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Comments
Glad to hear SOMEBODY is getting the 3.9% rate... Soon (after this car) I'll have credit!
Pathway
i also didn't care for the $520 destination charge-- I know you have to pay distination, but when Honda and Toyota are both in the $400-$450 area, $520 seemed high. of course, that's not enough to make me not want the nissan, in and of itself. i'd buy a gxe over a civic.
Did anyone install the In-Cabin Microfilter advertised on Nissan's website after they bought their Sentra? If so how much did it cost including labor?
I am arranging the purchase of a 2001 Sentra SE with almost all the options (except for the 6 disc changer, I plan on putting in a new Aiwa MP3 player instead, but that's some down the line).
Here's my request of all the experienced and/or opinionated people out there:
What should I do when I pick up the car, drive it the first so-and-so weeks(months/years), and what considerations should I take into account for making it last as long as possible, with the most reasonable amount of cost/time?
In other words, what advice do you wish someone had given you when you first got a new car? Like how to treat it when it's new, what to look for when you pick it up, and so on. Not just general advice mind you, but some specifics. I realise it's all your opinion, so I won't hold any grudges if I decide to follow your advice and it doesn't work out....Mama didn't raise no fool (except my idiot brother! But that's neither here nor there.).
Thanks and feel free to email me at robragland@yahoo.com instead of taking up a lot of space, unless you think it's a worthy topic!
Robert
As far as getting a new car, I'd look over the car inside and out very carefully before I'd accept it. I'd get one with extremely low mileage (My Acura had 5 miles on it at delivery) Make sure that all the items you've ordered are there or make the dealer sign a paper saying that they still owe you those things. Always check the tire pressures since the dealers always have the tires over-inflated. Make sure there are no dents. Check that all the functions are working ... that means starting up the engine and use all the features.
As for break-in period, drive the car like you would when you first learn to drive... very slowly. Try to stay below 70 mph. Don't drive it more than two hours during break-in period. The engine and the brakes should be gently handled during this period... as the manual would say. Just the generic things one would do for a long lasting car
Just wanted to let everyone know that the pocket rocket Sentra SE-R is back! It will be available in the fall of 2001 as a 2002 model with two models, a regular SE-R and the SE-R Spec V..
Some numbers that I can remeber:
-The SE-R will have a 2.5ltr 4 cylinder making 170hp, while the Spec V will have 180hp.
-The Spec V will have a slip differential, 17" tires, and a 6 SPEED Manual, while the SE-R has 16" tires and a 5 speed.
There are some cosmetic changes as well, such as a frontier-like nose, new side skirts, and a bigger spoiler in the back. There are also new seats and yellow instrumentation.
Wow.
You can go to www.nissandriven.com for more info on the the car
What do you guys think?.
All this means is that the new Altima is about to debut pretty soon with bigger engine (3.0 from the current Maxima)
Anyway, my SE is almost done (read earlier post about crash it sustained) At least I got 2 new struts and 215-50-16 G-force radials out of the deal.........
I'll post again-next project is to upgrade the rear speakers on each side of the sub woofer.
-Skip
You know, I didn't even notice. We weren't interested in that particular car at all because of it's color (black). We took it out for a drive because it was the most conveniently located SE 5-spd on the lot. We're interested in getting the dk.grey color (granite) or cloud white as a second choice, neither of which were on the lot with the transmission and options we wanted. I remember reading a sticker on another SE that did show ABS/side bags as a package option, though.
Chad
Later
Chad
Personally, the ABS system has saved me twice this winter
Stupid. So, I got a $225 credit for the tires, (retail cost to the body shop for 1 tire) and I've ordered 2 new KDW's from Edmund's @ $90 each....and just stay off the freeway until next Thursday when they'll arrive at my house via UPS. Anyway, I'm back, after 7 weeks and two days without my car. It just seemed like forever!
