When you were buying your V...

[Ginsu]

What else was on your shortlist of vehicle choices?

In terms of hatchbacks, the Versa had the market cornered for me, as I despise the Fit with its thin door panels and ugly interior. But I wasn't convinced that I wanted a hatchback. My final decision was between a Versa and a Jeep Patriot.



Obviously, I decided in favor of better fuel consumption and build quality, but I was thinking the other day that I still wish I had something a bit more 'trucky' to roar around in. Maybe in the distant future...

What were your other choices when you were in the market for a new vehicle?

[VersaMG08]

'08 Nissan Sentra'08 Mazda 3'08 Honda Civic

[daggonit]

I had a long list after I got rid of my 2007 Honda Fit (lemon). I narrowed it down to a few but decided on the Versa after weighing all the options. 2008 VW Golf - Nice ride but poor fuel economy (5 cylinder) and questionable reliability kept me away. 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer - The car was cheaply made..thin plastic everywhere! I turned around after 2.5 minute test drive. 2008 Kia Spectra 5 - Suprisingly nice! The questionable reliability kept me away. (no pic)2008 Scion Tc - Nice car but helaciously expensive with options. The Versa had everything I was looking for and more. I've owned a few Nissans in the past and I've never been disappointed with any of them.

[br4dysays]

actually none. i didnt even shop lol, just happened to go look @ one and ended up getting it that night. didnt really have any intentions of getting a new car. but for the price i figured why not

[Reed19x]

Before I got my girlfriend's Versa, I went and looked at the Honda Fit, Scion xD and the Yaris.

Yaris: Too cheap, I couldn't take the car seriously at all.

Scion xD: Really liked this little guy, but if the world economy gets worse...I'm afraid Toyota might cut Scion if they decided to cut back on their lines (I know they won't get rid of Lexus lol)

Honda Fit: Ugh, this was hard for me. Loved the Fit, but I feel that it was a little too aggressive for my girlfriend...I know I know the Fit isn't aggressive. I still might purchase one for myself though...

And finally the Versa: Decided on this because I came over from Infiniti, lots of friends/family work at Nissan in Smyrna, TN. It's safe, reliable, good looking (modded, it reminds me of a MK4 Golf! ). May even end up getting one of these for myself so we could have His and Hers Versas haha.

[kc5f]

I visited every dealer in our area so see what they had, which ruled out Mazda, Volkwagen and Kia, among others. In Sept of '06 the Honda dealer didn't even have a Fit for me to look at, but was willing to order me one above list. No thanks - we've had enough bad experiences with my wife's Odyssey. The Toyota salesperson wouldn't unlock a Yaris for me to even look at - he knew I wouldn't like it. (He did know I'd just test driven a Versa.) He showed me a Corolla, but it was too small. The Ford dealer had a Focus at a very good price, but it seemed like too much cheap plastic. I went home and read some articles about the Versa, which had just come out, and decided to take a chance on having the dealer swap with another dealer for the SL I ended up buying. No regrets!

[iluvmyVersa08]

I looked at the Hyundai Accent. At the time I was driving a 2001 Hyundai Accent (which I did not like). But my dad wanted me to give the new Accent a chance since he knew the owner of the dealership. However, driving a brand new 2008 Accent felt like I was driving my 01. The ride and quality of the car has not changed, simply the exterior has changed. The car is simply cheap all around.

I also looked at the Chevy Cobalt, and was not a fan. I test drove the Versa in 2007, and then in 2008 test drove it again and finally made my decision. It was a much smoother ride with the CVT than all the other vehicles I drove. Overall, I'm happy with my choice.

[silverarrow27]

Scion XA/XB/TC/XDNissan SentraToyota YarisHonda FitHonda CivicHonda AccordAcura IntegraNissan AltimaNissan MaximaNissan 300zx TTNissan 350zMazda RX7/RX8Toyota Supra TTSuburu Impreza/WRX/STIMitsubishi Evo IX Toyota Celica Turbo All TracToyota MR2 Turbo

[Rand0m0sityxX]

haha.. Just a 2008 Chevy Cobalt SS/Sc in Rally Yellow. They couldnt get me a loan on that one, or just a regular 4 door Cobalt. So i went to a V, since it was pretty cheap and i liked it.

[sooner4x4]

We were looking for a basic economy car.The cars we looked at and drove were:Ford FocusChevy CobaltSaturn IonHuyndai ElantraToyota YarisToyota Corolla

The short list of must have options included;AutoA/CSide air bagsAnti lock brakes

Basically we were looking for the most bang for your buck. The only reason the Elantra didn't win out, the car we test drove had electrical problems, and we were concerned about the few number of dealerships.

