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Nissan Altima Owners: Meet the Members

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Comments

  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    I have had my early 05 since March (almost a year, DARN) and it has been a pretty good car. I got the 2.5S with Conv. Plus pkg.

     

    If I could do it again, I'd get the SE with Sport Plus Pkg. or perhaps the Leather Sport Pkg.

     

    But I LOVE the styling....
  • vette73vette73 Member Posts: 3
    Got the answer - shifter gate - push to right at 3D to goto D - drove for two weeks in 3D
  • huskerdoo1huskerdoo1 Member Posts: 13
    make sure the transmission is in drive and not L3. I drove mine in the higher automatic gears and the only way I had rpms that high was in L3. Normally I don't hit anywhere near 3000 rpm until the car is a little above 75mph. Mine is a 2002 altima automatic, soon to be replaced by a new SE.
  • kblack2001kblack2001 Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased an Altima 2.5S. I am just wondering when the gas light comes on and the dte is blinking, approximately how many miles do I have to get to the gas station?
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    It all depends on the type of gas mileage you are getting.

    In my 05, I went for DAYS with that light on if I do around town driving...like back and forth to classes at college and such...but it almost caught up with me.

    The other day I went four days with that light on and when I FINALLY went to get some gas, I had to get over 18 gallons to fill up the tank...so I had less than 2 gallons left...

    So if its around town driving, I'd say one or two days..but if its highway driving...you might not want to wait more than one.

    My Altima does NOT get stellar gas mileage either...
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,270
    The car has an advertised 20 gallon tank but whenever the light goes on, the car needs about 16 to fill it up. Either it doesn't have a 20 gallon tank or they're playing it way on the safe side.

    I find my gas mileage pretty good on the highway but locally, where I average around 15mph, it can really drink it.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    Its really got a twenty gallon fuel tank
  • locker4locker4 Member Posts: 3
    I think it depends somewhat on where you live, but according to my research that's a great deal.
  • locker4locker4 Member Posts: 3
    Anyone out there own a 2.5 S or 3.5 SE for awhile and can comment on what kind of mileage that are really getting. I know what Nissan says, but I want real world figures from both models.

    Thanks!
  • locker4locker4 Member Posts: 3
    What kind of mileage do you get maxamillion1? and what do you consider stellar mileage? I'm thinking of buying a new Altima and want to make sure it isn't more of a gas hog than I thought.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    The I4 model gets gas mileage similar and sometimes WORSE than the V6...

    If you can afford it, get the V6...I wish I had.
  • altimanaltiman Member Posts: 9
    Well, it's time to replace those crappy Bridgestone Touranza EL42s on my '03 3.5 SE, after only 27K! Does anyone recommend a great replacement tire? I need good traction in snow and wet, and better mileage than these shoes.
  • paydeladypaydelady Member Posts: 1
    hi all,
    i purchased a 04, last november. she was used with 19,000 miles on her. but i got her for 14,000
    so far she's great and the pervious owner took good care of her. she's gold.
    i still have my old 99 altima......she's the reason i looked for another one. she has 240,000 miles and no problems. never had any problems out of her. she's never even had a tune-up! just oil changes here and there. my friend had the same 99 as mine, and is always taking her in for some type of maintance. i swear she spends at least 350.00 every 6 months. of course here dealers recomends these things......i told her they see a sucker at high noon when she comes in. they love her so much that she pays sometimes in payments!!l lol!
    i use my old one for inner city driving and she's still strong!
    altima's are great cars!
    i was on my way to buy a 05, when i saw this one........and the price was right!
    can't wait for the next body style.
    Paydelady !~¿~! :)
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,270
    I'm still on my Bridgestone's but my brother just bought some BFG Tractions TAs to replace the crappo Eagles on his Regal and raves about them. Of course, he raves about his Regal as well, so take it for what it's worth.
  • commonsense1commonsense1 Member Posts: 1
    Hi Karen,

    I am an owner of altima 1994 and I need to replace it with a new one. But I saw a new Altima 3.5L V6 specs by Nissan which says: Nissan recomends premium fuel. What does it mean? Is this mandatory grade 91 or optional? How does that affect performance of an engine? I do know for all german autos suprime grade of fuel "required"! Can I use regular 87 fuel, because it takes $500 extra per year. I need an advice from members wth an experirnce.
  • financfinanc Member Posts: 6
    I have a manual 2.5 S 2005. Yesterday, the fuel light came on at around 405 miles (mostly city + interstate driving) and I topped the tank with 15.6 gallons of gas. By the way, I use 10% ethanol gas.

