Future-Shite - 2013 Nissan Altima

[gtd2000]

Well this is my latest set of wheels for trundling around NorCal.

 

I have to say that I'm very impressed with it so far....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very shite front end shot - couldn't see the display on my phone (that's my excuse anyway!)

 

 

The Average MPG (US) is very impressive indeed for a car of this size:

 

 

 

I like the interior - it's very well screwed together and feels like a quality product.

 

 

 

 

The handling is excellent, power very decent and the ride nice and smooth. Not as smooth as say the V6 Toyota Avalon but excellent for a 4 cylinder engine.

 

The previous Hyundai Sonata and KIA Optima feel very cheaply built in comparison to the Altima, not that I think they were bad cars at all. The only reason I'd see somebody buying the Hyundai or KIA over the Nissan would be for the 10 year warranty coverage. I'm not sure what Nissan offer these days but I'd expect it should be a reliable product overall.

 

Verdict - I'd happily buy one at this point in time.

[Micrashed]

It'd be great to be able to fast forward 10 years or so and see what we are all smoking about in then.

 

Quite honestly very little floats my boat modern wise at the moment. I'll probably have traded the K11 in for a third hand Juke, and no doubt be moaning how awful it is etc.

[gtd2000]

I can't say that it's an object of desire in the looks department by any stretch of the imagination but it is a very nice place to sit.

 

No doubt it will still be worth way too much money with 250,000 miles, sun bleached paint and every panel dented in 10 years time...

[ProgRocker]

Looks alright.

 

There is nothing like this in the current UK Nissan range. It's an MPV/SUV frenzy, with the odd sports car too.

 

I wonder how the entry level Versa Sedan would face in the UK? The entry level costs $10,990 - that's about £7,000 (i assume before tax). Makes the Micra supermini appear rather expensive.

[gtd2000]

I did actually think about buying one of those Versas and using it for a year then sell it for pretty much the same price as a new one...that's how nuts the US car market is right now..

[ProgRocker]

I did actually think about buying one of those Versas and using it for a year then sell it for pretty much the same price as a new one...that's how nuts the US car market is right now..

 

Strange economics in the US car market. Not what I'd expect from a mass produced car that is far from being a fashion accessory like the MINI or Fiat 500.

 

The gawkiness of the Vesra sedan appeals to me. That side profile reminds me of a mark 2 Escort for some reason.

[blackbird]

So why dont Nissan sell this in the UK ?

[gtd2000]

So why dont Nissan sell this in the UK ?

 

I'm not sure about this latest Mexican built version of the Versa but from what I understand the previous incarnation of the Versa was sold in Ireland as the Tiida?

 

Why they would make a RHD available there and not in the UK seems a bit bonkers..then again it was the same with the KIA Avella (AKA Ford Aspire) hatchback based on the Mazda 121DB (Bubble shape)

[Ian Nexus]

I did actually think about buying one of those Versas and using it for a year then sell it for pretty much the same price as a new one...that's how nuts the US car market is right now..

 

Thats what I am thinking of doing for my next car, if I go back to LA I dont want anything too "nice" there anyway, the price of car one upmanship there is unreal.

 

Im getting a Versa S in white with 5-speed

 

$10,990

[Mash]

 

Progress. I got an average of 37mpg from my Datsun Violet at the weekend over a 500 mile trip. I daresay the seats are a tad more comfortable though....

 

It does seem odd that in the US you still get "proper" cars from Nissan and the like. But then that's true of a lot of countries. Maybe it's just in the UK people have this insatiable appetite for stupid looking niche cars.

[Lacquer Peel]

That's 36MPG (US) remember.

 

Arnold Clark sold Irish spec Tiidas through some Scottish dealerships a few years ago. Here are some used ones.

http://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars/ni ... rice_down/

 

They really are gash looking things.

[chaseracer]

Apparently, the Altima is related technically to the Kia Magentis, and is available with the Nissan/Renault V6. Shite-wise, how can it fail?

[gtd2000]

 

Progress. I got an average of 37mpg from my Datsun Violet at the weekend over a 500 mile trip. I daresay the seats are a tad more comfortable though....

 

Yes, that 36.2 MPG is a very impressive 43.3 MPG (IMP) and it's supposedly capable of 47.85 MPG (IMP) on a long run!

 

Probably weighs about twice the weight of the Violet and much more space than the biggest 260C/280C/300C of the day too?

[gtd2000]

That's 36MPG (US) remember.

 

Arnold Clark sold Irish spec Tiidas through some Scottish dealerships a few years ago. Here are some used ones.

http://www.arnoldclark.com/used-cars/ni ... rice_down/

 

They really are gash looking things.

 

I have to admit I've never seen one in the UK - only ever saw them in the ROI.

 

I'm not that keen on UK Nissan products these days due to potential Renault contamination, which is a real shame.

[gtd2000]

I did actually think about buying one of those Versas and using it for a year then sell it for pretty much the same price as a new one...that's how nuts the US car market is right now..

 

Thats what I am thinking of doing for my next car, if I go back to LA I dont want anything too "nice" there anyway, the price of car one upmanship there is unreal.

 

Im getting a Versa S in white with 5-speed

 

$10,990

 

Make sure you buy it and register it in TN if you want to keep it close to that price - I'm pretty sure they cost more here in CA...