Hi,
I'm thinking about buying a Versa, and had a few questions for you do-it-yourselfers.
The first thing is if there's a good place online to buy accessories from. I've been buying Hondas, and want a small hatchback. I'm preferring the Versa over the Fit. But I've always had good places online to buy genuine accessories at way below what the dealer sells them for (like the floor mats and splash guards and so forth).
The second question is about how easy it is to do basic maintenance; oil changes and in-cabin air filters, for example.
TIA,Fred
DIYers Questions
Re: DIYers Questions (gfxguy)
Hey Fred welcome to the Nissan familygfxguy wrote:Hi,
I'm thinking about buying a Versa, and had a few questions for you do-it-yourselfers.
The first thing is if there's a good place online to buy accessories from. I've been buying Hondas, and want a small hatchback. I'm preferring the Versa over the Fit. But I've always had good places online to buy genuine accessories at way below what the dealer sells them for (like the floor mats and splash guards and so forth).
The second question is about how easy it is to do basic maintenance; oil changes and in-cabin air filters, for example.
TIA,Fred
When I think online accesories I think Courtesyparts.com and mynismo.com they are both pretty good. Sorta like Majestichonda (I used to own honda cars.)
Basic items are super easy. Especially when you have the factory service manual to look thru the work before you do it. It is available for download in this section if you do a search. That with some tools and time in hand and you are way ahead of the game.
The fact that I have a FSM is a great factor in my deciding of going with the Versa. This isn't the first Nissan/Infiniti FSM I have hand and I am used to them.
Not like Honda where you have to get a Helm manual and pay a great deal.
Good luck with your purchase
Thanks for the info.
I'm not really finding what I want. H and A accessories (handaaccessories.com) is what I basically have used for my last few Hondas.
I can find genuine Nissan accessories, but it seems there are great limitations to what's available. For example, if you buy a lesser Honda (LX) you can often buy the higher end (EX) parts. For example, you can easily replace an LX stereo with an EX stereo (excepting number of speakers, of course).
In my case, aside from the usual things that I don't want to pay a dealer for (I'll probably try to haggle them in for "free"), like carpets and splash guards, alloy wheels would be nice. Sure, I can buy aftermarket, but I like the more conservative look of OEM alloy wheels. I don't want to show off, I just don't like the steel. Most after markets seem very "spokey", too.
So an S with the power package and ABS costs $1300 less than an SL with ABS (according to CarsDirect.com, in my zip). The only things I'll miss are the alloy wheels and cruise control. I also like the fabric on the seats better. Since I'll still have a larger car for trips, I can live without the cruise. So it's $1300, essentially, for alloy wheels.
I mean, yeah, there's a few niceties in there, like the fabric and audio (another $200-$250 or so for a nicer HU with AUX). But when I look at what I'm really want and need, $1300 is just not worth it (that's me, I certainly won't disparage anybody for whatever they want).
I can live without all that stuff, really, and have an appointment even at the dealership for some test driving... just seems like it'd be nice to upgrade some things more easily.
Looking at the Fit, though, it doesn't seem like even H and A offers much, so maybe it's just this class of cars... economy is economy.
I've seen on another thread that one of the issues is TPMS, but I'd think I could use the sensors from the steel wheels.
I'm not really finding what I want. H and A accessories (handaaccessories.com) is what I basically have used for my last few Hondas.
I can find genuine Nissan accessories, but it seems there are great limitations to what's available. For example, if you buy a lesser Honda (LX) you can often buy the higher end (EX) parts. For example, you can easily replace an LX stereo with an EX stereo (excepting number of speakers, of course).
In my case, aside from the usual things that I don't want to pay a dealer for (I'll probably try to haggle them in for "free"), like carpets and splash guards, alloy wheels would be nice. Sure, I can buy aftermarket, but I like the more conservative look of OEM alloy wheels. I don't want to show off, I just don't like the steel. Most after markets seem very "spokey", too.
So an S with the power package and ABS costs $1300 less than an SL with ABS (according to CarsDirect.com, in my zip). The only things I'll miss are the alloy wheels and cruise control. I also like the fabric on the seats better. Since I'll still have a larger car for trips, I can live without the cruise. So it's $1300, essentially, for alloy wheels.
I mean, yeah, there's a few niceties in there, like the fabric and audio (another $200-$250 or so for a nicer HU with AUX). But when I look at what I'm really want and need, $1300 is just not worth it (that's me, I certainly won't disparage anybody for whatever they want).
I can live without all that stuff, really, and have an appointment even at the dealership for some test driving... just seems like it'd be nice to upgrade some things more easily.
Looking at the Fit, though, it doesn't seem like even H and A offers much, so maybe it's just this class of cars... economy is economy.
I've seen on another thread that one of the issues is TPMS, but I'd think I could use the sensors from the steel wheels.