Traded in 2007 Versa

[motoguy128]

Well, I decided that I'd had enough warranty issues, recalls, and I wanted osmething larger after our daughter was born. Ultimately I never really got over the cost cutting features. You get what you pay for. It was a good value, but had too many short commings.

The Good:- Low cost- very roomly for a subcompact with small outside dimensions- upright seating position- well padded/shaped seats. Was never uncomfortable on longer drives- Good midrange power, engine quiet and smooth at lower RPM's.- good ride quality for a subcompact.- stable at highway speeds- low gearing was nice for trailer towing. It did a commendable job towing my motorcycle on several trips. Not quite as good as my '03 Corolla however, but that's a more expensive vehicle.

The Bad:- Too many recalls and lingering issues- nothcy gearbox and clutch engagement that after 3 years I never got used to. I never had that problem with any other manual transmission I've driven.- The hanging throttle. I know why this is there, but the funny thing is that 5 different small cars I've rented in Europe did not do this. Nor did my '03 Corolla.- Brakes were pretty weak, and the car was tail happy under hard braking. no standard ABS in 2007- Cruise control was added to the power group in 2008 - closely spaced gears became tedious on my daily commute. I typically skipped seeral gears.- high revving on the highway. Not as buzzy as some other cars I've owned, but wiht 6 speeds, they could have done better.- one of the worst cars I've owned in the snow. Maybe it was the low gearing and junk OEM tires.- Poor handling, lots of body roll, tires squeel easily.- Short suspension travel, it bottomed out easily on larger bumps and rear end "tops" out over large bumps. Not very refined.- plastic clips on the wheel covers broke easily. Yet replacement covers were something like $50 each. - after 3 years years the styling was starting to look dated already.

Reliability/Quality Concerns:- 2 recalls for airbag issues and 1 warranty claim for the air bag cover comming loose.- front strut had a "Clunk". the dealer repaced one of the front struts and it went away for 1 week, but soon returned. That tells me it's a design flaw or and issue with the frame/chassis itself not interfacing properly with hte suspension subassembly. This issue pushed me over the edge. It took 4 dealer visits to get them to agree ther ewas a problem. I don't want ot know how many more it would take to actually fix it. A '09 loaner Versa did not have the noise. I could actually feel the a thump in the floorboards and in the steerig when it happened. It didn't give you much confidence taking a corner, when midcorner the suspension made a "clunk".- the engine mounts on occasion at freeway speeds under load, would resonante. It was an aweful noise, like part of the exhaust had come loose. It only did this 5 or 6 times over 3 years so I could never repeat it for the dealer.

OVerall, it was a real dissapointment. This was a car I had wanted to keep for 8-10 years and get away from having a car payment. But it was time to move on. I've never had a new vehcile with so many issues. Only my parents '89 Ford Taurus had more problems.

My new ride is a 2009 Honda CR-V. So I went from one "V" to another. I'm realyl impressed with the CR-V. It's not perfect either, but has all the features and space I was looking for. I wanted to like the Rogue, but it's was noticeable smaller inside than the CR-V, especially the cargo area. It also didn't have het same level of refinement in the ride, and interior materials, and similarly equipped, it was more expensive. Fundamentally, the Civic chassis that the CR-V is based on is much better than the Sentra chassis the Rogue is based on. The local Nissan dealer has always had minimal inventories.

[Andrews Chalmers]

Sorry to hear about your bad exp.

Nissan's manual transmissions has been junk for the past couple of years. The lingering throttle/hanging rpm was implemented to reduce emissions.

I decided to get the CVT because it was better implemented to match the engine.

[Shad0wXCalibur]

That sucks. My Versa's been great. I love the CVT and the suspension could ride a little better but it is still lots better than my old Neon. CR-Vs are great vehicles. We have a 98 CR-V. It's very roomy and does amazing on gas mileage considering it weighs quite a bit more than my Versa. We have both V's!

