Infiniti Q45

mvargo1 · May 2002

The new Q drives nothing like a lexus. The Lexus drives like the worlds most expensive Buick. No road feel, no engine growl, no feeling. The new Q is much more of a performance vehicle.

lsc · May 2002

The Q45, being the flagship should be more luxury than sport.

I think Infiniti was trying to cover both the flagship luxury class and the mid-size sport sedan class with one car.

Personally, the Q45 will suit me fine when I can afford it in 2 years (used). Either that or the G35 new. It's got everything I need in a car.

bbdaines · May 2002

Back on 5-2-02 bscblue posted a note that the pre 94ish Qs have Sony, then switch to alpine and clarion...will a Stereo from a 96 work in a 91?

carnaught · May 2002

....."the Lexus drives like the world's most expensive Buick".....

You don't know what you're talking about, man.

bscblue · May 2002

Daines, it may work. The head units in all Qs are prewired for changers. So a 96 could work in a 91'. I would ask the service department of the local Infiniti dealership.

ljflx · May 2002

You beat me to it so I'll just echo your words.

likeq45 · June 2002

Hi,

I am interested in buying a 2002 Q45, something slightly used, but I am not sure I can afford one. What kind of deals have other people gotten out there? And what did you tell them to get a good deal.

Thanks!

junhee · July 2002

Hi, there! I just have purchased used 95 Q45 with 97000 mile on it. I like to get its owner's manual. Does anybody know how I can get it? I have found the following problems and any suggestions? 1. Brake 2. Fuel pump noise 3. Rear mirror is not stable. Any advise will be appreciated.

white98cl30 · July 2002

I have found that both of your problems can be solved at eBay... To junhee: They will occasionally have Q45 owners manuals on there; just do a search for the right keywords. To likeq45: I have seen new Q45s from non-Infiniti prestige dealers go on eBay for anywhere from $35,000 to $45,000, which is a considerable amount under MSRP. Check there.

alk3997 · July 2002

I am hoping someone can look at this letter (hopefully most of it makes it through truncation) and let me know if they can think of alternatives. This is addressed to the Vice President for the Infiniti Division. Non-public names and prices have been masked.

Dear Mr. McNabb:

I am writing to you in hopes that you can find some solution to a serious issue with my almost-15 month old 2002 Infiniti Q45. My 2002 Q45's problem is the lack of a promised integrated cellular telephone that Infiniti was marketing as an available Q45 upgrade for over a year and was included as a "we owe" provision in my purchase contract. As I'm sure you know, the integrated telephone was supposed work with the 2002 Q45's voice recognition system and built-in LCD monitor.

Mr. ZZZZZZ, of the Infiniti Division, had been working with me on this issue since May 2002 until he left his present position. I have to say how impressed I was with Mr. ZZZZZZ and his attempts to handle this situation, even if all the attempts were unsuccessful. He is certainly a credit to Nissan North America.

I am now working Ms. YYYYYY who seems very willing to help. Unfortunately, no one has yet come up with any solution that is acceptable to the Infiniti Division and my dealer, West Houston Infiniti. My recollection is that I'm the only one, so far, to offer any suggestions about how to solve this problem.

When I purchased the 2002 Q45 I had every intention of buying the integrated telephone since I had previously owned a car with an integrated telephone. The 2002 Q45 met all of my specifications for a new car once I was told that the integrated telephone could be added later. Therefore I was one of your early purchasers of the "new Q". I am regretting that decision more and more with each day.

When Infiniti Division decided to withdraw the 2002 Q45's integrated telephone before it was released, Mr. ZZZZZZ and I began to discuss ways to solve my contractual problem. As I mentioned earlier, I had a written promise of an integrated telephone. We came up with many ideas on how to provide an integrated telephone solution for the 2002 Q45 or an equivalent "value add" to my present Q45. All of those solutions were either not technically possible or rejected by Infiniti/Nissan engineering. In the end, Mr. ZZZZZZ was unable to come up with any concrete offer concerning my present 2002 Q45.

