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Nissan Altima
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Comments
$20,000 = car + ad fee + misc.
or
$20,000 = car
If you are comfortable with paying 20,000 then buy the car.
If the ad fee are part of a dealer business expense then the dealer knows how much he have to charge you for the car (one price) to make a profit.
If the dealer try to include an ad fee after he qoute you a price. WALK.
You should only pay quote price + tax and license.
Isn't that the way we buy other stuff in this world.
The nice thing about selling the new Altima's is we are starting at Msrp and working down.By negotiating this way the ad fee is never part of the equation
The only time it becomes a problem is by working by the manufacturers invoice up.
The curve of the roof looks inspired from the Passat. Looking from the rear, definately Passat. The round tail-lights look like a "moving about" job.
Raced past a 2001.5 Passat and an Altima the other day at dusk....they both looked mighty close as clones.
Comments??
Time is money. And if they surprise you with fees, why not do the same? If they ask you to split the difference, tell them you will do the same. ;-)
The profile does look a bit like a Passat, just stretched. A long-wheelbase Passat, if you will.
-juice
Yeah, it has a solid rear axle, but that rear suspension is tried and true and I think it works fine. Coming from someone who had 5 1/2 years of Acura Double Wishbone, I don't notice much of a difference.
I am NOT dogging the Altima, believe me. I think it is a gorgeous car and I might have even considered it if it had been out in August when I bought my 02 SE Maxima.
It is going to be REAL interesting to see what the next Maxima is going to be like!
Obi
Obi: I fully agree about the next Maxima. If Carlos "le cost cutter" Ghosn didn't swing his axe too hard to cut costs, it might just be a giant killer.
Still, the G35 is RWD and interests me even more.
-juice
How do you know?
There is a difference between a processing fee and a ad fee.
Manufacturers have just started including it on the invoice amount the dealer pays in the last couple years.
When you buy your cars,Do you agree on a out the door number,a percentage over invoice?
It is being paid.
I need to drive an Altima. I haven't even BEEN in one to judge the interior as cheap! Hey, I don't go to dealerships much.
Obi
P.S. All this having been said, we will nevertheless proudly display the pharmaceutical-bottle canister that Nissan sent to lure us to their showroom.
By the way, Congrats emmo1!
Nissan dealers are not all the same. But tactics are very similar. We have better luck with classy Nissan dealers in Minneapolis than in Denver. Denver's Nissan dealers are like robbers and too many salespeople know too little.
As for Altima, I am still hoping to get one. For all the complains about the interior (including my own), I have to say that the 2.5S without too many options is a good buy and I am about ready to get one. But Nissan dealers here really scare me too much. I won't mind driving 50 miles to get from other dealers. But there is no guarrany that other dealers are better.
That just sounds so funny everytime I here it.
Seriously though what else can you say about a car you don't even own? This isn't just pointed to you but others like you as well. You basically just babble your opinions over and over again. I'm really not trying to be mean or anything your certainly entitled to post. You say the interior is cheap. Ok, I think everyone knows how you feel about that. So why continue the All out agenda of making your sole purpose in life the Mission: "Hate, Detest and make the 2002 Nissan Altima seem as horrible as possible." you act as if the car did you dirty when you were young or something. People it's not as bad as it's made out to be. You'd have to push very hard to poke through the ceiling If we want to rant lets talk about BMW 7 series without lockable fuel doors or basically all American cars or the reliablity of VW's or VW and Hondas warranties or how VW's look too much like Audi's, how about how cheap the New CR-V is lets continue that shall we?
This topic has gone to nothing about the Altima and the new Accord is talked about more then the Altima now. Now the topic is just about Nissan dealers and how bad they are. Isn't their another topic for that?
Now that the 2002 Altima is out and about I would really like to discuss the Car with other OWNERS. Just like in the Maxima forums. If Altima owners would like to, maybe we should go back to the Nissan Altima forum and leave this one. Let us talk about any problems we have with each of us who OWN the car but most of all it's great qualities which definetly outweigh the bad. Just stepping out side and looking at the car keeps a smile on my face for the rest of the day. How about you other Altima owners?
