Infiniti M35/M45 2006+

johnhw7 · February 2007

Infiniti's first cars were available around year end 1989 I believe or one year later at most. Lexus had their car out 6 months or so earlier. I owned an original LS400 in late 1989 and bought my first Q45 in 1993 after the put some wood on the interior and changed the interior colors to less checker board looking that year.

I understand the total redo and upgrade of the Q45 is underway and 1 to 2 year away from being introduced. Will be a total ground up redo with more horsepower, room and higher price than before by a margin. They are taking it up scale some according to my dealer.

I have three Infinitis now, old Q45 with 130k miles, G5 coupe with 64k miles and an M45 sport with 65 k miles. All my prior 5 cars were Q's. All have been flawless, my older Q45 has had part replacements but always starts/runs great despite being a 1995.

johnhw7 · February 2007

24 Months for my M45 Sport and all is well at 64k miles. I also do not use the voice activation much and am not a fan of the lane departure warning system, I turn it off on trips.

lexusmonkey · February 2007

I'm getting conflicting messages from different dealers (big surprise). With the Advanced Tech package on the M45, is the choice of Sirius vs XM a Factory installation or can I chose when I get the car? One told me it must be ordered from the factory with the provider you want. A scond told me it doesn't matter. As long as you get Advanced Tech, you can activate either one. A third dealer told me it would cost over $1000 to change the satellite if the car I got had the other provider.

Anybody know the real answer?

bw45sport · February 2007

Anybody know the real answer?

If Infiniti is handling this as they have in the past, you must choose at time of order. It's a factory or port installed option that does not accomodate both service providers.

If you choose to add satellite radio after delivery the dealer can install either but the cost is higher than when factory ordered. Also, my understanding is that you get a different type of antenna when the dealer installs. I'm not positive of the antenna part but have heard that dealer installed satellites don't have the "shark fin".

worldski · February 2007

Have you had to change your brakes by 64K miles and what did u use.

johnhw7 · February 2007

Typo on my miles, it is 46k not 64k but no brake change yet. Replaced all four tires at 35k miles and had to replace 3 of 4 before then due to road damage.

pearl · February 2007

what sort of mpg are you getting? Seems that many people report that there is not much difference between the M35 and M45 re gas mileage.

johnhw7 · February 2007

Ive beeng getting 18.5 mpg over the past 20000 miles or so. That is with my wife driving the car around town with some freeway miles here in Houston too. Probably a 50 50 mix of city streets and freeway.

infman · February 2007

The deal is this. You can order the car with the advanced tech package and it will give you the choice between the two sat radios. If you were to change your mind at any time and want to swap it it could be done for around a couple hundred dollers. The reciever is the only thing to be replaced. The most important thing is the sat radio being ordered from the factory if the car will not have it as part of a package. The factory will mount it with a body colored ant (shark fin look) and if you did not have it from Infiniti but dealer installed the radio would work the same but there would be a diffrent ant. Not as attractive.

golfgod2 · February 2007

That sounds right. I had satellite added in by the dealer. didn't want some of the features/cost with advanced tech package. The dealer charged me about $700 for this (including labor). think I might have gotten ripped off on this but the rest of the deal was good. satellite works fine. wish I had the fin though.

gpazz · February 2007

One day away from buying a M35x...good deal, very decent salesman. The question is...I chose (and love) the black ext. with the bourbon interior, however when I got in the car the WHEAT colored ceiling really through me for a loop.
Guess I expected a darker colored ceiling - does that option even exist - or are all of the ceilings light colored?
What do you think?
thanks

gpazz · February 2007

uh...make that "threw" me for a loop.
Anyway, I almost reconsidered the deal, since aesthetically the light ceiling, bourbon, rosewood and black interior seemed a little unnerving. Maybe I'll get used to it... The impressions of other people who have seen this color combo would be appreciated.
Thanks
gpazz

gpazz · February 2007

Aha! You mentioned the issue that I've been struggling with...the Light Colored Headliner. I really like the bourbon, rosewood, and black, however the light headliner really seemed odd when I first noticed it (actually I noticed it when I turned around and looked the empty rear seat area - and got a full glimpse of the very light headliner.
What I'm struggling with is. . .am I going to get used to it? Do most people not notice it? Is there another option (that is, headliner color - darker perhaps?)