The Versa definitely had the most room, and the best price for the options we were looking for. We have had the Versa almost two years now. If I had to do it all over again, the new Scion (xD I think) would be at the top of the list.

[frankoV]

In order of preference and elimination:Mazda 6, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry . . . Camry was boring, Altima was [don't know, just something about it], Accord was at a bad dealership, Mazda 6 it is!!!

BUT: finances being what they were, and deciding to wait another year . . . Mazda 6, Mazda 3, Honda Civic [for about 13 seconds]

Flip a coin: Mazda 3 a little small, and for a few dollars an upgrade to the 6

BUT: we went to England and rented a Versa/Clio and liked it; came back to Canada and the Versa became available.

Versa it was!

[srellim234]

We were looking strictly for a high mpg vehicle to fill the little trips like going to the market, soccer practice, to the hardware store to throw a bag of potting soil in the back, etc. We already had our Buick Rendezvous with all the creature comforts that seats 7 and gives us 26-27 mph on the highway for the big trips.

With the 30/36 sticker, the Versa looked like the clear winner for the price over our short list of the Yaris, Corolla, Matrix/Vibe, Civic or Fit. The Versa is a very good car, great for the price, but since it hasn't delivered the +30 mpg gas mileage we expected out of it, it has not filled the purpose we intended the car for. We intended the car to be our utilitarian car, not the all-around family car that it is. The lower gas mileage difference between the Rendezvous and the Versa hasn't justified the price for our wants and needs.

In retrospect we would have been better served buying something we wouldn't mind thrashing like a Yaris or Fit, take the additional gas mileage, and buying something like the Versa to eventually replace the Rendezvous as the family car.

[1_Sleek_Versa]

I test drove the following...

Versa: loved the ride, space, comfort of the SL. Corolla: not a bad car,good ride/handling, just plain boring.Yaris: too small, dash sucks donkey balls.Civic: great car, did not buy because options were expensive as hell.Fit: good car but felt way better in the Versa.Accent sport: extremely disappointing, poor radials, harsh ride etc.....Sonata: Awesome car but the V6 model was almost 8K over the Versa and the 4cyl model wasn't impressive.

I ended up buying a 08 black Versa SL, fully loaded tech package and all. The salesman got me an awesome deal. The car cost me 20,000 flat all taxes included, free extended warranty, 10 oil changes.

The Civic and Corolla with the same options were at least 3000 more.

[ADOversa]

I looked at the Hyundai Accent. At the time I was driving a 2001 Hyundai Accent (which I did not like). But my dad wanted me to give the new Accent a chance since he knew the owner of the dealership. However, driving a brand new 2008 Accent felt like I was driving my 01. The ride and quality of the car has not changed, simply the exterior has changed. The car is simply cheap all around.

Which dealership? The one on upper James? An elantra was on my list, but when I walked into the dealership and mentioned a few of the cars I had been looking at (I mentioned versa hatch and yaris) and then asked the salesman which model of theirs would be comparable to them, providing reliability and comfort for 4 adults, he told me to look at the cars in their showroom and decide for myself. Then he tried to tell me that an 08 Tiburon on their lot would fit my needs perfectly. I was out the door in under 5 minutes.

My list of vehicles I considered: -Yaris Sedan (Didn't like the gauges in the center, as I am blind in my right eye and had to actually turn my whole head to check my gauges, and also the back seat was too small for adults and also the rear seatback was too vertical)

-Kia Spectra 5 (It was overpriced. Got my Versa for almost alot less with more room inside, more options, and good warranty. The Kia salesman tried to tell me that their 10 year 100 000km warranty being included with the car made their price more attractive, but I still got my Versa with a great warranty for much less than the Kia was).

-Honda Fit (Unavailability of them, let alone one with a manual transmission was a big factor. Never even got to test drive one.