The only solution any of us could come up with was to have me purchase a 2003 Q45, when they become available, with the hope that a Wingcast-enabled integrated telephone would be offered in the new model year. While I am not willing to "reward" the Infiniti Division by buying another Q45 at full price, I was willing to contribute $S,000 towards the new purchase and my present 2002 Q45 as a trade-in. Mr. ZZZZZZ sent me a letter stating that the Infiniti Division was willing to add a $T,000 factory rebate towards the purchase price, bringing the total cash offer to $UU,000.

Obviously, a 2003 Q45 solution would not work without the help of the dealer, West Houston Infiniti. When Mr. ZZZZZZ sent the factory rebate offer letter to me, I sent a registered letter to West Houston Infiniti's general manager and a copy to West Houston Infiniti's owner. I have attached another copy of the registered letter I sent to West Houston Infiniti on June 26, 2002, which was received by them on June 28, 2002. The background and dates for the integrated telephone problem are included in the copy of that letter, so I will not repeat them in this correspondence.

I had hoped the letter would lead towards a settlement of our contractual problem. However, West Houston never responded directly to me. When they did respond, it was through Ms. YYYYYY, verbally. Today's letter was prompted when I learned, through Ms. YYYYYY, that West Houston Infiniti would like me to wait a few more months before they will decide if they are willing to help. That was equivalent to saying "no" to my offer and very disappointing.

It is interesting that West Houston Infiniti would not help since their general manager has already verbally told me they cannot meet the conditions of the purchase contract, due to the Infiniti Division's breaking of your agreement with West Houston Infiniti to provide the integrated telephone. I can't count the number of times before April 2002 that West Houston Infiniti personnel told me not to worry about the integrated phone since it would be available soon.

I want to emphasize that had I known that the Q45's integrated telephone was "vaporware", I would have certainly held-off on my Q45 purchase, if not purchased a Lexus LS430 instead (for which I had already placed a down-payment). My previous automobile, a 1997 Oldsmobile Aurora, was still in good to excellent shape and could have easily continued to function well until the latter part of 2001 and into 2002.

As far as I'm concerned, Infiniti has the right to not offer a product or to spend development money on next year's car model instead of the previous year's commitments. I would then expect the Infiniti Division to settle any problems that are caused by that decision. I am really surprised to found out how poorly a luxury car company like the Infiniti Division and its dealer, West Houston Infiniti, have performed in finding a solution to this issue.

Other luxury car manufacturers have integrated telephones, so I really can't understand why the Infiniti Division has had such a problem with a relatively simple data interface problem. While designing a computer interface takes a lot of time and development money, most of the time is spent designing the interface protocol and timing functions. In the case of the 2002 Q45, I was under the impression from what I read that most of this work had been already completed (see attached press releases).

While you are attempting to find a solution within the Infiniti Division to this contractual problem, I'll try to find some helpful on-line sites to see how other luxury car owners have handled similar situations, if there are any. Hopefully between your work and my public investigations someone can come up with a plan to resolve this issue while I still want to be an Infiniti customer. Your dealer, West Houston Infiniti, may have boxed me into mediation and arbitration as my next step if you cannot find a solution.

The bottom line is that I want what I was promised - a luxury automobile with an integrated telephone. At this point, I also would like to no longer do business with West Houston Infiniti. In addition to their rude lack of response, the last service on my 2002 Q45 only fixed 50% of the request repairs and was a day late. I hope this situation is not typical of the way your other customers are treated.

