Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

stanny1

Have a 2003 45 bought in June 2003. Mileage seems to have dropped somewhat but here in SoCal your car can ping on Premium.It's a imaginary 91 octane at more than $2.50 a gallon.

What's wierd is that my gas guage shows 7/8 full when the tank is totally topped.

tidester

What's wierd is that my gas guage shows 7/8 full when the tank is totally topped.

 

Does it remain there? Most gas gauges I've seen take a while to register full after I've topped off.

 

tidester, host

fromtherough

For those that looked at both and purchased, if you had to do it again, would you get the increased power of the 45, or save some money with the 35? The 35 seems like it may have enough, but there are some good deals on used 45s out there (I'd likely be buying used in any case, or a left-over 2004).

fromtherough

I know that there were suspension changes made in '04? If I'm buying used, is it worth it to get the '04, even if there is a good deal on an '03?

dante

I bought an '04 FX 35 loaded. I test drove the FX 45 and, yes, the acceleration is blistering, particularly in lower gears (I think that is because of its greater torque?). But, the FX 35 also has excellent acceleration (280 HP! out of a V6!). I think it is more than plenty unless you need a towing vehicle, in which case I would get the V8 or want the V8 for bragging rights and don't mind spending the difference in price to get it. Otherwise, the FX 35 flies...

 

Jon B.

naz88

well i didnt have the brakes resurfaced. i instead took them to a brake specialist who would check them out for free. they are warped. i have a Eddie B expd and havent had an issue with it for 54000 miles. i going back to driving that and selling the 45. i'm dissapointed

clpurnell

Sorry to hear that. You are the first case of warped rotors I have seen, It was common on the G's but not so on the FX. Talk to the service manager at Infiniti as this seems like more of a defect they may split the cost with you to keep you as a customer.

jazz6

I have a FX35 W/Tech pkge., Chrome Wheels. Love it, But I drove a Supra before this car. And drove the Supra before that last. I think it's great! The only problem I have is things keep sliding off the seats when I turn or have to stop on a dime. What a car, just wish I could say the same about the service Departments. Lack Of...

Jazz6

hunt1

Hey guys, to your knowledge, are dealerships able to take off more on the price if the buyer is able to pay for the car up front, all at once? if so what, how much could be expected?

darthveda

Hey guys, currently looking to buy the fx35 with the tech and touring pkg. I've gotten a few quotes in the high 37k. Is that a good price? if not what price should I really bargain for?

clpurnell

Hunt,

 

There is actually no cash discount. It actually costs the dealership more to sell to you cash as they loose out on Financing incentives.

 

Veda,

 

If that is for a new FX35 (04 I am assuming) That is a very good price.

 

Got the new tires installed this morning and must say they ride very nice. It is actually a smoother ride than the goodyears and as it was raining today the wet traction was as good as the goodyears. Again I went with Cooper Zeon XST the price for all four mounted with road hazard and 8.25% tax out the door was $808.

clpurnell

While My car was up on the lift with the tires off I checked my brake pads and must say my pads have at least 50% left if not more. I am very impressed should get about 60k off these brakes.

sopecreek

From what I've heard, you pay lower price if you finance through the dealer with their interest rate (usually high). If you have the cash, you might want to buy it at low price with the dealer financing and then pay off the loan ASAP assuming there is no prepayment penalty.

jpa300

Does anyone know if anyone makes tube bumpers for the fx. I live in NY and no ones knows how to drive and they check distances while parking by bumping into the back and front of your car. I want to dent their cars and not mine. A friend of mine said he saw the tube bumpers on an fx but I have not been able to find them. They make aftermarket steel tube protective bumpers for every other suv out there...even the murano, but how about the fx.

If anyone knows a web site or where to get these I would appreciate it. My only other hope is to buy a trailer hitch with a huge ball so they dent their cars when they touch mine.

