Your dealership was an _______?? I thought it was just mine. All Nissan dealerships treat their customers like ____ around here, especially the Service department. They should learn a thing or two from Honda or others.

 

The Spec V requires two shifts to get to 60, where the other cars only require one. That adds additional time to that arbitrary 60 MPH speed. Check the 1/4 mile times. Most manufacurers specifically gear their cars so you're reach third with a manual just a hair over 60 or 62 (100 km/h). This helps their 0-60 times, which many people use to judge the acceleration abilites of a vehicle. The Spec V is geared to match the engine's characteristics, not a testing procedure. For this it suffers in that one test.

 

Bang for the buck huh?

It aint the Spec V

The Focus SVT outhandles it and a larger aftermarket

Mazdaspeed Protege is a great deal if you can find one of the leftover, its street legal and turbocharged. Owners are just now figuring out getting more out of that car.

The tC is the best enthusites (sp?) car available in its price range considering what is going to be available for it.

For as much as you paid for the Spec V I would have gotten a Hyundai Tiburon V6, 6 speed first.

That is low end torque and even more is available with a supercharger kit that is CARB legal and capable of close to 300hp with the right tweak, stock block.

Spec V is for Nissan nuts and nobody else, there isn't enough about the car to make anybody that has throughly researched cars to consider one. I'd get the Lancer RalliArt before the Spec V, if your worried about headroom, torque and rebates...

For the guy that considering a WRX, why you even looking at the tC? Not even the same league of car.

The SRT-4 cost less and is faster, period, end of story. Name another car capable of 500hp at the wheels, stock block... Sorry but no Honda has done that and no Honda has made 400+ft of torque in doing it.

4WD is overrated unless you leave where the weather turns bad in the winter. But if you must have AWD get the EVO. In the long run its a better deal than even the STi.

Under $20,000 - tC, Mazdaspeed Protege (if you can find one) Ford Focus SVT with rebates and Hyundai Tiburon V6

Over $20,000 - Neon SRT-4

Under $30,000 - Lancer EVO

You get anything else and you missing out, overspending and cutting yourself short.

 

Yeah I gotta give it to the TC there...hands down the TC is way sexier but I wanted a car that was quick from the factory and after driving a spec the TC just couldn't hang...Also the Headrom gave me a neck ache eveytime I drove it because of the position I had to put the seat in.... I have short legs. I am only 5'8"

 

whats wrong with buying a car for it's utility rather than something to go race around in... i'm planning on getting a wrx wagon... i know there are plenty more choices out there around that price range...

oh... it also snows around here... sooo the Awd will help...

 

Uhhhh.....no. I won't own a ford. Not mention the focus has more recalls than all of the cars we are talking about here. I had a couple of neighbors who had focus' Big pieces of junk that fell apart and were always in the shop.... And oh yeah it is about 5k more than my spec was.....If I am gonna spend 20k I will spend another 5k and then I am into where the big boys play.

Ok I will give you this one cause you are right here but they are impossible to find...and are turbo. I don't like turbos.....I wanted an NA car with lots of low end torque... But you are right it is a great car...

Hmmm not sure about that.... still nothing to prove that remark true yet. In a year or so you are probably right but right now.......


Nope. Off the lot that car is weak....175 hp out of a v6??? Come on!!! As you stated it is true you can mod it and get it pretty fast I didn't want the headache I wanted a car that was quick right off the lot. I am not going to mod the heck out of my car... I have my truck for that. I just wanted a quick daily driver. And definately not a Hyundai!!! The car is too big too....


I did heavily consider the Ralliart but it didn't have the low end that the Nissan had. It was close but no cigar and the cornering was weak compared to the spec. Mitsu is in some financial trouble too. @ of the local dealers near me have closed up shop within a month. I wanted to be able to take my car to the dealer if needed...Also it was a good amount more. I would have had to spend more to get less and then spend even more to get it up to the specs level....

Have you even driven a spec?? Sounds like you haven't.....


It's a DODGE period. If you take a turd and place a fast motor in it all you have is a fast turd.....Also once again we have the turbo thing not my cup of tea....


[/quote]

 

Nothing. The last ten years I had cars that were practical and this time I wanted something sporty thats all.