I look forward to your reply. Please feel free to contact me at any time. With each day that passes, my "frustration leve

carnaught · July 2002

....how do you like the car?

alk3997 · July 2002

Is that under the "besides that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?" category? :-)

There are things I like and some I don't but I'd prefer to wait until I settle my 15-month problem before elaborating further. Obviously my opinion of my dealership is something I really shouldn't comment on at this time.

pbhatti · July 2002

The intergrated telephone was gonna be a part of the Wingcast Telematics package, it was gonna be standard feature on all 2003 Infinitis and all 2002 could gonna be retro-fitted with it. The company that was gonna do this for Nissan was Wingcast. Wingcast was created by Qualcomm and Ford but on June 3, 2002 they decided to close shop with it. This left Nissan without the option of providing the telematics package: phone, Internet, entertainment, navigation and safety services. So this is why you don't have the integrated telephone.

I think Nissan might now go with GM's onStar service.

alk3997 · July 2002

The pieces to the puzzle seem to be a bit more complicated than just the Wingcast debacle. Check the Cellport Systems web site at : http://www.cellport.com/ Unfortunately, there is no non-frames environment, so you'll have to select "News Room" and then "Press Releases".

If you check under October 15, 2001 you should find a very interesting press release, including comments from Infiniti. There is also an April 16, 2002 press release on their list that explains how Cellport Systems is divesting themselves from the auto business.

There is also a piece to this, in early to mid 2001 that involves another major manufacturer.

rms_600 · July 2002

Hello,
What's the lowest drive away price
anyone has paid (or knows about) for
the fully loaded '02 Q (i.e. with
the rear view camera, 18" wheels,
sport suspension, etc.). Sticker was
$60.xK as I recall. A price like 50-51K
for this car would be a steal compared
with, say, a 46K 530i.
Thanks!

pbjb · July 2002

Just purchased 2002 Q45 without a lot of extras for $47,000. Traded in a Lexus LS400. Couldn't see spending extra $8000+ for new LS430. Would have wanted the ride to be more "Lexus like". Maybe it's partially a function of the 17 inch tires vs the 16 inch on the LS430. Like the car very much with the exception of the annoying hesitation on initial acceleration. Service replaced the accelerator pedal..didn't help. Infiniti informed me they have a new "fix" just issued this month to eliminate the hesitation...ITB 02-040. If you're looking for a possible solution ask your service department to perform the above "fix".

alk3997 · August 2002

As of August 6, 2002, Cellport Systems and the Infiniti Division of Nissan North America are discussing how to proceed with the integrated cellphone issue. No decision on whether an integrated phone will be available to 2002 Q45 customers has been made. Once there is something more concrete I will append here.

alk3997 · August 2002

Today (8/8/02), I received an update from the represpresentative of the Infiniti Division who has been handling the customer side of the integrated cellphone issue for the 2002 Q45. The update provided was that Infiniti has decided that there is *no* option to provide an integrated cellphone for the 2002 Q45. No alternative solutions were provided and my dealer has been notified by the Infiniti Division of this decision.
Should their decision change, I will be notified by the Infiniti Division.

My last conversation with Cellport Systems, who made prototype units for Infiniti was on Tuesday (8/6/02). I was told by Cellport that they were ready to manufacture production units once Infiniti gave the go-ahead. Their prototypes adapters, besides responding to the expected Q45 voice commands, even put the Caller ID on the LCD monitor.

Sorry to keep this append strickly to the facts, but that is probably best at this point.

Andy

killer54 · August 2002

In my opinion the reason that Infinity doesn't sell well here is the company itself.

I've owned one, had a terrible experience (although the dealer was very good) with Infinity and their parent company NISSAN Motors.

As witnessed by the posts found herein the company could care less what the buyers needs and desires are (witness the discussion thread about integrated cell phones - hey NISSAN this is 2002, even entry level luxury cars from almost everyone has them!).

This is probably because the company is so disconnected from the foreign markets that they sell into.

Unlike Nissans domestic car division Infiniti local management has no voice or control over the local markets.

That's why Infiniti is infinitely behind Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and even Jaguar in luxury car sales in America. I'll bet that Huyundi will beat out Infiniti in the US luxury car segment in a few years (they only need a car to do it).

