Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Nissan Altima

1394042444597

Comments

  • brad45brad45 Member Posts: 27
    My car has 2300 miles on it now. To remind people - 2.5S 5spd

    I still love this car and have nearly no complaints. The handling and power are awesome. I was traveling for a week and missed driving my car.

    The only complaint I've had is that my shifter sometimes hangs up going from 1st to 2nd. That problem seems to be fixing itself. Do trannies break-in? It has only happened once in the last two days and is much less noticeable when it does happen. I'll give it a few more weeks to go away on its own before I bring it to the dealer. Everything else is excellent.

    I have no complaints about the interior. I happen to like it. Maybe the Camcords have better material, but I am 29 and single and have no desire to own soulless family sedan even if the interior was hand stitched Italian leather. It was a stretch to buy any sedan, but I love this car.

    For background - I shopped around for over a year looking at camcords, S40's, Passats, Maximas etc. (626's are too ugly for me to consider) Camcords have no soul they rival Buicks in the "fun to drive" category. Max's are more cash than I wanted to spend. The S40 is a lousy deal (tiny car) Supposedly Passat's can be had in the low $20k range, but they are hard to find, the ones I saw were more than I wanted to spend. And 150hp from a turbo to haul 5 people on the highway? I like 5spds but I don't like to downshift that often.

    I also briefly looked at the Grand Prix, but I couldn't buy another GM. I left $3500 on my GM card to buy my Nissan.

    IMO - people with $25 to $30k to drop should probably look elsewhere, but I spent $18K ($19K sticker). What else compares at that price? An Accord LX 5spd - no way! A civic EX - get serious. For 18-22k no car compares to the Altima for the combination of room, power, handling, and quality.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249


    ROFL. A M3 or AMG 55 is far safer than about 99% of the cars on the road...better stopping, better handling, better crash protection than most vehicles. Yet oddly its insurance premiums will be infinitely higher for the M or AMG than say an 02 Camry with an inline 4. As stated before a billion mitigating factors play into a vehicle's insurance cost not the least of which are the age, occupation, ticket-history, accident-history, miles driven, typical number of thefts/accidents/tickets for that vehicle's class or particular make.
  • ahossaahossa Member Posts: 152
    Doesn't the 2.5 sounds loud in the cabin. I test drove it on Thursday Nov 1, 2001 and it seemed so light and there was lot of noise in the cabin.The power is there but that's about it and the jewel lights are great looking.How about the suspension?I drove on some rough road here in Manhattan and it was not as soft as I thought it would be based on the new Multi-link system from the Skyline.Did you test drive the Camry?
  • fasterthanufasterthanu Member Posts: 210
    You test-drove in Manhattan? Where did you go - Potamkin or Autotech Nissan?

    Potamkin is a RIP-OFF. I advise you to avoid them at all costs. They're more a leasing company for every kind of make and model, and disavow ANY warranty responsibility. When you have something wrong with your car, all they'll do for you is point you to a real dealer, and since you didn't buy from that dealer, you'll get sub-par service.

    I've heard Autotech is pretty bad too when it comes to customer service. Better watch your wallet there.

    How did you like the spaceship look of the Altima?
  • hintzhintz Member Posts: 71
    I currently own a 01 g-20 except it lacks the horsepower. Definitely like the looks of the 02 altima, however the 03 g-35 will be rear wheel drive, Its going to blow away bmw3 series/audi a-4 and the other comps. Any comments?
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    I too am looking forward to the intro of the new Skyline, nee G35. But how it will fare against its immediate competition remains very much to be seen.

    For me, there are two worries: one is that they will turn it into the kind of Japanese hot rod that Toyota chose to do with the IS300 - rocky ride, short gearing, super-low profile z tires all in the interest of impressing journalists and the "younger crowd" [they are already beginning to notice what a small part of the market the younger crowd makes, and journalists borrow cars, they don't buy them]...a sports sedan is supposed to be, first and foremost, a comfortable touring car over all kinds of surfaces in all kinds of weather [which is what distinguishes the German competitors]. The second concern is the obvious: price.

