Infiniti I30/I35

krishna__j

Picked up a 2001 Titanium/Sage I30L with heated seats, traction control and mud flaps two days ago from Motor Werks in Barrington (Chicago area). Excellent service. Car is quiet and drives great. Can feel the road bumps more than I did on the test drive. Can't wait to get over the 1000 mi. break in so that I can put it through its paces. Dealer recommended a paint/interior protection package for $500. Comes with a 5-yr warranty. Any opinions on this?.


-Krishnaj

mmcbride1

Those 'packages' are pure dealer profit (less whatever minimal costs they have). I have the exact same combo you do. I love it.

sanchezm

Would like to know how much did the I30Touring cost you out the door price from JMInfiniti?

rkon01

Jon:

I have the same car and picked it up a week ago. Awesome !!! This car just purrrrs.

maneesh1

I've reached 1k miles on my 2001 i30t and want to change the oil to Mobil Synthetic. Has anyone done the same? I was told it's good to change the oil before the 3.5k miles so that small metal pieces and other residue is removed.

TIA.

jbadams

I did that on my 2000 Maxima (same engine) with no problems. I really don't think you will have any small metal pieces with the way engines are built today... and any small pieces would be caught by the filter. However, I think it is important to use the best oil possible as soon as possible. Once your rings have fully seated (noted by checking oil usage during break-in), switch.

wraith5

Krishna,

What was your end price at Motor Werks? I've been talking to them, but they gave me the impression that they weren't willing to move much on price. I'm looking for the same package you got, plus the Xenon headlights.

BTW, listen to mmcbride1 - say no to the protection package.

Thanx bunches.

djrunner

I have 2000 I30L that has around 3400 miles on it. From the drivers seat I can hear wind noise coming from the rear passenger door. Has anyone else had this problem?

krishna__j

My price may not help you since my company has a business associate agreement with Nissan. I got the car for (Invoice - 3.58% + 2.5 %), i.e., net is slightly under invoice. However, a lot of companies seem to have this deal. I would look into it at your workplace. The sales guy told me that without the agreement, I might have gotten about $1000 off MSRP.

Thanks to mmcbride1 and wraith5 for advice on the interior/exterior package. I was skeptical too, but the dealer was very low pressure and did not try to push anything else like rust protection, underbody coating, etc. I've decided to say no.

The car is awesome. Everything is silky smooth. I can't get the smaller compartment under the console open though. It opened easily on the test drive. I am going back next week to get wheel locks installed. I'll let them have a look at it.

Happy driving

-Krishnaj

motorhead6

Your earlier comment about your I30L mentioned feeling road bumps more than in test ride. I suggest that you check your tire pressures. Cars are often shipped with very high pressures. I bought a 93 Probe GT brand new. It rode very hard and I found that the tire pressures varied from 48 psi to well over 50 psi! I reset them to 32 psi and ride improved greatly.

ax135

I read about not changing to synthetic oil on a new engine until after a certain mileage. Check the Nissan Maxima section...

maneesh1

Thanks for the tip. I knew there was something about mileage but did not know what. I'll check the Maxima section.

redskin24

make sure the doors and windows shut completely. if that dont work, check and see if you have deformed weather stripping or something. dealer should be able to correct the noise if you cant under warranty

rgist

Hello everyone I am very interested in a 2001 Infiniti I30t. Last week I went to the closest Infiniti dealer in my area Infiniti of Greenville. Inside the dealership I notice a 2001 I30t in Midnight blue with beige leather. I fell in love. I really would like to know what you guys think of your new Infinitis. I want one so bad. What's your favorite colors, options, best deals, likes, dislikes, etc. I really really want the Titanium or Royal Ruby. Thanks in advance.

redskin24

Midnite blue sounds like a great color. In my opinion, if i were buying a car with leather seats and keeping the car for more than 3 years, i would opt for darker leather seats than the neutral or sage. Neutral gets dirty very easily, sage isnt too bad. My dad drives a 2000 Millenium Jade/Sage I30L. We like the quietness of the car, but miss something that we had the five previous years, which was V8 power. If i were shopping in this price range, my money would go to the Aurora or the BMW 328i. The 328i is a litlle small though.

