let you know what the deal is when he's got this thing resolved. I sat in the car and was surprised by teh roominess, but still wish he would've gotten the IS300 so I can borrow the ride!

fasterthanu

Thanks for the advice. He's going to the dealership to get this resovled tomorrow. Like I said, if I were with him when buying the car, he would never have fallen for the road hazard warranty. I said the same thing you did! I think they gave him a lowball price knowing they could talk him into the extras, I'm not sure how it all went down. Problem is that he was a little too smitten with the car, and that was his downfall.

afty

I don't know about the Maxima, but on the Altima side airbags are part of the ABS Package. You don't have to buy anything else to get the ABS Package.

mckague

Got a funny looking package in the mail yesterday - looks like a huge pill bottle (cure for the common car). Inside: a brochure for the new Altima, a gift certificate for a free watch or bag if I go test drive one, and an Altima CD-ROM! Haven't checked out the CD-ROM, but apparently it contains info about the car not in the brochure, and it has some CD music tracks on it as well. Didn't recognize any of the artists. Earlier this year, I got an Altima preview brochure that came in a little paper box about the size of a CD jewel box. I'll say this for Nissan, their car and their advertising are both quite stylish, and somewhat tacky at the same time.

speedracer3

Nissan has its crazy options and so does VW. I shopped the Passat before getting my 2000 Maxima, and could not believe that I could not get power seats or climate control unless I got a GLX. Not to mention measly 2 year warranty VW used to offer (thank god they changed that). As far as having a sunroof. I really didn't want one either, but now that I have it (could not find a Maxima SE in Florida without a sunroof) I use it quite a bit.

axhandle

I have been following all of the Alty chat and
would like to thank all of the comments as it helped me in my decision to buy. I live in Northern California and went to four different dealers to see what kind of a deal I could get.
Four would NOT deal below MSRP and in fact all five had ridiculous dealer packs of $4995. on both
S and SE models. I offered all dealers 5% over
invoice and full MSRP on accessories, and said I
would NOT pay any dealer pack. The last dealer said he would accept my offer after I told them I
was on my way to Sacremento to visit other dealerships. There was also a 1.5% advertising fee
of the basic invoice price. Anyway I paid $1052.
over invoice, plus the $540 transportation, $749
for ABS, $299 traction, and $128 for floor mats and pollen filter, for $24,629. Out the door with
tax and licence it came to $26,663. I probably could have gotten a better deal if I had waited a
couple of months, but all the dealers said that
they couldn't special order models with options, but could only trade around with other dealers to
get cars with the options that customers wanted.
The other dealers had SE's that were fully loaded
with leather and sunroofs which I did't want. Hope this is helpful!

brad45

I hope you enjoy your SE as much as I am enjoying my S.

ahossa - no I did not test drive the 02 Camry. The camry has never interested me personally, even with the new skin. To be honest, I never considered it. I would assume the 2.5S is noisier than the Camry, I think they are aimed at slightly different consumers. The camry is more of a mass market car and will probably outsell the Altima 2:1. I'm sure the Cam is an excellent car as it has always been. Perhaps the 02 will have a little personality too.

Fasterhanu - I feel for your bud, but I have had no such problems so far. I haven't received my insurance bill yet, but it should only be about $900/yr and I live in Upstate NY. I hope your friend can get through this and enjoy his car.

Note on my warranty experience - the dealer offered me 5yrs 60k with a $50 deductable for $960. I told them to keep it. The standard powertrain is already 5/60 with no deductable so the warranty only covered non-powertrain stuff. I think there are aftermarket warrantees out there for better prices.

mchadwick

We too have a problem with our VIN# not being able to be located. Like I said in my last messages(scroll up)we are the proud parents of a 3.5 SE Fully loaded with everything from Leather to Wood and have tried with several insurance companies to get it registered and all have said there is no such VIN#. We thought it to be just a fluke, but now that I've been reading what everyone else is saying-I'm a bit worried. Has anyone heard anything yet? And if it's just a matter of the files not being yet updated-how come this wasn't taken care of BEFORE we all bought our new vehicles?

maxamillion1

Motorweek tested the new Altima 3.5SE manual last night, they were able to get it to do 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, pretty impressive to say the least. They seemed to like the car pretty well, and thought that it was a real challenge for the others in it's class. It did the 1/4 mile in 14.4 secs. and stop 60-0 in 126ft. Out of all the controversy about the interior and the price, we all have to admit, this car is FAST!!!