Nissan Altima

[2o6]

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1115985_2019-nissan-altima-bows-with-vc-turbo-engine-all-wheel-drive#image=100647632





AWD optional, and the new 2.0 variable-compression engine replaces the VQ35 as the upper level motor. The same old-as-shit QR25 is the basic engine. Still a CVT auto.

[68_427]

Looks primed for hertz/enterprise

[MrH]

Man, interiors are all converging to look really similar.

[Xer0]

Looks primed for hertz/enterprise

Thought the same thing.  Nissan seems to be cornering that subprime/rental car market that Dodge/chrysler/Mitsu left behind.

[12,000 RPM]

Man, interiors are all converging to look really similar.

Was thinking the same thing







Not necessarily a bad thing. Much prefer those to this functionally

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Thought the same thing.  Nissan seems to be cornering that subprime/rental car market that Dodge/chrysler/Mitsu left behind.

Yup....... 

[12,000 RPM]

Thought the same thing.  Nissan seems to be cornering that subprime/rental car market that Dodge/chrysler/Mitsu left behind.

Dangerous game to play. Hasn't panned out for FCA

[Submariner]

Why no AWD for the turbo?  Can the diff not handle the load?

Anyways, okay but meh.  The Altima is going to age horribly just like the Maxima and most Lexus's these days.  I saw a super well maintained 02' or so Maxima the other day that still looks good.  The alien spacecraft Maxima that followed already looks awful.  The new sedans, with their whoops-I-coughed-while-drawing-it C-pillar wont.  Their seeming desire to become rental queens isn't helping, either.

[Char]

Yawn.

And that interior looks terrible. Something about it reminds me of the Dodge Dart, and it screams "Rental"

[Laconian]

Why no AWD for the turbo?  Can the diff not handle the load?

Anyways, okay but meh.  The Altima is going to age horribly just like the Maxima and most Lexus's these days.  I saw a super well maintained 02' or so Maxima the other day that still looks good.  The alien spacecraft Maxima that followed already looks awful.  The new sedans, with their whoops-I-coughed-while-drawing-it C-pillar wont.  Their seeming desire to become rental queens isn't helping, either.

The majority of Nissan sedans I've seen have barcodes on the windshield. Not a good sign

[Morris Minor]

Thought the same thing.  Nissan seems to be cornering that subprime/rental car market that Dodge/chrysler/Mitsu left behind.

Yup - cars like this come to mind reading the Mainstream Sedans Dying thread

[Xer0]

Dangerous game to play. Hasn't panned out for FCA

It's one of those things that it seems like automakers just don't care for.  Some times too much volume is not a good thing.

[Onslaught]

Looks primed for hertz/enterprise

Thank Gods. If I had to work on one more Chry 200 I'd kill myself. Bring this thing on all day.

[Laconian]

Thank Gods. If I had to work on one more Chry 200 I'd kill myself. Bring this thing on all day.

Sporty =

[veeman]

The new Altima has an AWD option. That option at least differentiates it somewhat from Camcords.

I like the current Maxima styling. I don't see many of them on the road, but it looks good. 

[12,000 RPM]

It's one of those things that it seems like automakers just don't care for.  Some times too much volume is not a good thing.

It depends... look at how the Germans subsidize leases for example. I suppose that can work for luxury brands with more margin but that shit is razor thin here.

Plus again the subprime tide is rolling back which makes this strategy less viable. Just like gas won't stay low forever neither will interest rates... hinging your success on that is bad news. Fortunately for Nissan they have a whole lineup of high quality and gorgeous mainstreamers in Renault. Truthfully if they kept the designs, but cheapened the materials and gave us some America appropriate engines I think they could do well and still make money. But as is blah.

Truthfully though Nissan hasn't made quality mainstreamers in like 20 years. From the B14 on the Sentra has been a consistent turd. When the '02 Altima came out we were all wowed by the VQ35 but we didn't look too hard at or talk about the hollow sounding + cheap cabin. And its been in decline since ~06. Versa was and remains a cruel punchline. Nissan doesn't want to do better.

[Xer0]

It depends... look at how the Germans subsidize leases for example. I suppose that can work for luxury brands with more margin but that shit is razor thin here.

Plus again the subprime tide is rolling back which makes this strategy less viable. Just like gas won't stay low forever neither will interest rates... hinging your success on that is bad news. Fortunately for Nissan they have a whole lineup of high quality and gorgeous mainstreamers in Renault. Truthfully if they kept the designs, but cheapened the materials and gave us some America appropriate engines I think they could do well and still make money. But as is blah.

Truthfully though Nissan hasn't made quality mainstreamers in like 20 years. From the B14 on the Sentra has been a consistent turd. When the '02 Altima came out we were all wowed by the VQ35 but we didn't look too hard at or talk about the hollow sounding + cheap cabin. And its been in decline since ~06. Versa was and remains a cruel punchline. Nissan doesn't want to do better.

