2007 3.5 SE - Should I keep it or trade it in?

[toyfan420]

Hello all, this is my first post to this forum and I am seriously asking for advice from those who may be more familiar with Nissan product than I am. I bought a 3.5 SE sedan w/6 speed manual in May of this year (37k miles) because I was looking for a reliable, V6 powered sedan with a standard transmission. I recently lost an L98 powered Corvette, but still have an original, one owner, 1987 Toyota Supra Turbo (I'm a Toyota follower for life). I need my daily driver to perform like a sports car; well, at least go fast in a straight line , so I purchased the Altima.

This car has not been without problems, so I need some direction here. Clutch failed when I brought the car home - hopefully due to the previous owner. Warped front rotors at 20K miles - resurfaced (according to service history), and I had to replace at 40K miles. Again, probably due to harsh driving conditions/driver. Recently, my left rear door handle froze up, and after pulling it apart, it seems that the cable itself was to blame, and there was moisture in the door. I live in New England, and the freezing temps that we've experienced (in conjuction with snowfall) brought this problem to light. After I got the cable freed up, it worked great (above freezing temps). The next day, it froze up (15 degrees F) and the door wouldn't shut. I am taking it to the dealer tomorrow for diagnosis. My TPMS indicator is now flashing and will not shut off. At least one sensor was replaced by the previous owner. At 20K or so, the car needed a new clutch master cylinder. Shakes a bit on the highway at 80 or 90 mph, and was also a complaint by the previous owner. Hopefully a balancing issue, but tires were new when I purchased car.

I have always driven Toyotas for my daily drivers, and HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. Oil changes and brakes - really. I had a Corolla that I sold with 180k miles that now had 300k plus and is basically original. Never a problem. I was under the impression that my Altima would serve me well, without frequent trips to the dealer (I normally service my own cars, until a problem really stumps me), but that has not been the case. Am I experiencing a rare situation here? Should I get rid of the car? Any suggestions or insight from Altima owners would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

[CoupeVQ35CVT]

It know it's a month late, but... seeing as no one else responded I'll take a shot.

I say sell it. But if you still like the car aside from those problems, then keep it and do what you can to fix all these issues. Unfortunately it's probably out of the warranty period so I don't know how willing you are to dish out money at the stealership to get these smaller issues taken care of.

It sounds like a Friday night car from the factory. And if you think about it, who would usually get a V6 and M/T? Someone who would like to drive it "enthusiastically" right? Maybe the previous owner beat up the car with their driving style and the resulting issues are now surfacing as the car ages.

The brake issue seems to be a common problem with certain newer Altimas. My '09 coupe's brakes started squealing after 11k miles. TPMS is also a little buggy on the Nissans, nothing serious but sure is a hassle. The whole door handle thing is weird, never heard of it before. Vibration, not sure, could be a misalignment/wheel issue.

I like my Coupe but with all these sorts of issues arising from Nissan owners I'm lost as to what to do/buy if I have to sell mine in the future. Every make has its issues. It feels like I'm going to be choosing the least problematic car, without getting ripped off, instead of confidently buying the best quality car for my money.

[toyfan420]

I have to agree with you. The prior owner most likely bought the car for the same reasons that I did. It has plently of power, and a 6 speed manual. Altimas are more stiffly sprung than say, a Camry or Accord, and are just more fun to drive. It is very much a "friday night special", straight from Nissan. I like to call it a front drive, four door, Z car. I am used to a certain level of power, but need front wheel drive to get through a typical New England winter. I didn't have many choices when it came to this car purchase. For the money, I could not have done better. At this point, the TPMS sensors are my biggest gripe, and the door handle and actuator problem was most likely just a fluke. The other issues stem from really driving the car in a "spirited" manner. I wrench on my own cars, so I don't have to rely on outside mechanics all the time, or the stealership. I guess the Altima is staying in the stable. Thanks again for your response.

[QR25DE]

Honestly, everything you mentioned can happen on any car. Without knowing how the previous owner took care of it or their knowledge about cars, I say most of the problems are previous owner related. If the TPMS light is blinking it means that the pressure in the tires/tire is very low OR there is a sensor missing or not functioning.