- #2233 of 2486
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Re: 2600 miles and Serpentine belt breaks? [newnissan]
by gsemike
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Apr 20, 2008 (8:45 pm)
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Replying to: newnissan (Apr 20, 2008 8:05 pm)
the belt is warranted for a year so you won;t be paying for this. The engines in this gen Altima are basically carryovers from the last gen so that goes back to 2002. I've never heard of a problem with the belts like that. My 03 has 46k on it and is on it's second belt. The orginal was replaced when the car had about 20 on it.
You probably just got a defective belt or one that wasn't installed properly. It won't be a chronic issue.
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- #2234 of 2486
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Re: 2600 miles and Serpentine belt breaks? [gsemike]
by newnissan
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Apr 20, 2008 (8:52 pm)
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Replying to: gsemike (Apr 20, 2008 8:45 pm)
good to know it will be covered. the wrecker driver seemed to think the dealer would try the "normal wear and tear" excuse as reason not to warranty and/or reimburse for the towing cost. what disturbed me a bit was at day of signing, the finance manager presented 20 min schpiel on why I should buy the gold preferred extended warranty etc. or the silver if I couldn't afford the gold and it would handle all the oil changes and scheduled maintenance costs. I have 7500 miles to decide...I thought of it as continuous 'ransom' insurance...but now, not maybe as much...I mean it's a brand new car and I stupidly thought I wouldn't need any 'extra' coverage beyond 3 years. Reading the warranty, it's apparently only a 12,000 miles, 12 months bumper to bumper and after that, good luck...it's a lease, too, so I am bound to it for at least 12 months, I think...appreciate the fast response. you don't think I 'hurt' the CVT by driving it the 25 miles back to safety at all? what other checks should I prod the dealer to look for?
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- #2235 of 2486
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Re: 2600 miles and Serpentine belt breaks? [newnissan]
by busiris
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Apr 21, 2008 (9:37 am)
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Replying to: newnissan (Apr 20, 2008 8:52 pm)
Reading the warranty, it's apparently only a 12,000 miles, 12 months bumper to bumper
I'm pretty sure its a 36 month "bumper to bumper", normal maintenance excluded.
Many factors could have caused your problem, from a flawed belt to a piece of foreign matter getting caught up inside the engine compartment. With your miles, I would have been astonished if the dealer had done anything else than what you described. It is a most unusual occurance, but it can happen, as you well know.
As far as the CVT, you are fine...there is no connection between the two. Since you never stated that the car was running hot or over-temperature, you should be just fine.
And remember, the reason that the dealer pushes the extended warranty is because it is a high-profit item, not because he is trying to do you a favor. I certainly wouldn't consider one unless it was a really long-term lease.
Good Luck!
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- #2236 of 2486
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Re: 2600 miles and Serpentine belt breaks? [busiris]
by newnissan
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Apr 21, 2008 (11:38 am)
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Replying to: busiris (Apr 21, 2008 9:37 am)
Service manager said Serpentine belt was still there but the water pump belt wasn't...said he could see where the bolt that held the tensioner in place (I hope that is correct) had broken away and it was just there not in place...which explains why I could drive it, I guess. At any rate, it's still in the shop and they're doing a full check on everything....thanks for the advice against the 'ransom' plan...they are also offering a bundle of oil changes at a discounted price up front vs. buying them one at a time...that is a good deal....reading the posts on the board for the next 5-6 months, I'll decide whether mine was a one-time fluke (which I hope it is) or a proverbial source of errors. The car rides well and I'm getting good mileage, and at $3.39 a gallon, if Nissan will just keep me on the road safely, I'll stay and play til lease ends. Thanks again for the help. 
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- #2237 of 2486
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Re: 2600 miles and Serpentine belt breaks? [newnissan]
by busiris
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Apr 21, 2008 (1:10 pm)
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Replying to: newnissan (Apr 21, 2008 11:38 am)
I really do believe that this was a "fluke" occurance and that you will not see any residual issues. Again, good luck!
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- #2238 of 2486
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Re: 2600 miles and Serpentine belt breaks? [busiris]
by jd10013
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Apr 21, 2008 (2:45 pm)
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Replying to: busiris (Apr 21, 2008 1:10 pm)
I tend to agree. 2 years into this generation altima and it's looking like Nissan hit a home run. It may be the best under 40k car nissan has ever built.
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- #2239 of 2486
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Re: 2600 miles and Serpentine belt breaks? [busiris]
by newnissan
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Apr 21, 2008 (3:09 pm)
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Replying to: busiris (Apr 21, 2008 1:10 pm)
At least the dealer's service manager did them up proudly...no questioning any issue I had, courtesy car offered, fixed it by 4 pm today, and I did ask them to test drive it for me, and I have restored faith in the car with how they approached it, and me. They also reassured me that everything was covered for 36/36,000 except tire alignment and air conditioner coolant (after 12 months). Appreciate the insight and expertise of those respondents here...informed and helpful. Thanks. 
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- #2240 of 2486
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COST TO REPLACE FRONT CONTROL ARMS ON '96 ALTIMA
by smallcar1
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Apr 23, 2008 (2:35 pm)
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I have a '96 Altima and the lower control arms are rusting and will need to be replaced soon.
What should the labor charge for this be?
Has anyone used aftermarket parts? The dealer wants $237 for 1 control arm just for the part but on the Internet aftermarket control arms w/ ball joints are about $129-$139.
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- #2241 of 2486
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Re: COST TO REPLACE FRONT CONTROL ARMS ON '96 ALTIMA [smallcar1]
by jd10013
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Apr 23, 2008 (2:57 pm)
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Replying to: smallcar1 (Apr 23, 2008 2:35 pm)
dealerships and repair shops both mark up parts they install, they never sell them at cost. Its just the way the industry works. the amount of markup depends on the part. anyways, a control arm is a fairly basic repair that any shop can do do. No way I go to a dealership for it, nor buy the part from them.
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- #2242 of 2486
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milegae on 2003 altima 2.5 s
by skinsfan3
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Apr 23, 2008 (5:10 pm)
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My altima has only 60k miles on it. Ever since day one, I get around 20mpg. The only way I can do better is on highways, when I may be driving around 70mph. Then I get around 30mph. I baby my cars, always change oil & filter at around 3,000, even though the manual says 6,000. Over the years I have many cars go for well beyond the "normal" life expectancy. Recently I changed the air filter. It was faitly dirt free. Oh, my low mileage is because locally I do a lot of stop and go driving. I guess the posted fuel on the sticker was wishful thinking.
I think the plugs might be the cultprit on mileage. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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