    I hope this helps.
  • dowo75dowo75 Member Posts: 2
    i got mine used and the only thing that bothers me is NOT anti lock brakes
  • trace70trace70 Member Posts: 1
    could you explain what you mentioned in your message. I just bought a 2005 S and am not sure what you mean by push to the right to go into D. I drive mine in 3D and it is so loud and the RPM's are high when I am on the highway
  • peter16peter16 Member Posts: 1
    Just read your question and in case you didn't get an answer. The Altimas that I have driven use a three speed transmission with an electronic overdrive. Some might consider this to be a fourth gear which logically it could be called. In basic terms overdrive allows the engine to couple directly with the drive shaft at highway speeds. This in turn allows the engine RPMs to drop thus saving you gas. Once you have attained a highway speed of around 60 mph, on a flat surface, it really takes very little horsepower to keep the car rolling.
    On your dashboard to the left of the speedometer you will see numbers representing the gear you are in. On the highway you should have the ' D ' illuminated. This is achieved by pushing the shifter to the right into the D notch. You have been running with the shifter to the left in the ' 3 ' notch thereby switching off the overdrive. (Nissan could have designed this better). If you are in ' 3 ' at higher speeds and you shift into ' D ' you will see a sizable drop in RPMs on the tachometer. Lower RPMs on the highway will equate to less gas consumed.
  • simplyjacsimplyjac Member Posts: 2
    I bought a zero km altima a month back and done just 3000 Kms . Being a new user and not having similar feeling with my old car ( Nissan Primera ) I am just curious to know if these are just normal issues or it is specific to my car . Anyone having a know how on these pls show light .

    2.5 S Automatic Transmission

    At low speeds the road uneveness is slightly transmitted to the driver thru the steering wheel .

    Vehicle is noisy ( engine sound )between 30 and 80 Kms speed .

    Occassionaly jerks ( liek a clutch slip ) when the accelerator is cut off imedeatly while running on 1 st or second gear .

    Thanks in advance .
  • warlock1806warlock1806 Member Posts: 5
    Well, i think i posted it somewhere else but i just picked up my code red 2005 Altima SE-R, 2 days ago. Loving every minute of it, Have already gotten several compliments (mostly on the wheels).

    Great car, surprisingly fast.. i'm thinking i should go look into a radar detector now though.
  • ewe2ewe2 Member Posts: 20
    Bought our 2.5s Altima less then 2 months ago. Has only 600 miles on it. No one will drive it. :lemon: Do not like the new heating-a/c arrangement at all. Read post. Can't wait to sell it.
  • michael1970michael1970 Member Posts: 2
    I've got a 2001 Altima GXE (Limited Edition). I bought it used (one of those certified used cars) with 35 thousand miles. The first thing I noticed while taking a test drive was the auto transmission hunting for gears at any speed. Never mind if I was doing 15 or 65 mph, the transmission did not seem to be able to decide what to do and why.
    I drive a lot (about 40K miles a year) but at the same time I maintain my cars religiously. The trans fluid gets flushed and filled every 15 thousand miles, I only use Castrol Syntec 5W-30, new platinum tip spark plugs and new wiring every 30 thousand miles (just in case... I don't want to get stuck on a highway in the middle of nowhere...).
    The Nissan dealer tells me that this seems to be within the norm (whatever this norm is: they did not let me know about that) but I say it certainly doesn't fit within their "norms" when you think about legendary Nissan's reliability.
    My wife has a 2000 Sentra GXE with almost 120K miles and the car shifts effortlessly, smoothly and never searches for the right gear.
    The problem seems to escalate during rainy weather or right before drastic changes in athmospheric pressure (honestly, it's like the car has a blood pressure problem). It seems to ease up when the weather's dry.
    I'm due for the next trans fluid exchange and (since the tranny's covered by 100K-mile extended warranty) I'm thinking that I should really make the dealer drive this car and do something about because in spite of what I had been told this is NOT NORMAL!
    Does anyone else have the same kind of a problem? Perhaps, you were able to fix it and if so, how was that done?
    Thanks in advance for your advice!
    Mike
    (I still love this car - the transmission drives me a little insane though...)
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,270
    If it was doing it on the test drive, why did you buy it? It sounds like you've put 65k on the car and want to complain about it now? If it hasn't failed, maybe it is annoying but normal.
  • michael1970michael1970 Member Posts: 2
    First of all, Dude: I didn't put 65K on the car. You've got it confused with my wife's Sentra. Secondly, I do not need your advice on buying and test driving cars. I was simply asking if anyone else has been experiencing the same kind of behavior of the tranny on this particular model/year Altima.
    If you don't know jack about it, why voice your opinion?
  • arizonaiarizonai Member Posts: 1
    Hey Mike,

