Getting ready for its 30K service. And new snow tires......
Hit a horrific "surface deformity" at 30 MPH Saturday on the way home, and totally tore some kind of plastic thingie off the underneath. No other apparent damage, but I'll know more when it gets on the lift. I'm utterly certain metal pieces got hit.
Gas mileage hovers around 27.5 with my 'normal' mode; I go past 28 mpg when I take it a bit more easily.
Premium Mobil seems to offer no discernible performance gain, except with mileage.
Still really enjoying its sedate cabin, comfy seat, and high handling limits.
Congratulations on attaining 30K with your Kizashi! Do you have any further thoughts on the CVT performance now that it has "broken in" somewhat? Recently I was negotiating in earnest for a leftover
2010 SE and was within a hair's breath of pulling the trigger but I had not test driven the car because I assumed all was well (it had 10 miles on the odometer.) Before signing for the car something prompted me to
take a test drive, and what a fateful decision it was because it saved me $20K. The CVT on that particular car seemed to hinder all my attempts to get her up to speed. And she sounded strained and coarse trying to do it.
I wasn't expecting a rocket but the car I drove really felt like a run-of-the-mill economy car. How unlike a 2011 I drove that truly impressed with its strong acceleration from the line. I asked if the 2010's CVT had been reflashed and was told all necessary services had been performed. To the salesman's great disappointment
(and mine) I backed out of the sale. The 2010 I had just driven felt nothing like the 2011 I had driven earlier and I think the difference was attributable to the manner in which the CVT"s were tuned in 2010 and 2011.
So do you still like the CVT or do you think the car would be better served with a conventional 6-speed auto.?
I have not felt any driving detriment whatsoever with my CVT-equipped 2011 S AWD. Its 'motorboating' is muted; it gains velocity quite rapidly once it gets rolling; I don't think I would be any happier with a conventional automatic.
When cruising a firm stomp on the accelerator provides instant thrust.
I would not buy any used car. Ever. I've learned.....
The CVT takes some getting used to - you have to stay on it or it wants to drop the RPMs. I would guess it is trying to better your gas mileage and in doing so, needs to keep the RPM's low. You can kind of feather the gas peddle and get it to respond almost like shifting gears - vedry interesting tranny.
IMO, It is the opposite of a sports tranny - not a whole lot of fun and not at all spirited. I didn't buy this car for it "sports" factor - it's a 4 banger that's good on fuel, very nicely equiped, top notch interior, and is AWD - those are the things I wanted. I really like this car for what it is - but I will not pretend it is anything other than what I just described. I have heard the 6 speed is more sport driven and I don't doubt that (most manuals are) - however, no AWD so it was not an option for me. I shopped the market hard looking for this car and I don't think I could have done any better for the money - the only thing I dislike (but willing to live with) is the tranny
If I want spirited, I jump in my '93 RX-7 twin turbo - 10 MPG but you get what you pay for.
MadBlack wrote:The CVT takes some getting used to - you have to stay on it or it wants to drop the RPMs. I would guess it is trying to better your gas mileage and in doing so, needs to keep the RPM's low. You can kind of feather the gas peddle and get it to respond almost like shifting gears - vedry interesting tranny.
IMO, It is the opposite of a sports tranny - not a whole lot of fun and not at all spirited. I didn't buy this car for it "sports" factor - it's a 4 banger that's good on fuel, very nicely equiped, top notch interior, and is AWD - those are the things I wanted. I really like this car for what it is - but I will not pretend it is anything other than what I just described. I have heard the 6 speed is more sport driven and I don't doubt that (most manuals are) - however, no AWD so it was not an option for me. I shopped the market hard looking for this car and I don't think I could have done any better for the money - the only thing I dislike (but willing to live with) is the tranny
If I want spirited, I jump in my '93 RX-7 twin turbo - 10 MPG but you get what you pay for.
A very interesting tranny indeed. I believe the Nissan uses the same Jatco unit in the Altima with very different results. The Altima accelerates almost effortlessly (and with minimal resonance) yet is almost as fuel efficient as the Kizashi despite an ~10 hp deficiency. On the other hand the Kizashi has handling and braking prowess that the Altima cannot match. I'm going to dive back into the market in a few months
MadBlack wrote:The CVT takes some getting used to - you have to stay on it or it wants to drop the RPMs. I would guess it is trying to better your gas mileage and in doing so, needs to keep the RPM's low. You can kind of feather the gas peddle and get it to respond almost like shifting gears - vedry interesting tranny.
IMO, It is the opposite of a sports tranny - not a whole lot of fun and not at all spirited. I didn't buy this car for it "sports" factor - it's a 4 banger that's good on fuel, very nicely equiped, top notch interior, and is AWD - those are the things I wanted. I really like this car for what it is - but I will not pretend it is anything other than what I just described. I have heard the 6 speed is more sport driven and I don't doubt that (most manuals are) - however, no AWD so it was not an option for me. I shopped the market hard looking for this car and I don't think I could have done any better for the money - the only thing I dislike (but willing to live with) is the tranny
If I want spirited, I jump in my '93 RX-7 twin turbo - 10 MPG but you get what you pay for.
A very interesting tranny indeed. I believe the Nissan uses the same Jatco unit in the Altima with very different results. The Altima accelerates almost effortlessly (and with minimal resonance) yet is almost as fuel efficient as the Kizashi despite an ~10 hp deficiency. On the other hand the Kizashi has handling and braking prowess that the Altima cannot match. I'm going to dive back into the market in a few months
Take the Nissan Rogue for a spin and you'll see the very same perfomance shortfalls as in the Kizashi
WESHOOT2 wrote:
Hit a horrific "surface deformity" at 30 MPH Saturday on the way home, and totally tore some kind of plastic thingie off the underneath. No other apparent damage, but I'll know more when it gets on the lift. I'm utterly certain metal pieces got hit.
Any damage? I bent an 18" rim on a pothole first week I had the car!
The car still runs true past 100 MPH, and I cannot detect any driving issues caused by the impact.
I know metal hit, because I inspected the road (after I hit I stopped and walked back to pick up the pieces) and saw the impact marks.
It was a perpendicular fault line.
Noticed both sides of the front fascia are bowed out significantly.
Spoke to my insurance agent this morning before scheduling its 30K service and smash inspection. $250 deductible. Rental while car is down.
Whew.
Still goes over 100 smoothly, but I can only imagine I've 'affected' wheel alignment, since the car is now all 'nervous' when even normal driving.
Slight wift of antifreeze, but no puddles.
I plan on taking pictures of its underside.
That 'bump' has sidelined my Kizashi (323 days, 30,508 miles).
I broke off every piece of plastic under the car, and smashed some significant metal parts, too.
Broke welds, even.
At the body shop waiting for the State Farm appraiser.......
Picked up a renter Jetta; POS.
My 30K cost just under $500.
Paint still attached.
"surface deformity" at 30 MPH Saturday on the way home, and totally tore some kind of plastic thingie off the underneath. No other apparent damage, but I'll know more when it gets on the lift. I'm utterly certain metal pieces got hit.