    Assuming it can actually be had in the real world for $30k, and doesn't rattle your teeth on wavy SoCal concrete freeways, THEN they will have a winner for sure.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    are basically the same chassis/same car (I believe) then are the Altima and the G35 going to be siblings in the same manner, or are they different vehicles from the git-go (a southern term)
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    We purchased a 2001 GXE Ltd. Ed. last November and the wife still really loves her car with almost 16k. I went to the Miami Auto Show on thursday and was very underwhelmed by the new Altima. Outside styling really smokes the competition but the inside was in a word,horrible! Our 2001 has a nicer interior and compared to the new Camry, the Alty was way back there. I really wanted to like the new Alty, but the cheap interior really ruined it for me. Even the lower priced Mazda Protege had a nicer and more refined interior!
    To each his own but Nissan needs to rework this interior asap and I for one really hope they do because style wise outside, it's a grand slam!
    Just my humble opinion.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    Having looked at this car 5 times by now it was nice to finally drive one...I'll just basically give an abbreviated version.

    Room and Comfort- A-
    truly commdious. Seats are okay, not sure how they'd be over the long trip.

    Power- A-
    excellent for a 4 cylinder and a car this big. Yet, the tranny was slow to downshift at times. Motor is pretty quiet at 80mph.

    Handling/Ride not sure
    Didnt flog it, but on the freeway the ride was fine and the steering felt good.

    Ext. style- A
    no explanation needed.

    Interior style and quality- D+
    the design intent is fine, but the whole execution is cheap. Enough to the point where I probably wouldn't buy the car. The plastic is worse than a GM car. Now I have seen some new Altimas with a tan interior and it looks better, but this dark gray I drove today was bad. Cheap, cheap, cheap. The tilt and telescope wheel is nice tho.

    Overall- B
    Solid in all areas except interior which drags it down from A to B. Still, for those who can overlook the interior and even like it....then you would have to consider this car a home run. A steal at anything under 20k. The loaded 6's in the 28 range are truly a rip off though.

    One last tip, I saw one of the Altimas with aftermarket gray leather. HUGE improvement over the crap Nissan puts in there. If you want leather in your Altima, DO NOT go factory. Make sure you get it aftermarket.
  • cupholder1cupholder1 Member Posts: 231
    Nissan really needs to do its homework. The Altima is designed to be a popular car amongst the ham & egger family sedan segment. Yet, they lack the most basic of basic safety features, which are side airbags/ABS. I have been told by more than one Nissan dealer that it is almost impossible to get the airbags/ABS option without getting a completely optioned out vehicle which will raise the price quite a bit.

    These sort of misses, combined with junky interior, torque steer, and rotten residual values, means that Nissan has a lot of homework to do.

    Expect to see the '02 Altima at a rental car company near you.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Aside from the architecture of the V6, and the manufacturer, there is very little else shared between the Skyline/G35 and the Altima. These are wildly different animals.
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    Don't forget that there is a G35 board here at Town Hall. One huge difference between the two is that the G35 is RWD and the Altima is FWD. The G35 is also slated to get a 5-speed automatic with sequential shift. They appear to share the same engine, at least initially. G35 reportedly to get a 6-speed manual transmission, though maybe it is the same one as Maxima.
  • ronoboyronoboy Member Posts: 32
    I had no problems getting the ABS/side air bags as my only option (other than automatic and the cabin filter) on the S version, perhaps that isn't true at the higher end versions?
  • crapgamecrapgame Member Posts: 43


    ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL. I'll repeat that again. ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL. You quoted the relevant piece from my post above, and you still don't get it, do you? Perhaps it needs to be better explained to you. In simple terms, this means that two identically performing cars driven by an indentical driver under identical circumstances. This is absolutely true. As I said before, any insurance industry actuary will verify this.

    You said:
    "ROFL. A M3 or AMG 55 is far safer than about 99% of the cars on the road...better stopping, better handling, better crash protection than most vehicles."

