Buying my first Altima Coupe - Could use some vet opinions

[sparky11080]

To start, background information. I am no stranger to cars or technical specs of said cars. I am not however a master modifier like many of you I have seen on this forum. I have access to a mechanic who can help with all these needs, but before I get into any crazy technical mods, I need to buy my first Altima Coupe.
I've already done my research between the leading coupes of Honda Accord, Hyundai Genesis, and obviously the Nissan Altima. In the end, the Nissan Altima took the cake as it was the bang for my buck, and still had front wheel drive for snowy conditions. It also comes preloaded with enough extras that any college student would kill to have.
I am planning on buying a NEW 2011 model. I went in with several standards I was hoping to fit into a car. Black Exterior, Standard Transmission, V6, 250+hp, moonroof. The Altima coupe did everything I asked, and has even added some features I will require on any new car for the future. On to the car...

I have pretty much settled on a brand new 3.5SR - Standard Transmission - Black Exterior - Red Leather Interior. The standard model already includes the leather package (HID lights, leather, heated seats, etc.) and the 3.5 Premium Package (4.3" display, bose speakers, bluetooth, etc.). I also plan on including the aluminum kick plates. My initial plan also calls for the NISMO spoiler, and the NISMO cat-back exhaust system to be added.

The controversy...
I always take opinions seriously, so I've asked hundreds of questions of what people think. Thus far I've had a resounding positive support for the car. However little things popped up that I'm still unsure about.
- Red Leather seats - I have had some concerns come up over the color of the leather fading over time into a dull pink. Obviously tint would help, but my state laws limit tint to 15% (i believe that's right...85% of light has to be able to pass through), and no tint on the windshield itself. The problem is I can't use any other leather. Using the black leather automatically swaps the online builder to CVT model, and I would prefer a manual. Also if I use the black cloth, the leather package seems a little overboard, or lost all together.
- On the ntoe of CVT - I will always prefer a manual car over an automatic. I feel as though there's a deeper connection to the car. However I am still a reasonable person, so I'm curious the opinions on the CVT, and if you would choose it over a manual. One major thing that turned me off to the Mazda6 is the 'electronic delay feel' when you press the gas. I want to feel the car punch when I lay on the pedal.
- Exhaust - So far I've heard a lot of good reviews on the NISMO exhaust, but I've heard a lot of use of the other exhausts such as the Borla. Any opinions?
- Spoiler - I'm more or less sold on the NISMO spoiler simply because I like the sleek overhang look it has while still staying rather low to the car. Anybody have a conflicting opinion?



Regardless if you have any helpful information or not, I'll happily read anything you have to post. Side-stories from other owners, and things they've done with their cars is one of the best ways for me to get ideas for my own, and for me to better understand how mine will work when I buy it.

If you made it reading this far - thank you,
~Sparks

[elfenlied8]

If you dont mind me asking. You're able to spend $30+ grand on an altima coupe. How come not a 370z? Or if you wanted the extra seats and a car good for snowy conditions, then why not a evo or an sti ?

Anyways, it's a question I always ask myself as well, but if you want a V6 altima coupe then go for it. With all the packages your getting with the car then you are bascially all set. As for picking transmission, I'd go with a manual since sometimes I get really bored with my cvt and plus the manual is much more fitting for a car with 275 hp. The red interior is more of your preference because I doubt it will fade so much as to a pink color unless you have that car for like 10+ years. I have a nismo exhaust and it has got plenty of aggressive sound for me, but the other exhausts like the stillen, greddy, etc... will be much louder than the nismo. Lastly, the spoiler is all up to you since it is only for looks.

[sparky11080]

Because getting a 370z for $36k - $39k is going to include the same features that I'm paying for in the Altima Coupe for $31k. Also the 370z is rear-wheel drive...not a good idea for driving in the type of snow I'm talking about. 2 feet overnight, and I will still have to drive.

