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Nissan Altima

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Comments

  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    No, because I wasnt rude, that was your interpretation, I simply meant to correct your correction. If your feelings were hurt, I apologize for that, and I would like to resume talking about the fine Nissan Altima, as I tried to do in my last post by closing with the Motor Trend article.
    ~alpha
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    AFAIK, all caps is shouting, and yes I interpreted that as rude. If you didn't mean to be rude, well...I will also apologize for my mistake.

    BTW, look closely and you might find some things in a 1991 Camry that are not on a brand new one, because of brisk cost-cutting in the mid 90s. I know the Altima gets pummeled for this, but I would ask you all to take another look at the Camry. The headliner is cardboard with peach fuzz sprayed on it, and the carpets are as thin as the cheapest utility area remnants you find at Home Depot.

    I bet if you take a look at your 91, you will find a padded headliner, covered in a nice cloth, and thicker carpets.

    My point? I think the Altima is par for the class, no better no worse. OK, it can't hold up against a Passat, but that's an exception.

    -juice
  • bigzheng17bigzheng17 Member Posts: 81
    i agree on the cost cutting things on camry. like the thinner carpet.

    personally i don't think it's fair to put altima (or camry) against an passat, because they just are not on the same price range. if passat tried to lower the price to match altima/camry/accord, i don't think it's interior etc. will be any better than others.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Do me a favor, check your headliner tonight, or whenever you get back in your car. I bet it's padded, soft to the touch, with a cloth covering. Maybe a durable vinyl cover.

    Then check the 2002 - peach fuzz over card board, I'm telling you!

    -juice
  • obiwankenobi1obiwankenobi1 Member Posts: 290
    This seems to be a pressing issue, and I myself agree with the assumption that it is pretty cheap looking.

    What blows my mind, is that the Altima is VERY close in price these days to the Maxima. Correct? So why does Nissan insist on making the Maxima interior so nice? The only real differences that I can see between the two cars is:

    1) Maxima (SRBA) and Altima (IRS)
    2) Altima a tad bigger
    3) 255 hp (Max) and 240 hp (Alty) and this just isn't that big a deal

    So why the bum interior in the Altima? Unless you are trying to tell me that an IRS is just so much more to produce that they had to cut cost on the interior (I ain't buying that!). I also don't buy the answer that they are still trying to make the Maxima more upscale than the Altima, hence the better interior (Most people KNOW the Max is up for a redesign!). Give the Altima interior a nice upgrade to Maxima status and then bring the new Max out next year. Nuff said.

    I DO however still LOVE my 02 Max SE. Fast, good handling, good ergonomics and good looks (got another complement yesterday!).

    Obi
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I think it's a little less expensive, unless the Maxima has rebates. The Max now has HIDs plus the 6 speed, so it does have more equipment on it.

    -juice
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    If you compare the 2.5S Altima to a GLS 1.8T Passat, they come out not too far apart from each other. And I still think the interior of the 2.5S is cheap for a car over $20K.
  • bj02176bj02176 Member Posts: 115
    What is this love affair with the Passat, my 2002 Camry is better then my 1999 Passat that I traded.

    So I bet is the Altima, I know the Accord is just as good. Premium gas for what, poor driveability, stumbling and hesitation. I think the Passat is on a par with a 2001 626 v6, yes had one also, both require premium gas and have poor driveablity. Each handle and brake comparatively. However the Passat has a cooler lit dash, the 626 has an occilating vent, a toss up I guess.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Interesting perspective. I think the overwhelming press that the Passat gets builds up its image, perhaps past that which it deserves. Car and Driver and Consumer Reports, for example, consistently list the Passat as the class benchmark, though Car and Driver never really defines the class, IMO. The last Passat they tested they loved, despite the fact that at nearly $26,000 the car did not have a V6 and was only moderately equipped. (It is not my opinion that at $26K cars should have a V6, it is just seems the norm and is usually favored/expected over a 4, even a turbo with a manual tranny, at that price point).
    ~alpha
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I drove a Passat at Edmunds Live, a V6 auto, and the engine takes a while to build steam, and the seats were hard (leather). Otherwise I liked it. But I really preferred the 5 speed 1.8T I test drove earlier, which had far more comfy cloth seats (with heat).

    VW is taking the luxury path, to tackle Mercedes, while Audi goes after BMW. Meanwhile, Nissan is really staying with the more sporty theme. It's hard to compare the two directly, they have very different character.

