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Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

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Comments

  • sbindleysbindley Member Posts: 28
    Anyone hear of release dates for the 04 models?
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    From what I understand they are being built now and should arrive mid september.
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    More likely, the price was a give-and-take compromise between the selling price of the car and the trade-in value offered for the Maxima.

    Due to the extreme surplus of used cars, most people are put off by the real trade-in values for cars these days, so the dedaler will offer more to make the customer feel better, but must make it up on the selling price of the new vehicle.
  • njexpressnjexpress Member Posts: 170
    Per the TCO values, the first year depreciation for the FX35 is given as $10, 041 for zip code 08854. The values presented are based on a TMV of $650 under MSRP. This is aproximately $3,275 over invoice. I have tried to analyze the first year depriciation values of the FX, MDX, RX and the Murano and presented WHAT I THINK IS THE TRUE BOTTOM LINE here. Your thoughts are welcome.
    Step (i):
    Based on the posts from around the same zip code (NJ-08854), it is being assumed that we should get one for roughly $350 over invoice. This brings down the depreciation to (10,041-2900) = $7,141.
    Step (ii):
    Values presented below are based on an Average of 15K miles per annum @ $0.15 / mile (I am trying to throw some intelligent numbers here - 15 cents a mile is what I believe they adjust excess miles during leases etc… As always, I welcome your thoughts here…). That adds up to $2,250 per year in terms of "Cost of owning an automobile". These will be the fixed $$$ spent anyways, on any car, if a person wants to own one. The only way one could avoid these costs can be if (A) Buy a car and garage it straight away and clock zero miles per year or better still (B) Don't buy one ;0) Make sense? Once again, I make these 15 cents a generic figure whether it's an economy car or a Luxury car. So, if you apply that against the depreciation then, (7,141 - 2,250) = 4,891.
    This is what I consider cost of owning an Infiniti over any other model - That is my true depreciation. Are you lost yet? If so, DO NOT bother to read on ;0)

    If I applied the same logic to other vehicles, Here's the numbers I came up with:

    Acura MDX - Based on the reported $2000 off MSRP on the forums Vs. Edmunds TMV @ Sticker, the true cost to own a 2003 Acura MDX (base - which in itself has most of the goodies) over any other vehicle comes to $1,200 per year.

    Lexus RX330: I let my optimism run amok here. Based on the best ever reported deal in the entire forum (Plano, Tx) Vs. Edmunds TMV of $350 below sticker, the true cost to own a 2004 RX-330 (AWD with premium plus, headlamp washers) over any other vehicle comes to $3,118 per year.

    Nissan Murano - Based on deals reported @ $500 over invoice Vs. Edmunds TMV@ $1200 over invoice, the true cost to own a 2003 Nissan Murano SL AWD (Leather, Moon roof and Dynamic control Package) over any other vehicle is $4,717.

    The common assumptions in all the scenarios is is that:
    1) You walk away with the slowest selling color / options list (or lack thereof) in the lot and make the dealer's day- That works for me, as long as it is one of the four vehicles above ;0)
    2) I may be off by a few hundred dollars, depending on your specific zip code.
    3) I suggest you only take the guidelines above and crunch your own numbers from the scratch for your vehicle / trim - I am considered weak in Math by those who really know the subject ;0)
  • shenkarshenkar Member Posts: 159
    What exactly are "TCO" values, and where does one find such values? Many Thanks.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    Ok I like your train of thought above. However I think you need to deal from MSRP and not TMV. I "think" edmunds bases it's depreciation from MSRP not TMV. Also I would tend to base my calculations on real world depreciation splitting the difference between the "books" avg trade and private party values or take retail and subtract 2-3000 from it. I will do an evaluation of the RX300 and MDX based on this method. I don't think you can do it for the FX and Murano yet simply because there is no comparable older model. It would be like comparing a G35 to I35. Any depreciation "gueses" by various sites on these cars are just that until we see adequate vehicle turnover.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    This is how I would break down a depreciation calculation. However when comparing depreciation there are many factors that could come into play. If you finance interest rate play a major part because if you go to trade in the loan balances would be very different on a 2.9% loan than an 6-7% loan so while one car may have a better depreciation curve the actual out of pocket amount on any given day could be drastically different. But here is my best shot anyway assuming cash buyers.

