July 6, 2008

My 2008 Nissan Altima...What a Car

If you've been following me for awhile, you know I've been doing a lot of car driving, shopping, and researching for a good fit for my family. Well, I finally made a decision on what to get. The Nissan Altima fit into every category I could create when doing my research. It was the cheapest family car. It got the best fuel economy. It provided the best interior room. AND, one of the biggest for me, it drives like it's a sports sedan. We bought a 2008 Nissan Altima with 7 miles on the odometer. I think they drove it off the truck and onto the lot, and then I bought it before anyone got to test drive it. We bought the 2.5S model, a.k.a. the base model. Completely void of the extras. HAHAHA!!!!! This car is still loaded. Power windows, locks, trunk, and start. You simply leave the key fob in your pocket, and when the fob is within 3 feet of the car, you can use the little black button on the door handle to unlock or re-lock the car. Once inside, with the key fob still in your pocket, you push the start button and the engine turns quietly on. This car is so great. Roominess, handling, power, economy, and price are all better than the competition. We looked too. The Honda Accord is gutless and costs over a grand more. The Toyota Camry is okay, but is still weak and ends up costing close to 2 grand more. By the numbers available to anyone via the manufacturers websites, I created a 10 year comparison spreadsheet. Here is how the costs broke down: 2008 Nissan Altima Price: $20,470-$1000 rebate = $19,470 APR: 3.9% for 60 months Fuel Economy: 23/31 Total 10 year cost with estimated fuel consumption: $51,587.64 2008 Honda Accord Price: $20,360-$0.00 rebate = $20,360 APR: 2.9% for 60 months Fuel Economy: 22/31 Total 10 year cost with estimated fuel consumption: $52,973.93 ($1,386.29 higher) 2008 Toyota Camry Price: $18,720-$0.00 rebate - $18,720 (starts cheapest) APR: 4.9% for 60 months Fuel Economy: 21/31 Total 10 year cost with estimated fuel consumption: $53,499.95 ($1,912.30 higher) So just in the 10 year numbers, the Altima takes the cake. But, that's not the only reason to choose a car. After all, if the decision was based only on price, the Ford Escape or the VW Rabbit would have won at $4,190.75 and $5,050.50, respectively, less than the Altima. Performance, and roominess for a family were also big factors. First, the latter. My wife often travels with our son and his two cousins, who are all in car seats. The Altima fits all three car seats across the back seat of the Altima. That leaves room for my wife and her sister in the front. Wow! The second and most important item to me is the performance. Not only does the Altima win in the fuel economy category, it handles and is more powerful than the other two. This is due in part to a higher torque output. Nissan is known for designing and building sports sedans. They did it with this latest version of the Altima. The final category I'll mention, leaving out the awesome stereo, comfortable seats, cool A/C, and Xtronic CVT transmission (with manual mode), is the visual appeal of the Altima. For a family sedan, the Altima is really nice looking. The Camry is the ugliest of the group to me. And the Accord, although I really like the new design and bigger car feel, still has an issue in it's back end. Something in the rump design doesn't do it for me or my wife. And did I mention is feels like a 4-cylinder? But, the Altima (redesigned in 2007) is a really sporty looking car. Jet engine inspired tail lights, duel exhaust, and a wide stance, make this sedan look ready to handle a nice windy road. And...it does. I really do love this car. I know it hasn't ever appeared on the site before, but I've been so busy convincing my wife we needed to buy this, I didn't have time to write about it. Truly this is the car to buy for a great family vehicle. And, I'm not going to tell you exactly what I paid for mine, but I did even better than the numbers above. After all, those are the MSRP figures and I'm a haggler. Ted can tell you about the work I did on my 1999 VW Golf. Good times.

13 comments:

  1. Looks nice, apparently my photo I emailed to my site before I left did not post, so nobody knew where I was.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As a fellow nissan driver I can say that i'm never going back to anything else. I'm a bit jealous I must say, now i kind of want one. And at only 20k? these days that's like a steal. You'll love it for years...

    - dan

    ReplyDelete
  3. For a vehicle lock, this code is sent to the far off regulator that opens the entryways. What makes these passage bolts so protected is that they use "rolling" or "jumping" codes. See More

    ReplyDelete
  4. For both of these alternatives to be legitimate, clients must guarantee that they have empowered voice acknowledgment on their cell phones (whenever upheld) and recorded voice labels against the contacts in their phonebooks they wish to call when out and about. this website

    ReplyDelete
  5. rent a brand new Corvette C8 stingray from mphclub today, Book your exotic car rental in Miami, Find the best Corvette rental in Miami Florida.
    Corvette rental

    ReplyDelete
  6. You ought to join in a contest for starters of the highest quality blogs online. I will recommend this page! car locksmith near me

    ReplyDelete
  7. Excellent website you have here but I was curious if you knew of any message boards that cover the same topics talked about in this article? I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get advice from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Cheers! garage door installation lakeway tx

    ReplyDelete
  8. you can cleanser and condition your hair all the more frequently; you can style your hair without reservation; and you can formally say you are locked. https://slotenservice-denhaag070.nl/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you so much for the post you do. I like your post and all you share with us is up to date and quite informative, i would like to bookmark the page so i can come here again to read you, as you have done a wonderful job. Orpington locksmiths

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nisan cars are best for travler like me i love it. I have driven it on a couple of occasions and I am infatuated. I think the way it looks, the way it drives and the way it sounds are all better compared to any other cars I have seen. I truly believe it's the best car out there. Get Cash For Cars Townsville is a great open door for you. In this article, I will tell you the best way to sell a car for cash utilizing the web. As far as I might be concerned, it's one of the most incredible ways to make some fast cash, especially in the event that you have an old car to dispose of. You will discover Get Cash For Scrap or Old Cars on the web. In case you are searching for a way to make some cash, cash for cars townsville is a company that will do that work.

    ReplyDelete
  11. it's structuring and building extraordinary vehicles. It's nothing unexpected that pretty much consistently you will see Nisan, Audi, BMW or the Mercedes-Benz Motor Corporation leave away with some honor for style and plan in outside or inside looks.I love Nisan and all its models.This is very interesting and looks forward to seeking more of your interesting post. You're a skilled blogger. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks best regards from cash for cars sydney Team we deal in used cars and other Automotive services. I have joined your RSS feed also. Thanks for sharing such a post and keep sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks a lot the moment again for the gorgeous opinions you have discussed here about Nisan. I have no words to describe. Just Amazing. This is exactly what I needed, all the Articles I read are just too general. But this is perfect I love to read cars and cars are my top priority so I visited cash for cars toowoomba . that company is best in dealing with old cars and also provide car removal services too.

    ReplyDelete
  13. We all need a good car for comfortable travel but where to buy a car with limited resources and comfortable car. I checked sites and I think Nissan best suits my need. I love traveling our family has that in our blood. really explains everything, cash for cars gold coast online sites for buying cars improves the way of normal buying. The article is very interesting and effective. Thank you and good luck with the upcoming articles.

    ReplyDelete