[motoguy128]

I knew the hanging throttle was for emissions, but other manuals I've driven didn't do that including several European compact cars and my '03 Corolla which I believe met the same emissions levels. Although most of those were diesels.

I suspect the Versa woudl have been better with the CVT and 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS. Although I wouldn't want to tow anything with the CVT.

We still love our Altima and would have bought a Murano, but even stripped down in the S trim level the AWD model is still pushing $30,000. The CR-V was around $25,000 and gets 2-3 mpg better overall and actually has a little more cargo room, expecially with the seats flipped folded forward.

One feature the CR-V has that I wish NA market Versa's have is a sliding rear seat. I think models overseas have this feature. It allows you to really expand the cargo area without folding the seats down. WIth children, you don;t need all the leg room anyway.

[Shad0wXCalibur]

Well with entry level cars, there are always gonna be a few quirks. A few may even get duds (like you may have unfortunately) but in general the Versa is higher quality than upper level cars from other companies such as the Cobalt or Corolla and even Nissan's own Sentra with the common complaint of the Versa interior being better built than the upper level Sentra!

I don't think any model Versa anywhere comes in 4-wheel disc brakes but maybe I could be wrong. The CVT is the one thing that makes the Versa drive like a higher level car. It's really smooth and quiet with no jolts and such going up hills even with cruise control. I'm glad I went with it and not an S model. That's not to say that I don't have any quirks though. The A/C compressor "moans" when it turns on and the suspension isn't rough but it doesn't feel smooth either and kinda "hops" over bigger bumps rather than absorbing them. I will be getting better tires soon though that should help smooth it out a little. But overall, I can't complain for the price. Enjoy the CR-V. Honda has good cars too and while our 98 CR-V lets in road noise, it has a smooth suspension and runs awesome with no leaks or oil burning at almost 160,000 miles getting 26-28 mpg city!

[VersaMG08]

Simple mods such as lowering springs, rear sway bar, and strut bar will make a big different in body roll, steering response and turning radius. But all of that can effect the warranty if they're compromised. It also defeats the purpose of first buying the car for what it's for, you should already be happy with it stock.

I love my V and plan to keep it until it breaks down, 10-12 years from now.

[iluvmyVersa08]

I love my V and plan to keep it until it breaks down, 10-12 years from now.

Same here! I love my V and plan on driving her into the ground.

Original poster: Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the Versa. You also had the 2007 model, very first year it was out. That is sometimes the worst thing about buying a car that is new to the market, too many problems. I got the 2008 model year, and so far the only issues were 1) the sunroof was leaking a bit when it rained heavily, and 2) the fuel pressure regulator had to be changed. Both issues I brought to the attention of my dealership and both issues were solved/fixed.

The CRV is definitely a nice vehicle. Enjoy it !

[NODES]

Same here! I love my V and plan on driving her into the ground.

Original poster: Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the Versa. You also had the 2007 model, very first year it was out. That is sometimes the worst thing about buying a car that is new to the market, too many problems. I got the 2008 model year, and so far the only issues were 1) the sunroof was leaking a bit when it rained heavily, and 2) the fuel pressure regulator had to be changed. Both issues I brought to the attention of my dealership and both issues were solved/fixed.

The CRV is definitely a nice vehicle. Enjoy it !

No excuses for the Versa because it was the first year, the versa was out I believe in 05-06 overseas.

[Codelicious]

No excuses for the Versa because it was the first year, the versa was out I believe in 05-06 overseas.

Yeah the Latio and Tiida were out a year or two before the US got the Versa. But the cars are a little different in certain ways. Overseas they also have A LOT more options than we have here which also doesn't make any sense to me.

I also plan on driving my Versa into the ground unless I ever come across enough money to get me a G35. lol

[BlackMetal]

sorry to hear that you had such a dud.We had seen many advertisements for the versa and really didn`t pay any attention to them until we decided to do something about our fuel usage VS vehicle usage. As mentioned in another post we traded in our Mint Xterra for the V, so we were not going form apples to apples here.

