M-train

iTrader: (3)

Years ago, back in the '80s, and '90s Nissan used to have a pretty good reputation, up there with Honda, and Toyota for making fairly reliable vehicles.

Then something changed, and around 2000 Nissan's started to suck. Pre cat failures, timing chains jumping time, bad transmissions [worse now with cvt's], and on, and on.

Of course I own an 05 SER, and since I work on all of my vehicles [and other peoples cars for over 35 years now], I can see first hand some of the stupid things Nissan has done to their cars vs the other Japanese cars.

So, I set out to find out what happened.

I finally found out that Renault bought out Nissan in 99 [which is why my SER has a POS Renault transmission, and yes I've rebuilt it, and there are some major problems for which I think my mods have fixed].

Anyone that works on cars can tell you that most euro cars are over complicated POS, and are a pain to diagnose, and repair when they break down, which is often.

I know this doesn't help, but at least now we know what happened to a once great car company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaul...bishi_Alliance

Before anyone starts to turn the flames on me, I know ALL car makers have problems with their cars, but Nissan has a disproportionately number of problems vs the other Japanese made vehicles, and many American made vehicles.

I really wanted to like my 05 SER Altima, as its a very nice looking car for a 4 door, but after rebuilding the engine, and transmission, then having all kinds of other issues with the car, its going to be sold as soon as I put it all back together. [long story, but it jumped time, and warped the valves].

For the record, I just wanted to provide an answer as to what happened with these once great cars, not to be offensive.

jhc

Please be aware that this post contains what some consider, "Racial Slurs" and quite negative in tone. "Jap cars" is not a proper way to describe cars manufactured in Japan...

You need to do 2 things-
Edit your post to a more polite description.
State what you hope to accomplish by this post. Do you need help, need to vent, whatever.

If these goals are not accomplished within 24 hrs this post will be deleted and you will receive an infraction or ban for "Worthless Post/ Racism. "

lifekenophobic

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Completely disagree- the only reason Nissan survived to become a leading car company was the alliance with Renault. Without additional funding in the 90's, Nissan would be but a footnote in history. As for disparaging the reliability of ALL Nissan products, the OP should take a closer look at the facts before starting on a senseless rant. Nissans have been on par with the best Toyota, Honda, Mazda or other Japanese car makers in terms of reliability and build quality. The alliance with Renault did not affect the continuing quest for improving quality in Nissan vehicles over the years.

As for the owner's problems with his/her '05 Altima, I wonder how the OP confirmed the transmission was sourced from Renault? As with any vehicle, proper maintenance is vital to keeping it running at an optimal level. Accidents and rebuilding also take their toll, but putting them back together takes skill, experience and knowledge. So try again and sell your Altima, OP. Hope your next experience with whatever marque you decide to try is a more positive experience.

M-train

iTrader: (3)

[QUOTE=dkmura;10952819]Completely disagree- the only reason Nissan survived to become a leading car company was the alliance with Renault. Without additional funding in the 90's, Nissan would be but a footnote in history. As for disparaging the reliability of ALL Nissan products, the OP should take a closer look at the facts before starting on a senseless rant. Nissans have been on par with the best Toyota, Honda, Mazda or other Japanese car makers in terms of reliability and build quality.

I disagree. Nissan used to be on par with Toyota, Honda.

I used to believe that as I said earlier, and blindly bought my Nissan base on Nissan PAST reliability reputation.

Also like I mentioned, I work on all Japanese vehicles, and Nissan's have gotten so bad since Renault took over I tend to avoid them altogether. I'm not saying Toyota's, or Honda's are without faults, but Nissan just has more problems, and don't address them when people bring these faults to their attention.

If you don't believe me, just take a look at Kelley Blue Book, and check out resale values of any Nissan vs a Toyota, or Honda of the same year, and class.

I do understand that this is Nissan site, and its fine that people here love their Nissan's, but its not a bad thing to admit Nissan quality/reliability has slipped since 1999.

