Infiniti I35 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

fredvh · November 2004

What kind of mpg are getting on the I35?

avt1 · November 2004

It runs with regular gas. I have above 30 mpg for highway (60 mph), goes to about 27 mpg for 75 mph. On Rt. 1 in traffic I am getting about 22 mpg. Mixed driving about 25 mpg.

fredvh · November 2004

What other vehicles did you compare the I35 with before you purchased the I35? Have you been satisfied with the I35? One complaint I hear about the I35 is that the ride is stiff? Do you feel that?
Have you gotten over 30 on the highway? Did you figure this out by filling up the tank twice or just using the trip computer?

avt1 · November 2004

Altima 3.5 SE was my second choice. Also I was thinking about Accord V6 and Camry V6. If you add all I35 features to these cars, they will be as expensive as I35. And not as refined as I35. So I took I35. I am not expert, but ride seems to be just fine. Not a Towncar of course. Go for testdrive and see for yourself. I would complain about large radius turn, it shows in undergroud parking etc. But it could be just me, may be I am just afraid to scratch a new car.
Yes, all mpg numbers from my trip computer. My rough estimates are in agreement with this numbers, but I never did exact test for mpg. However, computer gives exact "distance to empty" number, which it is calculating based on mpg, so I expect mpg numbers to be precise enough. But its good question...

jhinsc · November 2004

I find that I actually get around 23-25 mpg around town, and about 27-28 on the hi-way at 75 mph. Don't go by the trip computer mpg figures. They are off by at least 10%, probably closer to 12% off. On my last fill-up, I put in 12.8 gallons on 342 miles. That figures to 26.72 mpg. The trip computer stated I got 30.4 mpg. I mentioned this to dealer service, they told they checked it out but found nothing wrong. I was told being within 10-15% was normal. Funny though that my older Mercedes trip computer is accurate with .5 mpg.

kennyg5 · November 2004

I agree that the trip computer is off, but it is interesting to learn that the dealer said an error within 10-15% is normal.

Also, I believe the speedometer is off in that the actual speed may be 5% lower. Is that also your experience?

fredvh · November 2004

Does anyone know what Infiniti Employee Pricing is? How is the price figured?

Thanks to all who gave input on I35 mpg.

zara · December 2004

Please provide the name of the dealership & its location (city, state) that is offering I35 with Cold Weather Package for $25,800.

Thanks for your help!

Happy Holidays!!

zara · December 2004

Please provide the name of the dealership in NJ where you bought your I35 for $26,900.

Thanks in advance!

Happy Holidays!!

zara · December 2004

Please provide the name of the dealership & its location (city & state) that provided the 2004 G-35 with the premium package for $26,540.

Thanks in advance.

Happy Holidays!!

avt1 · December 2004

Zara, its Ray Catena. You may also try Circle and/or Ramsey. Ask all three for quotes and good luck.

ltmarks · December 2004

All,

    I recently purchased an Infiniti and wanted to pass on info about a very bad experience I had. This is my opinion, but all true. You can take it or leave it.

   I sent this message to the dealer (with no response after 3 weeks):

_____________________

Dear.xxxxxx

since you both sent me letters asking to write you, I thought I'd take you up on your offer. I'll start by simply copying a post I made on an Infiniti owners website, then I'll add a few additional remarks at the end



START MESSAGE:

I usually do not post messages, but I am so angry that I have to tell you about Jim Coleman Infiniti in Bethesda, MD. They are the worst dealer I have ever seen. In fact, leasing my FX was one of the worst experiences I've ever had in dealing with any organization.



I started out calling around the Washington, DC area. There are 3 dealers in the area. I wanted a black 2004 FX35 with tech and touring.



I started out by offering $1500 below invoice, figuring that I wanted between $1000-1500 below in the end.



The first dealer said no and countered with $500 over. I said no thanks, have a great day.



The second dealer was Rosenthal Infiniti in Tysons Corners. They were very polite but denied knowing anything about the $1500 rebate. They still offered $500 under invoice, but they only had silver, which I didnt want.



