Nissan Versa 1.6-the least expensive vehicle in US

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Originally Posted By: JTK
I've sat in a few Versi, but not driven one. Looks/feels like a decent car to me for ~$10K. I don't get people's expectations. $10K new hasn't bought you squat for the last what... 20 something years?

Joel


IDK, my 2000 Saturn SC2 was 12 grand new, it's about 60 times the car that the Fit, Aveo, Versa et. all is. I can go on and on about how great it is compared to other vehicles but it just seems that car quality is on a major downhill slope.

I've only purchased three new cars in my life. A Buick Century, a Crown Victoria, and a Nissan Sentra. At the time the Sentra was the cheapest car on the road but at least it came with a full sized spare, radio, A/C, floormats, etc. for under ten grand. It ran well for ten years, then threw a rod. That's about what I expected for a Japanese car. I got my money's worth out of it, but not like I have out of my Century and my Ford.

The Crown Vic was a mid year model and I got it fully loaded for 15 grand. The Fit we priced was right at 15 even; you're telling me that the Honda Fit is even remotely on par with a Crown Victoria? Same thing with the Century. When I got it they were just about giving them away, I just don't see quality cars like this anymore for a decent price.

Maybe I've just been spoiled but I think when you go to buy a new car it should have a radio, floor mats/carpet, a spare tire, an a/c (not a necessity for some but here in the SE an absolute must), and a side mirror. True, the Versa is the cheapest car on the road when you deduct for all these things that are STANDARD on most vehicles today, you'll find that it's not such a great deal after all. So meanwhile some guy like me is driving around in a Grand Marquis with all the amenities and I payed the same price you payed for your glued together Versa that will be lucky to surpass the ten year mark. (Yeah I know it's two completely different vehicles but dang, my neighbor just picked up a Marquis for less than 15 large, and I see people talking about spending fourteen five on a Fit?)

My point is that you shouldn't have to sacrifice quality in the price tag. All the cost cutting that's going on right now is a sore indicator that we, as Americans, have told the auto makers that we are willing to buy absolute garbage, just so long as the price tag reflects that. Ten grand should still get you floor mats, a spare, and a side mirror is all I'm sayin'. And it shouldn't look like an inebriated child pieced together your interior from seven different colors of plastic and put it all together with play-dough.
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There must be a reason that cars like the Century, Crown Victorias, and Grand Marquis sell for that cheap. For the most part, those cars are aimed at centurions and when they sell it that cheap, it sure isn't because they sell like hot cakes. I've seldom heard a young person say "hmmm...I want a Grand Marquis for my first car." I'm sure a $10k Versa can't be any worse than some of the stuff coming out of GM in the 90s- early 00s (i.e. the Cavalier).

I don't see why floor mats are that big of a deal.

edit: I knew someone who bought a brand new 04 Elantra for $10k. It came with power everything, air, sunroof, CD player, and FLOOR MATS. I think that car is 60 times better than the Aveo, Ion, Focus, Cobalt, and maybe the Versa.

One more reason the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis can sell for cheap is probably because they're basically a 20 year old design. Research and development takes money.
 
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I'm cheap I guess, a new basic Versa sounds good to me. I bought an 03 chevy tracker, 4 door, 4x4, manual trans for about 14k, MSRP was 23k. No mats, radio, power locks, power windows, or AC, but speakers were installed and wired. $300 later I had CD mp3 radio with a subwoofer and floor mats. A factory mp3 CD radio was a $600 option after I bought a $2400 trim package, so really I'd rather pick my radio and get some $10 floor mats.
The interior is actually quite tight considering the amount of plastic its made of.
Overall its what I wanted, cheap, reliable, 4x4 transportation, and its got low range and a ladder frame so it might get a snowplow in the future.
I would rather buy something decently made without a bunch of options than something poorly made with all the options given comparable prices. Honda and toyota went simple and reliable in the 80's and 90's and look where they are compared to the "big" 3 now.
Really what I'd like to buy for 10k is a new 1998 honda accord. It would be superior to the versa in every way but I guess then people wouldn't buy a 2008 accord for 24k...
Ian
 
I'm just excited by having the same model econobox with two different displacement engines... not just, say, the same block with "econo" and "sport" head(s)/cams.

Look at our stripper cobalts/cavaliers/ions, they all get the ecotec 2.2 with 140 hp... sure they just came out with the "XFE" package with taller gearing etc, but an economy car should be... economical. Yup, you could look at EPA mileage estimates and I bet the versas are within 1-2 MPG of each other... but their testing is whacked by going off drag coeffecients (the same) and emissions... Compare a stripper Versa against a heavier one and see significant city gains...

Also we
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get bigger engines than the rest of the world, how many people gush over the one liter powerplants in Europe, perfect for urban banging around over here, but we don't get 'em, because passing a new powertrain through all the EPA testing is such a headache... well here we go... a choice of 1.6 or 1.8... like the corollas of the 90s used to have!
 
Totally agree. It's great to have total base model econoboxes available. The only option my 2007 Cobalt has is AT and it still cost me just over $12K + TTL. When you are in this price range, jumping from ~$10-12K is a big deal IMO. I'd easily take a smaller engine in my Cobalt if it costs less and boosts economy.

Joel
 
Unless you are in bumper to bumper traffic, learn how to shift a manual, enjoy the driving better, get better mileage, save $1000.

Cripes, I'd pay $1000 to avoid an automatic or a CVT, but I'd don't live in LA or Manhattan.
 
I'd still get a Hyundai Accent over the Nissan. I have not heard many good things about Nissan, and have heard many good things about Hyundai.

Kinda crazy how you can get a brand-new Cobalt for ~$10k. I'd take one of those fairly quickly.

