1999 NISSAN Altima

16 Years of Dependability

Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 5

I got this car new in December of 1999 with the help of my parents and just now finally letting go. Day in and day out this car has been there for me, even after 2 accidents (Rear ended in 2001, front driver side wheel well smashed in 2009). I cannot recommend this car enough. I'm trading it in with 206k miles on it. Outside of my gushing love and nostalgia, I do have several minor gripes that I just got accustomed to over the years: - The acceleration is fantastic in 1st and 2nd, but not so much in 3rd and 4th - Interior overhead cloth came loose where the roof and rear windshield meet around 130k. Has never came completely undone or had more than 2 inches loose. - A/C compressor died somewhere around 150k miles. Never bothered to fix it. - Sun damage got the best of the leather interior, specifically the driver seat, which now has a miniature rendition of the Grand Canyon in it. - Rack and pinion started leaking at 180k at miles. - On days that were about 50 degrees or lower, transmission would struggle shifting from 3rd to 4th, but would eventually get corrected after about 5 minutes on the road. - Weird spurts of feedback occasionally (like 4 times a week) coming through the speakers at 190k. The only time the Altima ever died on me, outside of batteries or the alternator, was when I was young and dumb. Never checked the fluid levels and let the coolant drop super low, blowing a head gasket. That was somewhere around 80k.