Flame on.

dboyzalter

iTrader: (3)

seems alright I even have a CVT car...

iideadeyeii

iTrader: (6)

Maybe buy a manual transmission next time?
My DD is a 2004 Kia Amanti with ~196k miles(which as been known to have tranny problems).

Runs/shifts perfect. Starts up with one crank. It's all about maintenance

Heel Til I Die

iTrader: (2)

OK. I'll bite.

By searching on wikipedia? I think there are better ways to gather empirical data and research.

I thought this was common knowledge...

I must have missed the post where someone asked the question you're claiming to answer.

How did you avoid a Nissan by owning an '05 Altima?

Comparisons on KBB prove your statements? Care to elaborate?

SQuaLZ

You do realize you are basing this entire opinion off of 1 car.

Coming from somebody that has owned cars from the big 3 Japanese companies (Honda, Nissan, Toyota) I have to say that to me, Nissan is the best of them.

Honda has really gone downhill in the last 10-15 years in reliability, design, and fit/finish. I had nothing but problems with my EP3 and the rest of my family had issues as well. The way Honda North America treated us was garbage, and it made me totally despise the brand. And I know a bunch of other Honda owners that had similar issues with warranty stuff. Because of the issues we went from a Honda family to becoming a Nissan family. My Z has never let me down and my father's Rogue is a 2011 and has only had oil changes and brake changes.

Toyota on the other hand is an incredibly reliable car and pretty nice actually. My only gripe with them is lack of a RWD manual. They are too much for the everyday person, if that makes sense.

SQuaLZ

Also, a FWD "sports car" will never be as reliable as a true RWD sports car. The amount of stress put on the front end (transmission, axles, etc) is just too much for an economy car. FWD cars are economy cars. It is the cheapest way to make a car. You are way more likely to blow a tranny beating a on FWD car over a RWD car. Facts.

MicVelo

Disclaimer: This is a repeat of what many of already said (because I don't type terribly fast ) and it's long. You are warned.

=====================================

Comes onto site dedicated to Z/G cars and rants about his lemon non-Z and blames it on the company that saved Nissan. Yeah, OK then.

I can understand your bad experience created attitude towards Nissan and even I, as a Z zealot and overall Nissan fan for 40+ years, can appreciate that there are flaws, even some pretty stupid ones that were never addressed throughout various Nissan automobiles' life spans. Nissan is NOT infallible.

But to put out such ridiculous blanket statements of uncorroborated information based on a sample of one is just plain, well, short sighted.

I mean seriously, you've been working on cars how long and you "just found out" that Renault was the savior of Nissan nearly a couple of automotive lifetimes - in car generations - ago?? Wow. OK, fine, let's just point out a few flaws in your rant...

Correction: Renault did NOT buy Nissan nor Mitsubishi. It's formally an alliance based on shared technology and capital infusion; yes, something of a corporate bailout, one which without, we'd never have the Z33 and Z34 (nor the R35 GTR nor the Infiniti G35/37 nor the Q60 nor the.... well, MAYBE you get the idea now.)

But examining facts further, the alliance was formed on non-buyout terms.... stock swaps = ownership stakes. Nissan owns a stake in Renault as well; so technically, we're talking a partnership, NOT ownership.

Correction: Renault may have some co-development in Nissan automobiles, yes. But to blanketly state that you have a Renault transmission causing you issues is fundamentally flawed. Nissan has been allowed to run as an independent technology organization even after the alliance was formed but yes, both companies benefited AND suffered from the contributions of the other. Like EVERY co-development project on the face of the planet (not just in cars).

Good example: Daimler/Chrysler.... a 9 year project doomed to failure the day it was conceived. Renault-Nissan is coming up on 20 years shortly and there's no sign it's in any danger due to the largely symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship. So much so that it's continuing to grow, now with Mitsubishi part of the alliance (from Nissan staking a controlling interest in them).

Sure, your transmission might be a manifestation of that and possibly one of the flaws coming out of the alliance; but like you (and I just reiterated), all mfgrs have their issues. Again, I prefer to look at it from the above perspective that dkmura pointed out: Nissan would have gone the way of the Dodo (and Hudson and Plymouth and Oldsmobile and....) had it not been for Renault and Carlos Ghosn.

