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2008 Infiniti M35

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Comments

  • barryendbarryend Member Posts: 121
    Will the 2009 MX get the 7-speed? Folding rear seat option would be good also. Don't accept the RS-A Goodyears.

    Many bloggers are astounded that the new FX is so ugly. I will visit a showroom when it comes out.
  • jeff721jeff721 Member Posts: 80
    How do you like the Voice activation changes on the nav and phone? i am cosidering the 08 after comming out of an 06 m35X

    thanks,

    jeff
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    Just got a 2008 M35 to replace my 06 (both leased) with tech package and nav. Here are my very first observations.

    The navigation system has a number of pluses over the 2006. 1) records CD's onto the hard disk into a "music box". 2) Input by CF Card 3) Ipod connector 4) audio connectors in back of console 4) Trainable voice for multiple users 5) touch screen input. 5) XM standard and well integrated (wasn't standard in 06).

    The negatives (or disappointments) include 1) the manual clearly shows how many voice commands they get in canada (wow) and how few we get in the US....it is crippled to the point of being useless other than for nav, in my opinion. eg. you can turn the climate control on or off..that's it. 2) Still no search by street and then select the city 3) you still lose significant function when the car is moving....there's no change here..it still sucks. 4) Fuel economy guage is now graphical so you can't see 16.6 or 17.1..you see a bar graph. 5) She still talks too much...great for demo's but after you learn the system, you don't need all those prompts (I've already changed to short prompts which doesn't seem to do a thing).

    More later after I try Bluetooth.
  • blov8rblov8r Member Posts: 567
    I also went to an '08 when my '06 lease was up and I still like the car ... like driving it even more than my '06 because the '06 was a sport model with a harsher and more noisy ride. That aside I think the engineers at Nissan/Infiniti fouled a few things up and didn't add a couple that I would have liked. They've monkeyed with the nav system, taken away some radio and climate control voice commands actually making the radio quite awkward to pre-program, still don't lock the doors when you drive off, and leave the fuel tank unprotected (now in the days of gas thieves it's important). I also don't like the lack of digital display of gas mileage and I suspect they did that to soft-pedal the fact that they have made no effort to improve fuel economy and the digital display trumpets this failing. They've been so stubborn about this that they seem to think gas mileage is inconsequential to Infiniti buyers and it becomes a badge of honor to pay more for gas! To my 7K per year it's not a big issue but it is an annoyance. The flip side is that there's very little out there that would make me happy/comfortable that does materially better in than the 17 +/- I get in mostly local driving. I drove them all (starting three months before lease's end) :shades: :shades: and every time I got back into my '06 to drive home I simply liked it better than the test drive I had just left. The closest thing I found to the M was a Lexus GS but it wasn't worth the extra $$$ to me. Bart
  • bw45sportbw45sport Member Posts: 151
    2) Still no search by street and then select the city 3) you still lose significant function when the car is moving....there's no change here..it still sucks. 4) Fuel economy gauge is now graphical so you can't see 16.6 or 17.1..you see a bar graph. 5) She still talks too much...great for demo's but after you learn the system, you don't need all those prompts (I've already changed to short prompts which doesn't seem to do a thing).

    In those cases where you aren't sure of the city use the touch screen to enter the street and house number if you wish. You will then have the opportunity to select from a city list.

    I highly doubt Infiniti will choose to change the way they handle interaction with nav/system settings while the car is in motion. They feel, as do their Japanese counterparts, that it is unsafe and I don't necessarily disagree with them. While I consider myself a very safe driver, I've had a couple of occasions in a Mercedes where I was concentrating too much on the nav screen and not on traffic. Depending on your speed, it only takes a second to make a huge mistake.

    I suspect that 2009 and later model M's will receive a change that was made to the new G. While the G also shows a bar graph on the nav screen for mpg, you can display mpg digitally in a new information screen that sits between the tach and speedometer.

    I'm surprised to hear that you feel that the minimize voice prompts didn't make a difference in voice commands. I know that you are still prompted for each piece of information when entering an address but the prompts for everything else have pretty much gone away.

