Nissan CVT's; 60-100k and sell?

General discussion area for the L33-chassis Altima.
supr
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:36 pm
Car: 2018 Altima S

Post

I just bought a new to me 2018 Altima. 11k, CPO, perfect, Excellent reviews by Consumer Report, very reliable. What they do not tell you is that the CVT will odds on crap out between 60-100k. Then a $4-5k bill for a rebuild that may not make even that. Nissan has been turning CVT's out for almost 20 years, but, it seems, reliability is only slightly better. Even the Service Advisor at Nissan said even the 2019's seem no better. I am told a CVT costs maybe 1/2 on a regular Auto tranny, yet they charge as much list as Toyota, who put in Auto's that last.
So, it seems that Nissan is banking on the fact that owners dump their cars before 60 or 100k & move on. Pity the next unsuspecting owner, as not much is out there on late model CVT failures. Nissan is spending HUGE amounts replacing CVT's under warranty. If they spent the money to either make it reliable or just put in a 9 speed, they would save money and repeat customers. I have CPO, good for 100k.
I am a loyal Nissan fan, just sold my 97 Altima, 220k. Have a 2000 Frontier 4x4, 5 speed, 130k. This current Altima is amazing, 40 mpg at 75, comfortable, quit, handles like a sports car, only to find out the CVT is a crap shoot. The Accord is now CVT, so only Camry is left with a 9 speed, which , in theory, should last the life of the car.
I will change my CVT fluid every 30k, but doubt that will make much difference.
Please tell me where I am wrong on any of this.
Regrettably, the moral of the story is avoid CVT's if you want to keep a car for the long term. Jury is out on Honda. They get obscene amounts for used Accords. Maybe their owners do not know, yet.
Look forward to your responses!


User avatar
PalmerWMD
Posts: 18383
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 3:14 pm
Car: 2004 350Z

Post

You have a CPO thats good for 100k.
Clearly not all the CVTs are "crapping out" just some subset of them.

if yours hasnt by 100K .. I dunno.. it may never will until the milage is similar to a regular tranny..
Certainaly there are quite a number of high mile Nissan CVTs out there...

with a warranty to 100k i wouldnt sweat it.
And who is to say u will be one of the unlucky ones..?

I had a 2014 Altima..loved it.... like u said 40 mpg and solid as a rock on the hiway ( I added Stillen thicker rear sway bar.. very much tightend up the high speed behavior.. unless yours is an SR (which already has that thicker sway bar from Nissan) I recommend getting it.
... only traded it in because i needed an SUV to go on dirt roads.

Also had a Maxima with a CVT.. I admit I only put took it from 19,000 to 40,000 miles... But i drove it like a stole it... never any issues...

Drive your beautiful car and enjoy!

supr
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:36 pm
Car: 2018 Altima S

Post

My question is I have no idea what the numbers are, good , bad or ugly. Only the ugly, mostly appears in print. The vast majority of people do not believe the CVT will last as long as a conventional Auto.
So, how do you bet on ownership when if you are wrong, you are out $5k, when you could have changed your horse & your bet?
I would like to keep the car 250k, but not with 3-4 tranny's

User avatar
PalmerWMD
Posts: 18383
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 3:14 pm
Car: 2004 350Z

Post

I'll partially quote myself off another thread...

What is for sure is they are more sensitive to missed fluid changes than any other design.
And yes they are less reliable than other Nissan Trannys (which actually do well with longevity compared to most other brands)

But all for sure last less than 100k?
No.
I spoke to a guy w/ a versa equipped with a CVT.. 450,000 miles original tranny in strenuous DC Taxi use (but he said he changed the fluid religiously)
Many other anecdotes of high miles CVTs are out there.

Yes, CVT early failures are real... and they are more common than they should be...but are they 100% of units? absolutely not, 50% of units? also, no.. even if it was 20% of units the outcry would be too big for these cars to stay in production...

Realistically i would be surprised if it was over 10% early failures considering to the incredibly high standards we hold automotive reliability these days.

Think about how many just Altimas alone have been sold... (plus versas, plus Sentras, plus maximas with their big V6s)

When I come back to the US I will buy a Sedan.. maybe that M37 for 12.8k on Nico classifieds right now or maybe a 16/17/18 Altima (I looove the long unrefulled range of those cars... its gives you an incredible safety margin in many dicy situations)

As I "live" on Nissan forums, I am aware of the reduced reliability expectation of the CVTs but because a tranny failure is such a high profile event, consumer reports would not give them the scores they do, if the early failures were even 10% .. even by todays high standards Altimas are among the more reliable cars out there

So its not enough to deter me off whats arguably one the very best affordable mid size sedans in form and function out there.
Enjoy your car and dont worry about it.

PS: On another forum a guy was complaining about his CVT breaking after 167,000 miles.. thats actually a very respectable milage for any automatic transmission, yet the guy is on you tube complainin how the CVT are "Crap" because of this "early failure"...

User avatar
PalmerWMD
Posts: 18383
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 3:14 pm
Car: 2004 350Z

Post

Enjoy :D


supr
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:36 pm
Car: 2018 Altima S

Post

Nice video. The key fobs have been kind of a PIA. Have had to have them reprogrammed. No luck getting a used one reprogrammed, either, even with right part #.
All in all, an amazing car. Not sure why the car mags are either neutral or dis the car. It's handling is great, & they do not acknowledge that either. It is scary how fast you can corner & no tire noise.

