Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Honda Accord vs Nissan Altima

2456

Comments

  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    buttons that wobble?
  • bodybuiltbrockbodybuiltbrock Member Posts: 13
    Yeah, in the stereo/aircon controls. Didn't feel as solid as the Accord.

    May have been a fluke, but Nissan doesn't have the best rep for interior quality, so I felt like it was going to be the norm. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong, since competition only helps the consumer.
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    Hmmm, they must save all the quality for the accord. I bought a civic new a couple years ago, and I must say; I'm very unimpressed with the quality, interior that is. True, it has primarily knobs and not buttons,(not that i've ever noticed a wobbly button) but the rest is quite lacking. all the trim seems to be very loosly held in place, and of a quite flimsly material, and the cloth material on the door fell off, and all but the ex trim comes with a cassette player. Just cleaning it makes it apparent how poor the interior is. I get the feeling I could easily remove everything with just my hands. Not that I'm complaining about the car, it runs great is very reliable and gets great milage, but i just can't help but to get that "budget car" feeling from it. Perhaps the Accords offer much better quality, but for the price you pay for one, you could probably buy a maxima.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Perhaps the Accords offer much better quality, but for the price you pay for one, you could probably buy a maxima.

    The Accord IS higher in quality than the Civic (my dad has a 2007 Civic, I have a 2006 Accord - both EX models).

    Not sure what price you are talking about, unless you can get Maxima's for $24k - the price that EX-V6 Accords can be had for. V6 Accords start around $21k I believe. They are approx $750 below invoice with a factory to dealer incentive. Not sure the Maxima offers the quality you are looking for...LOTS of plasticky plastic (if you know what I mean).
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    Not sure the Maxima offers the quality you are looking for...LOTS of plasticky plastic (if you know what I mean).

    Have you ever actually driven a Maxima?? Go check out an '07 and get back to us. It's an amazing car.

    Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting">link title
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Yeah, I have cousins who drive nothing but Nissans, so I get exposure to them regularly (usually the Maxima, actually). Between the 06 Altima and 06 Maxima they drive, I had reached the conclusion that my buddy's '97 Maxima has better interior quality.

    I've only sat in the 07s, not driven, but I couldn't tell a great big difference. I had only a limited time in them though, so I'm a little reluctant to stand by a statement about the 07s yet. I need another go in it. The 2006 Maxima felt pretty cheap (while having nice features).
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    Well, I do know they were supposed to have improved the interior dramatically between the '07s and the '04s-'06s. I'm not all that familiar with the '04s-'06s, but I did check out an '07 and it's REALLY nice. I'd love to replace my '03 with one, but wifey just bought a new minivan. :sick:
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    the primary reason one buys a car like a Maxima is neck-snapping acceleration, though near-luxe interior is a close second. ;)
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Well, I heard they were supposed to improve things, but the few things that had bothered me (specifically how buttons and knobs felt) did not feel improved in the 2007 model. I liked the interior of your 2003 model better, to tell the truth.

    What kind of van did y'all get?
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    Well, I heard they were supposed to improve things, but the few things that had bothered me (specifically how buttons and knobs felt) did not feel improved in the 2007 model. I liked the interior of your 2003 model better, to tell the truth.

    What kind of van did y'all get?


    Chrysler Town and Country. I'm not a huge fan of Chrysler, but it offered the most for the money by FAR. It will be the van that gets our kids all the way from toddlerhood through elementary school, so I'm not especially concerned about resale. ;)

    I can honestly say that the '07 Max is better than my '03 in nearly every category. Heck, in a lot of areas the '07 Altima is a better car than my Maxima.

    I do like my car's front end better than the current Maxima, though.

    I'm specifically thinking of the '07s beefier seats, the center stack looks MUCH more modern, it's quieter, a ton more trunk space, more gadgets, etc...

    It is weird, though. There are some discrepencies, like my '03s little cupholder compartment door is much thicker than the newer car's, same for the sunglass holder.

    It's really too bad the G35 is so expensive. I just have limits on how much I'll pay for a car, and the Maxima is right there. :) The only reason I will even pay the Maxima price is because the car is so good. Even though my car was built in 10/02, it is just rock solid and hasn't really seemed to age. I took delivery of the thing 4 years ago from last Monday, and it is just bank-vault solid. On Michigan roads, no less.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    It's really too bad the G35 is so expensive. I just have limits on how much I'll pay for a car, and the Maxima is right there. The only reason I will even pay the Maxima price is because the car is so good. Even though my car was built in 10/02, it is just rock solid and hasn't really seemed to age. I took delivery of the thing 4 years ago from last Monday, and it is just bank-vault solid. On Michigan roads, no less.