The third dealer was Jim Coleman in Bethesda. What I am about to write is 100% accurate:



I called and asked to speak with new car sales. I was greeted on the phone by a saleman and made my offer. He told me to hold on and he would get the sales manager. I got the manager, said hello and began to make my offer again. I BEGAN to ask for $1500 below invoice and was rudely interrupted. He said stop right there- there is no way youre getting that deal. No one in the country will ever get that deal (by now he was screaming). He continued yelling for about 3 minutes, saying there are no such thing as the rebates and I must be desperate for calling Maryland if I live in Virginia (The dealership is only about 10 miles away?!?!)



I told him there are many people on Edmunds.com that reported getting $1500 off or MORE. He called them liars, saying I was ignorant and foolish. I said OK, dont get offended, if you dont want to do it just tell me no and have a good day. The salesman was still screaming, telling me how offended he was. Finally I said goodbye and hung up.



About 10 minutes later the original person called me back (remember I was handed off). He apologized for my treatment, saying that it was uncalled for. He said to make it up to me, they would do the deal for $1000 under invoice.



Normally, I would have told them to take a hike, but they had the only black FX with tech and touring in the area, plus I really needed to purchase the car within a few days at most.



I finally signed the deal with Jim Coleman infiniti, but it was at night, so I told them I had to come back the next day to inspect the FX and drive it off.



I came back the next day and they immediately brought me into the finance office. They told me they made a mistake and I could not have the deal I SIGNED the night before. They said they could only go $1000 under on a purchase, not a lease. (even though I had already signed the lease paperwork). They told me I had to buy the car if I wanted the same deal.



Now I was furious but said calmly you have 2 minutes to get the lease paperwork ready or Im leaving. I then got out my credit card and told them to refund my down payment and I was leaving.



They came back 2 minutes later and said, OK, well lose money on this car and give you the lease. I was even more furious now because obviously there was nothing wrong in the first place and they continued to lie about it.



END MESSAGE



I want you to know that my actual experience was much worse than what I wrote. I understand you are a business and you have the right to make money- but screaming at customers??? Threatening to undo the deal after I already signed a lease??? and the worst is the continuous lies- even after I signed the lease!



My final comment is that during both trips to the dealer- I was in my military uniform. I know the military is not a rare sight in Washington, but I do expect at least a little courtesy since I am defending your freedom to work in a free and capitalist country. I feel you took advantage of me because you knew I had to travel within just a few days and I needed to purchase the vehicle ASAP.



In conclusion, please do not offer to "make this right" with any monetary compensation. I do not want anyone to think that I am trying to get a free service or rebate from the dealer.



You should be hearing from Infiniti customer service about this and I look forward to hearing your comments.

sincerely,

William Marks

keyser · December 2004

ltmarks,

Sounds like a pretty deceptive experience. Hopefully the car is in good shape and you wont have to deal with them too much more in the future. I think the lesson learned here (and in every similar situation) is that as soon as you sense that they are treating you badly (ie the phone call) just cut relations with the dealer. Maybe sometimes it goes smoothly afterwards, but in so many accounts it seems like the warning signs were there but the person continued relations with the dealer.

jhinsc · December 2004

kennyg5, I haven't noticed any problems with the speedometer. I feel mine is acurate, but it could be off by a few mph. But when driving around town, I seem to go with the flow at normal speeds which indicates that the speedometer is working fine.

storkey7 · January 2005

Hello Does anyone know how much it would cost to lease a 2004 i35 right now? I live in NY and was looking at 15,000 miles $1,000 out of pocket max. Any Ideas?????

Thank You,

Marissa

jchan2 · January 2005

I am planning to buy one of three luxury cars:

Acura TL

Infiniti I35

Lexus ES330

I'm leaning towards the I35 mainly because of its pricetag. There's one in my area (Middle TN) that retailed at $32,579 (with a bunch of accessories) without the Cold Weather Package and is now listed at an internet price of $29,855.19. I was thinking I could get the car for $25,000 tops. Is this possible? If not, then what is the lowest I could go on a car like this? Here's the list of options:

Infiniti I35 (Golden Sand)

Options: (mostly dealer installed accessories)

50 States Emissions

First Aid Kit

Floor Mats

Literature Kit (what's this anyways?)

