By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
That's why I'm looking at Atlimas, Maximas, G35's, and Spec-V! I shouldn't have left Nissan.
They need to dot the is and cross the ts, I guess. And more power wouldn't hurt.
I'm curious, why are you so critical of the Altima? I mean it's not perfect, but did you expect better? I can't name another FWDer that I like more.
-juice
Solution: Why not make the Vs standard in all 3.5 SEs with a no-cost substitution to less aggressive Hs if customer wants? I'd much prefer the more aggressive Vs used on the Maxima SE and I-35 Sport automatics!
Engines and tranny ratios are not optimized for top speed, instead they are optimized for real world acceleration and passing.
-juice
Who knows maybe you can get them to swap the HR tires w/ the VR. The way cars are selling these days, they'll probably do it.
My point was that, despite what Consumer Reports says, the 'perceived' image of Honda and Toyota contribute greatly to their resale values. Reliability is a big factor, but common knowledge on the street favors Honda and Toyota much more than Nissan, despite the #3 ranking.
Not only have Honda and Toyota consistently built reliable and dependable products, but they leveraged that into creating an image that sticks out in consumers' minds. That's what Nissan, and all other makers, need to emulate. Nissan marketing their cars as 'a cure for the common car' is a bad move. They'd be more successful trying to be more like the common car, which translates to sales. Isuzu tried this strategy with their Axiom, and instead of the 20K sales they were targeting for this calendar year, so far, since April, they've sold only about 3K, 434 only in September.
Yeah, Jetta's are REAL exciting! They are also girls cars. About 90% of Jetta's I see are driven by women. Not that I don't like them. They ARE great cars, but just too feminine.
Get a GTI VR6 instead. Good looking little car.
And MY opinion is that Nissan did a fine job on the rear of the Maxima and the new Altima.
Obi
2002 Maxima SE
Sterling Mist/Frost
The Altima's taillights are plagiarized from Toyota, and the overall treatment reminds me of the Monte Carlo's hind end.
Maxima's okay, but too reminiscent of the Neon. I recall some article where Jerry Hirschberg was quoted as saying the Maxima's rear was intended to be a 'friendly moon' to the other carmakers. That's also a misguided motive.
And phis - go ahead and get that Jetta. It's an awesome car, and if girls like it, all the better for you.
I personally like them. I do think they look better on certain colors (silver) and worse on others (black), though.
Honda and Toyota had firmly tied up the honors for makers of the most reliable but boring cars on the market. It would take Nissan a decade or two to win that kind of reputation, and then they'd be in a three-way tie appealing to people who consider cars transportation, if they think that much about them.
Instead Nissan capitolized on the reputation of the Maxima and their well-deserved reputation as makers of superb engines. They designed the Altima to appeal to people who appreciate performance, both in handling and in the engine. They took some chances with the styling, knowing they'd be sunk if they came up with another boring body style.
Doesn't seem so dumb to me. Yes, they screwed up on the interior, but they sure succeeded in creating a buzz about this car. This is one of the liveliest sites on Edmunds, and one recent survey had the new Altima winning honors as the most exciting new car of the year. That might do well as the start of a comeback.
180hp just now, but the 201hp VR6 hasn't arrived yet. Has it? Still, it's mighty small for the price, which hits WRX territory easily.
I think the Altima will be far more successful than the Axiom. Even mainstream buyers don't want to be thought of as generic.
The tail lights are the coolest feature! ;-) Seriously, it'll attract younger Gen X buyers. If you don't like it, as they say, you're too old.
-juice
The Altima name still has a stigma attached, but within a year or two I think it will be almost as respected as the Maxima. As Ghosn said, there's nothing wrong with a car company that a good car can't fix.
And I do admit that the name reduces the prestige of the car somewhat, since everybody that I've shown the car to can't believe it's an Altima, but...the Volkswagon Jetta?!!!!
Unless you're a 16-29 year old girl, you won't look too good driving it. I admit it's a cute little car and everytime one goes by me I take a look over to check out if there is a cutie in the car, but make no mistake...like to post from obiwankenobi1 said..they are total chick cars.
How about the Honda Prelude? or the VW Cabrio?
I think VW makes poor cars, but their engines, interiors and components are above reproach. If it weren't for their shoddy workmanship and bad dealerships (oxymoron as most dealerships are just plain evil), VW would be the car company.
: )
Mackabee
The Camry is definitely built better (exterior and interior panels) and the interior materials are nicer. Of course...I shopped the Camry. I kind of liked the design of the new front end too. Not the back of course...it looks worse than the previous generation. Just seemed like the designers were trying too hard not to offend the typical Camry buyer. But overall it's not too bad of a design.
