Thanks a ton for that link to the Mazda 6. The Edmunds review didnt have interior pics and I was curious - curiosity has been surely sated. That Mazda is AMAZING. If I were in the market for a family car I would totally hold out for the 6 next year. That car beats the Altima on looks without even trying, and the power is similar. Handling is definitely better.
That interior is INCREDIBLE ... if you find more pics, please post!
Why did you compare an EX V6 Honda to a 3.5 V6 with no options, but automatic transmission?
An Altima 3.5 SE without thousands in options is equipped more like an Accord LX V6 and even then it doesn't match all the standard features of even the LX model Accord that has ABS, power seat etc standard.
While it's all well and good to get excited over a new model, how can people say things like, "The power is similar. Handling is definitely better." Well, power I can sort of see, but no one knows how much the thing weighs or how it's geared. It could hit 60 in 8 seconds for all anyone knows. Handling is a mystery to me. No one outside of Mazda has driven the car! How do you know the handling is "definitely better"?
Note also that the Altima's interior looked "sweet" in pre-production pictures, but everyone complains about it now.
I decided I would compare the Accord and Altima with comparable features to one another. Altima SEV6 with Leather, ABS, sunroof, auto trans., Bose, no rear spoiler(although almost impossible.) No Xenons are heated seats. Price:$25,283(Invoice)
Accord EXV6: $23205. So, yea, the new Altima is not exactly the best value, especially when compared to the 2002 Accord. I have read though, that next year the new Accord will cost a good bit more than the current model, although I doubt it. Hondas prices are lower simply because they offer models loaded with no options, which is smart to me.
It's a $2,078 difference. It might be okay if the Altima had better interior material than the Accord, but since it doesn't it makes the Altima look way overpriced. I still like it better than the Accord and would choose it over the Accord though.
I would have discounted the poor quaity of the Altima that I drove, however I drove both the V6 se AND the 4cyl Sl 2.5 and both cars showed the same lapses in quality i.e. the dash, door panels, the sagging headliner, and rattling moonroof shade/cover. I have always been a fan of Nissan, as you read in my post Mack Jr. has a 94 Se-r which I heavily influenced in the purchase and it does not have any of the shortcomings of the new Altima and was 2/3rds the price. SO why can't or won't they build a 25-30k dollar car with the same attention to detail they built a less expensive car 10 years ago? Now I never said the car is a "piece of crap" as one poster implied. I just wish they would have built the car with the same attention to detail they put in that awesome engine!
I felt the same way you did. I figured I didn't need the leather nor the Bose (it's harder to upgrade) and the price became a lot more competitive. Plus you have the super engine and the seats were a lot wider and more comfortable than the Accords.
The Accord still is the best value, I agree...but I didn't want a car that 400,000 other people have bought every year since 1998, so that's about 1.6 million Accords out there in the U.S. with basically the same design.
Mackabee,
That awesome engine, along with the transmission was built in Japan and shipped over here before the folks at Tennessee put it all together. I would have to agree with you that the folks at Smyrna, Tenn. don't do as a good a job at putting a car together as the folks at Lexington, Kentucky. The new Altima does not have flawless build quality (like I previously stated). My bro has a 99 Maxima (built in Japan) and you can tell the difference.
But the Altima is still a way cooler ride than the Camry and a lot more fun to drive.
$24,000 for 157HP? It better be made in Germany.
Where was that Sentra built in 94? Probably Japan, right? There's your answer. Getting the U.S. workers to improve the build quality in Tenn. seems to be Nissan biggest challenge now.
Had I know about that before, I could have seriously considered a 1.8 Passat w/ 5-speed.
That's not a bad increase in HP for $499.
I don't need to spend anything on my Altima right now and I'll probably trade it in for the Infiniti G35 in about 3 years so, I'll probably leave mine stock. I know some people are very excited about the new G35, I considered waiting too for it. I hope they do 'everything' right on that car...once and for all.
