Nissan Altima

ateixeira · November 2001

Headlights are going vertical instead of horizontal. Look at the GT-R concept Nissan showed at Tokyo. Pretty soon the headlights will hit the windshield!

-juice

stebu · November 2001

"Pretty soon the headlights will hit the windshield!" - hehehe... when you think about it, headlights have pretty much run the guantlet over the years. They've been single, double, even triple, side-by-side and every which angle, square, rectangular, round, oval, trapizoidal, cat eyed, hidden altogether, melting together (aka Mercedes). It seems that right now the enlongated triangle is the in thing. They also seem to be getting bigger then ever, in general, with multiple lenses. I guess next comes the insect eyes phase with about 1000 lenses per side. And then there's the fog lights....

ateixeira · November 2001

I prefer ovals, like the E class, Mini Cooper, Jaguars, Imprezas, etc.

The absolute coolest lights are the gatlin guns on the Q, though. The rest of the car almost doesn't matter.

-juice

shrique · November 2001

Here here! For some reason I've alway had an afinity for the old BMW headlights and grills ala M6 etc.

afty · November 2001

The lights in the BMW 5-series are pretty nice as well. I really like how there's a lighted ring around the high beam light when only the low beams are on.

ateixeira · November 2001

Hmmm, kinda looks cheesy to me. But I could still deal with the overall package! :-)

-juice

iluvmax · November 2001

How come its ok for a 50000-dollar GS 3000 to have luggage squashing hinges in the trunk??? Don't get me wrong I am in no way comparing the Altima to the Lexus, I just thought that it was pretty funny that you don't hear any complaints about the Lexus trunk hinges!!

By now we all know that the Altima's biggest interior problem is the door panels. Did you ever see so many seams in your life? A 16000-dollar civic has better door panels! The dash is not that bad as it is padded where it’s supposed to be but the doors flat out suck!

Long live my Y2K Max!!

ruski · November 2001

well here it goes - GS300's trunk hinges suck too.

92drexel · November 2001

Anyone see the December issue of Car and Driver? They test drove the upcoming Nissan 350Z, apparently Nissan is using a front and rear multilink suspension set-up for the Z.

Interesting.

ateixeira · November 2001

But the Z seats only 2. I want to see the G35.

-juice

lsc · November 2001

the altima's trunk is really big enough where the hinges don't really get in the way. Besides my bro's G20, I've never seen a car w/o the trunk hinges so I don't see the big deal. maybe you guys are looking for a car at a class lower than what you want.

My old J30t also had the trunk hinges.

Just a quick note, anyone notice how light the trunk is? on the old Maximas, when you open the trunk w/ the remote, it only opened a little bit. Now on the Altima, it fully opens. Just an observation.

cupie9 · November 2001

I just bought a 2002 Altima SE after reading many posts criticizing the interior. While I realize the interior may not be up to Lexus standards, it is more than adequate for me.

The car has lived up to everything I expected. The performance is excellent, and the car is easy to drive.

Before buying the Altima, I test drove an Acura TL, which was my first choice. Unfortunately, it was a bit out of my price-range. Obviously, the interior of the TL is superior to the Altima, but I am still satisfied with my purchase.

ateixeira · November 2001

Since the trunk lid is made of aluminum, that makes sense.

Passat has cool articulating hinges instead of the goosenecks, but I think it's one of the few non-luxury cars that does.

-juice

tmanmiata · November 2001

Speaking of headlights. A few years back in a Detroit Auto Show, GM had a concept car that
had headlights like insect eyes (many small bright "LED" like light sources). According to the gentleman who introduced the car, the headlights actually came from a single light source and
fiber optics are used to distribute the light to many small lenses. That's why it is a CONCEPT car. This lighting system will probably cost few thousand to make. And guess how you feel when someone backs up in a parking lot and hit you headlights.

esqknight · November 2001

The Edmunds road test for the manual made it to 60 in 6.3 secs. I am wondering if anyone had numbers for auto.

afty · November 2001

Car and Driver this month tested the auto Altima V6 at 7.3 sec 0-60.

ateixeira · November 2001

HIDs are expensive, but some are willing to pay for them. It's nice to have them as an option.

Motorweek's 5.9s time is the benchmark, but that too was a manual.

-juice

riez · November 2001

Both the 2002 Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima come with the multi-link hinges, but the XG350 comes with the space-intruding hinges.

brad45 · November 2001

My trunk doesn't pop up all the way when I use the remote release. It opens about 1/2 inch. When I touch it just the slightest bit though it opens on its own.