    Talk about ROFL. These may be the best performing cars on the road. Better crash protection? That is completely your opinion, and the insurance industry doesn't care about that when the guy in the F-150 moves into your lane during rush hour, because it isn't relevant. Simple physics means your M3 is going to be crushed more than the guy in the 1988 Sedan DeVille or the guy in the Suburban.

    Then you said:
    "Yet oddly its insurance premiums will be infinitely higher for the M or AMG than say an 02 Camry with an inline 4. As stated before a billion mitigating factors play into a vehicle's insurance cost not the least of which are the age, occupation, ticket-history, accident-history, miles driven, typical number of thefts/accidents/tickets for that vehicle's class or particular make."

    You just restated my point for me. ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL. The billion mitigating factors you mention, such as age, occupation, ticket-history, accident-history, miles driven, typical number of thefts/accidents/tickets for that vehicle's class or particular make. Please read more thoroughly before you go harping on a post and then restate what was said in the post you were bashing. Go ahead, it's there up above. Towards the end of Paragraph #3 in Post #2052.

    Have a nice day :)

    Crapgame
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    I checked out the Altima again, this time at the Miami auto show. I had a chance to pull, push, tug pieces of trim in all directions :)

    The fuel door release handle is horrible, I can see it snapping off very easily. And how are you going to fill up then?

    The carpet cutout with its cute curling flap is horrible too.

    And the plastic used in the lower inside door panels and pockets is very flimsy.
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    the gooseneck trunk hinges are already insulting enough, but what's up with that hood prop rod? Close to $30K and you get a prop rod? Maybe they should also offer a hand-crank!
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I believe it has been some long time since we "spoke"...thanks for the feedback...
  • fasterthanufasterthanu Member Posts: 210
    I think that the telescoping feature is more a hindrance than a help, and at the least, a useless feature. A telescoping wheel is only useful when it's powered and automatic, like on the Lexus LS where it gets out of your way as you exit and enter the car. This one on the Altima is hard to adjust to the right position - you either push or pull it too far because it's so tight.
  • lsclsc Member Posts: 210
    the telescoping feature on the contrary is very useful because it allows people who are different in height / arm length to get into the most comfortable driving position.

    The Lexus LS's steering wheel you are talking about automatically tilts away. This has nothing to do with the telescoping feature.

    ruski:

    the hood prop rod also surprised me. the only consolation i took from that was that it saved a few pounds (not having the struts) and the hood is made of aluminum so its very light. I agree that they should not have cut cost here.

    also, the 2001 Altima has a bland, boring interior that's not impressive at all. The 2002 Altima may have the hard plastic but it's still way better than the 2001 in almost all aspects. The seats are bigger and more comfortable for one.
  • ahossaahossa Member Posts: 152
    Fasterthanu:I test drove at Autotech Nissan. Had no problems.place looked cheesy.I didn't like the ride.It was too noisey for me.I like soft riding cars cause i do o lot of driving. Currently I have a 96 concorde and this car is loud on the highways.I'm inclined to choose the 02 Camry but can't decided whether to get the Se or LE.The se is great but when you ride on rough surface the suspension is loud and as you know Manhattan and Queens counties are loaded with uneven surfaces and potholes.
  • stebustebu Member Posts: 204
    Beside being a nit hardly worth mentioning, I'm guessing anyone who complains about having a hood prop rod:
    a) has never owned a car with hood/hatchback struts for more then the life of a typical lease period

    and

    b) dosen't live where the temperature drops below freeezing very often.

