The mystic Emerald is a very elegant looking car. The Sonoma will be very flashy and attactive. Both are very appealing. If you are young I will say The Sonoma. If you are in your 40s I will go with the Light green.
Isn't it funny...those are my two exact FAVORITE colors!
I tend to like Mystic Emerald slightly more. Mystic Emerald looks very elegant and classy...Sonoma looks classy as well...but it's something about Mystic Emerald that I really like.
Anyway, get the color that looks the best to you. I like them both...but I like Mystic Emerald just a little more.
I think the Sonoma Sunset color is AWESOME. I'm a fan of darker colors, and I wish Nissan had a deep navy available on its cars instead of that crayon looking blue they have available on the PF, the Sentra, and the Altima. Anyway, if there was a color like Sonoma Sunset available on the Sentra when I bought it, I would have chosen that. (The red offered, "Inferno", I believe, just doesnt have it").
Re: interior--- a lot of people do not have an issue with the Altima's interior, and many like the design, if not the matierials. Its a very good car at a fair price. It was marketed well. It is stylish and caters to those who need room but also want sportiness (rules out the smaller Mazda 6). Thats why it sells.
Hopefully the car will receive the change soon. But the problem is that now Nissan and Toyota will update there cars at the same time. 2005 will be an interesting year. Isn't the new Passat out by then as well.
Enhancements to the 2004 Altima: ·4-cylinder models will meet the latest U.S. federal governments emissions standards (FED Tier2 Bin5) and those units sold in California (and other states with California-certified vehicles) will meet PZEV standards (late availability) ·New exterior color – Smoke
We have this car and really like it alot. It handles nicely and is quite comfortable, especially with the power drivers seat. Ours is Titanium Frost and it always looks good, clean or dirty.
The wife chose the car for her daily driver and after 2 years, she still thinks it's great, and you know what they say about a happy wife...!
You think the 2nd generation was nicer than the 3rd inside? I have to disagree. The 2nd generation's interior reminded me too much of the Sentra's when I drove one back in 2000. At least the 3rd gen's has style, if not the best materials inside.
Yea, theres nothing like those Mike Tyson punch out passenger side airbags....
There is no doubt in my mind that the current Altima is far and away the best generation overall, as it should, IMO, be (newer, in theory, should always be better).
... debuted when Nissan tried cost cutting. Remember, the same year the bland Mazda 626 debuted as well. The economy was bad back then, so I blame both cars on that factor.
i was just wondering if i should have my dealer locate a 2003 Nissan Altima SL in the color that i want or should i waite a bit longer and order a 2004. (though there are no major changes between the two years). thanks Paula
You will be puchasing a 1 year old car if you buy now.Also you will be loosing out on the 1 year warranty. Warranty goes like this: 3years or 36,000 miles whichever comes first.yours will end 2006. If u buy 04 it will end 07. Which color R U leaning towards?
"Warranty goes like this: 3years or 36,000 miles whichever comes first.yours will end 2006. If u buy 04 it will end 07."
Huh? Thought it was always from date of purchase? So - would not matter - if they happened to have an 04 and an 03 on the lot - either one you bought, you'd have exactly the same length of coverage. Am I missing something here - specific to Nissan - or the Altima???? - Ray Confused . . .
That is for sure. The 2nd generation saw some heavy decontenting....but nothing is as bad as the 3rd generation Altima. Those materials are cheap! I have read many car reviews for both the 2nd gen and the 3rd gen...yet the 3rd gen always gets hit because of cheap interior materials. The 2nd gen. faced some heat because of it's interior materials as well, but never as bad as the 3rd gen. The 1998-2001 Altima wasn't on par with Honda or Toyota's standards....but the 3rd generation has some plastics that look and feel worse than a Hyundai Accent.
I do like the 3rd generation Altima though...it looks better than ANY of the other two generations. The car has some style to it...and it looks better than the Mazda6....for sure.
1st gens interior materials cannot be beat...even the new Maxima doesn't have it beat.
And I believe the 2nd generation has it beat as well, afterall even the SENTRA has better interior materials than the 3rd gen. Altima.
