W-b Twp. Officials Clash Over Budget Cuts

Anthony Gorka 
Dec. 5, 1992 
Anthony Gorka, 69, Of Harveys Lake, Died Saturday Morning In Nesbitt Memorial 
Hospital, Kingston.

Monday, December 07, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1D QUICK WORDS: ALTIMA 





Altima could be another hit for Nissan few years ago, Nissan gave us what
turned out to be an automotive masterpiece known as the Maxima. After
returning to the drawing board, the company is back with what it hopes will be
another winner, the AltimaLike the Maxima, the Altima is designed to offer
comfort, performance, safety and aesthetic pleasure. Its engineers
concentrated on things like body integrity and rigidity, fuel economy and
roominess. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The result is an excellent automobile that sells for a reasonable price. In
many ways, the new Altima is every bit as good a vehicle in its price class as
the Maxima is at its price point. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Only there is one major difference between the two cars. When the Maxima
was introduced, it was in a class of its own. There really wasn't anything
comparable -- particularly from foreign manufacturers -- in the $20,000 range. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Altima, on the other hand, faces plenty of competition. And very formidable
competition at that. It must, for example, battle head-to-head with the Honda
Accord, which happens to be the single best-selling automobile in America.
Other formidable foes include the Toyota Camry, Subaru Legacy and Mazda 626. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So Nissan's replacement for the Stanza won't have it as easy as the Maxima.
But like the Maxima, it will try to win buyers by giving them more than they
may expect for their money. With a base price of under $14,000 for the least
expensive Altima, it offers an appealing combination of a little more room,
comfort and power for the dollar than its competitors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Altima GXE model I tested was slightly more expensive, with a base
price of $14,849. And its optional air conditioning, AM/FM stereo cassette
player, cruise control and power antenna brought the delivered list price to
$16,249. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But that's not bad for a car that also comes with power windows, door locks
and door mirrors; a driver-side airbag; power-assisted rack-and-pinion
steering; four-speed automatic transmission; tilt steering wheel and a rear
defroster. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In other words, a very well-equipped Altima won't cost an arm-and-a-leg,
and it will accommodate those limbs very comfortably. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Aside from value, comfort may be Altima's best attribute. In its news
releases, Nissan describes in some detail the effort it put into designing a
solid body for its newest car. Driving the Altima shows how those efforts paid
off. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On the highway it is, with one exception, as quiet and comfortable as cars
costing considerably more. The exception is a steady hum that comes from the
tires. Otherwise, wind, engine and road noise are very low. The overall
effect, even at high speeds and despite the tire noise, is of being in an
expensive luxury car. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Altima's structural rigidity and sound-proofing are apparent around town,
too. There are no rattles or creaks or groans on bumpy roads. Hitting a
pothole doesn't make the car feel like a wheel is going to come off. Even the
potent powerplant feels smooth and quiet, more like a six-cylinder than the
four-cylinder that it is. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That engine is one of the best examples of the sound-proofing magic
performed by Nissan's engineers. Essentially the same 2.4-liter four-banger
found in the company's 240SX sports coupe, it feels and sounds so much more
refined in the Altima. Only when the gas pedal is pushed to the floorboard is
it even noticeable. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This kind of performance erased my initial doubts about Nissan putting the
high-potency, 16-valve four-cylinder in its new model. I thought a small
six-cylinder was more in character with a car of this kind. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the four-cylinder works beautifully in the Altima. With 150 horsepower
and 154 foot-pounds of torque on tap, the engine provides good passing power
and respectable zero-to-60 mph acceleration times in the nine-second range
without ever feeling like it's overworked. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It also manages EPA mileage ratings of 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the
highway when linked to a five-speed manual transmission. Even an Altima with
automatic transmission, such as my test car, will get 21 mg in the city and 29
on the highway, according to the EPA. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 My car seemed to average a little higher, and the transmission worked
beautifully. Although there was sometimes a light bump between gears at full
throttle, shifting was usually smooth and fluid. And the transmission did a
good job of choosing the right gear for the driving situation at hand. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While the Altima performs most impressively on the interstate, it doesn't
feel out of place on Northeastern Pennsylvania's winding country roads. The
front-wheel-drive Altima understeers just a bit and its tires squeal a little
whenever the car is pushed hard in the corners. But overall handling is fine,
with pretty good road feel and maneuverability. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Braking performance and feel were also adequate. Of the four Altima models,
only the sporty SE comes with four-wheel disk brakes. All of the others have
drums in the rear, unless equipped with the antilock braking system which is
available on every Altima but not standard on any model. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What is standard on every Altima is a beautifully designed interior that is
both modern and functional. Even the artificial wood trim looks tasteful.
Built around a blend of carefully contoured curves and well-placed controls,
the instrument panel reflects careful planning that pays off for the driver. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For example, the driver is treated to four large analog gauges that are
extremely easy to see and read. The power window and door lock buttons are on
a raised door panel. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Climate controls are so high on the dash, you hardly need to take your eyes
from the road to operate them. The stalk-mounted wiper and headlight controls
work equally well. Only the dashboard-mounted remote mirror control, which
makes it hard to set the mirrors from one's normal driving position, is out of
place. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I liked the Altima's front bucket seats, which offered a good combination
of room, comfort and support. The rear seat is also comfortable and fairly
roomy, although legroom isn't overly generous. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 On the other hand, the trunk's 14 cubic feet of storage space is pretty
good for a car in this class. All but the least expensive Altima offer a
pass-through armrest that allows long object such as skis to be carried inside
the car. But the rear seatbacks don't fold on any model. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That will bother some potential buyers more than others. And since some of
the Altima's competitors offer folding rear seatbacks, it will also have some
bearing on the sales figures of Nissan's newest model. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The fact that a folding rear could affect a model's sales points out how
competitive this segment of the marketplace is. That competitiveness may be
the only thing that prevents the Altima from becoming another smashing success
story like the Maxima. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Scott Wasser is sports editor of The Times Leader. His auto column appears
on Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 NEWEST NISSAN -- &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nissan's replacement for the Stanza, the Altima, is a wonderful car that
faces some very tough competition

Altima Could Be Another Hit For Nissan 
Few Years Ago, Nissan Gave Us What Turned Out To Be An Automotive Masterpiece 
Known As The Maxima. After Returning To The Drawing Board, The Company Is Back 
With What It Hopes Will Be Another Winner, The Altima.

Altima Could Be Another Hit For Nissan Few Years Ago, Nissan Gave Us What Turned Out To Be An Automotive Masterpiece Known As The Maxima. After Returning To The Drawing Board, The Company Is Back With What It Hopes Will Be Another Winner, The Altima.