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  • HiTempguy

    Oct. 28, 2011 9:49 a.m. HiTempguy Dork

    Basil Exposition wrote:

    My wife and I still use it as the example of truly gutless motoring.

    Whenever anyone says this, I get this image of an Amerikun redneck (berkeley yea) who needs his bazillion horsepower, 5000 pound land missile to drive daily that gets 9mpg and still doesn't know how to merge.

    If I can daily drive a Firefly/Sprint with a stick and merge onto freeways fine, you can too! The Versa has more than adequate power for everyday driving needs. Will you be dropping a gear and passing people on single lane highways? No. But if you know how to merge, you'll be fine.

  • jrw1621

    Oct. 28, 2011 10:03 a.m. jrw1621 SuperDork

    The CVT can actually switch to delivering good passing power. What is different (even more so than regular automatic) is that the cvt is all about gas peddle position. To drive the Versa quickly I would find that mashing the peddle was needed but once to desired speed a complete lift-off of the peddle was needed and then a gentle and light reapplication of peddle to sort of kick the car down to a nice low rpm state.
    You may not love the car but I assure you that, like ours, it will not cause you any mechanical grief.

    I agree with HiTemp. How much power do you really need.
    The rental fleets may have had the less expensive 1.6L engine which is matted to a traditional 4 speed auto. The larger 1.8L gets the CTV but only if you buy the upper trim level SL model (with alloys). If you get the base trim (with hubcaps) then it is a 4 speed auto.
    For manuals, the 1.6L gets 5 speed and the 1.8L gets 6 speed.

  • nderwater

    Oct. 28, 2011 10:43 a.m. nderwater SuperDork

    Because this thread made me curious, and because I'm a huge geek, I decided to compare the lower-end of the new car market using the Edmunds.com 'True Cost of Ownership' estimates. TCO compares average purchase prices and estimates expenses to project the cost to own a car for five years.

    How much could that new econobox cost you? Take a look:

  • noddaz

    Oct. 28, 2011 10:53 a.m. noddaz New Reader

    Probably good for your wife... But I sorta remember the remarks from the GRM test. Slow, ugly, no fun to drive...

  • jrw1621

    Oct. 28, 2011 11:09 a.m. jrw1621 SuperDork

    noddaz wrote:

    Probably good for your wife... But I sorta remember the remarks from the GRM test. Slow, ugly, no fun to drive...

    Are you saying that GRM tested his wife, because if you are, that is not very nice.

  • Basil Exposition

    Oct. 28, 2011 12:18 p.m. Basil Exposition Reader

    jrw1621 wrote:

    I agree with HiTemp. How much power do you really need.

    If it were about "need" this forum wouldn't exist.

  • noddaz

    Oct. 28, 2011 3:18 p.m. noddaz New Reader

    jrw1621 wrote:

    noddaz wrote:

    Probably good for your wife... But I sorta remember the remarks from the GRM test. Slow, ugly, no fun to drive...

    Are you saying that GRM tested his wife, because if you are, that is not very nice.

    Ahhh, that was mean.... I didn't mean that at all...

  • MCarp22

    Oct. 28, 2011 4:51 p.m. MCarp22 HalfDork

    It's too bad that nissan won't develop an SE-R version. The chassis already has the development done:

  • wlkelley3

    Oct. 28, 2011 8:09 p.m. wlkelley3 Dork

    Datsun1500 wrote:

    In reply to pinchvalve:

    20 years and counting...

    Somethings you just have to let go...

    Yeah, the longer you're married the more BS you can say and get away with. She doesn't listen anyway and won't hear what you said.

    30 years and counting.

  • Entropyman

    Oct. 29, 2011 6:22 a.m. Entropyman New Reader

    I bought one for my daughter to use. I needed one car that I wouldn't have to mess with. It is roomy and very boring to drive even with the 6 speed but I don't care if she dings it up or puts a gazillion miles on it.

  • VWguyBruce

    Oct. 29, 2011 8:19 a.m. VWguyBruce HalfDork

    I had a rental for 2 weeks and it did everything I asked it to do and then some. I treated the trunk like a truck bed. I really liked it but I'm a dope for cheap/momentum based cars. My wife didn't like it and my 9 y/o son preferred(this has me troubled) the PT Cruiser rental from earlier in the year. I think it would really benefit from a dose of dynamat or some other sound proofing, would make the car way more enjoyable on the road IMHO. The drivers door didn't have any soundproofing at all for some reason. If it were me I would also install some good automotive carpeting instead of the felt it comes with and put a decent Pioneer Nav/Stereo unit in the dash. With those few bits I believe it would change the impression of its cheapness behind the wheel.

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