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I bought the top selling car so far this year and it's not on Consumer Reports recommended list

Discussion in 'Other Cars' started by jadziasman, Mar 6, 2014.

  1. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    I just discovered a web site named "GOOD CAR BAD CAR". It has all the stats for recent vehicle sales.

    I was astonished to discover that the 2014 Nissan Altima sedan is the top selling car in the U.S. for February 2014 and for the first two months of this year too. I was one of 30,849 who decided to buy one in February (and no, it doesn't say how many were retail sales and how many were rental car sales). If I had only waited until the April 2014 auto issue of Consumer Reports had been released........ Then I wouldn't have considered it. Although it's still too early to tell, I'm happy that I didn't wait for it.

    It's ironic that the Altima was the top seller because CR just removed the Altima from its recommended list for 2014 after recommending it in 2013. Many owners have experienced problems with initial quality with the 2013s. It appears that Nissan acted quickly and improved the second year model. There haven't been nearly as many complaints about the 2014s (yet).

    CR recommended the Altima in the April 2013 issue. A year later, CR says the Altima is a dog you shouldn't take a chance on. It makes you wonder why they would recommend a first year redesign, they were careful about not doing that before.

    I'm really disappointed in CR, not so much that they removed their recommendation for the Altima. It's just that I no longer believe their reviews overall - I bought the Bridgestone Ecopia 422s and have been extremely satisfied with them. CR rated them dead last - even lower than snow tires. Consumers Union used to be trustworthy. Oh well. Nothing lasts forever.

    A big let down is that their new April 2014 auto issue has been radically changed. CR no longer provides individual reviews (alphabetically) for each auto and no longer provides detailed used car reliability data for 16 trouble spots as it had been doing for as long as I can remember. Why CR? Cost too much? CR shouldn't have fixed what wasn't broken. The new format for lack of a better word - sucks.
     
    #1 jadziasman, Mar 6, 2014
  2. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    ...I have to check to see if the details are in the on-line version. For example, the on-line version had the details about the Prius battery year-by-year % battery replacements but I did not see that in the hard copy.
     
    #2 wjtracy, Mar 6, 2014
  3. xpcman

    xpcman Senior Member

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    I dropped my subscription to CR after they botched the brake recall data for the 2010 model. Self reporting of problems is seriously flawed. Hundreds of people reported brake problems when the instructions (if you read them) say that recalls are NOT to be reported as problems. Then CR used the data when it should have been removed or marked with an asterisk. They probably have the interns crunch the data.

    The other problem is that the appliance manufacturers change the model numbers right after CR publishes any reports. I was seldom able to buy any appliance that they rated.
     
    #3 xpcman, Mar 6, 2014
  4. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Altima was a great hybrid too . . . only now I'm not even aware if they still produce it.
    .
     
    #4 hill, Mar 6, 2014
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    personal experience always trumps anyone else's review. but without it, we're left with whatever we can find. i've always thought nissan had the best looking cars of the big 3 japanese, and when i drove a 2001 altima, i thought it was as good as the accord and camry i tested.
     
    #5 bisco, Mar 6, 2014
  6. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Iduno . . . I generally agree w/you ... but I still think our Leaf looks like a catfish out of water
    [​IMG]

    .
     
    #6 hill, Mar 6, 2014
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i see it, but i don't mind a 'different' car looking different.:cool:

    sorry a hyundai equus here at disney, pretty sharp looking car, i thought it was british or italian. i might have been tempted if it didn't suck gas like a 1970 rv.
     
    #7 bisco, Mar 6, 2014
  8. Rupert B Puppenstein

    Rupert B Puppenstein Active Member

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    I had a bad experience at a Nissan Dealership when we were looking at buying our first car. The salesperson was incredibly rude and basically told us we were stupid to look at other cars before deciding on if the Nissan was right for us. I was happy to leave that dealership and the entire reputation of the brand. I know that salespeople don't last long usually and that guy is probably no longer at a Nissan Dealership, but his attitude was so offensive that I don't care what kind of technology, appearance or features those cars have. I will never consider them and it seems that they don't typically get good ratings anyway. I still value CR, and have had luck with their reviews and generally agree with most of their reviews. But, under no circumstances are any reviews foolproof. Just because they don't recommend a car doesn't mean that you will have the same feelings.
     
    #8 Rupert B Puppenstein, Mar 6, 2014
  9. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    No reason to keep giving Toyota money when you have a nationwide/global BEV and are starting to install their own hybrid system in models. It isn't in the Altima, but the car is near the top of gasoline cars in fuel economy. Depending on the route and driver, it does better than the previous hybrid model.
     
    #9 Trollbait, Mar 7, 2014
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    agreed. unless you're locked inon something, salespeople can sometimes make or break a dealership or a brand.

    what do they have thier new hybrid system in? how is it performing? i haven't seen anything yet.
     
    #10 bisco, Mar 7, 2014
  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The new Pathfinder hybrid is the first Nissan I'm aware of. I don't know if it is the same or an improvement over the one that is used in the Infinitis.
     
    #11 Trollbait, Mar 7, 2014
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's an odd one to start it in, i wonder if they are still experimenting.
     
    #12 bisco, Mar 7, 2014
  13. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    One with the biggest gains? The Pathfinder goes from 20 to 25 EPA city with the hybrid system. Nissan might also want to shift 'green' car sales to the Leaf.

    There are 3 Infiniti hybrids. The QX60 that I'm guessing shares the platform with the Pathfinder, the Q50, and Q70. While the fuel economy is an improvement over the non-hybrid models, the sedan hybrids are mated to a V6. So not having a car with a 4 cylinder hybrid ready to go might be why the Pathfinder showed up first. I also suspect that the 4 cylinder system is the newer one.

    As an aside, did anyone know that there is a 2 door, convertible Murano available?
     
    #13 Trollbait, Mar 8, 2014
  14. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    #14 cycledrum, Mar 8, 2014
  15. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    I have 2000 miles on the 2014 Altima. Since the weather turned milder, the mpg has risen to (and above) the EPA estimated fuel economy. No quality issues except for the passenger airbag recall - which I haven't received the notice as of yet.

    Took the car for an 800 mile trip Easter weekend. 600 miles hwy at 70 mph and 200 miles stop and go traffic in the Chicago burbs. Combined mpg was 39.4. Not too bad for a midsize sedan.

    I haven't noticed any problems with CVT lag on my Altima. Accelerates just fine.
     
    #15 jadziasman, Apr 26, 2014
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