The Evo, same thing about price. For the same features I am getting upwards of $37k. I can buy the top-line Altima Coupe vs the bottom-line Evo. Adding the NISMO exhaust, I will also only be about 20hp off where the EVO stands at 300 vs the 272+8hp. Front wheel drive is just as effective as FWD for what I need.

I could look into the STI, but I am going to assume the same price problem persists. I'm shooting for as close to $30k as possible. The Altima only goes a little over, so it's completely acceptable for what I will be getting.

[coupecrazy1232]

those are new prices...u can pick up a very nice low miles evo for 30k easy which is going to do much better then the A/C in the snow...and if your talking about 2 feet overnight u should prolly just buy a truck...

[mmkeller]

If you want the red leather, just get seat covers for the front. The back seat should not fade with the tint. There are some nice neoprene two tone black/red ones on the internet. Just my opinion........

[sparky11080]

I've done some research trying to find Evo's in my general area. There are no Mistubishi dealers in my county, and using the closest "big" city, the major mistubishi dealer only has 4-cyl vehicles. I'm deffinetely set on getting a V6-standard which is extremely hard to find used for either the EVO or Altima Coupe. A used vehicle also does not likely contain a lot of the nice "extra" features that are coming with a used vehicle (i.e the 4.3" radio, or automatic keys that come standard). I am not concerned with the difference between buying a FWD vs AWD.
I've done enough snow driving to be able to compensate for loss of traction. I've become rather dead set on the Altima Coupe. (I also had another individual suggest the EVO).

The seat covers are not a bad idea, I hadn't thought of that. I wish you could use the black leather seats with the Manual Transmission as the seats wouldn't have an issue fading to "pink", and the seat covers would still work very well with the black interior.

[wade001]

If your thinking about modifying, get a lower trim model? reason being 1) you will have money to make the car look like you want, 2) a lot of aftermarket options have more/better features then OEM (navi/sound sys/ performance), 3) it's more fun to do things on your own. another option is get a used '09 with low miles and save a good amount of money. Get the 6spd in my opinion, it's real fun and you get better milage if you know how to drive (I have the 2.5 and recently have been getting 40mpg on hilly highways and back roads). the main reason why i got mine was i love the drivetrain on these cars and how they feel, plus it's one of the best looking coupes out there. If you get black you will easily see fine scratches (true for all cars this color). if your getting it for life and new switch to synthetic engine/transmission fluid (much better) as the car will run/feel better. and lastly wait for a good deal if you can (when the new model yr is coming out).

[sparky11080]

I've actually been looking around most of my state, and thus far I haven't found a single 3.5-Standard. Even the 2.5 standards are tough to come by, but I refuse to drop down in horsepower for it.

I've owned two cars in my life, and both were black cars...keeping it black will be simply traditional. It's almost non-negotiable to have any other color after all this time.

And yes, I've always swapped to synthetic fluids in the car along with premium gas for the previous two cars. I do believe this car wouldn't perform as well with premium gas, but I'm still looking into the specifics.

[sparky11080]

Update: The tine and the seat covers seem to be a phenomenal idea, and a very convenient solution to fix the fading problem.
The tint was also a great idea, thought I hadn't put much thought into usefulness of it. New york allows 30% on the sides, anything on the back, nothing in the front.

Anybody else have any good suggestions?

[perfectcircle]

Went through the same thing 9 months ago. All local dealerships (Western NY) had only 2.5s on the lot. Since my dealer had to locate 3.5SR elsewhere - I decided to get it exactly how I wanted it (which is the same as your specs, minus the stick shift). Turned out the closest one was in Rhode Island. You may have to find one out of state. With the super black, she would never look clean for more than day after a wash, but the color is worth it.

Never thought about any fade issue with the red leather. I have been fine so far but she is either in the garage or parked in the shade.