    Compared to the nightmares I had with recent vintage Benzes and BMW's these shortcomings don't even register on my screen any more.
  • lsachslsachs Member Posts: 13
    I am going to turn in my 2006 M35x shortly and was thinking of getting a 2008. Not happy that they are only selling cars with XM now. What is the best way to get sirius back on the car. (I know could wait and maybe post merger they get same content on both but just curius what others have done).

    Thanks

    Larry
  • lthaley756lthaley756 Member Posts: 21
    Google the club Armada(qx56) forum- they have discovered how to bypass the lack of navigation interaction while moving-
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    that's the same navigation hack that's been around for a couple of years now...they basically reinvented the wheel. If you want to do all the nav commands and don't care about DVD's all you have to do is cut one wire and solder a longer wire to each end so you can mount a simple switch somewhere in the car. When you allow the signal to pass thru the switch your nav will operate normally. When you open the switch, you cut off the signal that says the car is moving and the nav thinks you are still standing still, so it allows you to do everything..
  • finadvfinadv Member Posts: 59
    Is the Hard Drive locked out as well when the car is moving? Seems I can only play what was playing previously. You can't search by artist or album or anything while the car is moving. What good is a music box with thousands of songs if you have to stop each time to change the disc that's playing? Or am I just doing something wrong?
  • r34r34 Member Posts: 178
    Now G35 has much better interior. Is there a reason to pay the premium to move up to M35 (I can understand M45 becasue if the V8)? More interior room? Better image? The M doesn't seem to be much larger from outside though.
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    The M is larger than the G...it isn't an issue unless you are tall. Three people in the back is possible, but neither car is great with three - the M is better. Personally, I wouldn't own the G because it is not comfortable for my frame...I'm fairly tall, and have a longer torso than some. You have to sit in it, then decide.
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    A few gas stations in my area are advertising gas with no ethanol. I started to use them and my gas mileage on 2008 M35 has gone from 17mpg to 19mpg using regular gas around town. That's quite a savings.

    Check to see if any stations in your area are selling gas without ethanol....
  • walt18walt18 Member Posts: 54
    How is your performance now with the new gas?
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    Performance is the same or better. Your engine was designed for gas...not gas and ethanol.
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    Ethenol has significantly less stored energy per volume verses gasoline. The same thing between gas and diesel, diesel has more energy per volume, so it should provide more miles per gallon.

    I'll have to look, but with the EPA rules around here (NH), I don't think anyone sells gas without the alcohol in it.
  • mako5mako5 Member Posts: 15
    With a 2008 m35 base car (no nav. or anything extra) , is there a way to hook up a rear view camera and get it work without allot of wiring or software up grades ?
  • barryendbarryend Member Posts: 121
    I saw a rear view camera kit in Walmart. I don't know anything about it.
  • tonycdtonycd Member Posts: 223
    I know that on old RWD Detroit sedans, it was a rather simple matter to change out the rear axle for another one with a taller or shorter gear ratio, and thus modify the final drive ratio.

    Obviously, this is more complicated with an AWD car like the M35x. Given the annoyingly tall final drive, even in top gear, that Nissan still insists on using for the AWD 5-speed, is it feasible?
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    Feasible, no, possible - anything, if you've got enough money. The speedometer/odometer wouldn't be accurate, either...it's all controlled by the computer (well, maybe if you have the nav system - that can self-correct within limits). Not sure how the front power takeoff works, you might end up with a terrible, dangerous mismatch between front and rear. The transmission would shift at the wrong points, and the load would increase in first gear...not good for takeoff, the internal clutches, etc.
  • mako5mako5 Member Posts: 15
    Has anyone replaced cabin or seat filters themselves. I was wondering how much trouble they are ?
  • rogerthat_101rogerthat_101 Member Posts: 17
    Looking to lease once soon, has anyone in here leased one in ny recently or am I better off with the all wheel drive.
    the sports looks much cooler. Anyone have lease # for july
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    The only reason to get the x (4 wheel drive) is if you are in the snow belt...and then that's the only M you should get.

    The sports model rides a bit stiffer than the regular M and has some "trammelling"/stability issues (jumping around when the car hits a tar strip on the road).

