@@blackice7408 Nissan Altima: chargers are for drag racing and donuts, Nissan Altima’s are bail-out vehicles. Hit things up, then abandon the whip. A lotta that in New York.
Honestly, I do not know why, but whenever I visit lower income areas, older Hondas with bad clear coat and older Nissans with missing bumpers are everywhere for some reason.
I had the updated 05 version. The 3.5 was the redeeming quality of the Altima. 3 transmission later i sued Nissan under the lemon law act. Now I only drive Hondas & Toyotas
That 0-60 in 5.9 second run would give every midsize car today a run for their money. And the styling changed the game - 20 yrs later it still doesn’t look out of place on the road.
I love this color combo on the Altima. This was the last good Altima worth buying. Once Nissan implemented the CVT the entire Nissan brand reputation went up in flames.
@@Brian_Eugene_Lee I have had a corolla 2014 & accord 2016 cvt also failing. Yes, without any doubt, avoid nissan with a cvt, my altima, sentra, and maxima all had me spent thousands on them. 😢
I have a 03 2.5 altima in this same color called mystic emerald. It doesn't nearly have all the extra features as the one in this video, but it only weighs 3000lbs cause less weight. It's pretty quick for 175hp
This was a bold aggressive design for its time. 180 hp from a 4cyl and 240 hp from a V6 was unheard of at the time. This Altima shook up the market and no other midsize sedan came close to this.
Yup! '02-'06 were peak years for Nissan/Infiniti. The VQ was a gem of an engine. 240HP when most topped out at 200hp at the time was remarkable(this thing was putting out the same HP as GMs supercharged 3800s of the day). And once Infiniti introduced the G35 the very next year, that car really gave BMW a run for the money.
@hellkitty1014 You're overlooking the fact that the QR25 is one of the worst and most under supported "performance" 4 cylinders ever made. Those were in the Sentra from 02-12 and pale in comparison to the KA and SR of the 90's. I say this as someone that owns an 02 Sentra. It was when they started going downhill.
@@djhero0071 You are mistaken, early QR25 did have oil consumption and pre cat failure issues but those were ironed out and subsequent revisions of the QR25 in newer nissans are very reliable.
Yes, seriously. The 2002 Accord and 2002 Camry were charmless appliances, as were the next generation of both. The Altima was definitely the way to go in 2002.
@@djhero0071 a friend bought a new 2005 Sentra with the 1.8L. The engine developed an issue the 1st year causing a hard start condition. There was also an issue with using the cruise control. When engaged, the transmission would downshift with the slightest incline and lock itself into 3rd gear, never to go back into 4th unless the cruise was disengaged. It was a nice little car for the time and fun to drive, but the Mitsubishi Lancer she replaced it with was overall a much better driving car and gave her no problems.
@@Sha-Ayo I MEAN, I DON'T THINK YOUR COMMENT IS TOO FAR FETCH.. HOWEVER, " EVEN IN THE THUMBNAIL.. "👉🏾I KNEW RIGHT OFF THE RIP THAT THIS WAS A 3.5 ALTIMA!!!🤷🏾🥱💯
I still drive at least 3 a day at work from this gen. The 3.5 is an absolute performer, although the vast majority of these are the 2.5. Even with the 2.5 it feels like it has 100 more horsepower than it actually does. Theres a reason big altima energy exists, these cars seem to encourage and reward hard driving.
I actually can’t believe they even put the 3.5 V6 in this car. The previous Altima was actually very nice too but they turned this into a Maxima with this redesign.
I had an 06 as my first car back in 2013. Interior was immaculate but clearcoat all over the body was peeling off by that time and nothing I could do. So these were built from the factory with the potential to look like junk after a few years
@@allentoyokawa9068no, they make good reliable trucks. Their cars have the CVT, and are also plagued with catalytic converter issues. They are bad cars, stop lying.
I was stunned at how much different Nissan and this Altima was from the the first and second Altimas were. I mean, think about it. The Altima up until 2002 was just a plain Jane family car. And then it became this affordable performance sedan (with the 3.5 V6, that is). What a difference a decade makes.
I recall when these hit the road I thought they looked so modern and fresh. Honestly not a bad looking car nowadays, just wish they ended up with a better automatic.
@@taurussho86I think you’re right because remember the G35 came out the next year in 2003 and it’s 0-60 wasn’t any better, at least on the sedan, despite it having more advertised horsepower/torque, a rear drive layout, and an overall sportier platform. I owned a 2006 G35 sedan with the 6MT which gave it the 296hp output from the G35 coupe and the best that car could do was 0-60 in 5.8.
