Nissan Altima

seldondg · December 2001

I got a new Altima 2.5SL last week and love it! The salesman said i should use the middle grade gas, 89 or whatever it is. Should I use that, or use 87?

ateixeira · December 2001

Nissan doesn't ask for anything higher than 87 octane for that engine, so I'd stick with regular.

-juice

venus537 · December 2001

CR did say that the interior was stylish. That's not my beef, but the cheap materials and poor fit and finish. I find it hard to believe that their are any articles complementing that aspect of the car.

ateixeira · December 2001

Read back a ways if you want to find the links, there were a few that specifically liked the interior, even the quality of assembly. I had no problem with the one I test drove.

-juice

seldondg · December 2001

I love the inside of my Altima. It somehow doesn't feel as solid as my 2000 Max but still it feels good. I don't feel that the inside looks cheap though. I think it just depends on taste. The Max is great inside and I've had people tell me they like the car, but just don't like the way the dash looks.

gibaholic · December 2001

Anybody know what the manual states as minimum octane rating for the 3.5SE?

lsc · December 2001

just kidding..but I'm seeing way too many Altimas on the road than I would like.

I was hoping that it wouldn't catch on so quick but people are buying them up.

afty · December 2001

Manual recommends 91 octane for the V6, 87 for the 4-cylinder.

ahossa · December 2001

Afty and SeldonDG:How would you rate the noise in your Altima.I test drove it and the engine noise was pretty loud. I did not travel more than 3 miles. I would like to know the noise level when travelling at highway speed. (over 60MPH)and in city driving. That's the only hesitation I have. Did anyone of you test drove the Camry?

ahossa · December 2001

I believe Nissan will do something about the interior in 2003.The Accord is going to be all new and unless they do something about it Nissan will be relegated to a distant 3rd.Every reviewer gripes about the interior and it would be foolish to ignore it.Manufacturers are making adjustments immediately to satisfy consumers. They know that there are too many choices out there.No one waits for the complete cycle to make changes.Isn't that why Detroit Big 3 got into trouble anyway?

maxamillion1 · December 2001

I hope they upgrade the interior for 2003. The Altima really deserves better. Really.

afty · December 2001

I find my Altima 3.5 very quiet, but I don't have a lot of experience with similar cars. My other car (a Nissan NX2000) is MUCH louder, so my perception is somewhat skewed. Noise level was also not one of my major concerns when I was car shopping. I have not driven the Camry.

otoluva · December 2001

This afternoon I test drove the Altima 4 and 6 for the second time and I can tell you the 6 is quiet but the 4 was a bit louder

bill_h1963 · December 2001

I thought I'd put my 2 cents in on this since I have had my 2002 Altima since August of this year and have put almost 5,000 miles on it since then. My brother-in-law is a Nissan executive so we got the first one in the SE. Had to drive 5 hours to Jacksonville, FL to get it. It's been a great car so far (2.5 SL model). My only complaints are a bubble in the back seat leather upholstery and the fact that the window sticker said that we would get wood trim on the door panels as well as on the console and it doesn't have it on the doors. Supposedly they aren't going to put wood on the doors now. Maybe they have started to on the later ones? Hopefully it will continue to be trouble free.

ateixeira · December 2001

Usually changes happen in the middle of the model cycle, though, or 2 years. The Aztec is the most obvious exception, but that called for drastic measures. My guess is after 1 year it may only get some options shuffled.

-juice

storyteller · December 2001

That makes sense, although I'd hoped intense competition in this key sector might drive Nissan to move faster. So we can all put a red circle around September 2003 to see what the next iteration of the Alty will be like.

seldondg · December 2001

The 4 is definately louder than the 6, but I don't mind it, it's not that loud. It only seems to be different on initial acceleration. On the highway it is quiet. I was going 95 on the highway the other day and didn't even realize it. I often tend to go to fast though. My previous car was a Jetta and the Altima is much quieter. On the highway I would say it's as quiet as my wife's Max.

1969iggy · December 2001

The 4 was pretty much stripped... a 2.5S with just about nothing... was a nice car, but the clutch slipped a little when accelerating hard...

The 3.5 ROCKED!!! Very fun car to drive, and comfortable... Much smoother engine indeed. Both had the automatic.

