Need some help deciding on a 2011 Versa

[DemskeetSkeet]

Hello there!

Proud 2010 Kia Soul owner here and have about $15.3k left to pay on my Kia Soul, got their lowest rate at 2.99% for about $18.5k out the door on it last year.

I am always looking for deals and such and I think I may have found it with the 2011 Versa 5 door fully loaded(doesn't include the moonroof or satelitte radio, frankly I don't need those features).

They are currently offering 0% and I know I will qualify for it no problem.

It's all Black, 28/34mpg, blue tooth, steering wheel mounted controls etc. Built the car online nd actually found the exact same car at my local dealership.

Went their today and thought it was going to be smaller but it's about thesame size as my Soul.


I was curious about how well it rides/drives, how's the transmission?

I would also like to know your opinon on that smart key system.

I only have until the 31st to get the 0% offer in and I will be going to check the car out on Monday after work. If I like the features in person then I will tes drive.

I'm really just worried about the Nissan quality/warranty.

do love how sexy the Black is : )

[Andrews Chalmers]

No offense - but how is it a "deal" to trade in what is essentially a brand new car for another brand new car? If you owe $15.3k, you essentially owe more than what the trade-in value will be for the Kia Soul.

Even if you get 0% zero down financing for the new Versa, you or the Nissan dealer will still have to pay off the Soul. In essence someone be paying for the value of a new Versa + $15.3k - trade in value of the Soul.

The Versa is fine. You won't be upgrading by going from a Soul to a Versa, and incurring a lot of unnecessary financial liabilities.

[DemskeetSkeet]

The soul is worth right around $14.5k so their isn't much negative equity there.

I figured if they knocked a little off the car, that would make up for the negative equity from trading in the soul. Then I'd be at 0% for a $19k car that has a lot of nice features: everything but the satellite radio and moonroof.

Not too sure where you got the financial burden from, I'd even have a lesser payment a month.

[Andrews Chalmers]

I'm surprised the Soul retains such value.

[Promise Land]

Nissan's CVT will do just fine for you and has a high mile warranty on it. Drive the car and I'll bet you will be taking it home.

[DemskeetSkeet]

Thanks guys! Do you sit pretty low in the Versa?

That's the only thing I am worried about, the dealership was closed at the time on Saturday so I couldn't sit in it.

I love the Soul because it feels like a small SUV more than anything.

I love to sit up higher in a vehicle, even in smaller hatchbacks.

I did see that the Complete Loadout on this offers 6 or 8 manual adjustment settings on the driver side.

Here is the car I am looking at:

[steed77]

So you have new car and owe 15.3K (ON TRADE IN YOU MAY LOOSE 800-1000) at the end you will reset your loan at 19K (if you don't get the rollover trade-in) which may add more. I'm not sure how this makes financial sense to me.

That said, the Versa is a fine car.

[vtyde]

The Versa actually sits pretty high, which was a pleasant surprise to me. The car is skinny but it's also fairly tall, and the stock handling suffers for it: there's a lot of body roll. Add a rear sway bar for $150 and you're covered on that end.

I went from an 05 Mazda 3 hatch to the Versa and in almost every respect the Versa wins. The 3 had better stock handling and braking but that's about it: the 3 is definitely not worth the inflated price.

As far as finance goes, do what makes sense to you. Personally I think it's a mistake to sell/trade a car as new as yours, but I'm not in your shoes.

[gtrisfun]

interesting choice.

i had rented a Kia Soul a few months back while on a trip. thought it was an adequate car, interesting style, kinda digged the interior. i'd put it on a short list of alternatives to the Versa.

big thing i noticed was that the rear seats had much more legroom in the Versa over that of the Soul, when either car's front seats were rolled all the way back. the cargo area in both seemed about equal. sitting in the Versa is far lower than in the Soul. yeah, the Soul does seem to sit more like an SUV or crossover.

another funny thing you mentioned though, is concern over quality or durability of the Nissan. however, Kia (Hyundai) have only been in the US market for 10-ish years, while Nissan (from when they were Datsun) has been in the US for over 50 years now. i'd hafta say that in an overall sense, the Nissan is the more "proven" product. though the Kia's 10yr drivetrain warranty is great.

financially, if at best, you just end up starting paying for a car again. i was less than a year from paying off my previous car, only to be saddled with a new note. the only bummer thing is that i woulda had money in my pocket or more money for mods on my previous car, had i not traded in.

[08versailles]

Thanks guys! Do you sit pretty low in the Versa? That's the only thing I am worried about, the dealership was closed at the time on Saturday so I couldn't sit in it.

I like the upright driving position a lot! Yards of back seat room too. Lotsa people say they wish they had the SL, so get that. my 2 cents. 08v