@@Ward413 The Altima was quite a bit lighter, basically same engine, less loss to the front wheels. I remember the front hood on the Altima was so light, they used a lot of aluminum (suspension etc too)
Yea you hardly see 98 Maxima or any stick shift model Maximas on highway no more I'm still shocked Nissan discontinued the Maxima I think they started putting too much focus on the Altima and that stole the spotlight
Behold, the modern family sedan was born. Every other midsize sedan on the market was designed to measure up to the kind of packaging and powertrains Nissan introduced here
I had 2002 auto as a first car, bought it for 1200 bucks and this car took all the abuse i could give it...long live the 3.5 vq35de...and i had it in the exact same color as this and havent seena 3.5 altima in the same color since and best of all...it was quicker than the crown victoria police cars in my area since it was about 1000 pounds lighter and it had great handling to boot...my mothers 2016 vw golf 1.8 tsi is the only front wheel drive car ive driven that comes close to how good it handled
@workingcountry1776 just basic google search "2002 nissan altima 3.5 curb weight" shows 3178 pounds...lets say 3300 pounds plus me at 190 but we'll call it 200 pounds so 3500 pounds even...and I know it's faster because my buddies had new edge mustang GT's at that time and one of them had a police interceptor 2009 crown vic with upgraded 4.10 gears and a 93 octane tune...guess who would beat both every time...my trusty nissan altima...it also wasn't that long ago this was in 2014 and my altima had 240k miles when I bought it...these cars are much quicker than people think...we'd also go racing/corner carving on the back roads and guess who outcornered the crown vic, and the stangs? Me in my 3.5 crapbox $1200 altima
@iamatlantis1 the joys of you being a delusional adult who has clearly never owned one of these 2002-2006 nissan altima 3.5's...they're super cheap still so buy one and you'll realize I was right
The 2002-2005 Altima was a very attractive car and very peppy. Nissan's 3.5 is an aggressive V6. 2002-2005 is my favorite generation of Nissan sedans when it comes to exterior styling. I'm a fan of the 2002-2005 Altima and Sentra seeing I used to own a used low mile 2005 Sentra 1.8 S and have a buddy who still drives an Altima 2.5 S. Sporty exteriors. Peppy engines. Great handling. Hardly any over steer. Quick from a complete stop. Perfect touch of stiffness in the steering wheel.
It was their resurgence and it featured their midsize sedan. Bigger, Faster and Great Looking, they knocked it out of the park. The base four with an automatic is a great starter car, while the 3.5L V6 with 240hp and a stick was a performance bargain, either way they're sporty and economical, but was it enough to save Nissan? You betcha
My parents bought a 2002 2.5 S Altima and we loved that car. It used to haul all 5 of us to the beach without much trouble. Kept it in the family for nearly 20 years and parted ways with it in 2020. This car was an amazing value and very reliable.
The 3.5 is the uppermost limit of the good VQ's, especially the HR versions. It went downhill in terms of refinement when displacement increased to 3.7.
This Altima was the first one I actually wanted. Especially the V6 versions. Today, not so much. The turbo four versions are decent but I prefer the V6s of the past.
This generation and the generation after was one of the best with a proper automatic transmission instead of those unreliable CVTs they are currently using.
Honestly I am impressed to see these on the road every day almost 25 years later. They're almost all beat to hell and owned by a crackhead, but still, decent and reliable. My sister's friend had one with the 2.5; She calls me one day because she knew I was into cars and her boyfriend was cartarded. Says it's making a weird noise. I get to their house and the "noise" sounded like the rods were about to intall a hood vent. She said some guy flagged her down and told her the car was making a horrible racket and to shut it off... Sooo she drives it 20 miles home. I look at the dipstick, nothing on it. We add a quart. Nothing. Another quart. Still nothing. A third quart. Nada. By the FOURTH quart, it is FINALLY on the stick. Add a half quart and it is full. Mind you the car takes 4.4 quarts. She drove it at LEAST twenty miles with not a single drop of oil in it. Who knows how long. After adding the oil, I started it up and it was dead quiet. She drove it after that every day for at least six months until she traded it in on a new car.
@@TheBikemaster94my cousin has had 2 of the 2001 models. He bought one in 2004 and it still runs today with over 300k miles. He bought another 3 years ago with 40k miles. That generation seemed to last forever from those owners.
Its the perfect example of all style no substance. It seemed those 93-01 models were really reliable, well built cars that almost rivaled the Camry and Accord in quality and long term ownership.
I had a 2006 Red SER Altima with a Nismo cold air intake. I named it the Red Bull because it seemed so big and with the factory sport tuned exhaust and intake...it sounded mean. Cold starts sounded like a 350z.
These things were incredibly quick for their day. Ford, GM, Honda, and Toyota were still milling around with 200(ish) hp V6's, and Nissan basically said "lol, get wrecked".
I remember when this generation of the Altima first hit the market. It was such an abrupt departure from the previous design. The interior was cheap, but you didn’t care because it was so much fun to drive. Even the four cylinder was quick. The rear suspension tended to bottom out if you had three passengers in the back seat.