Good luck to all those out there with your new Sentra purchase...and don't worry about the smallish back seat area! I took myself 6', 195lbs, my wife, and 2 6' teenagers on a 800 mile trip in October, and we were all comfortable....! Nothin' wrong with the Protege, it's a fine car....but the Sentra's slightly better built and will last longer (IMHO)...
-quark
-quark
It's quite a personal thing, actually. It really depends on the individual driver, and what their experience level is (not that I'm Mario Andretti or something, hehe). I think ABS is great for the average driver (and below average driver) for most braking situation, most of the time, as the avg. driver tends to "stomp" or "mash" the pedal in an emergency situation.
However, ABS tends to lengthen your stopping distance in the winter on slick roads I've noticed, and if you're a good enough driver, you can "pump" the brake pedal yourself and do the same thing as ABS w/o taking the extra distance to stop. The one thing I DO like about ABS, though, is that it keeps your vehicle going straight in the direction you were going before applying the brakes. Without ABS, vehicles can get a little "squirrely", which bothers the average driver. For me, I don't mind my car wanting to dance around a bit as long as I can stop the car in a shorter distance. I feel I can stop shorter w/o ABS, as our '95 Sentra GLE doesn't have it.
I found, however, that the most significant factor in winter braking performance is your tires. If you're like me, and you thought the most expensive, highest-tech, all-season radials that you could buy were good enough in the winter, then you've been lying to yourself. I bought a set of Bridgestone Blizzak MZ-02's mounted on a separate set of alloy wheels (for quick changes) for my G20 this year from the Tire Rack. My God, the difference is night and day. I wish I had purchased a set of tires like this years ago. Braking distances on snow AND ice is half that of all-season radials! The traction is naturally better, the handling is better in turns, and they're quiet and ride nice. I bought my set of tires/wheels mounted, balanced, and delivered to my door by the man in the brown truck for $600. It's the best $600 I ever spent in my life. I'm not endorsed by the Tire Rack (I wish), that's just my no-bull .02 worth. The tires are that good.
I'm probably wearing your eyes out by now, but the thing I'd like to see in cars is an ABS "actuator switch", where you could switch the system on or off as you wished. For those days in which I was feeling like my head was "in a cloud", I'd switch the system on, and the rest of the time I'd have it off. But, the auto manufacturers aren't that nice to us yet. They probably won't be, as insurance companies have a lot of say-so with safety items. There's tons of vehicles coming out now with available "stability systems"; I'm sure the insurance institute had something to do with that. I don't like relying on vehicle electronic systems, I rather do the work myself. That's why I prefer manual transmissions, too.
It really comes down to what works best for you. I just want to have a choice in what type of electronic systems come on my car, because after all, I'm spending the dough. I don't want insurance companies or auto manufacturers "making" me buy a vehicle with certain features I don't want. I'm glad Nissan gives us a choice on the Sentra when it comes to ABS!
I live in NW Illinois, and we've been having a "real" winter this year, as normal a winter as we used to have in the past. But, for the last 2-3 winters, it's been pretty mild. Typically in IL, it starts getting cold in November, and winter can last through March. It's totally normal to run them daily for the entire winter, from November through March. I've heard people getting 2-3 winter seasons out of their winter tires when using them during the entire winter, before needing replacement.
They don't have the razor-sharp handling of performance tires on dry roads, but they do what a tire's supposed to do, getting you down the road very well under all conditions. They're very quiet, but you may notice a very slight "hum" on perfectly smooth, dry surfaces. I do, but I'm picky. But, nothing like the old "snow tires" my dad used to put on his old Ford Gran Torino when I was a kid, hehe. Those old "snow tires" would make your car sound like a tractor!
The rubber compound on the current winter tires is soft as compared to a normal tire, so they can stay pliable at low temps. Have you ever noticed how long-life radials get extremely hard in cold temps, almost plastic-like? That's why the snow traction of most radials is so bad, the rubber compound is so hard, they don't stay pliable in the cold temps. Most of the winter tires, like my Blizzaks, have "sipes" cut into the treads...like little "slices". The sipes help bite into the snow and ice, and they're mainly responsible for the outstanding traction. They basically "scoop" the surface on a micro-level. To the eye, all you see is some lines in the tread blocks, that's all.