After my test drive of the Camry SE-V6, I was trying to decide if I'd like this car after 4 years (my payment period). I factored in the resale value which will undoubtedly be higher, too. After careful consideration, I decided I'd pass on paying $26,000 on a Camry SE-V6. It was actually a better buy at only about $350 over invoice than the Altima SE-V6 that I bought, but I couldn't pull the trigger. Why? No excitement at all. I couldn't get excited about buying it. I was actually thinking why buy a new car at all, if it's going to be this boring of a ride.
But of course, if you're looking for just a solid means of transportation w/ very little fuss and don't need the excitement when you drive a car... I would definitely recommend the Camry for you. It's a very nice car. I guess QUALITY is the only thing that comes to mind when I think about the Camry, now that I think about it. :-)
The reason why I bought the Altima was because it was a car that I absolutely had to have after my multiple test drives. I had to have my girlfriend drag me out of the dealer because I wanted to buy the car right then and there, every time I visited the dealer. Of course at first they were selling them at sticker..which I thought was a joke (like everyone else in this forum) and it was a little easier to walk out but not as time went by. Note that the Camrys were going for $400 over invoice almost from the get go.
Buying the Altima was not price related because it actually costs a little more than the Camry to get one that's similarly equipped.
The 3.5 V-6 engine would be suitable in a Mercedes-Benz...that's how good it is. From the linear power delivery to the muted yet distinct roar at higher RPMs, the engine is just flat out awesome. The suspension is excellent and is better than the Maximas as it should be...Nissan should go out of business if their basic suspension design on this new global midsize platform was less than stellar and more importantly worse than a 7 year old cost saving beam-axle design. Notice the Camry still uses MacPherson struts all around...guess they didn't spend any money here (where it really counts!). The interior materials aren't as nice but this drawback is far outweighed by the technological excellence that the Altima presents.
I'm actually quite happy with the compromise. Of course I'd be happier if Nissan had decided to make a little less money per car and implemented the same materials on the inside as the Maxima, but they didn't so I had to decide. I decided on buying a car that's visually striking and equally entertainting to drive while being very, very roomy and super quiet all at the same time.
I also considered the Accord EXV6, the best value car in my opinion, all things considered but the ho-hum styling and the narrow uncomfortable seats just didn't do it for me. And of course the lack of the powerful engine that the Altima had.
Sorry for the long post.
If they keep the residual too high, then the finance company makes less money on the deal, and at the end of the lease, the company is stuck taking back a car that is worth less than what they thought it would. They will then take a loss on unloading the vehicle.
This was clearly demonstrated by the glut of returned SUV's in the recent past, which were all worth less than their estimated residuals, and the finance companies took baths on unloading them to the wholesalers. This is precisely the reason that certain banks and other institutions got out of the business of financing auto leases.
When I first saw a photo of it, I couldn't believe how cool it looked. The front end slopes down to a nice point, and the tail lights...well that just sold me on the car. I really like those new clear lights.
The short rear end looked fairly cool as well, but then I thought that there might not be much trunk space with such a short backside. Well, after seeing it in person, that fear was allayed as well. It has *plenty* of trunk room
Since I want the V6 5 speed, it does kinda suck that I'd need to use premium fuel in it (with gas prices as they are now), but as they say, with great power comes a price...and I feel it's worth it
-Bryan
And one other thing, it's not a stretch at all to say that Nissan historically is right there with Toyota in terms of overall build quality and carefree long term ownership. I haven't driven the new Altima yet, but have enough ownership experience with other Nissan and Toyota products to know that, generally speaking, a Nissan will drive circles around a similar Toyota product and do it for as many or more miles. Nissan always has had the performance edge and their latest products, like the Altima, only reinforce that image.
BTW, I love the looks of the new Altima including its tail lights. It may be too early to say if Nissan has hit a home run with the Altima. But, they surely took a mighty swing. I wouldn't be surprised if the Altima ends up stealing back many of the former Camry/Accord owners who defected to the VW Passat the past few years.
Also, I liked the suspension. Good ride/handling balance. No rattles on the one I drove. The HIDs look sweet and complement the rest of the exterior. Looks are subjective, but reactions from the folks I've talked to has been mostly positive.
I like the Camry and wouldn't object if my wife wanted one. They got the rear styling all wrong, though. It got the ugly disease from the Taurus/Maxima/Neon family.
You can't get HIDs, 240hp, or even a V6 5 speed, either. Still, it's a nice car.
-juice
I want the same car, or maybe a 6spd Maxima, and I used to feel the same way about having to use premium fuel, until I drove by a gas station last night and saw $1.14 for regular and $1.34 for premium.
But if you're getting the Altima, I imagine the 240 horses had a lot to do with it. Stick with premium.
-juice
I think you're making out better with the "H"s if you consider LSC's post on the tire prices. I don't think anyone will notice an improved handling difference unless they are autocrossing. On the flip side, you will likely notice the negatives of the "V"s (noise, cost, comfort) during everyday driveability more than you will notice a handling improvement.
They dynoed 5 or 6 cars (4 requiring regular gasoline and 2 requiring premium).