plina

Midnight blue is a great color but you couldn't pay me to get one.
The reason for this is that you will have to wash the car every other day.I had a midnight blue Honda Accord and the car was dirty a couple hours after washing it. I do not need this headache and to be honest I'm always on top of my car,but dark colors are a pain. Now I own a 2000 I30T titanium with black interior and is great the car looks clean even when is dirty,this color is saving me around $15 a week,and it looks awesome check it out.

patricia9

My Lease is up Jan 01- This time I plan to buy
my I30t- titanium- presently I have pepple beige-
Light colors are less work. I had a black
Maxium...car wash every other day.
Can anyone recommend dealer in NYC area??

bushky1

Wraith5--

I got a really good price - $27,500 for I-30L with mud flaps and moon roof- at Grubbs Infinity in Dallas, Tx. I mentioned it on this board and my salesman, Pete Hankins, mentioned that he had some inquiries from Michigan and elsewhere. He arranged to sell a car there, and would also transport it to Michigan, cheaper than the buyer had other offers for!

My entire experience, unlike Scarlett's, was great! I had also seen Crest Infinity's advertised price, but Grubb's never charged me anything more than the $27,500 and TTL!

I would definitely recommend them. For email to Pete try phankins@grubbs.com . Good luck!

bushky1

Keep plugging Scarlett! I live in Dallas, and also saw Crest's great price on I-30Ls. I went to Sewell first though on LBJ and they were awful! Rude and arrogant! I wound up calling Grubbs Infinity first, and am really glad I did. Especially after hearing about your nightmare. Sewell did mention that they Would Not give loaner cars for minor service or oil change work. When I mentioned that at Grubbs, they just laughed. Make an appointment and drive our loaner away. Come back when you need to pick yours up again.

Sorry to hear about your experience, but if you can get to south side of DFW airport, Grubbs has been great so far.

P.S. By the way, $27,500 is not unreasonably cheap for this car! Not with so many internet car buying services getting that price for so many of us. Ask for Pete Hankins (phankins@grubbs.com)if you need any help. Maybe he could point you in the right direction. They helped me when I was having trouble with Sewell, I'm sure they would do the same for you. Especially since they'll get you as a customer next time!

bushky1

I think Scarlett is correct when she says she got taken. If I agree on a price, I don't expect to go to the showroom and find them adding pin striping and tinting and then charging me for it. I also don't expect them to take my trade-in, my credit union check, my time, and then at the last second say "Whoops! On top of the extra $500 for pinstriping and tinting, we need another $1000!" If the mistake were done the other way, would they have issued a refund? I would bet my life they would never have given her back her money. And by the way, the price Scarlett got was advertised by another dealer for two months after she bought, and then lowered to $26,999 for two weeks. So I don't think its out of line.

There is more to car profit than just sales price. There's holdback, service work, warranty repair, resale profits, continuing customer profits on subsequent purchases, referals from customers resulting in the whole chain starting over again. And as for your point about not wanting to piss customers off in a "High End" business, don't make me laugh! Car sales didn't get their reputation my honesty and fairness. They earned it theft by theft, cheat by cheat, and trick by trick! Only recently have car sales become somewhat normalized. By that I mean, like a store, go in, see a price, buy it! Saturn was formed as a result of GM realizing how much people hated the "old way". Autonation and the internet buying services are jumping on the bandwagon now.

redskin24

dark colors are a pain in the keester. i drive a black car, and it gets dusty within a day or two. and every single little scratch shows up. my dad had a black aurora and that was a pain too. black with tan leather is not a good combination. both get dirty very easily. heck, if theres dew on your car overnight it needs to be washed again. then in the winter... thats a whole other story. he went with a tan aurora the second time around... couldnt tell when it was dirty. now he has Millenium Jade, which i guess is somewhat of a medium. anyways, silver/titanium is a good color though, we had a silver/titanium Grand Cherokee, and when it was new, that paint sparkled. it looked great. so anyway ive said too much.

