jehcooper

I am looking to purchase a new car and my budget ceiling is 30K (maybe SLIGHTLY over). I have been lusting after a TSX since the 04 models, and I am very excited that I will be capable of purchasing one in a couple of months. However, I have heard a lot of buzz about the new 07 Nissan Altimas. Has anyone driven the new Altima? If so, what do you think about it? I would be looking at the 6 speed 3.5 Altima. How does it compare to the TSX. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

greendestiny

I have to say... I've seen the new Nissan Altimas (Sedan) on the street and they look badass. They look meaner and beefier, but I don't like how they didn't put more effort into the front nose.

Also, the 2-door altima which is coming out soon may be awesome. It looks like a poor man's G35.

however, having own many nissans as well as what I have heared from relatives, reliability is not that great.

tsx_07

to be frank, i saw the first glimpse of nissan altima on tv a week back and i thought that the car not only looked good but it cud pose a real thread to tsx and other cars in 30K category.

After reading your post, i could not help myself going to nissanusa.com. I have not driven the car yet but the specs and other features of the car look really impressive. I think the car has all the features of tsx + some additional key features like intelligent key, push start and stop, real traffic update, bose speakers etc.

Moreoever, even if you opt for the tenchnology package, the cost does not bump up like a bimmer. still pretty much within your range. Did you check their MPG figures? 3.5L, 270 HP produces 22/28 mpg..boy, is that something !!.

Now, if they could only match all these seductive features with good handling and reliability, the car is a real bang for the buck, IMHO.

Lets see what others have to say. (may i reiterate again i have not driven the car yet, but my thoughts are purely on looks and specs as per nissanusa.com)

jehcooper

Yeah, I am very impressed with Acura's reliability. I currently drive a Mitsubishi Galant which has terrible reliability and I am looking for a car that will be a little more resilient. A few of my family members drive Acuras and they all rave about them, so I am probably leaning towards the TSX, but since this is my first big auto purchase, I want to explore all the options.

I agree that the new 2 door Altima looks really cool, but I would prefer a sedan and I am not considering coupes. Thanks for the heads up on Nissan's reliability issue.

klas

I too couldn't decide between the two, but then I put it side by side:

on a scale 1-10 (where 10 is the best)

............................TSX................Alt ima 3.5L
Price.......................9..................... 8 (too expensive for Altima brand)
Resale value..........10....................8
Looks.................... 10....................7 (doesn't have wow factor)
Tech Features........9.....................10 (has bose stereo and some other minor extras)
Reliability...............10....................7 (past Nissan experience)
Safety....................10....................10
Economy................9......................9
Power....................8......................10
Handling................10.....................8

vitocorleone

To date, few, if any, FWD cars drive as well as the TSX (namely, controlling torque steer - esp. with all that power in the Altima). Also, Nissan reliability is good, just not as good overall... as one could say regarding Acura vs. the more reliable Lexus.

Also, I'd personally downgrade a car if it had a bose stereo :-)

VegaTSX

Bose stereo is way over rated.

I never liked their Home theater systems.

New Altima doesn't really appeal to me but i wouldn't mind their 3.5L V6 engine in the TSX tho.

ChrismanTSX

One thing to consider as well. I haven't tried the '07, but I test drove an '06, and the 6MT was not very good: it felt very rubbery and was not precise at all. The car's balance was not great either: lots of understeer, and didn't feel agile at all.

Then I test drove the TSX and was very impressed by the transmission, and the handling was significantly better!

But that's based on my assessment of the '06. Go test drive the '07 and let us know what you think!

chuson

For power, Altima wins. For reliability and looks (subjective), go for TSX.

Not sure if this is still true, but DON'T rave about the BOSE stereo. I was looking @ G35 forum alot (like everyday) before I had the TSX, and one of the thing that people complain the most other than the rattling, is the stereo. They paid like an extra $700 for an upgraded Bose stereo, later found out it's just some paper cone $0.05 speaker w/ a BOSE name on it. I never driven any Nissan/Infiniti vehicles (other than test drive), but when people on the forum complain about it, and belongs to their top-10 complain, I believe it's true. Also rattling is a big big issue for Nissan as well.