Read the Edmunds article about the handling - it'll eat ANY of the other sedans' for breakfast! The Mazda philosophy - build useful AND fun cars, seems to have been fulfilled yet again - and they only drove a prototype!
As for the 'its still a mazda' comments, unlike Honda, Toyota and nissan, which are built outside Japan, the Mazdas are still built in Japan. And from personal experience and observing friends' and acquaintances Proteges, Sentras, Corollas and Civics, its impossibly to tell the difference in terms of longevity and quality. All of them will or have lasted well into the 100K+ region. But the tangible differences are the comfort and drivability, in both of which the Protege has the rest of the field soundly beat!
As for the Ford association, Mazda will build the platforms and engines for the compact and midsize sedan versions for Ford, Volvo, Mazda, and perhaps even the baby Jag X-type will shift from the Ford Mondeo platform to something by Mazda. All Ford seems to provide is money (to Mazda), and its ONLY reliable engine (subjective, and my opinion)- the 3.0l Duratec V6, to the Tribute and now the 6. And its been modified by Mazda to include Valve timing and intake work for 20 more HP.
As for Tribute problems, 5-6 recalls in the first year and all of them minor - true, its a hassle to bring cars in for recall repairs, but for what you get (compared to competing mini-utes) makes it worth it! But almost ANY car, even from venerable Toyota and Honda, has 2-4 recalls in its first model year!
Mazda all the way! Oh, and I'll avoid further cross posts, the Mazda 6 topic has taken off!
I know it's a very small sample and largely anecdotal, but I've owned two Mazdas and two Hondas and the overall quality/reliability of the Hondas is higher. No doubt in my mind. And residual values are definitely higher, as well.
That doesn't mean I would write off buying a new Mazda or Nissan, but the reliability issue would have to be addressed. Maybe styling, handling, and features (stick shift available with V6) would overcome the reliability and residual factors. We'll have to see.
Let's hope that the appearance of this extremely attractive Mazda puts pressure on Nissan to address shortcomings in the interior appearance of the Altima. I'd much prefer a hatchback or even station wagon to a sedan, and I wonder if Nissan is tempted to produce the Altima in either version. And although the Mazda bodies look wonderful, the Nissan V-6 is better than anything this side of a BMW. Man, this family sedan area of the market is getting interesting!
Whoa, slow down, a lot of what they wrote was "according to Mazda". I seriously doubt it'll handle better than the RWDers like the 3 series and Lexus IS. I like the Mazda (I own two of them), but let's be realistic.
The 626 sold in the US is built in Flat Rock, Michigan, not Japan.
The wagon is very sleek. I would consider one for sure. 219hp is plenty, and it looks like Mazda re-engineered the engine significantly. Bugatis use VW engine blocks, but that doesn't mean much either.
Back to Altima vs. Accord, the LX V6 Accord has 15 inch steel wheels. Hardly the equal of the Altima's gorgeous 17" alloys. There's also a significant difference in horsepower.
I don't think the look would translate well to the Altima's roof line. They would have to change the shape of the rear doors to do either a hatch back or wagon, else it won't look right. That's why the Passat looks good and the Saturn SW2 doesn't.
No, the 94 was built here in the USA. The folks at Smyrna can build them just as well as the folks in Ky. I think the quality control standards were relaxed for the Altima. Nice car, don't get me wrong. But, like I said. The attention to detail on the inside leaves a lot to be desired.
I think Mazda has some great cars to their credit. The Miata, Protoge, Millenia (although it is too expensive IMO), and the previous generation RX-7 (what a car!) are my favorites. Never liked the 626, but this new "6" is a looker. Go Mazda ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM!!!
oh yeah, the Impala!!! I forgot. How is the quality of the interior in that car?
you're right the sentra was built in Smyrna. I think part of the reason for the cheaper plastic has something to do with Nissan's new cost savings plan w/ it's suppliers. Since they are are paying the supplier less money, the supplier is providing cheaper materials. The new Altima still has to be better built than a car made in 1994 i would think.