As a matter of fact, I came VERY close to getting a Black 2.5S Altima with Convenience Plus Pkg., splash guards, sunroof visor and wheel locks...at a price of $16,988 but I turned it down because I can't deal with the interior materials.
The car had hail damage by the way....I am still in love with the exterior style of the Altima though...especially with splash guards...I can't stand the side sills...they look tacky IMO.
I read some where (dont ask me where ive read alot) that the 3.5 engine requires premium gas. i was just curious what the 2.5 engine used??? im assuming it is also premium but i dont know for sure. if anyone could help thatd be great!
I have had my car since April. I sold my 1992 Camry to with 64,000 mi.on it to get this one. I loved my Camry and it was and still is an excellent car. I fell in love with the looks on the new Altima. I have the silver with charcoal leather. The Bose stereo is awesome!!! I am hoping this car will hold up as well as the Camry, and hold its resale value. I sold my Camry to a friend for $4000.00 so I did pretty good for an 11 yr old car. I am considering putting in synthetic oil when my first oil change is due. I had it in my Camry and it did good by me,does any one have any opinions pro or con about that? As for the interior of my Altima, I like the the look in mine with the silver metal and wood accents. I think it looks very nice. I love the heated seats and outdoor mirrors too, comes in handy in Michigan One thing I am having a problem with is that I am 5'4", and I cannot reach all the windshield and back window areas to clean, my arms are too short!! Have to get a step stool to wax the roof too! LOL! Overall I do like the car alot,and am happy with my choice.
Congrats on the Altima. I think it's a nice car, even though some say the interior materials aren't up to the price. I didn't find it a problem on the 02 I test drove that was used. Interior materials aren't everything: I had an 02 Jetta that started rattling at 1900 miles, and they have one of the best interiors out there, some say...
Your 92 Camry only had 64K on it?!? Do you ever drive?
I have now owned and driven my '02 Altima SE (V6 automatic) for 13 months now and it has close to 20k miles.
I have not had any problems to date. The only work that has been done is the routine oil changes and rotating the tires (twice now) which are original and easily have another 15-20k miles on them. The car is blackout and the leather interior is holding up fine as well as the rest of the interior and exterior of the car, another note is the alloy wheels made it thru one of the worst NE winters and they are still in perfect condition (much unlike the cheap alloys that were on my previous car, a 2000 Accord). The Bose stereo is the best stereo I have ever had in a car -get it you will be happy you did! LOL
We're up in the air deciding on the Camry or Altima. We'll probably get whatever comes with traction control. My Olds Intrigue got me through the rough winter here in the NE with the TC kicking in only a few times. Talked the wife out of a 4WD SUV.....
Maybe I'm missing something....www.nissanusa.com lists the 2.5S and 2.5SE and the 3.5SL. I see no 3.5SE. Is there another site that has updated information?
I am trying to decide on what to buy. I love the look and power of the new Altima. I really have a two part question. Since I have only driven the 6 cyl. I am interested to hear from anyone who has a opinion on the ride and power difference of the 4 cyl.? But my main concern is in the gear shift. I am talking about automatic. OK, I am talking very laymen terms here, so be patient. In the gears you have of course, neutral, reverse etc, and DRIVE. But in this car when you shift to Drive I am worried that it would be VERY EASY for it to slip into DRIVE 3 ( the lower gear)since in their design they have put them side by side with no locking mechanism. Anyone having problems with this? I mean even if you accidentally hit the shifter it could slide over into 3rd gear. Yes or No? Thanks for your input. It is the main worry for me.
Don't worry about it slipping into 3rd gear... I drop it into 3rd at speeds well over 80 mph (and even dropped it into 3rd today at around 100 mph). It works GREAT for passing and "zoom zoom" (sorry Mazda folks).
Gas mileage will suffer a bit driving this way, but it's waaaaaaay cool from a "performance" stand-point.
You can use the Zoom Zoom terminology if you like. Mazda corporate may not approve, but Mazda and Nissan, IMO,a re the only two car companies except niche players like the Scoobie WRX) from (based out of - irrespective of where the cars are built) Japan that give two hoots about making fun-to-drive vehicles for everyday use any more!