We noticed the V from a TV commercial advertising a dealership about an hour away. looked up there Website and made contact. After see the V in person and test driving, it was a very good economical choice for us...We were not using the xterra to it`s capacity or real 4WD function, and most of the time it sat in the driveway. Our other vehicle, a E250 Van got incredibly bad mileage even at highway speeds.

so, still the Versa was a good compromise of money/fuel usage/quality/size and function compared to other brands ie: toyota, chevy etc.

I`m simply amazed that even at highway/interstate speeds this car gets 32+mpg. Straight line driving is good, but easily swayed by passing vehicle or cross winds. Suspension does fall short in the larger slaloms and bumps in the road, especially repaired areas in the pavement. Cornering or tight twisty roads require negotiating the turn and speed control anything over 45-50, but remember what the car is...

But, for what the car is worth, and the reasons why we purchased it, it fits the bill for right now. Yes you do get what you pay for, and i believe the Versa is one of the better cars for it`s size, performance and economy out there.

*** the engine is a bit revy, it sounds like a bike, but the torque and power curves are strong and I`m amazed at how this little 1.8 can really zip and pass around other vehicles, Since I have learned it`s limitations and what it can do, I now know/predict it`s capabilites when using good judgement in driving.

all in all, just have to keep in mind what the car is and not overdrive it...

we are experiencing the "no start issue" prolly from the regulator and will need to take it in to the dealership...

so you have towed with the versa? I have thought about this, and didn`t care for the way the right side hitch mount utilizes the factory tow hook/tie down, just didn`t think that one bolt would be secure enough...which hitch did you use?

[Rand0m0sityxX]

You can't compare our vehicles to overseas.. They're not the exact same..

As for it being out overseas on 05-06, that doesn't matter either, for the same reason, they are different.. And it takes more than 2 years sometimes to get a car better than the first year..

Cr-v's are great! $25k is a good price (the one i want new is $33k >.<) There's a lot on them, and the space is amazing. THe rear seats move in the 3g which is handy, tho the cargo room is pretty big, you still could use more sometimes. =] Mine is a 1g, it gets 26028mpg, which i think is great for as heavy as it is (it does have a 4 banger under the hood). In fact (which is sad) it gets better gas than my 2001 Cavalier got when i had it.

If you haven't already you should go on over to the CRV forum.. Its Crvownersclub.com

And I agree about the hubs for the V.. Mine broke within the first two months.. -.-
Modified by Rand0m0sityxX at 10:53 AM 9/27/2009

[motoguy128]

so you have towed with the versa? I have thought about this, and didn`t care for the way the right side hitch mount utilizes the factory tow hook/tie down, just didn`t think that one bolt would be secure enough...which hitch did you use?

I first bought a Hiddne Hitch. If was mounted too close to the exhaust and it melted part ofhte bumper and msot of the paint burnt ofthe hitch in one spot. I got a refun and bought the Curt Hitch. Better design, but after 2 years, most of hte paint was rusting and flaking off. Maybe its' the location, but I've never had this much trouble with the paint comming off and rust with hitches on previous cars.

It was also most difficult hitch I've ever installed. Pretty tricky, and the electrical was a bit of a PITA to get to.

It was secure enough as a class I hitch with 100-150lb tongue weights. I never had a problem with that. I prefer a more stable mount. But it was adequate. The tow hook is designed to allow the 2700lb Versa to be dragged out of a ditch.

The engine makes great midrange power and the short gearing on the manual transmission worked great for towing. Not much clutch slipping required. But the top end is a little flat and there's plenty of vibration and noise up there above 5000RPM. Not as bad as my old '91 Toyota Tercel was, but not nearly as smooth as the Corolla 1.8 or the Honda 2.4L in the Accord I had and the CR-V I have now. Again, overall the Corolla towed better. The brakes wer emarginal, and the short travel rear suspension bottoms out pretty easily.