Have any other Altima owners figured out how to read the gas gauge? I love the fact that I can to 2-3 weeks without filling up due to the 20 gal. tank, but the gauge baffles me. At 1/2 full I have about 15 gal left. At empty I still have 5 in the tank. Anyone else noticed this or do I have a warranty repair coming.

All else is good - the shifter gets smoother every day. No wonder everyone who goes to Japanese cars never goes back, even when something seems off the cars apparently fix themselves.

cupholder1 · November 2001

The Auto 0 to 60 time is hardly jaw dropping like the stick shift's clocked time.

An Accord automatic hits 60 in 7.7 seconds... I don't know if those .4 seconds are really going to be noticed unless you're a stoplight drag racer. The Pontiac Grand Prix does a much better 0 to 60 with a slush box (6.5 seconds).

lsc · November 2001

It's quite surprising for me too as well. I'm surprised that it's that slow. Especially, since my car feels way faster than the Acura TL (my bro's). It doesn't feel like it's an over 7 sec 0-60 car. I still blow other cars away though. The Grand Prix GTP has 280 ft/lbs of torque, which is a lot more than my 3.5 SE. Gotta hand it to the GM boys on that one. The GTP and the Buick Regal supercharged are fast.

The fuel gauge is exactly the same for me. I tested it just to see how much there is in reserve. It's exactly like yours. No worries.

I was getting 25-26 mpg on my first couple of fill ups but now I'm getting around 23 mpg. A little more city driving and now that the car is broken in, my uncontrollable right foot is causing it be lower. Not too bad right now though since gas is $1.32 for premium.

himomer · November 2001

I agree with Isc, the trunk is so big that the hinges don't matter. Something I found weird is that my Intrigue doesn't have the hinges, it has the gas struts or whatever you call them, but my Cutlass has the hinges. When i use the remote on the Intrigue, the trunk comes open about an inch and when i give it a light pull, it opens all the way up, but on the cutlass it opens half-way with the button. They are both '99 GLS models, but suprisingly the Cutlass is about 3 inches shorter in every exterior dimension category, but has the most front and rear head room and the most rear leg room, being 0.1in less in front leg room, but still holds more luggage than the Intrigue. My point from all that is that the hinges usually don't have a large impact on the amount of stuff you can fit into the trunk.

bostnwhalr · November 2001

I was also looking forward to sitting in the new Altima since I love the looks and HP. I thought of the Altima as the "Passat Killer". After sitting in a 3.5SE, I was quite disappointed with the interior fit/finish. The HVAC controls were definitely VERY cheap. The knobs felt cheap and were difficult to move. The Hyundai Elantra GT had better materials. The back seat was not that roomy either, especially the headroom.

I also sat in the Camry and pretty much thought it was as milque-toast as ever.

Overall, I love the looks, the horsepower, rear suspension and the price. Don't like the interior bits. It's no Passat killer except in horsepower. I'd take a pass since I'd have to live on the inside. The bland Accord has nothing to worry about when it comes to sales. Styling is great on the Altima, but the details count when you want to own something for the long run. I'm sure Nissan will sell a boat load of them, they deserve to. It's a nice improvement. But it's not a category killer like I've been lead to believe.

Guess C & D agrees, the Altima placed 3rd with the Accord first in a 8 car V-6 sedan comparo in the Dec 01 issue.

ylekiot1 · November 2001

The dealer has offered a 2.5 S manual without the convenience package with mudguards, mats, spoiler and aftermarket moonroof (did not want to pay 1600 for the convenience package to get the moonroof) for $19,600 and they are paying off my trade 2000 VW cabrio GL conv w/20,000 miles for $15,600. Any comments??

cupholder1 · November 2001

It is impossible to say without knowing the payoff for your trade or what condition it is in.

venus537 · November 2001

the over hyped, over rated Altima finished third. I'm looking forward to all the whining I'm sure to read following this post about how bias C & D is towards Honda. I'm still trying to figure out why Nissan designed this car with such a CHEAP interior. Bring on the 2003 Accord for next summer!!!

oac3 · November 2001

C'mon C&D must be out of their mind, right ? I mean, how could they rank the sporty, newly designed and very fast Alty SE (0-60 of 5.9 secs) in third place behind..... ehm..... Honda and Camry !! Could it be ??? Nah.....

venus537: bring on the '03 Accord, you say ? careful what you ask for, you may get it and then some... hehehe... Will the Alty come to play when the Accord '03 comes into town ? We'll we'll see won't we ?

