1994 Nissan Altima GXE review from North America
"Excellent, reliable car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
2 new starters at 85,000 and 87,000 miles (The first replacement was a defective rebuilt one.)
Muffler hits the frame of the car because of corroded exhaust hangers.
Heat/AC only works on high.
Timing chain rattles and makes a clanking sound because the guide is worn out.
General comments?
This is probably one of the best cars ever made.
This is a very reliable car. No major engine, transmission, or electronics problems since we bought the car ten years ago. I live in an area that has harsh winters too and so far there's been only one small rust spot on the whole car.
The engine is a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder with 150 horsepower. For an early 90's subcompact it's actually decently fast. Faster if paired with the manual transmission.
I would recommend more frequent tune-ups after 90,000 miles or if the car isn't driven a lot. I also recommend 89 octane fuel in really cold weather.
If you're looking for a cheap, reliable, well-built car, I would highly recommend picking one of these up. I think these are even better than the new Altima's in certain aspects.
Recommended reviews
| Good handling, but lackluster and unreliable |
| An excellent deal from Nissan! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 1994 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.4L 4-Cylinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 6 miles |
| Most recent distance | 90000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 22nd December, 2004 |