Nissan Altima Maintenance and Repair

tmnjalt · November 2002

condensation problem- defroster clears it up quickly. As for
the rattling, does it sound like its idle related. Mine is an automatic and when its in gear sitting at idle, there is a slight
vibration which can be heard from inside the car if the radio is
off and the windows are up, almost like an echo caused by the vibration. Other owners have reported this problem on various car related web sites. Just wondering if its the same
problem. Dealer blames it on the 4 cyl - says its normal, i don't
think so. I must admit though other than that we love the car,
great handling, acceleration. Let us know what dealer says.

jessmom01 · November 2002

I have an '02Altima S. 3 months old. 1800. mi. When I turned on the heater a few days ago, I heard a terrible noise from the fan area. After bringing it to the dealer, it was apparent that a squirrel has been "squirreling" away many,many acorns up in the fan area. It was packed full. Since the acorns must have bent the fan, the blower unit needs to be replaced w/the filter- to a tune of over $600.00. P&L I don't quite understand how a squirrel gains access to this area. You would think there would be a safeguard in place to prevent this from happening.
Has anyone else had this problem?

mrsvalentine · November 2002

I have a nissan altima and pulling to the right was just one of my problems. I hate the damn car. I just purchased it and I regret it. My car pulls to the right all the time. I took it in and the tires are new. They did a new 4 wheel rotation, balance, and alignment and the stupid thing does still pull to the right. I hate it.

detroit2 · November 2002

The reason I consider 1/4qt oil loss a problem is I commute 70 miles rt daily 65-70mph no stop and go and this is a new vehicle.

I have a Jetta which is another story that has 110K and it does not burn any oil and that is changing the synthetic oil every 5k to 6k miles. If a brand new broke in alty can't do better than a 7yr old vw there is a problem. My dealer also agreed to replace the engine.

tmnjalt · November 2002

I traded a 2000 camry for my 2003 2.5s. The camry
used about 1/2 qt between oil changes. Toyota claims that all high speed highway driving such as you described makes oil usage more noticeable. Reason is you don't get any condensation diluting
the oil like you would thru short trips and stop and go driving. Thats toyotas theory - for what its worth.

whampa65 · November 2002

I bought my '03 Nissan Altima in Sept. and I've had some problems that should be noted and I was wondering how many other people are having the same problems. When I first took the car home and drove it for about two weeks I decided to check the oil and too my surprise it was down around a quart. I put the quart in and ran it another 1,500 miles and checked it and it was fine. After recently having my oil change I checked the oil after running the car for about a week and to my dismay it was down a quart of oil again, I don't know if it's the car or the dealership just didn't put enough oil in the car. My second problem with this car has been a "constant" vibration in the steering wheel that steadily gets worse the faster you drive the car and the car was pulling to the left real bad. I brought it to the dealership and they did a four wheel alignment and spun balance all four tires. The car know still has the same vibration in the steering wheel and now the car pulls to the right but not half as bad as it did when it pulled to the left. I notice even when the car is idling I can feel a vibration in the wheel, I guess it must be the engine. Overall I really like the car and hope to keep it for a long time but I'm a little concerned about the long term reliability of this car and hope I didn't make a mistake in buying it. I would really like some feedback from owners of this car and wonder if there experiencing the same problems I am.

acmeroadrunnr · November 2002

I have close to 8k miles on my 3.5 and I checked the tires just the other day and they are not worn.

BTW: The "H" series may be cheaper than the "V" series but they are also rated for lower speeds too.

From what flea is reporting here it sounds like (s)he may need the higher speed "V" rated tires. I wonder if flea is lending the car out to anyone (kid)?

zueslewis · November 2002

Of course, the H-rated tires are rating at a maximum of 130 mph for a 24 HOUR duration!! The Vs are rated at 149 mph. Where, on the face of our Earth, are you going to go 130 for 24 hours, except the Firestone test track in Ft Stockton, TX?

If H-rated tires are allowed by the manufacturer or can be substituted, use them.

tmnjalt · November 2002

I have a 2003 2.5s- love the looks,handling and performance but like you have some issues.

The day after i bought it i checked the oil and it was low approx 1/2 qt also the coolant reservoir was overfilled. I don't think the dealers do any prep at all on new cars. I now have 2500 miles on the car and checking oil regularly, i don't think its burning any. Whether its prep or oil change you cannot trust them. I always check and recheck the fluid levels.