Correction: Regarding your specific destroyed engine due to belt failure: timing chains/belts jumping is a nearly UNIVERSAL issue, not just a Nissan (or Renault or GM or Volvo or....) issue. Almost EVERY manufacturer uses interference engines and a belt break, slip, or gear breakage will completely trash an engine when the valves and pistons get too friendly, no matter who makes it. American, Asian, European, same story.

You rant but do we know the other side of the story? Did you change the belt as required in a timely manner and correctly done with recommended new tensioners, etc? Did you possibly overrev the engine causing the rubber band to slip? Not accusing, just pointing out that you've only mentioned one side of the issue.

Sure, it's entirely possible that there was some sort of unnaturally occurring event that can be directly attributed to the manufacturer or the parts/design that went into it; but what proof do you have that a "Renault transmission" or a faulty design of the timing gear led to your lemon car issues?

Correction: Regarding your pointed barb at technology in cars: ALL cars now are complex. Yes, the European manufacturers sometimes include even more than necessary. But to put the blame squarely on them for all of the bad stuff technology wise is just plain short sighted. Every car on the planet (including daily transport/middle of the road cars) now have computing/electronic complexity that exceeds what Apollo 11 had on board when they went to the moon!

Yes, with every technological advancement - not just in cars but everywhere - there is a new set of problems that can and does manifest itself in some way, shape, or form. But....

You seem to overlook the good that such advanced technology affords the automotive industry (and the world) as a whole. On-board diagnostics, higher mileage, higher specific output engines with less emissions, and the list goes on. But a key attribute that should be highlighted: Overall reliability has improved for every manufacturer of automobiles in the last 25 years.

Correction/clarification needed: Nissan has a disproportionate number of issues? Can you quantify that?

When a I ran a large shop a few years ago for fun, I had (and still have) access to massive databases of info with every manufacturers' TSBs, every known issue, every possible issue, and all of the manufacturers' nuances and solutions spelled out. By quantitative definition, Nissan has had no more, no less issues than other Japanese manufacturers (and far fewer than many others, both foreign or domestic to USA) so where are you getting this info?

============

You are 100% entitled to your opinions, no issue there. But let's see some empirical evidence that Renault's contribution to this has killed Nissan's reliability numbers. I will gladly eat my words if you can show such evidence beyond an artificial and largely market driven info source like the NADA/Kelley guide provides.

I would also strongly encourage you to study how automotive alliances, even with their pitfalls like the previously mentioned Daimler-Chrysler merger, have helped to build immensely better cars and leveraging the economies of scale in manufacturing, design, and engineering to keep them all competitive and how such competition benefits everyone from the top of the manufacturers chain of command all the way down to the consumer.

When you consider the global perspective, it should give you some idea of just how petty your issues are in the grand scheme.

You brought it up so the burden of proof is in your court.

Heel Til I Die

iTrader: (2)

OP is trying to connect some type of alleged decrease in reliability to an event that occurred in the past while failing to show any type of affirmative causal relationship.

I suppose it's par for the course in today's society. It seems that it's too much to ask for evidence prior to making judgments.

PDose

As someone that works in the car industry I'm sure you are aware of the quality control issues Honda was having. They have new Pilots being delivered to customer from the dealerships where the horns don't work, the seat belts are sliced in half. That's a issue with the middle seats mostly. There was Ford's issue with the F-150 brake lines splitting.

Now let me just say I'm not bashing other car companies, I am saying all car companies have issues. From my experience Nissan and Toyota are the two best companies out there.

All of your reasoning seems to be based on your experience working on your car. My Z is 11 years old now and I have had no issues with it mechanically. Well other then ones I have caused doing something stupid haha. Yes I have the hatch rattle, and I had cheap Nissan front bumper paint. But all manufacturers have issues. I would have to suggest you do more research on something other then Wikipedia before you make such assumptions.