Go test drive the car, browse the forum and decide yourself. Any TSX/Altima fans will not give you a fair comparison.

amadeus303

iTrader: (2)

I've actually seen quite a few on the road around here, and honestly... while the "looks" of a car don't define it, I would never buy the new Altima purely because I think it looks like complete arse. I think the new tailights (as I had felt with the outgoing model) are probably one the ugliest designs I've ever seen on a vehicle. Nissans have always been about power, so if that tickles your fancy, the choice is obvious. Personally, I prefer handling over power --- to me, it's just more fun.

For some of the blokes that mentioned the Bose system - I have to agree... WAY OVERRATED. I've had them in 2 vehicles, and both times, I've been left scratching my head wondering what I paid for.

EuRTSX

I've heard nothing but good things from the new Altima. Hopefully StreetSpirit can chime in if she passes by this thread.

JediMindTricks

i personally am very impressed with the new altime. i'm still planning on test driving it sometime to see how it drives. but from reading its specs, reviews, and seeing the new exterior and interior, i'm very impressed.

i think it looks much better than the previous design. i agree it looks bulkier and the back looks meaner. as mentioned before, the features are great. i'm partial to nissan since i owned one before the tsx, and i haven't had any problems with reliability or customer service.

now, i still believe the tsx looks better outside and inside, but, really, looks are subjective. maybe the tsx is more refined and luxurious, but if i was in the market for a sub $30k sedan, i would definitely consider the new altima.

peter_bigblock

Yeah, I, too, will be interested in your impression of the '07 Altima vs. the '07 TSX. Bear in mind, you'll be considering a newly-minted car design vs. one nearly four years old. Next year you'll have the re-designed TSX to look at, which will likely compare favorably to a new Altima. But if you're looking for a car now, you gotta pick from what's there...

On paper and in the mags, the Altima sounds much improved, but these days without driving a car, it's impossible to know how it suits you. I thought I'd LOVE the TL until I drove it, and then it felt big and soft and had too much torque steer that took the fun out of the power. That's when I drove the TSX and loved it, fit like a glove.

Let us know what you think of them both!

dnd2984

iTrader: (6)

We own a TSX and drove a 07 Altima v6 and I must say the Altima is badass.....I say Altima, with navi you can get it for 27k

L1StarTSX

L1StarTSX

I agree with vega as I dont care for the styling at all, but it does have some cool stuff on it. (though Bose is not overrated IMO)

As for the Altima Coupe....I think I have already seen those on the road, they are called G6's


Bah...too similar for my taste, and I used to be a Nissan Fanboy

klas

i was going to mention the same thing... way to rip off design..

psteng19

Among my family, we've had 4 Nissans and nothing but excellent reliability from all of them.
In fact, my daily driver is a '96 Sentra with 170k+ miles on it, with the most experience job being a $380 clutch change. Everything else has pretty much been normal maintenance.
It gets me 45 mpg hwy and I never have to worry about it leaving me stranded.
Quality is a different story, however, with rattles and interior trim pieces falling off.

With that said, I would not hesitate to buy or recommend a post-2005 Nissan (2002-2004 had horrible interiors).

jehcooper

Thank you, everyone, for your valuable comments. I will surely let you know how the 07 Altima drives, and I am also planning on testing out some other cars as well. Will keep you all updated.

ninjamyst

Nissan interior still shitty....

rugbybrado

Ditto.


Im a big nissan fan and have driven both cars so here is my two cents (but still go test drive because your opinion might be different than mine)

Ive test drove the 07 2.5sl(stickers around 24k compairable equiped to the tsx) and the 06 tsx. Heres my run down -

The nissan is a great value for its price. You get alot of features for the price and even nissans 4 cyl motor is pretty stout and will keep up if not beat any tsx(this has been covered in other threads). I also like the styling of the new altima and it has the advantage over the aging TSX exterior. Now for interior styling and handlign the tsx wins hands down. But if you want some more leg room for you and your passengers the altima is the way to go.

psteng19

Nope, they used to be but not the 2007 models.
Altima, Maxima, Sentra and Versa, upgraded all across the board.