 

Thanks

pentimentos

We have a 2004 FX35, that will be a year old in Feb. I've noticed folks complaining that they only get hot air with the fresh air intake on, climate control off...oddly, we've never noticed that. However, we have noticed that if one wishes to recirculate the air, instead of having fresh air (like when you encounter stinky skunk smell..or stinky exhaust from other cars) there is no way to do so without the A/C kicking on. The manual does not mention this specifically, and I'm wondering, is this just our car...or, is this normal..and why?

 

Also, at not quite 10K miles, we are hearing a brake squeak as we back out in the morning. I saw another post about this, saying that Infiniti is aware of the issue...but nothing since. Any additional news on this?

 

Last but not least, we LOVE this car. It is the greatest car we have ever owned..and blows away our last car..a Mercedes. This is definitly a keeper!

stanny1

There are not alot of nits to pick on the FX, but somebody screwed up on the lack of fresh outside air. With the A/C off and just the two lights on the top left on, air must come through the hot engine compartment and around the battery area to come into the cabin.

Two things wrong here. One is the hot air and Second, I hope the battery never sulfates or otherwise lets off toxic fumes (I guess hydrogen is OK)??

This engineering goof makes the FX a very A/C dependent car, which wastes energy when cool outside air is sufficient.

I can only surmise that this was done to direct ouside air through the microfilter. And so I assume that all the intake air for the A/C is hot to start with, which must do loads for A/C efficiency!

My solution is to turn off the system entirely and open the windows and/or sunroof.

The real solution is to rig up a flexible hose going from the battery compartment to the front of the car. And make that an insulated hose.

Maybe I could make a retrofit kit and sell...

quattro

Does anyone know how to link the seat memory to a remote key? There is a little smart tip note in the car that says you can do that and asks you to refer to the manual but I can't find it in there. I have a FX35 with tech package. Thanks.

dklanecky

From memory (no pun intended) I believe the procedure is:

 

With the car running and it in park, push and hold the MEM seat button until it flashes, then press and hold the memory button (1 or 2) that you want to memorize, when it flashes, press the lock (might be unlock?) button on the key fob you want to register to the memory seat postion (1 or 2).

Gischpel

dklanecky is correct on the procedure and it is the Unlock button on the key fob.

 

I find I have better luck adjusting and setting things when I do it without the car running, but with the key in the ignition and turned to the first "click"... just before all the dash lights come on.

p05

I am looking at purchasing a FX35 but am not thrilled bout the gas mileage or the premium fuel recommendation. Id like to know if anyone is running 87 octane as the dealer says I can, and or what highway gas mileage they are seeing.

Thanks

buster6

I have ran my 04 on 87 octane since new (with 20k) miles. I am getting an average of 18 to 19 miles to the gallon depending on how much city vs. highway miles there are on the tank. It runs just fine on the lower octane.

clpurnell

I started on 93 but when gas prices went silly I went to 87 and haven't looked back. Pre cold weather i was averaging 18.1 in my typical Houston commute 23 miles oneway mostly congested interstate. The last month or so I have been running around 17.3 mpg on the same commute. I haven't took it on a road trip since I switched to 87 but on my last signifigant trip it was about 22 mpg at an avg speed of about 75 mph.

 

You will lose some power however as a bunch of FX owners here in Houston got together and did some instrumented testing of the FXes. The ones running 93 ran .2-.4 seconds quicker the the one running 87.

 

Also my numbers are for a RWD FX not AWD. I have 29k miles on mine.

texasfx35

I agree with the comments made so far. If the cost of fuel is critical to you, it is important to remember that for every 1 mph over 65 mph you drive, you will lose about 2% in mpg. I routinely drive the posted 65 mph from the Houston suburbs into the city (50 mi) and get 25-26 mpg. If I drive this trip at 75 mph, I get there maybe 2 or 3 minutes earlier, but get 22-23 mpg. If you do the math, the premium you pay for 93 octane, considering the overall cost of operation, is just not very significant unless you drive fairly fast and for a lot of miles/year (35K+). Anything over 12K miles/year and the depreciation on your car far outweighs fuel cost.