I'm not sure I would tow with the CVT. I think for one, it would be really annoying. You'd find that with a 800lb trailer like mine with a descent amount of wind drag as well, it would spend most of the time above 4000RPM. Where the manual allows to stay in 6th, even if at full throttle at 70mph most of the time.

[NODES]

I do not think the CVT is allowed for towing in the smaller cars like the versa...oh and the noise it would produce...

[Bubs daddy]

The Versa owners manual is pretty clear for any transmission configuration:

"Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle."Page 9-16, 2007 Nissan Versa Owners Manual

As far as the vehicle itself being towed, CVT models must have the front wheels off the ground when being towed. The CVT models SHOULD NOT be towed with the front wheels on the ground.

[Bubs daddy]

By the way, your Versa also has an onboard EDR. An Event Data Recorder.

"...vehicle speed, brake application, steering angle, air bag readiness, air bag performance, and seat belt use by the driver or passenger may be recorded."

"The data may be retrieved during routine vehicle servicing or for special research. It might also be accessed with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee, in response to a request by law enforcement, or as otherwise required or permitted by law."

Page 9-19

[NODES]

By the way, your Versa also has an onboard EDR. An Event Data Recorder.

"...vehicle speed, brake application, steering angle, air bag readiness, air bag performance, and seat belt use by the driver or passenger may be recorded."

"The data may be retrieved during routine vehicle servicing or for special research. It might also be accessed with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee, in response to a request by law enforcement, or as otherwise required or permitted by law."

Page 9-19

Wow talk about

[kc5f]

...- Too many recalls and lingering issues...- one of the worst cars I've owned in the snow. Maybe it was the low gearing and junk OEM tires....- after 3 years years the styling was starting to look dated already....

Interesting, as I drove my 2007 over 99k miles and the only recalls it had were the one passenger airbag recall and when they sent the new oil cap in the mail. Maybe it's different in Iowa.

Many of the other issues you mentioned related to the MT and S model, which I'm glad I didn't get. I've had no problems with the CVT in snow, with the OEM tires as well as the replacements I put on at 63k miles.

And I guess if you think the styling is getting dated it's good you didn't get a new one. They haven't changed very much!

[GapRunr]

The Versa owners manual is pretty clear for any transmission configuration:

"Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle."Page 9-16, 2007 Nissan Versa Owners Manual

This limitation has nothing to do with the ability of the car. It is there because of the out of control litigation cases in this country. The Versa/Tiida in almost every country in the world is permitted to tow a trailer.

[Bubs daddy]

I wasn't stating anything about the ability and/or "permission" to tow a trailer. I'm merely stating that the owners manual instructs the owner not to tow with this vehicle.

If your transmission burns up and it is determined you towed with the vehicle, they can deny any warranty on the transmission or other related frame or suspension because it explicitly states not to tow with the Versa.

Many other vehicles have limitations on towing and it states so in the manual. This is a small, unibody car. I would not tow with it if the manual states not to tow.

It is more than a liability disclaimer. The car is obviously not engineered to tow a trailer.

[motoguy128]

The Versa owners manual is pretty clear for any transmission configuration:

"Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle."Page 9-16, 2007 Nissan Versa Owners Manual

As far as the vehicle itself being towed, CVT models must have the front wheels off the ground when being towed. The CVT models SHOULD NOT be towed with the front wheels on the ground.

Yes, and in my manual the font that say "do not tow" is not the same as the rest of the manual. It look like someone added it as an afterthought. IN Europe and the rest of the world it's rated at 500kg without trailer brakes, 1000kg wiht trailer brakes.

I think the lawyers changed their minds late in the game. If nothing else, for marketing purposes, they'd rather have you buy a Rogue or even a Sentra or Alitma if you want ot tow.

MY Toyota Corolla was rated at 1500lbs if I remeber correctly. My Toyota Tercel had no rating, but with 88HP it could pull much anyway. But I did tow a small mtoorcycle with that as well.

Does it tow as well as my Honda Accrod did or my Honda CR-V does. OF course not. My Altima would tow better than either since it has more low end and midrange power and it 300lbs lighter than the CR-V. But my wife doesn't want a hitch on her car.