-Hyundai Elantra (Salesman error, see above)

-VW Rabbit (Questionable reliability, salesman was a doofus)

A big draw for me was the salesman was very friendly, and pretty low pressure. Everyone at that dealership (Plaza Nissan in Hamilton) was awesome and I highly recommend them to everyone!
Modified by ADOversa at 4:29 PM 3/17/2009

[iluvmyVersa08]

Which dealership? The one on upper James? An elantra was on my list, but when I walked into the dealership and mentioned a few of the cars I had been looking at (I mentioned versa hatch and yaris) and then asked the salesman which model of theirs would be comparable to them, providing reliability and comfort for 4 adults, he told me to look at the cars in their showroom and decide for myself. Then he tried to tell me that an 08 Tiburon on their lot would fit my needs perfectly. I was out the door in under 5 minutes.Modified by ADOversa at 4:29 PM 3/17/2009

Hey, yes the dealership on Upper James, Mountain Hyundai. I did not want a 2 door car again, so I test drove the 4 door Accent and was told that their was no available sunroof. That turned me away from it for good. Plus, the inside of the car looked super cheap, plastic everything. I think it is a good car for someone who wants a new vehicle at a really low price and who simply drives around to get groceries, etc. The people who work there were nice, at least the guy that helped us. But I told him the truth, the new Accents felt exactly the same as my 7 year old Accent. POS!

[Stumpkin]

We were looking for a good used smaller car with above average safety ratings & low mileage for our daughter to go to college with. We didn’t even know the “V” existed. We actually just came upon one in the Nissan lot not knowing it was a Nissan. We test drove about every thing before finding out about the “V.” Two test drives later (one by each of us) we were sold!

My brother liked it so much he got one the next week for his kids. He tells me it’s his, but I know better!! I see his daughter in it all the time with a big grin on her face!

Bottom line it was only $1,500-$2000 more then some of the used cars we were looking at. I felt it was best bang for the buck at the time. Our daughter loves it so much she wants to buy it from us after college. Our original plan was to give it to the next college bound kid.

[superskunk]

its a long story about how i got my versa, it all started a little over a year ago when i was still driving my Z31... i needed something a little more reliable for my 60 mile a day commute... so i did some car shopping... i went to a dealership to look at an STI and they didnt have it in stock anymore so i test drove an EVO8 MR.... i scared the living crap out of the dealer, i couldnt get approved for the EVO so i decided i would take an XA they had on the lot... i had big plans for that car... moving on, 2 weeks later i get a phone call from the dealership, saying that i need to come in and finalize some paper work... as soon as i sit down in the finance managers office he asks me for the keys, and not knowing what was about to happen i handed them to him... so they gave me my down payment back adn i was on my way home... a few short hours after that i received a phone call from a nissan dealership, they were calling to tell my wife she had been approved for a car... so the next day we go to the nissan dealership and test drive the versa, a few short hours after that im driving it home... my only regret from this is that i didnt grab the 6MT while i had the chance... im considering trading mine in for the 6MT, of course that means swapping parts....

[BlueMango]

Was torn between getting an econo-box or a mid-sized sedan. After driving a couple of the smaller vehicles I decided that my lifestyle didn't need such a large vehicle.

I looked into the xD, tC, rabbit, golf, versa, yaris, Mazda3. After owning a Ford for 8 years they were off of the list and I've never found any vehicle by Honda to be comfortable to ride in or drive. The Scion's seemed nice but I felt like the price was way out of line. You were paying for alot of extras (tinted windows, nice stereo) but everything felt really cheap (upholstery, plastic, etc). The VW's didn't have great MPG and the cost of ownership was really high. The Yaris was too small. The Mazda (I had one as a rental car for a week or two) seemed really nice at first but I found the seats uncomfortable and things like the cupholders got in the way of driving or didn't really make sense in day to day usage. I test drove the Versa and the rest is history. Been in love with it ever since. I plan on driving it til the wheels fall off or until my budget allows for something more fun.

[J. Reid]

Test drove a Yaris (can't stand the dash layout), Dodge Caliber (just didn't feel right, and I drove a Neon before), Accent (seemed 'cheap' to me) and the Versa. Didn't really look at Mazda at all, and the one Ford I test drove wasn't bad but a bit pricey. Ended back at a different Nissan dealer (the first had none in stock and a 3-4 week wait) where I ended up purchasing mine pretty much just as my Neon was gasping its last breaths.

[BBISHOPPCM]

I went in to buy a Nissan Sentra. I bought the Versa because I HATED the Sentra after sitting in it for two minutes. I still stand by my choice! My other choice in vehicle would have been a Volkswagen Passat, but I am a firm believer in DRIVING cars more than FIXING them!

[daan]

I was looking at Patriots, too. Also Mazda 3 hatches, and the Saturn Astra. Everything would have ended up costing 10K more than what I paid for my V, and I'm definitely happy with the choice I made. Although, if I had enough $ a Mazdaspeed 3 may have changed my mind...