I don't know if they're worth buying for an area that has little to no snow, say in the central or southern states. But, for me, in the midwest, I think they're worth every penny. I'm not kidding, finding out how good these tires are has been like striking gold to me! You can read more technical data and testing data at:
http://www.tirerack.com
I've purchased the winter tire/wheel set from them, and I've purchased about 6 sets of all-season tires from them. Their prices can't be beat and their service is pretty good. I'm planning on getting an oversized wheel set with low profile performance tires this summer from them. Great place for your tire & wheel needs, and I've heard the same about Discount Tire, but I haven't tried them yet.
My wife and I would really like to know what is the name of the band and the song that is played in the Nissan (Sentra?) TV commercials. If you don't know do you know where we could get this informantion? Thank you very much any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Tom
I know what you mean, it's nice to hear info from real people instead of reading all the "hype" that companies put on their web pages or elsewhere. That's why we love these interactive forums, no?!!! I figured you heard of the discount tire places, they advertise like crazy in the auto mags (I subscribe to Car & Driver). But, truthfully, if you get any snow or ice at all, and have any type of winter season at all, then you should consider them. I look at them as being a relatively inexpensive insurance policy for keeping my butt safe. Hehe. They're worth it for me. If we do buy the new SE Sentra, I'll be buying a set of winter tires for it, too.
Take care,
Chad
Drove an SE today and think I might try to make a deal next week. One problem is that I want an SE with auto, ABS/Airbags, 180 watt stereo, inferno red, and sunroof (NO Sport Package) and dealer said this combination will have to be ordered, none to be found. I personally do not like the sport package due to the spoiler and 16 inch wheels. Spoiler is completely cosmetic and I do not need to advertise the speed capability of the Sentra SE. I think Sentra looks much better without the spoiler.
Later
Al
Even though I have some gripes about ABS, we'll end up getting the ABS/side bag package because we want the side air bags. I've found over the years that good, alert, defensive driving along with really good tires (especially winter tires in the winter) really does you the most good when it comes to braking, ABS on board or not. ABS has saved me on a couple of occasions, and almost got me into serious trouble on another occasion. The troubled situation happened about five years ago (had an Integra GS-R at the time), and my stopping distance was stretched out so far coming down an icy street with a decline, that I nearly plowed into the back end of a police car. He watched me slide through the intersection and nearly hit him, ABS pumping away like crazy; I was pumping the pedal, too. My tires would've had the chance to "bite" into the ice more w/o the ABS and I would've stopped much sooner, IMHO. The car stayed straight, though (no big deal when you can't stop soon enough). By comparison, my wife came down the same hill about 30 minutes later in her '95 Sentra GLE that doesn't have ABS, and she was able to stop at the intersection just fine, unlike me. Sure, her car got a little bit "squiggly" as she pumped the brakes, but w/o ABS, she was able to get the wheels on the Sentra to lock up some more and thus get the tires to bite into the ice more than my car could. Neither of us had winter tires at the time, and there were tire differences between her Sentra and the Integra.
I can't remember any tests done comparing identical vehicles, one with ABS and one without, to see what the stopping difference would be on various surfaces with professional drivers on board, just to see what a human is capable of vs. the ABS system. It would be interesting to have a test like that. There is a difference between the older single-channel ABS systems and the latest ones with their multiple channels. The older systems weren't as effective as the new systems are.
I living in Arlington, VA outside of DC so I need some tires that can perform in wet/icy conditions (e.g. no ultra-high performance tires). I also do not want to change the 17" cool alloy wheels that come standard with the car or lower the car.
Do the Town Hall readers have any suggestions for me?