As for the high speed vibration - could be caused by alot of things most of them minor- try flip-flopping front tires, if pulling changes sides, could be a bad tire.

Now for my biggest complaint - the vibration at idle. The vibration itself is very mild but the knocking sound that goes with it really bugs me- you can only hear it from inside the car with windows up and radio off. Others have posted about this, dealer claims its normal for 4 cyl engine. I'd appreciate it if any other 2.5s owners who have opinions or info on this 'vibration at idle' would post it here.

acmeroadrunnr · November 2002

Excuse me, you seem to agree but quickly digress. Where does the 24 hours come from? Wouldn't air temperature, type of driving and the road conditions come into play here? Why are "H" series cheaper than the "V" zeus? Doesn't the higher rating have something to do with the ability of the sidewall to stand up during heavy slalom driving? What about noise suppression, doesn't the "V" do more to reduce it and improve the ride since it is a softer tire?

zueslewis · November 2002

"BTW: The "H" series may be cheaper than the "V" series but they are also rated for lower speeds too."

H rated tires are based on a testing procedure that tests a tire for a 24 hour period at a constant 130 mph. My concept is that no car is going to be driven like that and H rated tires will fulfill anyone's needs for a normal car.

V rated tires, being stiffer, will cause more noise.
The V rated tires will be stiffer and usually have a lower treadwear rating.

bsapp · November 2002

Whampa65 & tmnjalt, check my posts # 32, 34 & 69. I experienced the exact same problems you describe except the vibration at speed. My 2.5 was smooth at speed, but vibrated terribly (in my opinion) at idle. I won't make this a long message by repeating all that I've said previously so please refer to the posts.

However, not since 1993 and my experience with a new Chrysler Concorde have I EVER been so disappointed in an automobile.

Bill

acmeroadrunnr · November 2002

It is unfortunate that you were unable to answer any of the questions in my previous message, but instead threw back the same opinion as you had before.

I really don't think Firestone, never mind me, cares too much about your concept of which tire consumers should buy. I have not seen you in the Altima forum before, have you even drive the SE? Probably not, It is a performance vehicle.

BTW: I don't know why you quoted my comment, maybe you did not read it correctly, it means that the H is cheaper $ and is also rated for slower speeds. The H would probably be well suited for a less performing car such as a Mustang or something.

zueslewis · November 2002

than the Altima? Please.

I've spent several years as a regional manager for Super Shops, a high performance auto parts and service chain (before they went bankrupt due to bad financial planning) and handled hundreds and thousands of performance tire and wheel transactions for consumers.

The reason I quoted you is that perhaps you don't understand the testing criteria for an H or V rated tire, but I do. Don't dispense advice unless you know what's up.

You actually think that a V rated tire is "softer" than an H tire. It is, in some ways - the tread compound is softer, and stickier, but the sidewalls are stiffer, transmitting more vibration and noise than an H rated tire.

I currently race SCCA Solo II, and have for 16 years - I've owner many, many performance vehicles - I DO understand performance.

I don't own an Altima. Not that's it not a great car, it just doesn't fit my needs since I have my daily driver/race car and an SUV because of the kids and a big dog.

I'm here because I consult for a lawfirm on dealer fraud and lemon law cases and I take every chance I can get to learn more about current problems with vehicles.

Now that the pleasantries are finished, I'll be glad to help - that's all I'm here for.

acmeroadrunnr · November 2002

And still, I get no answers to any of my previous questions from zeus!
Well, at least I am able to get some level of agreement regarding the tires even though zeus can't seem to help but throw in alot of noise aka chest beating. But please, just agree rather than disagree and then repeat what I have already said, it doesn't make you look knowledgeable and I actually find it tiring. It seems that you are under the impression that you are the only one here that has owned/driven a hot rod or understands cars and just because you raced a car does not make you any great shakes either.
If you can answer my questions instead of bantering of your opinions then perhaps I will listen. I mean, come on wouldn't Nissan save big bucks by putting "H" series tire on all Altima SE's as you suggest? Instead of getting answers I get noise from an industry expert(?).