Thanks

tayl0rd · March 2007

You'll get used to it. The lighter colored headliner is there to give the interior a more spacious feel. Just think if it were a darker headliner. It would feel really closed in inside. Why they use wheat instead of the usual gray is a mystery. Maybe the wheat goes better with the Bourbon than gray would.

gpazz · March 2007

You know what - you are absolutely right. I went ahead and bought the M and after one day - I'm already used to it. It was just that first time I really paid attention to the contrast. It's a great car and the color combo is great.
thanks

blov8r · March 2007

Which cell phones have had the best Bluetooth compatibility w/ the M35. I've had my M for two years and when I got it there was no phone fully compatible. I finally settled on the Motorola 815 which works well but doesn't transport the phonebook into the car's system and therefore works voice-activated only when I've hand-entered the numbers into the car's system. I tried a Palm Treo back then. I would LIKE to get the Motorola RAZR simply because of its lack of bulk but I'm not sure whether Verizon has that phone. Any advice is appreciated.

Bart

knowspinzone · March 2007

Verizon does have the RAZR. I know because I have one. The lack of bulk is the only good thing I can say about the phone. I'm counting down the months until I can qualify for the trade-in.

First of all, I had to buy a larger battery (which of course increases the bulk) because the standard battery wouldn't last a full day and I didn't even use it much. Another problem is it has buttons on the side which are very easy to press. It is very easy to shut the ringer off and not know it. And finally, the phone is slow. When you push a function button it can take 2-3 seconds for the phone to respond. I know that doesn't seem like much, but when you are in a hurry its an eternity.

Verizon gives you a 30 day trial period, but unfortunately by the time I realized all these faults, it was too late to turn it in. JMO.

blov8r · March 2007

Verrrrrrrrrrry interesting! The local Verizon store told me that when the RAZR first came out it was a dog ... and when I got my Motorola two years ago Verizon didn't even carry the RAZR he claims for that reason. He said the new RAZR is far better so I'll inquire this weekend when I go in to exchange. If nothing else the battery life is an issue although I don't use my phone much. He volunteered, however, that the LG is "the best in the store" and the one he personally uses.

Thanks.

Bart :confuse: :shades:

knowspinzone · March 2007

I just read my post over again, and I really came down on the RAZR. The phone does have some good points. With no external antenna it gets excellent reception and the sound quality is excellent as well.

The info the Verizon guy gave you is right. I got mine in Jan. 2006, and I believe Verizon just began to carry them at that time. Maybe, I got one of the leftover dogs, LOL!

I know the next phone I get I'll be sure to carefully evaluate it during the 30 day return window.

blov8r · March 2007

There are two RAZR's, and the new model (I've forgotten its name ... CRAZR?) I am told by the Verizon store is MUCH superior to the original (which they still have). He steered me, however, to an LG that is the same size as the RAZR ... thin, compact ... and said its reception is significantly better than the both RAZR's. So I picked it up today ... and have 14 days to swap it out. My signal bars thus far seem low when I compare it with the Motorola V815 I just swapped out. We shall see. Bart :confuse:

ghstudio · March 2007

The 815 is probably the best phone motorola has made in the past few years....even though it is end of life. You will have a hard time matching it with any new phone.

blov8r · March 2007

I'm already soured on the LG ... while it couples to my audio system, the audio system doesn't automatically recognize it ... I need to make the connection manually every time I get into the car. I had the same problem with a Treo and a couple of other Verizon phones two years ago and that's why I ended up with the 815 ... and was very happy with it.

Anyone here having the same problem with the RAZR or the LG / VX8600 or other LG phones? Am I doing something incorrectly? If I can't get automatic coupling with my phone I don't want it!

Bart

:shades:

blov8r · March 2007

I'm already soured on the LG ... while it couples to my audio system, the audio system doesn't automatically recognize it

An apology to LG and anyone here who relied on my post. For some bizarre reason my car suddenly started recognizing my LG phone this morning so I'm now a happy camper. Went back to the Verizon store to get a few extra tips on its functions ... almost slipped back to the newest RAZR but the owner of the store said the LG's reception is materially better.

Bart

:shades:

stlgasman · March 2007

What does everyone think of the red exterior? Black versus Wheat interior?

mexibec · March 2007

When I bought mine (in May 05), they had the Crimson Red with black interior. Really, really, really nice... Being a dad of three, I settled for Twilight Blue (a classic!) with Wheat interior (the paler interior color makes it more spacious and better for my children). That was almost two years ago, and I don't regret it bit. If it's for you ("lucky you"), go Crimson Red. But if you have a family, you'll thank yourself in the following years to have chosen Black on Wheat. Either way, enjoy!

bw45sport · March 2007

I can't add too much to what mexi replied, but, I happen to have the exact combination you're talking about.