I choose CVT over manual for a few reasons:
- Haven't driven a stick in 5-6 years
- Daily driver with mostly a city commute
- Actually love the steady kick that you get in a take off with the CVT

She is still pretty much stock, but I figure I will install K&N Intake & possibly NISMO exhaust in the future

[sparky11080]

I am going to get the NISMO exhaust when I get it, along with the NISMO spoiler (probably on the spoiler)

Do you like the red leather? I am hoping it won't look tacky...

[perfectcircle]

It only works with a few exterior colors (pretty much super black & slate). If you haven't seen it in person, you need too, I think it looks better in person than most pics you would see in a google search. Seems darker in person - I think most camera flashes saturate the color.

[sparky11080]

Distance to Syracuse or Binghamton NY?

[perfectcircle]

Probably 1.5/2 hours out (west of Rochester).

Every Nissan dealer should also have a board with large sample swatches of every leather and fabric interior that they provide. That was my deciding factor since they had no car on the lot with that interior.

[sparky11080]

Im relieved to see it isn't going to look over the top. I saw a picture from the outside and it looked as thought it was going to look a little off balance between the seats and the rest of the interior. Like they would stand out too much.

[Toronto Coupe]

Your post could have been written by me a few months ago. I went through tons of reviews and online forums, was looking at the accord a lot. Like you I chose the 3.5 6mt Altima but I wanted it in dark gray with red leather seats. Until I saw the red leather seats... not my style. The black leather with the white sticking is much nicer IMO. When I finally decided to place the order it became apparent I wasn't going to get the colour I wanted, unless I was ready to wait a minimum of 8 weeks. There was only a handful of 6mt 3.5's out there. Settled on the silver with black interior.

Love the car. Looking to get the Nismo exhaust but they want $1500 here from the dealer. Borla is going for $950.

Good luck with your purchase!

[sparky11080]

Im intending to figure out how to get it thru online for the online for the $958 it is listed as. (I try to be optimistic)
As far as the seats go, I really want to see them before I invest. Unfortunately it seems like the website won't let you put both the black leather and MT together (on the super black). And the paint color is something I'm not willing to trade-off on. Having a black car is almost ingrained into me at this point after the past two. I want a car that I know I'm going to love every piece over, rather than love most and feel regret on some.

[RicerX]

First, welcome to NICO!

I'm going to make a nice long post for you since I am now on Altima Coupe #3, and the one I'm driving is identical to what you're looking for, except it's a 2010 model.

My first point is to all the guys that always say "dude just buy a Z if you're going to spend $31k on an Altima Coupe". Not everyone can get away with a two-seat RWD sports car. Also, in most cases, insurance is much cheaper on the Altima, especially for drivers under 25 years of age. On top of all that, OP is right - to get a Z with the features that come in an AC at 31k, the Z is closer to $40k out the door. For most people that would rather have a bias towards interior amenities over a drivetrain, $10k is a lot of money. I believe OP also mentioned something about being a college student. I don't know many college students privileged enough to be able to afford a car as nice as a high-end AC, much less a $40k Z. Irks the piss out of me when everyone throws the Z out there without even taking into account the OP's vehicle requirements. Two different cars, two different purposes. It sounds like OP has his mind made up on what he wants.

As for you, sparky, in regards to Nissan's stupid Build Your Own setup - the car is available in a manual with either black or red leather. Their configuration on that page led me to believe I couldn't obtain a manual transmission with a premium package for the 08 I first bought. I have bought three of these freakin things instead of being patient for a manual. I never should have bought the first two after driving the 6MT. If you're in the slightest bit inclined to having a manual transmission, I implore you to keep patient and wait until you find one. Coming from experience, the car is a totally different animal from the CVT version. The CVT is nice, but if you know how to drive stick well, you get more power when you want it and better fuel mileage when you can milk it. (28.4 is what I get back and forth to work when I baby it. My record trip on the highway is 34 - Yes, in the 3.5, not the 2.5, with intake and exhaust the only mods installed on my car at the moment). My best fuel numbers on my CVT were 25.5 city/30.5 hwy. Traffic isn't bad at all where I am - in a busy city those will be worse for sure.

