Was thinking of buying the Extended Warranty for my car (factory one of course). I know the price is very high...was wondering if I can bargain the price on this warranty, or is it a set price (like paying for a service visit...obviously cant bargain that price, unfortunately!). Thanks!
Can anyone shed some light on Transm. problems? I think there was a Nissan Service Bulletin, no. NTB0038a, which addressed the problem. Has anybody had their Transm. repaired? I notice a slight slippage 1-2 at near or full throttle in my 2000t and it feels odd at times, specially in parking lots, etc. This sedan is great to drive. Thanks, David C.
Well, the 2000 I30t's I test-drove at the beginning of last year did not have the new TCM, and you can read about my disappointing experience if you scroll up to my last mail.
The 2001 I30t I test-drove (and the different one that I ended up purchasing) had a build-date that was later than what was listed in the TSB, which means that it had the new TCM already in it. The difference was very noticeable. Last year when I test-drove it felt as if the tranny was searching for 2nd gear and then "dropped" into it very roughly. I remember the dealer and I looking at each other with "what the Hell was that" expressions.
The transition between 1st and 2nd on my 2001 is very smooth; no "hunting for gears".
Since we're talking about tenths-of-a-second here, which is only noticeable on paper to most people, I really think that the new TCM brings the 0-60 time of the I30 back to the 7-something range. I mean, the "gear hunting" between 1st and 2nd, even if it only lasted for 1/2 or 3/4 of a second, still would have had an effect on the 0-60 time. I am suprised that Nissan/Infiniti wasn't more proactive about advertising this, but as a downside that would have meant swallowing a larger cost for wide-spread replacement of botched TCMs in I30s that were built before May or June of last year.
According to some other posters on this thread, some Infiniti and Nissan dealers are NOT FRIENDLY when customers approach them about switching out TCM's in 2000 I30's.
Can anyone shed some light on Transm. problems? I think there was a Nissan Service Bulletin, no. NTB0038a, which addressed the problem. Has anybody had their Transm. repaired? I notice a slight slippage 1-2 at near or full throttle in my 2000t and it feels odd at times, specially in parking lots, etc. This sedan is great to drive. Thanks, David C.
I have a 2000 I30t with the delayed shift problem. I took to my local dealer this past Monday and had a tech drive the car to duplicate the problem. They kept the car all day and did nothing to it. Said it was normal for the 2000. They said they would talk with Infinite Tech Line and call me back if they found out anything else. I did not hear from them.... imagine that..... so I printed off the service bulletin ITB00028 for the infiniti and the service bulletin for the maxima and printed post from this msg board (msg#48, #457 #182 #474 #363) and took them to the tech and service manager the next day to show them that it was a problem and had been corrected at other dealerships. After more research they found that my vin# was outside of the range for the bulletin, but they are ordering my parts and are to fix on monday 03/12. Will let you know how it goes.
To jothomas63: I heard that exact same response from my dealer when I took my car for the 1st to 2nd gear problem. "Car is within the normal range". My car also fell outside the VIN's that have the problem. There is one big exception, my dealer said sorry have a good day and refused to fix it. Please let us know after the fix, and any change you notice.
To those of you with 2000 I30's that were built before May of last year who are interested in the Technical Service Bulletin regarding transmission issues:
Summary: VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE JNKCA31A1T015622 MAY EXHIBIT SLOW OR DELAYED SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR OR FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR (PARTICULARLY AT ONE-HALF THROTTLE OR GREATER APPLICATION). *TT
It apparently didn't affect all cars.
I hope this helps someone. If your dealer won't work with you even after you give them the exact TSB number, threaten to complain about them to Infiniti directly. The dealer doesn't swallow the cost of the TCM switchout; Nissan does.
Also, it will probably help your argument if you can get the dealer/service rep to be in your car so he/she can experience the shifting abnormality first-hand.