Overall it does pretty well, but you have ot work it hard on some occasions. CLimbing Loveland pass on I-80 pushed it's limits. I had ot choose either 50mph in 2nd gear near redline or 45mph in 3rd gear. I decided that 45mph was fine, and I was still passing most of the semi-trailers. It did just fine several other passes including Independence Pass and others on the front range.

The reason the manual removed the towing rating for the North american market has to do with product liability claims and the types of roads and dirving habits of Americans compared to Europeans. Basically we're sh**** drivers and don't like following rules. If it say 1000lb limit, most Americans figure...aw he** it can do 2000.

Now if you want to expalin how my '03 Toyota Corolla was so vastly superior or the Versa is inferior in it's construction and design, or simply admit that it's due to lawyers and marketing and the vehcile can tow...small loads at reasonable speeds using the proper amount of caution. Now I know the Corolla is a comact, and the Versa subcompat, but in terms of wheelbase and curb weight (wit han '03 Corolla), the Versa is actually larger than the Corolla.

But since you're an automotive engineer and a authority of vehcile design, please explain why the unibody C-V based on the Honda Civic chassis is good for 1500lbs in the USA and over 3000lbs in Europe... but hte Versa is not.

[motoguy128]

Interesting, as I drove my 2007 over 99k miles and the only recalls it had were the one passenger airbag recall and when they sent the new oil cap in the mail. Maybe it's different in Iowa.

Many of the other issues you mentioned related to the MT and S model, which I'm glad I didn't get. I've had no problems with the CVT in snow, with the OEM tires as well as the replacements I put on at 63k miles.

And I guess if you think the styling is getting dated it's good you didn't get a new one. They haven't changed very much!

Yes, there were only 2 recalls, but combined they required 3 visits because for the 1st one, the dealer didn't have the component in stock. The air bag cover was a warranty issue, and not related to the S model. The front strut problem has been reported by others and also not related to the S model or manual transmission. In hindsight, I should have just kept my Honda Accord Coupe a few more years and gone stright to a CR-V or gottne a Hodna Civic, which was what I really wanted, but I liked the 6 speed and hatchback of the Versa, and the Honda dealers all offered my lower trade-in value...ON A HONDA. I wasn't happy about that.

What really worried me was that replacing the supposedly defective strut, only solved the problem for 2 weeks. That was a big red flag. If the problem didn;t go away then it must be a different component. But going away then returning tells me it's an issue they'll liekly never solve...and the 200mile round trip to the nearest competent dealer wasn't worth it.

[Bubs daddy]

Quote »Yes, and in my manual the font that say [sic] "do not tow" is not the same as the rest of the manual. It look [sic] like someone added it as an afterthought. IN [sic] Europe and the rest of the world it's rated at 500kg without trailer brakes, 1000kg wiht [sic] trailer brakes. [/quote]There are various fonts used in the manual. Usually to allow better readability, note headings and call attention to warnings and such. But this could be true.

I've never seen the owners manual of a Tiida so I can't comment on the towing aspects regarding that version.

Quote »I think the lawyers changed their minds late in the game. If nothing else, for marketing purposes, they'd rather have you buy a Rogue or even a Sentra or Alitma [sic] if you want ot [sic] tow.[/quote]Perhaps.

Quote »The reason the manual removed the towing rating for the North american [sic] market has to do with product liability claims and the types of roads and dirving [sic] habits of Americans compared to Europeans. Basically we're sh**** drivers and don't like following rules. If it say 1000lb limit, most Americans figure...aw he** it can do 2000.[/quote]Well, speak for yourself as I'm quite capable a driver and and have been riding motorcycles for 30 years.