And you drive an SUV (Stupid Useless Vehicle)...I'm running now!

sandman46 · November 2002

I think it's time for a group hug around here! Let's face it, the only reason we're here is that we all truly love cars and enjoy reading about them and talking to others about them. Let's try to keep things in perspective, shall we!!
Now back to the discussion.

The Sandman :-)
(P.S. Zues, I for one am pretty impressed with your credentials!)

zueslewis · November 2002

you never asked a question, but I'm getting beat up for not answering it?

Yes, you could easily run an H rated tire in place of the V rated OEM tires. Me personally? I would keep the Vs or upgrade to a Z rated tire like the Bridgestone Pole Position, BF Goodrich KDW or Kuhmo 712, but I don't mind paying a little more and sacrificing road manners (quietness, smoothness versus harshness and noise) to get a little more juice. I also don't mind replacing my tires more frequently because that's a fact of life considering the way I drive and my competition participation.

For someone who wants good performance, but a bit softer ride and more longevity (read more value), the H rated tires are great.

thatchman1 · November 2002

Just brought home an 02 3.5SE with 250 miles on it tonight. It seems perfect & runs smoothly, however, at highway speeds when the car requires no acceleration for a period then I very lightly depress it, or when I'm lightly pressing then about to let off, the car has a slight odd feeling, maybe a shutter or light kind of bouncy feeling. It does not do this when I use cruise control.

Drives fine at town speeds, not noticeable when accelerating quickly.

Is this normal or just me not adjusted to the shifting points? Or something else?

I am otherwise very happy with the vehicle. The transmission shifts smoothly when accelerating & the engine runs smoothly at idle.

I'm feeling very uneasy about this-- being my first new car and coming from a 10 year old car that had weak torque converter springs, this is ever so slightly reminiscent...

Feedback of "doesn't happen" is just as valuable to me as someone knowing what it is/might be.

I've only had a 2.5 at highway speeds before this one and I didn't notice a thing like this.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Scott

thatchman1 · November 2002

Just brought home an 02 3.5SE with 250 miles on it tonight. It seems perfect & runs smoothly, however, at highway speeds when the car requires no acceleration for a period then I very lightly depress it, or when I'm lightly pressing then about to let off, the car has a slight odd feeling, maybe a shutter or light kind of bouncy feeling. It does not do this when I use cruise control.

Drives fine at town speeds, not noticeable when accelerating quickly or during downshifts during braking.

Is this normal or just me not adjusted to the shifting points? Or something else?

I am otherwise very happy with the vehicle. The transmission shifts smoothly when accelerating & the engine runs smoothly at idle.

I'm feeling very uneasy about this-- being my first new car and coming from a 10 year old car that had weak torque converter springs, this is ever so slightly reminiscent...

Feedback of "doesn't happen" is just as valuable to me as someone knowing what it is/might be.

I've only had a 2.5 at highway speeds before this one and I didn't notice a thing like this.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Scott

zueslewis · November 2002

of the torque converter locking up and releasing. There are times when you can feel a hesitation or a shudder at different stages of acceleration.

Just a thought - if it still feels weird, don't hesitate dropping by the dealer. It may not be normal at all.

fastalt · November 2002

I have an 02 3.5SE with 3500 miles on it now. I have not experienced anything like you describe. It does not sound normal. My car shifts very smoothly(much smoother than my 99 honda LX 6 cylinder) and there is no vibration of any kind. Maybe you should have someone else drive it and see what they think or just bring it back to the dealer. Since you got the car with 250 miles on it they won't be able to say it was something you did to it.

astorey1 · November 2002

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!

acmeroadrunnr · November 2002

Flea had reported premature wear (replacement at 3500 miles) to the tires on his/her '02 SE. Your recommendation was to replace the "V" series with an "H" series. My argument is that your recommendation is unfounded.
My suggestion to Flea differs from Zeus' and is to bring the car to another dealer for a second opinion, not buy a different set of tires (as recommended by Zeus), especially since I, along with others that happen to own 3.5 SE (Zeus doesn't), reported no visible tire wear after the same mileage duration Flea was having to change tires. I would also like to report that I have just put another 1700 miles on the car (9700 now) and the tires look fine and have not been rotated since new. If Flea's car in performing properly, then the only other thing I can think of that may be causing this tire failure is someone (bsides flea) is doing some serious burnouts with this car.

acmeroadrunnr · November 2002

My 3.5 is an automatic. I have noticed that as I am cruising along on the hiway and then take my foot off of the accelerator to slow-up and then reapply the gas that there is a slight thud, like something is engaging, in the powertrain. I believe that this is the torque converter re-engaging and assume it is just a characteristic of the car. Hope this helps and let us know if you find out there is a problem.

mattman055 · December 2002

I have no idea why I'm on the Altima board, but anyway I'll respond to your question.