    If it were my money, I'd go with the Max, between those two. The G35 is just so small compared to what I'm used to.
    At 4 years old, your car is just getting going. My buddy's '97 Maxima GXE Automatic is still running just fine (equally as good as my '96 Accord - both have over 170k miles, I don't know what repairs that have been done to his car though). Still runs smoothly, and only has some rattles and two blown rear-speakers (they were blown when he got the car last summer).

    If that car is any guide, your current Max will still be running fine years from now.
  • geoshillgeoshill Member Posts: 27
    If you want a V 6 medium size car then the Altima is your car. The Honda V 6 has never ending engine troubles and the Camry V 6 has tranny troubles. Why buy troubles?
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The Honda V 6 has never ending engine troubles

    Would you please elaborate on these Honda V6 engine troubles. I guess my engine is very shy, and doesn't want to open up to me.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Gee, haven't heard of these "never ending engine troubles" on the Accord. I have, however, heard of a whopping 160 Camry V6 transmissions being replaced for free.

    Show me the 2007 Accord V6 "never ending engine troubles" please, or just don't make comments like that without backing your comments with some facts, or it comes across as empty Nissan bias.
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    At 4 years old, your car is just getting going. My buddy's '97 Maxima GXE Automatic is still running just fine
    If that car is any guide, your current Max will still be running fine years from now


    Nissan builds the best running cars hands down. I've owned 2 others besides my 07 altima. between them i had/have 360,000 miles. one of them i still own and is running fine, the other i traded in (still running) with over 220,000. between those two cars, over the course of 360,000+ miles and 17 years, i performed the following,
    5 brake jobs, 1 replaced cv boot, 3 batteries, 1 muffler, 3 halogen bulbs, 2 brake lights, 1 oil pan (the wife's fault) 1 belt, and the rest is regular maintanence. and both my other nissan's were standard transmission and never needed a clutch replaced. they are simply the best cars built. bar none.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Not that I'm complaining about the car, it runs great is very reliable and gets great milage, but i just can't help but to get that "budget car" feeling from it. Perhaps the Accords offer much better quality,

    Come on now. You are comparing a Civic to Altima and Maxima. If you really want to get that "budget car" feeling, the Sentra will give it to you. I had a Sentra, and the "budget" must not allow for padding in the seats, because you can feel the springs on your backside.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    We all have different experiences... Nissan wasn't reliable at all for me but Honda has been stellar. Good thing there are choices! :)
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    The civic has been reliable for me too. about 100,000 miles on it, and nothing but oil changes, radiator flushes, 4 tires and a timing belt. Its the fist honda i've owned, and the most miles I've put on one, so I can only speculate as to what it will be like in another 100,000. And I'll give a nood to honda, because my wife primarily drives it, and thats extreme driving conditions if ever there were such a thing. :P
  • fromsoca23fromsoca23 Member Posts: 3
    I admit, like elroy5 said, you cannot compare a Civic to an Altima because they are basically two different classes, but with that said, I can say the following:

    My wife has a 2001 Honda Civic she bought brand new. 80,000 miles, no problems at all, just oil Changes, brakes and one motor mount (last month). Still runs great, great mileage and in my opinion, the engine is probably barely broken in because those cars go forever.

    We just bought a new 2006 Altima to replace it though, because the seats in the Civic are horrible, it causes back pain. I have driven in Accords and the same thing occcurs, my friends who own Accords have the same problem. Something to do with the padding or just the angle of the seats in the Hondas. That is truly the only bad thing I can say on the Accords.

    We did look at 2007's, but my wife didn't care which one, and we got the 2006 fully loaded for $21,900+TTL when MSRP was $27,300 and I looked up the invoice, which was $25,200.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I looked at the '07 Altima 2.5s this weekend and I really liked the ride and the styling. Unfortunately, Nissan is pushing so hard on the CVT they don't have many manuals available. I was looking for a 6-spd w/ABS car (originally I wanted the tech pkg too, but that is unavailable with the manual). I got quoted just shy of 20k for a '07 2.5s 6-spd w/o ABS.
    Equipment-wise, the 2.5s is comparable to an Accord VP/LX, which are 2-3k less in transaction price (and includes ABS). I feel like I am missing something.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Don't you hate the fact that some auto makers won't include a manual with their top of the line trim levels or options? Let's hope Honda keeps it up.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    It's impossible to give everyone what they want (to many options, and we all want something different) so you will always have to take something you don't want, or do without something you do want. That's life, I guess. I'm one of the lucky ones. The EXV6 had everything I wanted (I would have liked to have stability control, but it was not available in 03), and nothing I didn't want.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    Oh they do with the top of the line, just not with the 4 cyl. If I wanted the 30k Altima V6(which I wouldn't get anyway, if I was dropping that much I would get an E46 330i) or if I want the total base model with no options, then I can get a stick.