I just drove my car in to work today ~30 miles... it was a very comfortable drive, the doors stayed in tact and none of the control knobs fell off. :-)
Millenia isn't too expensive, because it's carried $4000-6000 rebates at times. It was when it was new, and by the time prices came down it had lost its luster.
Back to Nissan, Carlos "le cost cutter" Ghosn can be blamed for that. Though honestly I thought the interior was fine. I guess I'm more impressed by the hardware (240hp, 17" alloys, 4 wheel discs) as opposed to the software (seat fabrics and interior materials).
Hmm, $24,000 for a loaded 4-cylinder, $28,500 for a loaded V-6. I'm sure it's a much improved car, but that's serious cash for an Altima.
The only problem with Nissans being upgraded big-time is it just kills the Infiniti sub-brand. The G20 is the smallest, least sophisticated car Nissan sells in North America, including the Sentra. That's just plain embarrassing. The I35 is smaller and slower than the Altima. The Q45 is competitive, but the point of a premium car is to create a prestige halo for the cheaper products . . . and that just isn't happening.
Why would you trade an 2002 Altima for the upcoming G35? Based on the next Skyline or not, the styling looks pretty much the same to me, and has the same engine.
Like so many people who have posted before me, I waited in anticipation for the new Altima SE. When I was finally ready to seriously shop, this was the first car on my list(despite all the interior bashing). So I test drove an SE with everything. It drove better than I had even expected. However, it's true...the interior isn't much better than that of a Neon! After that there was no way I could pay close to sticker. Before I left I test drove the 02 Maxima SE w/everything but the Nav unit. It drove better, interior was ten times nicer, and I got it for $300 UNDER invoice. Saving close to $2k over what I would have spent for a fully loaded Altima SE. So for my 2cents, you can spend less and get a heck of a lot more car.
I haven't posted for about two weeks. In that time I have taken two long trips. One from Albany to the Maine coast and one to NYC (Queens).
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CAR
Taking back roads to and in Maine the car was a blast. the engine revs easily the 5spd is smooth (except as I will note below) and the suspension is great. In NYC driving the car performed wonderfully, zipping through lane changes and stopping on a dime.
On the trip to NYC I had three other adults and all of our luggage for a three day trip. What a huge trunk. We were all comfortable and the 4cyl had no problem accelerating briskly with the load.
I can not complain about the interior as I have previously always driven GM. I have no squeaks or rattles and personally love the styling. I don't think the material is noticably cheaper than comperable import cars. I happen to like the dash and gauge layout.
I do have 2 complaints My 5spd has a tendency to catch going into 2nd gear. It only happens when the car is moving and seems to be getting better. I notice it most when the car is cold. Iwill have it checked out at the 3k service. I will admit Honda's 5spd is better, but their engine isn't.
The fuel gage is non-linear. When it reads almost empty there is 5 gal. left - that's over 150 miles on the highway.
btw I got 32-33 mpg on the expressway and 30 on easy secondary road driving in the city it was 25mpg - 2200 miles logged so far.
P.S. ran my numbers again I paid about $600 over invoice maybe you all should shop in Albany.
"Hmm, $24,000 for a loaded 4-cylinder, $28,500 for a loaded V-6. I'm sure it's a much improved car, but that's serious cash for an Altima."
You guys should come up and buy your Altimas in Canada. Up here, a loaded SL is $29,000 Cdn and fully-loaded automatic SE is only $32,800 CDN. Using a 1.55 exchange rate, that's about $18,700 USD and $21,200 USD respectively.
I know that the G35 is rear-wheel drive. That's why I noted it was Skyline-derived. I agree that I'd rather buy a G35 than an Altima or Maxima . . . however, I don't intend to replace a 2002 Altima with a 2004 G35, and presumably neither do you.