I have a 2002 Pathfinder, we have the same engine, the 3.5 V6.

I know what you are talking about, it happens as well to me on the highway when I release the gas pedal (even when I am barely depressing on it before, and sometimes with a gradual release of it).

I don't know if its normal, have not told the dealer or attempted to find a remedy. Just thought I'd say that your not the only one.

03accordman · December 2002

Hi all,

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?

sauron666 · December 2002

I have had Bridgestone Tauranzas now for a few weeks after replacing Continentals with them. I am very annoyed at this point. These are my 3rd set of tires on a car with 5k miles on it and I am having the same problems as with the Continentals. The inside of my car sounds like a washing machine spin cycle after I drive my car for a short period of time to heat up the tires. Nissan says they won't replace the rims and refuse to allow me to see a factory rep. You believe it! Thanks god there is a lemon law in my state and that I keep service records.

fastalt · December 2002

3 sets of tires in 5000 miles is outrageous..Obviously it's not the tires..Sounds like the car is way out of alignment or perhaps was in some sort of accident BEFORE you took ownnership. I have seen brand new cars(with the Stickers still on the window) in body shops with severe damage. Have you tried calling 1-800-Nissan1 ? I think if you open an incident with them they might be of some help

tmnjalt · December 2002

Sounds incredible- are these brand new tires ?
Have they been balanced ? Has the car been
aligned? Are any suspension parts loose or defective? Did the dealer techs test drive the car after latest fix?

The car sounds undrivable - you say sounds like
washer spin cycle, is it the sound or is there also vibration ?

1969iggy · December 2002

The damn thing shifts real bad when you accelerate hard.... gets up to 5K rpm and then hangs for a few seconds before shifting softly. For $27K i would expect the damn thing to be a little more snappy, if not break your neck shifting under hard acceleration.

saoke · December 2002

95 Altima GXE
90k mile
Check engine light (emission) is on.
mpg value decreasing... 10 now

engine/emission generating louder noise

Pep boye diagnosed for free and checked the code:
EGR control solenoid
and told me this can only be managed by dealer.

Anybody here experienced this problem?
Do I have to go to the nissan dealer, or other service shop to check it again?

Computer diagnosis: nissan dealer charges $86; Honda dealer charges $48 ... any difference for the EGR modules between different makes?

EGR control solenoid: $150 (LOCAL NISSAN DEALER)
Is 'EGR control solenoid' same as 'EGR valve solenoid'?

Thanks.

flea4 · December 2002

Thanks to all who have replied to my tire problem.I put 2 new Turanzas on last week.Nissan dealer paid for 1 of them,I paid for the other.That's the best I could do.I'm going to try to rotate,balance and have the alignment checked every 3,000 miles on these new tires and see what happens.As an answer to some of your questions,my kid doesn't drive the car at all,the car isn't driven at any high rates of speed and the gas pedal isn't up into the firewall as I believe somebody had suggested.It is driven like any normal car,to and from work,grocery store,around town,to ballgames,etc.I'll keep you guys posted.

zueslewis · December 2002

bring it back to them if there's a problem, since that's a lignment issue, not a wear problem related to anything else. (Unless you're doing 90 mph corners!)

zueslewis · December 2002

but I see lemon law cases on every manufacturer in the US as a course of my job.

What you have is a used car that was BEAT TO DEATH as a rental (Pull a CARFAX - I'll bet a week's wages). I see very, very few Nissan products - in fact, I see fewer Missans than Toyotas and Hondas (separately, not combined) and only 3-4 Altimas in a year and a half of doing this automotuve expert court thing.