I am 6'3 myself, and test drove an Altima 2.5S with the power driver's seat. The car had plenty of room for me and was comfortable on the test drive. I probably would have bought it actually, but I got a deal I couldn't pass up on something else.
He got a PT Cruiser, and before THIS discussion becomes one of the many getting sidetracked in vocus' car woes and purchases :-) let me suggest you check out the Jetta discussion here in Sedans. The whole story is there, you can join in and ask him any questions that strike you about his recent, um, adventure in losing his Jetta and gaining the PT.
It might be that you can find the story in a Cruiser discussion, but I can't say for sure...
pathost, you made my day. Your latest post above had me in hysterics. I could just FEEL your exasperation through cyberspace! It's hilarious what you put up with; the repetitious posts, off-topic stuff, etc etc....but you still run a tight ship!!
It's funny you bring this up as when I purchased my Altima 2.5S in November as I drove away from the dealer I was unclear whether D3 was the regular drive mode and drove it for 6-7 miles in that gear.
Since then I have never even accidentally shifted into D3 so I don't thinkit would be much of a problem.
As to Performance of the 2.5. I love it. Much quieter than most 4's and performs like a 6. Looks very upscale. It was parked next to a CTS today and looked much the more expensive car.
Oh yeah, 9 months of ownership and no problems whatsoever. Two oil changes and a tire rotation has been it.
I am currently in the middle of a 5000-mile road trip in my '02 Altima 3.5, and I thought I would share my impressions so far on this trip.
The seats are very comfortable for long drives, and power even with the A/C on is abundant. The suspension seems to have been designed with highway driving in mind, because the harshness you encounter in city driving disappears and the ride feels comfortable yet controlled. Gas mileage on the highway has been excellent, up to 30 mpg for a tank. The 20-gallon gas tank allows for 500+ miles between fillups, which has helped us make great time on the longer legs of the trip.
Finally used the pop-up center armrest, which is actually quite nice when you're cruising on the highway. Also, the 6-disc CD changer and Bose stereo have been very nice to have.
The only real complaint I have is excessive wind noise from the sunroof. The noise first starts becoming noticable around 60 mph, and by 80 mph it is loud enough to be annoying. Our workaround so far has been to close the sunroof shade to muffle the sound, but I will bring up this issue with my dealer when I get home.
We've been staying with family and friends along the way, and the Altima has gotten many compliments from them. My fiancee's aunt and uncle, who drive a Lexus RX300 and Volvo S80, both commented on how nice and expensive it looks. My fiancee's sister wanted to trade it for her minivan. And my cousin is now considering buying one after checking mine out.
The Altima has been an excellent road trip car so far. Wish me luck on the return leg of my journey!
The wind noise from the sunroof....do you have the air deflector? Just curious to see that if you do, then it would make no sense to pay the extra for something that doesn't work. If not, maybe it would help??
No air deflector. Maybe it would help, but I don't like the way it looks. I would rather just live with the wind noise because it doesn't bother me that much.
i totally agree with how the wind deflector makes the Altima look. i feel it cheapens the look. i asked a dealer if they can be removed if i find a car and it already has it on. he said there is no problem to remove with do damage to the paint. most of the cars around here that have a sunroof have these. i feel they should just leave it off and let the person purchasing the car to have it put on if they want. just my opinion. Paula
Comments
I tend to like Mystic Emerald slightly more. Mystic Emerald looks very elegant and classy...Sonoma looks classy as well...but it's something about Mystic Emerald that I really like.
Anyway, get the color that looks the best to you. I like them both...but I like Mystic Emerald just a little more.
Re: interior--- a lot of people do not have an issue with the Altima's interior, and many like the design, if not the matierials. Its a very good car at a fair price. It was marketed well. It is stylish and caters to those who need room but also want sportiness (rules out the smaller Mazda 6). Thats why it sells.
~alpha
Enhancements to the 2004 Altima:
·4-cylinder models will meet the latest U.S. federal governments emissions standards (FED Tier2 Bin5) and those units sold in California (and other states with California-certified vehicles) will meet PZEV standards (late availability)
·New exterior color – Smoke
The wife chose the car for her daily driver and after 2 years, she still thinks it's great, and you know what they say about a happy wife...!
