Hi Marianne,

Next time, please ask how many technicians were certified to service the Altima Hybrid.
Ask how should you do when you got a problem on traveling Las Vegas in Nevada.
The Altima Hybrid was sold only a few hundred in the US only and it has never been sold in another countries even in Japan.
Prius was sold almost one million world wide.
I believe it is a kind of gamble to own Altima Hybrid.

Ken@Japan

Ken... WOW... I hadn't thought about that, but you are right - it is a concern.

Truthfully, the salesman we spoke to last night was such an idiot that it didn't give me a good feeling about the dealership in general. My current Honda delership is awesome when it comes to service. That is a consideration we are going to need to include.

BTW... has anyone seen actual MPG that anyone who owns the Altima hybrid is getting. The Car and Driver article is concerning, even if they are biased, simply because I haven't seen any real user reports.

I don't think we have any Altima owners here yet.

http://greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/3686.html

http://greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/4955.html

Hi Marianne,

One more thing...
A special diagnostic tool, OBD-II scanner, is required to check how the hybrid system is working.
Ask them you would like to see how they chack the HV battery status using the scanner.
If possible, you should take a look how a mechanic is doing and ask questions to the mechanic.
A sales person used to tell a lie, but mechanics don't.

Ken@Japan

Color me stupid but there is something I don't understand...

1) The TCH is out of the running because of "technology issues" correct?

2) The Altima is using Toyota technology and is very works in a very similar manner to the TCH correct?

Why are you not having "technology issues" with the Altima when it uses the same technology??

I know Nissan is good and Altima is good.
But, maintaining Altima Hybrid is questionable.
I'm not commenting about "technology issues", but maintenance issues.
Japanese Toyota mechanics have know-how about hybrid maintenace since 1997, and the US Toyota mechanics have it since 2001.

A vehicle can't run forever without maintenance.

Ken@Japan

Marianne, I believe Lakedude has a good point: If Nissan is basically using Toyota's HSD technology, shouldn't it be as reliable and dependable as the Toyota's models?

Unfortunately it is not that easy and this is where I believe Ken is right.

First let us remember that this Nissan hybrid model is definitely going to be orphaned soon. Why? Because Nissan already stated that they are working on their own Hybrid system for their future models. They will do it without violating Toyota's patents and that means their future system will be significantly different from what they have implemented on their current Altima hybrid.
Nissan admitted that they licensed Toyota's system as a temporary solution and they do not expect to produce large numbers until they introduce their "own hybrid" technology.

In summary: If you buy a current model Altima hybrid, you'll definitely have a issue with serviceability, parts availability, opportunity cost and a measurably high cost of ownership should the car develop any issues later on.

Many of us bought our hybrids from Honda and/or Toyota because we'll offset the uncertainty of the newer hybrid technologies with the excellent reputation for reliability that those two brands have. And that factor alone makes purchasing a hybrid vehicle a viable expenditure for many of us. So far Honda and Toyota hybrids are at least as reliable as their gas-only models.
Sadly, Nissan offers no such comfort as evidenced by their less than stellar performance in these areas - particularly over the last decades. So obviously, there are no garanties that Nissan will pull a miracle car that will be as reliable as its counterparts from Honda or Toyota.

Because of these reasons and others I have not mentioned, some of us would rather err on the side of prudence by encouraging you to consider all attributes of a Altima Hybrid ownership.

Cheers;

MSantos

I totally agree with MSantos.

Ken@Japan

Marianne, I concur with MSantos and Ken.

And Ken, Lakedude was asking Marianne why the TCH (Toyota Camry Hybrid) was NOT on the list of potential cars? If the HCH2 is not quite enough car, the TCH certainly should be. If my commute were shorter, I think it is the car I'd be driving now. Also, I think she's already said the Prius was not a good fit for the tall hubby, so it's out.

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL

Aloha,

I'm looking for advice from HCH and Prius owners.

We are looking to replace our 1994 Eagle Summit, as it is close to the point where it no longer makes sense to put money into repairs. Before we actually tested any cars, I was sure that I wanted a hybrid, and that it would be a Prius (because it can run on battery only).

I've read lots of car and consumer magazines and some websites. My driving is mostly very short mileage, inner city trips with lots of stop and slow go. I'm a pokey driver and get 28-32 mpg with my current 5 speed Summit. I usually open the windows and use AC only when its true gridlock. We live in Honolulu, so cold weather is not an issue.

When I tested a Prius, I thought it was might comfy, but I did not like the rear window visibility, the lack of feel in the steering, and the overall spaceship ambience. Also, IHS rear crash ratings are mediocre and Consumer Reports did not give this car a high rating for handling and accident avoidance.

When I tried the Civic hybrid I really disliked the feel of the brakes (the brake pedal felt like stepping on a cement block). Lesser concerns were the deep dashboard and the uncomfortable front headrests. Lack of cargo space is also a negative, but not a deal-breaker.

My questions for you Gentle Readers are (a) what kind of MPG do you really get in urban driving and (b) do you notice the shortcomings of either vehicle that I mentioned?

Right now, I'm leaning towards the Civic hybrid, because of the crisper handling and lower cost ($975 Costco discount and 3 times higher tax credit).

I'm a bit ashamed to say, though, that I'm still considering a Mazda 3. I loved their handling, but they have relatively poor fuel economy and crash results.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!