In reference to the advertising fee. Nobody should ever fall for the advertising fee. This is a simple cost of running a business. The dealership factors this into their profits just like there electricity bill or any other bill. As for the premium gas? As long as you are running good quality, name brand gasoline, with sufficient octane rating, there is no need to pay for premium gasoline.
Interesting question. I was comparing them partly on behalf of a friend in the market for something in the price range of the 3.5. I rented the 2.5 – it was OK. I drove it around San Diego and inland to Borrego Springs, up toward (not into, whew!) LA over 5 days.
As many have posted here and elsewhere, some of the interior materials fit and finish are not of the best quality. My rental had approx. 16,000 miles. There was wear – but not much more than the typical year old rental, in my experience. It drove well over the mountains to Anza-Borrego – brakes were fine on the descent.
Besides the power difference, and the typical 4 cyl. noise, the biggest dynamic difference may be the FWD vs. AWD. When I test drove a 2002 3.5 Altima, the typical FWD pull and torque steer and tendency to chirp one front tire when accelerating from low speed around a corner were annoying.
But with only the 3.5 and automatic, it could certainly be an entertaining car at a reasonable price.
- Ray Who would certainly expect that a 3.5 turbo- or supercharged with AWD would be VERY entertaining . . .
When do you change the alternator and a/c belts ? How many miles do they last ? My Altima is pushing 84K. One of the belts is showing some cracks. Money is kinna tight at the moment. Can I push to 90K ?
When I purchased my Altima, the advertising fee was not even mentioned even though I live in a large city (Dallas) and many of the other dealers in the area always brought that up. Disregard the advertising fee- thats my advice. The only "fee" I was charged was an inventory tax of $48, which I checked into and found that this was a legitimate tax in Texas.
The 3.5 owners manual says you can use the low octane fuel, but suggests for "better performance" to use the 93 octane. I'll probably continue to use the 93 octane.
I have the climate control and noticed that if you just turn on the heat when the engine is cold it will not start to push any air (cold or hot) until it is able to change the air temperature -that means that the engine has to be warmed up first. If you need defrost, there is an overdrive front defrost for the windshield and mirrors that can be switched on when the engine is still cold.
Well, well well. I finally got around to the Charlotte International Autoshow yesterday. I had a great time, and all of the cars looked great.
I spent almost thirty minutes looking over the Altimas. The first Altima I saw in was Seascape with Black leather interior. It was an SL model. I want to add that the interior of the Altima is still a work in process. Everytime I look inside a newer Altima, the interior seems to be getting better. The new wood trim is much better looking than the stuff used last year. Thank God for that. I actually like the wood trim inside the Altima better than the Camry' or Accord's. The interior materials are slowly improving, and while the gas release button still doesn't have a cover, the cut-out is much less exposed this time around. I actually liked the interior for once. I cannot belive it has improved that much.
There were still some disappointments though. For one, the storage area in the front is still made out of very cheap plastic. Not a good sign. Also, there were scuff marks all over the bottom of each door.
The exterior styling is still nice, the best in the class IMO.
There were two additional S models. One was a basic S with 5spd it was Crystal Blue with Frost interior. The other was a Sonoma Sunset with Charcoal Interior. Two SE models were there as well. The first was a Satin White model with Blond leather interior, while the second was Polished Pewter with Blond. The Frost interior was the best among those with cloth. The Blond cloth is too hard feeling, and it actually sticks to your clothing when you sit in it. That's not a good thing IMO. Charcoal Cloth isn't too bad, but I don't really like it that much. I will make sure I take my camera along with me to the Autoshow in Atlanta. I cannot wait to tour these shows. Did I mention I LOVE the new Altima.
Having just purchased a new Altima 2.5S less than 3 weeks ago I was a bit apprehensive about the interior and opted for an aftermarket leather package installation at the time of purchase. My car is Super Black with Frost and I have to tell you that the leather takes this car from a mediocre interior to gorgeous in one fell swoop. The quality and look of the aftermarket leather is far superior to the factory job. There's still hard plastic around but when blended with the supurb looking leather it becomes irrelevant.
I can't recommend the aftermarket leather enough. It will cost you the better part of a grand but it turns this car into at $20000 Audi A6. I've had two friends mistake the car for an A6 and a Bentley respectively. I realize the Bentley is a stretch but if an uninitiated person can actually think that then the car most have some pretty good looks.
I'm not bothered by things like plastic door pockets or a cheap fuel release button (I never notice it except when I pop it) and overall am very happy with the car (27mpg on first fillup). Could use better NVH but that's about my only complaint. Going to add a nice set of aftermarket rims when I have a few dollars. That should make this car a real knockout.
My wife bought a 2.5S auto in mystic emerald, while I was on a business trip. Her 95 Saturn had been totalled last Saturday by a driver who came down a hill side ways in the rain. She stopped at the closest dealer to her Saturn dealer and left with the Nissan. She told me about it on a telephone call. The exterior looks great and I like the color. Unfortunately it doesn't have ABS. I bought cars in the 60s and 70s before ABS was available. There is no excuse for it not to be standard equipment on any car today. Even her cheapest model Saturn had them standard. The rear seats are uncomfortable because of the weird angle of the seat back. The orange colored gauges at night look incredibly cheap. The air bag warning light has blinked since she bought it. But, the exterior is a nice color and looks great. What more can you ask ?
I've had my 2.5S since January and the car has been great. I have about 20,000 on the Continental tires that came with it and noticed during the summer and that the front wheels would spin when I came off stop signs at hilltops in any damp weather. I don't feel it has a good grip in lousy weather. Now with the snow coming I think I'm in for a rough winter. Has anyone else experienced this? Last year the winter was mild and not much was on the roads. I'm thinking for safety I should bag the tires and get some better. But is it just the tires? Thanks
I noticed some grip problems in light rain with the continentals on my 2.5s too. Need to go a little lighter on throttle in bad weather, car has a lot of low end torgue. Mine is an 03, got it in october, its been great. Very solid, no rattles, the only complaint i have is some slight engine vibration at idle. Have you noticed that ?