This was the beginning of relatively fast and AFFORDABLE sedans/coupes that ran 14s or better in the quarter mile. 2002 to ~2006 was a great time. 02-up Altima V6 6-spd manual 03-up Accord V6 coupe 6-spd manual 02-up wrx 04-up wrx sti 05-up Legacy GT 5-spd 03-06 evo 05-up Cobalt SS/saturn ion redline 03-up Neon SRT4
I really wanted one of these and test drove one in2004 but had a two kids and my wife was an early adopter of the SUV craze so we bought a Nissan Armada lol.
@JDns-we4fw A bit heavy on the condemnation 🙂and while I do not disagree that it was more than we needed at the time, it turned out to be a great purchase as I have and continue to use it as a tow rig for both personal and volunteer activities. We'd need four cars to carry as much as that thing can and nothing can tow like it does. We also had two dogs a couple years later and it was ideal for that as we traveled regularly with them. We all own more efficient cars now as my kids are grown. Feel free to judge me, I won't judge you back.
As a mechanic, working over the last 15 years the Nissan Altima wins for me. I have worked on so many of them. Steering racks, cv axles, bearings, brakes, transmission, replacement engines you name it. From working here in Florida my advice is stay away.
In NY these rusted. Sure a GM or Toyota will rot out but in 15 or 20 years with any care given. These just haven't been on our roads in years besides out of state college kids
I had the 2003 3.5 fully loaded sport package in silver. The hp was up 5 from 240 to 245. Great car but the catalytic converter wasn’t. Had that changed is less than 10 years and then 2 years after that, the timing chain tensioner failed without notice and that was the end of that. But great times and great memories
@JDns-we4fw The I35 Never Came With A 6 Speed 1st Off. The 5 Speed 3.5 Altima Was The 1st FWD VQ35 To Trap 100 In The 1/4 Where As The Maxima Only Trapped 98. And They Weren’t Lighter Either. Idk Where Yall Got That From.
@JDns-we4fw I Asked You 1st. I Can Definitely Prove That The I35 Didn’t Come With A 6 Speed. I Can Definitely Prove That The 5 Speed Altima Was Lighter Than The Maxima And Definitely Can Prove That The Maxima Was No Faster Than Altima. NEXT CASE.
Back in 2004 we were shopping for a minivan, but took an Altima 3.5 SE out for a test drive. Silver with black cloth, it was comfortable and fast. I really wanted to buy it, but practicality ruled and we got our minivan, which we still have 20 years later.
This was back when owning a Nissan / Infiniti was respectable (Altima/ Maxima/ G35/ EX35/ FX35/ Q45) . The 3.5 VQ was the real deal and was often compared to the BMW engines back in the day, but with better reliability. Infiniti designs were considered state of the art.
From what I recall this was when they went performance oriented, but the reliability started to decline and that was before the CVT issue. These had head gasket, electronic, and water pump problems that were not common to the earlier generation of boring Altimas. The full takeover by Renault happened in 2004 and then the Nissan Auto lineup started to have the issues with reliability, but they seemed to become more popular. It's kind of interesting. Renault left the Truck, 350z/370z, and GTR divisions alone and concentrated on their fleet models. As for Infiniti, it seemed they also downgraded their reputation because of issues relating to sharing parts with said Nissan division. They built a lineup of beautiful cars, but they lost reliability overall compared with their previous generation. Then the Jatco CVT problem just decimated their perception even worse. It is a fascinating look at a company that has seen ups and downs for the past 2 decades. Look into their former president who escaped Japan by hiding in a suitcase .
I do like a good use of the word "shod"...John must like that word too, I've heard it in several tests over the years. My favorite expression of his is "shade tree mechanic" but that sort of died out in the early 1980s when you could no longer easily work on your own vehicle without sophisticated computers.
@@CarringtonHollister Renault did not merge into Nissan, nor Nissan into Renault. It was an alliance. And this episode is from 2001. So just 2 years after the set up.
Good thing. These were throw away cars. Haven't seen these in probably 10 or 12 years yet i see mid sized GM cars like Pontiac Grand Prix, Impala, and even 90s Luminas are still popular as are a hand full of turn of the millennium toyota. # 1 platform i see of mid sized car from first decade of the 2000s is Mazda 626 and its Ford Fusion cousin.
This is probably the best condition this Altima was ever in
@@JackVegetables18 small price to pay once the engine and drivetrain are mechanically sound
You can say that about any car goof
@BCJDM Altima driver spotted, emergency countermeasures deployed in order to survive in one piece.
I mean any brand new car is gonna be in the best condition it’ll ever be
@@deletdis6173 lol yes one of my cars is a 2006 altima ser. Its definitely in better condition than any car youve owned lol
And they’re still on the roads today striking fear in the hearts of commuters everywhere.
🤣🤣🤣😂 BIG ATLIMA ENERGY!!!! It’s real🤣
That’s the new criminal car, replacing the Chevy Impala and Pontiac Grand Am.
