THOUGHTS ON 1 YEAR OF OWNERSHIP

[IDAHO68]

2011 Versa S at one year of ownership.

After a year and 17,000 miles of ownership, these are my thoughts about the Versa.

Firstly, I'm 68 years old, live in Boise, ID., and have owned 15 cars since 1961; yes I keep them a while, and maintain them well. The cars have included a new 1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1 convertible, Corvair, Austin Healy Sprite [MKII], Volvo P1800, and a VW bug.

Most of the maintenance is done at home. Currently, we own a 199 Jeep Wrangler, 1983 Chev fullsize Blazer, and the Versa.

We bought this so we could travel in retirement and not worry about the cost of gas. The car we got rid of was a 1991 Sentra SE-R bought new - that was a superb car! In 2010, just before getting rid of it, we drove it to Chicago and back with zero problems. This is my 3rd new Nissan, the first was a Datsun 810 bought in ’78, a 4 door sedan with the engine from the 240Z. That also was a great car.

This car is a 2011 Versa S, 4 speed auto, bought in 2010.

LIKES:

Cargo space - if you belong to associations, you get invited to banquets and conventions. Lots of guys don't pack a tux because they take up extra room if they are to be wrinkle free when you put them on. In this car, I could travel with a gorilla suit! The cargo area swallows camera cases, gun cases [see the living in Idaho part, above], suitcases, a cooler, and you still can see out the back window.

Mileage – At the mandated [with Nazi like enforcement] 55 mph speed limit in our neighboring state of Oregon, we get 39 mpg using cruise control on relatively flat terrain. In more mountainous terrain, at that speed, that goes to 37. At the more reasonable speed of 75 [in most of the Western states] we get 33.

Headlights – some of the best ever in a regular car, including the pattern on high beam.

Wipers – lots of variability in the intervals and a decent rear wiper as well.

Sound system – best ever for an entry level car, but that is probably only the result of evolution.

DISLIKES

The owners manual instruction to take the car to a dealer to replace a headlight or taillight bulb – that ain’t going to happen. Buy or view the service manual online. Even if you buy it, I’d bet that just a few bulb changes would pay you back and then some. They could easily fix this.

The guys who designed and approved the stupid little sun visors need to be fired. There is just a small amount of coverage. This is a safety issue.

I cannot find any recommendation or owners manual instruction from Nissan to change the cabin filter. This is about a 12 to 14 thousand mile item, and it didn’t go to the dealer for that either. You can do it in your driveway in about 10 min.

The auto door locking thing at 20 mph. Who asked for that?

Who asked that the A/C to come on when you switched the ventilation system to include the dash vents? Here in Idaho, we have lots of cold air, and many times the A/C is not needed, just a change in where the air goes.

Removing the lower fairing in order to do an oil change, also that brass washer on the oil pan plug – why wasn’t the last 70 or so years of industry practice good enough for Nissan this time? I buy a package of 10 washers for $7.10 plus shipping from Courtesy Nissan online. You can get by without removing the fairing, but you will get it filthy with oil when you remove the filter.

Ergonomics are not good. You want to stay at places with a swimming pool. 10 hours of sitting in these seats will make you seek some way to loosen up. The seats on the old Sentra were far superior. The adjustable wheel helps a little. A seat adjustable for height would help, and one is available, but for $3000??? A wheel that telescopes along with move up and down would be even better.

The instruments are down in dark holes. When you are wearing sunglasses, [about 95% of the daytime driving here] you cannot see the needles. This is not the only car that has this problem, but most others do not, and this is 2011. Nissan could have done better.

Noise is a real pain. The heater motor almost drowns out the A/C compressor, but both are the noisiest I’ve ever heard, and my hearing has been impaired since Vietnam. There also is what sounds like an intermittently loose part or panel in the hatch.

Tires - the original equipment Continentals are not great. I realize they are built to a price, but Conti has a reputation to uphold, and these tires aren’t helping. They lack grip. A set of Michelins will be my first major change.

I like the car, but the list above is of things Nissan did well along with several things they could have done better. Those oil change washers and bulb change instructions are seen by most people as the company nickel and diming you by forcing you into dealerships for each and every item. This is not enhancing customer loyalty.
My next car will not be bought as a result of an automatic trip to a Nissan dealer.

[boxcarbill]

Hello fellow Idahoan (Coeur d'Alene here). I hate the AC coming on when I use the defrost vent also. I have an '07 6 speed and there is not enough overdrive in 6th gear. I put a set of Toyo Eclipse 205/70/15 tires on at 700 miles. They give me an additional 8% overdrive without any noticeable difference starting out in first gear.
Go to NAPA auto parts, ask for a 12mm nylon oil plug gasket. They cost about $1 and will last 3 oil changes.

[yen2go]

Hello Sir, I agree with much of what you said. And you had me laughing when you asked "the auto door lock at 20 miles per hour - who's idea was that?". Every time I hear that sound I look around like - who's locking me in & why ? l get a barely controlable urge to jump out of my own new car ! I also DO like the trunk and back seat space as well as the headlight lighting just where the road needs to be lite. The light trajectory is very specific and I like to think less intrusive to approaching oncoming vehicles on small back roads.

[Rogue One]

Thanks for the comments!

Owners manual is available to download for free. 2011 Versa Owners Manual

Cabin filter instructions here at NICOclub In-Cabin Air Filter replacement WITH photo's!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnxCXAmxpSg[/youtube]