I leased an M45 Sport, Crimson Red, Black, and opted for rosewood rather than aluminum. My only fear was the black interior in the summer but it really doesn't get that warm and the cooling function in the seats do a pretty good job of negating heat. I am single so the care is easier but the interior has stood up very nicely to this point.

I happen to love Infiniti's blue shades so the Twilight Blue is very nice. If you prefer red shades, I think you'd really enjoy the Crimson Red. As is often the case, pictures don't do the color justice. It's a color you rarely see as cars not ordered on customer specs tend to run mostly the silvers and golds.

blov8r · March 2007

It's crimson, and I like it. My M35 Sport has the wheat interior, here in the desert black interiors are lethal!

Bart

blov8r · March 2007

As is often the case, pictures don't do the color justice. It's a color you rarely see as cars not ordered on customer specs tend to run mostly the silvers and golds.

There are only a handful of crimson M's here in Tucson. Black, gray, silver ... even refrigerator white all over the place. Stand out! LOL

Bart

stlgasman · March 2007

Took the Crimson/wheat. Tech package and XM.

blov8r · April 2007

Good choice, gasman; you won't see yourself coming and going. Mine is a Sport w/ journey/tech/aero kits. Bart

joe_o · April 2007

Anyone know how to get an updated Nav disc?

Joe

bw45sport · April 2007

Anyone know how to get an updated Nav disc?

Infiniti's supplier....

http://www.zenrin.com/infinitiSystem.asp

blov8r · April 2007

Your dealer. Bart

theodore4 · August 2007

I picked up my M35 non sport on Friday. Loving it so far. I had the dealer put a clear bra on the hood, front bomper and quarterpanels. If bird droppings, tree sap, etc get on the bra, will a car wash (not by me) remove these things?
Also, how much maintenance, if any, will need to be done on the bra? Wiping the bra with a cloth weekly for example. Thanks very much for any feedback.

jo2 · October 2007

The lease on my BMW 530i is up in one month and I can make a pretty great lease deal on a 2007 M35 sport. The 2008 seems to have some interesting features like touch screen navigation, the music box. What is everyone's opinion on the 2008, is it worth paying a little extra for? When does it come out?

classic124 · October 2007

I also have a BMW 530i with a lease ending soon. In my opinion the biggest "driving" difference for the 2008 is the real time traffic. I live in LA so it is worth the wait. In addition you get rain sensing wipers, again if you are in a rainy climate that would be of benefit. Of course there is the revised styling too. I think the biggest advantage is the new nav with real time traffic and touch screen. Let me know what you decide : )

PS I hate my 2006 BWM, as I had the prior style 1996 528i before which I enjoyed. The 2006 is over priced, "twitchy steering", and I do not like the iDrive.

PSS I rented a 2007 M35 for a weekend and LOVED the car . . . it was like my prior style BWM where the car was fund to drive. Go for the M35!

jo2 · October 2007

Classis124,

Thanks so much for all the info. I will take it all to heart. It is tough for me becuase I really do love the handling and acceleration of my 530i, also the new twin turbo engine is out of this world. I have found that the BMW drives and handles better, but the infiniti has more creature comforts. What do you find to be the major differences between the two cars?

I am leaning heavily toward the infininiti because of the price. It will be considerably less per month. Are you planning on getting the infiniti as well? If so which one and with what options?

By the way if you also live in LA, where did you rent the M35? I would like to rent it just to make sure.

classic124 · October 2007

The M35 has great acceleration and really how often do you need the power of the twin turbo? What happens when you have to replace the turbos? BMW's are very expensive on maintenance once out of warrenty (I know from owning one!).

Regarding handing I have the BMW sport suspension and find it very rough which diminished the handling in my opinion. Also, I have "active steering" and find the car "twichy" on rough surfaces. How often do you really need to "ultimte handling" the BWM provides in you average commute?

I rented the M35 from Hertz at LAX. You have to insist on the M35 or they will try to substitute a G35 instead.

However, in the end you have to decide what is best for you. If you have LOTS of money and multiple cars (a reliable one when the BWM is in the shop) then I can make a case for he BMW. Having owned two BMW's the 1996 was a joy to drive (although the 1996 was not very reliable).

The 2006 I HATE as instead of me driving the car, the car make me "comform" to what it wants. The car is not supportive of the driver, but makes you do things the way the cars wants you to drive (examples: iDrive, turn signal, slow startup of the electronic computer screen, twichy steering, run flat tires are TERRIBLE noisy rough riding and you have no choice regarding runflat).