    Over the years, I've had several cars (foreign and domestic) with various hood/tailgate/rear window struts and without exception they have ALL eventually failed and needed replacement, especially during cold weather. So, I guess I see a prop rod on the Altima's hood as an advantage.
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    No car costing more than $20,000 should use a hood prop rod. And they should all use the multi-link trunk hinges in lieu of the space-eating traditional hinge. Why does Nissan get so much right and then so much wrong, including easy stuff? Prop rods and bad trunk hinges aren't the cure for anything!
  • leonivleoniv Member Posts: 120
    One more argument for the struts: After driving my camry, I always burn my hand when grabbing the hood, lifting it, holding it, then grabbing the prop rod to prop the hood. All of these items (hood and prop rod) are scalding hot when the engine heats up. Simple struts would save me a lot of pain when popping the hood while the engine's hot. I don't pop the hood when the engine's hot voluntarily, but when your car doesn't start, you really don't have a choice =). I'll pay the extra $$ for struts any day.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Nissan probably figured it could cut both cost and weight by offering prop rod, and 90% of owners would never notice anyway (their mechanic will, but owners don't care).

    I agree that the gooseneck hinges have got to go.

    Nissan should offer a 5 door hatch or a wagon to compete with the Mazda 6s rumored to arrive soon. Hinge problem solved. SUV substitute problem also solved, because you'll have lots of cargo capacity.

    C'mon Nissan, 5 doors, please.

    -juice
  • speedracer3speedracer3 Member Posts: 650
    Well, if Nissan doesn't put struts in the trunk of the $50K+ Infiniti Q45 I would not expect it in the sub $30K Altima. Still no excuse, Nissan should be putting struts in both cars.
  • lsclsc Member Posts: 210
    I don't think Nissan needs to compete with every body style out there, especially if they can't make money on the body style.

    I think they should let Mazda have their day in the sun. We'll see how good the Mazda 6 is. You never know how good it is until you see it. A lot of the people in this forum said that the Altima was going to be their next car, jumping up and down, until they saw the interior. Then the Maxima, a car that was crucified became the savior and a better buy.

    We'll see how many of the Mazda 'converts' actually buy the Mazda 6. It could be "Did you see the new Honda Accord?!!!" "That's my next car!!!"
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They need to if they want my money, that's all. ;-)

    The Mazda 6 interior has already been shown, and doesn't look all that special. That just isn't that high on my priority list, though.

    -juice
  • cupie9cupie9 Member Posts: 6
    I just bought a 2002 Altima SE and I really like it, except for one thing. I have the Bose system and from the time I drove off the lot, I have had static on all of the FM stations.

    A guy I work with thinks it's just a short, and I hope he's right because it's annoying.

    Has anyone else had this problem with their Altimas, and does anyone have any suggestions?
  • fasterthanufasterthanu Member Posts: 210
    If Nissan is going to make an Altima coupe, this is what it'll look like:


    http://www.chevrolet.com/monte_carlo/images/gallery/gallery_major04.jpg

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Besides the taillight housing (which itself is a different color), I don't see a whole lot of similarities.

    -juice
  • obiwankenobi1obiwankenobi1 Member Posts: 290
    So they put a prop rod on a $28,000 Altima, but leave hinges on a $25,000 Maxima?

    Pretty bizarre! Good thing I have a Maxima....BUT WAIT! The Altima has a prop rod and IRS but the Maxima has a hood hinge and a solid rear axle?

    Nissan, what ARE you thinking? Sometimes I wonder!

    Obi
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    I think the Altima's hood has holes that could be used for gas strut hinges. They probably designed the hood with hinges in mind, but then decided to not offer them, at least for now.
  • aftyafty Member Posts: 499
    That looks like a friggin spaceship!
  • brad45brad45 Member Posts: 27
    ahossa - Yes there is more interior noise than the accord. I like it. If you're looking for a silent ride look somewhere else. No, I never test drove the camry. I find the camry as inspiring as Steven Wright on sleeping pills (is that how he spells his name?). As for the soft ride - why would an IRS have a soft ride? The corvette has an IRS and it rides pretty darns stiff. The Altima is tuned sportier than the Accord and Camry, if most of your driving is in NYC you probably will never feel the benefit. I live in upstate and enjoy the sportier feel on back roads.

    regfootball - The interior plastic is cheaper than GM material? Get real. I've driven GMs all my life and the Altima interior is head and shoulders above anything offerd by GM (although I haven't been in any caddies lately). I'm not arguing that the Accord may have a higher quality "feel" to a lot of people, but let's not get carried away.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    neither is nice.

    a grand am has a nicer interior than an altima.

