# 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5S - is premium gas make a differenece????



## shynepo3 (Apr 18, 2005)

I was wondering, on a 2002 altima, 2.5S, does using premium gas make a big difference?? I read the manual, and it says recommended, but only necessary for the 3.5 v6 engine. I'm not a car person, but would like to keep my car in the best shape possible.

any other tips for the 2002 altima 2.5s in regards to making it last? i bought the car used....:
1)should i rust proof it?? it has 50k km, which is about 35k miles.
2)oil changes....what type of oil should be used...does synthetic make a diff?
3)any other suggestions? things that i should keep an eye on....besides changing oil and rotating tires...

As you can tell, I have no clue on how to maintain cars...this is my 4th car, the first 3 were ok cars....but i ran them into the ground....that's why i keep buying used cars.....cause i treat em bad...but i like this one...plus it cost more than 15 grand...at this point, i want to take care of it...

thanks for the help/suggestions.


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## jww (Apr 22, 2005)

I have an 02 Altima 2.5S w/5-spd and OEM leather. Change your oil religiously. I have, on occassion, used premium gas - mileage is about the same around town - not sure if there would be a difference on a highway run.

A few things to be really careful about:
1. Torque steer - it is horrendous with this car. You need to be particularly careful off the mark, and especially careful when wet or in winter. Get a good set of snow tires if you live in a winter climate.

2. Get a wheel alignment once a year - I do mine when I change over to winter tires in the fall.

3. If you are planning to keep the car more than 3 years, then I would consider investing in a good rustproofing treatment. Shop around - look for reliable testimonials, etc.

4. Be careful going over speed bumps - these cars ride very low to the ground, and you can bottom out very easily.

If you tend to run your cars into the ground, then I would suggest that the 02 Altima may not have been as good a choice as some of the competition. While mine has been decent - a couple of warranty repairs in the 3 years I have had it - there is somehow a 'cheapish' feel to it. It definitely is not made to take a beating, but will require some TLC to keep it in tip-top shape.

The 2.5 4-cyl is a great little engine, but it is very torquey and noisy at just about any speed. The suspension in the 2.5s isn't up to what the engine can put out. This supposedly has been adjusted in more recent years.

It is a very fun car to drive, once you get used to handling the torque steer. It's decent off-the-mark, but where it really shines is in the mid-range of the power band. My 5spd loves to rev around 3,000 RPM, but if you are looking to keep this car a long time, then you might want to drive it less hard.

FYI - we are on track to replace the Altima in summer 2006. I am considering the X-Trail or other cute-ute. I have had my sports sedan mid-life crisis now, and it's time to return to practicality.

Enjoy. ...jww


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## Marvin (Oct 16, 2002)

Because of known knocking issues in the QR25DE, I wouldn't run anything less than 89 octane in the 4cyl.


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

jww said:


> 4. Be careful going over speed bumps - these cars ride very low to the ground, and you can bottom out very easily.


Boy, that's the truth. I high-centred mine going onto one of thoe flat hoists (the kind used for doing alignments) a few months back. Put a nice dent in the underbody, but otherwise no mechanical damage.


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## freddy la menace (Jul 9, 2005)

shynepo3 said:


> I was wondering, on a 2002 altima, 2.5S, does using premium gas make a big difference?? I read the manual, and it says recommended, but only necessary for the 3.5 v6 engine. I'm not a car person, but would like to keep my car in the best shape possible.
> 
> any other tips for the 2002 altima 2.5s in regards to making it last? i bought the car used....:
> 1)should i rust proof it?? it has 50k km, which is about 35k miles.
> ...



Synthetic is much better. But has your car manual or automatic tranny ?


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