My wife really likes the styling of the I30 but I prefer the rear wheel drive and handling of the Lincoln LS. I would like to hear from those who considered both as to why you chose the I30. I would also appreciate an opinion if I should await the higher HP I30.
Thank you for your opinions as I will expect to purchase a car within the next 3 weeks, unless waiting is a good idea.
I posted a question regarding gas earlier. Here's the way I see it. If you put premium gas in the car from day one, your car will want premium gas all the time and it will ping when you serve it regular. It's almost like feeding a dog, give the dog your scraps, cookies, and treats too often, and it will not eat regular dog food. (Maybe that wasn't a very good analogy.)
I've used 87 octane in my I30 from it's third fill-up in January (bought the car at the end of last year), then tried premium again last week. I do notice a performance gain with the premium. As for the mileage, only a slight difference, less than a mile per gallon difference. I don't hear pinging when I use regular (87 octane rated) gas, and the manual says that it's alright.
I purchased my car in December of last year and it does seem that I had to repair my I30L according to TSB# ITB00028A. See post 447. The repair work they'd done to fix my problem matched the repairs documented in the TSB.
My vehicle was a new I30 which was not within the VIN range in the TSB, but because the sensors triggered the Service Engine Soon light, the dealer fixed it for free, with a loaner.
I personally don't believe that all the new 2001 I30s are fixed.
I too was torn between the two but had some serious concerns over the build quality on the LS when reading the town hall comments over several months. Although the enthusiasts loved the car, I am interested in long term reliability and when reading the posts and consumer reports I could not bring myself to accept the problems that seem to continue. Perhaps as Lincoln manages to get some of the bugs out, I may take another look when I am ready to buy again. The strong points on the I30 were the strong engine, excellent Bose sound system, interior and the fit and finish on the Infiniti. It should be noted that the I30 runs about $5,000 to $6,000 cheaper for a comparable model. Limited roominess ruled out several other competitors as I am 6'5" and could not sit up straight in the Acura TL or Lexus ES300. Anyway, I went with the I30 which is to arrive this week. I believe I will be happy with my decision.
as of now I am just going to sit back and wait until it needs service again. My big annoyance is that the service manager identified the problem and ordered our parts, but when we brought it in again i guess my father had to prove the problem again. According to them, no problem, were not fixing it, see ya later.
Picked up my 2000 I30t last night after having the CM replaced under the service bulletin (although IN# was outside of range). Wow, what a difference it made. Normal shifts are farmer and the delayed shift from 1st-2nd is much better. Still a little soft for my taste.. but it's a luxury car not a Hot Rod. Overall the trans feels much smoother and more solid. The tech stated in the paperwork that the original TCM was sending incorrect information for shift points. I would highly recommend having this work done if you are experiencing the delayed shifting problem. Good Luck!
I went to see my dealer regarding the replacement of my TCM on my 2000 I30 Touring which I purchased on 3/31/01. I handed them a copy of the TCM bulletin and they said the car would be done within 24 hours.
I received a call today indicating metal scraps were found during the TCM inspection and therefore Infiniti will be replacing my transmission. So after 8,000 miles and 11 months, I am glad I decided to have the TCM checked out.
In regard to post 669: I assume you mean you purchased your car in 3/31/00. I purchased my 2000 I30 in 10/99. According to the TSB for TCM problem, my car was not affected, based on the VIN number. When I brought my car to the dealer, they would not touch it since they felt the delayed shift was within "normal" guidelines. Plus they pointed out the TSB and the VIN range. So they said good-bye.
Hearing posts such as 669, just shows that the TCM issue was NOT resolved by 3/31/00, and probably affects a good percentage of 2000 I30's. Somehow Infiniti reasoned that it did not.
* There is $400 incentive on MY01 I30 for IFS/Debis/Chase leases.
* Please note that 2000 & 2001 Q45/I30/QX4 sales are eligible for the "Winter Owner Loyalty Program" at $1000 per unit, and 2000 & 2001 G20 sales are eligible for "Winter Owner Loyalty Program" at $500 per unit if qualifies.