Their data (I think) concluded that the cars requiring premium produced more horsepower when premium was used. The cars requiring regular saw no increase in power when premium was used.
I think they also mentioned that cars requiring regular may run better on mid-grade or premium as they age.
Interesting.
Don't forget that in addition to the reduced horsepower, retarding the timing will more then likely result in a decrease in gas mileage. This decrease may erase any savings that you thought that you were getting by buying cheaper gas. Also, who is to say that in the long run the occasional ping or two will not hurt you engine. Play it safe and use premium.
Also, a link to the article mentioned by 92drexel is http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/features/2001/november/200111_feature_gasoline.xml
I ran it dry and then put in 91 octane and I feel like I have wasted my money.
Stick to 87. If you must go to 89, but don't waste the $ on premium! That gas is made for your M3's, Boxter S's and E55's (just to name a few!).
why even put air bags in the car? maybe i want to slam my head through the windshield if i'm dumb enough to get into an accident. why even put a windshield at all? maybe i like the wind blowing in my face at 80mph. just kidding. hehe
i'm sure they'll be able to work something out for you when you go to the dealer.
it's really a minor issue. but hey, i won't buy a car with rear drum brakes so, i guess we all have our pet peeves.
Obi: not sure how Nissan programs its ECU, but it might take 3-4 tanks before it learns to advance the timing once again after you start using higher octane again.
I did a little experimenting with ignition timing myself. My Miata's is set manually, with a stock setting at 10 degrees before top dead center. I did a couple of runs to a set distance and measured trap speed a few times.
Then I advanced the timing to 14 degrees. I repeated those runs and averaged about 2mph higher trap speeds. Though I could not feel the difference, performance was better.
I've heard you can go as far as 18 degrees BTDC and get a bit more umph, but then premium fuel is required, and there are diminishing returns.
Most people cannot "feel" a difference of just 5 horsepower. On your Maxima, it amounts to a 2% loss of power.
-juice
The high pricing and low interior quaility are much bigger issues than the rear styling.
Impressions: Some good and some bad. First I will say that the interior design is somewhat boring to me, BUT, the materials used were excellent, much better than the new Altimas. (Lord PLEASE help Nissan fix there interior by next year.) The styling was sedate, and a little plain, but the splash guards really help it stylewise. One thing I did notice though, remember all the complaining(me included) going on in these forums about the carpet cut-out for the gas door. Quess what, Toyota did the same thing with the camry, look inside one, you'll see it. So I guess we can end that.
Also, I thought I'd add that while I was inside the dealership, there was a young couple with a baby that would not stop crying, they were about 2 feet away from where I was sitting in the Camry, and I could BARELY here him crying, that's pretty impressive.
I walked away from the car impressed with it's interior material, it felt like a Lexus in there, but I think I'll pass on the Camry XLE. It came with the leather and sunroof, but no heated seats.
I went outside, and to my surpise there was a Camry SE 14 with leather interior, isn't that not available for the Camry SEI4? It had the wheelcovers, which are ugly IMO. I also looked inside the SEV6 models on the lot, and I LOVE Stratosphere Blue, I wish Nissan would offer a color like that on the new Altima. I liked the interior of the SE somewhat better than the XLE, but overall I like the design of the Altimas better. I think that if Nissan could just improve the darn interior, it would be much more received, the SL model is a great value compared to a similarly equipped XLE I4, you might loose the climate control and the rear sunshade, but for about $2000, I can live with the better performing, better looking Altima 2.5SL. Also, to mackabee, there was something obviously wrong with the Altima you tested, of all the new Altimas I have been in, all seemed quiet enough, not as quiet as the Camry, but quiet enough for my young ears.
Man, talk about being cheap. For ten gallons of gas it's a $2.00 difference. Heck if you're blowing $15 for 10 gallons regular, then the 10-15% premium is a small price to pay.
I still can't grasp how someone can spend 25-27k on a new car and then be a cheap skate over maybe $200 a year.
Altima 3.5SE: $23,689
Camry V6 SE: $24,185
Accord EX V6: $25,740
Passat GLS V6: $25,875
It's actually the cheapest among its most notable competitors (I didn't factor equipment, that get complicated). Nissan offers more options like HIDs, but you don't have to get those. And you can get a 5 speed and lower the cost, or add a few options and pay the same price for more power.
The key is only the Passat offers a V6/manual, but it's down a whopping 50 horses.
-juice
maxamillion1 - my wife's Lexus RX300 has a cut in the carpet for the gas door opener.
Edmunds has a test drive report on the main page today, and there are pics at
http://www.km77.com/marcas/mazda/6_02/galeria.asp
There's also a new discussion about it in the sedans' topic.
This is going to be the best bet for people who want the Altima's power, with high reliability and quality, great interior (see the pix!), in addition to truly better handling, what with the excellent suspension design! Check it out!
I am gonna do a 180!!!!!!!!!!!!