Personally, there's no way I'd buy the 2002 Altima right now . . . not when I can get an equivalent 2002 Maxima for a couple of grand less. Hell, you can pick up a loaded 2001 Maxima SE for under $24k. That's hardly Nissan's fault, but supply and demand does make for the occasional market anomaly, point 2 being that an Xterra SE S/C and a comparably-equipped Pathfinder cost about the same here.
The G20 still exists in the sense that it is sold here. If you mean it's competitively dead that was true three years ago when they released it. I'm qualified to bash it because I used to own one.
I do agree that the interior is ten times nicer. The leather on the 2002 Maximas are extremly nice and nicer than the 2001 Maximas. The 2002 Maxima is a good buy considering you get stuff like heated steering wheel that's was only on BMWs and memory seats. The engine is the same as the Altima but w/ more power. The suspension an the design are the only areas that can be questioned, but I liked the ride of the Maxima better than the Accord and the Camry before so its still not bad. And if you liked the styling...then it's case closed!!!
I personally bought the 2002 Altima SE w/ cloth and automatic but I have no problems w/ people buying the Maxima at all. It's still a great car...and it's still made in Japan.
Thanks for the excellent review on your Altima. I've looked at the new Altima along with the Camry and Accord. Having test driven all three, the Altima is definitely my favorite. Excluding the interior, the Altima has it over the other two mechanically - i.e., better engine, more power, 16" wheels, and even four-wheel disc brakes on all models. I think Nissan has raised the bar for mid-sized sedans. Like you, I would prefer a 5-speed 4-cylinder but the wife will insist on an automatic. Even the automatic was impressive. I've got an old ('90) Acura Legend with a 2.7 V6 (170 HP) and the 4-cylinder Altima has much better acceleration. The 4-speed auto is much smoother as well. Very impressed with your gas mileage - 32/33 MPG on the highway is terrific.
Purchased an Altima S with ABS/side air bags and automatic for just over 20,000 (basically MSRP, except they threw in the mud flaps I hadn't ordered). Got $600.00 over Kelly Blue Book on my 2000 Altima trade in (and $1,000 more than they originally suggested) as my only small victory in the bargaining wars.
My wife and I are in agreement with Brad45 that we really love this car. Much more powerful than the 2000 Altima, great brakes, way more interior room in front and back, where we can fit two car seats with little ones in back with plenty of room for a skinny teenager in between. Great styling, much sportier looking than the new Camry in my opinion.
Perhaps a lot of our opinions are just relative to what we've been driving, but we actually like the interior a lot more than the previous Altima that had the fake wood trim. The bright dials are a nice touch, with much more cup holder/storage space. My wife has had co-workers commenting on how much they like they rear tailights and overall look, so the rear must be a matter of taste, many seem to find it appealing.
Most of the comments/outrage on this board seem to focus on the pricing of the more expensive SE and SL versions. The S version had everything we wanted in "convenience" (CD, air conditioning, remote keyless, power windows, etc.) and the price didn't seem unreasonable for what we were getting even conceding the price will go down over time.
So we're really happy with this car - flame on all you Altima haters out there, this car is a winner, at least for those of us with "S" level budgets!
I am completely torn in my decision over these 2 cars. I have yet to test drive either because I have been waiting for the 6 speed Maxima. After seeing a couple of Altimas on the road, it's going to be hard to pass up on this beatiful car especially since the prices are starting to come down. On paper the Maxima is the smart choice but the heart is definitely pushing for the Altima (looks like a Lexus GS first cousin). Without cost being the deciding factor, which would you choose? 5spd 240Hp & 5.9 0-60mph or 6spd 255Hp high 5 to low 6 0-60? Or maybe even Auto/ slushbox version of either. HELP!!! I need this car like yesterday! (New baby boy born on Friday means I now have 2 car seats populating the back seat of my beloved 95' 200SX SER - I need a 4 dr sports sedan!!)