Correct, my I30 was purchased on 3/31/00, not 2001. The dealership was very helpful and did not question the TCM issue. They have even provided me with a brand new 2001 I30 as a loaner car while they replace the transmission.
I would hate to think the guys at the dealership would have to change the entire tranny! Once when I had my 95 max, I took it in to Nissan to have the tranny fluid changed. They couldn't even do that right, they didnt put the clamp on correctly and all the fluid leaked out when I came home!
Good luck with the new tranny, give us an update when it is done
I just saw an Infiniti I30L invoice. Everything matched the Edmunds invoice price except there was an additional $400 with a heading of "MA". The salesman said this was a "Marketing Fee" that was on every invoice. What's up with that? Is that a true cost to the dealer or just BS? He offered the car for $300 over invoice (once I showed him the CarsDirect price), but that's using *his* invoice - and includes the "Marketing Fee".
You should be able to buy the car either at invoice, or a few hundred below invoice. They have a real oversupply of I30'S and the current economic outlook will not move these cars any faster. I was just offered a base I30 for selling price of 26,500 and expect with a few weeks I will be able to look at purchasing for 26,00O, which is about 3,500 below sticker
I am in the market for a 2001 I30 Luxury and am trying to find more information on the traction control option. The web site and literature gives little information. The Toyota Avalon has a skid control system which control engine speed and brakes certain wheels independent of each other. Is the I30 similar?
Here is my 2001 I30 Luxury, Tiatanium Silver deal. MSRP was $30,100, invoice $27.8. My best offer was $27k. I then applied my $1000 Infinti loyalty discount, for sales price of $26k. I am happy for sure. Any thoughts?
I have this option on my car and I don't think it works the same as the way you described the Avalon's Skid Control System. I believe it only activates upon acceleration, and it controls engine speed to the wheels when accelerating. When the wheels are slipping during acceleration, there is a "Slip" light that flashes on the dashboard. When the car senses wheel slippage, it slows the acceleration down in that wheel to control and improve acceleration. Since the vehicle is a front wheel drive vehicle, this affects the front two wheels. This description is what I remember reading in the manual. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I've used it in icy weather and it helped me a bit. I've never noticed the slippage at other times, but I don't accelerate aggresively either. I can see how it might help in the rain and snow too, but not during deceleration. The ABS helps during braking, and I believe each wheel acts independently of the others.
TCS can be toggled on and off using a switch to the right of the steering column. It is on by default when the car is turned on. A light shows TCS Off when it is switched off. Under certain conditions, TCS should be turned off. I remember one instance being while travelling on gravel, where the loose gravel will hinder the traction control during acceleration.
Hi, Just purchased an I30...have two questions concerning wheel locks and the CD. My I30 did not come with wheel locks...should I have the wheel locks installed...if so, by who - dealer, local autoshop or do it myself?
Second question - manual said that playing a CD-R or CD-Rw will malfunction the cd player. Is this true...I hope not since I have tons of mp3's loaded on my CDs.
I also have (literally hundreds) of mp3's that I have burned onto CDR's, and have been playing them without incident in my 01 I30.
I have never heard of CDR's or CDRW's breaking an audio CD player, although I have experienced times where audio CD players wouldn't play CDR's and CDRW's. (And CDR's adhere to the same Red Book format as audio CDs, go figure...)
what options if any did you get on your car???Was 27k price plus destination??and what did you trade in to get infiniti loyalty rebate???if you walked with 26k destination included you did very well
Purchased wheel locks at dealer $28 easy enough to install yourself..locks are available thru mail from buffalo,ny but you must pay ups etc and price is same as dealer.. I guess they protect the dealers from customers buying direct at a cheaper price
The only option was mud guards. Everything else is standard. Did not get 6 disc CD. MSRP was $30.1, negotiated down to $27, then $1k loyalty and I am down to $26k including destination. Did not trade Infiniti. I owned an Infiniti J30 several years ago and was eligible for the loyalty $$$.
