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Comments
speedracer3 - thanks for the info. I did check out Autonation's website, but it does not give the details about the cars listed (which one has ABS, which one has HIDs, etc). But a good tool anyway since I know how many cars they have on the lot and I can follow how fast or slowly they are selling them.
hey do you ever drive on Route 27? Great place to stretch one car's legs (300M in my case). But lately there have been more traffic and more cops than usual there. I got pulled over twice already. Once 100mph, no ticket. Another time 82mph, ticket.
One time I raced a most recent Mazda RX-7 there and while I did not beat him, he could not beat my 300M.
sandman46 - another neighbor.
We'll see...I hope for the best. Good luck.
stanny1,
Which Altima is the G35 $5000 more than? That car sure seems awesome on paper. I'll be looking at this car in a few years, too.
Also the handling on the Altima won't be better than rear wheel drive cars like the Lincoln LS, but for what I do mostly here in Chicagoland is drive in a straight line and it handles well enough...especially for a midsize car.
I'd say it is certainly not a "straight line car" given those test results. It did pretty well considering it's not a sports car by scoring at the test average for the two handling tests they did.
I left the dealer immediately. Next time, I will drive my RX 300 and test drive.
Ruski,
Don't think I know Route 27. Where abouts is that?. In terms of openning up my Maxima, I have a good radar detector and I put the pedal to the metal every time I see some open road. Once in a while I race a car here and there. My only loss so far has been to a previous generation Impala SS, but he got caught by the police and I didn't
I once test-drove an '89 MB E class [eventually bought a 260E, though not this particular car] that was making a faint whining sound on our test. When the salesman and I returned to the dealership, I popped the hood, and the drive belt [MB uses only one to drive everything] was almost completely shredded - there were strands of rubber spaghetti everywhere, and the belt was almost completely gone. He later told me the techs found a pulley that was just a couple of mm off center, and it was chewing the belt up in rapid fashion. Sounds like a similar situation to me. Let us know how it turns out.
I noticed several references to the November Road & Track review and the "cons" about the car's steering. I'm wondering if anyone who owns a new Altima could comment on whether the steering is good at interstate speed -- 70-75 mph -- in terms of staying on a straight line. And if the R&T complaints about the steering being numb or vague are valid. I test drove a 2.5S, but it was a short drive at 55 mph so I couldn't tell much about the handling.
I'm looking for a four-door sedan with reasonably good handling and steering. My son has a 1998 Honda 2-door and I'm impressed with how it handles -- especially the steering -- but I want something a little bigger, like the new Altima. My other thoughts are to see what the Infiniti "Skyliner" is like next year, or is this the G35 people have been talking about? Also, to see if they improve the rear suspension of the Maxima or if Honda brings the Accord up a notch next year.
Long post for my first one -- sorry about that. I'd enjoy hearing from any Altima owners about my questions. Thanks.
I test drove one a few weeks ago, and the steering felt a bit too light to me. Handling, on the other hand, seemed quite good for a FWD midsize sedan.
Just my opinion.
This also makes me wonder if the 3.5 SE with 4A tranny has an electronic speed governor, so that people would not blow their H-rated tires if they decide to drive too fast.
My 300M has V-rated tires and no limiters.
speedracer3 - take the Pines Blvd all the way West. That's where you will find Route 27. It is a pretty straight highway with two lanes in each direction. South goes to Miami, North goes to Orlando. It does not have normal entrance and exit ramps. Most entrances and exits are simple stop-sign intersections. There are a couple of lights. Posted speed limit is 65. Closer to Miami, it is 55.
And if the 300M is so virtuous, why consider the Altima at all?
There may be a lot of things that Nissan needs to work on to make the Altima worth the $ that some option loads impose on it, but I frankly don't think this is one of them.
I test drove the 3.5 SE, with cloth interior, yesterday and frankly I was not impressed. With a sticker price of $28,000+ and high NHV (Noise, Harshness, and Vibration) I could never see myself spending that kind of money. The Bose stereo is unremarkable and the car felt extremely light even with four passengers. Two thumbs up for the front defroster (quick and powerful) and the HID headlights.
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
It made the lack of navigation a plus point for the car? A Toyota Echo doesn't have a navigation system either.
The interior that so many complain about, he calls "magnificent."
He did not find anything at all on the car that was not absolutely perfect. It certainly isn't a review.
Also noticed that the manual Altima 3.5 uses less aggressive P215/55VR-17s. Doesn't even use same P225/50 17 size as Maxima SE or I-35 Sport.