As for owners responding- if the huge number of unsold 02 Altimas at the local Nissan dealer is any indication- these cars aren't selling so they're just not any owners to respond.
Do you actually think that everyone who buys an Altima has the time to praise or trash it on this site? Maybe this thread should be closed and we should all move to the Camry forums and bow down and worship the God of Boredom!!
To iluvmax. It boggles the mind doesn't it you don't even own an Altima and you have time to get out of the way and trash a car you don't even own.
I just don't understand why people get all worked up about something they don't even own.
Honestly though the cars suspension is wonderful it hides bumps very well. My 87 Maxima is very harsh and the 2000 Maxima is significantly harsher then the Altima too.
The seats are very comfortable which I'm surprised no one prasies unlike the skimpy seats in the Accord especially the rear seats.
The bose system is hot I prefer crisp sound and clearity over base so I guess it depends on what you like it has 2 subs though so it's loud enough for me.
The the acceleration is very responsive maybe a little too much. If I tap the accelerater it flys off. Steering is light but after a while I got used to it. The car handles nice too.
The interior is really not as bad as people are saying everything is fitted well. The materials could be better but it's not so bad car to car. Like the Camry it's cheaper in some places compared to the Altima. I guess it's really just the cars of the time. Companies seem to be concentrating more on engineering and style. The interior is at least not boring unlike some cars and I appreciate that.
I don't believe a person needs to own a particular car to voice his/her opinion about it. I suppose you don't have any opinions on cars other than the Altima?
I love cars of all kinds ... when I have the time, I'd visit all types of dealerships for new and user cars, just to look around, and I have subscriptions to five car mags, in addition to browsing Edmunds for car info. It's a hobby, and a cheap one at that.
Listen, George, Nissan has inundated the public with a lot of advertising claims, marketing campaigns, commercials, etc. They force-fed the public information about the Altima, and I took a look at their product. They made claims about quality improvements, and I and others here are assessing their claims and providing feedback.
I don't know if you peruse forums other than this, but I've made comments about other cars too - constructively as I am here. I don't detest the Altima in the least - I believe it's an incredible improvement (in many areas) over its predecessor. It's just lacking in comparison to its current competitors, and that's MO.
Just to show some solidarity with you, I made a little stink over BMW's iDrive control, which I am sure you don't like as well.
AS for discussing Nissan dealers, that's a topic that is totally in line with this forum, IMO. If someone is researching a car, information about dealership experiences is integral to that - the final step to owning a car is to deal with the people who sell it. This is why Edmunds rules - it is informative in ALL areas relating to cars.
Touchee! Not everyone agrees with the nay-sayers here. At a minimum, it's a subjective measure. It may "feel" cheap to some, but I think it's a stylish cockpit, and frankly I don't drive around feeling my dash board. If you do, I have this friend who is a shrink... ;-)
IMO an Owner's Club would be good for Altima owners that want to keep it more exclusive. A general topic like this should be kept as an open discussion among shoppers, car guys, owners, you name it, so long as it's about Nissan or the Altima.
I've mentioned this in other forums as well, but if most or all of the criticism for a particular vehicle comes from non-owners, that makes me want to buy it.
-juice
I respect Consumer Reports, but don't necessarily agree with everything they say. I'll see their review for myself.
Style is also quite subjective, wouldn't you say? To say the Altima is stylish is also a matter of opinion. I think my RX is stylish, too. And yes, I do touch and feel the dashboard and leather trim often, but don't feel the need for a shrink. It just makes me happy ... ;-)
<< I've mentioned this in other forums as well, but if most or all of the criticism for a particular vehicle comes from non-owners, that makes me want to buy it. >>
Unprecedented numbers of people have criticized the Aztek - do you want to buy it?
It doesn't hurt to point it out, but frankly it's getting a little old, and some posts seem mean spirited IMO. Otherwise why would owners want to get their own topic?