    But vocus, TMV for a Passat GLS is $20,719. For the Altima 2.5 S, it's $17,759. So the Altima is not over $20k, and IMO prices aren't even close.

    A Jetta GLS 2.0 TMVs for $17,755, so there is the VW for the same price. BTW, that is not the 1.8T Jetta, that also costs far more than the Altima.

    -juice
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I know the Jetta 1.8T is more expensive than the Altima is. I have one that I just bought 5 months ago. :)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    OK, just want to make sure we're comparing similarly priced models. $3 grand is a big difference IMO.

    BTW, I went to the NY Auto Show, and the Nissan and Infiniti stands, right next to each other, were easily the most crowded at the whole show. They showed the Z, the G35 sedan, the G35 coupe (gorgeous!), the Murano, and the M45 (ugly!). Plus the whacky new Quest concept.

    The VW stand wasn't nearly as crowded, then again they didn't really have anything new to show, just an anniversary Golf. Mazda was right next to them and was far more crowded.

    -juice
  • 93fsu193fsu1 Member Posts: 97
    I just test drove an SL today. Great ride, comfortable seats, love the telscoping steering wheel, but the interior was even crappier than I expected from all of these posts bashing it. I thought it would look cheap, but not this cheap! They also had one with the fake wood trim and it just made things look even worse. I think the huge dash has a lot to do with it, plus they should have used a differrent material.

    I would have bought it on the spot if it wasn't for this glaring weakness. I'll wait for the Murano.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The wheel tilts and telescopes, right? That's pretty rare.

    The wood is optional, most cars don't get it.

    Try the G35 sedan. It has a tad less room in the rear seat, but the leather is glove-soft and it has lots of luxury features. Even the back seat's power window switch is one touch up and down.

    260hp, RWD, what's not to like?

    -juice
  • speedracer3speedracer3 Member Posts: 650
    In the latest issue of Motor Trend they showed some sketches of the upcoming Accord. It looks very good (at least the drawings do). The blurb with the drawings mentions Honda's intensions are to go for a great interior a la VW/Audi. IMO if Honda pulls off a great interior with that sleek looking body, it will mean a huge blow for the Altima.
  • aftyafty Member Posts: 499
    The "wood" trim on the Altima is awful, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

    Steering wheel does both tilt and telescope. It's very nice.

    As for the Accord chasing VW/Audi with their interior, Nissan said the same thing before the Altima came out. We all know how that turned out. I would wait and see before drawing any conclusions.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The Mazda6's interior is definitely a step up for Mazda, so maybe Honda will follow suit. We'll see.

    -juice
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    Has anyone placed an infant seat in the Altima. How is the room back there? Does a seat fit behind the driver? I’m 6’3” 260lbs and drive a 97 A4 2.8Q. Needless to say our infant seat can’t fit behind the driver’s seat and the front passenger seat needs to be pushed way-forward to fit behind it.

    The rear bench is basically useless with 1 infant seat back there (will need to put 2 back there soon)

    Like many I’m looking at the Passat, but the $’s and HP of the 3.5 seem compelling (haven’t driving one yet). Interior seems…”ok”…from pictures I’ve seen.
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    While we can agree the Altima interior is disappointing, Nissan itself is doing remarkably well. Sales for March are up 15%, led by strong sales of Altima. The Nissan Recovery Program has met its goals a year ahead of schedule. All in all, the resurgence of Nissan is one of the most exciting developments in the auto industry in recent years.

    Some of the criticisms of the Altima interior give the impression Nissan really laid an egg here. Hardly. The Altima's success has helped them recover strength so they can be around to turn out an Altima with a nicer interior in a year or two.
  • zoomzoom79zoomzoom79 Member Posts: 272
    They did lay a rotten egg. If they had put the cash in the Altima's interior from the go they could justify their high-end pricing more and it would have resulted in more sales. I for one would have a Altima in the driveway if the interior were on par with a Maxima. So they are sacrificing sales now to make more profit and then they have to turn around and spend more R&D to redo the Altimas interior. I'm beginning to see why Nissan got in trouble in the first place.
  • pathmax00pathmax00 Member Posts: 22
    With 18900+ in March already exceeding capacity the Altima is hardly a rotten egg. I guess all those buyers are stupid and think the altima’s interior is a piece of junk! No one buys a car just for the exterior either. The same people come here over and over again and say the same thing "The interior is cheap" I think we get that your guys don't like it already. I don't like the interior of the Acura mdx its all cheap hard plastic in fact a lot of cars have eliminated soft plastics. If you guys hate the Altima so much why are you here? Go praise whatever car you drive in your own forum. Nissan has and will continue to rebound and be a force.
  • speedracer3speedracer3 Member Posts: 650
    I think that the average "joe" consumer puts less emphasis on the interior as we car nuts do. Let's not forget that the average american car has a cheap interior and it doesn't stop their sales. The Altima is a good car despite the interior, but it would have been even better if they had spent a few more bucks in there.
  • zoomzoom79zoomzoom79 Member Posts: 272
    At that rate they will sell about 80,000 Altimas. No where near the volume of the Camry, Accord, and Taurus. I never said Altima buyers were stupid but saying just because they have sold XXX number of Altimas this year doesn't mean anything. Look how many cars Hyundai sold in their first year. Look how many Taurus and Focus models are sold. Hardly the epitomy of quality there.

