2009 Nissan Altima SL 2.5 from North America

Summary:

Great car, would recommend to anyone

Faults:

Anti freeze leaking when I picked the car up. Was a loose hose clamp; fixed while I was getting insurance.

Rear speaker was rattling for months before my kids figured it out. Dealer fixed ASAP.

Passenger front door weather stripping kept coming loose. Third time was a charm.

Gasket on top of dash was sticking out badly. Dealer tried to fix, still same way. Have to remove window to fix. Have big stone chip about 1 week old, will see what happens.

Had another anti freeze leak, upper radiator hose had very small pin hole (?), was not rubbing or touching anything. Took it on a 3 day 2800km trip, minimal loss of fluid. Dealer fixed that Friday.

General Comments:

Love the car, style/gas mileage/performance/trunk space.

Both boys in hockey, with careful planning can get both bags in trunk (hard up right bags), won't fit in an Accord, which is another reason I leased the Altima.

Put winter tires on, was a must, light is annoying, but after awhile, you don't notice.

Depending on how I drive, gas mileage anywhere from 39/gallon (trip from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay) to 22/gallon (stop & go in city of Winnipeg)

Kids love the sunroof, and so does mom. Rear seats are not the best compared to the Venture; no room, but how do you compare van to sporty car?

When I saw Altima on the lease list, along with the Camry & Accord, knew I wanted it. Have always liked the whole style of the newer Altima. My Mom drives a Camry so that was out. The Accord was a great deal, but it all came down to those hockey bags!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th December, 2009

2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL Sedan 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

A perfect car to recommend to anyone who isn't an enthusiast

Faults:

Air pressure monitor valve stems. All four at different times in cold weather. Nissan has a problem with them, however the dealer acts as if it is the first time they've heard of it.

The only reason I got the scoop was from our commercial tire dealer (who services our fleet lease of 8 vehicles), who told me of a problem with the valve stem cracking with Nissans. They had seen a ton of them, whereas GM and Ford use plastic that isn't as sensitive.

My dealer refused to replace all four after I had a deflation overnight at home, after I told him what my tire guy stated. Jerks let me have 3 more on cold mornings because of their warranty policy. Hope it happens to them someday.

Other than that, a couple of bars in the rear defroster never worked from new (they won't replace it) and it is weak.

Rotors needed to be turned at 25k.

No other problems.

General Comments:

I am a car guy (owned Bims, Porsches, Saabs, TR8s, Alfa 75 3.0,DS etc.) and this is a company vehicle. I selected it from 4 options and generally I'm quite pleased.

No problems at all, and on the highway it gets incredible gas mileage, I top the 75 litre tank and got over 800 kms many times. Phenomenal mpg.

The engine noise when accelerating isn't pleasant (it's a groaner, like an old Volvo) although it isn't slow for a four, and the CVT automatic trans feels like a rubber band at times under hard acceleration. The manual shift up-down option is easy to use, but I have a feeling extended regular use would result in problems.

The seats look great, but aren't exactly models of comfort on long trips. It handles oddly when pressed (I have stock Michelins - not the Contis) and it doesn't make me feel confident when I'm pushing it into a fast turn, it gives mixed signals.

In short, it is a nice, extremely reliable vehicle that hasn't given me any problems over 35k. Great for those who value mileage and longevity over balanced handling and road feel. Love the fake dual exhausts.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th October, 2009

30th Nov 2009, 11:49

Why fake dual exhaust? It does use both sides for exhaust gases, so how is that fake?

25th Apr 2010, 06:59

They are great looking but fake. 'Real' dual exhausts are split from the engine all the way through the underside of the car. This isn't the case for the Altima, the exhaust system has a single manifold (due to the engine design, it isn't a V4), it splits into two pipes towards the rear of the car. It isn't for performance gain, it's for aesthetics (and they do save the cost of a separate rear bumper cover for the 3.5). You're right, the second exhaust also expels fumes, but it isn't necessary. If you check the four cylinder 02-06 Altimas, there is one exhaust pipe, split at the tailpipe and it has the same hp rating as the later models.

2nd Jun 2010, 07:57

I wouldn't call a brand new car with those kinds of problems "extremely reliable." I mean, my 1994 Crown Victoria has almost 200,000 miles on it and all I ever had to do was replace the transmission once. Not a single other part failure of any kind with all these miles.

Conclusion: Nissan is overrated junk!

28th Oct 2010, 23:43

I have the Altima 2.5 SL. It is a really nice car. Excellent gas mileage, and it looks beautiful.

Handles easily around trucks on the freeway, which is where I do most of my driving.

As for comparing it to an old 1990's American car? Well, lets see, my Bonneville engine blew up. My son's Saturn has 60,000 miles, and we have had to put over 2,000 dollars into it. The air was completely broken. Now THAT IS JUNK.