Dodge charger: am i a joke to you?🤨 @zoomanx9661
@@blackice7408 Nissan Altima: chargers are for drag racing and donuts, Nissan Altima’s are bail-out vehicles. Hit things up, then abandon the whip. A lotta that in New York.
😂
I didn't know these existed without paper plates, multiple dings, and a few warrants.
Honestly, I do not know why, but whenever I visit lower income areas, older Hondas with bad clear coat and older Nissans with missing bumpers are everywhere for some reason.
An occasional bullet hole..
Pontiac was going away. Nissan decided to fill the slot.
Once the realm of the Galant and Neon has been replaced by BAE.
You just describe a majority of cars in Corpus Christi, Texas
0-60 in 5.9 seconds is faster than most vehicles today
no wonder they’re always speeding lol
Also 100 mph trap speed in the 1/4 mile was very impressive for 2002. This car was a real sleeper.
I had the updated 05 version.
The 3.5 was the redeeming quality of the Altima.
3 transmission later i sued Nissan under the lemon law act.
Now I only drive Hondas & Toyotas
Most had the 2.5 very rare to see any with the 3.5 V6
240hp in a family sedan back then was jaw dropping
So strange to see one with matching body panels
That is a spot on great description to describe the Altima. Especially in that model year.
I have a green 03 2.5 with all the doorhandles and correct panels lmao
That 0-60 in 5.9 second run would give every midsize car today a run for their money. And the styling changed the game - 20 yrs later it still doesn’t look out of place on the road.
It doesn’t look out of place but it’s also actually evolved to something to look out for with caution 😂
This car single handedly turned Nissan North America around in 2002 👍🏽
They had good horse power performance engines and the car was light, had road noise though cause of that. Nissan hit home runs with these cars !!!
I love this color combo on the Altima. This was the last good Altima worth buying. Once Nissan implemented the CVT the entire Nissan brand reputation went up in flames.
@@Brian_Eugene_Lee I have had a corolla 2014 & accord 2016 cvt also failing. Yes, without any doubt, avoid nissan with a cvt, my altima, sentra, and maxima all had me spent thousands on them. 😢
sadly yes, Maxima RIP 2007, Altima RIP 2011
I have a 03 2.5 altima in this same color called mystic emerald. It doesn't nearly have all the extra features as the one in this video, but it only weighs 3000lbs cause less weight. It's pretty quick for 175hp
One of these is parked outside of every Dollar General and Waffle House location nationwide.
Show me one that isn't, and I'll show you a green dog.
The payday loan shop too.
This was a bold aggressive design for its time. 180 hp from a 4cyl and 240 hp from a V6 was unheard of at the time. This Altima shook up the market and no other midsize sedan came close to this.
Yup! '02-'06 were peak years for Nissan/Infiniti. The VQ was a gem of an engine. 240HP when most topped out at 200hp at the time was remarkable(this thing was putting out the same HP as GMs supercharged 3800s of the day). And once Infiniti introduced the G35 the very next year, that car really gave BMW a run for the money.
@hellkitty1014 You're overlooking the fact that the QR25 is one of the worst and most under supported "performance" 4 cylinders ever made. Those were in the Sentra from 02-12 and pale in comparison to the KA and SR of the 90's. I say this as someone that owns an 02 Sentra. It was when they started going downhill.
@@djhero0071 You are mistaken, early QR25 did have oil consumption and pre cat failure issues but those were ironed out and subsequent revisions of the QR25 in newer nissans are very reliable.
Yes, seriously. The 2002 Accord and 2002 Camry were charmless appliances, as were the next generation of both. The Altima was definitely the way to go in 2002.
@@djhero0071 a friend bought a new 2005 Sentra with the 1.8L. The engine developed an issue the 1st year causing a hard start condition. There was also an issue with using the cruise control. When engaged, the transmission would downshift with the slightest incline and lock itself into 3rd gear, never to go back into 4th unless the cruise was disengaged. It was a nice little car for the time and fun to drive, but the Mitsubishi Lancer she replaced it with was overall a much better driving car and gave her no problems.
The official hood mobile once every remaining Pontiac Grand Am and G6 went to the scrap yard.
To be fair, that didnt take very long
Who knew the Renault merger would screw up Nissan's reputation forever.
The thumbnail makes it look like a Subaru Legacy
Merging with European brands haven't bolded well for any non European brand
@@Sha-Ayo I MEAN, I DON'T THINK YOUR COMMENT IS TOO FAR FETCH.. HOWEVER, " EVEN IN THE THUMBNAIL..
"👉🏾I KNEW RIGHT OFF THE RIP THAT THIS WAS A 3.5 ALTIMA!!!🤷🏾🥱💯
Like AMC in the 1980s...
They destroyed it.
This generation of Altima was decent if taken care of.
It really was a great family car.
That's just about any car, though.
Except for maybe like old Daewoos, Hyundais and Kias.
As a former Nissan technician I disagree with this.
@@akshonclipI still see these on the road today. They where decent cars. I don't care what lies you spew.