The Altima is to mainsteam sedans what your RX was to SUVs. It breaks the mold, with cutting edge styling. I'm sure you can appreciate the fact that they're striving to offer a little spice, something different than the Camry/Accord.
I personally find the RX a little too "space truck" looking, and prefer the boxy and utilitarian Highlander, but I'll admit the bold design is appealing to consumers, kind of like the Altima is.
-juice
Owners SHOULD get their own topic - that much I agree with. Just means we get to rag on the Altima without interference here :-).
-juice
Altimas I note the following facts. The Dash is made of hard, cheap plastic. The panels that form the front and rear doors did not uniformly fit in any of the 4 models I tested. They are quite unsightly. The quality of cloth on the seats is extremely poor, what you would expect to find on rental furniture. Yet the 3.5 is responsive and quick. The brakes work well and stops are short. The trunk is large and the handling is good. But please don't tell me the interior is fine or a matter of opinion. Nissan had better get to work on an upgrade, beacuse once the new has owrn off this model they could be in real trouble if no upgade is made.
positive comments about 2002 Altima's interior.
Well if thats not good enough here is another
2002 Altima review who seems to have no problem
with its interior. So please don't tell others
interior styling is not subjective. It definitely
hasn't been unanimous about Altima's interior.
All I am saying some people are so obsessed
about bashing this new Altima.. they talk about
it as if its a room that doesn't move & nothing
about this car matters other than the interior.
This car definitely stirs passions both negative
and positive. When Nissan debuted this car they
said its not for everybody, looks like its true.
****************
http://carpoint.msn.com/Vip/Jedlicka/Nissan/Altima/2002.asp
Nice Interior
The quiet, nicely designed interior easily accommodates four tall adults. There are supportive front bucket seats, a tilt-telescoping steering wheel and recessed, backlit gauges that can be read quickly even when the sun is shining brightly.
The large, smooth controls are within easy reach for most persons. Cupholders are big, but the rear windows don't slide all the way down; they should go all the way down in a family sedan because kids in the back seat will often reach for food and beverages in drive-through lanes at fast-food outlets.
********************
That review was hardly a glowing one. C'mon, no one is bashing the Alty. It's a discussion about the car's merits. Where has anyone NOT acknowledged the car's speed and roominess? We're just here to bash ..uhm, critique its shortcomings as well as its merits.
"Pros:
Nada...
Cons:
This car looks like a diseased maggot.
Overall Review:
People will laugh at you for owning such a horrible car!"
Or this one:
"Pros:
NOTHING
Cons:
EVERYTHING
Overall Review:
A VERY UNSAFE CAR. PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONES SHOULD NOT RISK DRIVING AROUND AROUND IN THIS TIN CAN"
Makes you appreciate the old Town Hall a bit more, doesn't it?
The comment about the interior that I quoted came from their introduction. They once again mention the vast improvement from the last generation in the quick review of the car.
The one I drove had no noticeable misalignments or other quality glitches. Compare it to the Buick-like flat dash on the Camry and the Altima has more appealing cockpit for the driver. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it! ;-)
I agree that reviews from the press that I have read have been unanimous about praising the interior. Consumer Reports, Car & Driver, and Car Point all gave it a thumbs up.
I challenge you to provide photos of 4 different cars where the front and rear door panels do not line up. Sorry but I don't believe that for a second.
-juice
Maybe they should make the ones like the old CRX had, that went up and out, spoiler style. They were cool.
-juice
-juice
I checked them out yesterday from home, where I have plain old 56K, and quit after 3 reviews. Carpoint absolutely flounders on slower connections, with its endless array of pics and banners. That's why I like Edmunds - simplicity at its best, with highly intelligent posters like myself.
BTW buyers may want to get an Altima with a moonroof - the solid roof sags like a sheet of tin ... hehe
People sure do funny things testing out cars .. hehe j/k
I didn't notice the sheet metal, but I'd be much more concered about IIHS and NHTSA crash tests than the slightly less scientific thumb-on-the-roof test. ;-)
-juice