I'm glad you were able to vent, but that is not what Edmund's is for - I'm sorry you got a bum used car, but that's all that's wrong with your situation.

andre1969 · December 2002

My Mom & Stepdad are 2-for-2 with Nissan tranny failures. First was a '91 Stanza that started having problems around the 90,000 mile mark. It was threatening to go at any time (according to the dealership, at least) although they did nurse another 20K or so miles out of it before they sold it.

The second was a '99 Altima. Tranny up and quit at 35K miles. It was replaced under warranty. That car's mileage is now somewhere in the lower 90's. About a month ago, it did have a distributor failure that left them stranded. I was actually surprised to hear this...I thought distributors went the way of the carburetor!

Neither car has been really bad, although I'm surprised at the tranny failures. My Mom & stepdad commute into work together, and most of their driving is highway mileage, so it's not like they're thrashing the car or anything!

zueslewis · December 2002

and lemon law cases and breaches of warranty are my business.

Never seen you here before - many people ask for my help with their cases and I give it freely.

I've run over 3,000 CARFAX reports - I know they don't list a previous owner's name, and many rentals aren't listed as "rentals".

You defintely got the exception to the rule when it comes to Altimas. Good luck with it.

I was also trying to curtail your post because people have been sued for slamming a car dealership in a public forum. I'm sorry your reaction was so hostile - I'm glad I'm not your service advisor.

ctalerico · December 2002

I'm sorry about your car. I got rid of my Alero before it got that bad and now own an Altima 2.5S. The only problem I have had is the headlight blew a month after I bought it (brand new car). It is extremely frustrating to buy a car and have all these things happen so quickly (as with my old Alero). Being that this forum is for "problems" I don't see why zueslewis has an issue with your post. Before I buy a car I check these posts on Edmunds and I'm glad that you are honest enough to help the rest of us out there so we can make informed decisions on our next car purchase.

zueslewis · December 2002

I apologize if I came off wrong, but after seeing people get sued for slamming dealers, I fear for teh consumer who does this and advocating the consumer is what I do for a living.

I'm not any more important than anyone here, but along with the other car business guys (and ex-car business guys like me), we try to help folks out of problems when dealing with a problematic dealership or vehicle.

I know you bought the car used - did you have someone check it out for you (other than the dealer)? It's unfortunate that some unscrupulous dealer's idea of a vehicle certification is just filling out a form and giving it an oil change.

sauron666 · December 2002

Thanks for your inputs! My car has had 2 alignment checks. Now, what does that mean? I look at the front end and the driver wheel likes like it is toe-in and the passenger wheel looks like toe-out. I was told it is an "illusion". Yet it drives straight as an arrow, even on crowned roads. I do not know if the Tauranzas are new, but the rubber "feelies" are still on the tires so I guess they are. The Continentals definitly were new. I have 6 work tickets for tire balances and 2 additional service tickets that are not in my possession (yet) for 8 total times I have had the tires balanced. And they have needed it too! Even after being balanced before. The last time I had a balance check, the service mgr. said he had no time to check the car. If he did, he would have heard the washing machine, but he still would have let it go anyway, hoping I would not notice I guess. I went to a couple resources with my VIN. The car has not been in an accident. I tried to work with Nissan and have an incident number with this car. They know I have been to 2 dealers already and want me to go to a 3rd, that is over 30 miles away from me. I told them not unless a factory rep is there, too. They would not gaurantee a rep. I sent my lemon law form yesterday. Now they will have to address it.
In the mean time, I am in the spin cycle. Literally. The wierd thing is, there is no noticeable steering wheel vibration at all. Yet, if I drive it at 10 or less mph (foot off the gas) I can feel the tires thump-thump, thump-thumping on the pavement. Sound like high points, but so did the other tire sets, too. That is why I am pointing at the rims. Nissan doesn't see it that way.

zueslewis · December 2002

this is slander:

"DO NOT BUY A NISSAN ALTIMA GXE 2001 AND IF YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO BUY ONE, THEN FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND OPINION, PLEASE ADVOID BUYING IT FROM COLLINS NISSAN."

You do as you wish. Have a nice day.

zueslewis · December 2002

3 cases of slander for you - keep posting it and you'll get the dealer's attention.

Why you are doing this is a complete mystery.

