Used 2001 Nissan Altima Consumer Reviews
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Great Car
I bought this car on 8/2001. So far, so good. The only repair has been the power windows (recall). Mileage is excellent up to 33 per gallon (combined). So far 65K miles and no brakes changed. It is very reliable, I love my car and my plan is to keep my car at least 6 years more. The only thing I do not like is the hubcups and noise from wind against the car.
Solid, reliable car
Very well built, reliable car. Haven't had one problem in 6 months of ownership. I don't expect any either. A great bargain when compared to similarly priced competitors.
Altima is Good not Ultimate
The Nissan Altima is a good car. It doesn't do anything bad but it doesn't do anything great eithier.
My Second Altima and Sixth Nissan
This is, like I stated, my second Altima. I love the entire Nissan product line. The 2002's are just simply awsome!!! However, with my budget the 2001 is more affordable. I also have had a 2000 Sentra and a 97 Maxima. Both of which gave me nothing less than perfect service!
2001 Nissa Altima
I purchased this car 2 years ago and I actually like it a lot. I do not speed excessively, my tire pressure is where it should be and it's recently been serviced, in town I get 14 mpg at best. I might have sold it, but it's been reliable for the most part.
A VERY Safe Car, Looking for another!
I loved this car, but recently I was involved in a head-on crash with a drunk driver and I was able to walk away from the accident. My Altima was totaled, but it did exactly what it was supposed to do. I had plenty of room for my feet during the crash. The car just absorbed the impact and broke away, but the inside of the car was for the most part in tacked! As soon as I got out of the car I told my husband I wanted another one EXACTLY like it. I never had any problems with it, air worked great, seats were comfy, heat worked great, didn't make any noises when it ran.
Old Reliable
Traded it in on a new '08 Altima last week. My '01 played a large role in my deciding to stay with Nissan. If you're looking for a rock-solid, reliable, and fun to drive used sedan, the Altima SE is one of the best. No major problems, just some small niggles (described below), every car has them. Very comfortable, fuel efficient (30 mpg on the highway, at least), great around town and for long-distance cruising. If you enjoy the act of driving, don't bother with the GXE or GLE... the SE is the way to go. It may not be the quickest in a straight line, but it'll surprise you in the twisties. Overall, I was very happy with the car, kinda hated to see it go. Highly recommended.
150K and still going
I bought the car new. Manifold gasket replaced at 135k. Mine lasted little longer than many others I read. I was lucky that my mechanic only charged me $300. Front brake was only replaced twice and rear brake once at 120k. Changed battery twice every 4 years since new. Oil change with mobile 1 every 5k. That's it. Very low maintanance car. Enough power to get around and smooth enough but not a luxury just little better than average sedan. Little bigger than compact and little smaller than midsize. Gas mileage around 22-24 mixed driving.
OK for the Don't Cares
I now have 22,000 miles on the car. It is fun to drive and handles good (except in cross winds). The car is nice but I hate the fact that the right turn signal does not always cancel, the dash rattles, several jerks when the care changes gears, and when slowing down, and a wiper switch that works just by touching it. Of course the Nissan dealer says all of this is normal for the Altima. Must be a Nissan corporate saying. I had a 1997 Ford Escort that was a lot better in quality and just as fun to drive.
Great Car!
What a great mid-size economical car! It is affordable, with fantastic performance (Nissan supplied an ideal engine/powertrain for this model), very good mileage, comfort, sporty luxury, and superb handling. What a pleasure it is to drive.
nice car
Bought the GXE Limited Editon in October 2000 brand new. Has been a very reliable car and have always trusted Nissan products. I presently have over 21000 miles with no problem to report. Easy to keep up and is a beautiful car after it is cleaned.
Great Car
I bought my Altima new in July 01 and have had no problems at all with the car. Rides good, plenty of room, fun to drive and has plenty of pick up for a 4 cylinder. I owned a Honda Civic prior to this and the civic could not even compare to this beauty.
Good Used Car
Purchased an SE preowned for $7k with 61k miles, sunroof, manual tranny, 6 CD changer. Reasonably refined with quiet engine and few vibrations, absolutely no torque steer, very little wind noise, and the interior is well executed and looks sporty in black (love the seat fabrics). The steering is well weighted but could offer more feedback (might improve with better tires), the 4 wheel disc brakes are reasonably powerful, and the engine has more than adequate power in low gears (esp. with the 5- speed). I dislike the exterior styling, particularly the rear, but have had good experiences with other higher-mileage Nissans. I didn't buy the extended warranty, but I'm optimistic :-)
great value
I've had my 01 Altima since June/01 and have about 9000 miles so far. I have the GXE automatic and even in Houston, where we have to run the a/c often, it has plenty of power for a small 4 cylinder. It is fun to drive and easy to maintain. Mine came with the Limited Edition package at a great price and rebate. My only complaint is the usual bumpy ride with the stiff Nissan suspension. Other than that it is great!