motorhead6

Info for I30 owners with the Traction Control System. I had a bit of a scare last week in my 2K I-30t when pulling out of a store driveway in the rain. I saw traffic coming toward me, but figured that I could easily get out in front of them. Because of the wet road the tires started to slip and the TCS kicked in. I suddenly had almost no acceleration and had to pull onto the shoulder to avoid being hit. The TCS was doing its job by killing the power when the wheels spin -- just what it is supposed to do. Next time I'll remember to turn off the TCS before trying to outrun traffic in the wet. I suggest that others with TCS be aware of this potential hazard.

mhammy84

I ran into a similar situatoin today with TCS and wet roads. I was driving my 3.2TL and the roads were wet today, and i was about to pull into the intersection. A whole bunch of cars were approaching, and i decided i could beat them out...so i pulled into the intersection. However, unlike the above poster, my car did NOT lose power to the wheels. I did feel a jerk because of the wet pavement, but i was able to enter the intersection with enough power. I wonder why your car [above] lost so much power for such an extended period of time. Were you constantly accelerating hard? Were your wheels constantly spinning as if you were on ice?

One last question...my '97 I30t has a "limited slip differential." How does this perform in relation to traction control (since my I30t is NOT equipped with TCS or any other traction control acronym). Is this good for snow driving?

rlolney

Hi Folks!

I'm about a week away from buying a new 2001 I30T
fully loaded. The only option I'm having
difficulty deciding is the Navigation System. I'd
like to get any feedback from owners with the Nav
System and how they like/dislike it. Also, I'd
like to hear from those owners who opted against
it
and why.....

I understand from articles I've read, etc. that
Navigation Systems will be standard, common place
items on cars within the next couple of years.


Thanks!


Richard (San Ramon, CA)

canadiancl

just transfers power to the other driving wheel if one wheel starts to slip. So if you're driving in snow I don't think limited slip would help much since both wheels would have the same traction (or lack of). Traction control is much more sophisticated as the system would actually try to modulate the driving wheels to the threshold of wheelspin by a combination of cutting power and applying the brakes. Sort of like reverse ABS.

deyan

Hi all, very interested in getting a 2k1 i30L. And I think you experts can answer a few questions for me. First, after test driving the car (with AC on), I found condensation on an aluminum tube leading into the AC unit. This is normal, but I just wonder why Nissan decided to put this tube right next to the engine vs. putting it at the bottom like most other cars. My concern is water from condensation could possibly drip to washers and gaskets below and cause swelling, not to mention the potential risk of corrosion of metal parts. Second, I haven't driven the car in the rain, how are the wind shield wipers? Are they quiet? I drove a 2000 Max before in the rain, and the wipers had a big rumbling sound as they move across the windshield. Third, last year Infiniti was giving out freebies like Bose radios and travel packages for the purchase of new i30s, has anyone seen any freebies in recent deals? Fourth, the sales guy said the resale value of these new I30 should hold up much better than those models in the 90s, should I believe him? Part of my current indecision is the TL resale value is much better. Thanks for your inputs.

maneesh1

Hi Folks,

My 2001 I30t w/ TC has 1,300 miles on it. I notice that it hesitates to go from 1st gear to 2nd. However, if I floor the pedal (engine becomes very noisy) you can not feel the hesitation. But under normal acceleration, you can feel it. Other cars I've owned including a 96 i30 did not do this.

Any thoughts?

canadiancl

Sounds like it may be a problem with the transmission control module. Apparently was a common problem with the 2000 Maxima and I30. Lots of members talked about it earlier in the Maxima topic.

trupti_sanjay

Maneesh,
I have 2000 I30L and I noticed same problem. After
some research I found that the transmission control module (TCM) was defective. There is a Nissan service bulletin out there.

Details of TSB are:
Classification: AT00-003
Refrence: NTB00-039
Issued on: May 1, 2000

Affected part no 31036-3Y101

Contact your dealer and have them replace TCM.
It makes a difference.....

if dealer is unable to find TSB (Umm..)and you need a copy of TCB email me at enterprise1@aol.com...I think I have it....