Quote »Now if you want to expalin [sic] how my '03 Toyota Corolla was so vastly superior or the Versa is inferior in it's construction and design, or simply admit that it's due to lawyers and marketing and the vehcile [sic] can tow...small loads at reasonable speeds using the proper amount of caution. Now I know the Corolla is a comact [sic], and the Versa subcompat [sic], but in terms of wheelbase and curb weight (wit [sic] han [sic] '03 Corolla), the Versa is actually larger than the Corolla.

But since you're an automotive engineer and a authority of vehcile [sic] design, please explain why the unibody C-V based on the Honda Civic chassis is good for 1500lbs in the USA and over 3000lbs in Europe... but hte [sic] Versa is not.[/quote]I already stated that liability could be a partial reason for the disclaimer.

Regarding the Civic chassis, perhaps you could tell us the difference. I'm not commenting on a Civic chassis. I'm commenting on the Versa.

No authority but again, look at the underside near the rear of the Versa. Do you think this car was engineered to tow? I was suggesting a possible reason other than or in addition to liability reasons that there could be a disclaimer to the owner regarding towing with a Versa.

Stating what is printed in the manual about towing with a Versa seems a touchy subject with you, no?
Modified by Bubs daddy at 10:13 PM 9/28/2009

[kerrton]

It's too bad Nissan turned you off with your Versa, because the Rogue is a sweet vehicle, I've had mine for 1.5 years and boy it absolutely blew the CR-V out of the water on so many levels. I couldn't stand the styling of the CRV for even one second, but more importantly the powertrain was really disappointing. In my research RAV4 was no. 1 but out of my price range, Rogue 2 and CR-V number 3. CRV wasn't bad but the Rogue is just so good....anyway, I'm sure you'll be happy but if you ever trade it in think of a Rogue..

[GapRunr]

No authority but again, look at the underside near the rear of the Versa. Do you think this car was engineered to tow?

I hope it was engineered to tow! These cars are sold under the Versa, Tiida, and Latio name plates and in several countries have the ability to tow 2,200 pounds as advertised in their brochures.

By the way - What kind of bike?

[Bubs daddy]

I wouldn't trust towing with a Versa-Tiida. Especially 2000+ pounds.

Anyway, I've had BMW's, Harleys and a few 70's Honda CB's. Currently a couple HD's.

[motoguy128]

Mainly, the Rogue cargo area and back seat were too small. Short of stacking cargo to the ceiling, it didn't offer much more useable space than the trunk on our Altima. I think the Versa has as much room with the seats folded down.

It was a real disappointment because I wanted to like the Rogue. I love the 2.5L and CVT in the Altima. IN that car, it's quite possibly the best 4 cylinder engine, transmission combination available, next to perhaps the VW 2.0T and 6 speed DSG. But in the Rogue, it seems much more strained and a lot less refined.

In the CR-V I don't feel like I'm constantly reminded it's based on the Civic in terms of chassi and content. IN the Rogue, it's very, very obvious, that while it costs as much or more than the Altima, it's clearly a compact wagon. Ultimatly if you compare the Sentra to the Civic, there's really no comparison in refinement and dynamics.

On a previous response... I didn't say all Americans were bad drivers, just many of them. I think they simply don't take it seriously, just don't care or worse, actuially think they are good drivers. 2 pedals and a wheel... what else is there.

[Bubs daddy]

BTW, motoguy...nice bike. I like the RT's and R's, boxer engine and all you know. I prefer the styling of the 1100's a little better. A little less sharp edges, especially the 1100R and RT's compared to the 1150 and 1200 R and RT's.

I'm sure the torque and power of the 1200's is nice, though. Smooth ride, great brakes, adjustable seat and more. The two wheeled roundel boxers are just fab.

Most people don't know they've been making bikes longer than they've been making cars.

Now, back to our scheduled Versa discusssion...

[frankoV]

BTW, motoguy...nice bike.

Now, back to our scheduled Versa discusssion...

Not quite: I'm jealous -- my riding season is almost over [41 F today].

[Bubs daddy]

Finally cooling off for us, too. Only 95 today.

[frankoV]

Finally cooling off for us, too. Only 95 today.

Take your choice:

or