Price is about $3500US where I am at between the two SE. Is there anything on either car that you dislike? There are lot of things that I like about both. One is more agile, the other more solid. Here in Canada we don't get HID on the Altima SE. I choose the Maxima because of that, plus I did not like the instrument panel. Also, the seat felt narrow. Dealer would not move much on the MSRP. The big ones were the orange gauges and HID. Those I have to live will every moment.
If you can hold out one more year, the Altima is expected to get a "facelift" on the interior from what I read @ freshalloy.com a while back, so if you really can't live without the styling of the new Altima, but want a nicer looking interior, wait on the 2003 model, plus, by that time all the little "bugs" will be worked out.
For me though, personally I am waiting on the next Mazda 6 to debut and the new Accord to debut before I buy anything, while I am at it, I might as well wait on the new Maxima in early 2003.
Like I said in my previous post, I was just blessed with a baby boy and my little 200SX is extremely cramped to have to deal with 2 car seats back there. I had been looking at the IS300 last year but couldn't justify the $30K+ price tag for a car with "no" back seat. I was pretty set on the Maxima until I saw the new Altima on the live webcast in April. I have to say that I am really in love with the Altima but I have reservations about the build quality and the outrageous pricing here in Southern California. Nissan has always impressed me with the quality of their cars (my '95 200SX SER was a first year model purchased 5 days after the model intro and 110,000 miles later my most expensive maintenance bill was the $400 I spent on a new clutch). So that only leaves price! I don't mind spending the money for a car that justifies it's price but the Altima 3.5SE loaded to the gills is only a $24K car in my book due to the current interior.
I would love to make a decision by next week so what should I do? What's an acceptable price to pay for a loaded 3.5SE 5sp w/leather, spoiler, HID's, Bose, sunroof & deflector, microfilter and the new side sills?
A similarly decked out Maxima is discounted in this area to about $28K which is within $1K of the inflated Altimas price.
Well I don't know which G20 you owned but most G20 owners I know positively rave about thier car. That includes me ('00 G20t 5-spd). If you had a '99 or any year with an automatic then you missed the boat with the G20. At any rate, 2002 will be the last year for the car. Which, IMHO, is too bad since all it really needs is the 180hp 2.5L V-spec engine and some interior freshening.
I would agree with some here that the Maxima is probably the smarter buy right now. But the Altima is a very compelling car and I would find it hard to resist if faced with the decision.
For years I have looked Nissan Altima and Mxima and always go back to Toyota. In this day and age any manufacturer worth his salt should be able to get 30mpg+. Nissan never gets there.
There seems to be a problem of people ASSUMING the price of a Millenia is too high.
"speedracer3: Millenia S with Miller-cycle is now selling for a price of a loaded Camcord so it's really not that expensive ;-)"
To add to that, I bought an '01 Millenia P, a little over a month ago for $21680. That is the price of an AVERAGE Camcord. 3800 miles later, I am thrilled with my decision. Guess what? I don't run into myself at every street corner, or lose my Millenia in the WalMart parking lot because there are fifty more there that look just like it. Do yourselves a favor, and check the cars out, that you think are too expensive. I saved $8000 from the price of a similarly equipped '02 Camry. And the car is impeccably assembled and finished in Japan. Oh what a feeling "Millenia". HeHe.
I should clarify, when I said that the Millenia was expensive I was talking about the "S", which is the car that tickles my fancy. MSRP on that car is $31K and invoice is $29K. That is NOT cheap unless they are selling them WAY below invoice.
Comments
Thanks a ton for that link to the Mazda 6. The Edmunds review didnt have interior pics and I was curious - curiosity has been surely sated. That Mazda is AMAZING. If I were in the market for a family car I would totally hold out for the 6 next year. That car beats the Altima on looks without even trying, and the power is similar. Handling is definitely better.
