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Comments
I also have a question. Does anybody know where I can get my hands on the front floor mats of the 1993 J30? If I am not mistaken, the 1993 model year was the only year that the front mats of the J had the name "J30" was imbroidered into the mats, the other years just got the Infiniti symbol.
The only thing you need to be aware of is that at 105K, you are due for a scheduled timing belt change. If you will be driving 70 miles per day 5 days per week, it is only a matter of a few months before you will hit 105K. Keep that in mind as you negotiate your best deal when purchasing, because it will cost somewhere between $700 and $1200 (depending on your dealer's labor rates) to have the 105K service.
As long as you know this in advance and are prepared to cover that expense after a few months, I see no other reason to let the miles scare you away.
Great deals on used cars happen all the time, and best wishes to those who have benefited. I'm willing to bet that the people who are stung with their used "J" deals aren't nearly so likely to broadcast the results here, since it may reflect more on them than the car.
When I went looking for luxury several years later, I found that the used J30's didn't have the high resale value that used Lexus and Acura did, so I was able to get my J30 Cheap.
Speaking for the rest of the world, the reason J30's weren't a hot seller back in the mid 90's when new is that the styling was simply Ahead of Its Time....i addressed this in a previous post a while back. I also noted that a year or two after the J30 was discontinued, other carmakers began to copy it's styling with that sloping rear deck. The new cars are using old J30 styling, which is one reason the J30 continues to look like a new car---the copycats are just now catching up.
That's my two cents---again.
Pardon the tone, but a lot of what I read here is a bit hard to swallow.
The reason I follow your board is that I owned Nissan products for years and years and they were wonderful. I really, really crave two things in an automobile: 1) rear-wheel drive and 2) a manual transmission.
The "J" at least has RWD.
The only thing it does not have that can be easily retrofitted is side air bags. Anything else like HID lights and a nav system can also be had if you really, really want them. And the engine, suprisingly enough, can be modified somewhat because it is the same engine from the 300ZX. But the car is just technologically advanced enough to be easily repaired by your local shop but not so much so that shade-tree mechanics can't fix anything that goes wrong with it. What more could you want?
The reason why I myself did not get one way back in 1993 is because I just turned 13. LOL When you're that age, it's hard to persuade parents on purchases liek that, especially with a father who has only a penchant for American luxury cars. But who does come to advice for now?
Moral of story: if you're not mechanical (I'm not) and you don't own the right tools, sometimes it's better to pay someone else a few bucks cash to save you some headaches.
But anyhoo, what you can do is go to a local mobile elctronics place, one with a good reputation (usually ones with television commercials are your best bet) and see what they can do. Most likely, you can get a custom made fitting for a nav system and replace your current Bose system with a LCD screen and all the trimmings. This part has to be done right or it can become a big ol' eyesore, like I have seen in a few cars. Some cars have stereos that are your basic rectangle which allow for easy installation of those slide-out nav screens and systems, like the ones from Alpine. But the J30 doesn't have that luxury. You can have one installed on the dash which is thankfully free of extraneous bumps, curves, and swoops. It can even be in a little leather-covered pod that is always up or a particularly good installer can build a unit that can come up out of the dash and then flush mount to be hidden.
Now, are you sure you don't want a "clip-on" system? Those can be outfitted tastefully and look really cool in some cases. As a matter of fact, if you got to a good installer, they can do a hideaway system. Some friends and I were discussing just this subject, like where to put nav systems in our cars; one friend just got himself a Mazda Millenia and another has a Blazer. We all agreed the center console of the J would be perfect for a fold-out system; that would be a perfect place because it could be easily viewed by front seat passengers and rear seat passengers. A trunk-mounted DVD changer would allow hold the map DVDs, movies, and music.