What does it say when the automatic sport versions of Maxima and I-35 both get V-rated tires, while the corresponding Altima gets only H-rated tires? And both 3.5 Altimas get less aggressive tire sizes? Nissan, why skimp on the tires?
My 2 cents.
... or if I get chased by some rednecks in big trucks, I better be able to sustain high speed
I think many highways were originally built for 100mph anyway.
Besides, doesn't Nissan charge extra $800 for the auto transmission? And then stab you the second time by withholding better tires? What audacity!
It looks like an Altima owner could dress up the plastic dash with overlays of genuine wood, carbon fiber or actual brushed aluminum. I haven't seen these and cannot vouch for quality, but it is somewhat reassuring to know that this alternative to the factory plastic exists, although it would obviously be preferable if Nissan had done this right in the first place. The cost for a kit for the newest Altima runs from about $200 to over $400, depending on how complete the kit is and what material you choose.
I come from the tire business; the speed rating difference between H and V rated tires is too small to matter in a car of this class. If the REAL objection is that they are obviously trying to save a few dollars with every car...well...that's what is wrong with the interior.
All other things being equal, the steps that are necessary to get the speed rating up from one level to the next [more belt reinforcement, stiffer material] for a given tire design tend also to adversely affect both ride and wear...it isn't a stretch to understand Nissan's reasoning that these are tradeoffs that are unnecessary for the automatic-equipped car.
Look, there are legitimate issues with the decisions Nissan made on final details for the new Altima - if this tire point makes such a big difference to you, then by all means buy something else! It is my opinion, though, that unlike the interior materials, this issue will matter not one whit to 99% of the target audience.
Mercedes and BMW equip many of their cars with H-rated tires for this country precisely because the trade-offs don't add up when you can't SUSTAIN the speeds necessary to stress the tires. The only way to blow up one of these is to exceed 125-130 mph for hours at a time, or to run them at underinflated pressures.
Buy the Maxima if it is such a great car...or the 300M...or whatever. Our Accord EX V6 came with V-rated MXV4s, but when replacement time comes, it will get H-rated MXV4s because they last longer and ride better...
C&D complained about the "guess again" shifter on the Spec V, and that's more or less how I felt. Still, feel is subjective so prospective buyers should try it.
I can't believe the sales man laughed at a new Camry. Is he nuts? Does he really expect to make a sale after a first impression like that? He should show respect even if you drive in with a Pinto, even if it's on fire! :oO
If that attitude is common, the Camry will continue to spank the Altima in sales. Totally lame.
Too bad you hadn't heard about the steering fluid story. You could have laughed right back.
-juice
The main difference is that a V-rated tire can handle more heat build up. But the tires may need to warm up to reach operating temperatures. Before it does that, grip may actually be worse.
I'm sure the H-rated tires are far better on snow and ice. And quite frankly, you are a lot more likely to encounter snow and ice than you are 130 mph.
-juice
The Accord is #1, Civic #2, Camry #3, Focus #4, Taurus #5, Corolla #6.
These 6 cars really battle it out year after year.
The Altima is at #15, and suprisingly, despite being a new and improved model, its sales are lower than September 00's, and also lower than last year YTD as of September.
They really need to lower their prices ...
Interestingly, the Maxima did not take sales away from the Altima, as its sales dropped by something like 23%.
Nissan has lost me as a potential Altima customer because of the dealer markups and the horrible residual values on a lease.
A lot of people that have been in my car have commented on the quietness and couldn't believe this is the NEW Altima. I guess the name does need a little prestige. They were also very surprised that it was a Nissan saying that Nissan cars aren't usally this attractive. By the same token no one was impressed with the interior except for the roominess and the comfortable seats (just like me). The smoothness of the engine along with the power blew them away.
On the downside while this car is great for me...I think Nissan made this car a little to in your face for the average buyer. I see them buying the Camry instead.
I almost bought the Camry LE 4-cyl to save a few bucks until I found out that it has rear drum brakes...this is much worse than putting H-rated tires on automatic cars.
36 months 51%
48 months 44%
Doesn't sound too bad to me, only about 2% behind Accord EX V6.
Got to look at some other cars with my big weekend off, wanted to see some of the other vehicles people talk about, Looked at the Passat, very nice, I liked it well enough, a couple of things irked me though, $29,700 and no pwer seat? And a Cassette? And I could not get the hang of the manual seat control, I about flipped myself out! Saw the new Camry, very nice too.
I think I can boil it down to this, the camry is the car I would buy for my mother or my daughter,
the altima is the car I would buy for me. Good luck to everyone, whatever you get.
Nissan is going after Accord and Camry, but they kind of used VW's strategy of providing something a little different that expected. I think it'll work in the long run. Dealers are dealers, which one wouldn't capitalize on a short supply?