    First a little blurb on the FX depreciation. I have a RWD FX35 tech MSRP was 44,345. I paid 40,530. Currently Terry says its worth about 35,500. On paper looking at MSRP my depreciation is 9,155. But my out of pocket depreciation is 5,000. Figure if I sold it myself I could get 1,500 more for it it takes my out of pocket down to ~3500. now based on my payoff I am upside down a little over 1500 dollars so all in all the depreciation is not that bad if I had to sell it because of financial trouble or just wanted to get out of the car. below are 3yr analysis for the mdx and rx.

    A 2001 MDX MSRP was 34,370 at that time most of these sold for sticker. So lets assume the avg purchase price was 34,370.

    Kbb.com has the following data
    Used retail 29,700
    used pparty 25,415
    used trade 22,885

    Edmunds.com
    Used retail 28,254
    used pparty 26,322
    used trade 24,226

    Avg trade 23555
    Avg pparty 25868
    Avg Retail 28977

    Avg between trade and pparty 24711
    3 yr depreciation from MSRP 9659
    3 yr depreciation from Purchase Price 9659
    (.15c per mile avg car depreciation) 5700 (38K)
    MDX Depreciation over $3959

    RX300 in 2001 had a base MSRP of 35,655 + 3000 in options (leather, roof Cd changer) avg discout of 1500 off msrp. Would leave a purchase price of 37,155

    Kbb.com has the following data
    Used retail 28,835
    used pparty 23,905
    used trade 20,705

    Edmunds.com
    Used retail 28,212
    used pparty 26,198
    used trade 24,240

    Avg trade 22472
    Avg pparty 25051
    Avg Retail 28523

    Avg between trade and pparty 23761
    3 yr depreciation from MSRP 14894
    3 yr depreciation from Purchase Price 13394
    (.15c per mile avg car depreciation) 5700 (38K)
    RX300 Depreciation from MSRP $9194
    RX300 Out of pocket Depreciation $7694
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    TCO is True Cost to Own. Here's the link:
    True Cost to Own

    Clpurnell, "The purchase price employed is the vehicle's True Market Value® price in your state (including typical equipment and destination charge)." link

    Hopefully the TCO tool will be tweaked someday to let us enter our own numbers into the formula.

    I keep track of all my auto expenses, and the TCO prediction just happens to exactly match my cost per mile to drive my minivan :-)

    Steve, Host
  • njexpressnjexpress Member Posts: 170
    HI all,
    Thanks for taking the time to read thru it all!!
    Ravi, Please see the link above for TCO (Thanks, Steve!)
    CLPlumell, Thanks for taking the time to investigate this further; Like I have indicated before, this is not a bullet proof calculation method. It's just my own attempt at making the dealer see some logic when pricing a demo model. I would suggest that everyone take this with a grain of salt and fine tune it in any way you see fit / applicable, depending on your specific scenario.
    Finance charges were not calculated as part of the depreciation for any of the vehicles. You will still accure them on any vehicle, and it will be somewhat the same on say, a 25K loan.
    BTW, I made a typo on the MDX values: The $1200 figure is based on an actual buying price of $2500 below sticker. That seems to be the going rate here.
    Just remember: You really have to negotiate tough to get these prices on any of the vehicles. be prepared to walk away from 15 different dealerships, that typa stuff....
    But in an extremely competetive market like NJ, this is certainly doable, except for the RX, it looks like. I did happen to deal with an educated sales person @ the Lex dealership and he said at the end of the test drive that they do "$1K off sticker but they will not lose a deal for another $300". I liked the Cust service and promised to contact him back, should I go with it. I also indicated that I am ready to look all over the eastern seaboard for a good deal and he said he will do what he can to get my business. I will be testing the FX the day after and share my views!!
    Cheers!
    --njexpress.
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    I have found the KBB and Edmunds values for used cars to be completely unrealistic, especially for trade-in value (At least here in So. Cal.)

