Carmax 2023 Nissan Versa S Manual

Interesting there is a car like this - is this the same size as a 1970 Datsun 510?

It comes with an actual 5-speed manual transmission, no key fobs - open the door with the key.  Start the car with a key. 

I wonder if the guy hated himself right after he bought it?  Or with some lower springs, better shocks, sway bars, tires and wheels could this be a fun little old school car?

Can you buy this car cheaper new at a dealer?

https://www.carmax.com/car/24840811

Original MSRP was $17,490. Options were floor mats and splash guards.

So yes, you can buy a new one cheaper, and there are some actually out there according to Nissan USA

And no one is buying them. 

So Nissan will stop making them soon.  And then we complain about how cars like they used to make are dead.  Because no one bought cars that are like they used to make. 

In reply to nocones :

In all fairness it's a terrible car at being a car. Like if all the b-class cars this is almost the worst. The mirage just barely edges this out.  It's like Nissan didn't get the memo that it's ok to make a small car enjoyable and not be a penalty box

Man, the 2000's are back!  5 speed, and a key start?  My 2018 Mazda3 hatch is a 6 speed and pushbutton start, and I got it out the door for less money.  5 years has been a loooong time in the auto industry.  

Generally speaking, you're paying a $400-$500 premium buying from Carmax. Offset that you can be out the door with paperwork completed in under 2 hours.  This has been upended in since 2020 with used car scarcity being the name of the game. Carmax will typically be among the most expensive cars in any given market

In reply to bobzilla :

But wasn't the original 510 or '70 Corolla mediocre until you added springs, shocks, tires, bars.....?

Maybe not so much the 510 as it was a step above with the IRS.

This sounds like a cool magazine project car.  

I would enjoy the hell out of a series of track tests and articles about if you can turn

Hot Garbage into Not Garbage.  

Someone could enter Sundae Cup write some content on that and slowly add normal mods to the versa and determine which point if any it becomes fun.    Someone could return the car frequently to the same track that they test numerous other cars at.   ..

Rebuttal:

https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/KL8CA6SA6LC462366

1 owner, manual 2020 Spark with 47k miles for 12,500. No cruise control and manual windows

Nissan.... The place you go when Mitsubishi turns you down.

nocones said:

This sounds like a cool magazine project car.  

cool idea - reminds me of the old C&D magazine builds - I guess today it's all done on YouTube 

volvoclearinghouse said:

Man, the 2000's are back!  5 speed, and a key start?  My 2018 Mazda3 hatch is a 6 speed and pushbutton start, and I got it out the door for less money.  5 years has been a loooong time in the auto industry.  

What's funny is things have been push  button start for a long time, even if they're not "Push Button Start".  For example you can get in any of our 2010-era Fords, put the key in, and bump it forward for a brief second and the car goes thru its whole cugga-chugga-chugga-vroom routine even though you have let go of the key.

Of course then I got in the habit of this and sometimes get in the miata or something else older, put the key in, bump it for a second, and wonder why the car's not starting.

nocones said:

This sounds like a cool magazine project car.  

I would enjoy the hell out of a series of track tests and articles about if you can turn

Hot Garbage into Not Garbage.  

Someone could enter Sundae Cup write some content on that and slowly add normal mods to the versa and determine which point if any it becomes fun.    Someone could return the car frequently to the same track that they test numerous other cars at.   ..

I would enjoy that build.

nocones said:

This sounds like a cool magazine project car.  

I would enjoy the hell out of a series of track tests and articles about if you can turn

Hot Garbage into Not Garbage.  

Someone could enter Sundae Cup write some content on that and slowly add normal mods to the versa and determine which point if any it becomes fun.    Someone could return the car frequently to the same track that they test numerous other cars at.   ..

Didn't SCC do this with a 2nd gen Yaris sedan?  They ended up with coilovers and 225 A6s on 15x9s or something?

SoonToBeDatsun240ZGuy said:

In reply to bobzilla :

But wasn't the original 510 or '70 Corolla mediocre until you added springs, shocks, tires, bars.....?

Maybe not so much the 510 as it was a step above with the IRS.

Mediocre, sure. This would have to improve to meet "mediocre" standards. 

SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:

Nissan.... The place you go when Mitsubishi turns you down.

Oh god that is hilarious! Sadly true.

In reply to ProDarwin :

I think yes...something to the effect that with the right combo of spring and tire, the Yaris was a "Porsche eater" on the G-pad. I believe they also tested a front loader that was doing some work at the track on the same G-pad and it did comparatively well

A friend has one of these (2019 I think) and the low MSRP does seem to translate to low build quality. E.g. we replaced the clutch in his car and the process to bleed the clutch involves pulling the clutch line *slightly* out of the slave cylinder and locking it into this position with a clip to expose the bleed hole, then pumping the pedal for half an hour before giving up and using a syringe and hose to slowly pull air and fluid out of the bleed hole and then hopefully pushing the hose back into place without letting any air back in. And all of these parts are plastic too.