I'm getting ready to buy my first new car in January. My husband and I absolutely love the 03 Altima(2.5S) and that's really the only that we're looking at buying. I'm wondering if everyone that has a new one is happy with it and what they like best about it as well as what they don't like along with any advice for me. I've done a ton of research on the car but I'd like to get some "real people" opinions. Thanks so much!
To tell you the truth, I've had this car since september 2001 and I never get tired of it. The design I'm sure will age well. Every morning I find myself just staring at it.
I have a 2.5s basically fully loaded. If your looking for a roomy car this is the one. Altima is actually considered a full size car byCars.com. There is alot of trunk space too.
The Bose system as edmunds.com has said over and over again is awesome. If your more into clear and crisp sounds than bass I would suggest getting it. The twiters(sp) in the A pillars are what I think makes the big difference. Many cars in it's don't have them there.
The Altima has lots of power once you tap the pedal but may loose a bit once you get to higher rpms. Steering is a bit light though but you get used to it.
As for the interior I don't think I could have chose any other car. I like an interesting interior and Altima has that. Camry was way too old american like. Passats was high quality but plain and Accords was nice but too basic.
The only gripe I have with this car are the doors. The materials just plain suck. Don't get me wrong everything is fitted nicely no lose panels or anything through the interior. But things like the interior door handles are really cheap and I wish they had used chrome plated ones instead. I do like the seat cloth (it was better then Camry's) and the seats are very supportive.
Anyways the Most important thing about the Altima is value. There are lots of standard features. Like alloy wheels instead of hub caps and all wheel disk breaks instead of drums (Camry). Most power in it's class, biggest etc. You will also notice little things about it. For example you can roll the windows down with your key or remote. There are touch down features for the windows which I don't think accord has and auto on headlights with a trip computer, curtain airbags etc. It also got good crash test scores. For 2003 the car should be even better because they upgraded the interior.
Every car in this class has there bright spots but I just like Nissans approach to the Midsize class. Sorry to babble, hope this helped.
We've had the 2003 2.5S for 2 weeks now and it's growing on me.
My only choices were the Altima, Accord or Camry.
Side and side curtain airbags were mandatory and the Accord only offered these on the top of the line model. Had a deal on a Camry LE that fell through.(Actually I think the dealer tried pulling a bait and switch - left $500 deposit and they traded the car away) Anyway, My first new Nissan and it is taking some getting used to. I came from a 95 Accord and the Altima seats were much softer. I've had back problems in the past but I think my back was just getting adjusted because there seems to be little problem now. Love the power and sporty ride. Best looking body of all three IMO. (Last two tanks of gas were 25 and 28mpg mixed driving) Very large interior. This is my commuter car and a backup to the family van. Hope this helps.
Just bought a 2.5S about three weeks ago. What an amazing car!!!!!...However, the conti tires aren't as comfortable as some tires I've experienced in the past. Any thoughts on Conti vs. Bridgestone? Does one give better ride comfort than the other?
I have the Brigdestones on my 2003 and I think it rides quite firmly so I doubt that the Contis are more harsh. About my only complaint with the car is noise levels but I don't know how much the tires may contribute.
Yes the Conti tires are terrible. I have a 02 2.5s alti purchased 7/8/02. It has 7K miles . The tires spin on rain slick road, however they appear to grip decently when I braked had on the 1/2 inch of snow we had the other day. Oh yeah I purposefullly did have the tires siped shortly after I purchased the vehicle. I had yoko grand touring on my other vehicle great ride good grip long lasting. Bridgestone potenzas are great handling I also had them on another vehicle.
I have a 2000 Altima with 50k miles on it. Till date never had to take it to the dealer for any problem. recently, the dealer said I needed new brake pads in front. After I had that done, I have noticed a low speed wobble in the steering, that disappears at speeds above 30MPH. Anybody have a clue what it could be?
You could have something on the rotors (i.e. grease or dirt), in which case it will go away. If it doesn't, it could be warped or improperly machined rotors, or the pads are dragging on the rotors. It could also be that they didn't torque the lug nuts properly, since they had to remove the wheels to do the brakes. Since you said that it goes away above 30MPH, I would first suspect dirty rotors or dragging pads as opposed to the other possible causes. In any case, it's not normal, and if it doesn't go away in about 100 miles or so, you should go back to the dealer to have them fix it.
I did something really stupid!! I drove with the e-brake on in the snow. I forgot 2 put down the E-brake. I drive a altima 3.5se V6 auto. Can you please tell me what can happen to my car because of that.
Nothing really bad could happen. The worst would be e-brake pads need replacement. If you can park uphill put your car in neutral and engage e-brake. You will see if brakes hold or not.
Worse things than just worn pads could happen. If there are no strange noises and the brakes feel the same, then nothing serious probably happened. However, severe damage is possible. You could have the brakes looked at to make sure.
I just purchased this used vehicle and love it so far! It has a 3 year warranty and new tires were put on it. Mileage is 56,568. Outside of oil change and winterizing, is there anything I should do until I get it in for its 60,000 mile check up? Experienced Nissan Altima owners needed to assist me in keeping this "toy-boy" running smoothly. I treat my cars with extra TLC to ensure long life. My last car was a 1972 Beetle Bug--mint condition. My son now has it for his FUN in the SUN! Thanks--look forward to responses and advice.
Nissan has been very proud of the fact that they haven't had to use incentives and rebates on the new Altima. My guess is that they will try to keep it up as long as possible.