    I never said I hated the Altima either. In fact I believe I said that if the interior were on par with the rest of the car I would have one. But it's not and I don't. My 00 Civic has a more well put together interior AND soft-touch plastics. Go figure. At $17,000 the Altima's interior might be acceptable to some but at $25,000 - $28,000 it's way below the class standard which includes the Acura TL, 130, and Nissan's own Maxima (which has it's own vice with the rear axle). Maybe they should offer an upgraded interior just in the 3.5 V6 models. It would definitely help justify the cost a little more.
  • gerapaugerapau Member Posts: 211
    I believe that the 18900+ sales is for March alone. If they continue at that rate they will sell many more then the 80,000 that you mentioned. Still no where near the Camry and Accord but I doubt that Nissan has the capacity to build that many Altimas. As far as the interior goes, I will agree that it may not be as nice as some of the cars available in the $25,000 - $28,000 range. That said though, I believe that you would be hard pressed to find another car in that price range that has as good an engine/drivetrain as the 3.5 SE. To get the TL, that you mentioned, with as powerfull an engine would mean that you would have to go to the Type S and pay much more then the price range that you quoted. While it appears that you, and many others, base your buying descisions more on the interior of a car, I would bet that most people buying the 3.5 SE do so for the fun to drive aspect of the car.
  • cheerioboy26cheerioboy26 Member Posts: 412
    March was 18,917. Feb. 14,771. Two month total of 33,688 which is 202,128 for a year. Here's the kicker - Nissan CANNOT build 202K Altimas in a year! Their current capacity (that they have stated) is 190,000 Alitmas per year. The Maxima is on pace to sell about 120-150,000 this year (over 25K in the last two months). So Nissan's Altima/Makima sales of about 300-350,000 will be very comparable to the 350-420K of the Camry or Accord. Not the same numbers, but probably their best ever based on sales.

    Also, alot of the discussion of the interior must be balanced with the sales numbers. I don't recall where I read it (might have been on this site's Altima review) but Nissan is selling 4 4-cyl models for every v6 SE. Given that the price for the 4-cyls is significantly less, many people are obviously happy with the interior they are getting in their $20-25K Altmia S or SL.
  • joe249joe249 Member Posts: 95
    When does it come out"
    Thanks
  • pathmax00pathmax00 Member Posts: 22
    I’m sorry I should have clarified that the 18900+ figure was the month of March only! I also agree that once you get over 25000 the interior should be better. I do believe that it will get better as Nissan recovery continues. Toyota and Honda are full of money and can afford to pump in the extra dollars at this time, but even these two giants are cost cutting lately.

    If the Altima had my Maxima's interior I would have one! If I was in the market for a 17000 to 22000 family car that’s can seat five comfortably the Altima wins without question!
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    We drove a 3.5 Manual today...My wife actually said she likes it...not that it was ok...that she liked it.

    I was too busy looking out the windshield and flying through the gears to notice much of the interior. Though I do like well designed interiors...former A6 now A4...looking seriously at Passat.
  • kelly523kelly523 Member Posts: 18
    ivan_99, I have a 2.5S with a child seat installed. I'm 6' tall, and the child seat fits fine in the back seat with plenty of room for my daughter to move her legs. However, my seat isn't all the way back. Hope I don't sound like Captain Obvious, but I'd suggest placing your seat in the car and then checking on how you and it fit inside.