    I have had a running argument with the KBB people about this, but they cannot present a coherent reason why the REAL amount dealers will give you is about 30% less than their stated value. Just be prepared for this at trade-in time, and consider this in your estimated trade-in calculations.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Kelley is another story, and they have different numbers for consumers and dealers. You gotta pay to get the dealer numbers. Here's yet another link:

    What is the "Kelley Blue Book" Price?

    Steve, Host
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    Thanks, Steve, for the input.

    This is EXACTLY my point regarding KBB/Edmunds - WHY even offer the online prices if they are not based on reality? Why mislead the consumer? It would be better for us if they didn't even post these fictitious prices.

    Perhaps Edmunds could do everyone a HUGE favor and start a new pricing advisory - TTV - "True Trade-In Value" - What people really got trading in their cars as reported by the new buyers.

    Sorry to be off topic - but this is a sore point with me.

    By the way, I am seeing a lot more FXs on the road here in L.A. - they are still awsome to me and I can't wait for my current lease to expire at the end of this year!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Our TMV prices for used vehicles are based on real world transactions. Lots of those are extrapolated from the car auctions, but they are still real numbers.

    And they are adjusted depending on whether you are doing a trade, or a private sale, etc.

    But we don't buy cars and neither does Kelley. Our numbers are updated monthly, but the auctions are on-going, and occur weekly at least in most areas. But we're usually right in the ballpark - often Terry or another dealer in Real World Trade-In Values can give you a number good for today.

    Steve, Host
  • oldprofessoroldprofessor Member Posts: 45
    My wife and I just took our FX35 rwd w/o the sports package (18-in wheels) on a long trip out West, and I thought I would report the gas mileage/comfort level/utility, etc. Total miles traveled in two weeks: 3,808.2. Some of it was in the mountains around Taos, NM, and we got stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic more than once. Still, the overall mileage according to the trip computer was 23.6, with an average speed of 54 mph. Needless to say, I was more than pleased. I was also quite happy with the comfort level, as I drove one day for more than 13 hours, and the total for the trip was 70.5 hours of total driving time. At no time did I suffer from the lower back pain I've gotten in that much driving in any of our previous cars, which says a lot to me about the comfort of the seats.

    We took an Audi A6 with quattro on a similar trip three years ago, and the total mpg on that was around 22, even though the rating on that car was 26 on the highway. Another huge difference was that the Audi leaked from underneath, which we discovered after driving through some standing water, the washer for the headlights broke, and the car had an annoying tendency for the alarm to go off when it got overheated in parking lots.

    Finally, we had the FX loaded to the gills the whole trip. There's no way any of our previous vehicles would have been able to carry all of our luggage, food (I have a special diet), and the various things my wife found to purchase along the way.

    Bottom line: The mileage was much better than I expected it to be; the comfort level was more than adequate; and the utility was fine. BTW, I saw only one other FX along the way, about three G35 coupes, and about a half dozen G35 sedans. Other SUVs were a dime a dozen, as you would expect.
  • jpiatchekjpiatchek Member Posts: 177
    Thanks for a good report.I have never driven but 600 miles on a trip in my Fx35 with tech. The best I've been able to get on the Highway is about 20.5-21 mpg. However, I cruise at about 80 or so. How fast did you mostly drive on the highway? I, like you, like the extra space. Was able to load an 11' area rug in mine today.
  • snoozdocsnoozdoc Member Posts: 7
    So, is it really possible that as the new FX's are coming out, that we can purchase the `03 for UNDER invoice, or is this really too much to expect. I feel that if I can get a fully loaded FX45 for around 600 over invoice, that it may be a good deal, but I was wondering if it really is considering the built in depreciation. Any help would be appreciated. This day is a great day for me as it was the final day that I considered a Porsche over the FX. Now, I have seen the light, and decided on the FX, at least for two years, then take another long look at the TT. I think the TT will be buggy for about 2 years. CD based Nav in a $90,000 vehicle...I dont think so.
  • oldprofessoroldprofessor Member Posts: 45
    Basically, I drive the speed limit, which means 75 on the interstate in NM, 65 or 70 elsewhere. I get up to 80 (or 90) only in passing, which means I don't drive at that speed very long.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    Here is an e-mail I received from infinti today.

