Talk:Nissan Almera

Alemra in the UK
I've never heard of the turbocharged version of the QG15DE engine for the GT edition and I can't find anything on the web about it. Further information regarding this model of car would be much appreciated - brochures etc. 195.27.12.230 07:43, 20 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Agreed, I've never heard anything about this, nor has anyone on the Almera Owners Club James MSC 20:51, 4 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Deleted offending line. There is no record of this supposed car at all! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.105.98.20 (talk) 22:27, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

Almera classic
I’ve move some of the stuff in this section to the SM3 page; it makes more sense for it to be there.

What exactly is the connection between the Almera and the SM3? It isn’t clear at all from the text; it looks like we are talking about 2 different cars. Is RS a subsidiary of Nissan? Or the other way around? Are RS making them under licence? Anyone know/ care to explain? Swanny18 (talk) 11:38, 29 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Look at the side of the car, it's clearly just a facelifted N16 Almera/Pulsar/Bluebird Sylphy. Renault have an "alliance" with Nissan, and own a majority share of RSM. I don't think the information here is very clear though - are the cars sold in Russia and Ukraine built locally? There's similar and possibly conflicting information about successors on the Bluebird Sylphy and Pulsar articles. Many different names are used in different markets, it's all rather confusing. --Zilog Jones (talk) 19:54, 4 September 2010 (UTC)

The Renault Samsung SM3 is not connected with the Almera and only connected with the Nissan - even then only very slightly. And the SM3 is not clearly a facelifted Almera as the body shape is different, the front and back ends are a lot different. It bears almost no resemblance apart from the doors which look somewhat like the Almera saloon. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.14.34.5 (talk) 21:44, 17 December 2010 (UTC)

Naming similarity
I remember some dimwit from Clarenceville High School who graduated in 04. And the make and model of this car have a coincident similarity to the name of that dimwit. Nisa Almarez married some mexican guy name Jay Almarez (hence the recent adoption of Nisa's current last name which resulted in the creepy coincidence of naming). I'm not sure if this is noteworthy enough for somebody to mention in the article discussion.

I first heard about this Nissan car when seeing YouTube videos. Since there happens to be a "conversation starter" behind this car, and coincident naming of peers from my past, I thought I'd share it on this discussion board. --Boxstaa (talk) 03:33, 13 October 2010 (UTC)

Timing chain?
Removed this nonsense from "Critics" section. If anybody feels that this is an important issue, sort it out on the talk page.

Some owners have expressed concerns about longevity and durability of the timing chain, which is rather expensive part to replace. They think Nissan should issue a recall to fix this common problem. However, as owner's manual does not state specific interval for timing chain replacement, it is assumed to be a "fix-on-fail" part with no predefined life expectancy. But vw ford honda would be unsual for chain to fail after a 40k. So like the car may have no predefined life if broke after one mile would think junk. THis is just one miles times more but no where near as many times as one could reasonabley expect. Nissian is charging simular money in new prices where the typical non determined life is considerably longer. More information regarding this defect can be obtained from Nissan customer services:(UK)01923 899999) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.110.32.70 (talk) 21:01, 13 December 2010 (UTC)

All right, let's have some discussion, instead of the edit war.

IMO this paragraph is not suitable for a Wikipedia article for several reasons.

1. Articles should not contain any phone numbers, as other editors have repeatedly pointed out.

2. Styling is too ambiguous ("some owners", "they think", etc)

3. Subject itself is debatable

4. This is not a place for making personal demands (ref: recall)

5. No references (!)

For the technical debate, I will assert that timing chain is

1. more reliable than timing belt

1a. typically lasting several times longer

1b. failing more gracefully, without destroying the engine

2. not too expensive compared to belts (considering their respective lifetime)

Let's reference two paragraphs from the timing belt article:

1. While chains and gears may be more durable, rubber composite belts are quieter in their operation (in most modern engines the noise difference is negligible), are less expensive and are mechanically more efficient, by dint of being considerably lighter, when compared with a gear or chain system. Also, timing belts do not require lubrication, which is essential with a timing chain or gears.

2. Timing belts must be replaced at the manufacturer's recommended distance and/or time periods. Failure to replace the belt can result in complete breakdown or catastrophic engine failure.[3] The owner's manual maintenance schedule is the source of timing belt replacement intervals, typically every 60,000 to 90,000 miles (approx 96,000 to 144,000 kilometres).

I would say that these figures are far too optimistic. Official belt replacement intervals I've seen in the user manuals (VW, Renault) are more like 60,000 or 72,000 kilometers. And even these may be dangerously overstated. For instance, forum page discusses belt issues at length.

Timing chain, on the contrary, does not have a mandatory replacement interval. Of course, it needs some maintenance - regular oil replacement, inspection, tension adjustment.

For the chain mileage, I can offer only some personal experience:

N14 '1995 with GA16DE, up to 165,000 km

N15 '1996 with GA16DE, up to 120,000 km

N16 '2001 with QG15DE, up to 110,000 km

N16 '2005 with QG18DE, up to 135,000 km

No signs of the chain fatigue.

Out of curiosity, I got an official quote for the N16 chain replacement: €800, presumably with an A-class part. B-class chain costs around €250, labor probably around €200, 4 liters of good oil around €50. Does not sound awfully expensive. AFAIK, belt replacements cost approximately half of that - cheaper parts, less labor, no oil needed. But has to be done more often.

DIY chain replacement is also quite possible: —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.110.32.70 (talk) 22:45, 19 December 2010 (UTC)

OK, I was wrong about references - there are several links to the forums. And it seems that premature failure of the chain is actually possible. Maybe I've been just lucky...

Here's a redacted version, without phone numbers: In the forums, many of the Nissan owners are expressing their concerns about premature failures of the timing chain. Because it is a rather expensive part, many of them are demanding a product recall. However, official data seems to be lacking at this point. Nissan owner's manual does not state specific interval for timing chain replacement, so it can be assumed to be a "fix-on-fail" part with no predefined life expectancy. Furthermore, there may be several different factors leading to the timing chain fatigue, notably lubrication and tensioning issues. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.110.32.70 (talk) 21:45, 20 December 2010 (UTC)