2003 Nissan Altima S review from North America
"2002 and 2003 models were of first redesign - risky purchase"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Engine began consuming copious amounts of oil in & around 55,000 kms. There was a recall notice on these units as a problem with the power valve that could cause substrate material from the cat to back up into cylinders & score the walls -- thus loss of oil. After some rallying with the dealer (I change my own oil), Nissan Canada finally replaced the engine block assembly, head & manifolds - 2005 variety. Kudos to the dealer.
OEM tires not safe on wet roads -- replaced with Coopers at 40,000 kms after no satisfaction from Nissan head office.
Rear brakes need continual attention as road grit collects in brackets & causes pads/calipers to seize.
General comments?
Engine is very responsive - love the 2.5 engine coupled with the manual gear box.
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| GIGANTIC paperweight!!! |
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| I feel it is a lemon; it should not have had such major problems just after the warranty expired |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 2003 |
| Year of manufacture | 2003 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 4-banger Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 135000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 21st July, 2008 |