Bottom line is - Nissan's configurator is dumb for the Altima - it doesn't allow you to see all the combinations that are actually manufactured. I do know that leather and premium are included with a manual for ACs 2010 and up (cloth is not available with a 6MT). The only thing you can do to make the search harder for yourself is to require navigation (I have not seen a 6MT 2010+ with Nav to date on the forums or at any dealer I have searched). You will probably have to order that. You can find the car you want, but you will have to do some serious digging. I mixed between Autotrader and Nissan's dealer search, putting in zip codes from nearby [to me] major cities such as Nashville and Atlanta and making the search as broad as possible. A good dealer won't screw you around if you find one somewhere and don't want to drive, but the best deal will come with going to a lot at which the car is located, because a dealer ultimately wants to move inventory it already has instead of going through a bunch of extra legwork to move a unit it needs to acquire first.

Lastly - do NOT put seat covers on an Altima Coupe. It is a safety hazard as the car is equipped with Side Impact airbags that are installed in the sides of the seats. In the event of an accident, that seat cover will snap apart and wrap you inside of it in a matter of less than a second, resulting in serious injury or death (read: elastic material flying at your face/body at 150+ mph). It is stated as such in the owner's manual. My recommendation for seat fade resistance is a GOOD tint that offers good UV protection even at low tint levels (such as 3M or LLumar - most professional tint shops use these - also be sure to get non-metallic tint as metallic tints can interfere with Bluetooth and Satellite radio devices). On top of the tint, use Meguiar's leather cleaner (it contains UV protectant), close the sunroof shade when parked, and use windshield sun shades.

If I missed anything, shout back. I think I covered most of your concerns. Good luck with the search! I would help, but I'm up to my eyeballs in some other projects at the moment.

[sparky11080]

For starters thank you for the extremely informative post. Definitely covered a lot of the bases I was trying to get real information on.

Secondly, I am the OP, so I appreciate the understanding as to why I won't be getting the Z. The military pays well, just not that well. Hence why I am privileged enough to afford this. I spent 4 months in the desert to afford to buy this car, and even then it's not enough to do without some financing, but it definitely took out a large chunk.

I do not mind driving way out of my way to pick up a car. A few hundred in gas to get a car isn't much to me, and I could always turn it into some kind of road trip. I definitely am going to get the manual over the CVT. No offense to the CVT drivers, but it's not for me. I've owned automatics and manuals, and I defintely feel a much deeper connection with the manuals. I know it sounds weird, but I actually get a bond with the manual cars, like i actually have a feel for it...extension of myself rather than an object to drive. Plus I've read the CVT's aren't nearly as useful in the snow.

I have little intention of getting the NAV package as I see it costs and extra couple thousand dollars I honestly do not have to spend. The 4.3" display is more than enough for myself, and it's still nicer than any other car I would expect to own at this point in my life. If you were to suggest a red vs black interior with the leather, what would you recommend?

I already had the intention of getting tint on the windows. I am allowed per state law, nothing on the windshield, up to 30% on side windows, and no regulations on the rear (as long as you have side-view mirrors). I also doubt I will get in too much issue with putting darker tint on the rear small coupe windows. The metallic won't be a problem as it's illegal in New York. I did not know about the seat covers though, thank you for potentially saving my life.

I'm also curious regarding some of the mods I've been reading about. Specifically opinions on the NISMO exhaust system (as it comes through Nissan and seems easy to acquire and install). I've also considered the racingline short-throw shift (possibly with weighted knob if necessary). There is also a cold-air intake possibility.
I've also considered the application of a turbo on the 3.5 at some point, but I haven't really looked into it, so I'm not sure if the engine would be able to handle it or if I should just leave it naturally aspirated.
A lowering kit was also a possibility, but after consideration it wouldn't be as practical for the snow we get in New York. I have to trade-off summer speed for snow capabilities. I will be buying a nice set of snow tires to swap out.
Do you have any other suggested modifications that you would recommend?