    Dear FX owner,

    We designed the FX to make a statement. In turn, the press has
    made a series of their own. In fact, Motor Trend called the FX35
    'one of the most entertaining SUV's on the planet'* while the
    Robb Report noted that the FX45 'can be thrown into curves with
    a gusto that no traditional SUV should attempt.'** Now, its your
    turn.

    You've had a chance to experience your FX first-hand and we want
    to know what you have to say. What are your thoughts and where
    has your FX taken you? Better yet, what about your fellow owners?
    What trails have they blazed, and have they crossed paths with
    yours?

    We're featuring real FX owners on Infiniti.com, and you could be
    one of them. We want to hear your stories, see your pictures and
    let you compare notes with the exploits of your FX driving
    partners across the country.

    Simply reply to this email with your favorite FX thoughts,
    impressions and even stories. You can even attach a photo--of you
    and your FX, a personalized license plate, just about anything
    that shows the adventure in you and your sporting machine.

    It's a chance to share in the FX experience with owners all over
    the country, and to put your own FX in the spotlight. Even if
    only to make yet another statement.

    We can't wait to hear about it.

    Sincerely,

    Your friends here at Infiniti!
     
     
    Note: To ensure receipt, if you should plan to submit any
    related imagery or other content over 40KB, please remit an
    email directly to the following address:

    mailto:[email protected]

    Thank-you!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    *Motor Trend, September 2003
    **Robb Report, July 2003

    Note - by responding to this email, you agree to the following:
    I represent that I am 18 years of age or older and own an Infiniti FX35
    or
    FX45 and that I own, and have the right to post the text, persons,
    and/or
    photographs (collectively, the "Content") that I am submitting to this
    website. I hereby grant to Infiniti all rights, title and interest in
    and to
    the Content. I understand that Infiniti may modify the Content,
    including by
    cropping the photographs and/or editing the text. I also understand
    that
    Infiniti may use the Content on its website and in other forms of
    marketing
    and advertising, although this use is not expressly guaranteed. In
    addition,
    I agree to release and hold Infiniti (and its employees, officers,
    affiliates and agents), harmless from any and all losses, damages,
    rights,
    claims, and actions of any kind related to the use of the Content,
    including, without limitation, claims based on publicity rights,
    defamation,
    or invasion of privacy.
    For general questions about Infiniti, Infiniti vehicles, and Infiniti
    Dealers please call 1-800-662-6200.
  • skip30skip30 Member Posts: 33
    What kind of real world gas mileage can be expected from an FX 45? Is it that much different than a 35?
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    I drive mostly in the city and suburbs, with a lot of stop-and-go driving and some local highway travel mixed in. According to the trip computer, I average about 15.5 mpg. On the highway, it would be closer to 20, but I have yet to actually measure it. My one long uninterrupted highway trip involved towing my boat, so I didn't bother. According to what others have said about the FX35, you would do about 17-18 in the city and low twenties on the highway. The RWD model would be slightly better, maybe 25 while crusing on the highway.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    best I have done is 22 mpg on flat land in an FX35 RWD but maybe that is because I rarely go under 80.
  • blckthreeblckthree Member Posts: 153
    My daily commute takes me 55 miles on interstates from 65-75mph and that equals out to 21-21.5 mpg. Several longer trips on rural interstates, 78-83mph, the average drops to about 20.5mpg. One stretch dropped to 19.5mpg with a strong headwind. I do very little stop and go driving, so I cant help you with that mileage.
  • stanny1stanny1 Member Posts: 962
    I got my 45 in June and it has about 7k. Definitely broken-in at this point. It's a loaded Tech.
    My mileage is not long trip at steady speeds. San Diego has almost LA-like congestion so the freeway I do is like cut and thrust surface street urban assault work. Not good on the MPG.
    The last three receipts (91 octane is about $2.25 a gallon here) indicate a range from 13 to 15 mpg.
    Now I love full out torque launches in my 45 so if you put an egg between the gas pedal and your foot, you will do better. But it's not my style.
    In fact, the 45 will satisfy your addiction for high G-Forces in both acceleration and cornering.
    I never knew what 6.3 seconds felt until I started leaving behind almost all the other cars at the stoplight. With the 45, you don't have to be concerned if you are in the wrong lane for an upcoming turn. Just grab the shifter and hang some near redline manual shifts. I'm putting in a full time reverse camera soon so I can see what I'm leaving behind.
    I think the biggest difference between the 35 and 45 has got to be in the first 100 feet.
    Both can hang the corners (with the 20"wheels) at .87g, and I've slid around some freeway ramps so fast the "slip" light/system comes on!
    The FX has got to be the most fun you can have sitting down.
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    I'm putting in a full time reverse camera soon so I can see what I'm leaving behind.