1969iggy · December 2001

If so, please let me know how it handles in the snow. The one i am looking at has a 3.5, ABS and Traction control, but any comments are welcome...

otoluva · December 2001

Any predictions for 2003 Altima prices? will they be identical?

ian2 · December 2001

I've had negative experiences with ABS and it happened again this afternoon. So a snow storm hit for the first time this year, with an inch or so of snow on the road. I was slowing down to make a turn at about less than 20km/h when ABS kicked in. I plowed ahead at the same rate of speed, missed the turn completely while having no turning control at the wheel. I finally nudged against the curb and bounced back onto the road. I was so pissed off at the system that I almost pulled its fuse. As an experiment, I tried hitting the brake on an open road. If the ABS does not kick in, I was able to stop. Once ABS is activated, no matter how hard I try, the car would not stop in any distance that you'd call safe. Interestingly, pumping the brakes actually worked better than letting ABS do its work.

alpha01 · December 2001

hmmn. I'm sorry you had that experience, ian2, but I have never noticed an inability to stop in snow with our 2000 ABS equipped Camry. I will certainly say that the ABS engages MUCH more readily than in everyday driving, but it has never increased distances, or at least, never caused me to notice this. I don't understand the physics behind your comment about pumping the ABS-- if its pulsing anyway, how can your added pulse help? I'm not doubting it at all, I am just wondering how that works? I am also wondering if the level of ABS tech. has anything to do with it? Do you have a new Altima? Or if not do you have something like a 1992 Cavalier????
~alpha

ian2 · December 2001

I have a 98 Civic. My friend with a similar car has experienced the same thing as well. I feel the ABS kicks in way to early at a point where braking power is not maximized. The pumping action of ABS then makes the situation even worse.

seldondg · December 2001

I still love the Altima, but here are the two things that bother me.
1) The turning radius doesn't seem as good as my Maxima's. Not terribly different but I feel like the wheel won't turn anymore when I think there is still half a turn in it.
2) This is a little annoying to me because I hate extra noises. Something on the passenger side (on the door I think) rattles or vibrates when the stereo (bose) is on. It only happens on certain songs that have more base or something. But I notice it and it's annoying.

cncman · December 2001

Snow and sand do tend to freak ABS out a bit, the smallest amount of lost traction and the ABS thinks your wheels are locked and try to do their job.

Seldon;
Try this, go over to the door where the rattle is coming from, and bang the bottom of the door with the side of your fist, see if you hear anything moving in there. I had the same thing happen on one of my cars and it turned out that a dime had gotten into the pocket there somehow and slipped behind the door panel. If nothing else take it to the dealer and show them what it does.

1969iggy · December 2001

... is to pull up on the hand emergency brack when they kick in. This slows the real wheels faster (since they are building up a "snow dam" in front of them) and still allows some limited steering ability with your front tires...

Not the best solution, and in an emergency you have to think quick, but if you practice in the next snow storm in a parking lot you will get the feel for the best way to stop/manuever during ABS braking conditions.

My 1999 Camry did the same basic thing the other morning.... ABS kicked in on ice(black ice) and so i pulled the E-Brake. That allows sand to get caught between your tire and the ice and creates some friction. With just ABS, the tire slips, and then rolls over the sand. So you just keep going... extending your stoping distance....

I'd love to see an ABS system that you could turn off...

ateixeira · December 2001

Well, most Hondas uses a cheap 3 channel, 3 sensor ABS system (only on 1 rear wheel). Better, modern ABS uses 4 channel and 4 sensors, like the Type S Acuras. Even the S2000 has a 3 channel system.

-juice

ian2 · December 2001

I pulled out the fuse for ABS last night. It seems to have disabled the system, but it leaves a yellow ABS light in the dash.

rjparris · December 2001

Seldondg--I have to agree with your comments and I also experience what you noted in #2 of your comments. Rattles are very annoying to me and luckily my wife is the primary driver of the vehicle and I am not subjected to it daily. BTW...if you figure out what is rattling, please post your findings. Thanks!!

speedracer3 · December 2001

Can't wait for the official crash tests

Has anybody crashed in a new Altima yet?. If you are alive, can you tell us the extent of your injuries if any and how well would you rate the car?.

BTW..It's a joke folks, I am not that cold and heartless.

Happy Holidays to all!!