[mmkeller]

As far as seat covers go, they make them now for the seat air bags, I've seen them in person and they look just as good. If you get them they should say if it is for seats that have the air bag.

[sparky11080]

Well, was going to buy this brand new, but as luck would have it, I seem to have found one that's everything I want, and only slightly used.
Trying to find the 2010 6MT in Black was hard enough, but to find it with the red interior AND at almost 10,000 miles this thing seems too good to be true.
2010 Altima Coupe - anybody able to take a double peek and see if this seems as good as I hope it is?

The dealership is asking for 25,500 but I am going to see if I can't knock it down to 23,000 with a large cash down payment.

[RicerX]

As far as seat covers go, they make them now for the seat air bags, I've seen them in person and they look just as good. If you get them they should say if it is for seats that have the air bag.

Good eye! If you find em online, post a link. That would be some good information to post on the stickies I'm working on.

[RicerX]

If you were to suggest a red vs black interior with the leather, what would you recommend?

I have had both - an 08 black on black, and now the 10 with black on red. Every time I look at old pictures of my 08, I am reminded why I love the red. I just love the contrast of the red on black. That all comes down to personal preference though.

I'm also curious regarding some of the mods I've been reading about.

1) NISMO exhaust system - While it's nice that Nissan backs this part with a full warranty and you can have them install it, it doesn't matter much because Greddy, Tanabe, Borla, and Stillen all offer warranties of some type with their exhausts, and none of which will void the warranty of your coupe. My recommendation is to check out Youtube to hear what they sound like. Be sure the video specifies the 3.5, as some are applicable to both engines.

2) racingline short-throw shift (possibly with weighted knob if necessary) - I have heard from several MT owners that this mod is one of the best ones for the 6MT. I do not yet have any experience with this, but it is in my long term plans. I know the '10's 6mt knob has some weight, but you'd want to check around. Your choices for knobs are fairly limited, however, because of the reverse lockout. You can use any knob you want if you remove that, but there are some that work without having to modify your shifter (I personally like the lockout).

3) "There is also a cold-air intake possibility" - Gonna get you on this but there are technically no true CAIs available for the 3.5s. Soon, the parts index will be updated and you'll see the choices for intakes. There are many solid brands that have applications for us such as AEM, K&N, DC Sports, Fujita, and Injen.

4) "I've also considered the application of a turbo on the 3.5 at some point, but I haven't really looked into it, so I'm not sure if the engine would be able to handle it or if I should just leave it naturally aspirated" - This is totally your call, but doable. Check out [link=http://www.speedforceracing.com]Speed Force Racing[/link] and check some of the stuff available. A forumer by the name of RickyC has a lot of experience with them.

5) "A lowering kit was also a possibility" - it can still be done, but if you do, do it right and go with coilovers. Tein Basics or Super Street kits offer the least aggressive minimal height drop, so you can still have a daily driveable ride height without worry of scraping, etc. The optimal settings for snow and the like would of course be the OEM suspension setup, but the coils would work ok for snow if you keep it at the minimum drop, and would allow you plenty of fun in the summertime =D

Hope all that helps. Shop around here and check some of the threads about mods. There is much information here. Hopefully I can get the stickies fixed soon so you have a parts index to look at.

Finally - on the car you found - I was able to snag mine for $24K and change with 12k miles on it, and the only difference between mine and the one you found is mine already had the spoiler installed (about $400 from the factory). Getting them to $23k BEFORE your down payment shouldn't be an issue, unless you're trading in toward it. I would definitely pull the VIN and get a carfax to make sure it's not a salvaged title or has been in an accident.