Apparently the interior has been improved according to some websites, don't know specifics but nothing major. One thing I've noticed on the various posts is how people are so preoccupied with the interior. If the car handles and performs well and is reliable as Nissan has shown in the past then it's a no-brainer to prefer this car over the other midsize sedans. the Altima's interior is not as nice and rock solid as Toyota or Honda but it is far from being ugly or flimsy. A really nice interior is a fringe benefit of a car but shouldn't be the deciding factor IMO.
The Altima's exterior looks and performance greatly outweighs any interior shortcomings. Just look at this car's styling and power at that price, it should be an easy choice compared to Toyota or Honda with the same specs for anybody under 50. Just look at the Camry and Accord they're BUTT UGLY and are only fun to drive if you are going to the Nissan dealership to trade it in for an ALTIMA.
They did minor improvements. I think they added padding to the front center armrest for 2003 that might have previously been hard plastic and a few other small things. I guess they want you to upgrade to a Maxima for a significantly nicer interior rather than putting much effort into improving the Altima's interior materials.
I saw a review of the Altima on TV and they pointed out fit and finish flaws in and out that are worse than you can expect on a Toyota or Honda. They advised buyers to wait for the kinks to be ironed out.
What makes the interior cheapness so laughable is that, months prior to the release of the 2002 Altima, Nissan had made statements claiming that the interior would be VW quality. VW interior materials are better than Toyota and Honda, but now the Altima cannot even match those, much less a VW.
People make a point of how nice the interior of a VW is because it is super nice.
People do not usually say much about an Accord's or Taurus' interior because it is not really that much better or worse than they expected for the price.
People go on and on about the Altima's interior because it was worse than they expected compared to competing cars.
The Nissan Altima 3.5 SE does not beat a Honda Accord EXV6 on price once you add options to match what comes standard on the Honda. A loaded Altima 3.5 is way more expensive than the Accord EXV6 even if you skip the few options not available on the Honda (such as Xenon lights).
You pay more up front, then you lose more at the end because it depreciates more than an Accord or Passat.
The price difference between a loaded Altima and Accord is very little not to mention that to get 17 inch alloy rims on an Accord requires the EXV6 as the LXV6 will give you hubcaps and16 inch wheels. So to get nice wheels on a Honda requires the top model loaded which isn't the case for an Altima. Say what you want about interiors but nothing makes a car look better than nice big alloy rims.
Many people jump on the Altima interior because they read the many reviews that magazines print and if you notice they don't want to make any car seem perfect in any class and there's really nothing else to criticize the Altima for so they have to trash the interior and then readers overreact to it (mostly Honda and Toyota owners) because there's nothing else to talk about. One review I read the writer thought the car had too much torque steer (valid point, but it didn't bother me and I gunned the car in the test drive) but barely mentioned the interior because his main criticism had been made.
My point is I took both cars out on a test drive and when I was in the Accord all I could think about was getting back in the Altima. The Honda has the better interior and better mileage but is behind in everything else and resale means little because most people keep their cars much longer these days(if they didn't they would lease) and a 10 year old Honda and Altima wouldn't be much of a price difference. Resale value does not factor in much when people buy cars.
I 'll give the Mazda 6 a last chance to convince me otherwise but I doubt it (no matter how nice that interior is)
$26260 for EXV6 sedan. $27787 for 3.5SE with leather package, automatic and the side airbag/ABS package. This is about as close as you can get with equipment levels since each has a few unique features that the other doesn't. The are more options available on the Altima that would push the price even higher and you could get the navigation on the Accord that would add another $2000. The Accord EXV6 with voice activation for the navigation, stereo and HVAC is only a few hundred more at ($28260 MSRP) than the Altima with just the options listed above at $27787. Some people keep their cars 10 years, but not most people. Leasing is only better than buying if there is some special incentive on the lease that it isn't matched by the manufacturer on purchases (this usually happens only on some luxury cars) and/or if you use the vehicle for a business and can write off part of the lease expenses on your taxes, or if you luck out because the car depreciated more than they anticipated in the contract despite you not going over the mileage and wear limits. The lease cost is based on the difference between the sale price of the car on the day you buy it and what they anticipate it should be worth when you bring it back with the mileage and condition you agree to. The smaller the depreciation, the cheaper the lease should be.
I saw this on another website -- might help with the whole PRICE thing... By the way, I did NOT create this, so don't flame ME...
According to Hondacars.com (official Honda website) and nissandriven.com (official Nissan website):
********** COMPARISON NUMBER #1 **********
Honda Accord LX V6
Price: $23,460 w/ Destination Charge Features: -ABS w/side airbags ($799 option on the Altima)
Nissan 3.5SE w/No Options
Price: $23,689 w/Destination Charge Features: -Fog lights ($330 option on the Accord) -17 inch alloy wheels ($1000 option on the Accord) -Chrome exhaust finishers ($89 option on the Accord) -Cargo net ($49 option on the Accord)
Analysis:
If you add the fog lights, cargo net, 17 inch alloy wheels, and chrome finishers to the Accord you would end up with a price of $24,928 (which incidentally is just $900 cheaper than the base price of the top-of-the-line EX) for an Accord LX V6 equipped exactly like a base Altima 3.5SE sans ABS/side airbags.
If you add the ABS w/side air bags to the Altima the price jumps to $24,488 -- you decide you want a manual with the V6, which lowers the price to $23,988.
Accord LX V6 (equipped like a base 3.5SE) = $24,928 Base Altima 3.5SE (with automatic tranny) = $24,488 Base Altima 3.5SE (with manual tranny) = $23,988
Thus, a base Altima 3.5SE (w/manual) costs $1,000 LESS than a comparably equipped Accord LX V6, and $500 LESS when equipped with an automatic.