That interior is INCREDIBLE ... if you find more pics, please post!
Thanks again ..
An Altima 3.5 SE without thousands in options is equipped more like an Accord LX V6 and even then it doesn't match all the standard features of even the LX model Accord that has ABS, power seat etc standard.
Note also that the Altima's interior looked "sweet" in pre-production pictures, but everyone complains about it now.
Altima SEV6 with Leather, ABS, sunroof, auto trans., Bose, no rear spoiler(although almost impossible.) No Xenons are heated seats.
Price:$25,283(Invoice)
Accord EXV6:
$23205. So, yea, the new Altima is not exactly the best value, especially when compared to the 2002 Accord. I have read though, that next year the new Accord will cost a good bit more than the current model, although I doubt it. Hondas prices are lower simply because they offer models loaded with no options, which is smart to me.
It's a $2,078 difference. It might be okay if the Altima had better interior material than the Accord, but since it doesn't it makes the Altima look way overpriced. I still like it better than the Accord and would choose it over the Accord though.
: )
Mackabee
: )
Mackabee
The Accord still is the best value, I agree...but I didn't want a car that 400,000 other people have bought every year since 1998, so that's about 1.6 million Accords out there in the U.S. with basically the same design.
Mackabee,
That awesome engine, along with the transmission was built in Japan and shipped over here before the folks at Tennessee put it all together. I would have to agree with you that the folks at Smyrna, Tenn. don't do as a good a job at putting a car together as the folks at Lexington, Kentucky. The new Altima does not have flawless build quality (like I previously stated). My bro has a 99 Maxima (built in Japan) and you can tell the difference.
But the Altima is still a way cooler ride than the Camry and a lot more fun to drive.
$24,000 for 157HP? It better be made in Germany.
Where was that Sentra built in 94? Probably Japan, right? There's your answer. Getting the U.S. workers to improve the build quality in Tenn. seems to be Nissan biggest challenge now.
That's not a bad increase in HP for $499.
I don't need to spend anything on my Altima right now and I'll probably trade it in for the Infiniti G35 in about 3 years so, I'll probably leave mine stock. I know some people are very excited about the new G35, I considered waiting too for it. I hope they do 'everything' right on that car...once and for all.
The Mazda philosophy - build useful AND fun cars, seems to have been fulfilled yet again - and they only drove a prototype!
As for the 'its still a mazda' comments, unlike Honda, Toyota and nissan, which are built outside Japan, the Mazdas are still built in Japan. And from personal experience and observing friends' and acquaintances Proteges, Sentras, Corollas and Civics, its impossibly to tell the difference in terms of longevity and quality. All of them will or have lasted well into the 100K+ region. But the tangible differences are the comfort and drivability, in both of which the Protege has the rest of the field soundly beat!
As for the Ford association, Mazda will build the platforms and engines for the compact and midsize sedan versions for Ford, Volvo, Mazda, and perhaps even the baby Jag X-type will shift from the Ford Mondeo platform to something by Mazda. All Ford seems to provide is money (to Mazda), and its ONLY reliable engine (subjective, and my opinion)- the 3.0l Duratec V6, to the Tribute and now the 6. And its been modified by Mazda to include Valve timing and intake work for 20 more HP.
As for Tribute problems, 5-6 recalls in the first year and all of them minor - true, its a hassle to bring cars in for recall repairs, but for what you get (compared to competing mini-utes) makes it worth it! But almost ANY car, even from venerable Toyota and Honda, has 2-4 recalls in its first model year!
Mazda all the way!
Oh, and I'll avoid further cross posts, the Mazda 6 topic has taken off!
That doesn't mean I would write off buying a new Mazda or Nissan, but the reliability issue would have to be addressed. Maybe styling, handling, and features (stick shift available with V6) would overcome the reliability and residual factors. We'll have to see.
http://www.elmundomotor.com/elmundomotor/2001/10/16/coches/1003262288.html
But why couldn't they have found a more powerful V6?
the front looks like an Alfa
The 626 sold in the US is built in Flat Rock, Michigan, not Japan.