Has anyone installed a wood dash kit in their 2000-2001 I30? I have considered the idea several times, but would prefer to see a photo of the results first.
I own and 1999 I 30T purchased new in October 2000. It is a wonderful car with the smoothest transmission I have driven to date and has a great ride with its sports suspension. It is a drivers car from my perspective. I have 190hp engine and it serves me well. I also have a Lincoln LS V8. Though I now suffer slightly from post-purchase dissonance as a result of the recent GU article on the reliability of the car, I can safely report to you that I love this car as well. I got a great deal MSRP $39,230 paid $31,296. It has a moon roof and advance-trac options as well as the sport package. I like driving both cars. I feel that the LS communicates a slightly higher level of luxury internally and externally. The I 30 will get a little better gas mileage. (28 max to 24 max) The LS has a number of standard items that are absent on my model of the I 30T such as seat memory, heated mirrors, 6 disc CD changer, heated windshield wipers, media controls on the steering wheel and a nice message center. I am concerned with the reports of some problems with the LS, but most are on options I don't have like heated seats. The select shift is fun in the LS and I don't have a similar shift in the I 30T. If I were to pick the most reliable car it would be the I 30T since I have not had a squawk in the year and a half I have owned it. I have only owned the LS since December 15, 2000. It is a great car. I must admit the Bose 200 watt radio in the I 30T is absolutely superior in quality to Lincoln's radio. Good luck!
I was just offered a 2001 I30 Titanium Silver with Graphite interior, without the sunroof, which I never use anyway, for $26,000 selling price, less $1000 loyalty discount, for a bottom line of $25,000. I was going to lease this car, but now am thinking at such a fair price might just purchase it. The 1998 I30T (manual) I just turned in from my lease had a selling price of $30,500 almost 4 years ago. Not bad, in my opinion
One thing to remember: Even though you don't care if you have a sunroof, 99% of the people looking for used I30's will want it. I suspect the $1,000 or so you save by not getting the sunroof will cost you much more than that when it comes time to sell in 3-4 years. Can you get one with the sunroof for the extra $1k or so? If you can, that's the way I would go.
I installed a dash kit I bought from http://www.exoticwooddash.com. They were offering free shipping. I paid $210. Easy enough to install yourself. However, I suggest you purchase some additional rubbing alcohol to clean the dash. Keep the alcohol away from the vynl. I stained mine but got rid off it using Amour all.
The dash looks great... Will post some pictures as soon as I take them.
What does Infiniti require to prove prior Infiniti ownership? For the $1000 rebate, I would like to purchase my neighbor's Q45 and sell it back to him for the same price. Do they require formal documentation? Registration?
I don't know about Infiniti, but my buddy just got a new Saab and they made him show them his registration to prove he owned a Saab to get the loyalty discount.
It depends on what you want. IMO, the Acura is a bit sportier, the Infiniti is a bit more luxurious. We went with the I30 for my wife because she's more interested in the luxury side.
I'd get a 525i before either one, but it's big $$ more (new vs. new).
Let me tell you something. New 2001 525 starts at 35K, witch is not so much if you compare with I30, but you get a BMW! And if you compare the quallity, is not much!
Has anyone had the experience of installing a CD changer for a 2000 Infiniti I30? From what I understand it has to go in the trunk. I appreciate any info. Thanks.
Hi, I am working on buying an Infinite I30, I have the invoice and it is $30,670 dealer cost. I have added after market gold package, wood package, and pinstripe package. That cost the dealer $520. So the dealer price is $31,190. I am at a buying price of $31,500. Is this a good deal or does anyone know if I can do better. The Suggested price is $35240. I am getting the Navigation, heated seats package, and traction control. I would appreciate any input on this, thanks.