I like my little car
After having a 98 Chevy Malibu for 2 years (First car) and repairing it at least once a month.. This little Altima is a great little car. I bought it with 50k for a steal, it is a Titanium Pearl Metallic GLE with every option but ABS. It was meant to be my college car but now i am trying to get it paid off by next year since i am now a Honda employee and have discounts. I have read complaints about the braking in wet weather, when you have a vehicle w/o ABS what do you expect? Brakes lock up when you hit them... My car stops fine.. It handles great with 16" rims, looks great with clear tail lights and tinted windows.. If you are wanting a 01 Altima.. I say GO for it!
My Altima
So far, I'm really enjoying my Altima. Great AC (for New Mexico) and reliable. Easy to change oil and filters and beautiful engine. Go 2.4L!
Whats up with the Windows?
Purchased July,01 I have since had Chopped Tires. An authorized center credited me on the tread left on tire and replaced. Power Windows were not opening and closing properly. first the rear on the passanger side. It was fixed under warranty. Couople weeks ago (Aug, 03) my front passanger window and rear drvier side window are now doing the same thing. This issue was fixed once again under warranty, well guess what, First Week of Sept03 DRIVER SIDE WIN. IS DOING THE SAME THING! thats all 4 windows with the same problem. I was interested in purchasing the SE Crewcab Frontier, but with these dilemas it makes me weary on purchasing the Frontier.
187,000 miles
I bought my 2001 Altima GXE limited edition new. The car has never failed to start, but I have been dumping in money lately. I have replaced the manifold gasket twice, the driver window motor, and both rear window motors need replacing. I have also put on 4 new struts. The wheel covers are very noisy. When everything is fixed on it I do enjoy driving it. Get around 23-25 miles per gallon.
OKay so far.
I purchased the Limite Edition New in 2001. I have not had anyproblems except for the rear drivers window would not go up, and a short time later, the drivers window did the same. Other than that, no problem gets good gas mileage. Have 4cyl, would like more pick up if i needed it, but good with what I have. Not sure I would get this car again, but I am still planning to keep it awhile.
Not so bad but can ask for more
I've had my Altima for a little over a year now and it's been fairly reliable, no major concerns so far. About the rattling hub caps, I bought a set of aftermarker hub caps and they make funny noises as well! Turning radius is horrible. You can't make a tight U-turn to save your life. Gas mileage is okay, all interior features are easy to read and use and the car rides smoothly. The stereo system is good too. It's a good value for the money.
Solid like a rock - 214K miles!
I just hit 214 thousand miles on my 2001 Nissan Altima GXE Limited Edition. I purchased the car as a certified used vehicle with around 35 thousand miles. The only major problem I had was the fried intake manifold gasket at about 60K miles which was replaced under warranty. Transmission still shifts smoothly, you can hardly hear the engine run. I believe in religious maintenance and synthetic fluids - commuting daily from Pennsylvania to North Jersey, sitting in traffic jams on I-80 and trying to avoid the potholes are but everyday occurrences for my Altima. What's original on the car? Every single thing including the engine, transmission, battery and suspension. Not a single problem!
Good Car
We have had this car for 7 years now and it has been great all along. The car is very smooth in running and the handling is great as well.It is a great family car. Though it doesn't seat 5 in the most comfortable manner it still is a great car. Of late the fuel economy has been a bit on the disappointing side. I also am a bit disappointed with the trade-in value of the car as I am looking to trade-in this car for the new Altima later this year. Overall a great car.
Great car & great reliability
Purchased in 2001 and have had absolutely zero problems!! It's been one of the most reliable cars I've had (so far 32,000 miles). Handles great, even in the snow/rain. Great value for the money, too.
Good to Me
After driving a certifiable lemon, I purchased the Altima. The ride is really smooth. I haven't needed any major repairs to the car, just annual stuff and oil changes. The heat/air cond. is superior. The seats are comfortable. Gas mileage is good. The trunk is roomy also.
Reliable So far, Easy to work on.