Sanjay

hslilly

Silver/with black interior. Car is sweet.
Its a tight ride, better than the Avalon XLS, youll hear the 17" wheels. Seats arnt as nice as the Volvo s60. But it has better/great Headroom. Its not lightning quick but its ok for a six. Nav. system should be a touch screen but I like it.
Not too much cheesy sim. wood as in TL.

gsparker

I'm currently shopping for a 2001 I30. This car is quite a step-up for me so I'm looking at a "no-option" I30, although I kept the sunroof. MSRP including destination is $29,990 and invoice is $27,460. After I mentioned the CarsDirect quote I received of $28,800, my local dealer quoted me the following:

$28,500 + tax (3% NC sale), title ($55) and
doc fee ($395)

How negotiable is this doc fee? Past posts seem to indicate this dealer is a little high. Is this a fair market price for a 2001 I30L? The Edmunds TMV was around $28,460 (including dest. fee)

Thanks in advance for any pricing guidance!

csmlo

which one would you prefer? i have 2 car seats and i want the luxury ride i also need a nice size trunk which the avalon has , all i see on these boards is problems wih vibrations on the i30 the avalon is trouble free, any suggestions i would appreciate it thank you

mmcbride1

As long as you don't mind the looks of the Avalon (my wife and I couldn't get past the looks), it's a great car. You won't go wrong with either one. Just go drive them both and pick the one you like best.

hulkster2

I just purchased a 2001 I30 Luxury Titanium/Sage Interior. Got a great deal through CarsDirect.com for 27,584. That should answer about half of the posts about color and price. The color combination is beautiful! Price is about $100 over invoice of 27,460 (including destination).
The car has a whole 384 mile on it so it is not even broken in yet. I have not even punched the accelerator and have disciplined myself not to do so until at least a 1,000 miles. I test drove a few of these cars and know what they are capable of. This is my first new car and I am going to do it right.
Well, here are are a few minor gripes:
1. The transmission is fairly smooth but not as smooth as I remember from the test drives. It feels a bit jumpy. Revs up hard in first and then drops to second noticably. This happens when overdrive is on and when it is off. By the way, as with all Nissan's, the documentation is unclear about whether we should drive around all the time in overdrive? It is definitely jumpy at low speeds (10-15 mph) so I try to drive with it off in stop and go traffic. I wonder if I am just being too critical or if there is really a problem? I remember punching the accelerator on my test drives and the car did drop a bit hard on the tranny but this seemed normal. Regular acceleration seemed smoother on my test drives. Could this be the Transmission control unit I had read about?
2. Most everyone has commented on how quiet the car is. Overall this is true but I do notice a few loud pops in the cabin when hitting a bump or tear in the road. I don't think there is any car where you don't hear a crack or pop sometime in the car, yet I wonder if it is the non unibody dash board that is to blame? The plastic center console, without the nav system is hollow. Does not seem as sturdy as the rest of the dash. Has anyone else experience this type of noise?
3. The Bose stereo sounds great for the most part, though I was dissapointed when listening to songs with deep base that the sub woofer rattles the interior! Maybe this is unavoidable with such a deep base. I don't have anything to compare it to. I do remember listening to the 230 watt Nakamichi in the Lexus which has a similar rear subwoofer design. I don't recall any rattle on the interior? Who else has experienced this?

Again, I am happy overall with my purchase. It is a good car. Will probably keep it for 3 or 4 years.

Please respond directly to my email address as I don't want to have to search 200 posts.
My email is homemail@flashcom.net

Thank you for your time.