MSRP vs. MSRP, there is about a $5-6k difference in I30L vs. 525i, but then you need to include options on the Bimmer. You're looking at close to $40k for the Bimmer vs. under $30k for an I30L OTD. $8-10k is big $$ in my book, esp. when looking at $30k cars.
But like I said, money no object, I'd still go for the Bimmer.
I don't think you'll be able to find a BMW 5-series "similary equipped" for 35k _anywhere_. The advertisements for Bimmers in that price range are literally "stripped". You can maybe get a decently equipped 528 for 40k, but the 528 is known as a "slug" by BMW enthusiasts and non-enthuasiasts alike. You are pretty much paying for the BMW propeller on your hood.
This board is filled with folks who are bragging about how much below invoice they ended up paying for their I30/Acura/Lincoln. When it comes to BMW, "there ain't no bargainin'". As a BMW dealer once told me, "If you don't want to buy this car from me at MSRP today, someone else will tomorrow".
That having been said: If money were no option, screw BMW; I'd get a Benz or an Aston Martin DB7. :-) When it comes to "head turning" I've seen more folks look at a new I30t with nice aftermarket wheels than an overhyped 5-series. (Well, not an M5). But of course where I live BMWs are literally a dime-a-dozen.
Comments
The 2001 I30t I test-drove (and the different one that I ended up purchasing) had a build-date that was later than what was listed in the TSB, which means that it had the new TCM already in it. The difference was very noticeable. Last year when I test-drove it felt as if the tranny was searching for 2nd gear and then "dropped" into it very roughly. I remember the dealer and I looking at each other with "what the Hell was that" expressions.
The transition between 1st and 2nd on my 2001 is very smooth; no "hunting for gears".
Since we're talking about tenths-of-a-second here, which is only noticeable on paper to most people, I really think that the new TCM brings the 0-60 time of the I30 back to the 7-something range. I mean, the "gear hunting" between 1st and 2nd, even if it only lasted for 1/2 or 3/4 of a second, still would have had an effect on the 0-60 time. I am suprised that Nissan/Infiniti wasn't more proactive about advertising this, but as a downside that would have meant swallowing a larger cost for wide-spread replacement of botched TCMs in I30s that were built before May or June of last year.
According to some other posters on this thread, some Infiniti and Nissan dealers are NOT FRIENDLY when customers approach them about switching out TCM's in 2000 I30's.
I heard that exact same response from my dealer when I took my car for the 1st to 2nd gear problem. "Car is within the normal range". My car also fell outside the VIN's that have the problem. There is one big exception, my dealer said sorry have a good day and refused to fix it. Please let us know after the fix, and any change you notice.
Thanks.
From http://www.nhtsa.org/cars/problems/tsb/:
Service Bulletin Number: ITB00028A
Bulletin Sequence Number: 159
Date of Bulletin: 0012
NHTSA Item Number: SB615939
Make: INFINITI
Model: I30
Year: 2000
Component: POWER TRAIN:TRANSMISSION:AUTOMATIC
Summary: VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE JNKCA31A1T015622 MAY EXHIBIT SLOW OR DELAYED SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR OR FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR (PARTICULARLY AT ONE-HALF THROTTLE OR GREATER APPLICATION). *TT
It apparently didn't affect all cars.
I hope this helps someone. If your dealer won't work with you even after you give them the exact TSB number, threaten to complain about them to Infiniti directly. The dealer doesn't swallow the cost of the TCM switchout; Nissan does.
Also, it will probably help your argument if you can get the dealer/service rep to be in your car so he/she can experience the shifting abnormality first-hand.
Thank you for your opinions as I will expect to purchase a car within the next 3 weeks, unless waiting is a good idea.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1536952
George
I've used 87 octane in my I30 from it's third fill-up in January (bought the car at the end of last year), then tried premium again last week. I do notice a performance gain with the premium. As for the mileage, only a slight difference, less than a mile per gallon difference. I don't hear pinging when I use regular (87 octane rated) gas, and the manual says that it's alright.