[sparky11080]

1 - I doubt I will be able to get a full warranty on my car if I'm buying it used. So I may be able to look at the separate types of exhaust. I'm definitely aiming for a different sound from stock, but I'm still a little sketchy as to exactly what I like (lack of experience with the different exhaust sounds). However I do know that some exhausts heighten the volume a significant bit, and I'm aiming more for a change in sound over a change in volume. The volume problem extends from state laws which limit the types of muffler I have. Thank you new york...

2 - Definitely believe this is going to be one of the short-throws as the price isn't crazy to get them, and having a friend who's a mechanic will save me on installation. There are a few weighted shift knobs I saw at TWM that are reverse lock enabled (only a few types such as Piston though) and I will consider those. Unfortunately they are all metal only. I do like the small amount of rubber on the sides to make sure my hands don't slip in the heat of the moment. Maybe they come with an option to have some kind of rubber added to the sides. (They also don't have engravings for our unique type of reverse placement).

3 - I guess I can always wait on the cold-air intake, the future holds many wonders I cannot dream of.

4 - The turbo was something that worried me on price, and I guess I had a right to be worried. Looks like I may have to deploy again just to pay for it. However at least there's always that option for me to take if I do need to buy car parts XD

5 - The coil overs seem more universally useful, but after a lot of reading (thank you NICO) it seems that the coil overs would produce a rather rough ride which may make daily driving a bear. I'm shooting for a swiss army car, enough to be comfortable with daily driving and still be enough to prove itself when challenged.

The car is hard to tell from where I am unfortunately, as I technically haven't returned home yet. Most of this is being done from overseas. However with the majority (and by majority I mean all) of my pay going towards this project, I may as well be looking up what I'd like while I'm here. Glad I found this place though, it's given me a million ideas I had not even considered. And I can't send anyone to take a look at the car for me since it's technically 3 hours from where I live. I'm going to be a little upset when I find out that car ends up being a great deal, and I missed it because I wasn't home.

[jahn surf irie]

As far as seat covers go, they make them now for the seat air bags, I've seen them in person and they look just as good. If you get them they should say if it is for seats that have the air bag.

Good eye! If you find em online, post a link. That would be some good information to post on the stickies I'm working on.

There's a bunch of sites that sell the side-airbag compliant seat covers.
One popular site is: http://www.autoanything.com/seat-covers/10A52289.aspx
I personally got my sheepskin seat covers from: http://www.rmsheepskin.com/
Pricey but worth every penny, much more comfy than leather imo!

[DReed86]

I would recommend getting manual, that was the major issue I have with my car, the CVT is no good for modding. If you get manual you wont have any problems down the road

Im lucky and have not had any problems yet but some people have run into some major issues.

[wade001]

Distance to Syracuse or Binghamton NY?

Your in central NY? I go to school up here, get some snow tires for the winter and the car will handle fine. You have no idea how many cars I've passed that got stuck when I'm fine.
The best and first mods you should do are the STS and weighted shift knob. I'f your worried about your hand slipping on a SS knob that can be taken care of. WC lathworks can customize it for you. thats why I bought mine from them and it's awesome. Plus they'r hand made ! I have no prob with mine, can easily shift with a few fingers and not lose grip.

[sparky11080]

You will have to give me more information regarding it, and yes I went to Onondaga CC, and will be going to Oswego this following semester.
I also work out of Syracuse, so I have to make the apparently infamous bumper-cars trip up 81 through that snow belt. Obviously the snow-tires will be one of the initial buys when purchasing this car. After some research into it, I have a much better feeling regarding the manual vs the CVT for the snow conditions. Ability to control my revs will work out well for me.

Also, if you could post a link regarding the company you spoke about, it would be appreciated. I was looking at the racingline STS though.

[wade001]

Ok. I go to college in madison county. What do you need to know? As for the shift knob you can find the info in the interior/exterior section, theres info on compatible shift knobs there. 6spd is a definite advantage in the snow in my mind. As far as i know the racing line STS is the only one out there.