Faults:

Brakes, brakes, starter (twice), coil springs and those damn hubcaps.

After 15 years this car is still going great, although the front bumper has looked like it was about to fall off for the past 10 years, while there have been sounds that could scare a ghost coming from the back of the car since I first got it.

Faults:

Driver's side front suspension control arm at 84,000 miles.

Passenger's side front suspension control arm at 92,000 miles.

Alternator at 93,000 miles and again at 110,000 miles.

Starter at 98,000 miles.

Air bag light has been blinking on the dash for months. My mechanic can't find anything wrong with the system.

General Comments:

My Altima is a 1993 GXE model, and it is pretty speedy and surprisingly fun to drive.

The exterior styling is a little dated, especially from the front. However, the interior decor is very contemporary, and still looks modern and new, even though the car is now 13 years old.

I have very few complaints about the car. The front suspension control arms both needed to be replaced, and were quite expensive. I had one done at the dealership ($790 + labor) and the other one done at my local mechanic (only $350 including labor).

Also, the alternator was replaced not once, but twice, in a very short period of time. Plus, the air bag light is on again and blinking, and my mechanic can't figure it out because when they hook it up to the diagnostic machine; the light goes off, and they can't get it to come back on, until I drive away. It never fails to return after a few weeks of driving. I have decided to simply ignore the thing, and take my chances with the air bag system.

I live in Michigan, and we have very cold and snowy winters. The power antenna frequently sticks in the down position, or won't retract to the down position when it does decide to work. This is very infuriating, because the radio reception is bad when the antenna is not deployed. I have tried to lubricate the antenna with WD40, grease and other products that aren't supposed to freeze. Nothing seems to work.

Other than these few gripes, my Altima is a nice car to drive. The 2.4 L 4-cyl has plenty of power on take off and for passing on the highway. The transmission is quick to down-shift for extra oomph, and I get decent gas mileage, especially for a 13 year old car.

The car handles very well too, and is easy to drive at higher speeds. The alignment has lasted quite a long time, and the body motions are damped well.

The car is a little quirky, and I love it for that. It has automatic seat belts, which at first was very annoying, but over time I have begun to LOVE THEM, and I wonder how I will ever live without them, as no automaker produces cars with them any more.

If you can find a nice low mileage Altima, I suggest seriously considering purchasing it. One word of advice though, these cars are KNOWN for losing hubcaps and they are a bit pricy. I have lost all of my original hubcaps, and have replaced them with aftermarket lookalikes that must be made better, as I have not lost any of those so far. You can buy them for a good price at hubcapkingdom.com, and I highly suggest this company for replacement hubcaps for any car.