Did I mention that Infiniti is a poor investment? Or did I mention that they are the worst car manufacturer I've ever dealt with (I've bought and owned more than 72 cars in 30 years)! Did I mention that they suck?

Based on the post from ALK3997 and his integrated cellphone experience it looks like these aren't isolated incidents. I bought my wifes' car (J30) on the east coast.

Hey ALK3997 get an ambulance chasing attorney to represent you. What you have experienced sounds like something that is called fraud. The legal remedy provides for triple indemnification (3x) in the event of civil court conviction. When you consider loss of consortium, inherent design flaws and other losses you can probably make money (or at the very least have the entire purchase price refunded) on your car.

Good riddance to Infiniti. We'll be Infinitily better off as a result.

zeliforp · August 2002

For someone who is so against Infiniti you sure do post (the same exact message) a lot in Infiniti forums...

iguana7 · August 2002

I don't know how much value I would give to the opinion of someone who "averages" a car change every 4.99 months (...72 cars in 30 years?). It doesn't seem like you could enjoy any car or at least not long enough to determine if it "sucks"! Maybe you just got a bad one...it happens. You even stated the dealer was very good to you so you must have got adequate resolve to your problem-why knock their whole line of cars and say they suck? I'm not an Infinity owner but I do like the unique styling and performance aspects of their line(which is probably some of their downfall for not appealing to the masses). Most who buy cars in the high end luxury price range want all the cars of that company to have the same (sometimes mundane) look so the "status" of owning one of them is immediately recognized by everyone they want to impress. Infinity never followed suit with that from the very beginning. The good thing is that if you buy a used Infiniti you can get a great car for a great deal(though you will still suffer the high costs of maintenance as with any high end luxury car). Peace

fenn · September 2002

I am an early buyer of the new generation Q. My 2002 now has 31000 miles on it. I have not had any problems with the car and have enjoyed the experience. (Thank god I was not wanting an integrated telephone) My only two serious complaints/suggestions would have been for a quicker throttle response on a quick accceleration, and the annoying location of the CD changer-- buried in the glove compartment.

I was pleased to just read that the 2003 version of the Q45 will fix these two issues. Apparently the final drive gearing will be adjusted to allow for more immediate throttle response, and the cassette desk will change positions with the CD changer. This will make a really great car even better. (They will probably get the 0-60 acceleration times down to where they said they wer originally supposed to be too!)

I am always surprised by the complaints that folks have about Infiniti service...It must be highly variable from dealer to dealer. For me, the service has aways been one of the greatest assets. I have owned four Q45's and the service, along with the reliablity, is one of the reasons that I keep coming back.

merc1 · September 2002

Nice site, but try as I might I can't get past the Q's styling.

M

rl3193 · October 2002

I like the car and have decided to get lease a Premium package Q45 probably in Desert Platinum. I have been talking to several dealers and it looks like the best offer I have is as follows: 39 months, 12K miles nothing down for $770/month including tax. Seems like the best I'm going to do. Anyone know anything I don't know? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

rl3193 · October 2002

Does anyone know how often and when Infinity updates the Navigation DVD? Or does anyone know where I might get the info? The dealer didn't seem to know...

ribbonking · October 2002

That looks like a reasonable deal. You can check it on the Infiniti web site with their payment estimator. Looks to me like they are capping the car at invoice or slightly under. Of course this presumes they are using Infiniti Financial Services. Probably are as the rates there seem to be subsidized.

russell30 · January 2003

now that you have owned your jag for a while do youstill like it?

deano67218 · February 2003

I live in Wichita, KS, and I know of one '02 Q45 that was used as a demo that is for sale. I am sure that you could get a great price on it.