VegaTSX

Isn't Nissan parent company is now Renault the French car maker?

jaehshim

to be honest, i don't know what Nissan designers are building these days
those Altimas and Maximas are terrible.

engine is big, 6 speed transmission, and powertrain is strong.

but take it from little things , and go ahead and really look at those features of:
ugly ruler-cut aluminum gearbox, plastic dash with switches showing cheapness, those abnormal side mirror indicators, wood grain, real strange start button, little facial change...tells us it's one of those mass-production car again. car has no character in my opinion.

by the way, Nissan is owned by Renault.

in the end, the car is being built with good "stuff" that will impress buyers, but it is definitely not refined.

for power, go Altima 3.5, for refined vehicle with better balance, go TSX

klas

if that's true, it makes sense why Nissan cars have that "dopey" look



kidding of course... but still it made me to check out Renault cars and they are all funky looking

Street Spirit

So ironic.... I rarely browse TSX, but am up late and decided to have a peek. Of course, the thread title caught my attention Since I've test driven the Alti, and am in Dan's TSX all the time, I have a little experience with both.

OP: Here are my initial thoughts of the 2007 Altima -- See Post #38:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...6&page=1&pp=25

I've been back to the Nissan dealer to sit in and play around in the '07 Altima a handful of times since then, but have only driven it once. Keep in mind, I test drove the (AUTO) 2.5L /4 cylinder model, not the V6 3.5. I plan to take the 2.5 for another spin sometime over the next few weeks, and at that time, will also compare it to the 3.5 (will drive them back-to-back). For myself, I'd probably be considering the 4 cyl, but am curious about the V6 and will try it out just for kicks.

I've also been reading up on the Altima forums the past few months. Interior and exterior styling is all a matter of preference, so there are definitely those who feel strongly about it one way or the other (the last Gen vs. the new looks of the '07). Personally, I much prefer the looks of the '07, inside and out. Quality-wise, hands-down, the plastics and materials in the '07 felt a lot better to me than the '06 Altima. Big improvement. A lot of the issues with torque steer have been eliminated, as Nissan has lowered where the engine sits.

You'll really have to take the Altima and TSX for a few test drives (back-to-back, if possible) to see which one you feel most comfortable in and excited about. Don't base any judgement (yet) on words, reviews, or pictures. You really need to take them out to get a good feel for what they're like, and create your own judgements from there. But I wouldn't discount the Alti just yet. Check it out and decide for yourself.

grapeguice

I was actually planning on buying an 07 Altima, but there were a couple turning points for me. When I went to the car show in Anaheim this year, I wanted to open the doors and feel the quality of the Altima interior. Unfortunately, the car on display was a pre-production model that was locked. I thought the exterior was nice, but I wanted to sit inside. Anyway, here's the summary of why I went with the TSX.

*TSX interior is better
*Quality issues at MS plant where the Altima is manufactured has had major problems in the past year. There's no way I was going to buy a first year vehicle with these potential problems
*06 is mid-cycle for the TSX which means fewer quality issues and many of the same features that the TL has had for the past two years are in the TSX
*I wasn't going to get a deal on the 07 Altima while I did on the 06 TSX (I paid just over 25k without tax and license)
*Altima has similar power as the TL, but also has the same torque steer issues along with the added weight

To me the things you should base your decision for the following reasons.

*Affordability
*Impressions of the test drive
*Go with the car that you think will give you more long term satisfaction (which one makes you smile more?)

Good luck with your purchase!

Street Spirit

^ Yeah, there's been a lot of talk about being careful which plant your Altima/Nissan comes from. There are two plants: Canton and Smyrna. You can easily check where the car came from by reading the VIN. I know in the States, they can come from either plant, but after searching over 15 pages of Canadian inventory so far, I've yet to find one in my area (Canada) that was built at the 'unreliable' plant (Canton). There must be some validity to the claims, as even a major Canadian newspaper mentioned it in their review of the '07 Altima last week. They also suggested you know which plant produced your car, and choosing accordingly.

Personally, I'd try to hold off on the Altima til the release of the '08s so that Nissan has some time to evaluate real world owner experiences with the 2007.

acura_ak

the only great thing about the altima over the TSX is probably in the power department.

BulldogHockey

I haven't seen one in person yet, but looks good in print ads. I always liked their engines, just really hated the previous Altimas look (seems they kept that model around waaaay too long).

Sounds like they are really trying to break into the low end lux market with some of the new features. Bluetooth is fantastic in my TSX, wouldn't buy a new car without it. I thought the push button start was kind of a gimmick, but seems to be growing on me now. Having the traffic updated navi would be a great feature as well.