********** COMPARISON NUMBER #2 **********
2003 Honda Accord EX V6
Price: $25,800 w/ Destination Charge Standard Features: -Leather -Moonroof -6 disc in-dash CD changer -ABS w/side airbags
Nissan 3.5SE w/Leather Package & ABS Package
Price: $27,787 w/Destination Charge Standard Features: -Leather -Moonroof -6 disc in-dash CD changer -ABS w/side airbags
Features standard on the Altima but optional on the Accord:
-Fog lights ($330 option on the Accord) -17 inch alloy wheels ($1,000 option on the Accord) -Chrome exhaust finishers ($89 option on the Accord) -Cargo net ($49 option on the Accord)
Analysis:
If you add the fog lights, cargo net, 17 inch alloy wheels, and chrome finishers to the Accord you end up with a price of $27,268.
Thus, an Altima 3.5SE (w/Leather and ABS packages + manual) only costs $19 more than a comparably equipped Accord V6, and $519 more when equipped with an automatic... Add in the Navigation system on the Accord and the price difference is smaller yet.
Of course if you don't care about certain features on the Altima and not on the Accord, then that changes the pricing structure. But the idea here was to compare apples to apples.
Additionally, Altima V6 "recommends" you run premium fuel, where Accord "recommends" you run standard fuel (which, if you read these boards, you know why I don't agree with this). But nonetheless, it is a factor, as is resale, mileage, etc.
Finally, I don't know about the Accord drivers out there, but I can tell you that many Altima owners (myself included) will continually report our "passion" for driving the car. I've driven the Accord -- and I LIKE IT -- it's just not nearly as "fun" to drive than the Altima... Don't ask me why, I don't know... For me and many others, it just is. Plus, in my opinion, the Altima's exterior styling is much more elegant.
It depends on what you want. Since the Accord EXV6 already comes with 16" alloy wheels standard, it would be an incredibly stupid waste of money to spend $1000 to upgrade to 1" larger wheels and throw away the brand new factory 16" alloy wheels. Maybe on the LX that only has hupcaps, but if you add expensive options to an LX, you might as well get the EX. The EXV6 is a good value unless you don't care about alloy wheels, moonroof and and leather. I would probably go for the cargo net and fog lights though. So, if 17" wheels vs 16" wheels are extremely important to you, then the Altima compares in price favorably with the Accord. Otherwise, the features will not match exactly. For instance there is no option to get a 5-speed automatic on the Altima. I think the difference between the transmissions is more significant than the difference between 16" and 17" wheels.
My SE has the black (factory) leather interior. It doesn't look bad to me and actually I consider the interior to be more sporty than luxurious. Add to that the pleasure of driving it and the Bose stereo and it all works for me. I may be biased, but then again, I traded a 2000 Accord EX in for my Altima.
Big difference in the tires for performance and looks, lets add to that the standard Honda rims are not polished and eat up the brake dust and road salt and look pretty bad after a year or two. I think there are probably some other things that were not brought up here that you don't find in the Accord such as heated mirrors and the Altima has an 8-way power seat, I recall the Accord as 6-way etc.
As far as the 5 speed transmission, is that for high speed? What is the benfit? My car already goes fast enough.
5 speed is better than 4 speed, just as a 4 speed is better than a 3 speed auto. More gears gives better performance and allows for quieter highway cruising. The performance of the Accord is close to the Altima despite the engine being significantly smaller. Each car has some unique features. The Accord EX also has 8-way power seats.
The Accord doesn't have heated mirrors? Another reason to buy the Altima. I don't have this option on my current car and it drives me nuts. Even though it seems like a minor thing, in Canada it is a major annoyance. I'll give Honda a break and assume thay have this option up here, if not then I can understand why sales are not that great for the new accord in Canada. (hardly have seen any on the road and a friend went to price one and was almost immediately given 2k off the EXV6 model which would never happen in the past).
They are already offering lease incentives on the Accord around here. They make alot of them and the economy is not too great so I am sure there will plenty on the lots. I don't think you can get the heated mirrors on any Accord.
All this incessant talk about interior quality has made me hypersensitive to the interior appearance of my 2003 Altima. I stare at the dash and door trim virtually every time I get in.
My feelings? The light gray trim is adequate and on a par for a car in the $20000 range (which is what I paid). Of course, when I look at the beautiful light gray leather I had installed at time of purchase I forget about the rest of the trim being only adequate.
The key here is price. If you buy this car as I did in the $20000 range I think the interior is fine. If however, you push the price envelope to close to $30000 (which is what a loaded SE would cost) than I think it's fair to say that the interior is inferior for that price range. You should expect an upscale interior when buying a car near $30000. I have heard rumors that a fairly major interior overhaul is coming to the Altima in 2004. This would certainly be desirable.
I'm happy with mine because for what I paid I got everything I need and more style than almost anything in that price range. Also very happy with performance of the 2.5 I4 and when it come to room the car is unbelievable. My final thought? If you are spending nearly $30000 then go for a near luxury car like G35, TL, 300M, etc. If you are on a budget like me and looking to spend something in the 19-23K range then grab the Altima.
Don't worry about the interior like I said in a previous post all this criticism about the inside has been overblown by people who can't beleive how sharp the car looks on the outside and how well it performs. I am close to buying a 2003 in the next month, it's a 3.5SE and the last thing I'l be thinking about as I zoom around town will be a flimsy arm rest. The car is too exciting in every other way to be concerned. Somehow I can't see any friends who first come inside a new car being flabbergasted at how nice my door trim and preset buttons are. People whose major concern is the interior should be driving Hondas because they think driving is a necessity and not fun.
Anybody who thinks a really nice interior makes the car fun should be taking a limo everywhere because they sure don't appreciate tight handling and major power.