houstonmerc · February 2003

I looked at the Q and other cars I may be interested in at the car show recently (Mercedes S, BMW 745, Lexus LS). I think the Q has a lot to offer for the price. I would however like comments on the space in the car. It seemed like the Q had about the same overall legroom as my E320, while the other cars I listed are significantly larger inside. I understand these are all more expensive but it seems the outside dimensions of the Q are nearly the same as the LS and the 745i. I couldn't figure out what the size was going to until I realized the Q's trunk is 25 cubic feet. So am I right in assuming the legroom is relatively small on a car of the Q's size and this is made up for by a huge trunk?

pathdoc · February 2003

As a matter of fact the Q45 trunk is quite small for the class. It is only 13.6 ft.3 according to Edmund's specs. This is much smaller than the Lexus 430 (20 ft.3 without rear a/c). I looked at the Q when it first came out and ruled it out on that basis as well as other considerations. Since I drive an XKR my other vehicle has to have a larger trunk than 13 ft.3.

newcar31 · February 2003

Damn. I watched those night videos and that thing sounds bad [non-permissible content removed]. Nice car.

houstonmerc · February 2003

Thanks pathdoc for correcting me. I don't know where I saw 25 at for the trunk. Yeah that probably nixes the Q from my possible list. I can't figure out how a car that is almost 200 inches long and 73 inches wide has such a small trunk and limited interior space. It sho is purdy tho.

sysadb · February 2003

Houstonmerc, the Q has always lost sales because of trunk room size, but sometimes space is wasted depending on how you want to use it. For example, my 740i has more total space than my old '93 Q45, but I still can't fit 4 golf bags in the 740 without taking out the longer clubs. But I could in the old Q45.

I don't know which generation E-class you have, but the current Q45 has much more interior room than the current E. Front legroom may be similar, but the Q is much wider and has a much roomier rear seat.

smokey19 · March 2003

My 95Q has 138000 and the plastic fan blade has started to fracture, will change as soon as I can locate a dealer with one. Has anyone had a similar experience?

pwas · March 2003

I am considering buying a 90 Q45 with 131000 miles For $3600. (replacing a 90 Acura legend with 110,000 miles in excellent cond.) Accept for the antilock brake light comes on in the morning sometimes. Checked all the repair records at the infiniti dealer and Lots have been replaced and repaired. Transmission at 74k,ac compressor/drier,brake,rotors,calipers, all 4 struts,radiator ,window regulators,timing chain and guides updates,power steering pump,bushings,upper links,waterpump,thermostat at 106k ,upper links.upper and lower radiator hoses.master cylinder at 74k.fuel pump at 38k. Its running fine but the infiniti dealer said it needs the fuel pump replaced because its running on high all the time. The valve cover gaskets are starting to leak on the exhaust manifold. Drive shaft is starting to vibrate a low speeds.I need some opinions and prices for the other repairs needed and whether I should replace my acura with this car. I love the luxury and ride the infiniti has to offer but trying to make a wise decision. will this car give me another 60k without the other problems reacurring? Examples:Major repairs such as(transmission,radiator,waterpump,timing chain)also Im going to get a second opinion on the fuel pump. please feel free to email me with your opinion or info pwas77@yahoo.com ASAP

tmharrell · April 2003

I am new to this discussion group, and own a 97 Q45. I have seen a few posts which question the future of Infiniti, citing the huge debt, ownership by Renault, continued poor sales of some Infiniti cars, huge discounts, etc. Is there some fire associated with this smoke, or is this speculation from car buffs?

merc1 · April 2003

A few years ago that would have been a worthwhile speculation, but now it's pure fantasy. Infiniti is here to stay. The G35 and FX/3545 are seeing to that. Furthermore they have way too much product coming to pull the plug now. The G55 full-size luxury SUV is coming as is the next Nissan Skyline, to be badged as an Infiniti here. There is talk of AWD (sedan) and convertible versions of the G35 too. Trust me Infiniti is on the upswing, unlike ever before in their 13+ years of life.

M

merc1 · April 2003

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=5924&sid=17- 3&n=156

See the "Daily In Depth" article, the 5th from the top.