I should clarify that those particular issues with Honda were happening 3 years ago, no idea if they fixed them. The ford issue was about 2 years ago. That I know they fixed.

icer5160

iTrader: (4)

I believe that particular generation of Altima did have a lot of issues and it was ranked one of the worst cars in terms of reliability, maintenance costs, and repairs. A good friend of mine had one with a CVT which made things worse. I think it's fairly common knowledge that Nissan had a rough start when they began introducing CVTs in their vehicles during the early to mid 2000s.

Every once in a while car manufacturers make mistakes and it shows up in the various model line-ups depending on how they're equipped through the shared parts design. This is a universal issue in the industry.

For example, I "had" a 1999 Honda Accord Cpe 4Cyl 5-speed MT and it was by far the most maintenance heavy and problem ridden vehicle I have ever owned. Things ranging from electrical to mechanical. Prior to my Honda, I had a 1985 Toyota Pickup, 22RE carbureted, 4-speed MT. Even though I purchased that truck for $400.00 and it had nearly 300k on the odo, it was one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned, but also one of the simplest, having no power anything, no AC, no airbags, etc.

My 350Z has been hands down, the most reliable car I have ever owned. It has never given me any mechanical/electrical trouble. I just handle the routine maintenance and the car pays me back in kind.

This is anecdotal I understand, but based on my own experience and interactions with other car owners, the overwhelming majority of "major" breakdowns and problems I have encountered or witnessed were due to lack of maintenance or down-right abuse of the vehicle in question culminating into a fault or breakdown. The make/model rarely plays a factor, many of the problem(s) experienced, originated with the owner of the vehicle. Things like skipping oil & filter changes for the engine/transmission, not replacing struts, brakes, and tires. The most common form of abuse I see regularly is the lead foot syndrome. People driving their cars with the brake & gas floored from every stop & start (respectively) during their daily commute.

Again, all anecdotal, but I think there's a strong correlation of outcomes based on the combination of owner & vehicle, where the manufacturer has a part to play but is no longer the lead role.

-Icer

M-train

iTrader: (3)

http://www.nissanforums.com/l31-2002...ms-engine.html

http://www.nissanproblems.com/

http://forums.nicoclub.com/cvt-issues-t582203.html

http://forums.nicoclub.com/cvt-problems-t443922.html

http://www.nissanproblems.com/trends/timing-chain/

Like I mentioned I work on cars for a living, and its not just the Nissan I own [of course its my fault for not doing the research before buying the car], I've seen problems with many Nissans at or around 2000.

The problems I have encountered were bad IPDM's, coolant in the transmission fluid, and vice versa, jumped timing on many Nissans both 4 cyl, and V6 which follows warped valves, bad timing guides [cracking], small screws in the butterflies inside the intake manifold on 4 cylinders falling into the engine, cat material burning, and getting into the engine eating up the rings [both 4 cyl, and V6].

I can understand being brand loyal, but I'm not going to defend any car company that start putting out bad products. Not to mention the issues I stated above that I've personally witnessed is not maintenance related, its bad engineering right from the factory.

The good things I've personally seen with Nissan's vs Toyota, and Honda would be better interiors. The leather on Nissan's hold up better than the other cars as well as most of the rest of the interior. Body wise, I really can't say as I don't live in snow country, but I've seen clear coats peel on all of them [now that might be attributed to lack of maintenance]

I would agree that Nissan was a great car company, but you can talk with some local shops about Nissans in the '90s vs the Nissans today. Heck my son drove a clapped out 93 Sentra with over 200k miles on a 24 hour drive to the FL keys, and back which says something about how reliable these cars were.

Also, I was in the auto parts business while going to school back in the '80s, Nissan's, Toyota's, and Honda's were the cars to have, and all of the shops I delivered to echoed this sentiment.

Renualt might have save Nissan, but to what end? Kinda like Ford buying part of Mazda back in the '90s. My 90 Mazda B2200 truck was made better than the 93 Mazda/Ford trucks, as in fully boxed frame, torsion front suspension, 6 bolt wheels, and much better auto transmission vs the Ford trans at that time. So Ford saved Mazda, but what we got was a re-badged Ranger with Mazda logo's.

But, you guys are right Nissan is the best car company ever, carry on.