When the Altima first came out we thought it was awesome ... then we went to test drive one. The interior ruins the whole car. I can appreciate the Altima being fun-to-drive but it's fun-to-drive quotient isn't awesome enough to outweigh the interior. To top that off, the exterior is already starting to look "dated". The best Altima was the first one, the 93-97. It was reliable, peppy, and had a nice interior.
If you compare the Accord and Altima feature-for-feature the Accord will most always be cheaper. 17" wheels are an option on every Accord .. it's called aftermarket. Cargo nets are standard on the Accord now. You can get fog lights installed for $500. So let's try this again using readily available pricing on www.carsdirect.com.
2003 Accord LX sedan with automatic transmission: $18,100 2003 Nissan Altima 2.5S with automatic: $18,600
2003 Accord EX-L sedan with automatic transmission: $21,700 2003 Nissan Altima 2.5SL w/ power sunroof: $22,800
So the Altima is $1,000 more in 4 cylinder trim.
2003 Accord EX V6 sedan: $23,700 Nissan Altima 3.5SE with Leather Sport Package & ABS, Traction Control, and Side Airbags: $26,900.
So in V6 guise the Altima is $3,000 more.
In every trim line the Altima is more. What are you paying for? The Accord may not have 17's but it has dual zone climate control. The Accord may not have fog lights but it is safer and gets better gas mileage (there's that extra gear showing it's face). The Altima doesn't have a significant performance advantage in automatic form and if you want to compare a manual Altima to an automatic Accord then you are going to open up a whole different discussion.
Exactly what part of the interior ruins the whole car? The look is dated? Have you taken a good look at the new Accord (bubble car a la Pacer, no style to be seen for miles) and you're calling the Altimas dated? It must be dated since the new Maxima looks like a larger Altima so Nissan must have gotten alot of negative feedback to make their flagship car an Altima knockoff at least in style.
As to comparing the new Altima in any way to the first model Altima is laughable and a waste of time. Put it this way, guys care about performance and handling while women care about interior and # of cupholders (to each his own). Honda makes a good car but there is no steering feel. It's easy to drive but drivers want a car that drives hard.
One last point, I saw a show on NBC last week that gave the new Accord only 3 stars in crash tests so it may not be as safe as you think but then again Accord drivers tend to stay well below the speed limit. (why did they even bother making a V6?)
"I have heard rumors that a fairly major interior overhaul is coming to the Altima in 2004."
Anyone else hear this ? Because there was the same talk a year ago, but I would call the '03 interior upgrade very minor.
Also, no one is saying that the Altima interior has to be dazzling or luxurious, just not ........
You have all those GREAT features in a great looking car, but after getting into it, you wonder why didn't they finish it !
There is an Altima-Maxima intersection they want to differentiate. Could they be waiting on the Altima interior until the Maxima redesign comes out next year ? Or will the interior always need to be cheezie in order to sell both cars ?
I sat in a 2002 Altima on the showroom floor in November 2001, before getting my VW. I didn't even drive the car, the cheap looking interior turned me off too much right there. I have to look at the dash constantly when I am in the car, and it looked cheap and glued together. That's something I couldn't deal with every day, for the ~100 miles a day I drive.
The Altima is a very nice car, but the interior needs a makeover or something. I hear the 03s are a little better, but I don't know. Also, the optional wood trim is AWFUL! I hated it! Never would pay more for something that looked like that. The whole "$20K vs. $28K" thing didn't work for me, as I wanted a loaded SE model with V6. I wasn't about to pay $28K for a car with an interior like the 02 Altima's that I sat in.
And if it makes you Altima people feel any better, I hate the new Accord as well. It looks like an overgrown Civic to me, and the interior still has that cheap, Japanese "clang" to it.
I bought the 2002 Altima in October of last year. It's now unofficially my wife's car. She drives it most of the time. Of course, I'm not really against it since she puts so little miles on the car.
When I first got the car (we weren't married at the time), she thought my car was nice w/ a plain interior. Her car is a '94 J30 and she thought my plain car didn't compare to hers w/ the soft leather, heated seats..etc. She never really got a chance to drive the Altima, mainly because I wouldn't let her.
Before we were married she borrowed my car for 2 days to move some of her stuff. It was then she really appreciated the Altima. It's weird how she overlooks the plain interior but she does. She loves the roominess and the big trunk and also thinks it's drives much smoother and faster as well as it handling better than her car.
I like the buttery soft leather and the heated seats of her car so it was a pretty good deal. I used to have a '93 J30t so I am very familiar w/ the '94 J30.
Bottom line for me though, we are not going to buy any cars for the next 3 years so I really don't car how much better any other car is than the Altima. In 2005, I'll see what's out there for comparison purposes. I really like the Murano but I'd like to get away from Nissan because I still feel they screwed me over on the Altima w/ the interior.
I had my money down on a V6 Passat. The inside seemed rather small, but what was really bad was the whiney engine that hardly got out of its own way. The day before I was to pick up the Passat I stopped by a Nissan dealer and took the SE for a drive. It was almost $2k cheaper. Well, IMHO I had to have the Altima because it just seemed like a more solid car than the VW and was a joy to drive. The Accord, on the other hand, was definately out because they are a dime a dozen i.e. everywhere.
Comments
Interesting question. I was comparing them partly on behalf of a friend in the market for something in the price range of the 3.5. I rented the 2.5 – it was OK. I drove it around San Diego and inland to Borrego Springs, up toward (not into, whew!) LA over 5 days.
As many have posted here and elsewhere, some of the interior materials fit and finish are not of the best quality. My rental had approx. 16,000 miles. There was wear – but not much more than the typical year old rental, in my experience. It drove well over the mountains to Anza-Borrego – brakes were fine on the descent.
Besides the power difference, and the typical 4 cyl. noise, the biggest dynamic difference may be the FWD vs. AWD. When I test drove a 2002 3.5 Altima, the typical FWD pull and torque steer and tendency to chirp one front tire when accelerating from low speed around a corner were annoying.