    In the 80s and 90s, Honda used to make the best FWD stick in the business. Now it feels a little like a rowboat on the 4 cyl (haven't driven a V6) but its better than nothing.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    That's exactly what I meant: You can get a stick on the top of the line Honda 4 cyl. They are hard to find but that is better than impossible, like it is with some makes. And if I had wanted a V6, I could get a stick on that too. In fact, the V6 manual IS the top of the Accord line as far as features go.

    I'm surprised that you don't like the newer sticks. I find my 06 Accord manual is so much smoother than my 95. And the difference between the auto and manual on the I4 is huge, IMHO.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I think the throws are a little longer than I would like, at least it felt that way from my seating position.
    The last time I test drove one, we were looking for my wife so I wasn't as particular about making sure I was totally comfortable. We test drove an '05 LX. We ended up going with something else that met her needs a little better but maybe I should give it another look this time around, although I think I would be looking at the VP model.

    Oh, and I agree with you about the '95. I think the '94-96 Accords were my least favorites. We kept our hand-me-down 93 Accord EX even after being offered a hand-me-down 95 Accord EX.

    And I agree about the stick thing, I won't drive an automatic so those vehicles aren't on the list.
  • gasmizrgasmizr Member Posts: 40
    I have an '07 Altima 2.5S 6sp. Had to wait a few months to find and drive one. I was and still am a Honda fan but between the Accord 4 5sp and the Altima I voted with my dollars. Yes the Honda has ABS but to me that is no deal breaker. My Ins does not even give discount any longer for ABS. Did a Little research and for experienced drivers it really does not make a difference or it may be a little worse. The fact that I could get a power drivers seat, something you can not get in an Accord at any price, made a big difference in comfort to me. I had an Accord then went to a Civic and now to the Altima. The seats in both the Accord and Civic are the same, low with a forward tilt. They both made my right hip hurt on long trips because of the angle my foot had to be at for the gas. With the power seat in the Altima it is very comfortable and you get better thigh support. All things being equal both are nice cars but the Altima just had more comfort and a better overall package for me.

    The other thing is the Altima has more power, better acceleration and to top it off better gas mileage. I am getting combined 32-33MPG. This is a little better then my '96 Civic that was getting 31-32MPG. My daughter will be driving the Civic now.

    As far as maintenance on the Civic; 185K 2 timing belts. 2 complete exhausts from cat back, 1 extra muffler, both front axles, 5 sets of front brakes, 2 sets for the rear, 3 sets of front rotors, all belts replaced with timing belt and water pump. 1 cat and now getting ready for rear struts. Not to bad over 10 years but still not "repair free". My Accord was about the same with the added inconvenience of the rear passenger side upper control arm breaking. I sold the Accord with 185K as I just did not want to deal with it any longer. No bad for either car and the engine and tranny never gave me any problems. Changed oil on both every 3-4K and change all other basic maint items at about 1/2 the recommended intervals. Both cars were driven 65/35 highway/city.

    Both MI and NY are hard on cars. Lots of salt and bad roads.

    If I get the same or better from the Altima I will be happy. :P
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    If I get the same or better from the Altima I will be happy

    I think you will. As I've posted before, IMO, nobody builds cars better than nissan. My 1998 200sx-se now has 143,000 miles on it. I've replaced the tires once, one headlight, 1 battery, and the front brakes. Thats it. every other part on the car is original. that's including the muffler, rear brakes, belts, and hoses. The car runs and looks as good as it did the day I bought it. And, the car has never broke down, and has never failed to turn over with the first turn of the key. In 9 years, I've never even had to crank it twice. In fact, thats the reason i still own it. When i bought my '07 altima last month, i decided not to trade in my 200 because the money they would give me for it wound not come close to buying a car like it. Just take care of it, do the maintanence when your supposed to, and it will run forever. wash it every month or so, and wax it twice a year, and it will look like new 10 years from now.
  • vmokhutovvmokhutov Member Posts: 23
    How you find stick and clutch in altima in comparison to honda's manual?
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    gasmizr,