Speed

ahossa · December 2001

I read in one review the problem you are having with the Bose Speakers. The reviewer noticed the rattle only when Hip Hop Music was played.It didn't bother him because he does not normally listen to that kind of Music. In the CR review of the Altima(Dec Issue)They mentioned the turning radius as a negative of this vehicle especially in areas where parking is tight as in NYC.

blueguydotcom · December 2001

I've driven the 02 Camry SE and in my estimation, it was pretty darn loud. I don't care what reviewers claim, I've piloted that whale and it had lots of road noise, the a pillar creaked whenever I hit a road irregularity and the car swayed way too much in tight corners. Very Buick-like ride on the Camry SE V6.

As for model year changes...some manufacturers implement changes throughout the year. I think this makes sense. If you see a need and can retool quickly, why not do so? I'd rather a manufacturer listen to people's gripes and make good rather than wait for an official model year change. My 01 Jetta has a different turbo engine than the early 01's (mine has more HP and a different valve setup) and there's no back seat cupholder (thank God - I hate all cupholders).

Personally, I think Nissan needs to change the Altima interior NOW. The idiots claimed they held the Passat up as a benchmark and they deliver a car with an interior fit for an 83 Pulsar, not on par with an 02 Passat.

seldondg · December 2001

It's not so much of a rattle as it is a vibration. Sounds like something that has some give is rattling when some songs are played. It's not like it's really base heavy music either. I notice when playing the Beach Boys Pet Sounds a lot. Not much base to that. But still, it's definately only on certain parts of songs.

bluffhouse · December 2001

It appears Nissan did a bang up job on this unit. The one I was checking out was misty blue, charcoal leather interior accented with fake wood grain supported by the 17" wheels and 240 horses. The car felt very comfortable, plenty of leg room. The best styled midsize yet. The MSRP was was about 26,700, it's only money. I didn't drive it because I didn't want to be tempted.
The next car for the family will likely be the Sedona EX with leather. Found the accelleration to be quite impressive for a minivan.

maxamillion1 · December 2001

Aren't you from the Kia and Daewoo forums? I was just wondering.

But I got a chance to go the Harrelson Nissan in Rock Hill, South Carolina today. They had many Altimas on the lot, but some had wierd combos. For instance, there was an Altima 3.5SE with leather and BOSE, but no sunroof, no ABS and no spoiler. It Was done right sexy looking. I want that car so bad, but I got to have a sunroof. I got to sit inside a Altima 2.5S with sunroof and conv. pkg. It was Seascape. I think I might cut a deal with Harrleson in the future, they seemed nice and friendly, much nicer than the folks at Benson I talked with today. I actually like the interior's design and I like the gauges, something I hated in pictures. No doubt, I am buying either the Altima or Passat.

FWIW, I talked with a guy today at Benson Nissan about the new Maxima, he told me that it would be on the Q45 chassis and that it would have a V8, I wanted to laugh in his face. The next Maxima will be based off the new Altima.

saxonii · December 2001

1.Can anybody provide the numbers for the above combination? Will Automatic 3.5 Altima beat 2002 Automatic Maxima?
2. What about 2002 Altima v. 2001 Maxima? Both automatic who would win in 0 - 60 and 1/4 mile??
I love both cars btw. Thanx Saxon

alpha01 · December 2001

"Personally, I think Nissan needs to change the Altima interior NOW. The idiots claimed they held the Passat up as a benchmark and they deliver a car with an interior fit for an 83 Pulsar, not on par with an 02 Passat."

I think its really distasteful to call the engineers at Nissan "the idiots". Are you an automotive engineer? If not, when you can design and build, within budget constraints, an interior to rival the Passat's, then maybe you can call the Nissan folks idiots. Not very cool, man.

~alpha

blueguydotcom · December 2001

It wasn't nissan's engineers that I signaled out or who put that shoddy plastic interior in the car. It would be the penny-pinching, shortsighted folks in suits. I'd bet big money a CFO type with zero interest in cars made the final decision on shorting the Altima with plastic that probably came out to $100 cheaper per unit. Regardless of who made the final decision, the cost cutting step is taking a toll. Magazine after magazine, test driver after test driver all comment on Nissan's abysmal interior treatment. Car mags go so far as to quote Nissan's execs who foolishly announced to the public that the Passat was the Altima's benchmark. Nissan brass set themselves up for a big fall by stating in print that the Altima was designed with a Passat in mind. If they'd released the car and not named the midsize with the abosulte best interior (passat) as the car's target then Nissan might have skated with the bargain bin interior.