Brand new ones are better
I remember driving a SER version of this and being pretty damn surprised how much power it had
I still drive at least 3 a day at work from this gen. The 3.5 is an absolute performer, although the vast majority of these are the 2.5. Even with the 2.5 it feels like it has 100 more horsepower than it actually does. Theres a reason big altima energy exists, these cars seem to encourage and reward hard driving.
5.9 seconds to 60 was ridiculous in 2002
It's ridiculous even by today's standards in a midsize sedan, unlike it's something actually sporty like Audi S4 or BMW 335i
A Camry V6 is faster (since 2007), even though it can't put all the power to the ground at low speeds these days with 301hp.@@Peterkragger
2001, Check the episode date
These changed the game, and then they gave it Cvtragic in '07 😩
The CVTs aren't bad in their hybrids, but in ICE-only models, I agree.
@@dave_riotsThat's because eCVT is entirely different than cheap-steel-belts-that-break CVT.
umm there is NOTHING wrong with the newer Nissan's so STOP
One of the worst mistakes I've ever made was buying a cvt Maxima.
I actually can’t believe they even put the 3.5 V6 in this car. The previous Altima was actually very nice too but they turned this into a Maxima with this redesign.
Big Altima Energy.
Y e s 😂🤣
you beat me to it!!!!
😂
@JDns-we4fwSame difference.
I just wrote that responding to someone in this 😂
I grew up with these things and ive never EVER seen one this nice. I swear even in 2008 these things looked like they had been driver 20 years
I had an 06 as my first car back in 2013. Interior was immaculate but clearcoat all over the body was peeling off by that time and nothing I could do. So these were built from the factory with the potential to look like junk after a few years
Nissan still made good, reliable cars until about 2005.
370z/g37 arnt bad.
ummm they STILL make good reliable cars, so STOP
lol tell that to a owner of a 2007 Nissan Frontier truck with over a million miles lol.
@@allentoyokawa9068You might want to look up the failure rate of their CVTs before believing that.
@@allentoyokawa9068no, they make good reliable trucks. Their cars have the CVT, and are also plagued with catalytic converter issues. They are bad cars, stop lying.
I was stunned at how much different Nissan and this Altima was from the the first and second Altimas were. I mean, think about it. The Altima up until 2002 was just a plain Jane family car. And then it became this affordable performance sedan (with the 3.5 V6, that is). What a difference a decade makes.
The beginning of Big Altima Energy (BAE).
This generation of Altima gave birth to Big Altima Energy, thanks Carlos Ghosn‼️
I recall when these hit the road I thought they looked so modern and fresh. Honestly not a bad looking car nowadays, just wish they ended up with a better automatic.
Had a 2003 with 245hp/246tq, it was a beast.
Those numbers has to be at the wheel... That motor has to make more
@@taurussho86I think you’re right because remember the G35 came out the next year in 2003 and it’s 0-60 wasn’t any better, at least on the sedan, despite it having more advertised horsepower/torque, a rear drive layout, and an overall sportier platform. I owned a 2006 G35 sedan with the 6MT which gave it the 296hp output from the G35 coupe and the best that car could do was 0-60 in 5.8.
@@Ward413 makes sense to me... Nice car too
what was the Z’s hp rating
@@Ward413 The Altima was quite a bit lighter, basically same engine, less loss to the front wheels. I remember the front hood on the Altima was so light, they used a lot of aluminum (suspension etc too)
Makes me miss my 04 Maxima 6 speed manual. Was a great car and surprisingly quick for the time period.
I agree. I had a 98' Max, 5spd. That car was phenomenal; I named her Maxine
Yea you hardly see 98 Maxima or any stick shift model Maximas on highway no more I'm still shocked Nissan discontinued the Maxima I think they started putting too much focus on the Altima and that stole the spotlight
Still driving my 96 Maxima 🤟although rust is going to do it in in the next 5 years I expect
@@JoeUrbanYYC keep your 96 Maxima waxed and detailed that might prevent rust I seen few from that generation still in shiny clean condition
@@JoeUrbanYYC if it's a stick, I'm jealous
If only we knew what stereotype this car would become 😂
2005 Nissan Altima SE R came out and it was amazing family hauler. AND now everyone wants slow SUVs. Or awd van's.
Stuff I watched as a kid is now Retro, this must be what getting old feels like. :')
I didn’t know you could even buy them new. I thought it just spawned at the local dealership at a reduced price.
I fell in love the very first time I saw one and became my dream car
The baby mama mobile
Faster than ur car lol
This was before CVT so it was a decent ride
Nothing WRONG with the CVT or Nissan
Nissan CVT are horrible do a little research@@allentoyokawa9068
Like saying nothing wrong with a Yugo@@allentoyokawa9068
It had DOHC, Bose speakers and automatic headlights.
The official car of baby mommas and other psychopaths
Nissan Altima: The official car for DUI's and crumpled McDonald's Fish Filet wrappers.
