Versa quality

[xt477]

What am I missing JD Power and Consumer report states that this car is a total piece of crap initial quality and long term. I don’t know where they are getting their data but all of the user reviews I’ve seen say they love the car. I check all of the forums and I don’t see any sitckys on how the head gaskets or transmissions are going go out like I do on so many other cars. I’ve looked everywhere and I just can’t find where people are having repetitive problems with these cars. I see posts like I ran it out of oil now my engine is bad well yeah that’s going to happen but I don’t see posts where every car built is going to have the same major catastrophe at about the same mileage.

Have I bought a POS or not? I have a 1000 miles on my 2013 and so far I am very happy with it. Should I be saving the money I saved for a life of repair bills?

[iluvmyVersa08]

Bigdaddychia drove his Versa for over 300,000 miles ... Not all reviews are going to be bad. I still love my versa. She's 5 years old now, only 83,000 kms on her. Still original brakes, battery ... A few fuel pumps replaced under warranty, but other than that I've only had to pay for oil changes. It's a decent little car. I like it.

[AJVersa]

I've got 58K miles on my 09 V. No repairs so far. It still runs just fine. Last year I took a 7000 mi cross country trip, no problems. Planning to do it again this summer.

[xt477]

Thanks for the replies this is exactly what I am talking about. For what it was designed for I think the Versa is a very good car but these 2 reviewers claim to have used market data to come to their conclusions. You would think that if enough people had a bad enough experience with this car to give it a 2 out of 5 stars rating they would be screaming about it in the forums. All I see in the forums is how much people love their Versa and how they can personalize it. I don’t know where they are getting their data but it is obviously skewed. Makes me wonder what other reviews they have done we should be questioning.

[Ben_B]

I needed a new CVT at ~35k miles.

[AJVersa]

I have the 4 speed auto. Was your CVT replaced under warranty? Did your dealer give you a lot of grief before the repair?
Nissan seems to be dedicated to CVT. I hope they're willing to stand up for failures.

[Ben_B]

I have the 4 speed auto. Was your CVT replaced under warranty? Did your dealer give you a lot of grief before the repair?
Nissan seems to be dedicated to CVT. I hope they're willing to stand up for failures.

Went in for an unrelated issue. Mentioned in passing that it had slipped on me before. They pulled codes and kept the car and replaced the transmission control module. This is their first step from Nissan apparently, because they said afterward that it didn't fix it and they didn't really think it would and that it needed a new transmission. They kept the car, ordered, and I got a free rental car from them for a week.

All was replaced under warranty. CVT Warranties are now extended to 100,000 miles. Dealer performed fine. They were happy to have a big check from Nissan and something to do.

[Rhysrman]

man, I love my v, I got my 2011 1.8s HB last April at 13k and as of right now it has Luke 48k and been back and forth from VA to IL. It's a pack mule I can haul so Mich stuff and it doesnt really jeopardize the gas milage, I have lowered it at 27k and put rims on it at 18k and not a single suspension problem, this is the most reliable car I have had to date putting my 98honda and my 03 passat turbo to shame...granted its low and slow but it is my personal eco-SUV "of sorts" and I plan to run this little machine till the eels fall off, put them back on, and keep trucking overall I would give Nissan an 8/10 on the versa, just wish they had a turboed version and maybe make the 6 speed have 4 wheel disk brakes...only two things I would want and this would be an ultimate machine

[RobJordan]

I have a 11 s model i swapped a few things on mine but i love it. i had a strut bearing go out but extended warranty took care of it. I had a window issue i just dont roll window all the way down now. other than that i love the 6 spd hatch its able to change parts with so many other cars i can goto salvage and get things off most the cars from nissan.

Personally i agree 4 wheel disc and a turbo would be nice.. but id really love for the tuner scene to hit this car harder.

[rsteinbach]

I have a 2012 Nissan Versa Hatchback standard, and to date I am extremely dissapointed with it. I commute 160 kilometers per day to work (round trip). I never have exceeded 100 km/hour on my speed. I have had the car for 20 months, and it has given me nothing but grief. 2 months in, my passenger side auto window would barely go down or up (3 times slower than my other windows). Dealership replaced the motor after being very rude and ending the conversation by saying "well, I'll change it for you if you really want me to, but all you have to do is lubricate your window glides every month".
4 months in, the car would not start right away. When pressing down the clutch, and turning the key, it would start sometimes and then not start other times. This was intermittent, and sometimes it would take over 10 times before it would start. I took it to the dealership, and they tried it, and said everything worked fine for them and did nothing. I asked them to either adjust or replace the clutch interlock switch, but they refused saying it started fine for them.
At the 86,000 km mark my car died spectacularly on the highway on my way to work. Found that there is a short section of wiring from the engine back to the fuel pump that is not protected from the elements. The wiring was corroded and shorted out, and the fuel pump was dead. No telling which came first the chicken or the egg. Don't know if the pump fried the wire, or the wire fried the pump. Since the car was just out of warrantee, I was stuck with the tow and the repair bill of $1400.00.
This week my starting problems are getting worse and worse. Yesterday it took me 22 times before it would start. I guess I will be spending next weekend tightening or replacing the clutch interlock switch which the dealership should have done over a year ago.
Needless to say I am very upset about this car. I have driven nothing but Toyotas my whole life and had nothing but good to say about them, but this time I thought I should give Nissan a try since the cost was a bit better. Every day I kick myself for making a decision that saves me $20/month over a Corolla. I will never make that decision again. Toyota will always be my car from now on.

[rstolz]

'08 versa S bought in '07, 91k miles, 6sp manual 1.8l hatchback.

This little car has been nothing but reliable. front strut mount replaced under warranty, new tires, new brakes, an A/C compressor, and new exhaust which rotted due to midwest salty winter roads. I spent less maintaining this car in 6.5 years than I have in Audi's and other Nissans in less than a year. $1700 (excluding oil changes) in maintenance, say an oil change every 5k at $40 and I'm looking at $2400. $0.0263 per mile. Yea... I'll take that all day long.

granted, I do a lot of my own work (exhaust and brakes on this one)

Sure it's boring, slooowww, wallows around bends, and the front differential is garbage (becomes a one-wheel wonder with the slightest turn to the steering wheel)... but it's comfortable front and back, and has never left me stranded. If they made the same car, with a longer wheelbase in wagon form, I'd be all over it like a fly on crap. As it is, it's been relegated to town hopper status as my family has outgrown the car

I will say I returned to dealers and looked at subsequent model years and versions of the versa, and have been disappointed. material fit and finish seemed to decline sharply. The Versa Note seems better, but still wouldn't trade my '08 for one, even if it were free.

[xt477]

I now have 21000 miles on this little car and have had absolutely no problems with it.

Just completed a 2500 mile round trip to Fla and must admit I liked driving my Versa better than our Honda Odyssey or Mazda 5. Even though they both have cruise, they also shift out of over drive at the slightest little incline, whereas the Versa is ruining at 3500 RPM putting it more into its power range. Meaning it chugs up hills like nothing flat. All while getting 39 MPG at 75 miles per hour.