    Be sure to take snapshots also!
  • jpiatchekjpiatchek Member Posts: 177
    My mileage seems to to be real close to yours with my FX 35 tech. An interesting note, my wife, who is not really a hotrodder, has turned into an acceleration maniac. She likes the sound of the engine when she makes it go. The gas mileage calculator on the Nav always read much lower after she has had the car for a few days. May turn her into an enthusiast yet!
  • jpiatchekjpiatchek Member Posts: 177
    COrrection! Some might say the "The FX has the be the 2nd most fun thing you can have sitting down" I guess it just depends on what position you are coming from!
  • neek21neek21 Member Posts: 2
    does anyone know when the 2004 fx will be released???? i am stuck between getting an 03 tech [and maybe not getting it in the color i want] and waiting for the 'improvements' on the 04's....quick survey:liquid copper- is it cool or not..cool next year??? in 5 years???? my other favorite is diamond graphite....does anyone have numbers for color popularity??? anyone's guess what the dealers would sell for on the 04's???
  • bigsweatybigsweaty Member Posts: 22
    I was told by a dealer in that the 2004's will be out in the next 2-3 weeks. I am in the market for a Honda Accord also, and I think that the FX's will trickle in the more popular colors first.
  • tony50tony50 Member Posts: 15
    For those who have an FX with several thousand miles on it, how good or bad is the front holding up with the nicks and dings from road debris? Is the paint holding up well? I intend to keep my next car for 10 to 12 years too, and I hope a $40-50K vehicle looks good for a long time as well. Thanks.
  • oldprofessoroldprofessor Member Posts: 45
    I have a little more than 5K miles on my FX35 and haven't really noticed any nicks and dings from road debris. Of course, I only paid about $35K for mine so I really can't say what will happen to the $40-50K vehicles. Little joke there, folks, which is about as funny (or unfunny) as the ones I tell in classes I teach. By the way, did I say I love my FX? Check out the latest comparison in Motor Trend of the Lexus RX330, some Mercedes SUV, and the FX35.
  • jpiatchekjpiatchek Member Posts: 177
    Got about 4300 on my black FX tech and so far so good on the dings. Does seem to attrack a lot of bugs and they are sometimes hard to get off. By the way, it's been about 100 degrees out here lately and no problem with the dreaded hatch warping yet. I do have a little bubbling on the back drivers side window molding which the dealer has ordered. I am concerned that the back bumber is easy to scratch when loading and unloading and will probably get a protectant for it. The carpets on the brick interior seem to get dirty easy. Sorry my response wasn't as funny as the oldprofessor. I guess I just paid too much for my FX.
  • marinelomarinelo Member Posts: 7
    No chips or dings but it seems like anything that hits the front windshield will damage it.I have about 3000 miles on my FX35 and have 3 large chips in the windshield.(No gravel roads by the way)...I want to have it changed but with my luck it wont last long.Price in Canadian Dollars..
    $1600.00 installed Anyone else experiencing a similar situation??
  • blckthreeblckthree Member Posts: 153
    I have 13000 miles on my FX now. Almost all highway miles, dodging the crap thrown up in front of me by semis and other cars. There are two small rock chips on the hood, a couple of nicks on the bumper. The plastic material used for the bumper appears to have color all the way through, so you dont have a ugly white spot showing through when it gets nicked, like the rock chip on the hood has.