What don't you like other than the noise? Firehawk is a good tire, the firm ride and road noise is due to the sport nature of the tire and wheel type more than it is the brand.
That said, I know more about tires and wheels than I do about the Sentra as I am considering buying one and do not yet have one. I would be interested if current Sentra owners also have complaints about the Firestone tires.
The 16" tires and wheels with the performance package are all about style, there is no measureable difference between the 15" and 16" wheel and tire when it comes to performance. Also, both tires are H rated (130 MPH). Next higher level of performance is V rated which will take you to 149 MPH.
Dguruswamy, I'd have to agree with moparbad in that many low-profile performance tires are a bit on the noisy side. It has to do with the lower profile of the tire and many other factors, too. But, there are some low-pro tires that are a bit more quiet than others. I think the Firehawks are pretty good tires, but the Dunlop SP's and Michelin Pilots might be a bit more quiet. You'd have to call the TireRack for that specific info, they can outfit you properly and they're very good at tire and wheel knowledge; it's what they do best. There are some low profile tires that can do "double duty" for wet & dry, but you're not going to get good ice performance out of the same tire. You can't expect much winter performance out of all-season low profile tires. You could get some low-profile winter tires, though. You could have them mounted to another set of wheels for quick changes, or have them installed just before the cold months on your factory Nissan wheels. All season tires are like the old saying goes, "jack of all trades, master of none". All season tires work in all seasons, but don't excel in any one. I wish there was a tire that could do it all and do it well, I'd buy it!
Automatic
Convenience Pkg
Luxury Pkg
Floor Mats
Bought it for 14250 (inclusive of destination charges but exclusive of tax, license etc...incl that it cost me 15699) Think I did okay..but could have done better had I not gone to another dealership and come back to my original one which made me lose a couple of hundred bucks I believe...
Also was conned into buying extended warranty (75K miles) for 650 bucks...was that ok?!!
anyway, had a pretty terrible experience with Stevens Creek dealership...just wanted to let everyone know that...they got me really pissed with their attitude...
Thanks
they have 3.9% financing here in ohio for sentras-- did you use that also?
but I'm really looking for some help from fellow Nissan owners
with my bout with Nissan.
Hello all,
I am a first time Nissan owner. I recently purchase a
"new" 2001 Altima SE. Why do I have the word "new" in
quotes? Allow me to continue with my story.
I took delivery of my "new" car in mid November 2000 from
a Nissan dealership in New Jersey. (I live in New York.)
For the first 2 weeks I've had the car in my possession
I've been taking it easy on the gas pedal (no hard
acceleration, keeping it under 55 mph) during the break
in period. I wanted to break in the engine ASAP, so I
can get to really feel the performance of the SE Altima.
I was able to hit 1000 miles in 2 weeks by taking the
car out everyday. Except for the fact that the wheel
alignment was slightly off and a coolant leak (more
about the infamous coolant leak later), the car seemed
to run fine during the break in period. I figured
to bring the car in after I fully broke in the engine
so I can get the 1000 mile oil change and have the wheel
alignment and coolant leak looked at the same time.
I brought my car in for service on Monday,
December 4, 2000. I didn't get my car back until Monday,
December 18, 2000!!! Eleven (11) business days!!!
WTF?!!!
Ok, here comes the big question.... WHY?!!!
Later on the same day I brought the car in, I received a
phone call from the Nissan service shop. It was the
shop manager.... "Uh, I have some good news for you...
You're going to need a new engine..."
WTF?!!! A new engine?!!!
Turns out the coolant leak was not coming from something
simple like a loose hose clamp or leaky hose, but
leaking from a crack in the engine block. (They like to
call the engine block "pourous" rather than "cracked".)
That's what I thought... a loose hose clamp. I saw the
green stuff streaking on the engine block, but would
have never imagined that it was coming from a cracked
block.
Now you think something like this would get me a new
replacement car, right? WRONG!!!
