New Loves: Nissan Altima Hybrid, Garmin Nuvi 250, Avis
PERMALINK || External link to topic of post
Nope, this isn't a post about crap(ola), rather, just sharing an enjoyable experience this past Memorial Day Weekend where I gained a few new loves, namely:
I'm no "Car And Driver" reviewer, so I won't even pretend to know what all the technical specifications of the Altima Hybrid mean, but one thing that was erased from my perception was that the new "green cars" don't have the "oomph" of a "real car". Well, I can tell you that in this case, that perception is wrong, very, utterly wrong. I drove close to 2000 miles from the San Francisco Bay Area to Seattle, WA....nope not through I5 as one would expect, but rather through the scenic Highway 1 in a Nissan Altima Hybrid from Avis as undeniable proof that green cars are really here, and deserve to be tops on anyone's list for a new car.
Why Highway 1 you may ask? Well, the drive was a key part of the trip. I've never driven north through Highway 1, and if any of you have ever driven South on CA Highway 1, all the way through Monterey, Big Sur, San Simeon...to Los Angeles and beyond, well, you'd know what I mean when I say the drive is absolutely stunning - both in scenery and well, if you love driving - curves and all, you get both. Besides, if it was just a matter of getting to Seattle, I'd rather fly than drive bored for 12 hours or more on I5!
One thing though, the drive up North on CA Highway 1, doesn't come close scenery-wise to it's southern counterpart. But the drive, well, let's just say if you love the challenge of winding/zigzag roads, this route will be an absolute joy. Warning: you have to love it, or else it can get dangerous. Drive to your abilities, and within speed limits.
Back to the Altima. Not only did this hybrid have the handling you'd want (and need) for this trip, it had the power to take this route on, with a lot to spare! And the absolute bonus? Well, since you're not driving at freeway speeds through this maze, you're using more electric power. The result? Unbelievable mileage!
How great? Let's just say by my calculations we did about 35++ mpg (I'd swear it was closer to 40 mpg) ! Why would this be something to shout about if other hybrids can conceivably do better? Maybe so, but this baby has power. If you ever take this route, you'd know just how much uphill driving there is, so 35++ with power to boot is something. How much power? Let just say cruising at 75 - 80 mph, uphill isn't a problem at all. Give the accelerator a tap and it's got torque to spare!
Now for the most important gear on board: the small, cheap but quite capable Garmin Nuvi 250. What can I say? It's the best thing since sliced bread! It's a basic GPS, but hey, I've got other contraptions to do whatever else so all I want from a GPS is great gps. And that's what I got from this unit. It's also compact and fits in your pocket. As of this writing you can get one for less than $200 from Amazon.com, and of course it qualifies for Free Super Saver Shipping! If you want a quick and easy to use GPS system, and are on a budget, this unit will not disappoint.
What can I say about AVIS? Well, they've never failed me. They may not be the cheapest rental but know what? I know EXACTLY what I'm getting. Unlimited miles mean unlimited miles, no 8-pt type gotchas buried in some contract, no "ifs", or "only"..it is what it is. I'm not sure if any other rental agency offers, or rather promotes hybrids, and if they do, bravo. All I know is AVIS does, and great ones too. They also offer the TOYOTA Prius...but as mentioned, I didn't know how great hybrids were and opted for the Altima after viewing it's specs - power was important since this was loooong drive, up mountains and whatever else.
OK fine, this blog as about crap and this post isn't quite about crap. So I'll dish some crap we went through on this trip:
- The Nissan Altima Hybrid
- The reliable Garmin Nuvi 250
- Avis, for offering great cars, in this case eco-friendly hybrids
I'm no "Car And Driver" reviewer, so I won't even pretend to know what all the technical specifications of the Altima Hybrid mean, but one thing that was erased from my perception was that the new "green cars" don't have the "oomph" of a "real car". Well, I can tell you that in this case, that perception is wrong, very, utterly wrong. I drove close to 2000 miles from the San Francisco Bay Area to Seattle, WA....nope not through I5 as one would expect, but rather through the scenic Highway 1 in a Nissan Altima Hybrid from Avis as undeniable proof that green cars are really here, and deserve to be tops on anyone's list for a new car.
Why Highway 1 you may ask? Well, the drive was a key part of the trip. I've never driven north through Highway 1, and if any of you have ever driven South on CA Highway 1, all the way through Monterey, Big Sur, San Simeon...to Los Angeles and beyond, well, you'd know what I mean when I say the drive is absolutely stunning - both in scenery and well, if you love driving - curves and all, you get both. Besides, if it was just a matter of getting to Seattle, I'd rather fly than drive bored for 12 hours or more on I5!