But, guess what, who needs an '03 Accord anyways ? The '02 V6 version is good enough in its class to beat its arch rival - not the Altima, puleezee, the CAMRY, isn't it ? So what will the '03 accomplish ? Your guess is as good as mine.... For the first time, I am rooting for Honda (I've never owned a Honda in my life), but I still love my Maxima, only that I am just interested in something different, not neccessarily better, just different for me !

cupholder1 · November 2001

Honda should just put a stick shift in the Accord so they can get those great 0 to 60 times from the car magazines. That's what Nissan did with the Altima.

lsc · November 2001

So what that C&D ranked the Accord first and the Altima third? Drive the cars yourself.

I used to take C&D's reviews like it was the bible, but back in 1996, one drive of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Maxima made me realize that the Maxima was the best car out of the three. My bro was shopping at the time and he bought the Max. C&D in 1995 gave the Nissan Maxima import car of the year honors then ranked it second in a comparo to the Camry SE back then...like that made much sense.

Just like in 1996, one drive of the 2002 Altima, Accord and Camry as well as the 2001 Maxima and I knew that the Altima was the best car to spend my $24000. The 2001 Maxima was a very very close second. The newer stuff (difference that you already know) made me go with the Altima.

Should I go trade my car in for the 2002 Accord that I could have bought for $23000 w/ a rear spoiler because of C&D's review? Of course not, I already know that the Altima is better.

Most importantly, at least for me...it doesn't really matter which car is better at this point. It only mattered when I was shopping for a new car and it'll only matter when I shop again probably 3-4 years down the road.

Who know what'll be out at that point, until then I'll be crusing in my silver 2002 Altima 3.5 SE.

storyteller · November 2001

Isc is right: drive the cars yourself. A comparison test by an enthusiast's magazine is entertaining if you are in the bathroom for a few minutes and have nothing better to read. These tests provide virtually no solid information.

Much depends on variables such as different options, how well each car is tuned and how well the tires on each car suit it in this setting. And the scoring always comes down to subjectively chosen factors that then include subjective judgments about styling and other things. You don't have to be a cynic to recognize that these tests are no true measure of a car's worthiness.

What counts is how well a car suits you.

esqknight · November 2001

I'm cross-shopping cars in this class and live in a City where a slush box is just more practical. With a 7.0+ accelaration time, it seems like the altima's primary advantage of its more powerful engine gets much smaller if you are comparing autos.

lgoldin · November 2001

Altima is doing well in Canada

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/011107-2.htm

shrique · November 2001

Drive the 3.5. If the acceleration times are as slow as they say in the auto it sure doesn't drive like it. Maybe it's in the tuning of the auto but it FELT much faster than that especially on the highway. 65 to 100mph is just a tap of the foot away. Plus if you get a good fresh patch of tar you can make some noise from a dead stop. (GRIN) Of course no one ever treats a car like that during a test drive.

afty · November 2001

Before all the Altima-haters come out of the woodwork, notice that the top three places in that comparison were separated by a grand total of 2 points. Accord 96, Camry 95, Altima 94. It's not like the Altima got blown away by these cars. With scores that close, it really is subjective as to which car is best for you. As I understand it, C/D faulted the car for its firm ride which it said was too stiff for a family sedan. Road and Track in their comparison test last month (Hot Cars under $25k) said it was a little soft compared to the cars they tested. So perhaps if you're looking from a good compromise between sporty and practical, the Altima's the way to go.

Besides, can you get Camry and Accord V6 with a manual? That kills it for me personally right there.

ateixeira · November 2001

Sounds like the fuel gauge is very conservative. My Miata is the same way. It reads empty with several gallons of fuel remaining.

I believe the way the trunk is supposed to operate, it should only pop open a tad. This is what the manuals that I have read have claimed. You can adjust them either way, however you prefer it.

Eddie: thank you for being to first to actually bother to look beyond the finishing order in the C&D review. Per their results, if you are shopping for a sporting sedan, the most athletic of the bunch, you should buy an Altima.

Altima pretty much swept all the performance related categories. If anything, to me, it provided a strong argument for me to pick the Altima over Accord or Camry, because it better suits my tastes.

Another point - in that group, the Altima is the only one to offer a manual tranny with the V6!

The fit and finish score was one lousy point behind the best-in-class, and mid-pack in that group. Whoop-de-doo.

Would I give that up for the quickest 0-60, 1/4 mile, top speed, braking, and best lateral grip? Absolutely!