User avatar
PalmerWMD
Posts: 18383
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 3:14 pm
Car: 2004 350Z

Post

supr wrote:
Sat Feb 22, 2020 2:16 pm
Nice video. The key fobs have been kind of a PIA. Have had to have them reprogrammed. No luck getting a used one reprogrammed, either, even with right part #.
All in all, an amazing car. Not sure why the car mags are either neutral or dis the car. It's handling is great, & they do not acknowledge that either. It is scary how fast you can corner & no tire noise.
which trim do you have?
is it the SR?

supr
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:36 pm
Car: 2018 Altima S

Post

It is an "S". I did not want alloy wheels & the more expensive tires that come with them. Other than a nicer radio & maybe leather (not a good desert option), there is nothing I really want on the higher trim levels. The handling may be better on the SR, but probably not by much. 85 is about as much as I usually will do. Bought this car in Beaumont, TX. & drove it back to Taos, NM, where we were on vacation. We completed the San Antonio/El Paso section in 7 hrs, 540 M., just under 80 mph average. From El Paso to Albuquerque, got behind another white 2018 Altima just like mine. Along with 4 other vehicles, we were cruising 85-100 mph. I was disappointed that the cruise control quit after 90. Oh, well. I guess there is a reason for that, not sure what it is. We live in West Texas near Big Bend NP. Spectacular place. Retired.

Where do you live? How did you get this moderator gig? What has been your favorite Nissan?

I was very impressed with the 97 Altima. 130 mph. 30 MPG at 75. Had the GXE/value option package. Just got rid of it with 220k.
I restored a 1970 Porsche 911T, Targa. Amazing car, 130 top end, lots of fun, very solid at 100. Expensive maintenance. Something always breaking on an old car. Restoration started in 1983, sold car in 02 to buy a 02 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins, 6 speed manual, to tow a fifth wheel for retirement. Still have that truck, 130k. Weighs 7k with aux 90 G tank, 2k range, 20 mpg solo, 12 towing 12k fiver. We live 4 M off paved road, so only drive Altima when road is dry. We have the 4x4 2000 Frontier for muddy weather. Distances are vast out here, so the Altima is perfect for covering M and making them disappear comfortably.
What do you do for a living?

User avatar
PalmerWMD
Posts: 18383
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 3:14 pm
Car: 2004 350Z

Post

supr wrote:
Sun Feb 23, 2020 1:52 pm
-It is an "S". I did not want alloy wheels & the more expensive tires that come with them. Other than a nicer radio & maybe leather (not a good desert option), there is nothing I really want on the higher trim levels. The handling may be better on the SR, but probably not by much. 85 is about as much as I usually will do. Bought this car in Beaumont, TX. & drove it back to Taos, NM, where we were on vacation. We completed the San Antonio/El Paso section in 7 hrs, 540 M., just under 80 mph average. From El Paso to Albuquerque, got behind another white 2018 Altima just like mine. Along with 4 other vehicles, we were cruising 85-100 mph. I was disappointed that the cruise control quit after 90. Oh, well. I guess there is a reason for that, not sure what it is. We live in West Texas near Big Bend NP. Spectacular place. Retired.

-Where do you live? How did you get this moderator gig? What has been your favorite Nissan?


-What do you do for a living?

-Thanks for the detailed reply.
A tip on the "S". I had an "S" 2014 Altima (basically same car) and I installed the Stillen rear sway bar.
It really tightened up the control/handling at speed. AN incfredibly effective addtion for the money
https://stillen.com/products/2016-2018- ... del-304321

-I currently reside in Europe. I am however not an Officer on Nico (that is many years in the past, however there was a time very early in the site's existence many many years ago, when 60% of all posts on Nico were either my posts or replies to threads I had started)
My favorite Nissan was probably my Pearl 1992 Infiniti Q45, always felt avery close connection to that car.. ..... my 2004 350Z , 6 Speed in Daytona Blue, bought new in Jan 2005 a close second.. My 2003 G35 coupe was just wonderful also....Also really liked my 2009 Maxima and my 2015 Xterra PRO4X in Daytona Blue..
Nearly all of the best times of my life have been closely associated with Nissan/Infiniti products. And for this reason I will always feel happy and special behind the wheel of a new (to me) Nissan or Infiniti product..

- I am currently a deployable defense contractor, however my OCONUS contract will end in summer and I will come back to the US.. Luckily my savings are solid enough my lifestyle will not get affected unless I will be unemployed for a long time...(which is not likely)
....while my Xterra is on the boat I will buy a Nissan or Infiniti to get around and have fun.
I am thinking of either a 2 year used Altima (for its great seats and almost unparalelled unrefuelled range) or a 4 year used Infiniti Q50 (for the rakish looks and crisp handling/performance)..or the AWD M37 currently FS on Nico...a great form and function and reasonable cost.. Or perhaps a Classic 03/04 G35 Coupe, if I can find one in good condition (for the combination of a timeless design for relatively low cost and also emotional connection).


Return to “5th Generation Altima Sedan (2013-2018)”