The Infiniti M35 which I spent an entire weekend with supports the driver (much like my 1996 BWM). Everything is well located and you have buttons for radio/nav/trip info). Also, you are not forced to have runflat tires. The Infinti is less expensive and if you plan on keeping the car for a long time has above average reliability ratings from Consumer Reports. In fact if I am not mistaken Consumer Reports gave the M35 the highest rating they have ever given a car.

Sorry for the long answer, but hope it is helpful - good luck!

selvapp · October 2007

I am going to throw my two cents in. I live in the Houston area and just bought a 07 M35 with tech and journey package after comparing 535i, GS350 and A6. I took an extended test drive on both the M and the 535i with the sport package. The BMW accelerates really well but I felt a faint turbo lag, it was noisier than the M, handling was comparable and I don't like to do donuts anyway!!
The bluetooth in the 5 was excellent. It paired up well with my verizon LG8600 and transferred my contact list all within a few seconds. In the M, you have to enter it manually or transfer it from your phone one at a time. The voice quality in the M was excellent according to the people I called and you can set individual volume controls for ringtones, incoming and outgoing. On the other hand my BMW salesperson had troble using the Idrive and showing me how to make calls from the contact list!
The interior in the M feels more luxurious and had more room. the cooled seats are great for Texas weather and I am told that the M's navigation system is much better.
The 2008 has a hard drive with partition for a juke box if you are into that kind of stuff. It also has the touch screen nav but you still can't input any info while driving.
The M also uses regular fuel and does not require synthetic oil, but the BMW comes with 4 year free maintenance which they say is worth around $1000.00
One other interesting thing I found, atleast here is that the local BMW dealer will not give me a loaner car unless I buy it from here whereas it is Infiniti's policy that regardless of where you buy the car, loaner is included.
And since I could get the 07M35 for invoice which is about $15,000.00 less OTD compared with the 5, for me it was a clear choice.

classic124 · October 2007

Thanks for your thoughtful and well researched comments. To follow up on my prior emails I did want to let say I am planning on purchasing a 2008 M35 with technology package and advanced technology package as I need real time traffic living in LA. I think it will be a great car to own for many years.

I hope you enjoy your 2007 M35 and wish you well!

jo2 · October 2007

All great information! I am testing the M35sport again today. I've still got some time as my lease isn't up until the end of November. The loaner car is kind of a pain, I totally agree. I took my car in the other day and they gave me a Chevroloet Malibu, being a car nut I wasn't exactly thrilled.

When I drove the M35sport the first time, I actually thought it was louder than my 2006 530i, however I could be wrong.

Any other input if anyone has anything else to say would be greatly appreciated!

bruceomega · October 2007

I'm not sure if you're asking for comments on the M35, or comments on how the M35 compares to competitive choices. If the latter, I suggest posting that in the Luxury Performance Sedan thread.

Thanks
Bruce

dheller · October 2007

On my 4th week with a 07 M35 and can validate what others have said for the M series. I've compared the BMW, the Lexus G series, and held my breath waiting for the CTS. All are nice and have various features that can sway your decision, however, on balance, I kept coming back to the practical side of ME, and the M was the clear winner. I wanted the M45 (I'm just a V8 nut) but the dealer only had the Sport Sedans which I found too rough and noisey on uneven pavement.

There are a few things I would have done differently. For example, the 5.1 digital surround sound only works on 5.1 formats (does not synthesize the surround effect well). I'm not a Bose fan, never have been, but the 14 speakers make up for it (on the right format of content). The esthetics of the interior night lighting could be improved, particularly on the garage door openers - I'm constantly opening the wrong door, and the side rearview mirrors only go down, one side or the other, not both sides (figure that one out - the designer of that feature must have had too manyu lattes before lunch).

The best part is I only have 300 more 'break-in' miles until I can open it up on a twisty road!!! I should be there by Saturday, the weather predictions are sunny and 74 degrees, and my fingers are getting twitchy in anticipation.

Yup, it is a great car, and just as importantly A GREAT VALUE !!!

Good Luck

jacky4060 · December 2007

I have a about my M35. I have done nothing different in the last 20 years when washing my cars or occasionally taking it to the same car wash.

One of my wheels has turned almost completely black. Looks like the black brake dust you can get, but will not come off. It is the drivers front wheel. One of the others has a small black spot that cant be removed, but nothing like the front. In addition, all the wheels have gotten very scratched.

The dealer claims I must have done something to it when washing it. But only the one wheel? They say I must have removed the aluminum coating and got down to the black base. Never heard of such a thing on aluminum. If anything I would think there may be a clear powder coat on the aluminum. I tried everything to get the black off, no luck. I even tried to get the powder coating off of the other wheels or try to get down to the black. No luck. I went to some engineers who work at my company and our model shop guys to see if they could get the black off or at least try to do it to another wheel. They took the harshest products and couldnt take the black off or duplicate it on the other wheels.