-juice

speedracer3 · November 2001

the Camry and Accord, but if you like driving, Nissan is the only manufacturer(of the big 3 Japanese)that makes sedans with the enthusiast in mind. I have owned both Honda and Toyotas, and while they are great cars they are boring as heck to drive.

cupholder1 · November 2001

But most people (especially family sedan buyers) are NOT enthusiasts. They couldn't give a hoot about 0 to 60 times. They just view extra horsepower as a good feature when the car is overloaded with kids, dog, luggage, and they want to pass a truck on a two lane road. Interior quality and reliability are the most important considerations, not "performance." They view a car as a means of getting from point A to point B, and nothing more. If Nissan was attempting to appeal to this segment with the new Altima, I think they've missed. Toyota/Honda have nothing to worry about.

alpha01 · November 2001

lsc- Car and Driver has never awarded any car an Import Car of the Year award. Thats Motor Trend. If you are referring to the May 95 issue, you will see the valid reasons they cited for choosing the Camry SE over the Max. A similar situation occured in Feb 96 when they ranked the Protege ahead of the Ten Best Winning Civic. It's a matter of the vehicle range.... whereas, comparison tests are specific examples. Just because the Alti and Camry placed 2nd and 3rd, this doesnt mean that C&D will necessarily leave the whole range of 4clyinder and 6clyinder models off the Ten Best List.
~alpha

shrique · November 2001

Hmm are you saying the car stinks?

Sounds kinda depressing, passionless cars for passionless people.

kcinga · November 2001

While I agree with cupholder1 on the non-issue of 0-to-60 times for a family sedan, I do disagree on the driver enthusiast point. Just because it's a family sedan, doesn't mean that the driver should be restricted to a boring car (i.e. Camry, Accord).

My wife and I purchased the '02 Altima 2.5S, and we're very pleased with our purchase. We were considering a Camry or Accord, but we went with the Altima - feeling that it offered the better overall value for us. And, I can tell you that the additional horsepower and the joy of driving the car were major factors in our decision to buy the Altima.

For the family sedan enthusiast... the Altima was an easy choice. I believe it offers the best of both worlds: reliability and performance. I'm sure that the sales numbers for Nissan will show that they didn't "miss the boat" at all. In fact, I feel that the Camry's and Accord's have made a grave error in not trying to offer improvements on their '02 models. They've made the mistake of relying on their reputation alone to sell cars. It will cost them dearly.

ateixeira · November 2001

But we are enthusiasts. We talk about cars all day long, how excited can you get about your Accord LX with 15" plastic wheel covers? Heck, my toaster oven works great and is reliable, but does that make me want to talk about it?

I could car less which is the best seller, in fact, I'd prefer not to see myself coming and going. Can you imagine looking for a silver Accord in a parking lot? It's like every other car!

And to address your point, I think Nissan aimed at those that want something a little sportier than the average vanilla sedan, and they hit that target.

Look at how many Honda owners buy aftermarket Altezza tail lights. And intakes, exhausts. What are they aiming for? The Altima, I guess.

-juice

cupholder1 · November 2001

Look how few cars offered in stick shift these days. I believe that only 5% of the Altimas are offered in stick. That tells you a lot about how much people care about performance.

The most common complaint I read about German cars is no CD or the cupholder sucks. They could care less that the car with no CD or crappy cupholder drives just as smoothly at 100 as it does at 50.

oac3 · November 2001

cupholder1 is absolutely right, 99.99% of family sedan car buyers are interested in many things besides performance. So what if the Alty can go from 0-60 in 4 secs flat, is that what mom and pop with 2 growing kids and loads of gears to take on trips are mostly interested in ?

I say it once again, the "voices" in this forum are lone voices in the wilderness of the millions of car buyers in this category. And that is why there are millions of Accords and Camry's out there. The numbers speak louder than your tame voices...

For a family sedan, many of you have elevated performance as the all-important criteria. I wonder whether the average 30-something Joe Blow looking to spend $25K on a FAMILY SEDAN is going to place that over his family's needs. More often than not, the interior quality will win anyday over performance. And how many owners of FAMILY SEDANS buy it with a manual tranny ? <1%. What does that tell you ???

This may sound like a broken record, and nothing against current owners, btw, for the altima to be successful, it must improve the interior quality to match a $20K+ worth car. Until then, only the infinitesimal performance-inclined (and looks-inclined) enthusiats would bother. For many of us with families, and who spends more time on the INSIDE of a car, we want something much better than what Nissan currently offers in the '01 version of the Altima in all trim levels.

mney6 · November 2001

So your telling me that if I don't buy a stick shift I don't car about performance or anybody else?

lsc · November 2001

alpha01,

you are absolutely right! C&D had the Nissan Maxima in their 10 best cars but they chose the Camry SE in the comparo. That is the article that I'm talking about. They should get some consistency in their testing methods...

ateixeira,

you are also absolutely right. We do talk about cars all day and how many times did C&D justify giving BMW's first place citing how they are an enthusiast magazine and others should refer to Consumer Digest. All of a sudden they do an about face.