🎃 Muhahahaa 🎃
Nissan is the Chrysler of Japan.
Bankruptcy, style, poor reliability, good performance, affordable lease, bad for 10+ year value... yes 100%
Nah Nissan is better
This is lowkey the best comparison I’ve heard to date
Behold, the modern family sedan was born.
Every other midsize sedan on the market was designed to measure up to the kind of packaging and powertrains Nissan introduced here
The car that saved Nissan
This, the Sentra and the Rogue has kept Nissan afloat.
Yes! The perfect Altima, and way better than the current models today
I had 2002 auto as a first car, bought it for 1200 bucks and this car took all the abuse i could give it...long live the 3.5 vq35de...and i had it in the exact same color as this and havent seena 3.5 altima in the same color since and best of all...it was quicker than the crown victoria police cars in my area since it was about 1000 pounds lighter and it had great handling to boot...my mothers 2016 vw golf 1.8 tsi is the only front wheel drive car ive driven that comes close to how good it handled
Lol, the joys of being a delusional child. No, no it didnt.
CVPI are about 5k# with average loadout your car was west? 3500# with a 200# driver?
@iamatlantis1 sounds like you never owned an altima lol
@workingcountry1776 just basic google search "2002 nissan altima 3.5 curb weight" shows 3178 pounds...lets say 3300 pounds plus me at 190 but we'll call it 200 pounds so 3500 pounds even...and I know it's faster because my buddies had new edge mustang GT's at that time and one of them had a police interceptor 2009 crown vic with upgraded 4.10 gears and a 93 octane tune...guess who would beat both every time...my trusty nissan altima...it also wasn't that long ago this was in 2014 and my altima had 240k miles when I bought it...these cars are much quicker than people think...we'd also go racing/corner carving on the back roads and guess who outcornered the crown vic, and the stangs? Me in my 3.5 crapbox $1200 altima
@iamatlantis1 the joys of you being a delusional adult who has clearly never owned one of these 2002-2006 nissan altima 3.5's...they're super cheap still so buy one and you'll realize I was right
This thing is pretty dang fast for what it is, and even now. It's a Japanese sleeper, like a FWD GM car with LS engine.
The 2002-2005 Altima was a very attractive car and very peppy. Nissan's 3.5 is an aggressive V6.
2002-2005 is my favorite generation of Nissan sedans when it comes to exterior styling.
I'm a fan of the 2002-2005 Altima and Sentra seeing I used to own a used low mile 2005 Sentra 1.8 S and have a buddy who still drives an Altima 2.5 S. Sporty exteriors. Peppy engines. Great handling. Hardly any over steer. Quick from a complete stop. Perfect touch of stiffness in the steering wheel.
They did handle very well!
The birth of Big Altima Energy.
Just remember they had a SE-R version with a 6 spd transmission. It was one of the quickest front wheel drive car you can buy
this year everyoe wanted to be a racer
Wow. That is so cool! Although the Altima is a fun Nissan model, I sure am glad to have the Maxima as my all-time favorite Nissan model.
I had a 2003 Altima and it lasted 11yrs...can't complain
The roots of Big Altima Energy.
It was their resurgence and it featured their midsize sedan. Bigger, Faster and Great Looking, they knocked it out of the park. The base four with an automatic is a great starter car, while the 3.5L V6 with 240hp and a stick was a performance bargain, either way they're sporty and economical, but was it enough to save Nissan?
You betcha
it's crazy how fast they are.
These things are the biggest threat on the road
Threat to the manhood of any self respecting-man caught driving one, maybe. It's a POS, wrong wheel drive grocery getter with tacky tail lights..
As someone who lives in arizona, its so werid seeing one of these without at least a fender bender and a broken tail light
I don't think Altimas like that are exclusive to Arizona.
@@danmccarthy4700 true, but it's most common in arizona
My parents bought a 2002 2.5 S Altima and we loved that car. It used to haul all 5 of us to the beach without much trouble. Kept it in the family for nearly 20 years and parted ways with it in 2020. This car was an amazing value and very reliable.
The 3.5 is the uppermost limit of the good VQ's, especially the HR versions. It went downhill in terms of refinement when displacement increased to 3.7.
This was the last generation Altima before it went all CVT.
Wrong also, the next gen after this could get a 6 speed
This Altima was the first one I actually wanted. Especially the V6 versions. Today, not so much. The turbo four versions are decent but I prefer the V6s of the past.
60mph in 5.9 seconds with only 240hp is impressive.
A couple of years later, they bumped the power up to 255hp.
Beautiful engine. Nissan’s 3.5 V6 is still one of the best. And this is a full five years before Camry introduced its 3.5.
This generation and the generation after was one of the best with a proper automatic transmission instead of those unreliable CVTs they are currently using.
Still same transmission in my 2006 alitma. Runs very good.