I have the Sporty version and it's not bad at all. Its easy to work on and reliable so far. It runs good, and cruses pretty solid at 80-90mph on the Interstate. It's a decent, solid, and sound lil car. I would be afraid to take off anywhere in it. Mine has 167k, and I feel 200k+ is very do- able. The have a that strong little 2.4 dohc that come in the legendary hardbody pick up.
Maybe I got a lemon?
I bought this car used from a dealer with only 40,000 miles on it. It ran great for about a year, up until about 60,000. Then we had some major mechanical problems - things you would not expect to go wrong so soon. The first thing was the air conditioning went out - cost $2400 to replace. Then something weird went wrong with the instrument panel that caused the cruise control to fail - another 600.00. Now the intake manifold gasket is gone (a problem these vehicles have) and the car idles poorly. We're tired of soaking money into this car- Our other Altima (a 96) was reliable which is why we bought this one. We're going back to Toyota.
I'm a happy owner
During the first year , there were lots of strange noises coming from dash and engine. I took it back to dealer and they fixed them all under warranty. Now the car drives very well and it's actually fun to drive. Very smooth and adequate power. I will definitely get another nissan. The only thing about this car is the suspension is little too stiff. Would be a perfect car if equiped with a softer suspension.
2001 Nissan Altima SE - Nicest SE ever
The reason I bought an altima is because they made an SE. I think that if this model wouldn't have came out right now I would probably be driving something else. So far I have put 7600 miles on the car and it runs great. I recommend this car to anyone who would like to own a luxury sport sedan.
Practical and Basic
I have owned Nissans since 1979. I don't think they can be beat for reliability/dependability. The Nissan Altima 2001 is no exception to this, only it's a really boring car. It's not fun to drive: Less power, poorer handling in wet weather, wider turning radius, and it just looks like a million others. It is so common looking that you lose it in parking lots. Save your money and buy one that's 2002 model year after they changed the design and made it look a whole lot sharper. Why not have looks, performance and dependability instead of just dependability?
Horrible mistake
I bought this car after my very reliable Buick Skylark bit the dust. I'd owned an old Honda Accord (1990) before and thought I'd return to a Japanese sedan after growing up in Datsuns. A Datsun, this ain't... Instead, it was a horrible mistake. In the span of 1 year (2009), I put front brakes/rotors, exhaust/muffler, an intake manifold gasket (INCREDIBLY expensive repair for a $10 gasket-- $750), a battery, and an oil pan gasket and oil sender unit. I literally poured over $2500 into this car, and that's without my boyfriend helping me out, as he sells parts for GM and could do some of the repairs independently.
Altima SE, 2001
The car has been a zero defect vehicle. It does everything well. The standard six CD in-dash radio is a delight. the std four wheel disc brakes are excelent as well as the sport suspension. It has been totally reliable so far (30k miles).
Great value and reliability
Bought privately when it had 7,000 miles due to sellers expecting twins. No major repairs in 104,000 miles of ownership - now has 111,000 miles. I now drive 47 miles one-way to work all highway and average 33 mpg using non-ethanol 87 octane fuel. Plan on driving until 250,000. No rust anywhere. I believe the great reliability is due to the 6th and final year of this body/design style. All kinks worked out.
Not bad for under 15K brand new
Only needed a car that can take me from point A to point B that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and I'm actually having fun getting there.
Good overall value
Great reliability, only issue is this is my third and there a lot of squeakes and rattles.
236 k and still running strong
i bought the car when it was at 175k for miles and i have use it for work and fun.i live in r.i. and i have taken it to Ohio and to keywest f.l. with 200 plus miles on her and i never felt like she was going to brake down on me. i do play every hard on her with white racing rims and an exhaust system its hard not too. keep up on the oil and the altima will treat you every every good.
Nice car!
Strong engine. Transmission pretty smooth. Both exterior and interior size somewhat smaller than other midsize cars but bigger than compact size cars. Ride is comfortable but not luxury. I owned it since new had no problem so far-86K now. Mine is sportier version with spoiler, alloy wheels, sport suspension and etc. When it was new, better value than accord or camry I felt but resale value is poorer. No timbing belt in this car. It has chain which does not requre replacement at 60k. Overall, Nice car!
Nissan Altima 01
Great Car for the price
2001 Altima
A very reliable and competent car. Nothing about the car reaches out and grabs you. It just starts and runs every day. Handling comfortable, but not exciting. Acceleration more than adequate, but won't excite you. If you want comfortable, decently appointed, reliable transportation, this is it. Short legged/armed drivers will feel more at home than gangly drivers. Particularly, shorter women will like the car's seating. Opt for a sunroof. It makes the interior brighter, and makes the car seem more open and spacious.