hulkster2

I just purchased a 2001 I30 Luxury Titanium/Sage Interior. Got a great deal through CarsDirect.com for 27,584. That should answer about half of the posts about color and price. The color combination is beautiful! Price is about $100 over invoice of 27,460 (including destination).
The car has a whole 384 mile on it so it is not even broken in yet. I have not even punched the accelerator and have disciplined myself not to do so until at least a 1,000 miles. I test drove a few of these cars and know what they are capable of. This is my first new car and I am going to do it right.
Well, here are are a few minor gripes:
1. The transmission is fairly smooth but not as smooth as I remember from the test drives. It feels a bit jumpy. Revs up hard in first and then drops to second noticably. This happens when overdrive is on and when it is off. By the way, as with all Nissan's, the documentation is unclear about whether we should drive around all the time in overdrive? It is definitely jumpy at low speeds (10-15 mph) so I try to drive with it off in stop and go traffic. I wonder if I am just being too critical or if there is really a problem? I remember punching the accelerator on my test drives and the car did drop a bit hard on the tranny but this seemed normal. Regular acceleration seemed smoother on my test drives. Could this be the Transmission control unit I had read about?
2. Most everyone has commented on how quiet the car is. Overall this is true but I do notice a few loud pops in the cabin when hitting a bump or tear in the road. I don't think there is any car where you don't hear a crack or pop sometime in the car, yet I wonder if it is the non unibody dash board that is to blame? The plastic center console, without the nav system is hollow. Does not seem as sturdy as the rest of the dash. Has anyone else experience this type of noise?
3. The Bose stereo sounds great for the most part, though I was dissapointed when listening to songs with deep base that the sub woofer rattles the interior! Maybe this is unavoidable with such a deep base. I don't have anything to compare it to. I do remember listening to the 230 watt Nakamichi in the Lexus which has a similar rear subwoofer design. I don't recall any rattle on the interior? Who else has experienced this?

Again, I am happy overall with my purchase. It is a good car. Will probably keep it for 3 or 4 years.

Please respond directly to my email address as I don't want to have to search 200 posts.
My email is homemail@flashcom.net

Thank you for your time.

pizan72

I looking into a 2001 I30 and I wanted to see if anyone has had had any experience with the Infinity dealers in the eastern PA area. There is Main Line Infinity, Willow Grove Infinity, Holman Infinity and one in northern DE that I don't remember the name of. Any input on your experiences at these places would be great.

humble_rex

Oh the mighty one!!!
Oh the man (should I say god) with no time.
Oh the wise one expecting someone to send you an email to you to solve YOUR problem as YOU do not have time....

I have only one suggestion for you....
All three problems you have mentioned have a simple fix....
BUT you and only you have to go through all 4 parts of I30 board to find it.....

I apologize for this email...but then I am not the wise one...may be I should spend some of my time to find the answers to your problem....

--Just Humble Rex

csmlo

i went to my infiniti dealer last night he gave me a great price on a 39 month lease 453 for i30 489 for i30t i then went back to the toyota dealer and they are willing to go donw on price as well im not crazy about the look but the inside is so much roomier and comfortable and so quiet and i really like it i was looking at the jeep grand cherokke as well since i have 2 kids in car seats and going away for the weeknd is a hassle with a car anyone have any input on the jeep grand cherokee or i30 or avalon? you can email me at csmlo@aol.com i really dont no which one to choose thanks in advance

redskin24

was the period on your keyboard broken?

my opinion is that the avalon is bigger, therefore would be better if you have two kids. but do you want them trashing your nice interior? i would go for the grand cherokee, we had a 98 with the straight 6 engine and it drove great. i think the V8 is louder and more rough riding. plus you get a lot of cargo room for weekend trips.

csmlo

i took the jeep for a test drive, and my wife sat in the back to see how it would feel. It was very very small and the cargo room was nce but not that much of a difference. in the avalon i was able to sit very comfortably and the jeep was so so, i dont usually go away for weeknds etc but it is an advantage. My leasing co. is also telling me that i'll get sick of the drive on the jeep and i wont of the avalon, he said if i have 2 cars and one's a jeep i would like it.
we're the comma's and periods ok?

sascuderi

Anyone notice the press release from JDPowers that Infiniti is #3 in long term quality? Lexus #1 and Porsche #2

motorhead6

We need to have a speling leson on this here colum. Then we'l mov on to punkuation.

hulkster2

“Humble Rex”? What a misnomer that name is. Maybe “Arrogant Rex” is a better fit? How about “Obtuse Rex?” Am I impolite or somehow rude in asking people to share their thoughts with me directly? Is that so offensive to you that you felt it necessary to write such a completely worthless message? Yes, indeed maybe you should spend more time in addressing my questions about the Infiniti I30 than coming up with such moronic witticisms! My concerns I posted were valid and I had hoped to find some valid responses. Unfortunately, your reply does not fit into that category. Well, “Homer Rex,” you have succeeded in wasting my time—and yes, it is valuable to me, but apparently your time is of no value, or you would not waste it so frivolously. When you have something intelligent to say, please let me know. Oh, and would please respond directly to my email address. Smile.

humble_rex

Well Hulkster...this is your friend Homer Rex..I liked your comeback..Smile...anyway lets talk about the actual problems and waste my time posting things for you....