The wagon is very sleek. I would consider one for sure. 219hp is plenty, and it looks like Mazda re-engineered the engine significantly. Bugatis use VW engine blocks, but that doesn't mean much either.
Back to Altima vs. Accord, the LX V6 Accord has 15 inch steel wheels. Hardly the equal of the Altima's gorgeous 17" alloys. There's also a significant difference in horsepower.
-juice
the body shape of the Altima (as well as 300M) already looks like it could be a hatchback. I don't know why they made them into sedans.
-juice
: )
Mackabee
When will it be coming out?
With the new Accord coming soon there will be lots of choices for those that wait.
The midsize sedan market is turning out some nice cars... all Japanese though.
I guess Chevy has the Lumina. Where are the American midsize cars? just curious. I guess they gave up.
-juice
Ruski:
I hear ya. I would ask the dealer to swap them out(tires) for you.
Pontiac Grand Prix GTP can certainly whoop a few cars that cost almost twice as much.
Regal GS is very nice too.
you're right the sentra was built in Smyrna. I think part of the reason for the cheaper plastic has something to do with Nissan's new cost savings plan w/ it's suppliers. Since they are are paying the supplier less money, the supplier is providing cheaper materials. The new Altima still has to be better built than a car made in 1994 i would think.
I just drove my car in to work today ~30 miles... it was a very comfortable drive, the doors stayed in tact and none of the control knobs fell off. :-)
Millenia S with Miller-cycle is now selling for a price of a loaded Camcord so it's really not that expensive ;-)
http://www.km77.com/marcas/mazda/6_02/gra/3.jpg
Back to Nissan, Carlos "le cost cutter" Ghosn can be blamed for that. Though honestly I thought the interior was fine. I guess I'm more impressed by the hardware (240hp, 17" alloys, 4 wheel discs) as opposed to the software (seat fabrics and interior materials).
-juice
The only problem with Nissans being upgraded big-time is it just kills the Infiniti sub-brand. The G20 is the smallest, least sophisticated car Nissan sells in North America, including the Sentra. That's just plain embarrassing. The I35 is smaller and slower than the Altima. The Q45 is competitive, but the point of a premium car is to create a prestige halo for the cheaper products . . . and that just isn't happening.
Why would you trade an 2002 Altima for the upcoming G35? Based on the next Skyline or not, the styling looks pretty much the same to me, and has the same engine.
I think the G20 is already gone. I35 is the entry level for Infiniti now, and besides, they just started revamping the line up. Give them time.
The G35 is rear wheel drive. That's the key difference. I would most definitely take a G35 over any FWD Nissan or Infiniti product.
-juice
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CAR
Taking back roads to and in Maine the car was a blast. the engine revs easily the 5spd is smooth (except as I will note below) and the suspension is great. In NYC driving the car performed wonderfully, zipping through lane changes and stopping on a dime.
On the trip to NYC I had three other adults and all of our luggage for a three day trip. What a huge trunk. We were all comfortable and the 4cyl had no problem accelerating briskly with the load.
I can not complain about the interior as I have previously always driven GM. I have no squeaks or rattles and personally love the styling. I don't think the material is noticably cheaper than comperable import cars. I happen to like the dash and gauge layout.
I do have 2 complaints
My 5spd has a tendency to catch going into 2nd gear. It only happens when the car is moving and seems to be getting better. I notice it most when the car is cold. Iwill have it checked out at the 3k service. I will admit Honda's 5spd is better, but their engine isn't.
The fuel gage is non-linear. When it reads almost empty there is 5 gal. left - that's over 150 miles on the highway.
btw I got 32-33 mpg on the expressway and 30 on easy secondary road driving in the city it was 25mpg - 2200 miles logged so far.