Of course, that's if I wanted to give up my paid-for, well-maintained old-person car that I happen to like driving for a number of reasons. And I'm 23.
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
I'd still get a Hyundai Accent over the Nissan. I have not heard many good things about Nissan, and have heard many good things about Hyundai.



In Canada they are still selling new 09 Hyundai Accents for $9995! With the exchange rate that works out to less than $8500 US!! You guys should come up here and buy our cars!
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I might have taken you up on it had I not today realized that fresh off lease 2006 9-5s are selling on eBay for $15,000.
 
Our Kia Rio was $7.6k as a loss leader. With the 100k mile warranty it seems to be a decent enough car, no problems, very little oil consumption after break in, and getting over 30mpg city driving, good considering it's the kid's car. The Kias were on the top half of the US News list of economy cars, which is why I bothered to look at them. Seems to be the sister car of the Accent.
 
Originally Posted By: BrianWC
I might have taken you up on it had I not today realized that fresh off lease 2006 9-5s are selling on eBay for $15,000.

Wow! Saabs always depreciate pretty fast, but that's remarkable. A person would have to be nuts to buy a new one.
 
Last night, I stopped by the Nissan dealer, just to look at a Versa.

Problem is, the local dealer has a problem with buying cars that are not loaded up. The cheapest Versas on their lot were all 1.8's that were still over $16,000. Not a 1.6 anywhere.

There's better cars out there for over $16,000.
 
Some years ago, I want to say early '90s, Consumer Reports published a 4 or 5 car test article in their magazine as they do each month. This particular test of these cars focused on the least expensive new car that we can buy in the U.S./Canada. I can't remember all of the cars tested but, their conclusion was to buy a used car for the "out the door" price that these cheap cars cost new! They didn't like a one of them and there was a Toyota in the mix.

$4.00 for a gallon of gas wasn't an issue back then but, many used/pre-owned vehicles could get you quite a vehicle that also achieved respectable MPG and they had mentioned pre-owned vehicles such as Honda Accord/Toyota Camry 4 cyl's.

Before I purchace new, a vehicle that only gets tad better MPG than something used for the same money, "Im buying used", better looking, more functional, better quality interior/exterior, more creature comforts and probably better reliability. I can only imagine just how much cost cutting there is on a new cheap vehicle these days. How about replacing brakes/rotors all of the time and exhaust parts. And how about all of the things that just break in your hand when you go to grab it, turn it, push it! How about interiors so cheap that they squeek on the first cold day that you drive them.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Last night, I stopped by the Nissan dealer, just to look at a Versa.

Problem is, the local dealer has a problem with buying cars that are not loaded up. The cheapest Versas on their lot were all 1.8's that were still over $16,000. Not a 1.6 anywhere.

There's better cars out there for over $16,000.


I wonder if they're still mostly at the docks or in ships.

Watch the paper for loss leader specials, and prepare to be at the dealer at 7 am with cash in hand.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
..Problem is, the local dealer has a problem with buying cars that are not loaded up. The cheapest Versas on their lot were all 1.8's that were still over $16,000. Not a 1.6 anywhere.

There's better cars out there for over $16,000.


I've found that to be the case with my local Nissan dealers as well and most make/models for that matter. You'd be hard pressed to find anything with a manual trans. I know w/ my FIL's recent Rogue purchase, you'd also have to special order a FWD drive one of those. Everything on the lots and on order were AWD. The profit margins must not be there on total base models.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: Char Baby

I can only imagine just how much cost cutting there is on a new cheap vehicle these days. How about replacing brakes/rotors all of the time and exhaust parts. And how about all of the things that just break in your hand when you go to grab it, turn it, push it! How about interiors so cheap that they squeek on the first cold day that you drive them.

Sounds like my Dad's "loaded" 03 F150... Well the brakes haven't been to bad or the exhaust but you nailed the interior.
I guess some people care about interior quality and some don't, when I look inside a rally car I like how spartan it is, everything you need, nothing you don't! I can appreciate a well made interior but I don't want to pay for it and I won't.
My buddy's 05 toyota echo had a few interior squeeks and rattles but nothing fell off or any unscheduled maintenance and it got 50+ mpg at 60 mph, which was what the car was bought for. Mission accomplished. Sure a Camry is a nicer ride but it also costs about twice as much, might be a deal to you but not so much for me.
Ian
 
"Sure a Camry is a nicer ride but it also cost about twice as much, might be a deal to you but not so much for me."

Indylan,
The Camry sure does make a nice used car, 2-3 years old(I liked all of the Accords that I've had much better). Many of the used CamCords that I purchaced had alot of miles on them already. And all of the ones I've owned(used purchace) lasted well into the 250,000-300,000 miles without many issues. Sweet! Great mileage(35-37 highway) cruising at 80mph. 4cyl engine never struggled even going through the mountains of PA, down into the VA's and into SC(Myrtle Beach) from Upstate NY. Luggage and people aboard. I think that 34 highway was the worst I can remember and I was cruising! Shhhhhhhhhhoooooooooommmmmmmmm!
 
It seems here that Accords and Camrys hold onto their value so much that they are no deal even after a couple years. Ones with typical mileage, say 30,000 miles after two years, are maybe 3 or $4k off MSRP... I'd guess they'd drop a couple grand to actually sell it but not always. For all round cars they are hard to beat for sure but the econoboxes should be cheaper to own from new especially if they are $8k less to start with!
The best deals here are on cars like buick centurys. They would be 1/3 to 1/2 less than an equivalent "CamCord". Maybe slightly more of a gamble in reliability but these days its not much.
Ian
 
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