I had a feeling about how this comment section would be, and you guys did not disappoint. 😂 -Es350 guy
Still plenty of these on the road today, and I barely see them in the shop
Honestly I am impressed to see these on the road every day almost 25 years later. They're almost all beat to hell and owned by a crackhead, but still, decent and reliable.
My sister's friend had one with the 2.5; She calls me one day because she knew I was into cars and her boyfriend was cartarded. Says it's making a weird noise. I get to their house and the "noise" sounded like the rods were about to intall a hood vent. She said some guy flagged her down and told her the car was making a horrible racket and to shut it off... Sooo she drives it 20 miles home.
I look at the dipstick, nothing on it. We add a quart. Nothing. Another quart. Still nothing. A third quart. Nada. By the FOURTH quart, it is FINALLY on the stick. Add a half quart and it is full. Mind you the car takes 4.4 quarts.
She drove it at LEAST twenty miles with not a single drop of oil in it. Who knows how long. After adding the oil, I started it up and it was dead quiet. She drove it after that every day for at least six months until she traded it in on a new car.
i gotta say after being a mechanic during this era, its crazy how motor week makes these pieces of crap look cool and exciting.
I was a Nissan technician when this retool came out. You could definitely tell the drop in build and materials quality.
I had a 99 5sp that I preferred over my 06😢
@@TheBikemaster94my cousin has had 2 of the 2001 models. He bought one in 2004 and it still runs today with over 300k miles. He bought another 3 years ago with 40k miles. That generation seemed to last forever from those owners.
Its the perfect example of all style no substance. It seemed those 93-01 models were really reliable, well built cars that almost rivaled the Camry and Accord in quality and long term ownership.
Honestly came here for the Comments. Was not disappointed !
I had a 2002, and later had a 2005 SL. These were nice, fun cars to have, and they definitely had a better driving feel than the current Altima.
Always loved this generation of Altima. It’s got the muscle to back it up too!
This is the generation that began coming from the factor with big altima energy
I had a 2006 Red SER Altima with a Nismo cold air intake. I named it the Red Bull because it seemed so big and with the factory sport tuned exhaust and intake...it sounded mean. Cold starts sounded like a 350z.
These things were incredibly quick for their day. Ford, GM, Honda, and Toyota were still milling around with 200(ish) hp V6's, and Nissan basically said "lol, get wrecked".
This thing dominated its class during those years
This gen aged extremely well
When I was in high school when these were new, I wanted an SER Altima. Now, up her in the northeast, they’re all rotted out lol
I remember when this generation of the Altima first hit the market. It was such an abrupt departure from the previous design. The interior was cheap, but you didn’t care because it was so much fun to drive. Even the four cylinder was quick. The rear suspension tended to bottom out if you had three passengers in the back seat.
Big Altima Energy is born.
This was the beginning of relatively fast and AFFORDABLE sedans/coupes that ran 14s or better in the quarter mile. 2002 to ~2006 was a great time.
02-up Altima V6 6-spd manual
03-up Accord V6 coupe 6-spd manual
02-up wrx
04-up wrx sti
05-up Legacy GT 5-spd
03-06 evo
05-up Cobalt SS/saturn ion redline
03-up Neon SRT4
That is RIPPING for 2002. 5.9 seconds to 60 was on par with the BMW 540 or Audi S4... both of which cost tens of thousands more.
These were some of the last years that these were viable. Everything after the CVT installation has been dogcrap.
Umm. Last time I saw anyone mentioning a 2002 Altima was the Amber Alert on I-5.
Now you can't even get a v6 in a mainstream sedan
You can in the Camry until the 2025 comes out
@@christopherwaits7852 that's the last one and it's done.
I really wanted one of these and test drove one in2004 but had a two kids and my wife was an early adopter of the SUV craze so we bought a Nissan Armada lol.
@JDns-we4fw A bit heavy on the condemnation 🙂and while I do not disagree that it was more than we needed at the time, it turned out to be a great purchase as I have and continue to use it as a tow rig for both personal and volunteer activities. We'd need four cars to carry as much as that thing can and nothing can tow like it does. We also had two dogs a couple years later and it was ideal for that as we traveled regularly with them. We all own more efficient cars now as my kids are grown. Feel free to judge me, I won't judge you back.
@JDns-we4fw Of course not but I do not know people I don't deal with so I answered honestly without engaging in some of the weird stuff..
This was such a sleeper. The way it roasted the tires off the line and again while shifting. Non of the was necessary. But they did it anyway.
As a mechanic, working over the last 15 years the Nissan Altima wins for me. I have worked on so many of them. Steering racks, cv axles, bearings, brakes, transmission, replacement engines you name it. From working here in Florida my advice is stay away.
In NY these rusted. Sure a GM or Toyota will rot out but in 15 or 20 years with any care given. These just haven't been on our roads in years besides out of state college kids
The 2002 Nissan Altima, SE when compared to its previous 2001 forebearer , is an amazing accomplishment.