    Could you comment on the ride quality of the '07 Altima compared to your past Hondas? Road noise & road shock is usually one area where Honda scores low.
  • gasmizrgasmizr Member Posts: 40
    The only recent Honda I have to compare to for the stick and clutch is my friend 06 Civic SI. Nice fast car with high revs. The clutch is about the same. The stick is a little smoother but not by much. Both seem to have a throw that is a little long. My last Honda stick was my 84 Prelude. That was very smooth at the time with easy clutch and short throw. I bought that in 87 when I got out of college so the memory may be a little nostalgic but I did love that car. I had a Buick Skyhawk in college with a v6 and 5 speed. Very fast but the stick was not as crisp as the Prelude. All I can say is go drive them both. Get what is best for you. BTW my friend is can not believe the gas mileage on the Altima 2.5, 32-33 combined. I have 1500 miles on the car and the mileage is getting better as it breaks in and I am now pushing it more since I am pass the break in period.

    I find the ride quality on the Altima very good. It is VERY quiet on the highway compared to both the Accord I had and the Civic. It also absorbs the bumps pretty well. My wife and and I were driving the other day and I saw her cringe just as I hit a big pothole, could not get around it, and then nothing. Just a small thump and bump that would have been a jaw rattler in my Civic. My wife just looked at me and smiled. That was when I knew she may not like the way the car looks but she likes the way it rides. The other thing I like is that the seating in the car is up higher. You do not "drop" into the seat like you do in a Honda.

    Do what I did if you want to be sure. I took the Altima out a number of times on back roads near the dealer that had plenty of filled potholes and pavement heaves. The cars suspension just sucks the bumps up and does not transmit them to the cabin. There is also no wind noise to be heard. It is amazing that I can now keep the radio on very low volume and hear it fine. In my Honda's when I would get back in the radio always seemed to be blaring. The car also handles very well, no problem coming off a hard exit ramp curve at 50+.

    As an aside I could just never get comfortable in the seat of the new Accord. That was the deal breaker for me.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Yes the Honda has ABS but to me that is no deal breaker.

    If you have to stop quickly on a slick road, you may reconsider that choice.

    The fact that I could get a power drivers seat, something you can not get in an Accord at any price, made a big difference in comfort to me.

    You did not look very hard. I have 8-way adjustable power seat in my Accord (passenger seat is power too).
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    Thanks. I am in the market for a 4-cyl sedan with good gas mileage. Considering the Civic, Accord, Camry, & Altima. We owned 3 Hondas since 2002 and had quite less than perfect experiences with them. So, we haven't completely given up on Honda yet...but are now looking at other brands like Nissan.

    As a side note, I had a 2006 Nissan Sentra for a rental while my '06 Honda Odyssey was being repaired (numerous times). The Sentra had a lot of road noise but it was a small econo car. The road shock was excellent - way better than any of my Hondas. I found myself not avoiding potholes like I do in our Hondas.
  • gasmizrgasmizr Member Posts: 40
    If you have to stop quickly on a slick road, you may reconsider that choice.

    I guess this is one of those personal preference issues. I drive in snow/ice/slick roads all the time and have never had an issue. Have driven rentals with ABS and do not like it. I could have gotten it, just did not want it. I saw a very good show on this on Discovery with BMW turning ABS on and off and with an experienced driver the ABS off was better.

    You did not look very hard. I have 8-way adjustable power seat in my Accord (passenger seat is power too).

    I forgot on thing. I am tall and the sunroof was to close. They only offer the power seat in the EX not LX or Special Edition.

    The Accord is a very nice car, the Altima was a better fit for me. I still am upset with Honda and their packages. The sunroof has been a deal breaker for me in many cars. The Camry is probably the worst for me with headroom. I just do not like to have to lean the seat back when I am driving, plus it is not safe.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I saw a very good show on this on Discovery with BMW turning ABS on and off and with an experienced driver the ABS off was better.

    I found out just how valuable ABS is, when a car pulled out on me one night (on a wet road). If and when it happens to you, I hope you're ready for it.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    fact that I could get a power drivers seat, something you can not get in an Accord at any price, made a big difference in comfort to me. I had an Accord then went to a Civic and now to the Altima. The seats in both the Accord and Civic are the same, low with a forward tilt. They both made my right hip hurt on long trips because of the angle my foot had to be at for the gas. With the power seat in the Altima it is very comfortable and you get better thigh support. All things being equal both are nice cars but the Altima just had more comfort and a better overall package for me.