 

THat's some funny shiezer! I never thought about it like that. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE THE SRT-4. but the interiors are turdy, as is the build quality. And no power rear windows? What's up with that? But they are very fast. . . and anybody goin for a speed deamon would be an idiot to look over it. But in terms of a balanced ride, it lacks big time in a lot of key areas.

Overall, I'd say the tC has the Spec V beat, but "to each his own." In terms of 4-door cars, I really like the Sentra's, tho. Not my top choice, but it is indeed a very good choice. You'll also come to appreciate those 4-doors over time. . .
personally when it comes to budget 4-doors, I'd go for a Corolla, as I think they look great, especially the newere generation. But it's too bad the price isn't competitive, especially if you compare a comporably equipped Corolla XRS with a Spec V. Either way I think both cars blow away the civic. . . So congrats on the new car and enjoy it!

 

ah.. gotcha

 

Ahh but the corolla can't hold a candle to a spec or a TC performance wise.....even the XRS. That thing is slow.... All I can say is drive a spec and then drive a TC and then drive a mazda3 and then...well you get the picture.... Then pick the car that is strong in the areas you value most. The thing that really killed the TC for me was the headroom. It was something no matter how much money I spend I can't fix shy of chopping off the top which I won't do... I still do really like the TC...just not for me. The other thing was I got a great deal on my spec and a 2k rebate. So I walked in with no cash out of pocket and drove home the new car that had what I valued most ...a quick engine and great suspension stock. If Iwas looking for a slightly more refined car, I think the TC fits better, but I wasn't. I wanted a raw visceral driving experience and the TC just didn't deliver....Trust me if there was just an inch more of headroom and torque like the spec there would be a TC in my driveway.

 

The Focus SVT stopped production. It cost $3,000 more than a Spec V to begin with, and even after dealers chopping $4,000 off it with options, it still cost more than a Spec V. And good luck finding one without a bunch of expensive options. I looked. It also lacks the torque of the Spec V and LSD. The engine has very little potential with bolt-ons. Many Focus owners recommended the new ZX3 2.3 over the SVT because of the money you'd save and the potential that engine had to exceed the SVT's 2.0.

The Mazdaspeed was the worst value of them all. It's also dead. It cost over $21,000 new. That will get your an SRT-4 today. Not only that, but it could only match the abilities of the Spec V, yet cost at least $4,000 more. Again, even after dealers slashing price it still cost more than the Spec V did at MSRP.

Not from what's I've seen thus far, but I guess time will tell.

The Tirburon weighs 3,100 lbs. It's also a cramped coupe. It doesn't handle all that great in stock form, nor is it quick. It is a nice looking car though.

The RalliArt is probably the second best car behind the Spec V. If you value spaciousness over sport, I'd definietly recommend it instead of the Spec V. But it weighs more, lacks a LSD, and the suspension isn't nearly as aggressive. The engine can't match the QR's power delivery. Instead it feels much like the 3s.

The SRT-4 is $21,000. It better be faster than a Spec V. You can pick up for under $15,000. Dealers are still marking them up around here, yet I haven't seen one off the lot yet. Then again, for that money you could look at an Altima 3.5 SE with no options which would hang with it, and provide a much better daily driving experience than a Neon ever could. That's even encroaching on the WRX's territory.

The Evo costs $30,000. How is that a viable option for any of the other cars listed?

 

A used 2002 WRX in any configuration will typically cost at least $18,000. That puts it above the cost of the current Spec V, RalliArt, and tC. Now factor in the much higher insurance costs of the WRX, and there you have it.

 

I heard Nissan is updating the Sentra in the next model year because it's long overdue. Wouldn't it be worth waiting to see what the next model is going to be like before investing in the current Spec V?

This coming from a guy having trouble waiting a week for my new tC to come in at my dealer... :oops:

 

No news on what next year holds for the Sentra at this point. The theory at this point is that it will continue on the B15 platform for another year before switching over to something else. The B15 was released in the US for the MY 2000. That only makes it four years old at this point. While Nissan does update their platforms at a slightly higher rate than Honda and Toyota, it's still on schedule.