    In terms of interior quality and fit/finish, there have been improvements in the more recent cars built when compared to the earlier cars. Mine was built in Feb 02 and I was pleased to see a higher level of fit and finish in terms of fabric quality, alignment of seams, etc. Yes, the plastic is hard, but since I don't sit on it I didn't worry too much about it.
  • bqwaietbqwaiet Member Posts: 8
    Hey,

    Sorry if this has been covered before in advance. I have a question regarding tires on the 2002 Altima 3.5's. The Nissan website and literature says that the manual, (I have ordered one supposed to be here 4/30, canNOT wait, but guess I gotta), anyway the tires on the 5 sp. are supposed to be P215/55VR17 V-rated Tires and on the Automatic they are supposed to be P215/55HR17 H-rated Tires. V for very high speed I am told, and H for High speed, something to do with the amount of time they can go at high speed, in any case better tires than the R's w/ the V being the highest of the 3.

    I just went to a nearby dealer and had a peek, and both the auto and the manual had R rated tires, which bummed me out, so Nissan is playing a switcheroo, can anyone clarify what they have recently recieved if they recently got one or what they are seeing at the dealers, and also is there anything I can do if/when my car arrives w/ the R's. I saw the Nissan website states that it can change any specs without notice, so I'm guessing not.

    Whaddaya think? Also, if you are familiar with these tire ratings and can expound a bit that would be nice.
  • stebustebu Member Posts: 204
    I am starting to see quite a few of the new Altima's on the roads. In contrast I've seen very few of the new Camry's. I'm sure as we get deeper into the hottest sales months, the Camry will begin to pop up everywhere, as usual. But, early indications around here (Boston area) are that Nissan has struck gold in the mainstream sedan arena with the Altima.
  • bqwaietbqwaiet Member Posts: 8
    Follow up and correction to my own post.


    The R,H and V do not stand for what I said they stood for, however the hierarchy is correct. Here's a website that explains it.


    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/general/speed.htm

  • gerapaugerapau Member Posts: 211
    If you were checking out the tires on the car most likely the V or H rating would not actually show up within the tire size as in 215/55VR17. Most tires would have the speed rating in the service description as in 215/55 R 17 93V. The 93 being the load index of the tire (how much weight it can carry) and the V being the speed rating. In this case the R just signifies that the tire is a radial tire and is not the actual speed rating. R-rated tires are rarely used for car tires and I doubt that the tires on the Altima are R-rated (good for sustained speeds up to 106MPH).
  • aftyafty Member Posts: 499
    The tires on my 3.5SE manual are the V-rated type. I believe they are Bridgestones, but I don't remember the model offhand. From what I've read, the H-rated tires are the exact same Bridgestones but at a lower speed rating.

    FWIW, H-rated tires are good to 130 mph sustained, and V-rated tires are good to 149 sustained.
  • bqwaietbqwaiet Member Posts: 8
    Gerapu thanks, maybe I should read my own references :), it said that right there.

    Afty, thanks for confirming it in reality, when did you get yours?
  • hawks1hawks1 Member Posts: 57
    I am looking to buy a new car next month so I've basically narrowed my chioce to either the Altima or Camry. Ruled out the Accord because their '02 is not a redesign. Recently test drove both the Altima & Camry I4 automatics. The Altima definitely had the edge in the exterior styling. However, the Camry was superior, in my humble opinion, in the interior, and also quietness of ride. (Incidentally, a friend tells me he thinks that Nissan will do a complete redo of Altima's interior for the '03 model year including the dash layout. Has anyone heard of this?) Both engines performed exceptionally well, particularly surprising acceleration for both. The 157 HP Camry was very smooth when matched with the new 4-spd auto. Cost was very similar in both for the particular options that I desire so this was basically a draw for me. Still haven't made a decision and the wife will obviously have her input after she test drives them. I can easily live with Altima's interior but the wife may not.
  • aftyafty Member Posts: 499
    I got mine in December. It still puts a smile on my face every time I take it out on the highway. :)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I test drove one and didn't have any complaints about the interior. Then again, I was paying attention to the engine's 240 ponies, they are pretty distracting! :-)

    While we're on the powertrain, though, Nissan could make the shifter a little less notchy, and the steering is too light. AWD would cure torque steer but I imagine they'll leave that up to the Murano and maybe the next Maxima.

    -juice
  • phillyguy2phillyguy2 Member Posts: 27
    I will be ordering a 2.5 soon. However I read on another thread(synthetic oil) that this engine has been burning oil. Anybody know about this?
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    Those were my impressions as well. The shifter was a little notchy, but I assume that after it is broken in it will smooth out a bit.

