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Nissan Altima or Nissan Sentra

k4thrynnnk4thrynnn Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Nissan
(I'm 15 and shopping for my first car)

I'm looking for a hybrid mainly. i think the nissan altima and sentra are very cute and pretty affordable but the sentra is cheaper so i'd rather get that. is it a hybrid though? It just says CVT and I know what that means sort of but I dont know if it always means its a hyrbrid. I like the toyota prius as well but the nissan sentra in blue is just super adorable.

Righto, so is a CVT = hybrid always? And is a CVT hard to drive. I've driven once for about 10 minutes as practice on an old ford explorer so I have like zero driving experience. Will I be able to drive a CVT ??? I dont have to shift stuff like manual do i? I'm not a bad driver and I'm a quick learner, I just wont be able to test drive the car before I buy it and I'm annoyed by that.

Oh and are cars returnable?? like i know it sounds stupid but if i decide a week later i dont like it can i bring back my papers and get a refund? i bet no... but i figured id ask anyways.

My main concearn is gas mileage + emissions. If I end up getting a car and it turns out im getting like super crappy mileage cant I return it?

Okay any input would be lovely. all im looking for is a non american hybrid sedan (i have a thing against american cars lol)

I've got till october and i've changed my mind like 100 times so just help me out if you can thank you!
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    james31278james31278 Member Posts: 78
    Well you don't have to worry about emissions anymore since the human caused global warming scam has been debunked. Sentras do get good gas mileage so you shouldn't have any trouble there.
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    k4thrynnnk4thrynnn Member Posts: 4
    I like to be as enviromentally friendly as I can though.

    and if my sentra where to break, its cheap to fix right? I was thinking of getting a VW jetta but people where telling me they are expensive to fix (my aunt has one) so i figured a sentra is about the same in price and stuff so its cute.

    Next thing im worried about is of course safety. i read it got good ratings for that though so im not too worried.

    I'm just having a hard time picking a car :P
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    james31278james31278 Member Posts: 78
    Ask your aunt if her Jetta has been expensive to fix. I wouldn't trust other people's opinions any further than I can throw them. If they are expensive to fix this is the first I've heard of it. You're being environmentally friendly right now anyway, there is such a thing as too much tree hugging though. I see some people driving those Prius' and my god I am glad I'm not them they let the democrats fear monger them into driving a piece of junk. The fact is that most/99% of cars do not hurt the environment, the democrats also conveniently left out how trees soak up pollution. If this human caused global warming b.s. is going on how come for the first quarter of this year it was freezing cold alot. The planet itself is supposedly on a slight warming trend, there have been hot days this month and last because duh it's summer. Today it's 83 here in VA thats not really hot that's normal. You're doing fine though don't let some crazy overly-EPA fans fear monger you into driving crappy cars because they'll turn around and buy some really fast thing like the hypocrites they are. I like the environment but I'm not going to overdo it like some people have. The main reason I suspect why these big cities have such bad smog is because most of the really big pollution soaking trees are gone. That is why it's bad to cut them all down we need them for beauty, lumber and pollution control.
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    k4thrynnnk4thrynnn Member Posts: 4
    Yeah my aunt said they are a bit more expensive to repair. shes had one for about 5 years I guess. not sure though. it hardly ever breaks anyways though.

    meh, im just split on what to get. my mom really gets to make the ultimate descion i suppose as its going to be her name on it till i turn 18 xD im paying for half though so im trying to not spend a ton of course.
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    patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    CVT stands for continuously variable transmission (see info at link) and does not mean the car utilizing it is a hybrid. The Altima Hybrid has a CVT and so does the Sentra, but the Sentra is not a hybrid.

    You can look up the details on each under New Cars on Edmunds vehicle detail pages, but here's a couple of direct links for you: Nissan Sentra and Nissan Altima Hybrid.

    Look at the engine specs and you'll see that the Sentra has a gas engine.

    And to answer another question you asked, no, once you (or someone) has driven the car off the lot, it cannot be returned, assuming all the financing is secure.
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    avljmaxavljmax Member Posts: 10
    Good for you for doing your part to protect the environment! It's wonderful to see that young people like you are conscious enough and educated enough to take these things into consideration before "voting" with your dollars. :) Good luck in your car search! May you have lots of years of fun, safe miles ahead!!!
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    k4thrynnnk4thrynnn Member Posts: 4
    Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. I've still got a bit more time before I go look at cars and have a friend of my mom whos volunteerd to go with because apparently he knows about cars or whatever. So atleast I'll have someone with me who knows what hes talking about.
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    hiwaymanhiwayman Member Posts: 98
    OK. To answer your question about CVT. It is an automatic transmission (no shifting by the driver). The difference between a CVT and a "normal" automatic is that there are no "gears". What this means is that you will never feel the car searching for the right gear as you attempt to pass that big truck or are headed up a long hill. There are no tricks or special training needed to drive a CVT. CVT's are the wave of the future. Within a few years all automatic transmissions will probably be CVT.

    To answer your question about returning the car, the short answer is "no". You didn't say what state you live in, but most states have a law called the "no cool off" law. What this means is that you cannot, unless you have a written, signed contract with the dealer that allows you to do so, return the car because it doesn't meet your expectations. SOME dealerships will allow you to bring a car back and get another one (you never get your money back, that's for sure) within a few days, but you'll have to check with the dealership.

    Since you are not of legal age to sign for a loan (if you're going to get one) you'll need a loan co-signer (a parent or guardian). Obviously you won't be able to test drive the car if you don't have a license (dealers require you to be licensed to take one of their cars out).

    My advice? Be patient. You have a long and eventful life in front of you. Hybrid technology is in its infancy. In the next 5 to 10 years, cars will be coming out that will make the hybrids we all love so much seem pretty basic, and low-mileage. By the time you have your license, and can afford a 25K car, there will be wonderous machinery available! Keep in mind that anything more than a fender bender can be hideously expensive to repair on a new car, and especially a hybrid. I know you're going to be a careful driver, but one thing to think about is the cost of ownership and repair on the car you'll be driving. In the mean time, get a small, perhaps used (but in good condition) car to learn to drive in. After a year or two (yes, it DOES take some time to become a good driver), trade up to a hybrid (or whatever you're in love with at that time).

    Sorry to sound so much like dad.... ;)
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