Nissan has been promoting the Altima in the USA because the Stanza Altima first hit showrooms as a 1993 mannequin. The Altima is now in its sixth era, and due to this fact each automotive graveyard within the nation has a bonanza of 10-to-20-year-old examples accessible proper now. The first-generation Altima, offered right here for the 1993 by means of 1997 mannequin years, has been very tough to seek out throughout my junkyard travels. This is one in a yard close to Denver.
The Altima changed the U12 Bluebird-based Nissan Stanza, and it was constructed on the U13 Bluebird platform. Previous to the Stanza identify getting used on U.S.-market Bluebirds, it went on Nissan Violet-based automobiles right here for the 1982 by means of 1989 mannequin years.
The Stanza by no means offered particularly effectively in North America, however the identify was acquainted sufficient that Nissan determined to stick it onto the first-year Altima. So, the 1993 Altima was formally referred to as the Stanza Altima, with decklid badges to show it. After that, the Stanza identify disappeared from exterior automotive badging, however remained on the covers of Altima proprietor’s manuals by means of the 1996 mannequin yr.
This automotive nonetheless had all its unique factory-issue manuals within the glovebox when I discovered it in its closing parking area.
This automotive was constructed at Nissan’s meeting plant in Smyrna, Tennessee.
It practically reached 200,000 miles throughout its life. The very best odometer studying I’ve ever discovered on a Nissan product was inside a 1994 Maxima that made it to 364,238 miles.
This automotive’s proprietor or house owners took excellent care of it by means of the a long time, as we are able to see from the non-thrashed inside and fairly straight sheetmetal.
That is considerably sudden, as a result of the Altima has been a staple of fleet gross sales for a few years and due to this fact there was a glut of low-cost, abused ex-rental Altimas flooding the used automotive market for so long as most of us can bear in mind. Many older Altimas do not get the type of upkeep and care they deserve in consequence.
The Altima has typically supplied loads of energy for the cash, too, which provides to the favored notion that hooptie Altimas are quick, erratically-driven automobiles to be feared by different drivers. This one got here with a 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder rated at 150 horsepower and 154 pound-feet. That is a really barely detuned model of the engine within the legendary S14 240SX, and 150 horses is loads of energy (by mid-Nineteen Nineties compact requirements) for a automotive that weights only a bit over 2,900 kilos.
Because of this, Altima jokes abound on-line. It isn’t truthful to the automobiles, as a result of being low-cost and quick should not be trigger for derision.
Altimas have been accessible with handbook transmissions from the start by means of the 2012 mannequin yr, although this one has the optionally available computerized.
This one is a GXE, the second-lowest trim stage for 1995. The MSRP was $16,629 with the automated transmission, or about $33,821 in 2023 {dollars}.
Blows away the Mercedes-Benz C 220 and the Lexus GS 300 on the dragstrip … and it is zero down!
Essentially superior to Lexus and Acura … and simply $750 down!
300,000 Altimas offered as of September 1994 … and $2,200 in no-charge options!
Holds its worth higher than the Lexus LS 400, BMW 7 Collection and any Mercedes-Benz sedan constructed … and beginning at $15,700!
The posh sedan that claims you have arrived, and you can nonetheless afford to go locations.