Price seems decent and I think this one is going to be a winner.

saw1

As a previous TSX and Altima owner (2004 TSX, 2001 Altima) I would strongly recommend the TSX. Although the TSX is not as fast as the Altima, it has such a rev-happy engine, that you will have just as much fun in the TSX as you will the faster altima.

Acura vs. Nissan: Truly a no brainer here, Acura customer experience is way better.

The TSX has better resale value than almost any other car in the market, at any price.

The TSX has possibly the best factory stereo I have ever heard. Better than my wife's Lexus, better (but close) than my new TL-S with surround, and certainly better than my Miata with a bose.

The TSX looks better IMHO. The rear end of the altima has too large of an overhang, givving it the appearance of a large dog about to take a Sh__!

One more thing, go to both the Acura and Nissan dealers, and see which one will let you take the car home for the night. That is the trick, never base your opinion of a car on a 10 minute test drive. Take it home, go shopping with it, take it into work, on the highway, over bumpy roads, railroad tracks, etc.. And never buy from a dealer who will not let you do this!

cestmoi

Seriously, how many people have asked to take a demo home for a test drive?! I don't think dealers would do that! Can you imagine if every person that walks into the dealer demanding to do that? They'd have an empty dealership with too many lousy "demos" for sale!

S power

These days any car can be reliable as long as you take care of it. Nissans have built better cars since the mid 90's. The Nissans V6 VQ motor is 1 of the top ten engines on the list. My previous G35 VQ was really smooth and quieter than my new Lexus IS350 engine.

ALso added the new features like Intel-key Push button start is a big plus , rear view camera on the navi,and MP3/WMA playback is quite nice.

Speaking of BLOSE stereo(from my G35), the tsx premium sounds system wins hands down. The BLOSE sounded very boomy even with treble was set to the max.
Nissan resale value = Dirt ! <--something to think about

klas

I hear you, BLOSE just doesn't cut it anymore

dom

Its about time you started listening to me.

Street Spirit

I knew that all along.... My opposing thoughts (mentioned before) were just that sometimes they end up ruining something they got right the first time by trying to change and add more things as the newer model years are released. Sometimes it just means more potential problems, thanks to some added 'features' and 'technology'.

But I hear ya and agree that all cars need some real world owner experience for them to really see how the car performs...not just high VIN numbers showing how many have been put together in the factory! :thumbup:

rugbybrado

I took a demo TSX home with navi.

dsmoot

I'd go with the TSX, much more class IMO.

L1StarTSX

I guess it all depends on the system they are using. The Bose system in my vette is superb as it uses the wave speakers in the full front area of the doors. I also love the fact that as the engine gets louder or if the tops off, it will adjust the sound levels automatically for you.

I am very doubtful that Nissan is using a speaker/amp setup tuned and engineered just for the Altima. Any great sound system can sound like shat if its not fully engineered for that car or aftermarket well thought through and implemented, that is, off the rack so to speak. Thats why I think they sound poor on other autos that didnt drop the research coin that GM did for their Caddy V-series, and Vettes. BMW also does specific engineering with Harmon Kardon for each vehicle. Nissan isnt to that level yet, even on the Infiniti platform IMO.

TheDukeZip

I test drove an 07 Altima before purchasing my 06 TSX.

The Altima was my 2nd choice car. The quality of the interior of the TSX did it for me. The Altima still had a 'cheap plastic' feel to the inside. Not that we don't have some cheap plastic in there, but it doesn't look like it. Plus, when I sat down with the guy to figure out the options I wanted, he turned it into some kind of puzzle: "Well if you want the sunroof, you can't get the fog lights..." etc. On the Nissan website it seems so much easier to configure. Him and I sat down for at least 45 minutes figuring out the options. Next stop at Acura: "So, you want navigation?" One option = very easy.

Also, I was expecting more from the CVT. I figured with wide open throttle, it would make the most of the engine right? Instead I was surprised as it "shifted" through a few gears. The sales explanation was that people don't like the feel of no shift jerk and it makes them feel like the car has no power, so the CVT simulates shifting. If they spend that much engineering time making a CVT that works, they might as well make it work optimally, otherwise, what's the point?

Edit: I should also note I also test drove a Mazda 6s, which was my 3rd choice after test driving all three cars.