Sunroof Wind Deflector

Protection Package (sounds devious)

Theft Deterrent Package

Anyways, buying the I35 would make it my first Nissan product, my first Infiniti product, and my first "luxury car". So any advice or comments on buying Nissans in general or luxury cars in general would be greately appreciated.

dklanecky · January 2005

If you want to save some money, you'd better get the I-35 soon. Most dealers have only one or two left and since they are a discontinued model, there likely won't be any more.

The prices you'll pay for the three vehicles you listed are quite different aren't they? Why are you comparing these three in particular?

I would think that the G35 would be the comparable car to compare with the acura and the lexus?

jchan2 · January 2005

All three are actually pretty similar, except for their pricetags. They're all Japanese Midsized luxury sedans based on Bread And Butter sedans. (Maxima, Accord, Camry) They're all about the same size (I don't know for sure, but when I thought I35 I also thought of the ES330 and TL)

And my local dealer has 12 I35s in stock. I don't think they'll sell many in the next month or so. Or at least Infiniti.com says they have twelve. I drove by the lot once and only saw five or six.

jchan2 · January 2005

Does Infiniti still have the $2000 Manufacturer To Dealer cashback? Edmunds.com pulled the I35 from its New Car listings so I can't pull up incentives on it.

rroyce10 · January 2005

......... The dealers received the trunk money before January 1st, thats why it doesn't show ... also, you need to drive all 3 of these vehicles for a really good decision - 3 different vehicles doing 3 different things ...........

Terry.

jchan2 · January 2005

Does the I35 use Premium or Regular gas?

jhinsc · January 2005

Yes, premium grade gas is the recommended fuel.

jhinsc · January 2005

jchan2, $25,000 may be a little aggressive, even if the model is being discontinued. I think a range between $26,000 and $27,000 is a really good price. I don't know how you're going to get around all the extras they claim they put on the car. By your list of options, the only items the dealer actually added are the Sunroof Wind Deflector, Protection Package, and Theft Deterrent Package. All other items you listed are standard with the car.

I own a 2002 I35, and have been very happy with it during the 38,200 mile I've driven. I really like the dealer service. They really go out of their way to treat you right and correct any problems you have.

fredvh · January 2005

What kind of mpg are you getting? Have you had any trouble with your I35? During your buying experience, what other vehicles did you look at and why did you pick the I35?

Sylvia · January 2005

You can also ask other I35 owners in the Infinit I35 Owners Club section of the site.

jchan2 · January 2005

Do you think if I waited another month that $25,000 could become a more realistic price?

I read the warranty in the I35 brochure I picked up last year, and it states that when you drop off your Infiniti for service, you're entitled to a loaner car. What kind of loaner car is this (another Infiniti?) and is it only for dealer service visits during the warranty period?

jhinsc · January 2005

I'm getting between 23 and 25 true mpg around town, with speeds from 25-65 mph. On the open freeway, I get between 26-29, depending on how fast I go. You can't go by the trip computer, as at times it will indicate I'm supposed to be getting 32 mpg. Haven't had any major problems with the I35. I did have a tire replaced at at no cost by the dealer at 8000 miles due to it being out of round. I had a wind noise problem on the rear doors that was fixed via a tech bulletin. Also a few little recalls that was fixed at the dealer as well. I did look at the TL (previous model), but it didn't have the head protection air bag that the I35 had, plus the experience I've had at Acura service dept's left me very disappointed. I also looked at the Maxima at the time, and could've had one with nav for less money, but the Nissan service is even worse than Acura's. The service and reputation of Infiniti is what led me to purchase it. I refuse to take my car in for service or a problem and have a service tech look at me like I have two heads anymore. I got tired of trying to be sold on extra "service" a dealer says I need, but not required by the manual. Infiniti does not do that. They treat you like you want to be treated, as a human being with respect. I wonder if I had the Nissan or Acura, would I have had any success in getting the tire replaced or getting the wind noise fixed - I seriously doubt it.

jhinsc · January 2005

I'm not sure if waiting another month will get you a lower price, as the dealer's cost will probably be the same, unless Infiniti corporate comes up with more incentive dollars. Then again, you might miss out if you wait longer, as they might sell out before you get there. The I35 is an attractive buy right now due to the 05 models coming out, at higher prices. Plus, they're already thousands less than the TL and ES330, and even the new Maxima. You might try looking for slightly used 2004 or 2003 model with a few thousand miles on it. You might be able to get it for a little less than $25k on the 04 model, even less for the 03 model, and the warranty will still be the same as a new one.