1) Car being jumpy: You should have your dealer check out the TCM (transmission control module). A TSB (technical service bull) was issued by Nissan in May 2000. if you scroll couple of messages up you might find the TSB number etc. There was a good discussion on Maxima board about TSB and a guy there was emailing the TSB. I got mine changed in 2K I30 and the sluggishness is gone.

2) Again I will point you to Maxima board. Your problem appear to be same as some folks on Maxima board

3) I tried the max bass setting in my I30. I did not notice any uncalled for vibrations.

Hope this helps.

Humble Rex.

redskin24

i have noticed this with certain cd's.

csmlo>>>> i thought the Jeep was great, however ours was a 98, not an 01. at points i liked driving that better than my dads Aurora. From my experience though i would have to say the Straight-6 is better, the V8 seemed rough and like a late 80's Blazer. which did you drive, the Straight 6 or the V8?

hulkster2

Well, “humble Rex,” you have redeemed your rightful status of being called Humble. To glean from a great American Classic, Casablanca, “Humble Rex, this may be the start of a beautiful friendship.” Thanks for your thoughtful reply in the wake of my rash retaliation. I am glad we can get back to business. I do remember reading posts about the TCM being defective on the Maximas and even some of the I30’s. My dilemma is that I am not sure if I am just being over critical? I recall the test drives I took where one of the sales guy said, “you can’t even feel the shift on these things.” Typical sales line I thought, but on some of the cars I drove, he was right. On others I felt it. Without exception, anytime I punched the gas there was a significant drop down in shifting and noticable jump. I don't believe this can be avoided. I actually test-drove the I30 at four different dealerships prior to buying it. This was in between driving some competing cars, Lexus, etc.
Anyway, the car I just purchased just seems a bit jumpy, or at least inconsistent. Sometimes it is very smooth, other times there seems to be a delay between first and second where the car really winds up and drops into second kind of hard. Sometimes this happens between second and third as well. I have been pretty consistent in my acceleration and again, have not flattened the gas pedal as I am well under 1,000 miles (engine break in point). The other thing I notice is when I am cruising, I sometimes will have to let off the gas if say for instance, someone in front slows down. I don’t always have to hit the breaks and then when I go to speed-up I can feel the car do a little skip. It is almost like the car is grabbing the transmission again (not a mechanic, so don’t know how else to explain it). Shift shock I suppose? I do know that a 98 Altima I had did this as well. I drive in overdrive at most all times unless I am going really slow, say under twenty. So, are these the similar problems you experienced and what you meant by getting rid of the sluggishness? Thanks again for allowing me to waste your time.

harmar

Why do some find it necessary and/or amusing to respond by flaming? Perhaps posts should be held in cyberpurgatory till we have time to engage our brains and respond with civility? Car matters are mere "carbuncles," not life shattering. Calm down and appreciate the help available here. Sooner or later, we're all going to need some assistance.

Dave

Well, I've had my 2000 titanium I30t since July, put on about 3800 miles, and everything is wonderful! No problems, great ride, stereo is awesome! When checking the 2001 Audi A4 sedan for my wife, found that the standard Audi stereo system could not begin to compare with the Infiniti Bose system, and was extremely cramped. I guess I'm getting spoiled. My first service visit to the dealer was like being a VIP... a 2001 I30t (also titanium)was waiting for me to borrow till my car was serviced. So far, I'm very impressed with the car, its performance, and the dealer's service!

redskin24

3800 miles since july! lucky you. my dad has had his since March, and he is about to turn over 18,000 miles!

w2p2

I am looking at a I30T and a Mercedse C320. I really like both cars. The C320 is 10 thousand more, but the resale value is greater I believe. I tend to keep cars 8-10 years. I have never owned either. Right now I drive a Cressida Toyota. I went and drove the Avalon and it wasn't roomy enough for my 6'2" 260 lbs. The I30 and the C320 were.
I'd like to know how Infinity cars hold up. Anyone here really think that its a "Bad Car?"
Thanks,
w2p2