Oringinally they wanted to do something called a "welsh
plug", basically making the crack bigger and drilling
in a screw. Then they decided to give me a new iron
block. Everything under the hood had to be gutted!
Then while disassembling the engine block, they also
discovered that the aluminum head was defective when the
mechanic pulled this bolt from the aluminum head that
holds the sprocket for the timing chain, and the bolt
came out striped, also stripping the inside treads in
the head!!!
So now the iron block and the aluminum head has to be
replaced.
Now tell me.... Would you want to own a new car with a
defective engine that has to be completely replaced???
And not only that, but have everything under the hood
gutted (cooling system, ABS system, A/C system, tranny,
suspension) and put back together by hand???
I've been calling the Nissan (does not) Care number...
the 1-800-NISSAN-1
I've called this number numerous times requesting I want
the car replaced for another one. But they keep brushing
me off by saying that they are doing everything according
to law and honoring the warranty and saying that I'm not
paying for these repairs.
BUT THIS IS NUTS!!! I am paying for it. I paid 20 1/2 K
for this car after taxes. I paid to have the RIGHT to
enjoy the new car experience. The main reason we buy
new cars to begin with is to get away from the
unreliabilty of our old one. I have a 1988 Camry V6 with
almost 155K miles. Everytime I get into it, I always
the nagging feeling in the back of my mind....
"Will I be able to get there without being stranded on
the NJ Turnpike?" or "Oh great. What's the next thing
that's going to break on me?"
I've been robbed of the new car experience. I'm not
driving a new car... it's a reburbished car with 1200
miles on it. I still haven't really "driven" the car
because I was breaking in the old engine, and now I'm
still breaking in the "new" engine. I keep asking myself
"Is this how my car is suppose to drive?" I don't know
because I didn't even have the car long enough to find
out.
I've called into the 1-800-NISSAN-1 since mid December
2000 asking for some sort of compensation. (I'm still
asking for a replacement.) Finally, my case went under
review beginning Jan 2, 2001, and it was suppose to
take 5 business days and someone was suppose to call me
back. I didn't get any answer until the 7th business day,
and I had to call them myself to find out!
This really IS the Nissan (does not) Care line. So many
times they keep reiterating to me that I have the basic
warranty... I'm not paying for the repairs... It's not
in Nissan's policy to replace cars... My car does not
qualify to be a lemon under the NY state Lemon Law.
But the point is I have a new car that had a defective
engine in the very beginning. It's not something as
simply like a headlamp burning out, or the wipers don't
work. No repair shop does whole engine swaps everyday.
Nissan tells me that they have master mechanics. If you
boast that your mechanics are the best and brightest,
then why after the repair was done I have an engine
that's idling rough, my "idiot" lights on my dash
lighting up as bright as the Rockefeller Christmas
tree, some sort of oil leak streaking down the engine
block, and everytime I hit a bump, it sounds like there
is something that's not bolted down properly and I feel
the front end is going to fall apart.
I brought the car back to the shop for some "fine
tuning". Turns out the rough engine idle is due to
the valves not opening and closing properly. And that
they need to use shims(!!!) to adjust the valve
positioning. Shims, pieces of metal that are several
hundredths of an inch in thickness, being placed in
an environment with high operating temperatures and
vibration. Yeah, let's see how long these things will
last.
My car has about 2000 miles in it. It's in the shop for
the 3rd time right now because the shims were on order
since the 2nd time. And even now the shop didn't order
enough shims.
I've only owned the car for about 2 months, and half that
time it's been sitting in the shop!!!
Now Nissan wants to shut me up by offering me a 7 year/
100,000 mile, $50 deductible extended service contract
at no charge. But that still doesn't change the fact that
I paid $20,500 for the privelege to drive around a "new"
car with a refurbed engine. And still it hasn't been put
back together properly.
Please tell me what you think. I would really appreciate
any responses to my situation. Not only would you be
helping me out, but you would also be helping out other
fellow Nissan owners and yourself if you have been
mistreated by Nissan.