If you’re confused about what Big Altima Energy is, hopefully these signs will have you spotting BAE in real life.
A popular phrase that’s popped up recently is “Big Altima Energy” or BAE for short.
At first, it only used to apply to only Altimas, but the phrase now applies to other Nissans, Chevrolet Malibus,Hyundai Sonatas, and even Honda Accords.
One of the largest and oldest Altima groups on social media, helping to popularize and evolve the definition of BAE is Facebook’s “Big Altima Energy” group. First started in 2019, this popular car niche Facebook group now boasts over 71,000 members and counting.
So, what exactly is “Big Altima Energy”?
Here are a handful of generalizations that should help you better understand the memes and identify BAE in real life.
First, a big habit of drivers showing Big Altima Energy is any kind of speeding or blatant disregard for traffic laws.
Examples of this include going way too fast for conditions, passing cars on the shoulder, and getting into petty road rage battles with other cars that cost several times more in value.
This is most evident in Nissan Altima-specific videos like the ones below.
I’ve gone over this in a previous blog post on why Nissan Altima drivers are so bad, but to sum up, Altimas often attract drivers with little to lose, literally and figuratively, and it reflects in how they drive.
Another obvious sign of “Big Altima Energy” is any Altima (or cheap sedan) showing various amounts of body damage.
The most common ones include a broken taillight, dented bumper, a missing hubcap, and an overall dirty car.
Redditor Novax7 posted up a meme on the /r/NissanDrivers subreddit that sums it up quite nicely.
Car neglect that falls under Big Altima Energy also includes being cheap or not even considering basic and preventative maintenance.
If you hear about car owners who have never done a tire rotation, don’t know oil changes are a thing because cars come with oil from the factory, or have their face lit up at night thanks to all their dash warning lights, all that is Big Altima Energy.
It’s always an Altima with bald tires pic.twitter.com/uzH1C9QkIP
— Brooks (@MountainDrew_7) February 24, 2021
Finally, a less obvious sign of Big Altima Energy is agreeing to a heinous car loan because you either have bad credit or don’t know any better.
A great example is this car salesperson from back in March who sold a 2015 Audi to a former Nissan owner who agreed to an $835 monthly payment with a 28% APR.
Just sold a 2015 Audi to a 26 year old whose main concerns were paying 0 down and having something “better than a nissan.”
— Samurai Chi (@chiNOTshy) March 20, 2022
Monthly $835 and she’s hype. APR 28% and she didn’t even ask 🥴
Over the typical life of a car loan, that new-to-them Audi owner might end up paying over $30,000 in interest alone.
Car Loans with Big Altima Energy also include anything you’re paying over 72-months or longer.
That Mitsubishi Mirage you’re paying off over eight years? Big Altima Energy!
Conclusion
Big Altima Energy is somewhat definable but, in many ways, it’s a way of life.
Like this observation below, you’ll know Big Altima Energy when you see it.
Are there any other examples of Big Altima Energy I should include in this definition?
Let me know in the comments below.