And please don't resort to a game of, "Well if you can cook a better Big Mac, then do so." We're the consumers, and therefore we have every right to moan about a product that a company seeks to sell to us. If Nissan puts a cheap interior in the car, I'm well within my rights as a consumer to say it's trash and I don't have to go out and construct my own Jaguar-esque interior to back up my point. My point is made with my wallet.

dettim · December 2001

After looking in two states, OR & WA, we finally found the Altima we've been after. It's a Sheer Silver 3.5 SE 5-spd. It has black leather interior with heated seats and outside mirrors, ABS with side air bags, sunroof, spoiler, floor mats & splash guards. Interestingly, the car came from Canada so they had to retrofit the speedo and add the spoiler. The car still has the daytime running lights and engine block heater hookup.

The dealer asked $28,790 and I offered $25,700. The dealer counter-offered $26,890 and I made a final offer of $26,000 with no other fees, just tax and license. He accepted. The deal took a little over an hour including signing the papers in F&I. What do you think?

P.S. My family "sports" sedan is awesome! My wife thinks so too.

ahossa · December 2001

There are a few things you have to consider.Is this dealer an authorised Nissan Dealer? Will the car be covered under warranty in the USA?This is a brand new model and you will want to have the bumper to bumper warranty. There are still a few kinks to be worked out on the Altima.The 3.5 SE are plentiful. They are not moving as fast as the 2.5S so you should be able to pick up one under MSRP.If you took delivery already you have a Rocket on your hand. Enjoy it.

otoluva · December 2001

This is the first case I heard of an Altima selling bellow invoice!!

hawks1 · December 2001

I know the sticker gas mileage for the auto I4 is given to be 23/29. Can any of you owners give me some info on what you're actually getting for gas mileage - city only, highway only, combination of city & highway?

tiresqueal · December 2001

I find it very interesting that you say the car is from Canada. I've been looking into a purchase on a similar car, but I might wait for an '03 to see if the interior is "improved".

BTW, a 3.5SE maxed with options goes for $33K CDN list, plus $1K for delivery. That's about $21,500 U.S. at today's exchange. Now you know why it came from Canada....the cross-border auto trade is very lucrative, especially in the luxury end.

Good luck with your purchase.

ateixeira · December 2001

Saxon: C&D recently tested an auto Altima 3.5l (0-60 in 7.3) and an Infiniti I35. The I35 is a bit heavier than the Max, but the 255hp was still enough to give it a quicker 0-60 time. I don't recall exactly, but I think it was 6.9 or 7.0 or so, just a few ticks quicker.

So the Max probably is a tad faster, but we're kind of splitting hairs, because that Altima was the quickest in that comparison.

-juice

ahossa · December 2001

Hi Y'all Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. Hopefully everyone will be getting their Altimas in the New Year. I'm working very hard on getting mine.Keep Updating this board. It really helps.Your experience benefits many users of this board.

obiwankenobi1 · December 2001

I just read that the 2001 Altima had independant rear suspension. I thought they were going BACK to IRS for the 2002 model? That would mean previous models (93 - 01) DIDN'T have IRS, but I guess I am wrong, or am I?

My questions is this: Does this mean that my finance's 93 Altima has IRS?

Any help hear would be just FABULOUS!

Thanks in advance!

afty · December 2001

I know that the '93 Altima (1st gen) had IRS. I think the 2nd gen had it as well. I think I read somewhere that the Altima was the only Nissan sedan not to receive the beam rear suspension on the Maxima and Sentra.

lsc · December 2001

All generations of the Altima 1st, 2nd and the current 3rd generation has/had the independent suspensions front and rear.

The Maxima and the Sentra have the rear beam suspension.

anonym · December 2001

Other than the inferior looking plastic on the interior, did anyone notice how nissan cut back on costs by eliminating the key lock on the passenger side door. Does anyone know of any other late model car that does this? The salesman mentioned that the door lock is not necessary with a keyless entry remote but I still consider this to be really cheap. Otherwise, the car drives great but it just makes me wonder what other cost cutting techniques they took

ateixeira · December 2001

Afty is correct, the Altima has always had a 4 wheel indy suspension.

Anonym: one less way for a thief to get in. Also, using keys can results in stractches on the paint.

-juice

Nissan Altima

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles