Today on Shitbox Showdown, we’ve a treat:
A pair of Nissans, ready to impress.
Though since they’re neither fancy, fun, nor fleet,
I fear the choice may cause you some distress.
But be good sports, read on, and play along;
Come on, you know me. Would I steer you wrong?
(If you all don’t mind, I’ll switch back to plain prose for the rest of this. That iambic pentameter shit is hard.)
Before we get to today’s Nissans, we should look at the results from yesterday’s Mercury battle. Since both cars were cheap, and filled different roles, I gave you a rare “both” option, and quite a few of you chose that path. But even more of you wanted the little Capri roadster on its own. The poor pink Tracer wagon was left out in the cold.
That Capri is a hell of a deal, and I assume it won’t be for sale for long. I still think the pair would make a great cheap two-car garage, but if I had to choose one, it would be the Capri. It would fill 90% of my Miata jones, for a lot less money. I just wish it wasn’t red.
OK, no more bad poetry, I promise. But when you’re talking about cars with names like Stanza and Versa, it had to be done. Neither one of these is exactly exciting, but they both look like decent used cars for a reasonable price. Let’s check them out.
1992 Nissan Stanza XE – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Anaheim, CA
Odometer reading: 159,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
This car was known as the Nissan Stanza here in the US starting in 1982, but in Japan it went by a more floral name: the Violet. At least, until this generation it did. This one is a renamed Nissan Bluebird. Lots of Japanese imports have different names in the US, but in the case of Nissan, I almost always prefer the Japanese name: Fairlady, Silvia, Sunny, and so on. Stanza is a pretty good name, though, and it’s a pretty good car, too.
The Stanza is powered by Nissan’s KA24E four-cylinder, and in this case, a four-speed automatic. The seller says it runs and drives well, and just passed a smog check, but that’s about all they give us. 159,000 miles is pretty low for a car like this, though, so if it has been maintained properly, it should have a lot of life left.
This is about the best look we get at the interior, at least in the front. There’s a decent photo of the back seat in the ad. I don’t know if they’re trying to hide wear or damage on the front seats, or just bad at taking photos. They do tell us that the air conditioning is nice and cold, so that’s something.
It looks really clean outside; California cars just don’t seem to age. I’m sure most of you living in the Rust Belt haven’t seen a Stanza in years. It’s kind of a non-color, and the Pep Boys wheel covers aren’t all that attractive, but it has a nice early ’90s nostalgia vibe to it.
2009 Nissan Versa SL – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4, CVT automatic, FWD
Location: Redlands, CA
Odometer reading: 180,000 miles
Operational status: Doesn’t say, actually
Remember what I said about liking Nissan’s Japanese names better? Yeah, it doesn’t apply in this case. In Japan and other parts of the world, this car is known as the Nissan Tiida. How do you even pronounce that? Tee-dah? Tie-dah? Whatever. Here in the US, it’s the Versa, and it did a fine job of anchoring the bottom end of Nissan’s lineup until last year, when it was unceremoniously dumped. This is a first-generation Versa hatchback, in the “fancy” SL trim.
Power for the Versa comes from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder. Three transmissions were available: a six-speed manual, a four-speed automatic, and a CVT. Guess which one this one has. But you know what? I don’t see that as a problem. I’ve rented a few Nissans with the CVT, and I don’t hate it. And after the abuse that has been heaped upon our NYC taxicab and Murano CrossCab, I don’t worry about its longevity either. This Versa has 180,000 miles on it, and it seems to be in fine shape.
The Versa’s interior has everything you could ask from a cheap car. It has a basic complement of power features, air conditioning, cruise control, and a Bluetooth stereo. What more do you need? I’ve always admired cars like the Versa that aren’t trying to be anything more than what they are. It looks like it’s in good condition, too.
This Versa has the Sport package, which includes a sunroof and a rear spoiler, as well as alloy wheels. It’s definitely fancier than any Versa I’ve ever driven. It’s in good shape, especially for the mileage. Economy cars tend to get used pretty hard, but someone took care of this one.
$3,500 isn’t a lot for a used car these days, but both of these feel like good deals to me. No, they’re not thrilling to drive, but they both should be plenty reliable. There’s a decade and a half between them that you might want to take into account; the Stanza should be a little more accessible and DIY-friendly, while the Versa is probably a bit safer and more efficient. Which attributes are more important to you?
Definitely the Stanza.
The Nissan Versa is the official car for people who have given up on life.
I just prefer a hatchback to a sedan
Not the versa. Versa is never the answer.
This. I woulda voted Stanza anyway but having worked on a Versa for a friend a couple times, I’d rather walk. Barefoot. On lego bricks.
The Versa. Unbelievably boring, but incredibly space efficient and reliable. We took my wife’s Versa with 4 tall adults and their luggage from San Jose to Reno with plenty of space and comfort. Truly a great automotive appliance.
Good thing you’re moving on from the played-out CVT hate. Its merits are many and its flaws few. Haters are just haters. You all know the truly correct choice over that old unreliable heap.
Jatco 2028!
Save the Children!
100% Stanza. The early 90s was Nissan at the top of its game. Even the basic models were engineered and built with pride, before the gradual process of Renault -driven enshitification began.
KA engine parts are as easily accessible one could ask for, and mundane Regular Car survivors like this get tons of attention at shows whether it’s Radwood or your local C&C.
Also I can’t say “Nissan Versa” without automatically channeling Hiro Nakamura from Heroes.
Both cars are boring but the Stanza has an additonal downside, an awkward and uncomfortable driving position compared to what we are used to. Even back then, compared to the new Accord, it was cramped and weird.
I owned one and have no idea what you’re talking about.
wife had a 2009 murano. It had 197k miles before the CVT died. This one isn’t OK because it’s made it 180k. This one is on it’s last leg. Stanza all day.
My partner had a 2010 Versa and it was pretty damn reliable, it was however one of the most boring cars I have ever driven. 0 to 60? Yeah sure eventually. Gas milage? Better than some. Style? Not really. It did its job till it was killed by a Lexus. Sad ending for the Versa but she replaced it with a 1990 IROC which is a hell of lot more fun.
I’ve had a 90,000+ mile Jatco CVT. Never again.
Stanza FTW.
Note to sellers: making all of the hoses and plastic look “wet” with armorall doesn’t make it look better.
I’m not anti-Versa, especially in hatchback form, but that Stanza, with it’s blocky shape, is way too nice to pass up. I know it was a relatively entry-level Nissan, but it looks pretty damn nice… like a cousin on the first-gen Maxima. Which it is. 🙂
No contest. 🙂
You should never date your cousin
Generally I would agree, but you haven’t seen some of my cousins. 😉
Stanza all day, but mostly because I love 90’s cars and having owned plenty of S13’s back in the day, I’m quite familiar with the KA series too.
Stanza for me… mainly because it doesn’t have a high mileage CVT in it.
The main standout aspect of the Stanza is being a time capsule. But I didn’t grow up in one of them and so I don’t have any nostalgia. The Versa is a better car, with far more modern crash protection. These were surprisingly nice little subcompacts–fairly quiet, decent interior materials, and a huge backseat.
We’re just going to assume the CVT isn’t on the way out. I don’t believe that the weak 1.8 can’t kill them, so it would remain a source of worry.
I voted for the Stanza because it’s got vintage appeal. which is crazy, because if you’d asked me in the ’90s to pick between a beige grandma car and a Versa from the future, I’d probably have chosen the weird swoopy hatchback.
I love me a KA24E but I just got one in an even lower mile D21, driving the right end through the right transmission on the right chassis.
The Versa won’t get me singing but it sure will be a handy little runabout. This is almost Gambler money. That hatch will haul a lot of trash out of the woods while the CVT makes crawling over logs easier. Toss some snow tires onto it, a little lift and have fun in the woods.
Neither of these are terrible choices. The Stanza would be a straightforward car to own and maintain, and there’s always been something I liked about that boxy styling. There’s an honesty to it.
I put a lot of miles on a fleet Versa with my employer. It’s really not a bad little car. It took a lot of abuse from a lot of uncaring fleet drivers, and even the CVT stood up to the challenge. Was it fun to drive? Not particularly, and it wasn’t as fuel efficient as you’d expect. But it stood up, and was surprisingly roomy for four adults, so long as they didn’t have any luggage. It was a surprisingly resilient road warrior until it was left parked one winter and the mice moved in.
Coooooooostanza!
I think today I’ll pick yesterday’s Tracer wagon, change my vote to “both”.
This is easy. Versa (Tiida)
It’s quite alright place to be, a very useful size/shape, and doesn’t have anywhere near enough power to damage anything, let alone a fragile Jatco CVT, and handles quite acceptably.
No, not prestige, but it’s a shedload more modern than the Stanza.
The Stanza has a cassette player, and I have cassettes.
Yes, this is my decision process today.
Easiest Choice ever. Never Buy anything Nissan with a CVT. Also this version of the stanza even in Beige on Beige is still far more attractive. Hopefully it was recently relieved from a retiree and was not subjected to some grandkid abuse before being dumped at a buy here pay here lot. but I feel like it is still the less troublesome longer life daily on a budget here. I would maybe be swayed if the Versa was a base 5 speed manual. but I would still want to drive it to see.
Versas had a six speed manual as a base.
not first gen
Apparently Mark thinks so
The 1.8 came with a six-speed, but the proper-cheapskate 1.6 sedans (which came out later) had a five-speed, so you’re both correct in a sense.
I prefer a hatchback but the CVT is an automatic non-starter – almost literally in certain other models (looking at YOU, Rogue).
Generally in lighter cars with lower-powered engines, the belt-based CVTs aren’t too bad but none of them are fabulous. I’ve heard enough horror stories that I don’t want to try to live one out.
This generation of Stanza was Nissan’s answer to the Camry, and while approximately as good, for some reason it never got the same kind of respect. It’s a car, is pretty much anyone can say about it. Nobody forks the sign of the evil eye at it, or spits with fury, or promises it their first-born child. It gets the job done without making itself the center of attention. Frankly as cars go, that’s laudable.
Stanza today.
For some reason I read “this generation of *Versa* was Nissan’s answer to the Camry” and I’m pretty sure the record scratch sound was loud enough to be heard outside my head.
my wife had a murano. Heavier car, stronger engine. I’m surprised the CVT lasted 190k miles on it. The first time I felt it slip we were at a dealership looking at a mazda.
Stanza was Nissans answer to the Camry? Only if we’re grading on a curve
I’m sticking by my assessment. I’m not saying it was a good answer, only that it was their competitor in the segment. If you want to argue for the Maxima, it was more directly competing against Toyota’s Cressida, and I saw far more Maximas of every generation on the road than I ever did Cressidas. Your mileage may vary of course, but where I live it was no contest. The Stanza was duking it out against the Camry and Accord, and unless I misrecall they were both getting their asses handed to them by the Accord. In fact in ’92 the Accord was outselling Camry and Stanza combined. Nissan started faring much better with the Altima the next year.
Of course by 92 there was no Cressida and if you wanted a sport-lux sedan, you had to take the Max, the Mazda 929 which in a couple of years was replaced by the Millenia S (which really should have gotten way more respect than it did) or you went shopping for a Lexus. And I saw a LOT more Lexus than I did Maximas.
The Stanza did a fine job mimicking the Maxima inside and were reviewed as far more engaging to drive than the Camry. I had the Stanza and it was a very under rated car to drive.