The loaners are Infiniti models, lately they have been G35's. The official loaner program is only during the warranty period, and you get one no matter why you bring your car in, whether for service or warranty work. Some dealers will give you a loaner after the warranty period for service work for as long as you own a car purchased from them. I used to live close to my dealer, but have moved across the country and now the closest dealer is about 80 miles away. So when I take my car in, if they have to order a part, they will let me keep the loaner until the part arrives and my car is ready. It avoids me having to put add'l miles driving back and forth to the dealer. The last 2 times it happened, I kept the loaner over a long weekend. I have found no matter what Infiniti dealer I go to for service or warranty, the way I am treated is always consistent; with respect and no hassles. It's totally worth it to me for the extra bucks I paid.

kennyg5 · January 2005

The 04 I35 is similar (if not mechanically identical) to my 03 Max GLE. I spent $26.5k (before tax and tags) on mine, fully loaded except NAV. If you can get a new I35 at $26k, I think that is a good deal, especially when you get an extra year of warranty and supposedly better dealer service.

I haven't had any problem with my Max, only routine recall items (datadots and crank shaft I believe) that were done free and easily fixed within a couple of hours. The 03 is my third Max, which I believe is a very reliable car, just like my prior Maxes.

Did someone say there is going to be an 05 I35? It is surprising that Infiniti wants to keep the only car with that platform, as the Murano, Max and Altima now share the same platform.

jchan2 · January 2005

I think I'll be test driving an I35 soon; just don't know how soon. And the I35 is supposedly being replaced by the M35, which is now priced beginning at somewhere around $39,000. I'll try for $25,000 on the I35, but if I don't get it, I think $26,000-$26,500 should be reasonable.

What do you guys think about the service experience at the Infiniti dealer? How much does an oil change there normally cost?

rroyce10 · January 2005

..... The M45 has been out for a couple of years now .. the "new" M35/45 will be out in another week and your looking at $43/$45+ .. drive the I35 and see what you think, the 04 I35 is pretty strong on the used car side - dealers are paying the strong $22/$23ish range at the auctions and seeing $25/$26 on the Retail side for the ones with 7/10k ... if you could get a new one for the $27ish range that would be a deal ..............................

Terry.

jchan2 · January 2005

The dealership's internet department has offered me two interesting situations:

A: A brand new 2004 Infiniti I35 with no options but a few accessories: Price: $27,988

B: A used 2003 Infiniti I35 with the Cold Weather Package and "low miles" for about five thousand less- or around $22,900. I have asked the dealership for details on this used car.

Thoughts? Opinions? I plan on test driving the I35 very soon.

rroyce10 · January 2005

...... You need to find out what "low miles" means, there's a big difference between 12k and 30k value wise - CPO.? .. run a Carsmack and check the service history in the service department after you drive it ...

Terry.

jchan2 · January 2005

on the 03' I35 are as follows:

Sport Package

Cold Weather Package

about 21K miles

Owned by dealership owner's father

Price: $23,985 with CPO warranty; $23,100 without CPO warranty

jhinsc · January 2005

The big differences between the the 04 and the 03 are in the sports package and cold weather package. You get uniques wheels and wider tires, stability control, a slightly lower ride height, heated seats, heated mirrors, and heated steering wheel. When new, the price of the two packages was about $2,350. So now the difference is now over $7,000, if the 04 could be comparably equipped. I think you can dicker on the 03 a bit and get them down to maybe the $22k area. I would drive them back to back so you can feel the difference between the sport pkg and non-sport pkg.

jchan2 · January 2005

The dealership has said that it would have been gone by Monday, so I let it pass. Whether that statement was true or just a ploy to get me to rush in and buy a car I won't know, but it seems like the dealer will be much more willing to negotiate on the price of the 04 than the 03.

fredvh · January 2005

Does the '04 I35 have the Sports Pkg.? There is not a sports pkg. anymore but does that mean that all of the '04s have it as standard equipment?