    I started having the same problem. I bought it used with 85K on it, its a 2002. It wasn't happening for the first 4K I put on it. The only thing that happened lately is the battery died and the computer reset. I just hope it isn't going to get worse, because can't afford a new transmission.
  • lightwave25lightwave25 Member Posts: 18
    I had an 05 Altima for two years and recently turned it in a leased an 06 Altima. It's such a great car for the money. I love how powerful the 4 cylinder is compared to other gas savers. I also love the looks of the car. It looks as good or better than many "luxury" sedans. The 07 looks even better, but I am very happy with my 06. Pictures of my 05 are in my photo album and I'll try to get some of my 06 soon.
  • norwestgalnorwestgal Member Posts: 5
    Does anyone know or have you heard anything about the automatic transmission sticking when you want the car to go into reverse? My mom has a 2005 Altima 2.5 (purchased brand new in 05). She now has almost 50k miles on it but recently she has had to physically press the transmission release button (built internal into the gear shift box) frequently when she wants to reverse the car. She uses a small pin to press this button and then the transmission is released so that she can shift it into any setting/gear. This inability to shift into reverse can happen at any time and can take several seconds before the gear releases and allows her to shift into another gear) Please post your knowledge. This has become very annoying.

    Thank you all in advance
  • senaslaughtersenaslaughter Member Posts: 1
    My car stays in D all the time. On the shifter there is park, reverse, neutral, and drive, then to the right is another notch with a + and -, when I put it over there it shows a 1 on my panel instead of a D. Nothing seems to happen if I put it in the + position or the - and as soon as I let go it goes into the middle between those and stays on 1 on my panel, so no idea what they are for. I figure 1 is like 1st gear, but where do I turn my overdrive off if I'm driving in the city or on hills and mountains?
  • mtpetemtpete Member Posts: 9
    Hi all,

    Purchased a new Altima, loaded with everything but navigation.

    Very pleased with the car to date - exceptional MPG (see my other posting), outstanding acceleration and braking/handling, very good interior - the NASA 'zero gravity' seats are wonderful and heated. So is the steering wheel, a nice touch.

    The air conditioning is something that has to be experienced to be believed. In 100 degree weather you have to turn it DOWN. I've never experienced anything like that.

    So, what's not to love? 40mpg on the highway with this level of performance is very competitive.

    Interestingly you can see where they put their money the more you study the car. I mean this in a complimentary way; I don't see the need for hood struts or trunk lid struts.

    My only complaint? Some of the buttons on the center stack are odd and things don't match up in harmony like they could. Also the woodgrain plastic is very nice, but why isn't it on the surrounding plastics on the center stack? The ones they use are different from each other and look a little 'overlooked'.

    Wish list? Well, a sport suspension would be nice. I really wish the orange/copper exterior color didn't go away, and that orange leather seats were available. I would have paid MORE for the car to get those. Are you listening, Nissan?
  • culleyculley Member Posts: 5
    Hello
    I have a 1995 Nissan Altima, 195000 miles, it has gone from an ave of 22mpg to 48 miles per quarter tank, this started about 2 months ago, last month, i changed the air and fuel filter, plugs and wires, and the engine doesn't miss... no change, I've had the codes shot, ignition on, and running, the only code is a knock sensor, I would appreciate any help

    Thanks
  • culleyculley Member Posts: 5
    Good day,

    Another issue, electrical, 1995 Altima, when i start my car, the marker lights and taillights come on, with my headlights on, if i cut the car off, the stereo, lights, windshield wipers all stay on until i turn the headlights off, could someone tell me which wires to look for

    thanks
  • wrmcnutwrmcnut Member Posts: 1
    I am happy to be a Nissan owner again, I just purchased a new Altima. I have had sentras but have had a Hyundai in between. Any tips or tricks anyone can suggest? Some of the things I am looking for are kinda like features that are not enabled unless you ask the service department to turn them on or off. An example is (this car already does it) I asked the dealer on a earlier car to automatically set the doors to lock at 10mph, this was not enabled buy the factory you just had to know to ask- cost was zero. One thing I would like to know if can be changed is the color of the console/radio buttons. over the years I have had radios that have an option to change the colors, not sure if this one can or not.
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