M

tmharrell · April 2003

Thanks for the web site. This is the type of information I am looking for. I really do not want to give up my Q45, but I do not want to be stuck with a product which the company cannot or does not want to support.

lenscap · April 2003

Infiniti still has a few problems they have yet to conquer:

1. They have yet to be able to sell vehicles in the $50,000+ category. Yes, they are selling many G35s. But they can't give away Q45s (and M45s). Mercedes and BMW have proven they can sell pricey cars, and Lexus has no problem moving LX 470s, LS 430s and SC 430s. If they want to be a true premium brand they must be able to compete at this level.

2. Redesigns. Every Infiniti has either been horribly cheapened during the next generation (original Q45) or dropped altogether (M30, J30, G20 the first time; I35 and QX4 are next).

Unless something changes, Infiniti will be an upscale, import brand of high-quality cars in the middle price ranges. There is nothing wrong with this (although the message gets muddled when a new Maxima is priced the same as the G35). It will be interesting to see what happens to Infiniti in the next 3-5 years - that will truly tell their future. They must not only sell great cars today but they also must keep the momentum going into their next generation of cars.

tmharrell · April 2003

I wanted a luxury car level when I bought the Q45. I eliminated BMW and MB as higher maintenance. I test drove the RL and four Lexus cars, but thought the Q45 the best mix of handling, ride, value, and reliability. I knew Infinitis were not selling, and got a great deal.

I really do not understand why other buyers do not come to the same conclusion. Most people I know, including luxury car owners, do not know much about Infiniti.

I know two Lexus owners who gave up on MB when they were surprised to find the cars expensive to maintain. It seems MB, BMW, and Lexus have many buyers who know really very little about the automobile market place, and are probably buying more for status than for any practical reasons associated with a $50k+ purchase. This may be the population that is not purchasing Infiniti. My sense is that if you were to stop the next 100 shoppers at Lexus dealerships, and ask them to name just one of the three latest models put out by Infiniti in the last year, you might get 98 wrong answers.

Correspondingly, I have met a few Infiniti owners and they seemed very knowledgeable of their cars and the market place in general.

IMO, Infiniti already has the engineering, innovation, and customer service, but they are missing that something - whatever it is - to attract that person who has the money to buy a luxury car, but does not have the time or interest to look at alternatives to MB, BMW, or Lexus. I am glad Infiniti sales are up, but their customers are clearly not there for the great deals on Q45s and M45s.

dgraves1 · April 2003

Are they really giving away M45s? Edmunds True Market Value doesn't reflect much discounting. What are people paying for them?

merc1 · April 2003

I think Infiniti will come around. Their current problem is that they really haven't had a car to speak of until now. The M30, J30, G20 and the previous Q45 (Q41) ruined their chances of competing with Mercedes, BMW and Lexus. They still haven't learned fully yet, the M45 simply doesn't fit their current styling theme. The current Q45 while an interesting car and a better car than it's past iterations suffers from the stigma of the truly dismal previous model. The G35 Sedan/Coupe and FX45 are their best products since the brand's inception. My only issue with Infiniti is their interiors. The G35 line needs work. With the next M45 and fullsize lux-ute (G55) they'll be in better shape. The next Nissan Skyline GTR is due to come here too, as an Infiniti...should be interesting.

M

carnaught · April 2003

IMHO, are that they are "gussied-up" Nissans. (I know others could say the same about Lexus' and Toyotas.) What I mean though, is that from the time you step in the dealership to the delivery experience, to the interiors, and to the servicing, the car is a good notch below my Lexus and Mercedes experience. That is not to say they they do not make a good reliable cars, but definitely in a class below the aformentioned marques. Even now, when I bring my G35 in to the dealer, it reeks of "Nissan", not bad, just not great. There's more to it than just a nicer looking facility; it's the state of mind, I guess. It's one reason besides crappy a/c, I haven't bought a "Q".