I had an '05 SE-R. Really was a good car overall. I miss when Nissan was competitive. Even the new Z is pretty meh.
Yeah, I don't know what they're expecting from the new Z. Seems like a good used buy. Or a rental for the weekend
I had the 2003 3.5 fully loaded sport package in silver. The hp was up 5 from 240 to 245. Great car but the catalytic converter wasn’t. Had that changed is less than 10 years and then 2 years after that, the timing chain tensioner failed without notice and that was the end of that. But great times and great memories
Rockstar should probably add this car as "Annis Adrenaline" for next GTA DLC.
Altima with the Maxima engine.
Didn’t get the 6 speed and I believe it weighed a little more.
They Received The VQ35 At The Same Time In 2002. The Maxima Just Had A 6 Speed And 255hp But It Literally Wasn’t Any Faster Tbh.
@JDns-we4fw The I35 Never Came With A 6 Speed 1st Off. The 5 Speed 3.5 Altima Was The 1st FWD VQ35 To Trap 100 In The 1/4 Where As The Maxima Only Trapped 98. And They Weren’t Lighter Either. Idk Where Yall Got That From.
@JDns-we4fw Prove It.
@JDns-we4fw I Asked You 1st. I Can Definitely Prove That The I35 Didn’t Come With A 6 Speed. I Can Definitely Prove That The 5 Speed Altima Was Lighter Than The Maxima And Definitely Can Prove That The Maxima Was No Faster Than Altima. NEXT CASE.
Back in 2004 we were shopping for a minivan, but took an Altima 3.5 SE out for a test drive. Silver with black cloth, it was comfortable and fast. I really wanted to buy it, but practicality ruled and we got our minivan, which we still have 20 years later.
What van was it?
@@LSJR1738We ended up choosing an Odyssey. Still running strong and a joy to drive after all these years.
@@bb_lz97902005 redesigned odyssey?
3.5 was and is a great engine. CVT has all but deleted this brand.
I thought these came off the line with an expired tag, burning oil and with no bumper
They did, the tester was specially modified to not have those things
Try walking into a dealership nowadays and ask for a brand new sedan with a 240hp V6 for $23k.. They'll laugh you straight out of the door
You’ve heard of inflation, right?
@JDns-we4fwwalking would be so much faster ..
The mid-size sedan that started the modern-day mid-size sedan. I always thought the were beautiful cars
This was back when owning a Nissan / Infiniti was respectable (Altima/ Maxima/ G35/ EX35/ FX35/ Q45) . The 3.5 VQ was the real deal and was often compared to the BMW engines back in the day, but with better reliability. Infiniti designs were considered state of the art.
From what I recall this was when they went performance oriented, but the reliability started to decline and that was before the CVT issue. These had head gasket, electronic, and water pump problems that were not common to the earlier generation of boring Altimas. The full takeover by Renault happened in 2004 and then the Nissan Auto lineup started to have the issues with reliability, but they seemed to become more popular. It's kind of interesting. Renault left the Truck, 350z/370z, and GTR divisions alone and concentrated on their fleet models. As for Infiniti, it seemed they also downgraded their reputation because of issues relating to sharing parts with said Nissan division. They built a lineup of beautiful cars, but they lost reliability overall compared with their previous generation. Then the Jatco CVT problem just decimated their perception even worse. It is a fascinating look at a company that has seen ups and downs for the past 2 decades. Look into their former president who escaped Japan by hiding in a suitcase .
I do like a good use of the word "shod"...John must like that word too, I've heard it in several tests over the years.
My favorite expression of his is "shade tree mechanic" but that sort of died out in the early 1980s when you could no longer easily work on your own vehicle without sophisticated computers.
only car that gets faster the more beat up it gets
😂😂🤣😂 im weak that comment was too much
that’s kind of a compliment because they are very unkillable lol seeing how many I still see on the road.
All jokes aside, this generation SE-R version of the altima with the manual was a potent sleeper..
These cars were a huge step in the right direction, only for the brand to trip and fall after the Renault merger.
Renault alliance had already happened 2 years prior.
@@kamrankhan-lj1ngRenault merged with Nissan in 1999 so basically it would be 3 years before this car was made.
@@CarringtonHollister Renault did not merge into Nissan, nor Nissan into Renault. It was an alliance.
And this episode is from 2001. So just 2 years after the set up.
Damn that thing was faster than my parents brand new bmw back in the day
As the old folks say, "They don't make them like they used to".
Good thing. These were throw away cars. Haven't seen these in probably 10 or 12 years yet i see mid sized GM cars like Pontiac Grand Prix, Impala, and even 90s Luminas are still popular as are a hand full of turn of the millennium toyota. # 1 platform i see of mid sized car from first decade of the 2000s is Mazda 626 and its Ford Fusion cousin.
My brother in Christ, we are the old folks now.
The Altima jokes😅. But yeah this gen Altima was pretty cool when it came out. My friend had a 3.5 manual and that thing was a tire smoker