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Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Nissan Altima Prices Paid & Buying Experience
1957 messages, Last post on Sep 03, 2008 at 7:12 PM
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The cars offer a different driving experience. When shopping in late 2001 (with the redesigned 02s) of both models just introduced, my parents went for the smooth ride, tranquility, ease of operation, and extra efficiency of the Camry 4 cylinder. The Altima handled better, felt just a bit more pepy, but the interior was not up to materials standards of the Toyota, and neither were ride and quiet. EPA figures are also worse. In terms of crash scores, the Camry is just a notch above the Altima in most respects- the Camry gets a "Good-Best Pick" from the IIHS, and the Altima gets a "Good". For side impacts, the 2003s - The Camry earned 3 stars driver, narrowly missing 4, and 5 for rear passenger. The Altima earned 3 stars driver, and 4 stars rear passenger. Note this was in models without side airbags, though, and on the whole, purchasing side curtains and bags typically enhances crashworthiness. My point is- I dont think the crash scores alone should steer you away from the Altima. The differences are not so pronounced. Personally if you can get a 2004 2.5S w/ Conv. Pkg, Side Airbags & ABS, a few accessories for $18,500 before TTL, I'd say jump on it. Its an excellent car, at an amazing price. ~alpha |
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I've been dealing with Classic, though I've spoken with a rep at Bill Ray and the S.M. at Reed. I've been waiting for a FAX from Classic as I'm a bit under the weather and currently have no transportation available to make the trip over to the dealer. A friend was helping me out, but he had things to do, so there goes my ride. Problem is, I was promised a FAX last night and as of this morning, I don't have it. I know dealers want to play the numbers "on their ground" but I told the sales rep the ball park I wanted to deal and he said it would be no problem. I guess getting a commitment on paper is a lot tougher. I'm a little concerned now about the '05. I'd sure like to know what changes were made to it over the '04. I've been to Nissan's site, though I didn't see any way to compare the differing model years. I wont be financing either ... it will be a cash deal -- insurance check plus the balance borrowed from a family member. What do you feel the best price obtainable on the '04 would be? How 'bout the '05? Is the redesigned '05 really worth several thousand $$$$ more? I was told by a S.M. that often they'll take a loss on a car at the end of the month, as they've already made their profit target and now they're just trying to move additional vehicles. Does that actually make sense? Also, are the tires-for-life programs any good or just hype? Oh, and one final question. I went back to the Toyota site and saw that you could compare various models against other makes. When I compared the Altima vs. the Camry, all of the facts and figures that were displayed (i.e. G-forces in a crash, costs, etc.) showed the Altima as significantly worse than a Camry. Any truth to this, or is it all just hype as well? I appreciate your help in the matter! Many Thanks! |
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You just said the exact same thing you did two posts and three hours ago. What exactly do you want from people on the TownHall? You need to relax, the car purchasing doesnt have to be as stressful as it seems for you. You arent going to get any car for free. If you find an outstanding deal on a car you like, one that meets all your prereq's, then buy it. The difference between the 05 and 04 Altimas is that the interior has been restyled with upgraded materials, the front and rear fascias are slightly different, Navigation is now optional, and there is a 3.5SL model. The V6 gains 5 hp to 250, and all auto-equipped V6s use a 5 speed automatic. ~alpha |
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I have not had good experiences with any of the Classic dealerships in Orlando. I looked for a Mazda 6 at Classic East last year and had some greenpea literally begging me to buy a car. It was embarrassing. That being said, if you can get the '04 with bags and ABS for $18.5, I agree with Alpha that that is a decent deal. You can of course always find a better deal, but is the added stress worth it? The 05 Altima is supposed to have a significantly upgraded interior. I believe that is the main difference, along with a slightly different front fascia. Is that worth a couple thousand dollars? You have to answer that. The Camry is a more refined car than the Altima. In general, the interior materials are of higher quality. You can also order a Camry with stability control, but you will be up around 30K to get that equipment on a Camry. The Altima crash tests are pretty good, so I wouldn't worry about that. As far as the tires for life, I think it is a ploy to force you to have all of your service work done at the dealership. That is one reason why I avoid Classic dealerships. I would advise working with Bill Ray or DeLand. Reed sticks a ridiculous dealer fee of over 1K on all of their cars. If I were you, I would first decide if you will be happy with the O4. If so, I would decide exactly what equipment you want on the car. Once you did that, then decide how much money you will spend for that car, out the door (including all dealer fees, taxes, tags, etc.). If that figure is 20K, then call each dealer in your area and ask them for the best price on the model you are interested in. Since this is a cash transaction, and it is at the end of the month, my guess is that you will soon have a new car. Just remember to make all offers in out-the-door figures so the dealer can't later say, "Gee, I forgot to add this fee," when it is time to sign the contract. Keep it simple. |
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| Alpha good info but not all 3.5 autos have the 5spd auto, it is an option on the 3.5 SE auto and standard on the 3.5 SL. | |
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Hey everybody, I am new here and just wanted to get some input on my purchase. I just bought an 04 3.5SE Altima with all the basics plus the sports package(moonroof, spoiler). I ended up paying $22,900 plus sales tax and tags. I was just wanting to see if this was a good deal or if I should have held out little longer? Granted, I did indeed do quite a bit of research on them and as I see it, I got a pretty good deal. I can't wait to drive it regularly. Thanks ahead of time for everyones input. -Chris |
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Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that it's an automatic. -Chris |
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Your deal seems fine. I always wonder, though, why people ask whether or not their deal is good after they have bought the car? If you are happy, then why worry about what others think? Do you really want someone to tell you, "Nah, the deal stinks. You left a grand on the table?" There isn't anything you can do about it now, right? Except feel lousy if you think you got ripped off. Good luck with your Altima. The SE is one of the best looking cars on the road, IMHO. What color, by the way? |
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Hi ramped1, I was just curious to see what other people thought. I'm aware that the sale is done and theres not much I can do, but it's just nice to see what others have paid for an Altima with similar options. I did read numerous posts on this yet I couldn't find very many with a similar Altima. It's almost like a reassuring factor to see that I didn't get ripped off and if I did then I will have to work a little harder next time. Simply a learning experience. This car is absolutely spectacular! I got the Smoke color. I really wanted the Xenon headlights and Bose system, but realized that it wasn't worth the extra money to me. Possibly a future mod. Thanks for your input. -Chris |
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| Sounds great. Probably the color I would buy, myself. Keep us updated on the Altima board. | |
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