My vehicle was a new I30 which was not within the VIN range in the TSB, but because the sensors triggered the Service Engine Soon light, the dealer fixed it for free, with a loaner.
I personally don't believe that all the new 2001 I30s are fixed.
Good Luck!
I received a call today indicating metal scraps were found during the TCM inspection and therefore Infiniti will be replacing my transmission. So after 8,000 miles and 11 months, I am glad I decided to have the TCM checked out.
I assume you mean you purchased your car in 3/31/00. I purchased my 2000 I30 in 10/99. According to the TSB for TCM problem, my car was not affected, based on the VIN number. When I brought my car to the dealer, they would not touch it since they felt the delayed shift was within "normal" guidelines. Plus they pointed out the TSB and the VIN range. So they said good-bye.
Hearing posts such as 669, just shows that the TCM issue was NOT resolved by 3/31/00, and probably affects a good percentage of 2000 I30's. Somehow Infiniti reasoned that it did not.
Q45: $7,000
I30: $400
G20: $1,500
QX4: $750(APR)
* There is $400 incentive on MY01 I30 for IFS/Debis/Chase leases.
* Please note that 2000 & 2001 Q45/I30/QX4 sales are eligible for the "Winter Owner Loyalty Program" at $1000 per unit, and 2000 & 2001 G20 sales are eligible for "Winter Owner Loyalty Program" at $500 per unit if qualifies.
Taken from www.insidenissan.com corporate site.
I would hate to think the guys at the dealership would have to change the entire tranny! Once when I had my 95 max, I took it in to Nissan to have the tranny fluid changed. They couldn't even do that right, they didnt put the clamp on correctly and all the fluid leaked out when I came home!
Good luck with the new tranny, give us an update when it is done
STEVE
I've used it in icy weather and it helped me a bit. I've never noticed the slippage at other times, but I don't accelerate aggresively either. I can see how it might help in the rain and snow too, but not during deceleration. The ABS helps during braking, and I believe each wheel acts independently of the others.
TCS can be toggled on and off using a switch to the right of the steering column. It is on by default when the car is turned on. A light shows TCS Off when it is switched off. Under certain conditions, TCS should be turned off. I remember one instance being while travelling on gravel, where the loose gravel will hinder the traction control during acceleration.
Just purchased an I30...have two questions concerning wheel locks and the CD. My I30 did not come with wheel locks...should I have the wheel locks installed...if so, by who - dealer, local autoshop or do it myself?
Second question - manual said that playing a CD-R or CD-Rw will malfunction the cd player. Is this true...I hope not since I have tons of mp3's loaded on my CDs.
Thanks!
I also have (literally hundreds) of mp3's that I have burned onto CDR's, and have been playing them without incident in my 01 I30.
I have never heard of CDR's or CDRW's breaking an audio CD player, although I have experienced times where audio CD players wouldn't play CDR's and CDRW's. (And CDR's adhere to the same Red Book format as audio CDs, go figure...)
The dash looks great... Will post some pictures as soon as I take them.
Maneesh
What about BMW 525?
I'd get a 525i before either one, but it's big $$ more (new vs. new).
They're pretty neck-and-neck. I think it boils down to a matter of taste.
But like I said, money no object, I'd still go for the Bimmer.
This board is filled with folks who are bragging about how much below invoice they ended up paying for their I30/Acura/Lincoln. When it comes to BMW, "there ain't no bargainin'". As a BMW dealer once told me, "If you don't want to buy this car from me at MSRP today, someone else will tomorrow".
That having been said: If money were no option, screw BMW; I'd get a Benz or an Aston Martin DB7. :-) When it comes to "head turning" I've seen more folks look at a new I30t with nice aftermarket wheels than an overhyped 5-series. (Well, not an M5). But of course where I live BMWs are literally a dime-a-dozen.