    I think my nephews fisher price play car has a nicer interior than both.

    all joking aside, seriously, the altima interior is poor. Not as bad as the interior of a 94 Lumina (that would be tough to match) but probably ranks up there with a Camaro in terms of plastic quality and assembly quality.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    The Altima's interior might not be good as a Maxima, but the interior is WAY better, I mean WAY WAY WAY better than a darn Grand Am, Grand Prix,Bonneville, any Pontiac. I believe that the Altima's interior is cheap, but when I sit in a Pontiac, I'd think the Altima was a darn Lexus!!!
    What in the world makes the Grand Am's interior better than the Altimas? I've got to know!!!!
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    Nissan goofed on this one. The Altima interior is below average in build quality and materials quality.

    I normally yack at the site of a GM car, but after my recent test drive in the Altima it bothered me to the point that I most likely won't buy the car.

    Nissan CAN DO BETTER. The rest of the car is top notch. Should use struts on the hood by the way. I've had several cars in many degrees below zero weather and I've never had a problem with gas struts on the hood. The only struts I had difficulties with was on an old Omni. But hey that's a Chrysler, so I just assume that.

    The trunk gooseneck hinges have to go. Cheesy.

    The Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata interiors are better than the Altima. Should I go on. The Inrigue is nicer, the ALero is nicer, the Galant....well, Galant is maybe equal. The Sebring and Stratus are yecky on the interior but still better than Altima. The Intrepid, which I thought was the king of cheap plastic is still better executed than Altima.

    The bland Accord looks positively luxury on the interior in camparison.
  • cookstercookster Member Posts: 10
    Just a few observations regarding the new Altima as I had a chance to drive one today. I was really impressed by the handling and the steering feel. The four-cylinder auto seemed reasonably powerful. It doesn't seem as smooth as the Accord or Camry four cylinders though. There seems to be a bit more road noise in the Altima vs. the other two cars and the ride is noticably firmer but I guess that's the price you pay for a better handling package.

    I took the Altima over some rough roads and noticed some squeaks and rattles coming from the interior trim. The Altima did not seem to be as tight and solid feeling over these roads compared to the Accord or Camry. I disappoints me do hear these kind of noises coming from a brand new car and makes me wonder how bad it would become over time.

    I guess what it comes down to is that the Altima is a more fun to drive package than either the Accord or Camry but Nissan need to resolve some fit and finish problems before it can match the high quality standards of its two competitors.
  • oac3oac3 Member Posts: 373
    welcome to the growing list of posters here that have said practically the same thing....

    maybe we can simply reduce or filter the whole argument to simple lingos:

    if you want driving excitement ---> buy the '02 Alty
    if you want quality overall ---> buy the CamCords

    if you want all of the above ---> buy the Maxima

    that is one way of summarizing succintly what we have spent 6+ months debating on this forum ....
  • cupholder1cupholder1 Member Posts: 231
    The Altima isn't really as big of a "breakthrough" as many here would like to make it out to be. In fact, the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP is a 240 HP V6. Like the Altima, it has cheap cheesy interior, and is in the same general price range. Also hits 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds IN AN AUTOMATIC.

    The one difference is the Grand Prix isn't offered in stick shift. But hey, good luck finding an Altima SE in 5 speed. There just aren't very many out there.
  • cupholder1cupholder1 Member Posts: 231
    Below is an excerpt of the Edmunds review on the Pontiac Grand Prix. Just insert "Altima" wherever you see "Grand Prix"....

    "Have you ever dated a drop-dead gorgeous knockout who was the object of your desire...until
    he or she opened their mouth and tried to speak intelligently? Ruined the whole fantasy, didn't
    it? And if you stopped by this stunner's home for a visit, hoping a controlled substance had
    simply slurred their speech the first time you met, you found an unkempt shack with a
    flame-blackened Pinto on blocks in the yard and an unspeakable odor 5 feet from the front
    door. For many of us, thick, pouty lips and a taut body could not overcome the lack of, umm,
    refinement displayed by this potential partner.