[hrdcorpdrummer15]

I was on my way to an appointment at a Toyota dealership to look at a used 04 Corolla when my dad said we should stop at Nissan and just "check things out".... couple hours later I was driving away in a new 08 V. funny thing was that the salesperson from Toyota called me in the middle of talking with the Nissan Dealer and was wondering where I was. LOL. I had to tell her that I was in the middle of buying a Nissan. She sounded pissed....

[J. Reid]

I was on my way to an appointment at a Toyota dealership to look at a used 04 Corolla when my dad said we should stop at Nissan and just "check things out".... couple hours later I was driving away in a new 08 V. funny thing was that the salesperson from Toyota called me in the middle of talking with the Nissan Dealer and was wondering where I was. LOL. I had to tell her that I was in the middle of buying a Nissan. She sounded pissed....

I got a similar reaction from the Dodge dealership I test drove the Caliber at... except it was their fault. They kept phoning me back (but not until 3 weeks after I did the test drive and about 2 weeks after I got the V) asking if I was still looking at the Caliber, each time I told them I'd bought the Versa already, and the next day they'd call back (twice it was the same sales person)

[DinKnight]

I had the following list when I was ready to buy a brand new car in early 2007 in my country.

1. Mazda 3 sedan-Rejected because the monthly installments were too high for me to afford, and servicing costs would have been high

2. Toyota Vios (an earlier version of your Yaris Sedan)- My dad had one of these so didn't want to get the same one.

3. Toyota Hilux- Love the macho image, but couldn't afford the road tax and insurance coz diesel cars in my country are in a higher tax bracket.

4. Toyota Corrolla Altis- Also too expensive for me to afford.

5. Perodua Myvi SE (a rebadged Daihatsu Sirion or Toyota Passo)-Was well within my budget but the car was too common and I wanted something more unique.

In the end, settled for this since it offered me many things I wanted, especially a manual transmission.

[brownbrix]

I got the 1st gen versa so i wanted to be diffrent at the time but the

Choices i was looking at were the Kia Rio5Kia Spectra 5VW GTIor Yaris RS (almost bought this)

didnt get a chance to look at Mazda 3 sport

[Rockhound]

I didn't really consider much anything else than the Versa. It struck all the right chords, really, between all the options, efficiency, spaciousness, and safety. My wife thought it was cute as a button (it was to replace her aging Camry) and I couldn't get over how darned practical it was. With the awesome track record my family and I have had with Nissan, I didn't need much convincing.

I scoped out what owners were saying on this forum for a couple weeks and then snatched up the only loaded SL on the local Nissan lot at the time.

At the time (early 2007) the Fit was too hard to find and I felt overpriced. The Mazda3 doesn't get the same fuel mileage, and I was pretty focused on that too.

[redversasblue]

When you were buying your V...It turns out I was temporarily insane. Thank God I've recovered.

[mdamatas]

I started with a great Full Equiped Mazda2 2009, which was actually the car I wanted till the end:

I was also thinking in getting a Suzuki Swift:

I saw the Tiida once in the dealership, and the price was almost the same as the Mazda2, so I was close to taking the Mazda2 and didn't pay attention to the Tiida, but then, after looking at other cars and going back to the Mazda Dealership, prices had increased, and Mazda2 was like $1000 more... In the other hand, Nissan had lowered the price for the Tiida -$500 (price during a Car Expo)...

Mazda is great, but in Panama the dealership is a pain, expensive maintenance, long wait time for parts and repairs, anyways, they were also offering me Mazda3 2008 (This all happened this year, so it was 1 year older), but nah, Mazda in Panama = not a good idea...

Then I just started loving the Tiida, the space, the dash, everything... =)

[lightningfan182]

When I went shopping, the thing that held me back was price, I didnt want to spend more than $250 a month because honestly I can't and that narrowed me down pretty quick. But when I started from there, I was looking at VW Jetta's but found they were too expensive, looked at the scion tc's and they were pretty nice, but again a little too expensive. Then I saw a used versa fully loaded, but it was the same price as the versa i have that i bought brand new. so i went for brand new!

[Promise Land]

I was trading in a Ford Ranger, so I looked at a Frontier also. I already have a full-size truck, so I drove the Versa first. After I drove an A/T, I drove a Sentra with the CVT (they didn't have a Versa SL w/ CVT). After driving both, my wife and I decided to get the Versa for the gas mileage vs. the Frontier (30 vs. 16) and just drive our full-size truck more when we need to go to Lowe's.

I didn't really have a choice in another brand. You don't buy a competitor vehicle when you work for an OEM. That's just politically stupid.