Cux350z

iTrader: (162)

You have diluted what "racism" means. It holds no value as a word anymore because of its broad use. You'll probably call me a racist for this post...somehow.

If you took some time to google "jap auto" you would see it is common. There's an entire website/vendor using it and several car shops around the USA with that moniker.

Atreyu'z 350

I think if you would've explained your reasoning behind this opinion in your first post as you did right here things would've gone a little differently.. I can understand your feelings, and I would probably share them if I went through the same situations.. But for what it's worth, I have had zero issues with my Nissan. I didn't buy it new, but I could tell it was well taken care of. And now I have it 13 years later and in my ''mechanics opinion'' it still drives like new.

MicVelo

Starting with your last comment which I take as being flippant, I say, NO ONE here said Nissan was the best car company ever. NO ONE. Not even me, a long time fan of the company's sporting products. I make that "sporting" distinction because, well, I'm a big Z/G/R fan, not the daily transport cars they make. S'matter of fact, I find a lot of Nissans downright repulsive and would NEVER own one.

HOWEVER, if you go back to my original missive of epic length, you'll see that I defended not Nissan the company, rather, Renault's involvement in the "new company"; the alleged "main contributing factor" that you somehow decided was the root cause of all of the evil that has befallen your car and your customers' cars.

To the links you provided as the "proof" that I sought in my previous reply, I can't give them much credit. Yes, they key in on the bad issues mirroring those that you've experienced. Nissan has made or designed junk CVT transmissions. Nissan has made faulty timing gear (which could have been the cause of your belt/chain slip). These are known issues I grant.

But NOTHING in there gives any real evidence that firstly, Renault had anything to do with these faults. They are just bad designs. Shame on Nissan.

And secondly, the links to the CVT transmission issues aren't even related to your transmission, are they? (I really don't know.... do Altimas have CVTs?)

But honestly, to reflect upon the one point everyone agrees on - "all companies have their issues" - if I were to take the time to do a pure research project using the web as the source (which is always correct, right? ), I'm sure I could find the Achilles heel "bad design(s)" of every company out there. Heck, just thinking about this offhand... Porsche and their POS intermediate shaft issues, Mercedes Benz with their faulty fuel tanks, suspension systems, and going back, Audi (and more recently, Toyota) with their unintended acceleration issues (real or imagined), and further back, Ford with their Pinto - not just the combustible fuel tanks, the entire car....

And why do I know these things right off the top? Because as I meander about looking at all kinds of cars, non-Nissan, I find out about all these issues from where else? The same types of negative-Nellie websites people create to bash on their personal "brands of evil."

====================

In any event, we will continue to agree to disagree - but I have to point out, on fewer points than you may think. So said because I'll go on record as saying that I do NOT believe Nissan is without faults and DO NOT believe it is the greatest car company ever; because honestly, even in all the Z cars (and non-Z Infiniti) I've owned from gen 1 to gen 6, there's always been SOMETHING not right nor perfect about them.

But then again, I don't believe ANY car - be it 40 years old or 4 months old - is going to be perfect and be of a 100% precisely engineered design no matter how good J.D. Power says they may be.

But I will take my chances on a post Renault Nissan over probably 75-80% of all the other makes and models until I see the verified and damning information that makes Renault out to be anything less than Nissan's saviour.

jhc

Not at all, I appreciate your comments and you are correct in a global sense.
I agree, the world has become sometimes overly sensitive to slang words.

While I do know a lot of our members, I don't necessarily know their demographic.
I do know that our Moderator board consists of many different ethnicities and backgrounds.

More to the point-
We do our best to make this about cars, not where a person's ancestors are from, and that's why I was very clear to state that the word "Jap" has been known by many to be offensive on my350z.com.

Just trying to keep things civil and on topic.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

As a third generation Japanese American, I beg to differ. No matter whether it's in "common" or "broad" use, the term 'Jap' remains offensive to me. Not calling you racist by any means, but justifying the use of racist terms throughout our society is simply wrong and I'll continue to call it for what it is.

Thanks John, for getting to this first and not letting it slide.