    The Pontiac Grand Prix is the automotive equivalent of a trailer-park beauty queen, or king. It
    exhibits strong sex appeal and has moves that can lull you into submission, but is otherwise
    harsh on most of the senses most of the time."
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm sure you could find gas struts from the aftermarket that would hold up the hood. They're available for the Miata, for example. It's a $40 part that shouldn't prevent you from buying a car you otherwise want.

    Kia and Hyundai still have exposed screw heads and exposed stitching on the shiny vinyl portions of the seats. IMHO they do not match the Altima's plain but functional interior.

    A manual transmission is a pre-requisite for a sports sedan. The dealer I visited had 2 SE 5 speeds ready to test, and one stickered at $25k, not $30k, not even $28k.

    Grand Prix? I really don't think someone shopping for a sporty imported sedan will cross shop a Pontiac. Besides, if wider is indeed better, the Intrigue is about an inch wider than the Grand Prix and comes with a longer warranty.

    -juice
  • shriqueshrique Member Posts: 338
    Boy I can't take you seriously ever again. it's almost blasphemy comparing any decent car to a GM.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Funny thing is I took a Camry SE for a test spin and that thing rattled over every road imperfection. Add in the underpowered engine, poor handling and lack of manual and the Camry's about as attractive as a lobotomy.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    No V6/5 speed on Camry, either. One mag went as far as saying they like the SE 4 cylinder better than the V6.

    Back to the interior, opinions seem to vary. Kelley Blue Book like the "beautifully sculpted dash".

    Edmunds said the "affordable luxury car" tag line was never more true than it is today. Their review's only gripe was some displays being hard to read in sunlight. It's their top pick.

    Motorweek just said the interior was roomy and comfortable, but who cares when it reached 60mph in 5.9 seconds?

    Hmm, aluminum hood and trunk, too. If the hood is too heavy to lift and prop up with a rod, you probably have only been doing 12 ounce curls lately. ;-)

    Rear suspension adapted from the Skyline. Cool stuff.

    -juice
  • lsclsc Member Posts: 210
    Just would like to do a quick poll on the car that people on this forum primarily drive.

    It's a good reference to see where some people are coming from and their viewpoints.

    I traded in my Infiniti J30t for the 2002 Altima 3.5 SE Automatic.

    Would have possibly bought the Camry, if I bought the 4-cyl. Don't like the Camry's rear drum brakes on the LE model, though.
  • speedracer3speedracer3 Member Posts: 650
    What have they done to this car styling wise??. I've seen the car many times on the street and I cannot get over how odd the car looks. The butt sticks up in the air too much and it is too squarish. IMO the front doesn't go with the back. The new Lexus ES 300 has the same problem, although it is slighly less offensive than the Camry. I am sure this Camry is a great quality car, but in the styling dept. the Altima was drawn better.

    mis 2 centavos!

    Speed
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, my wife is next in line to get a new car, and she drives a 1995 626 ES V6/5 speed.

    The 3.5SE would be on our short list. We'd look at several other sporty sedans under $30k before buying. I'd rather wait as long as possible, to see the new Mazda 6 and Accord, plus a few non-sedans.

    -juice
  • shriqueshrique Member Posts: 338
    Personally I would have to say that he ES300 has possibly the ugliest headlights I've ever seen. They are WAY too large and they stick up and mess with the lines of the hood. Is it just me or does the ES300 and the Camry look a bit like the Echo?
  • gasman1gasman1 Member Posts: 321
    Traded a 2000 Saturn SL with 72K miles for the 2.5S auto w/conv pkg, micro-filter, auto-dim mirror, and fog lights. World of difference! MPG with 2,500 miles on it ranges from 30.8 to 34.5. Plenty of pep. Smooth and comfortable.

    Other vehicles in my household are 2001 Toyota Highlander V6 AWD and 2000 Ford Contour SE Sport with V6 and automatic.
This discussion has been closed.