P.S. ran my numbers again I paid about $600 over invoice maybe you all should shop in Albany.
You guys should come up and buy your Altimas in Canada. Up here, a loaded SL is $29,000 Cdn and fully-loaded automatic SE is only $32,800 CDN. Using a 1.55 exchange rate, that's about $18,700 USD and $21,200 USD respectively.
Personally, there's no way I'd buy the 2002 Altima right now . . . not when I can get an equivalent 2002 Maxima for a couple of grand less. Hell, you can pick up a loaded 2001 Maxima SE for under $24k. That's hardly Nissan's fault, but supply and demand does make for the occasional market anomaly, point 2 being that an Xterra SE S/C and a comparably-equipped Pathfinder cost about the same here.
The G20 still exists in the sense that it is sold here. If you mean it's competitively dead that was true three years ago when they released it. I'm qualified to bash it because I used to own one.
I do agree that the interior is ten times nicer. The leather on the 2002 Maximas are extremly nice and nicer than the 2001 Maximas.
The 2002 Maxima is a good buy considering you get stuff like heated steering wheel that's was only on BMWs and memory seats. The engine is the same as the Altima but w/ more power.
The suspension an the design are the only areas that can be questioned, but I liked the ride of the Maxima better than the Accord and the Camry before so its still not bad. And if you liked the styling...then it's case closed!!!
I personally bought the 2002 Altima SE w/ cloth and automatic but I have no problems w/ people buying the Maxima at all. It's still a great car...and it's still made in Japan.
in the bargaining wars.
My wife and I are in agreement with Brad45 that we really love this car. Much more powerful than the 2000 Altima, great brakes, way more interior room in front and back, where we can fit two car seats with little ones in back with plenty of room for a skinny teenager in between. Great styling, much sportier looking than the new Camry in my opinion.
Perhaps a lot of our opinions are just relative to what we've been driving, but we actually like the interior a lot more than the previous Altima that had the fake wood trim. The bright dials are a nice touch, with much more cup holder/storage space. My wife has had co-workers commenting on how much they like they rear tailights and overall look, so the rear must be a matter of taste, many seem to find it appealing.
Most of the comments/outrage on this board seem to focus on the pricing of the more expensive SE and SL versions. The S version had everything we wanted in "convenience" (CD, air conditioning, remote keyless, power windows, etc.) and the price didn't seem unreasonable for what we were getting even conceding the price will go down over time.
So we're really happy with this car - flame on all you Altima haters out there, this car is a winner, at least for those of us with "S" level budgets!
For me though, personally I am waiting on the next Mazda 6 to debut and the new Accord to debut before I buy anything, while I am at it, I might as well wait on the new Maxima in early 2003.
Maybe I could rent for a few months?
Just kidding.
I would love to make a decision by next week so what should I do? What's an acceptable price to pay for a loaded 3.5SE 5sp w/leather, spoiler, HID's, Bose, sunroof & deflector, microfilter and the new side sills?
A similarly decked out Maxima is discounted in this area to about $28K which is within $1K of the inflated Altimas price.
I would agree with some here that the Maxima is probably the smarter buy right now. But the Altima is a very compelling car and I would find it hard to resist if faced with the decision.
"speedracer3:
Millenia S with Miller-cycle is now selling for a price of a loaded Camcord so it's really not that expensive ;-)"
To add to that, I bought an '01 Millenia P, a little over a month ago for $21680. That is the price of an AVERAGE Camcord. 3800 miles later, I am thrilled with my decision. Guess what? I don't run into myself at every street corner, or lose my Millenia in the WalMart parking lot because there are fifty more there that look just like it. Do yourselves a favor, and check the cars out, that you think are too expensive. I saved $8000 from the price of a similarly equipped '02 Camry.
And the car is impeccably assembled and finished in Japan. Oh what a feeling "Millenia". HeHe.