But if you really don't want an externally mounted system, you are looking at a custom installation. That's not easy but it can be done. So my advice, if you don't want an externally mounted system, is to go and see a professional in your area. And just in case you don't already know, get references! Externally mounted systems can be purchased just about anywhere. Some sites you might want to check out that offer info, purchase options, and other nav stuff are: www.carnav.com (for an overview and purchase), www.smartmotorist.com/nav/nav.htm, www.mobile-audio.net, and www.autonav2000.com. All these sites will help familiarize you with different systems and how they all work.
The HICAS on the 93-94 J30 isn't exactly cheap to fix either. But it's still less than repairing stability systems on a Q45 or E320.
Like I have said in the XG300 post, we live in a society that has been slowly, subconciously taught that immediate disposal is the absolute way. Heaven forbid we keep something, even a car, more than few years before we are buying a new one because the old one just isn't "new enough" to hold our fancy. And God help us if that thing breaks . . . instead of repairing it, we often find ourselves tossing it out happily just to feed our "need" to consume and aquire more and "better" material things.
Sorry to get all philisohphical. Whew! The point is the J30 is a solidly built automobile and it happens to still capture hearts and attention today like it did in 1993. The only way my J is parting from me is if it blows up, hover cars become commonplace, or gasoline powered vehicles are outlawed. And in the event of the latter two occurences, I'll still just sit in my J with a custom CD and pretend it was 2001. LMAO! LOLOLOL
Simple question. What are the differences between the J30t and J30? I've read many different things and know this group can help. Thanks.
The J30t gets a slightly stiffer suspension for sportier handling, BBS wheels, a spoiler and that's about it. Most of us regular posters here have a J30t.
The 1993-1994 J30s got a stability option called HICAS, which was derived from Nissan race cars and developed for several Nissan luxury and non-luxury offerings. I have a post in this section just a few posts that thoroughly explains how HICAS works and also how to do a self-diagnosis on it.
Y'all, did I miss anything in the differences?
The rear wheel moves a little bit over 22mph. The benefit of this is razor sharp lane changes when you're driving.
Try this...take a corner at under 22 mph, then take one over 25mph...you'll notice the sharpness in which the J30t handles.
LSC, does not 4-wheel steering, 4WD, or AWD provide stability even though none of them are intrinsically stability options? I would think so.
Last night I noticed that both rear tires are almost completely bald just after 12000 miles!
The front tires look almost new. The rear tires are worn evenly but just about gone! Does anyone have any idea why the rear tires would wear out so fast? The car handles beautifully and does not pull in either direction at all.
I'd like to weigh-in on the pipes issue. You can go to a professional service and have them split (and tastefully chromed) for a small amount. I even heard that since the engines on it and the 300ZX are so closely related, mod chips and some other horsepower goodies from the 300ZX may work in the engine of the J. I mean, that does make sense. I'm gonna really look into.
I'll look into finding some websites for ya, Cart.
I liked the rear sunshade - very cool, literally.
I liked the one-touch open and close sunroof. But, the switch was a complete rip-off of the switch from a 93 Altima - plus, only one cheapy map light.
At first I liked the one-touch up and down front windows, until I realized that it was impossible to lower or raise a window halfway.
The radio has a horrible button layout, looks cheap, and sounds like crap. It relies only on the window-printed antenna, instead of the diversity antenna in a J.
The AC is very loud, it's very hard to find the right button for the AC; even turning it on and off is tricky.
I liked the fold-down rear seat, and I liked the extra room in the car.
I liked the way the driver's seat moved back when you turned off the ignition, but I could never get the memory seat to function. Plus, no power lumbar. Just the same crummy knob from an Altima.
Overall, I thought the car looked somewhat "cheap" compared to a J - not nearly as luxurious. But, when I say cheap, I still mean a far cry from any of the boring stuff put out by Lexus or Acura.
Something I did like though - the power. The car was noticeably faster than a J. But you know what, I have come to notice something about my J. I often drive it slow, because I love being in it so much. It's like sitting in the best seat in the house. I drove the I30 fast, because I really didn't enjoy being in it that much.