Altima 2001 SE
I had previously owned Altima GXE's and experienced much better gas mileage with minimal difference in performance. I was disappointed in the gas mileage, about 23MPG, but the car is extremey reliable.
nissan altima 01
great car, my first. accelerates great, handles even better. wicked fun to drive. heater starts up quick, good for Boston. i got a ltd. edition with 33000 miles used, no problems after 500 miles
Reliable, fun car
For a 4 cyl, this has a lot of pick up, which is why I only avg 21 mpg. I like a powerful car and it is fun to drive. Very comfortable car. Smooth ride. All the controls are where you would expect them to be. On a winter day of 13 F, the driver's window was stuck down after going to an ATM. The dealership replaced all 4 window motors for me under a recall. Had to replace the intake manifold gasket at 32K. I would buy another Altima - especially if I got the stick shift. That would be even more fund to drive.
Like it
Nice car.... but wish the fuel economy was a little better.
Think twice before buying this used...
Had this car for close to 5 years, just paid it off and glad I did. As mentioned in other reviews, the hubcaps rattle, there is significant wind noise, gas mileage isn't great (24mpg highway) and the ride is stiff. The seats are a tad uncomfortable and become moreso on long drives. Had to have all 4 window motors replaced under recall, then had the intake manifold gasket replaced at 63K miles ($600 job and apparently a known problem with Nissan Altimas, but not subject to recall). All that said, this has been a very reliable little car. The 4-cyl engine coped fairly with driving the Virginia hills towing a U-Haul trailer and does okay otherwise.
A solid car
This is a good car if it's been taken care of. Even if it's been neglected for years, it's still a good car. The engine and transmission are nearly impossible to kill provided you take basic care of them. The emissions systems in these can be tricky, however. Also, note that 2000-2001 Altimas have an intake manifold gasket problem that causes them to become brittle, crack, and cause pressure problems that lead to engine stalling at speed. If your car is stalling at idle or has a rough idle, this might also be a cause, but it's likely a faulty O2 sensor, catalytic converter, or EGR valve. I've spent 2 years getting my baby roadworthy, and I've had to fix every single one of those. When those are good, enjoy one of the last good, reliable cars Nissan built!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
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- Reliability
- Value
My Favorite Car So Far!
Bought my 2001 Altima GXE Ltd Ed 12/01 w/ 2122 miles. Saw it on internet, test drove it, and instantly loved it. Car has good excel from stop and in traffic. Handles well except for sharp corners. Normal braking good. Hard braking and wet weather conditions rear swings out. Fuel economy is to spec. Road noise is min with windows up, loud with windows down (>45mph). Car handles fine at speed <95mph. Noticeable aero lift >110mph. Engine loud under hard excel. At 5'11" no trouble using radio. People <5'3" may have difficulty. Visibility is good. Only problems with power windows. Recall recently issued in hot weather climates.
Great Car
I bought this car used with about 20,000 miles on it. I replaced the hubcaps with wheels to get rid of the rattle. This car still has the original rear brakes good for about another 20,000 miles. I'm 6'6" tall and I fit fine. I have driven this car from coast to coast including 2 trips up Pikes Peak. I love this car!!
excellent
Very reliable vehicle, fun to drive, handles easily, comfortable and easy on the gas.
Absolutely Love This Car
I bought this car in Dec. 2000, still going strong with 145,000 miles on it now. The hubcaps did rattle often so replaced them with rims when purchasing new tires in '04. Only other problem was intake manifold gasket but hey was only a 300.00 repair about five years ago so not complaining at all. Overall, great experience, regular oil changes every 7,500 mi (used to change every 3,000 but driving habits changed). Just trying to see how long she'll last now. I've never kept a car this long but it has been a joy to own.
buyer beware!!!
i have had nothing but problem after problem with this car--buyer beware!
Altima GXE '01
Decent car for under $20k, got the LTD edition. Lots of torque for this class, much better hanlding once you get rid of the stock tires. Steering is tighter than average (good thing), auto tranny shifts smoothly, though wish it was a 5-speed auto. The sound system is great - even at louder volumes the bass doesn't overpower the high tones. Only warranty issues: replaced rear stabilizer bar bushings and driver side power window motor. Still pretty happy and going strong at 55k miles!