My insurance company quotes me insurance for the I35 as $200-$300 per year more than cars such as the Camry XLE, etc. Does anyone know why that is?

jhinsc · January 2005

The sports package was discontinued for the 04 model year. Most of the equipment that came with the package was dropped and not included in the standard package. When I bought my 02 model, I liked the ride a little better in the standard model, but I wanted the stability control, which was only available with the sports package.

I currently pay less than $1,400 for a 12 month premium for my I35 and ML320. I was paying more before, but shopped around when my policy came up for renewal in Sept.04.

jchan2 · January 2005

About how much is the insurance for the I35? Is it significantly higher than the rate on cars like the Accord, Camry and Maxima?

jhinsc · January 2005

Obviously, the insurance amount you pay will vary based on your driving record, where you live and if the car you're driving is more prone to theft. In CA, I paid about $850/6 mo, but here in SC, I pay under $700 for 12 mo. I have previously owned an Acura CL and RL, VW Beetle and Nissan Maxima. They were all about the same in CA. So I don't personally think the I35 is any more expensive to insure than other cars.

lilelvis · January 2005

$28K for a base I35 seems like a ripoff to me. I bought at the end of September (in Virginia) and paid $26.5 + $295 dest + TTL for an I35 w/ cold/sirius/mud/cargo. I would think you could get a base I35 for under $26K, depending upon your area. I would certainly aim for the $25-$26K range. Good luck.

jchan2 · January 2005

Wow. That's a good deal. Apparently my market (Nashville, TN) is pretty slow. The Lexus dealer is prosperous, but otherwise all the other dealers have a pretty good number of cars on the lot.

I will try for somewhere between $24,500-$26,000, for a base I35 with no options at all and the 1.9 APR/36 months financing.

Did you get the 1.9/2.9 APR offer?

jchan2 · January 2005

I've decided to wait another month to buy, betting that Infiniti corporate will tack on more Factory-Dealer incentives that I can take advantage of. Hopefully the dealer will dicker a little. I guess I'll find out how much the Factory-Dealer incentive is when I walk in and try to bargain down.

Other factors working in my favor: The M35 is coming, the dealership is moving to a new dealership store by mid summer (they'd probably need to free up some cash stuck in those I35s) and it is last year's model. Hopefully I can walk out the door with a great bargain.

What do you guys think about my bet that Infiniti corporate will tack on more incentives?

rroyce10 · February 2005

....... The final dealer money was dropped just before the first of the year, so the dealers have had access to that cash for some time now - and not to sound smart, but just because one person posts a "buy" figure doesn't make it Gospel, perhaps other variables like a trade-in, who knows .. and it's not like Infiniti to double up, especially when there is less than 200 units left in the country, plus the used 04's are doing strong money at the auctions .. as far as the M35/45 coming out, it should just encourage a I30 buyer, especially when there is going to be a $20,000 difference between the two vehicles ..

But you never know, another month can't hurt, except maybe for your ability to get the color and/or options you like ... give it a whirl and see what happens ................

Terry.

jhinsc · February 2005

It seems to me if you're wanting to save that last bit of money on a new car, maybe you should consider a low mileage 02-04 model, and save significantly more.

I know the next time I'm in the market for another car, I'm strongly considering going that route so I don't have to pay for the first year depreciation.

jchan2 · February 2005

Why are the used I35s doing so strongly on the used car end? There has to be a reason.

rroyce10 · February 2005

..... Some vehicles do better on the used side than on the new side, look at the old body style Altima's ... I35's have a great history reliabilty wise, super warranty, great dealer network, the size works for the large market, they're priced right, and then of course you have that prestige thing going on ....

Terry.

fredvh · February 2005

Can someone help me with the possible purchase of the I35? Is the ride better now than in the 2000 model I30? My son has the I30 and it is not a very good ride(does not absorb bumbs well). Have things on the I35 changed in reference to the ride?

Kirstie_H · February 2005

Since this discussion is specifically about pricing, you're more likely to get feedback in our regular Infiniti I35 discussion, where owners hang out.

kirstie_h

Roving Host

Host, Future Vehicles & Smart Shopper discussions

jchan2 · February 2005

Are you looking to buy a new I35 or a used one? For a new one you can just walk into the local dealer and take a test drive. A used one might be a little more complicated.

I'm in the market too, and the value for the money outweighs all the other factors (Great reliability and rear seat legroom help too)

Infiniti I35 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles