My 1995 Nissan Altima — Six Friends, One Cheap Altima, and a Traffic Stop Nobody Forgot

Text by Chris Harnell.

Nobody expects a faded, high-mileage 1995 Nissan Altima to become the centerpiece of a story involving six sleep-deprived friends, a sunrise road trip to Charleston, and police officers convinced they had interrupted a crime. At the time, it was simply cheap transportation: a $1,200 beater bought because gas prices were high and my V8 Camaro was draining my wallet. But within 48 hours of buying that Nissan, it delivered one of the strangest — and funniest — automotive memories of my life.

From my previous COAL entry, when I talked about the various Camaros that have been part of my life, many likely figured out that I grew up in a GM family. My father had what was described to me as a beautiful 1970 C10 pickup when he met my mother. It survived until they slid off the side of a mountain on their honeymoon. Rather than replacing it, he purchased two vehicles, a 1977 GMC K10 Suburban (which we affectionately referred to as “leaky” due to the rust-hole-riddled roof) and a 1978 Datsun 620 pickup with a 5-speed manual transmission.

We had a small fishing cabin on a nearby lake, so from the time I was 14, I was putting around the dirt driveway in that Datsun, learning to drive. Anyone in the passenger seat had to put a plastic bag over their feet, as oil would spray from the engine bay into the floorboard. It was later sold with the odometer rolled over 3 times, but the Datsun’s reliability certainly left an impression on me.

From that point on, Nissans would be part of my life, along with my Camaros. One of them, a worn 1995 Altima, one of Nissan’s most forgettable vehicles, was part of one of my most memorable stories.

I had started working as an engineer in 2010, gas was expensive, and my 1991 Camaro wasn’t the most kind to my wallet. I searched for used Toyotas and Hondas online, but all were priced out of my range. That’s when I found a 1995 Nissan Altima with 150,000 miles, a manual transmission, and a sunroof. I forked over the $1200 and bought it on a Wednesday.

The Friday after I bought it, I went to meet up with friends at a rooftop bar. When I arrived, everyone was drinking coffee and water. That would turn out to be a mistake. Caffeinated and wide-awake, we decided to pack 6 people into that untested and newly-purchased Altima, departing for the 2-hour trip en route to Charleston, SC, at 2:00 a.m.

We watched the sun rise on the beach and everyone piled into the car to head back, but at that point, the coffee had worn off, so I opted to climb into the trunk and take a nap. A friend was driving and was stopped at 7 a.m. for doing 77 in a 70. As he described it, he handed over his license and the registration when the officer asked, “Sir, where is the owner of this car?” He looked in the rear-view mirror and saw the other officer pointing to the trunk.

I was pulled out of the trunk by the officers, as they asked me, “Sir, did they hurt you? Are you injured?” I looked over to see my 5 friends against the guard rail. I responded, “What do you mean?”

“So you weren’t kidnapped?”

“No, sir, I was just taking a nap.”

We piled back into the car and they sent us on our way. As we got back on the interstate, I glanced back to see the deputies doubled over, roaring in laughter.

No other Nissan in my life comes close to that story, but nevertheless, here’s how the rest stack. The same year I bought the Altima, I was living in a townhouse and always loved the Z cars, so I bought a white 1987 2+2 with a 5 speed, t-tops, and a tan interior for $300, with the intention of it being a project car. I never did get it running and sold it to a friend who parted it out.

After my now-wife moved in with me in 2015, we needed something for towing. Defaulting back to Nissan, we found a low-mileage Xterra with a 6-speed manual and 4WD. It’s now a “work truck” but still fun to drive to this day.

A few years later, I still wanted the experience of a Z car, so I bought a 1990 300ZX 2+2 NA, also white, but with a red leather interior (and of course, 5 speed and t-tops). It had been neglected, something the car made clear, as it was quite temperamental. But it was such a blast to drive! When I went to sell it, I drove to meet the buyer 45 minutes away. And, of course, the car wouldn’t start after shutting it off. Naturally, I took a huge hit on the price.

When my wife took a job in 2021, commuting an hour and a half for work one way, we opted again for another inexpensive Nissan, this one a 2004 Maxima with the geared automatic. Nothing remarkable, but the VQ engine provided enough power and fuel efficiency, and it didn’t have the maligned CVT. This one is still our backup car.

Eventually, I wanted another Z car and test drove a couple from Marketplace, before finding a 2016 Sport model with a 6-speed manual in 2022. Once again, white in color. It’s still my daily driver, and puts the biggest grin on my face every time I sink into the driver’s seat.

As for the 1995 Altima, that car was with me for 11 years and 120,000 miles, including changing out the clutch in my driveway in Athens, GA, during the “Atlanta snowpocalypse” of 2014. Lots of times together, but none that will top that night out.