The Sandman :-))
There is no doubt in my mind that the current Altima is far and away the best generation overall, as it should, IMO, be (newer, in theory, should always be better).
~alpha
Huh?
Thought it was always from date of purchase?
So - would not matter - if they happened to have an 04 and an 03 on the lot - either one you bought, you'd have exactly the same length of coverage. Am I missing something here - specific to Nissan - or the Altima????
- Ray
Confused . . .
I do like the 3rd generation Altima though...it looks better than ANY of the other two generations. The car has some style to it...and it looks better than the Mazda6....for sure.
1st gens interior materials cannot be beat...even the new Maxima doesn't have it beat.
And I believe the 2nd generation has it beat as well, afterall even the SENTRA has better interior materials than the 3rd gen. Altima.
As a matter of fact, I came VERY close to getting a Black 2.5S Altima with Convenience Plus Pkg., splash guards, sunroof visor and wheel locks...at a price of $16,988 but I turned it down because I can't deal with the interior materials.
The car had hail damage by the way....I am still in love with the exterior style of the Altima though...especially with splash guards...I can't stand the side sills...they look tacky IMO.
Your 92 Camry only had 64K on it?!? Do you ever drive?
I have now owned and driven my '02 Altima SE (V6 automatic) for 13 months now and it has close to 20k miles.
I have not had any problems to date. The only work that has been done is the routine oil changes and rotating the tires (twice now) which are original and easily have another 15-20k miles on them. The car is blackout and the leather interior is holding up fine as well as the rest of the interior and exterior of the car, another note is the alloy wheels made it thru one of the worst NE winters and they are still in perfect condition (much unlike the cheap alloys that were on my previous car, a 2000 Accord). The Bose stereo is the best stereo I have ever had in a car -get it you will be happy you did! LOL
I like the Altima, but don't want a 4 cylinder....
Deke
We're up in the air deciding on the Camry or Altima. We'll probably get whatever comes with traction control. My Olds Intrigue got me through the rough winter here in the NE with the TC kicking in only a few times. Talked the wife out of a 4WD SUV.....
Deke
http://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/ModelHomePage/0,,20700,00.html
It lists the 2.5, 2.5 s, 2.5 SL and 3.5 SE.
Gas mileage will suffer a bit driving this way, but it's waaaaaaay cool from a "performance" stand-point.
Enjoy your car -- the engine is AMAZING!!!
It might be that you can find the story in a Cruiser discussion, but I can't say for sure...
: )
Heh.
Erm, back to the Altima now....
Since then I have never even accidentally shifted into D3 so I don't thinkit would be much of a problem.
As to Performance of the 2.5. I love it. Much quieter than most 4's and performs like a 6. Looks very upscale. It was parked next to a CTS today and looked much the more expensive car.
Oh yeah, 9 months of ownership and no problems whatsoever. Two oil changes and a tire rotation has been it.
The seats are very comfortable for long drives, and power even with the A/C on is abundant. The suspension seems to have been designed with highway driving in mind, because the harshness you encounter in city driving disappears and the ride feels comfortable yet controlled. Gas mileage on the highway has been excellent, up to 30 mpg for a tank. The 20-gallon gas tank allows for 500+ miles between fillups, which has helped us make great time on the longer legs of the trip.
Finally used the pop-up center armrest, which is actually quite nice when you're cruising on the highway. Also, the 6-disc CD changer and Bose stereo have been very nice to have.
The only real complaint I have is excessive wind noise from the sunroof. The noise first starts becoming noticable around 60 mph, and by 80 mph it is loud enough to be annoying. Our workaround so far has been to close the sunroof shade to muffle the sound, but I will bring up this issue with my dealer when I get home.
We've been staying with family and friends along the way, and the Altima has gotten many compliments from them. My fiancee's aunt and uncle, who drive a Lexus RX300 and Volvo S80, both commented on how nice and expensive it looks. My fiancee's sister wanted to trade it for her minivan. And my cousin is now considering buying one after checking mine out.
The Altima has been an excellent road trip car so far. Wish me luck on the return leg of my journey!
Deke