One thing though, the drive up North on CA Highway 1, doesn't come close scenery-wise to it's southern counterpart. But the drive, well, let's just say if you love the challenge of winding/zigzag roads, this route will be an absolute joy. Warning: you have to love it, or else it can get dangerous. Drive to your abilities, and within speed limits.
Back to the Altima. Not only did this hybrid have the handling you'd want (and need) for this trip, it had the power to take this route on, with a lot to spare! And the absolute bonus? Well, since you're not driving at freeway speeds through this maze, you're using more electric power. The result? Unbelievable mileage!
How great? Let's just say by my calculations we did about 35++ mpg (I'd swear it was closer to 40 mpg) ! Why would this be something to shout about if other hybrids can conceivably do better? Maybe so, but this baby has power. If you ever take this route, you'd know just how much uphill driving there is, so 35++ with power to boot is something. How much power? Let just say cruising at 75 - 80 mph, uphill isn't a problem at all. Give the accelerator a tap and it's got torque to spare!
Now for the most important gear on board: the small, cheap but quite capable Garmin Nuvi 250. What can I say? It's the best thing since sliced bread! It's a basic GPS, but hey, I've got other contraptions to do whatever else so all I want from a GPS is great gps. And that's what I got from this unit. It's also compact and fits in your pocket. As of this writing you can get one for less than $200 from Amazon.com, and of course it qualifies for Free Super Saver Shipping! If you want a quick and easy to use GPS system, and are on a budget, this unit will not disappoint.
What can I say about AVIS? Well, they've never failed me. They may not be the cheapest rental but know what? I know EXACTLY what I'm getting. Unlimited miles mean unlimited miles, no 8-pt type gotchas buried in some contract, no "ifs", or "only"..it is what it is. I'm not sure if any other rental agency offers, or rather promotes hybrids, and if they do, bravo. All I know is AVIS does, and great ones too. They also offer the TOYOTA Prius...but as mentioned, I didn't know how great hybrids were and opted for the Altima after viewing it's specs - power was important since this was loooong drive, up mountains and whatever else.
OK fine, this blog as about crap and this post isn't quite about crap. So I'll dish some crap we went through on this trip:
- It's official. A bunch of drivers in Oregon have no concept of leftmost lane = fast lane. And they've got the nerve to give you the stink eye if you finally, out of frustration, and respectfully not tailgating, overtake on the right lane.
- What's up with 55 mph on I5??? I can understand slowing down on inclined curves....but straight/flat stretches?
- What's up with the CA law that doesn't allow GPSs to be mounted on the windshield? Maybe its an old law covering older/bulkier models, but the Nuvi is small enough. I know its about safety, but I absolutely disagree with the notion that trying to take your eyes off the road, to glance at your GPS, in-dash (like cars that have them built-in), or worse as was my case, somewhere in the console (!) is somehow better? Furthermore, its then ok to mount it on the dashboard?? Crapola! Mount it with the provided suction cup top left of your windshield, and it gives perfect peripheral visibility of the road at times that you actually need to glance at the GPS!
- As of this writing, Seattle either has a handful radio stations, or the entire radio listening population of Seattle is obsessed with Leona Lewis. Or was it payola? Whatever, by the time we left Seattle, I really didn't want to hear any of her...overkill was an understatement.
- And oh yeah, while I'm singing praises for Nissan's cars, the company however, seems to be engaged in some David vs. Goliath crapola...squashing the little guy. I'm no fan of domain name squatting, but it seems that in this case "nissan.com", which is owned by someone named Uzi Nissan makes a good case for ownership of the domain - yup, Datsun rings bells to those old enough like me. Decide for yourself, read the fascinating case of what just might be a crappy example of Corporate bullying at the Nissan.com site (link isn't to Nissan Motors USA's site, it's Uzi Nissan's site).
posted by EdSF at
5:59 PM
2 Comments:
You should check out the website below to see the complaints of Nissan car owners on how crappy NISSAN cars has been after you had the car a few years. Why don't you give a review of the owners who have so much trouble after owning them. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/nissan_altima_engine.html
By
Anonymous, at 11:28 AM
Interesting link...but just to keep things in perspective, name a car brand/model, you'd probably get the same result.
I absolutely love VWs, and drive one. I'm torn between my hybrid desires, or a VW TDI model. But am digressing....
I'm sure you can Google a ton of complaints for VW. But to each his/her own. Started with a '67 Type 3, flirted with Toyota in the early 80's, and happily back to VW family since the '89 Corrado :)
By
EdSF, at 6:23 PM
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