Again, have a nice day.

rascallove · December 2002

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.

sandman46 · December 2002

Why is it slander if this person is telling us about her "personal" experience with her "personal" car which she bought at this particular dealership. It's her opinion, pure and simple. What am I missing here?
We also own a '01 Altima GXE, but a Limited Edition model, and we had to have the idler pulley replaced under warranty at about 28k miles. Also, the brakes wore out at 16k miles and "we" had to pay to replace them. Thus far the only problems with the car.
We were lucky enough to buy the car new with only 24 miles on the odometer after it was driven up to Ft. Lauderdale from Miami. The wife still loves her car after 2 years and 36k miles!

The Sandman :-)

andre1969 · December 2002

...in chatrooms and on internet bulletin boards, but I think it has to be a bit more extreme than just posting a bad experience with buying a used car and mentioning the dealership. Some of the gripes are just traits of the car though. For instance, I've also noticed that Altima engines tend to be noisy. My Mom & Stepdad's is kinda loud, and so was the '02 I test drove back in February. They actually seem pretty quiet at high speeds, and the '02 was so quiet it was creepy, but in around-town type of driving, they get pretty loud. Maybe because they use a timing chain instead of a belt?

If the car's vibrating, and it's showing up in the steering, that's most likely a problem with tire balance.

As for whining from the steering wheel belt, I can't remember...do these cars use a single serpentine belt for everything? Only time I've had belts squeak was in cold weather, before the car had warmed up. Maybe you've got a mis-aligned or warped pulley somewhere?

Dunno about the grinding noise in the heater, either. In some cars, I can hear the flaps in the ducts as they open and close to direct the air, and some fans are louder than others. If the sound just went away on it's own though, in all fairness, it's hard for a mechanic to diagnose a problem that isn't there!

What kind of car did you have before you got the Altima, Mrsvalentine? Some of your concerns, like the "gliding" (not sure what you mean by that) and shocks (rough ride?) make me think of someone who just got really used to the way their old car handled and acted, and now just have to re-adjust to a different driving experience.

Also, one thing I would DEFINITELY do is have the tranny serviced. I don't care what the manuals say nowadays, every 30,000 miles is good preventive maintenance. You're right at that mark now, and you really don't know how that car was treated by the previous driver(s).

Good luck with it!

zueslewis · December 2002

just check out your rear brake pads and rotors, plus check your rear tires for flat spots. Since it was in the snow, you may not have done any damage at all.

dc_sports_rule · December 2002

I would think instead of posting in a forum of your experiences, I would be relating these experiences to an attorney. He would provide more help with your problems than this forum.

As far as slander, your remarks labeling a particular dealership are dangerous. I have heard also where people that posted their experiences were brought to court by the slandered dealership.

acmeroadrunnr · December 2002

flea, there is no way the tires should be wearing out at 3k miles on your 3.5 SE, it seems obvious that something is seriously wrong with the front end in your car. Do yourself a favor and bring it to another dealer for a second opinion before it is too late. i.e. possible lemon

astorey1 · December 2002

I'm buying my first car in January and would like some "real people" opinions besides professional ones. The Altima is my top choice. I'd like to know what all of you like and don't like about it and any problems that you've had with the '03.

Thanks~

acmeroadrunnr · December 2002

I have had my '02 SE for 6 mos now and following are my observations that in my IMHO you will not find with the competition;
positives:
-unique styling (camry and accord look close to the same style)
-great looking
-handling comparable to sports car
-fantastic power
-great stereo BOSE
-great standard warranty
-heated mirrors
-8-way power drivers seat
-17 inch wheels
-quality finished allow rims
-fog lights (standard)
-auto transmission very smooth
-seperate defrost controls
-lots of cargo area
-cargo nets
-more front legroom
-more headroom

negatives:
-interior door panels have no style
-simulated wood grain could look more realistic (I hear that this
has been upgraded for '03)
-absence of plush plastic ;-)

fastalt · December 2002

Like "acmeroadrunnr" I have an 02 3.5SE and agree with all the Positives in his comments. I do love to drive this car because of the handling and performance. It is so much fun. Makes me feel like a kid again.
On the down side, the 3.5 SE unlike the 2.5 does have a very stiff ride. It also uses a lot of fuel(I'm getting 15mpg in the city).
I would recommend you actually drive both models if you are thinking of buying the Altima.

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