    If you are going to consider the sport, find a road with a tar strip between the lanes and see what happens as you change lanes (crossing that strip slowly). Many find that the wheel catches and almost pulls the car away from you when it catches on that strip.
  • barryendbarryend Member Posts: 121
    I upscaled and downsized from a 2006 M35X to a 2009 Audi A4 2.0 quattro, sports package. I recommend driving one before going for an Infiniti M or G. If you are a handling fan order one with sports package. 30 mpg highways vs 20, much better handling and ride. No trammeling and uncontrollable lurches. Not as much gizmology but fold down rear seats, huge trunk, finest build quality. Prepay service and sleep at night. 50%+ residuals. 2010 has new Nav. & hard drive a la Infiniti.
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    The A4 is a much smaller car than the M....perhaps a comparison to the G is more appropriate and I suspect the G37 will outperform an Audi in most situations.
  • barryendbarryend Member Posts: 121
    The 2008 A4 body model B7 was replaced by the B8 in 2009. It is much larger than a G37 and smaller than an M35.

    Mileage is +25% better than a G and +30% better than an M, Large trunk and fold down rear seats make effective carrying usefulness beyond the M35. Steering , handling and ride and ride are much better than an M and superior to a G. Two wheel and suspension options on the quattros. Third option is adjustable suspension called drive select. European designed for $8.00 a gallon gas. Superior speakers in Audi's mid line stereo to my Bose 14 speaker M. Bose is the Oreck vacuum of sound systems. Lightweight, over branded and overpriced.

    I think a G37 is a great car but small for me and thirsty. Overpowered beyond my needs. Go for it if it works for you. Great bang for the buck. No sport suspension offered on G37X.

    Beware the OEM rubber on Infinitis.

    M35X is a load that can hardly stay straight on the road. Terrified my wife and daughter. Noisy, harsh, and too thirsty. 14 mpg in the burbs with a/c running. Never drove a RWD M35. Not sold in NY. I assume with the 7-speed it is better. Great rear seating, great quality and gizmos, loved my dealer, Pepe in White Plains, NY.

    I would zip up my wallet pocket before going to Audi service. I prepaid 45,000 miles service.
  • barryendbarryend Member Posts: 121
    Getting another "real world" 10 miles to a gallon and having more than enough power for aggressive driving is what I call better performance. Much more luggage space to and fold down rear seats made my deal.
  • shmangshmang Member Posts: 297
    IMO, the M35X is the worst in the M line - worse gas mileage, worse handling. Infiniti is not good at AWD at all.

    But, when it comes to M35/M45 (sport or luxury), they are way, way better. It handles better, get much better mileage (I got 18/24 on my M45 with 5spd, so I would imaging the M35 with 7spd will do much better). M and A4 are not even in the same category, it just so happened that Infiniti attempt with an AWD version, which is, IMO, a total failure, where Audi is very, very good at. So, if you compare the AWD version, Audi is light years ahead. But, when you compare the RWD version, M wins hands down.
  • barryendbarryend Member Posts: 121
    Interesting comment. I live north of NY City and ski in VT. The 2006 M35X 4 wheel drive was excellent in the snow notwithstanding the OEM POS Goodyear RS-As. My gripes were vague steering, trammeling, defective steering rack, overhyped BOSE, seat heaters that never heated except when not necessary, horrible mileage, noisy exhaust, heavy steering and harsh ride.

    The service was great and build quality very good. I trusted Pepe Motors in NY. Not sure I trust my Audi dealer but I prepaid service. Those German car dealers think all their customers have trust funds and run hedge funds.

    AUDI does not make a RWD car but offers A4 in a FWD with CVT transmission. Not sold in NY area.

    The Infiniti M35 may be a great car for the wide open spaces but not the Bronx River Parkway.
  • art234art234 Member Posts: 99
    I am also going from the M35x to the Audi A4--next week it appears, as my 2010 will be in by then. I honestly can't wait to return the M35x. Old problems have resurfaced, and I am just not addressing them...I have a week or so left with the vehicle.

    That said, the A4 is just a little smaller than the M on the inside--a little narrower and less legroom for the rear, but the trunk is actually 1 cubic foot BIGGER than the M if you can believe that.

    Similar acceleration with the 2.0 turbo (you HAVE to drive it to believe it), and as Barry said above, MUCH better ride and fuel economy.

    I will give more impressions when I actually take possession.

    Barry--GMTA!
  • addamsaddams Member Posts: 74
    I need to see those side by side specs.
This discussion has been closed.

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