Faults:

The front right strut required replacement at 60 000 km. Despite it being a total failure of the part Nissan Canada refused to assist with the repair cost. Quite amazing considering I have a 160 000 km "bumper to bumper" warranty on the car. I even wrote to Nissan Canada and got the cordial reply from they saying sorry, we can't help.

Air flow meter required replacement (warranty covered this).

Road noise is louder than a comparable Toyota or Honda. Nissan could definitely improve this and the overall ride quality. I realise they're going for a sportier feel than say Camry or Accord, but this doesn't need to equate with a "clunky" feel.

General Comments:

The car is very fast for a four door family car. The 5 speed manual enhances the speed of the car.

Interior fit and finish is nice, seats are comfortable and the upgraded Bose stereo is well worth the extra money.

The trunk is huge and more than adequate for a family vacation.

Faults:

No mechanical things have gone wrong with the car that has obstructed driving. The only thing that bugs me is the fact that my chair is very squeaky as well as my clutch (which is easily fixed).

General Comments:

Over all the Altima is the best buy for the money. The engine is great as well as the interior, compared to an accord or scion or rsx. I bought my car used and it came with a few after market modifications to enhance the drive such as headers, intake, exhaust, short shifter, down piping, and eibach springs and it really brings out the sportiness of the car. The car simply roars from 1st to 2nd to 3rd and it gives you the extra horse power you need. I was also looking into an accord with the v6. The accord feels better and looks nicer although it's priced higher as well, but doesn't put out as much acceleration in my opinion.

I'm 20 years old and originally I wanted to get an RSX, but due to insurance I couldn't. This car is on the cheaper side for insurance. It gives you the sporty feel while being a 4 door for practicality.

What I dislike about the car is that the turning isn't great, compared to a scion tc, the car is pretty long, although spacious, and the interior looks pretty ugly.

Oh yeah as for gas consumption and such, if I drive normally at about 70mph or so I can average 30-34 mpg. Although this sounds incorrect, I have checked it by driving 200 miles then dividing by the amount of gas I used (I originally though my mpg sensor was broken). On surface streets, it is a different story. I may get about 17-19 mpg.

This car was a steal at $12,500 and there's nothing else for that price that could beat it (it's pretty hard to find a 3.5 SE for that price).

Faults:

Low-beam headlamps blew out repeatedly. Ground plate update kit available from Nissan fixed the problem.

Poor heat at idle. The dealer performed the TSB, and the condition improved, but the heater was still rubbish.

Rattle from driver's seatbelt. Belt was replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

This car needed little other than normal maintenance--oil changes, tires, and brakes. Fuel mileage was about 26 MPG in 25% city, 75% highway driving. It achieved the EPA rating of 29 MPG on a couple of long trips.

The OEM tires were junk made by Continental. Replacement with Michelin HydroEdges in a plus-zero size made the car much safer in the rain.

The heater core was enlarged starting with 2004 model Altimas. Mine may have still had some air in it, causing the poor heat to continue. Most cars I have driven produce good heat after 15 minutes of city driving.

The car is very roomy. The interior materials are cheap. There is no finisher on the inside of the trunklid, but you can purchase one as an accessory. It is extremely easy to manually activate the lock on the door handle as you are using the handle to open the door and exit the car, causing the door to be locked when you return to it, because the door lock (not the electric button) offers very little resistance.

It's a nice family sedan, comparable to the Camry and Accord, but not very much fun. I would not hesitate to recommend it to my friends who are looking for a dependable car to get from one destination to the other.