But with only the 3.5 and automatic, it could certainly be an entertaining car at a reasonable price.
- Ray
Who would certainly expect that a 3.5 turbo- or supercharged with AWD would be VERY entertaining . . .
Seriously, with 84K on the belts, you're already on borrowed time. At least change the one showing cracks.
The 3.5 owners manual says you can use the low octane fuel, but suggests for "better performance" to use the 93 octane. I'll probably continue to use the 93 octane.
I spent almost thirty minutes looking over the Altimas. The first Altima I saw in was Seascape with Black leather interior. It was an SL model. I want to add that the interior of the Altima is still a work in process. Everytime I look inside a newer Altima, the interior seems to be getting better. The new wood trim is much better looking than the stuff used last year. Thank God for that. I actually like the wood trim inside the Altima better than the Camry' or Accord's. The interior materials are slowly improving, and while the gas release button still doesn't have a cover, the cut-out is much less exposed this time around. I actually liked the interior for once. I cannot belive it has improved that much.
There were still some disappointments though. For one, the storage area in the front is still made out of very cheap plastic. Not a good sign. Also, there were scuff marks all over the bottom of each door.
The exterior styling is still nice, the best in the class IMO.
I can't recommend the aftermarket leather enough. It will cost you the better part of a grand but it turns this car into at $20000 Audi A6. I've had two friends mistake the car for an A6 and a Bentley respectively.
I realize the Bentley is a stretch but if an uninitiated person can actually think that then the car most have some pretty good looks.
I'm not bothered by things like plastic door pockets or a cheap fuel release button (I never notice it except when I pop it) and overall am very happy with the car (27mpg on first fillup). Could use better NVH but that's about my only complaint.
Going to add a nice set of aftermarket rims when I have a few dollars. That should make this car a real knockout.
The exterior looks great and I like the color. Unfortunately it doesn't have ABS. I bought cars in the 60s and 70s before ABS was available. There is no excuse for it not to be standard equipment on any car today. Even her cheapest model Saturn had them standard. The rear seats are uncomfortable because of the weird angle of the seat back. The orange colored gauges at night look incredibly cheap. The air bag warning light has blinked since she bought it.
But, the exterior is a nice color and looks great. What more can you ask ?
Thanks
I have a 2.5s basically fully loaded. If your looking for a roomy car this is the one. Altima is actually considered a full size car byCars.com.
There is alot of trunk space too.
The Bose system as edmunds.com has said over and over again is awesome. If your more into clear and crisp sounds than bass I would suggest getting it. The twiters(sp) in the A pillars are what I think makes the big difference. Many cars in it's don't have them there.
The Altima has lots of power once you tap the pedal but may loose a bit once you get to higher rpms. Steering is a bit light though but you get used to it.
As for the interior I don't think I could have chose any other car. I like an interesting interior and Altima has that. Camry was way too old american like. Passats was high quality but plain and Accords was nice but too basic.
The only gripe I have with this car are the doors. The materials just plain suck. Don't get me wrong everything is fitted nicely no lose panels or anything through the interior. But things like the interior door handles are really cheap and I wish they had used chrome plated ones instead. I do like the seat cloth (it was better then Camry's) and the seats are very supportive.
Anyways the Most important thing about the Altima is value. There are lots of standard features. Like alloy wheels instead of hub caps and all wheel disk breaks instead of drums (Camry). Most power in it's class, biggest etc. You will also notice little things about it. For example you can roll the windows down with your key or remote. There are touch down features for the windows which I don't think accord has and auto on headlights with a trip computer, curtain airbags etc. It also got good crash test scores. For 2003 the car should be even better because they upgraded the interior.
Every car in this class has there bright spots but I just like Nissans approach to the Midsize class. Sorry to babble, hope this helped.
My only choices were the Altima, Accord or Camry.
Side and side curtain airbags were mandatory and the Accord only offered these on the top of the line model.
Had a deal on a Camry LE that fell through.(Actually I think the dealer tried pulling a bait and switch - left $500 deposit and they traded the car away)
Anyway,
My first new Nissan and it is taking some getting used to. I came from a 95 Accord and the Altima seats were much softer. I've had back problems in the past but I think my back was just getting adjusted because there seems to be little problem now.
Love the power and sporty ride. Best looking body of all three IMO.
(Last two tanks of gas were 25 and 28mpg mixed driving)
Very large interior.
This is my commuter car and a backup to the family van.
Hope this helps.
Do you find a lot of tire noise with the Contis?
I have a 2000 Altima with 50k miles on it. Till date never had to take it to the dealer for any problem. recently, the dealer said I needed new brake pads in front. After I had that done, I have noticed a low speed wobble in the steering, that disappears at speeds above 30MPH. Anybody have a clue what it could be?
You could have the brakes looked at to make sure.
Nissan has been very proud of the fact that they haven't had to use incentives and rebates on the new Altima. My guess is that they will try to keep it up as long as possible.
The Altima's exterior looks and performance greatly outweighs any interior shortcomings. Just look at this car's styling and power at that price, it should be an easy choice compared to Toyota or Honda with the same specs for anybody under 50. Just look at the Camry and Accord they're BUTT UGLY and are only fun to drive if you are going to the Nissan dealership to trade it in for an ALTIMA.
I saw a review of the Altima on TV and they pointed out fit and finish flaws in and out that are worse than you can expect on a Toyota or Honda. They advised buyers to wait for the kinks to be ironed out.
What makes the interior cheapness so laughable is that, months prior to the release of the 2002 Altima, Nissan had made statements claiming that the interior would be VW quality. VW interior materials are better than Toyota and Honda, but now the Altima cannot even match those, much less a VW.
