How low can you go? With the 2009 Nissan Versa, you can spend as little as $10,710 - if you don't need A/C, a radio or power anything.

Okay, I admit I’m reaching an age when I fall into the category of “old-timer.”  I bought my first car long enough ago that I thought it was well-equipped for having a windshield washer and an FM radio.  It also had crank windows, a single mirror on the driver’s side and certainly no power door locks or air conditioning.

What passes for “basic” transportation, these days, would have seemed downright luxurious back in 1970, when I first got my driver’s license.  Even the lowest-cost models can be loaded up with power windows, doors and mirrors, FM/Satellite radio, and air conditioning – never mind leather seats and a navigation system.

Of course, all that comes at a price.  While you may see the odd car advertised for just $10,000, the actual transaction price is likely to pack on thousands, once you get it equipped at a level you’d be willing to spend some time in.  But what happens if money is your only object?  That’s what I set out to see when I lined up the ultimate “stripper,” a brand new, 2009 Nissan Versa with absolutely nothing except air conditioning.  I simply couldn’t find one without that option, but my little silver sedan had power nothing, not even a radio.

The good news about even a stripped-down 2009 Nissan Versa is that it offers a surprising amount of cabin space -- about as much as the more expensive Nissan Sentra.

To complicate matters, I swapped out a fully-loaded BMW 750iL for the Versa.  “You’re going to go nuts before the end of the day,” predicted one of my colleagues.  Anything but.  While I’d certainly rather have the Bimmer back in my driveway, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t the dreary, depressing experience I expected spending some time in a car that qualifies as bare bones even by econobox standards.

It helps that the Versa is a fundamentally good platform to begin with.  Yes, it’s a bit ungainly in appearance, a bit too tall and narrow, but while it has a subcompact footprint, the ’09 Nissan squeezes in a surprising amount of usable cabin and cargo space.   A wee bit bigger than its primary competitors, the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit, Versa’s tall seating position translates into a nearly compact-sized cockpit, with plenty of room up front and acceptable leg room for adults in the rear.  In fact, the cabin is about as roomy as the bigger, more expensive Nissan Sentra.

As you’d expect, it’s a relatively low-frills interior, but the Japanese automaker has done the basics quite well.  There’s a lot of plastic, but the graining and colors match, and most of the surfaces you’ll come in contact with feel good to the touch.

It’s a bit of a chore stretching for the mirrors, and more often than not, I wound up leaving the car unlocked – “Why bother.  Who’s going to steal it,” asked my wife, perhaps unfairly.  While my Versa did come with air, I tried to pretend it didn’t, to experience the ultimate in stripper packages.  Leaving the windows open during a beautiful Spring in Michigan wasn’t exactly a hardship, though I have the feeling I’d have given in and turned the air back on come sweltering July.

The only time I wished for A/C was on the freeway, where the roar of the road can sometimes be deafening.  Ironically, studies show that at highway speeds, you can actually improve fuel economy using your air, since open windows disturb a vehicle’s aerodynamics.  As it works out, the version of the Versa I drove boasted some exceptional mileage: 26 City/33 Highway.

Perhaps the biggest hardship was the lack of a radio, an oversized trim piece covering up the gap in the instrument panel.  Spend some time listening to the road and you realize that the folks who developed the original in-car radio were cheated out of a Nobel Prize.  On the other hand, there’s something almost zen-like driving without the incessant chatter or beat that we assume to be a fundamental part of the driving experience.

There’s a direct link between weight, performance and fuel economy.  But even without all the mass of a radio and other accessories, the stripped-down Versa isn’t going to win you many races.  That said, its 107-horsepower DOHC inline-four engine is acceptably peppy.  You won’t be the last one off the light, either.

The suspension is relatively soft and with its tall and narrow dimensions, Versa isn’t a car you’ll want to bang through the corners.  Overall handling is acceptable but reflects the car’s rock-bottom pricing.  Steering is reasonably precise, if a bit numb.

With one exception, Nissan has done a commendable job when factoring safety into the 2009 Versa’s design.  The sedan scores among the highest in its class, earning five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a “good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  The car features frontal, side and roof rail airbags, six in all.  But I cannot understand the decision to leave out anti-lock brakes, no matter the focus on bottom-line cost.

The version I drove carried a sticker of $12,710, but on paper, at least, you can delete the A/C and save another $2,000.  That is, of course, if you can find that ultimate, stripped-down sedan.  Few dealers are likely to stock one, considering it carries a markup of only $231 over invoice.  There are a lot more profitable ways to use the space on your lot, even in times of economic crisis.

Should someone on a minimal budget consider the bare-bones 2009 Nissan Versa?  Despite the attractive price tag, there are other options, notably including one of the many certified pre-owned vehicles now on the market.  Inspected and repaired, as needed, and carrying a like-new warranty, such offerings would likely to deliver more for your money – unless you’re absolutely wed to the idea of owning something brand new.  And, in that case, I’d give a thumbs-up to the Versa.

With the exception of the decision to exclude ABS brakes, the 2009 Nissan Versa is a good car for the money, even if you opt for absolutely no creature comforts.  It gets a good safety rating and very good mileage.  You’ll know that you made some trade-offs, but if money’s what matters, it’s a deal worth considering.