Give me the Good and the Bad

[CALGARY]

I'm expectinng delivery soon (I hope) and I want a sum up of the good of this car and the bad, I'm getting nervous that I may of made the wrong decision!!

[tama48]

I am beginning to think that too!!!!!!!!! Maybe I shouldn't have bought this car the first year out?????? Lots of problems. Good Luck!

[Ever Victorious]

There is an ownership FAQ on the nissanversa.org portal page you may wish to look through, which gives you some ideas of issues that have come up. It has not been updated recently, so there are a few more that have cropped up.

There is also a buying FAQ that gives you some notes about how the Versa compares vs. its competitors. This was written before the latest round of crash tests, so it doesn't reflect that it is also the best vs. all competitors in that arena as well.

I know many people have never heard anyone say these words in their life AND actually mean it, but...

"I'm sorry I got rid of my Kia."

The Versa is a great car, or at least it can be. My specific Versa... is not.

[marleyfan]

I've had my SL since mid October. I absolutlely love it. The only possible complaint I have is that I'm not getting the gas mileage I was hoping for. However that seems to be improving a bit lately. I like the way it handles, I like how it looks, I get compliments on it all the time. No regrets here.

[campersand]

I've only had mine for a week so you might want to take this with a grain of salt, but so far I'm in love with the car. I have an SL CVT and I love the comfort/quietness/ride/look/stereo etc. Of course, some of what I like is just standard stuff you get with new cars, since I've never had a car that was made after '91 until now. But anyway, my first impressions have been great.

[cireecnop1]

I am falling back in Love with my V, It just needs a little tweeking on the throotle, needs to be WAY more responsive.

[kc5f]

So far the most mentioned problem is the TPMS. If you're getting a new Versa, it shouldn't be a problem. I've got almost 11,000 miles on mine, but it was made a few days after the July date listed in the service bulletin as the upper range for problems, and mine works flawlessly. No errors, no false positives, and it told me correctly when my pressure was low when it got down to about 14 degrees outside.

Higher mileage would be nice, but I don't think that qualifies as a "problem". Besides, my CVT only gets about 10% less than I'd expected from EPA ratings, and I can live with that, given the unexpected quality, comfort, smoothness, quiet ride and safety ratings.

Brakes? Acceleration? I'm not sure what some folks were expecting when they bought the bottom-of-the-line Nissan, but I wasn't expecting a sports car. My previous car was a "sportier" Probe, and the Versa matches up pretty well. I've had my share of panic stops without problems (without ABS), and it's easy enough to get to highway speed quickly and it passes nicely without complaint on its part or mine.

Yes, I've had the passenger air bag cover problem, but as long as it's not a safety issue and they replace it for free, it's within what I consider acceptable things "up with which to put" in trying out a first year vehicle but getting such features in the process.

[cireecnop1]

*Agreed* but i guess that the "bluetooth" and the "CVT" option gave us or at least some of us (me) false hopes of getting a much higher (not sure how to say this politically correct) quality car, not just the bottom-of-the-line Nissan. I probably should have traded my Audi in for another Audi, Oh well, you live you learn. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[Slither]

I'm very happy with my Versa. I've had no problems at all.TPMS is only fitted on the U.S. Versa.

I like the room, the seats, smoothness of CVT and just about everything else.

My only beef is real world gas mileage.

When you pick up your V go and look at the car first before signing any ppwk. Mine was kept out of sight until I'd signed, then I found I had the unwanted charcoal interior.

Good luck & happy hols!

[Ever Victorious]

You still shouldn't say "hey, a bottom of the line car can have crappy brakes, that's ok" because it simply isn't true. My Kias have all had better brakes... even the base-line Spectras. They were front disc, rear drums like the V, but the car kept straight during panic braking. The V does not, from my experience.

[Jrscherer]

I've had no problems what so ever with my car. I mean yeah I had a sensor go but that can happen to anyone. Other then that it has been a lot better then the ford escort I had before this. I can actually drive this one in snow and crap weather without being afraid of trying to stop or spinning out. Brakes are actually really good personal and do stop very well. Along with the acceleration, can get past semis and anything of the like. Other then the gas milage, which everyone seems to be slightly disappointed about, but what you expect from a small engine trying to move a car that almost weighs, what like 3700 pounds. Oh well, other wise it's a great choice of cars.

