Why not cheaper Sentra.  Is your teenager as picky as to require leather
seats and excessice space when all s/h eneeds is a space for two, is this
her/his first car?  hrrrm, Altima may be too much, but then again I am an
immigrant na dnot too rich, maybe Sentra is too "low" for you people.  My
2004 Sentra after removing nonesential weights inlc spare tire/wheel and one
seat makes 40+mpg so when I see people depressed about $3/gallon gas, I
smile knowing that I will make gigantic distance for a mere $10 gas purchase
(over 120 miles)

Post 2004 Sentras front looks OK , rear still UGLY, now pre 2004 I dont
know, old Sentras look ugly from every direction but Nissan before year 2002
was not about looks, it was and IS about ENGINE, Nissan knows how to
engineer/build economical yet powerful engines with highest torque per
horsepower in th eindustry, i mean if oyu see such and such horsepower on a
nIssan it's worth more horsepowers on another manufacturers, so I like
Nissan for substance rather than arty appearance, th ebes tthing tha
thappened recently even their looks now imporoved due to design firm doing
it fo rthem in America.  Americans make better lookin gcars, Japanese make
better cars engine-wise, so noew Nissan met both goals,still Sentras rea ris
ugly will see in 2006

The pre-2000 Cars were quite different from the present once.  Maxima was/is
the top of the line and they are generally considered bullett proof, meaning
they last a long time.
The Altima was considerably smaller in its previous version.
for prices and what you might get, try www.kbb.com

Yes, to both questions.

Body style, engine, size, trim (cloth seats vs. leather) roominess,
etc... PRICE!!

www.kbb.com

Altimas are fairly reliable... of course, I'm biased... I build them.

Comparison is in the eye of the beholder. Seriously... find these two
cars at your price range and test drive them. Camry's are bulletproof,
but I also see very many Altimas on the road.

Al