Trying to get information from Infiniti directly is almost impossible. Trying to talk to one of the regional managers is the second most impossible thing to do. This is my 4th Infiniti, from the same dealer. I was going to have the dealer refinish it for $150, but I insisted before I do that I want to speak to someone from Infiniti. The dealer could give no good explanation as to what this may be.

Well instead of letting me speak to the regional, they got back to me and said they would replace the wheel. But they still would not talk to me about what was wrong with the wheel. They simply said they would do it this one time because I am a good customer.

Have you heard of any wheel issues with the Ms? I and many of my car friends have never seen anything quite like this.

bocatrip · December 2007

I have heard about something similar to this happening to the painted G35 rims. There is a slight discoloration that occurs either due to the brake dust or possibly a cleaner applied by the car wash or individual. One of the pluses of buying an Infiniti is that these things can be taken car of by the service dept as a good will item.

jacky4060 · January 2008

You're right. At least this time they said they would take care of it.

johnhw7 · January 2008

Im in Houston area as well and have owned a 2006 M45 sport for almost three years. It has been flawless and not much road noise or rough since I changed tire type on it. I get my Infinitis from West Houston and they offer two years of routine maintenance for free on new cars which offsets half of the BWM throw in on maintenance. I have had nine infinitis and cant say too much about the reliablity and flawless operation even with high tech stuff in it. My M45 sport is loaded yet it still has been flawless, love the rock solid feel of the car at any speed.

oman9 · January 2008

Hey John,

You mention road noise is not much of an issue since you changed the tire type...what did you change from and to???

johnhw7 · January 2008

The original equipment was Bridgestone as I recall. Now I have a Michelin tire on it and it is very quiet. I am a long term Infiniti owner and fan, most of my cars have been Q45's but this M45 sport is my fav. Just back from a 3000 mile trip and man it runs, handles and is comfortable. This car has been flawless with 50k miles on it nothing, not even a rattle to report.

markian · January 2008

I posted a a report in the fall of 2006 when my M45 sport was at 18 months. I had nothing but praise for the M45 and I stated that the car was flawless. In May 2006, when I was about to enter the highway the car lost power and I had to roll over to the side to get out of the way of traffic. I put the car in park and was able to restart the engine. When I got to the Infiniti dealer, they could not find the part that I needed in North America. My car was not driveable and I had to wait three weeks for the part to arrive. In August of 2007, I met the head of parts for Canada and explained to him that this is ridiculous for a Company the size of Infiniti to not have parts in inventory. He told me that it would cost too much money to maintain a sufficient inventory. I could not believe what I heard from this senior Infiniti executive. I told him that you will lose customers if you do not maintain a proper inventory. I had no futher problems with my car until November 9, 2007. My GPS system and radio took about 10 minutes to boot up when the car was cold. My problem is that my office is approximately 12 minutes away and that I had no use of the radio for most of my trip to work. If I had to go to a meeting and use the GPS, then I would have to warm of my car first. Eventually, the entire system crashed and I had no radio, GPS, heating etc. Luckily this happend within a couple of weeks of the part arriving. Once again Infiniti did not have the part in North America. It took Infiniti approximately 11 weeks to bring the part in and have my car fixed. I was so outraged that I called Infiniti customer support and asked them for compensation for waiting 11 weeks to have my car fixed. I told them I was without a car for three weeks last May and now 11 weeks without a fully functional car. Infiniti offered me a $100.00 discount for future repairs. This is my opinion is an insult. Normally, I would have gotten rid of the car after this last fiasco. My problem is that I really enjoy driving the M45 sport. The car is a dream to drive and the dealership that I am using for service is a pleasure. The dealership is highly professional and their service is outstanding. My problem is not with the dealership it is with Infiniti corporate. I will definitly not drive the Infiniti after the warranty period. Up until May of last year, I had every intention to keep this car until the next generation M comes out or I was going to purchase the Q50. Now I would never buy another Infiniti again. The cars are great and are of high quality but they have no parts for the high end card. I am really curious if other M45 owners are having similar problems with obtaining parts. In May 2009 my car will be 4 years old and I will get rid of it. I have no idea what I will purchase. I am going to look at the Cadillac CTS V. Maybe it is time to go back to an American car and support our economy. At least I will not have to wait almost three months for parts.

Infiniti M35/M45 2006+

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