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New Car Review: 2007 Nissan Altima

Nissan still makes the Maxima sport sedan - it's just called Altima now.

Well, not exactly.

The Maxima is still in Nissan's lineup, of course - but it has evolved from aggressive sport sedan to near-luxury cruiser. It no longer offers a manual transmission, for one thing (all '07 Maximas come standard with a CVT). And it carries a base price of $28,050 for another.

These facts render the Maxima less appealing to enthusiast drivers  - as well as less accessible.

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 Posted on June 14, 2007   

Satellite Radio - And Things To Think About

If you're thinking about getting either XM or Sirius satellite radio - whether it's factory-installed or aftermarket - you should consider a few satellite-specific issues before you make the commitment:

* You'll have to choose one (XM) or the other (Sirius)  Most automakers now offer satellite radio capability in their new vehicles; however, only a few offer buyers their choice of XM or Sirius. Usually, it's just XM. Or just Sirius. GM cars, for example, tend to come with XM - while Chryslers tend to offer Sirius. But don't let that stop you from buying a brand of car you otherwise like. It's easy to get an aftermarket receiver for either XM or Sirius -  whether it's for a brand-new (or older) vehicle.

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 Posted on June 14, 2007   

Hypermilers Pump Up the MPGs

Fifty dollar fill-ups are what you might call an incentive.

That's how some self-described "hypermilers" look at it, anyhow. These folks will do just about anything to eke another mile out of a $3 gallon of gasoline, including emulating the race car driver's trick of "drafting" by riding up close behind a tractor trailer to take advantage of the truck's air vortex, which pulls the following vehicle along in its wake.

Of course, if that big rig slows down suddenly, the repercussions of following too closely could be ugly. Still, some of the practices espoused by the fuel-conscious hypermilers (see www.cleanmpg.com) are perfectly sensible - and perfectly doable.

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 Posted on June 14, 2007   

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About The Author

Eric Peters is a Washington, D.C.-based, nationally-syndicated automotive columnist. He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, the Detroit Free Press and The Washington Times.

He welcomes questions and comments and can be reached at either EPeters952@yahoo.com.

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