Nissan Altima has been on sale in Australia since November 2013 and competed in the midsize sedan field.
Leading the sales race was the Toyota Camry, with Ford Mondeo, the Mazda6, Subaru Liberty and VW Passat also in the mix.
Styling is a strong point of the Altima and it takes its own route, with wide horizontal chrome dominating the grille and a large badge in the centre.
Indeed, it was a leader in style department as just about everyone else has taken up the big-grille look in in the years that followed.
A fascinating feature of the Altima is that the US space agency NASA helped to design its front seats.
With a big emphasis on comfort the seats have what NASA calls a neutral posture, a relaxed position that the human body takes in a weightless environment.
The seats help reduce muscular and spinal loads and improve blood flow.
Altima owners tell us they are pleased with their seats and that they step out of their cars on long trips feeling relaxed.
The car seats for four adults with good leg and headroom and decent space in the back. Five isn’t too much of a squeeze, but two adults and a child in the rear works better.
Sales were never strong and the Altima was pulled out of the Australian new-car market midway through 2017.
Oddly, although Altima was never imported as V8 it competed in V8 Supercar racing, with you guessed it — a V8.
Nissan Altima is available in four variants: ST, ST-L and Ti have a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine.
The four-cylinder Altima engine has 127kW of power and 230Nm of torque.
The big gun is the Altima Ti-S which has a powerful 3.5-litre V6 that gives a delightful 183kW of power and 312Nm of torque.
All models have a CVT (continuously variable transmission) driving the front wheels.
This makes sure you get the exact amount of the engine’s torque to suits road conditions and the amount of performance you want.
If you disagree with the ratios selected by the CVT you can choose from different driving modes.
The V6 has manual mode that can be operated by steering-wheel paddle shifters.
Nissan is well established in Australia, having been here since the Datsun days of the early 1970s.
Many Nissans were built in Australia to take advantage of tax rules.
However, the Altima was fully imported from Japan.
Consequently, there are experienced dealers in many areas Downunder.
There’s the usual concentration of Nissan dealers in the big metro areas, but the popularity of Nissan in the SUV field, with the rough, tough Patrol standing out means there’s a fair number of dealerships and mechanics in the bush.
Spare parts are generally available and prices about average, perhaps a little higher at times, for the class.
Some of the more unusual bits may not be available back of Bullamakanka, but can often be shipped there in a couple of business days.
Best that you leave just about everything to those who know what they are doing in the way of repairs and maintenance because Altima is a complex model with a lot of high-tech features behind the imposing grille.
As the Nissan Altima hasn’t been a big seller in Australia insurance companies will have had varied experiences with them.
Meaning there’s a larger than average spread in prices.
Shop around – but be sure to do correct comparisons.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Altima is built to a high standard and we hear of no routine problems.
But it’s wise to have a professional inspection after you have done an initial look over to root out anything obviously wrong.
Our favourite starting point is the front-left wheel, it and/or the tyre can be damaged by poor parking.
Which may also be a sign of crook driving.
Walk around to look for body damage, or signs of repairs such as ripples in the panels, tiny paint spatters on unpainted areas such as the glass.
Look over the complete interior, including the boot for signs of harsh treatment.
Check that the engine fires up within a couple of seconds and idles smoothly.
The four-cylinder should be good, the V6 is exceptional in its balance.
The CVT should be all-but unnoticed as it changes from ratio to ratio, but if it seems slow at changing, and/or holds onto to gears too long there may be problems.
Using the owners’ handbook as a guide, make sure that everything operates correctly.
HOW MUCH?
Expect to pay from $6000 to $10,000 for a 2013 Nissan Altima ST; $7000 to $11,000 for a 2015 ST-L; $8000 to $12,000 for a 2014 Ti-S; $9000 to $14,000 for a 2017 Ti; and $10,000 to $15,000 for a 2017 Ti-S.
CAR BUYING TIPS
Used car prices have generally increased during the period of new car stock shortages so hunt around for the best deal.
Start looking at adverts for used vehicles several months before you intend buying.
That way you can see the prices being asked and whether they are rising and falling as dealers need to clear stock due to overcrowding.
Keep an eye on adverts for new cars that say there are specials on particular models.
These can mean a lot of traded-in cars are taking up too much space in the yards and will be discounted to get rid of them.
If checking a used car at a dealership look at other cars on the lot.
This can give you an insight to the quality of vehicles in which the dealer specialises.
If buying privately ask for proof of ownership of the vehicle and make sure it is covered for you taking a test drive.
Take a slow walk around any car you’re considering, looking for obvious defects.
It amuses us how many people dive into tiny details, only to later discover a major ding somewhere on the other side of the car.
Ideally any road test of a car you’re getting serious about should be done with the engine stone cold. Early morning is best.
If you’re serious about buying a vehicle, tell the seller you would like to take it for a good long test drive.
If they insist on coming that’s understandable, but try to avoid them ‘selling” the car to you.
Put bluntly, ask them to shut up,
In their later years, cars with a reputation for being long lived and trouble free sometimes attract buyers who have no intention of ever servicing them.
The next owner may suffer as a result.
RECALLS
To browse recalls on all vehicles go to the ACCC at: www.productsafety.gov.au/products/transport/cars/