    It's a great car, fun to drive, comfortable for a 10-12 hour drive.
  • alanhechtalanhecht Member Posts: 1
    I noticed Grubbs Infiniti is selling an after market Body Side Molding kit. Anybody have it?
    Is it worth it? Does it make your FX look ugly?
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    I have 2 hood chips no dings and a little bug residue after 8100 miles in my fx.
  • tony50tony50 Member Posts: 15
    Has anyone put after-market wood trim on your FX and happy with it? I think the factory aluminum trim is okay, but I really like the interiors of the Q45 and M45. I wonder how many model years will have to go by before Infiniti makes the wood trim an option for the FX?

    Just curious, for those who went with the FX35, did you choose it over the FX45 because of total cost, better gas mileage, etc.? My wife thinks I should get the 35 because of both the lower price and better gas mileage. However, after many heart-stopping experiences in D.C. traffic, I truly want a vehicle with some horsepower/torque to get me out of those situations. I am waiting for the '04 45's to come out with the "improved" suspension as we usually go cross-country at least once a year on vacation.
  • arhfx45arhfx45 Member Posts: 27
    Many wood trim sources. Burtman Industries, Joshua Wood Tree, Woodview Auto trim, etc. As far as power I think you'll find the FX35 more than sufficient for any circumstance you'll face. I'm not trying to talk you into the 35 as I never considered it myself, I just think it would be adequately powerful. I've never driven a vehicle with too much power, & always go for the maximum. As an example, my '03 Z06 with 125 HP NOS is just right.But, back to topic the 3.5L V6 is excellent in the FX series.
  • oldprofessoroldprofessor Member Posts: 45
    I went with the FX35 for all the reasons you cite plus I had read in the car mags that the FX45 only comes with the 20-inch wheels and a really firm ride that's punishing. Because of that, I went with FX35 w/o the sport package that gives it 20-in wheels and a hard ride. If the size of the wheels is an issue, everyone who sees our car is amazed that it comes with "larger" wheels, as the 18-in wheels appear enormous.