    Someone should tell Honda that some power seats are slipping out... my Accord has a power seat! They have been available since the mid-1990s in the Accord, and can be seen here :)image

    Seriously though, I am surprised that Nissan would equip a car WITH a power seat and WITHOUT Anti-Lock Brakes... ABS is standard on the cheapest cars now, but not on the $20k Altima? That's one of the things that irks me about that car.
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    have 1500 miles on the car and the mileage is getting better as it breaks in and I am now pushing it more since I am pass the break in period.

    sounds good, i just went over a thousand on mine. but i doubut it has anything to do with break-in. There isn't realy a break-in period on new cars anymore.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Seriously though, I am surprised that Nissan would equip a car WITH a power seat and WITHOUT Anti-Lock Brakes...

    I would give up my power seats (and probably a few other things) before I would give up my ABS. I know from experience ABS works, and I don't want a car without it.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    For example...a power passenger's seat on SL and optional on SE models would be nice. Adjusting rear headrest would be good too. And maybe some LEDs at the rear.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I believe ABS has prevented a high number of collisions. You just don't hear about them, because people don't report accidents that didn't happen. At least two, that I would have been in.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Would've saved my butt from locking up when I got run off the road... I locked up, lost control, and hit a guard rail. Skidmark was 70 ft long. Stability control would've been more so useful, but ABS is a starting point for active safety. Instinct is to stand on the brake pedal when you need to stop in an emergency. When I know the road is slick, I pump my brakes in my 96 Accord (no ABS), but in an emergency, I want the ABS (considering I locked the brakes up on a sunny, dry, warm day).
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Let me put it this way. My 92 Accord would not have lasted 12 years, without ABS. I could hit the brakes as hard as needed, and still had steering control. People think they can stop faster without ABS, but in a panic situation, it's not likely.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I stopped MUCH faster without ABS. 30 MPH - 0 MPH in 1 foot!
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    That could leave a mark. :sick:
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    One that cost a couple thousand dollars to remove. :sick: :(

    Got her fixed though, and am up to 172,000 miles and running like a top (no oil burning, no exhaust repairs, original rear brake shoes!)
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    That reminds me. Honda has a lifetime warranty on mufflers (don't know why). Nice to know since I have two on this car. The muffler was the only exhaust part I changed on the old Accord.
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    An abs system doesn't allow you to stop any quicker, thats a myth. In fact, abs will often times increase braking distance. what abs does, is allow for more vehicle control and the ability to steer while braking. Which, will drasticly increase braking distance. Thats the biggest drawback with ABS. People get it in their head that they can stop their car on a dime. Personaly, I think ABS is overated. been driving 18 years and have never had a need for em. I guess they're nice to have, but i certainly wouldn't base a purchasing descion on them. All you guys here who have had their vehicles and themselves saved so many times by abs, with all due respect, please stay out of VA. I kind of question your driving skills. :P (joke)
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Yes, I'm sure that a professional driver, who can accurately gauge how much traction the conditions dictate (in a split second), after a few practice runs, can stop a car faster without ABS. But does every driver in your family (who will be driving the car) have these skills? And will they use these skills when a sudden need arises? My brother (who was in the car at the time, and had no experience with ABS) was shocked that I was able to avoid slamming into the car.

    All you guys here who have had their vehicles and themselves saved so many times by abs, with all due respect, please stay out of VA. I kind of question your driving skills. (joke)

    I think the driver who looks one way, then just pulls out right in front of me, should be the one who's driving skills are in question. You have been lucky so far. You haven't met up with one of these drivers yet. I'm sure there are some in VA too. Will you be ready?
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    just to repeat myself that was a joke. but as i said before, abs DOES NOT make the vehicle stop any faster, or in a shorter distance. yes, I've had people pull out in front of me. but in the situation you describe, ABS won't make any difference. abs just prevents you from locking the brakes. thats it. If someone pulls out in front of you, you'll need the same amount of distance to stop with or without abs. Infact, you may need a little more distance to stop with abs.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    There isn't realy a break-in period on new cars anymore.

    While it certainly isn't what it used to be, I'd disagree with this statement.... at least as far as Honda is concerned. The owner's manual spells it out.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If you choose to believe that ABS would not help you avoid an accident, that is your poragative. I believe that a good ABS system will be more effective than locking the brakes, and sliding, with no control.
Sign In or Register to comment.