People make a point of how nice the interior of a VW is because it is super nice.
People do not usually say much about an Accord's or Taurus' interior because it is not really that much better or worse than they expected for the price.
People go on and on about the Altima's interior because it was worse than they expected compared to competing cars.
The Nissan Altima 3.5 SE does not beat a Honda Accord EXV6 on price once you add options to match what comes standard on the Honda. A loaded Altima 3.5 is way more expensive than the Accord EXV6 even if you skip the few options not available on the Honda (such as Xenon lights).
You pay more up front, then you lose more at the end because it depreciates more than an Accord or Passat.
Many people jump on the Altima interior because they read the many reviews that magazines print and if you notice they don't want to make any car seem perfect in any class and there's really nothing else to criticize the Altima for so they have to trash the interior and then readers overreact to it (mostly Honda and Toyota owners) because there's nothing else to talk about. One review I read the writer thought the car had too much torque steer (valid point, but it didn't bother me and I gunned the car in the test drive) but barely mentioned the interior because his main criticism had been made.
My point is I took both cars out on a test drive and when I was in the Accord all I could think about was getting back in the Altima. The Honda has the better interior and better mileage but is behind in everything else and resale means little because most people keep their cars much longer these days(if they didn't they would lease) and a 10 year old Honda and Altima wouldn't be much of a price difference. Resale value does not factor in much when people buy cars.
I 'll give the Mazda 6 a last chance to convince me otherwise but I doubt it (no matter how nice that interior is)
$27787 for 3.5SE with leather package, automatic and the side airbag/ABS package.
This is about as close as you can get with equipment levels since each has a few unique features that the other doesn't.
The are more options available on the Altima that would push the price even higher and you could get the navigation on the Accord that would add another $2000.
The Accord EXV6 with voice activation for the navigation, stereo and HVAC is only a few hundred more at ($28260 MSRP) than the Altima with just the options listed above at $27787.
Some people keep their cars 10 years, but not most people.
Leasing is only better than buying if there is some special incentive on the lease that it isn't matched by the manufacturer on purchases (this usually happens only on some luxury cars) and/or if you use the vehicle for a business and can write off part of the lease expenses on your taxes, or if you luck out because the car depreciated more than they anticipated in the contract despite you not going over the mileage and wear limits.
The lease cost is based on the difference between the sale price of the car on the day you buy it and what they anticipate it should be worth when you bring it back with the mileage and condition you agree to. The smaller the depreciation, the cheaper the lease should be.
According to Hondacars.com (official Honda website) and nissandriven.com (official Nissan website):
********** COMPARISON NUMBER #1 **********
Honda Accord LX V6
Price: $23,460 w/ Destination Charge
Features:
-ABS w/side airbags ($799 option on the Altima)
Nissan 3.5SE w/No Options
Price: $23,689 w/Destination Charge
Features:
-Fog lights ($330 option on the Accord)
-17 inch alloy wheels ($1000 option on the Accord)
-Chrome exhaust finishers ($89 option on the Accord)
-Cargo net ($49 option on the Accord)
Analysis:
If you add the fog lights, cargo net, 17 inch alloy wheels, and chrome finishers to the Accord you would end up with a price of $24,928 (which incidentally is just $900 cheaper than the base price of the top-of-the-line EX) for an Accord LX V6 equipped exactly like a base Altima 3.5SE sans ABS/side airbags.
If you add the ABS w/side air bags to the Altima the price jumps to $24,488 -- you decide you want a manual with the V6, which lowers the price to $23,988.
Accord LX V6 (equipped like a base 3.5SE) = $24,928
Base Altima 3.5SE (with automatic tranny) = $24,488
Base Altima 3.5SE (with manual tranny) = $23,988
Thus, a base Altima 3.5SE (w/manual) costs $1,000 LESS than a comparably equipped Accord LX V6, and $500 LESS when equipped with an automatic.
********** COMPARISON NUMBER #2 **********
2003 Honda Accord EX V6
Price: $25,800 w/ Destination Charge
Standard Features:
-Leather
-Moonroof
-6 disc in-dash CD changer
-ABS w/side airbags
Nissan 3.5SE w/Leather Package & ABS Package
Price: $27,787 w/Destination Charge
Standard Features:
-Leather
-Moonroof
-6 disc in-dash CD changer
-ABS w/side airbags
Features standard on the Altima but optional on the Accord:
-Fog lights ($330 option on the Accord)
-17 inch alloy wheels ($1,000 option on the Accord)
-Chrome exhaust finishers ($89 option on the Accord)
-Cargo net ($49 option on the Accord)
Analysis:
If you add the fog lights, cargo net, 17 inch alloy wheels, and chrome finishers to the Accord you end up with a price of $27,268.
Accord EX V6 (w/No Options) = $25,800
Accord EX V6 (like 3.5SE w/Leather & ABS)= $27,268
Base Altima 3.5SE (w/Leather, ABS + manual) = $27,287
Altima 3.5SE (w/Leather, ABS + automatic) = $27,787
Thus, an Altima 3.5SE (w/Leather and ABS packages + manual) only costs $19 more than a comparably equipped Accord V6, and $519 more when equipped with an automatic... Add in the Navigation system on the Accord and the price difference is smaller yet.
Of course if you don't care about certain features on the Altima and not on the Accord, then that changes the pricing structure. But the idea here was to compare apples to apples.
Additionally, Altima V6 "recommends" you run premium fuel, where Accord "recommends" you run standard fuel (which, if you read these boards, you know why I don't agree with this). But nonetheless, it is a factor, as is resale, mileage, etc.
Finally, I don't know about the Accord drivers out there, but I can tell you that many Altima owners (myself included) will continually report our "passion" for driving the car. I've driven the Accord -- and I LIKE IT -- it's just not nearly as "fun" to drive than the Altima... Don't ask me why, I don't know... For me and many others, it just is. Plus, in my opinion, the Altima's exterior styling is much more elegant.
