Irrational Want: Altima SE-R

"Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy" (camshaft-chris) 07/16/2018 at 13:20 • Filed to: Irrational Want, Nissan Altima, SE-R

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I’m getting really bored with my currently daily. It’s a 2012 Ford Fusion SEL (2.5L auto). It’s paid off, but not worth much ($4k-$6k). And as we’re trying to save up for a house, I can’t afford a car payment at the moment. So I’ve been looking at different cars that I could either do an even trade for or I could buy outright if I were to sell the Fusion. I have to have a backseat for the kiddos, but other than that I’m pretty open (I would prefer manual though).

In my search, I’ve fo und that Altima SE-Rs have become pretty damn cheap. Yeah, they’re 6-7 years older than my current car. But most of the one’s I’ve found are still under 100k miles. They’ve got the VQ35, look decent on the outside (interior is standard early ‘00s Nissan meh ), and come in manual. Am I being dumb considering getting rid of my newer car for one of these? Are there any better options out there that I’m overlooking?

Nibby > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 13:24

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altima? might as well take nyquil and drive

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 13:25

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Why not get a manual G35 instead?

Aremmes > Nibby 07/16/2018 at 13:30

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Doxylamine succinate and driving don’t pulp defunct spleens b ulldoze Wankel pre house the seamy side volitation like an indigo cabinet minister.

AestheticsInMotion > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 13:37

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It’s older, but this gen sentra SE-R is an actual performance trim a la the Gti to the golf as apposed to the altima SE-R which is more like a Corolla... “S”.

Limited slip, 6 spd manual, 200hp and ft/lbs... Here’s an excerpt from an article where all the fwd sport compacts dukes it out. Gti, civic Si, etc.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 07/16/2018 at 13:41

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Any G35 I’ve looked at in that price range had at least 140k miles on them and were pretty beat . The SE-Rs were sub 100k miles in that same price range. I would prefer the G35, but I could never justify buying an older car with higher miles than what I’m currently driving. At least not at this price point. 

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Nibby 07/16/2018 at 13:42

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Altima SE-R . Yeah, it’s still an Altima. But it’s not as boring as it sounds. I test drove one a few years ago and it was pretty fun, for a daily commuter at least.

Tripper > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 13:43

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I had an 02' Sentra SE-R Spec V (circa 2004). It was a fun little car for FWD. It had enough giddy up and an LSD. It would nearly drive off the road if you stepped on it without having a firm grip on the wheel.

I’d imagine more power = more fun here, but I’ve never driven the A ltima variant. I’d definitely be scouting a manual here.

Tripper > AestheticsInMotion 07/16/2018 at 13:48

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Had one! It was a cool little car, and I got a killer deal on it . However it had a super weird issue where some plastic bits got into the engine and would bend one of the plugs closed! Nissan couldn’t figure it out so I traded it in after the 3rd time.

AestheticsInMotion > Tripper 07/16/2018 at 13:59

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Yikes, I had no idea about that. Why does it seem like Nissans always have some strange little "quirk" that makes reliability suspect? 

Tripper > AestheticsInMotion 07/16/2018 at 14:05

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Another Oppo mentioned that it became a known issue and there was a relatively inexpensive fix for it (something to do with a plastic impeller or something like that). Back then I had my sights on a blob-eye WRX and after the dealer giving me the “I dunno man”, I traded the Sentra on the WRX.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 14:08

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I considered one too, a decent amount of power and they really do look good. I didn’t want FWD so I didn’t dig too deep but for a Dad car in the price range I’d say it’s pretty cool 

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > AestheticsInMotion 07/16/2018 at 14:47

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I second this.

E90M3 > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 15:08

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They seem like pretty cool cars, but since it sounds like you’re saving for a house and have a paid for car that sounds like it’s reliable, albeit boring, the best choice is probably to keep the Fusion. I know most people on here would say get the interesting car, I think it sounds like you want to be responsible so do the adult and such it up and drive the boring car. I know that might sound ironic coming from someone who has 2 BMWs, but those cars lined up with my goals. 

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > AestheticsInMotion 07/16/2018 at 15:59

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I actually had a B16 Sentra SR (the generation after the one pictured), but traded it for the Fusion when my second kiddo was born. I enjoyed that car (CVT excluded). But for my needs, that back seat is just too small.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/16/2018 at 16:00

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I don’t mind the FWD as this will be a commuter car 99% of the time. Maybe an autox event or two, lol.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Tripper 07/16/2018 at 16:02

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I had a ‘10 Sentra SR, and I actually miss it (except for the whole CVT part, lol). But the Sentra is just too small for my needs, which is why I got rid of it and got the Fusion. The Sentra’s back seat was not carseat friendly with two kids. 

Tripper > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 16:14

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Something plastic got into the engine on mine and was bending the plugs closed . I had it in 3 times, they couldn’t figure it out so I ditched it. 

It’s funny I hadn’t thought about that car for a while. I can’t believe that was 14 years and 9 cars ago!

Long-Voyager > Tripper 07/16/2018 at 16:17

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Butterfly valves for the intake. It was fixed in 04 or 05 IIRC. Easily remedied by a competent shop.

Tripper > Long-Voyager 07/16/2018 at 16:18

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That’s right! I knew someone had schooled me about this on here.

Long-Voyager > Tripper 07/16/2018 at 16:21

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It wasn’t me. I just know of the issue because I owned an 06, which was a trouble free, fun car and an 03 which had the issue. Took it into the dealer and they had it fixed the same afternoon.

Tripper > Long-Voyager 07/16/2018 at 16:32

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Gotcha. I had a couple of weird things in addition to that. It was overheating one time when I was on my way home from college. I stopped at a garage and the guy “burped” the radiator, then it was fine after that. The front tires wore faster than they did on our cooper (and that was fast). It was always on the very inside edge too. I remember I could see metal on one of them.

Long-Voyager > Tripper 07/16/2018 at 16:38

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Guessing you bought it used?

My 06 had 12k on it when I bought it. Never wore a tire weird, never had an issue at all honestly (sans one warranty fix for converter, which led to an R-tune header) , it had 140k when we sold it.

The 03 on the other hand, had 130k when we bought it. It ate the butterflies the day after we got it, broke the shift linkage a few days later, and had suspension issues. Then again I’m certain it was rode hard and put away wet it’s whole life.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > E90M3 07/16/2018 at 17:18

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That’s exactly why I still have the Fusion, hahaha. This is not the first time I’ve had the urge to dump it. However, it’s now starting to have some recurring issues and I’m worried about it’s future reliability. The HVAC system in this car and it’s related wiring have been having issues. I’ve had to replace multiple components as well as sections of the wiring harness in the last two year. And the transmission is starting to have issues. Apparently that’s a very common problem with the software, but there’s not really any fix for it. It’s just a, suck it up and deal with jerky or laggy shifts. But I don’t want that to develop into wear on the transmission and possible transmission failure. So that’s why I haven’t thrown this idea away completely.

Tripper > Long-Voyager 07/16/2018 at 17:49

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I bought an 02 in 04, I can’t remember how many miles were on it at this point less than 30k I’m pretty sure . Tire wear could have been (and probably was) due to me being a stupid kid. The rest was just weird. I had one of the wheels crack right across a spoke too.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 07/16/2018 at 18:16

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I’d just had nothing but FWD cars, still haven’t had a RWD car. Maybe next time. Until then AWD will do