    The “light” steering IMO is an over-boost at highway speeds. A little twitch of the steering wheel would give an immediate response. I think that is also a result of the 17” rims. I kind of like it, but a more neutral straight line would give a more stable feel…maybe more toe-in.
  • ratcliffe2ratcliffe2 Member Posts: 1
    On the Nissan site it doesn't look like you can choose an Altima with a manual tranny with the ABS package and a sunroof. Is this combination of options not available?
  • smithconsmithcon Member Posts: 6
    I purchased my 2.5S 5-speed on 9/1/2001, and now have over 6000 miles on it, 90+% from short daily trips.

    The good: it is fun to drive on tight, twisty roads; the type I get to drive every day on my way to work. It feels very light and tossable. The 2.5 5-speed combination is well matched and feels eager and responsive, especially at city speeds. The interior is huge, and accommodates my 6'8" self and leaves plenty of room behind me. The interior ergonomics seem quite good, and the instruments work well for me despite at least one auto magazine complaining about "parallax" issues for tall drivers. The car is very well equipped without options, making a base model a very good buy IMHO.

    The bad: Very loud road noise on all but very smooth roads in this car makes long trips grow tedious quickly, especially for passengers who don't have the pleasure of driving it. The steering is quite numb, which is the only major flaw in the driving experience. Virtually all feedback is through the seat of your pants, and it makes for some uneasy passages when uncertain conditions suddenly present themselves. The interior looks and feels thin and flimsy.

    My very early production car also has some quality issues, which I would guess would probably be lessened in frequency in cars produced later in the production run. My car
    has an intermittent starting problem, some very persistent interior rattles, consumes about a quart of oil every 700 miles, and has a few other minor problems.

    Overall, I am happy with my car, and still feel I got a good deal for my money, although I hope I have more success getting the dealer to address the defects that I have had so far. One of the main problems is that I have little time to make trips to the dealer, so the car has only been there three times, and only once for a scheduled appointment.

    I will post follow-ups as time allows.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    ratcliffe: I'm trying to remember, but I thought I test drove a manual with the moonroof. I'm pretty sure it had ABS, too.

    I'd check on that oil issue - that's beyond just a concern.

    -juice
  • aftyafty Member Posts: 499
    Unless the option packages have changed since I bought mine (December), you can definitely get an Altima with manual transmission, sunroof, and ABS. But mine is a V6; the packaging might be different for 4-cylinder models.

    Smithcon, thanks for checking in which us again. Back when I was debating whether to buy an Altima, your posts were very helpful. It's good to see you're still around.
  • aftyafty Member Posts: 499
    A little research at Altimas.net revealed the answer. You can get sunroof, ABS, and manual transmission only if you get the cloth interior. If you get leather, that combination of options is not allowed.

    Was that the problem? Were you trying to configure it with leather?
  • auerbachauerbach Member Posts: 110
    I've been "lurking" here for awhile trying to learn as much as I can about the new Altima.

    Unfortunately, my trusty 11 year old Accord seems to be dieing faster than anticipated and I might have to make a purchase sooner than later.

    I have two questions, maybe someone knows...

    Is it hard to get a 2.5S with only a 5-speed and the ABS and airbag package? I have look at a few lots and have only seen 1 2.5s with a 5-speed and that didn't have the ABS and airbags.

    Also,

    Does anyone have any idea when the crash test ratings will be announced? Or what they might be?

    Any and all help is appreciated!

    Thanks,

    Mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    alty: the one I test drove had cloth (5 speed, moonroof, and ABS), so that theory holds up.

    -juice
  • bigzheng17bigzheng17 Member Posts: 81
    i just noticed the ground clearence of altima is a lot lower than camry, 4.1 inch compare to 5.4 or 5.8 inch. would that be high enough to pass some obstacles on road such a raised manhole cap, and maybe sometimes go offroad a little?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If you look at a Camry, the exhaust dips down under the rear axle, about 4" off the ground, so you'll be scraping bottom pretty quick once you leave pavement.

    Try an Outback, those have 7.3-7.9" depending on the model. Volvo XC and Audi allroad quattro are other options, besides any number of trucks.

    -juice
  • bigzheng17bigzheng17 Member Posts: 81
    thanks ateixeira, but i really wasn't looking for an offroad sedan, i just want to make sure the car won't stuck when i need to go over some high object. :)
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