(:-D Thanks Everyone!!!
Since the Accord EXV6 already comes with 16" alloy wheels standard, it would be an incredibly stupid waste of money to spend $1000 to upgrade to 1" larger wheels and throw away the brand new factory 16" alloy wheels.
Maybe on the LX that only has hupcaps, but if you add expensive options to an LX, you might as well get the EX. The EXV6 is a good value unless you don't care about alloy wheels, moonroof and and leather.
I would probably go for the cargo net and fog lights though.
So, if 17" wheels vs 16" wheels are extremely important to you, then the Altima compares in price favorably with the Accord. Otherwise, the features will not match exactly. For instance there is no option to get a 5-speed automatic on the Altima. I think the difference between the transmissions is more significant than the difference between 16" and 17" wheels.
I may be biased, but then again, I traded a 2000 Accord EX in for my Altima.
As far as the 5 speed transmission, is that for high speed? What is the benfit? My car already goes fast enough.
Each car has some unique features. The Accord EX also has 8-way power seats.
My feelings? The light gray trim is adequate and on a par for a car in the $20000 range (which is what I paid). Of course, when I look at the beautiful light gray leather I had installed at time of purchase I forget about the rest of the trim being only adequate.
The key here is price. If you buy this car as I did in the $20000 range I think the interior is fine. If however, you push the price envelope to close to $30000 (which is what a loaded SE would cost) than I think it's fair to say that the interior is inferior for that price range. You should expect an upscale interior when buying a car near $30000. I have heard rumors that a fairly major interior overhaul is coming to the Altima in 2004. This would certainly be desirable.
I'm happy with mine because for what I paid I got everything I need and more style than almost anything in that price range. Also very happy with performance of the 2.5 I4 and when it come to room the car is unbelievable. My final thought? If you are spending nearly $30000 then go for a near luxury car like G35, TL, 300M, etc. If you are on a budget like me and looking to spend something in the 19-23K range then grab the Altima.
Anybody who thinks a really nice interior makes the car fun should be taking a limo everywhere because they sure don't appreciate tight handling and major power.
If you compare the Accord and Altima feature-for-feature the Accord will most always be cheaper. 17" wheels are an option on every Accord .. it's called aftermarket. Cargo nets are standard on the Accord now. You can get fog lights installed for $500. So let's try this again using readily available pricing on www.carsdirect.com.
2003 Accord LX sedan with automatic transmission: $18,100
2003 Nissan Altima 2.5S with automatic: $18,600
2003 Accord EX-L sedan with automatic transmission: $21,700
2003 Nissan Altima 2.5SL w/ power sunroof: $22,800
So the Altima is $1,000 more in 4 cylinder trim.
2003 Accord EX V6 sedan: $23,700
Nissan Altima 3.5SE with Leather Sport Package & ABS, Traction Control, and Side Airbags: $26,900.
So in V6 guise the Altima is $3,000 more.
In every trim line the Altima is more. What are you paying for? The Accord may not have 17's but it has dual zone climate control. The Accord may not have fog lights but it is safer and gets better gas mileage (there's that extra gear showing it's face). The Altima doesn't have a significant performance advantage in automatic form and if you want to compare a manual Altima to an automatic Accord then you are going to open up a whole different discussion.
As to comparing the new Altima in any way to the first model Altima is laughable and a waste of time. Put it this way, guys care about performance and handling while women care about interior and # of cupholders (to each his own). Honda makes a good car but there is no steering feel. It's easy to drive but drivers want a car that drives hard.
One last point, I saw a show on NBC last week that gave the new Accord only 3 stars in crash tests so it may not be as safe as you think but then again Accord drivers tend to stay well below the speed limit. (why did they even bother making a V6?)
Anyone else hear this ? Because there was the same talk a year ago, but I would call the '03 interior upgrade very minor.
Also, no one is saying that the Altima interior has to be dazzling or luxurious, just not ........
You have all those GREAT features in a great looking car, but after getting into it, you wonder why didn't they finish it !
There is an Altima-Maxima intersection they want to differentiate. Could they be waiting on the Altima interior until the Maxima redesign comes out next year ? Or will the interior always need to be cheezie in order to sell both cars ?
The Altima is a very nice car, but the interior needs a makeover or something. I hear the 03s are a little better, but I don't know.
Also, the optional wood trim is AWFUL! I hated it! Never would pay more for something that looked like that. The whole "$20K vs. $28K" thing didn't work for me, as I wanted a loaded SE model with V6. I wasn't about to pay $28K for a car with an interior like the 02 Altima's that I sat in.
And if it makes you Altima people feel any better, I hate the new Accord as well. It looks like an overgrown Civic to me, and the interior still has that cheap, Japanese "clang" to it.
When I first got the car (we weren't married at the time), she thought my car was nice w/ a plain interior. Her car is a '94 J30 and she thought my plain car didn't compare to hers w/ the soft leather, heated seats..etc. She never really got a chance to drive the Altima, mainly because I wouldn't let her.
Before we were married she borrowed my car for 2 days to move some of her stuff. It was then she really appreciated the Altima. It's weird how she overlooks the plain interior but she does. She loves the roominess and the big trunk and also thinks it's drives much smoother and faster as well as it handling better than her car.
I like the buttery soft leather and the heated seats of her car so it was a pretty good deal. I used to have a '93 J30t so I am very familiar w/ the '94 J30.
Bottom line for me though, we are not going to buy any cars for the next 3 years so I really don't car how much better any other car is than the Altima. In 2005, I'll see what's out there for comparison purposes. I really like the Murano but I'd like to get away from Nissan because I still feel they screwed me over on the Altima w/ the interior.