(BTW, the whole Lexus "experience", if you will, IS in a different class than that of the Toyota.)

lenscap · April 2003

"IMO, Infiniti already has the engineering, innovation, and customer service, but they are missing that something - whatever it is - to attract that person who has the money to buy a luxury car, but does not have the time or interest to look at alternatives to MB, BMW, or Lexus."

That something missing is a good reputation. Infiniti has done very little right in their short history. From blunders like horrible marketing to non-innovative products to no line continuity, Infiniti has been a case study in what not to do when launching a new car division.

Since they were a brand-new company to begin with, that poor reputation/lack of mind share/ lack of image has stuck with them. The customer service has always been there, but the innovation and engineering have not - those are only recent (except for the original Q45). Anybody can build a great car once. But Infiniti must do this over a period of many years to earn their keep, establish an upscale image and bring in buyers.

ljflx · April 2003

I think your on the right track. The true answer imo is that Infiniti meandered around too much and lost the definition of what it was meant to be. Look at the post above. Someone's friends feared high maintenance costs on MB's and turned to Lexus as an alternative. Lexus positioned itself very well against MB and won plenty of converts or would be MB buyers. Take away Lexus and I'm unquestionably an MB buyer. But Infiniti, which originally sought to do to BMW what Lexus did to MB, simply failed in that strategy and lost direction. Save for the Q, I think it's getting it done now with racy performance oriented cars. But they missed that first strike in 1990 whereas Lexus hit a homerun. The Q seems to still be in that confusion state leaning too much torwards an LS430 alternative. They really need to re-design the Q quickly and make it a 7-series alternative while the 7 has that butt ugly look. They certainly have demonstrated that they can do it. Even if it only sells 12-15k in units it will get the brand that magical attention it needs.

pf01 · April 2003

Finally, after all these years. Now, all Infiniti has to do is to make All-Wheel-Drive an option in Q and put that dual exhaust system in FX45, then everything is perfect.

merc1 · April 2003

All those commercials in late summer of 89' that didn't show a single car didn't help either. Didn't they know Americans have short attention spans, and would probably say "oh well" about ads like that. The M30, J30, G20, and I35 didn't do squat for them either, especially if BMW was really the target. There is no lineage there, none of those models lasted more than one or two generations.

M

tmharrell · April 2003

1. It is interesting to me that in a few years after Renault takes over, Infiniti comes out with two great new cars (and one questionable car). Some industry people said that they always had the engineering and innovation, but needed the focus (and maybe the cash) that Renault is giving them.

2. IMO the Q45 does not compete with MB or BMW anymore. I drove the new Q45 recently, and it is a luxury car, not a performance car. The last Lexus cars I have test driven have all been luxury cars, so it seems to me that the Q45 is a cheaper alternative to the Lexus LS430. MB and BMW have products which appeal to a wide range of people, but I think it would require big changes to the Q45 to compete. And even then, there would be the problem of no long standing name recognition. In some ways, it has the same obscure identity as Acura's RL.

3. I also agree with merc1 that having a history of failed models that eventually get dropped does not help Infiniti's reputation. At this point, the M45 looks like a good candidate for failure. As appealing as the performance data is, I still would not buy one.

atlcarguy · April 2003

I am a 24 year old car nut and I'm currently in the market for my first luxury car. Now I have always wanted a Seville STS , but at the suggestion of a friend I test drove a 1999 Q45T yesterday and really liked the car. It's quiet, It's comfortable, It's rwd, and It only has 30,000 miles on it. But, I was going to purchase a Black 2001 STS with 38,000 miles this week. The Price on the seville is $27,500 and the 99 Q45t(black, sunroof, loaded) is $23,000. The Cadillac has more kick under my right foot and is 2 years newer. I have had a bad experience with Nissan in the past but man that Q45 drove great. Can anybody justify to me buying an older Q45 over the seville? And is $23000 a reasonable price for a Q. Thank you for any response.

Infiniti Q45

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