While I was waiting for them to bring my car around, a salesman was pitching the new Q45 to me. Pretty on the outside, but a big old disaster on the inside. Am I the only one who thinks that a TV screen on a dash looks darn-right silly, as it sends no air of elegance? It's the same reason why I don't want my TV set as the centerpiece of my living room. There's a reason why I like my J cars simplicity. It is very elegant, inviting, and everything is right where it needs to be. The Q's dash would look more appropriate in any of Boeing's products.
Until Infiniti can show me a car(front or rear drive) that can stand up to a J car's luxury and simplicity, then the J stays.
Brad Cook
1.) Headlamp Relay - one or both headlights will come in and out due to a bad head lamp relay. I paid $25 for the part and fixed myself. Easy!
2.) Door lock timer - doors will lock by themselves usually when the door is closed. This is caused by the short delay in the door lock timer. A new one can be purchased for $60 and replaced in about 15 minutes.
3.) Bose CD Player - Displays "CD-err" when a CD is inserted. Problem is most predominant in the hot weather. The CD laser needs to be replaced and can be sent in to be repaired for approx. $125.
4.) Window Binds (slow) on it's way up - Need to replace the window regulator. This is a common problem on Nissan vehicles (Nissan makes Infiniti if anyone didn't know). The regulator has plastic teeth and over time they break or wear down. Replace these ASAP or the window motors will burn out. Regulators cost about $70, but if you burn out the motor you will pay $300 for regulator and motor!
5.) Sunroof not working or weak - needs new motor.
Mechanical...
1.) In some parts of the country the J30 has injector problems due to the formula of the gasoline. Smell for gasoline under hood.
2.) Many people also have problems starting in the cold. This is sometimes because of unburned fuel in the combustion chamber. What happens is in the cold, the ECU (engine control unit) tells the injectors to feed more fuel to engine to increase idle. If the car is started and ran for a short period of time (5 min or so) there is still unburned fuel in the combustion chamber. Then the next time you got to start the ECU again tells the injectors to give extra fuel and the engine floods.
3.) Transmission - Two main things kill the transmission in the J30, overheating and the transmission cooler.
a.) On snow and ice, it is easy to spin the rear wheels excessively if there are no snow tires and/or sandbags in the trunk. This excessive spinning of the wheels overheats the transmission and warps the clutches. Over time this will this is very harsh on the transmission.
b.) The factory fin type cooler which is integrated into the radiator catches debris form the transmission. This debris clogs the factory cooler and restricts the flow of the transmission fluid and will damage planetary gear set. If transmission fluid is changed regularly (pan drop, fluid flush and screen replaced) this is less likely to happen.
It is highly recommended to install aftermarket transmission cooler for this reason.
To test transmission for slip:
1.)Apply emergency brake and hold brake pedal to the floor.
2.) Place gear selector in Drive
3.) Slowly press accelerator to the floor
The rpm's holding around 2000-2300 is a good thing. If the rpm's shoot up then the transmission is slipping. There is also a self-diagnostic mode that can be run. The procedure is outlined in the factory service manual that SHOULD be located in a pocket in the trunk on the drives side. Consult the AT section (pg. AT-37 in 1994 model) and follow steps. There are also some other tests outlined in this manual.
These are some of the things to look for on this particular vehicle. Do not be intimidated by the things listed above because the J30 is a very reliable vehicle, especially if it has been well maintained. Also, the items listed above are not problems on EVERY J30 and previous owner(s) may have already fixed some of the problems. As always, previous owner maintenance history is important. Try to acquire as much knowledge as you can as to any maintenance or repairs that have been done. The dealer at which the vehicle was serviced will have the history. Good luck on buying your J30 and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.
William Moore
If I wanted a sporty sedan, I would have bought a different car. But I doubt I could have found one which had as much emphasis on luxury inside.
Ironically, my rear passenger window just decided to go eat itself yesterday. It makes a horrid ratcheting sound when it reaches the top of its track. Our 91 Maxima also had the "window regulator" nightmare. I think we replaced 3 of them. Oh well, thank goodness Infiniti has a long basic warranty, because I'm getting the best of it.
Brad