    In terms of power, drive the FX35 before you decide you have to have the larger engine. Test it in traffic when you really stomp the accelerator. If you look at the 0-60 times for the three cars compared in the Motor Trend article, you'll see that the FX35 can beat quite a few sedans with its sub 8-second time.
  • arhfx45arhfx45 Member Posts: 27
    I have found the ride of the FX45 to be excellent. Not luxury car smooth understand, but not "hard" as some have described it. It is firm, & completely in line with it's sporting theme. Very little body lean in aggressive cornering, communicative chassis, good steering feedback, etc., overall the FX responds like a fine sports car. When driven on poor roads & broken pavement the low profile tires will reflect this, but in these conditions my FX45 never rattles or shudders, the chassis truly seems unflappable. The 18" wheels may be an acceptable solution if you are sensitive to a sporting car style suspension system, but in my opinion you give up far too many attributes for a marginal ride difference. The appearance, handling precision & overall response of the 20" wheels along with the Sports suspension are too good to pass up. Thank you for your time.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    I agree with arhfx45 for the most part, but I find that on certain (poor concrete) pavement the FX45 (or FX35 Sport) DOES ride pretty rough. Not jarring but definitely "bouncy" at times. On the JD Powers survey I gave my FX45 very high marks (10's) pretty much all the way around, but I did add a comment that I wish Infiniti had added an adjustable suspension with different settings (i.e. Sport, Normal & Comfort). On long trips, over mostly straight concrete roads that are in poor condition, I would certainly appreciate a "Comfort" setting. On asphalt I have no problem with the firm suspension, and I wouldn't trade it for a comfort-only set-up - it's just too much fun the other 95% of the time, just blasting around town and in the twisties. It'll be interesting to see how the '04 handles in comparison. To my knowledge Infiniti will not be adding an adjustable suspension, and hopefully their re-worked set-up will not lose any of the '03's handling capability while managing to deliver a little more comfort when the going gets rough.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    I have a FX35 with tech (20" wheels) the ride is fine with the proper tire pressure you go over 35 psi and it does get a little harsh. My car was delivered with 40+ psi. take a tire pressure guage on the test drive and make sure the pressure is right when you judge the car. I doubt most magazines do this.
  • arhfx45arhfx45 Member Posts: 27
    My FX was delivered with 41#-43# all around. I dropped the pressure to 32# before I picked it up. Many dealers may not address this issue & may have people test driving FX's with 40+ lbs on them.
  • jpiatchekjpiatchek Member Posts: 177
    I, too have an FX35 with tech. I first drove it before it had been prepped and the ride was much harsher than the other sport suspension FX's I had test driven. After dealer prep, the ride quality was much improved. I suspect the air pressure was in the 40's. To me the ride quality of the sport suspension is very acceptable and the loss in handling to go to the softer premium package was unacceptable. I am used to a BMW sport type suspension and would not have it any other way. This is my wife's car and she has never had even the slightest complaint about hard or harsh suspension. Keep in mind her previous car was a BMW 540i sport and my current car is a 98 BMW M3. We think the ride is right in line with the sporting character of the car.
  • hootspahootspa Member Posts: 11
    with 18 in wheels and sport suspension, I think the suspension on both the FX35 and FX45 with either wheel setup is stiff or "busy". I don't think you should equate stiffness with better performance; Infiniti just needs to do a little more work in the suspension dept to get it right. I agree that an adjustable suspension in all FX models would be the way to go. By the way, you will get more rattles over time with excessively stiff suspensions since all that road irregularity is being directly transmitted to the car's chassis and not damped (absorbed) by the tires and suspension.
  • stanny1stanny1 Member Posts: 962
    Yep, it's been described in mag articles as having a "popcorn-popper" ride, but when you take a corner at .87g and keep going until the "slip" light comes on, you'll realize that this is an elite teritory that few sports cars can reach. And this is an SUV?
    If you don't like the ride, you probably don't like amusement parks either.
    I'm only 55 and I'm not ready for a "rolling coffin" like the RX330 yet.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    I'm 54 and actually my wife's RX330 w/Performance Pkg. is pretty nimble for an SUV - much more so than most traditional SUV's and the RX300 that it replaced. But still, when faced with the choice of which car I'm going to drive when I go somewhere after work, I always seem to hop in my FX45...must be a reason.
  • skip30skip30 Member Posts: 33
    I have a rx 330 and it has the cornering power of a forklift. It loves to go straight. That is with the air suspension even set on low.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    On a previous post I seem to remember that you thought the suspension setting on low improved the handling. Why would you have bought an SUV that handles like a forklift? Although I haven't had extensive experience with my wife's RX, I did aggressively drive it around cloverleads and corners during two test drives, and thought it handled pretty darned well - again no FX but pretty good.
  • jeffmust2jeffmust2 Member Posts: 811
    RX330 handles like a forklift...or...

    (post #895 by skip30 in RX330 board, Jun 29, 2003)
    "The coolest things about my RX 330 are the air suspension and the power liftgate. Actually I probably like the way it drives at freeway speeds the best...and I have bought over 25 new cars."

    Goshes, you'd think someone that bought over 25 new cars would know the vast difference between driving a "forklift" versus "the coolest...air suspension...I like the way it drives at freeway speeds the best..."

    Guess not.
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