[kc5f]

You still shouldn't say "hey, a bottom of the line car can have crappy brakes, that's ok" because it simply isn't true.

I agree, and wasn't trying to say that. I was just saying that mine are as good as any other small car I've driven, and I didn't expect sports car performance because I wouldn't be driving the V like a sports car. (Never tried a Kia because of a bad experience with another Korean brand.) My V has kept straight during panic stops and while testing it on dry and wet pavement, so I'm satisfied.

[Slither]

<<<Other then the gas milage, which everyone seems to be slightly disappointed about, >>>

A good point but Nissan were promising in the Versa brochure I saw up here in Canada 37 MPG city and 46 MPG highway with CVT.

The reality is about 10 MPG worse in each case.

This was something that helped make Versa my key choice. I am happy with the car but I wonder if a 4 or 6 cyl Altima does better..?

[frankietabs]

I absolutely love my car. Looks great and tons of interior space. I've been getting between 490-560km per tank of gas. Wish the rear seats would fold flat. That's the only minor complaint but I knew that when I purchased. For the money, I think you get alot of car. Just wish I had gotten the Tech package. Oh well.....

[CALGARY]

Thanks everyone, I feel much better now. I figure if I hate it, I can sell and get something else. My nervousness comes from owning the first year production (even though it has been around in the Middle East/Europe) I should of shelled out for the tech but I don't have a BT phone and the rest just seemed like niceities (not must haves)

[XterraVersa]

It is what it is...an econo box. Not a sports car, not a luxury car.

I am getting ~ 37mpg after 7000 miles. The last tanl looks like it will be the worst, 300 miles at 1/4 full, but that is expected driving 10-20 mph for 4 hours in a blizzard & the day after.

The heater is hot as hell, a nice surprise. It kept the ice from forming on the wipers. It was nice having skinny tires & no ABS in the loose pack & slush, the tire cut down through the loose stuff to the pavement. Traction was not a problem even up the off ramps. FWD rules..

I took this car on a 1500 mile road trip & never noticed it was a small car. There is more room in this thing for the driver than in my Xterra.

The ride is a bit stiff, but a lot better than other econobox cars I tried.

Go in with econbox expectations & you will be happy. Go in with high-end expectations & you will be disapointed.

The TPMS failure is the only thing that had happened to mine. The Nissan dealer I go for service replaced it, as they should have, instead of resetting a failed part.

[proxim2020]

So far I haven't experience any problems. My only complaint so far is that the seats could have more adjustability for more comfort on longer trips.

[versabundus]

Better hang on to this one! You must have gotten an experimental unit released by mistake. I haven't seen ANYONE getting that kind of mileage. Come on 37 MPG?

The Good: Interior Space, Comfortable Seats, Decent Materials and Design, Quiet Cabin, Excellent Controls, Forward Visibility, Engine Compartment Layout, Engine Smoothness.

The Bad: Rear Visibility, 6 sp. Shifter, Gear Ratios, Driveline Noise at Highway Speed (65), Parcel Cover Rattles and Squeaks,OEM tires

The UGLY: TPMS Glitches, Mileage, Paint Chips EASILY, Soulless (you'll be tired of it in 6 months)

Modified by versabundus at 6:58 AM 12/26/2006
Modified by versabundus at 6:59 AM 12/26/2006

[versula]

Good: I just got back from home for the holidays where I was borrowing my sister's [more expensive] Corolla S 5 speed and let me tell you the Versa's interior alone is 10 times better. It is roomy, well apointed for the class and just feels less econo than it looks. It has a high seating position as well, which makes driving with all the SUVs a little less intimidating.

Bad: Brakes are mushy although I haven't had the emergency braking that others here have had... Steering is like a video game... so the car is not a boy-racer mobile. If you want that, get a mini or fit. But except my CD player breaking and the wheel cover disinegrating [both fixed at no cost], I have not had anything wrong with my car.

I have a base S with 4 AT & power package and it suits me fine. Much better car than the 07 Sentra and the Yawnis crowd.

[sunnyweathergirl]

I've had my Versa for about 5 months now and have not had ANY of the problems the other people on this board have had.

I guess I'm just one of the lucky ones!