The Altima is starting to get popular. Today I looked in my rearview mirror and what did I see? Another silver Altima...it was the 2.5 SL. Then later I saw a black 2.5 S zooming down the highway. Black is a really nice color too on the Altima. They should do the Maxima smoked glass look on the tailights of the black one though. That would make it look even better than it does now.

Like I said before, take these comparos as a reference and see the cars for yourself.

ateixeira · November 2001

I agree with most of what you are saying, cup, but I don't think that many of the enthusiasts here fall into that "generic driver" category. We are the 5% that seek out a manual tranny.

I test drove an Altima a couple of weeks ago. I don't even remember if it had cup holders. Heck, I don't even remember if the interior was gray or beige! I didn't even notice the gooseneck hinges, or pop the hood (they are all covered with engine condoms nowadays, any how).

I do remember the 17" wheels, the feel of the engine accelerating, good braking, the light steering, and yes, the torque steer.

No, I don't think the Altima was designed by a focus group of coffee-mug-carrying point-A to point-B people. But that is exactly the appeal!

So, the Altima doesn't carry the stigma of being vanilla, boring, lacking character. But that has an appeal, too, just look at how well it is selling. The goal isn't to topple the Camry, it's to make a profit and build shareholder value for owner Renault. That it will do.

Let's not ask for another Accord, or we'll get it.

-juice

cupholder1 · November 2001

So far, the only evidence is a very low supply of Altimas and high demand. But this isnt a WRX. Nissan is mass producing these and they will eventually be flooding the dealerships with them. Let's see where the demand goes then.

As for the Accord... I'd love to see Honda make an Accord SE, 6 speed, supercharged, sport suspension, and keep the the rest of the Accord exactly the same. Would throw us enthusiasts a bone, and with that setup would yield some of those jaw dropping 0 to 60 car magazine times. AND it'd still have that nice interior for the daily stop and go 15 mph grind/commute.

afty · November 2001

http://www.nissannews.com/cgi/frameset.pl?/nissan/news/products/relNissanAdmin2001111113617.html

"In the sedan category, sales of the all-new Altima, which arrived in showrooms at the end of August, totaled 13,961 units, an increase of 19.3 % over September and a whopping 40.1% increase versus last year. Said Bill Kirrane, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, 'The first full month of the all-new Altima sales was above our forecast. Now that the new Altima is launched, we expect the second half of our fiscal year to continue momentum.'"

cupholder1 · November 2001

1) Lies, 2) Damn Lies, 3) Statistics

mckague · November 2001

And now I shall refute your arguments.

Look back through the posts. You responded to my response to a post by a man wanting an Altima while his wife wanted an suv. No specific mention of a sequoia, just an suv. I made some some points as to why the Altima is better than an suv to which you responded with your specific example comparing a camry and a sequoia. Great. How is a specific example comparing a $40k vehicle relevant to a guy looking at a $20-$25k vehicle. How is it even relevant to the Altima vs. suv argument? $40k vs $25k vehicle yes, but that's no the topic at hand.

A more relevant discussion would be about suvs in the Altima's price range. That makes MUCH more sense for this topic, which is after all about Altimas, not $40k cars. Look again at the points I made in my original post. Do you think you can find an suv in the Altima's price range for which all of you counter-points still apply. If not, can you loan the rest of us $20k so we can step up to a vehicle like your sequoia?

Further the original point was about total cost, not just about insurance. YOU chose to focus on insurance because that was the only cost point upon which you could make an argument - a weak one at that, considering the difference between your two example vehicles was very small, in favor of the car I might add (!), compared to the differences in other costs mentioned.

Also, for the record:

I have a kid, and a Cosco Opus 35. It fits just fine in the middle of the rear seat of my car. Adults fit fine next to it. My car is not an Altima.

Yes, my car meets only 95% of my needs, not 100% - the other 5%? Hauling some furniture a few weeks ago. Way too much to fit in a sequoia. I rented a moving van for that - saved tens of thousands of dollars by not owning a moving van just for that. Hauling horses. I go with a friend who hauls a four horse goose neck trailer - can't use a seqouia for that either. See, I too can come up with irrelevant examples of how your vehicle doesn't meet my needs!

Over and out. Unless you want to throw some relevant suv examples my way.

Nissan Altima

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