If you find the price too high, just wait, they'll come down to earth. Remember the folks paying $5k over MSRP for the Miata? Then the Beetle? Then the PT Cruiser?
The Altima isn't quite that kind of hit, but it will be successful.
-juice
One other note, because the seats are very high, the car is very easy to get in and out of. Another plus.
Isc. I'm glad your Altima is quiet. I have test driven 3 and all were very noisy. At the moment I'm chalking this up to production problems. Does your have a sunroof (lots of noise from this in my experience)? I have also heard lots of noise from the windows as well.
Yeah, the altima did not have as nice of an interior but it was a lot more fun to drive. The clutch has loosened up a bit after a few hundred miles and is now very easy and decisive. And even my little four banger has great power and pick-up.
I like the simple driver oriented interior. The passat was just a little too upscale for my taste. I didn't want family and friends expecting me to pay for dinner every time I showed up in my car.
That being said, the after-market leather I had put in really improved the look and feal of my Alty. Even with that the Altima came in at 3K less than the passat. Plus I can't think of another 4cyl car seat in the back family car that is this much fun to drive and to look at.
I test drove a V6 Altima SE today and was thoroughly impressed by its acceleration, but as a complete package was greatly disappointed. I thought the Altima would be a worthy contender. After all, on paper the Altima is quite impressive, especially when compared to the WRX. I felt like I could justify another 3 or 4k for more horsepower, similar handling hardware, luxury amentities, more room, bigger trunk and a moonroof. However, on the road, the Altima was something else. Something just didn't feel right.
For one, the interior was a bit sterile and actually not very comfortable. Shifting is awkward with the armrest where it is, and I swear I felt the suspension buckling over bumps... not what I would expect from a brand new car. Plus the torque steer is so strong and the steering a touch too light that keeping the car in line was a chore. Even working the radio while shifting was inconvenient with the radio controls being just out of reach when my right hand was optimally positioned over the shifter. If I could describe the feeling I had when I was in the Altima in one word, I would say it was foreign. Not like from-another-country foreign, but more like un-natural foreign.
I won't bore you with all the details, but to reiterate, I was not impressed with the overall Altima package and I'm glad that I did drive it because it reinforced my love for the WRX. When I test drove the WRX, it was like an old friend had been returned to me. It was like the steering wheel, the seat, the shifter... it was all an extension of myself, not a separate piece of machinery. When I drove the WRX, there was the rare combination of the excitement of the new with the warmness that is just this side of comfort.
Sorry for waxing poetic, but that's what the WRX did to me, and what the Altima didn't.
I test drove a 3.5SE with a moonroof (closed) and it was very quiet. Ride was nice, too. I think they achieved a good ride/handling balance.
The WRX is unsafe? LOL! Subaru has aced the IIHS tests lately, and I'm sure the Impreza will do very well. It's as stiff as a chassis gets at its price level, with the same platform underpinning world rally cars.
The WRX does have cheap carpeting, sun visors, and headliner, but that's about it. It's an absolute rocket. Yet it's docile at low speeds so you could drive your mother-in-law to church in it and still get 25mpg or better.
Compared to the Altima, the WRX has more high end punch, better seats, better steering, and more neutral handling. Plus AWD traction. It's more fun to drive.
The Altima has more space, better styling, and more low end grunt.
Both should very reliable, too, which you can't say about the Germans.
-juice
The new Altima is a far nicer car than it replaces, but it will have to be on the market a long time, selling successfully, breaking the top 10 car list, in order to establish more realistic residual values, which currently seem overestimated given that the car has not proven itself in sales or reliability.
-juice
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52656-2001Oct12.html
And yes it's fun and fast. But I want four elements: fun, fast, safe feeling and luxurious three. Fun and fast without secure and luxurious just doesn't cut it. That's why they sell a little of everything. Priorities.
The WRX will not please those seeking luxury, but then again it wasn't meant to. That's just fine with most owners.
Funny but true story: you remember those New Beetle ads, run in Rallies? The driver, Karl (forget his last name), moved up to race for the Subaru Team USA in an Impreza. They've been phenomenal, winning more often than not. Well, he was overheard saying "it's nice to drive a real car...".
-juice
Grab the Annual Car edition of Consumer Reports, I think it was April 2001. They rank reliability by manufacturer, and the top 6 are Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and the three luxury makes they also own. Subaru was 7th. VW was not even close, FWIW.
VW has good initial quality, but in the long run those good scors don't hold up. Nissan's do.
-juice
blue: sounds like you bought an altima?
-juice