I don't think ze German's and leases is a good example.  The Germans primarily deal in a higher bracket were status and having the new hotness is more important.  Leasing and being seen in a newer vehicle every couple of years appeals to these shoppers more which makes leasing a more attractive option.

I was actually thinking about this recently though; how much margin do auto manufacturers build into their car's price?  Presumably that's what is paying for this volume.  The Accord sport has an MSRP of 26K but my dad recently bought one for 22K.  Toyota was offering a similar rate on a Camry SE.  GM dealers in the area are advertising 20% off on most models pretty aggressively.

[12,000 RPM]

I don't think ze German's and leases is a good example.  The Germans primarily deal in a higher bracket were status and having the new hotness is more important.  Leasing and being seen in a newer vehicle every couple of years appeals to these shoppers more which makes leasing a more attractive option.

Right I agree, and the margins allow for that... but my point was their subsidies (which work by comically inflated residuals- think of them using retail instead of trade in values) are definitely a move to trade margin for volume/market share. The mechanisms vary by segment- mainstreamers will just put cash on the hood for example- but the end goal and result are the same.

I was actually thinking about this recently though; how much margin do auto manufacturers build into their car's price?  Presumably that's what is paying for this volume.  The Accord sport has an MSRP of 26K but my dad recently bought one for 22K.  Toyota was offering a similar rate on a Camry SE.  GM dealers in the area are advertising 20% off on most models pretty aggressively.

I doubt the added volume is covering the cost.... something like a Ford Fusion is going for like 30% off. Plus you have to factor in product mix- coming back to Ford, someone recently said the F150 is worth more than the whole Ford brand. So good models can subsidize the bad, again just to retain that market share. It's probably long overdue for manufacturers to really see what the value of market share is... if the market norm is to sell at a loss it's probably not a market to be in. I know GM has been bailing out of big markets like Europe for example as there's just no money there. Car industry is in a really weird place.

[giant_mtb]

There's no money for GM in Europe because nobody buys GMs in Europe. It's not rocket appliances.

Markets shift, the players have pulled out and pushed in to different markets numerous times. We recently acquired Fiat vehicles, China loves Buicks.  Plenty of manuf's have pulled out of the US because we just don't buy enough of their cars.

Why so doom and gloom?

[MX793]

Thought the same thing.  Nissan seems to be cornering that subprime/rental car market that Dodge/chrysler/Mitsu left behind.

Hyundai/Kia have a strong presence there.  Last 4 rentals I've had were Hyundai/Kias.

[Payman]

Thank Gods. If I had to work on one more Chry 200 I'd kill myself. Bring this thing on all day.

Changed the alternator in son's 200. Never came so close to sledgehammering a car to death.

[2o6]

There's no money for GM in Europe because nobody buys GMs in Europe. It's not rocket appliances.

Markets shift, the players have pulled out and pushed in to different markets numerous times. We recently acquired Fiat vehicles, China loves Buicks.  Plenty of manuf's have pulled out of the US because we just don't buy enough of their cars.

Why so doom and gloom?

Everyone bought GM cars in Europe. Sales numbers and profitability are two different things. Up until like a year ago, Opel and Vauxhall were GM subsidiaries.

Ford sells 2M vehicles in the EU, and profits in that market are shit. People are scared that Ford May also pull out.

[Morris Minor]

Everyone bought GM cars in Europe. Sales numbers and profitability are two different things. Up until like a year ago, Opel and Vauxhall were GM subsidiaries.

Ford sells 2M vehicles in the EU, and profits in that market are shit. People are scared that Ford May also pull out.

Just amazing - never thought GM would walk away from Europe - Vauxhall was bought by GM in 1925 - history & heritage all gone.

[Laconian]

Pull out of Europe, or just the UK? I imagine that RHD cars aren't super popular, but the EU is a really big market..

[AltinD]

^^ GM sold Opel/Vauxall to PSA (Peugeot/Citroen). Funny thing, they pulled the Chevrolet brand from Europe some years ago because it was competing with Opels.

[Galaxy]

Just amazing - never thought GM would walk away from Europe - Vauxhall was bought by GM in 1925 - history & heritage all gone.

They owned Opel from 1929-2017. Ironically in the 1930s Opel was Germany's biggest exporter, they were selling cars in places like Costa Rica, New Zealand, and China. Adolf Hitler personally handed General Motors Vice President James D. Mooney the Order of the German Eagle 1st class. I am assuming he did not wear his medal in the years to come.

[ifcar]

^^ GM sold Opel/Vauxall to PSA (Peugeot/Citroen). Funny thing, they pulled the Chevrolet brand from Europe some years ago because it was competing with Opels.

Strategy consistency ftw.