Gischpel

I get just under 19 mpg with either 93 or 87 octane. That's a mix of city and highway in 2003 FX35 AWD.

carbug

Well as I look though the comments back to '04, I could not find any comments about the ride of the fx. 45 vs. 35? 20 in. tires to 18 in.. We love the body styling and the overall look of the fx but it is sooo... bumpy. Maybe I am not used to the type of ride but is it not jerky and bumpy to you all? We have a offer given to us for 42,359, with tech,sport,dvd all the options but in a 35 and '05. The only thing it does not have is chrome wheels. We have to decide by the end of the month....they have to make all sales!! We love everything about the vehicle but the ride!!! Talk us into the Infiniti!! I must tell you that it's between the fx or the Acura RL. Don't wonder why it just has come between these 2 vehicle's. We already have a Sequoia.

dante

Test drive an FX 35 without the Sport Package and see if that ride is better for you. In all honesty, I probably should not have gotten the Sport Package as our roads are not great in Chicago and the ride is very harsh. On the other hand, when the rode is good, the handling of the car is superb and almost makes up for the harshness. I still love the car but on those bad roads I sometimes wish I had a softer suspension. Otherwise, the car rocks, sticks to the road, etc... Jon B.

Gischpel

I bought a set of 18" Nissan Murano wheels and tires and installed them on my 03 FX35 for the winter.

 

To see what they look like, go here...

  

http://www.geocities.com/tlschade/Index.htm

 

I put the 20" wheels and tires up on a shelf until the warm weather returns.

stever

Nic pics (glad to see you got the url stuff working).

 

Steve, Host

Gischpel

Thanks Steve. It took me a few tries to get it right. I shouldn't have been trying it at 1am.

quattro

Thanks for the quick reply, dklanecky and Gischpel. The procedures you posted worked. Happy New Year.

ffb13

the handling with the sports package is significant better than with regular tires .........having driven both.

 

with the sports tires you do get more fun whereas the stock tires make the car feel just like any other car.

 

but,the difference is in fact minute.

 

 on my way home there is an elevated off ramp with an acute left turn and the fx 35 will stay approx. (you do the math )80 % with my 86 vette conv.which pulls 1 g.

my speed at the apex with the vette maxes out at 68 mph ,not comfortably. 61 mph is comfortable.

 

the fx ?---comfortable at 56,very comfortable.

could maybe take it to 60,but the car , fx , is just too high and it may give no warning and just suddenly break away ,so have not tried it. but ,think it will easily do the 60 with no problem.

 

so,the old problem for those of you concerned about a harsh ride...........

traditionally,such a car ,with sport ,tight suspensions , are fun FUN.... but on a long trip,they punish....

 

the compromise ,and so far the best,are the new generation of german cars .they have always provided the best of both worlds...........but lately,they are just not reliable.specially bmw.

 

the new 5 series is like driving a computer.

and,the mb is like driving any generic car.

i think that infinity is slowly moving in into where bmw used to be.

 

now if someone will put out a luxury ,sports car handling 4 seater with zero computer assisted driving and great suspension moves like the old bemmers used to have ,and zero computers elsewhere,they may have a winner........maybe the new m45 ? ( too many computers ?).

 

the RL that someone mentioned ,i drove it,and it feels like a honda accord,and the inside is a honda accord.i would rather buy the honda ,is more pure. and,at 50 g 's ,offers little value as compared to say lexus ls 430 that could be had for 56 g's and is better put together exuding quality all over.

handling not as great as the rl,but close with no gimmicks.

dante

Hi, that was useful as, of course, you are right. With the Sport Package the car handles like it is on rails. I had the chance yesterday to drive my 2004 FX 35 (with the Sport Package) quickly through a series of tight turns on a steep hill (for Chicago) and it was a lot of fun. The car exhibited no lean and stuck to the road. My wife got thrown from side to side a bit but as I also own a Mazda Miata she is used to that on this drive.

 

I just wish that the FX had an adjustable suspension "button". When the road is good, like on I-94, the car's suspension is great, but when the road is bad, like on Sheridan Road, it is really way too harsh.

 

Anyone ever taken an FX into a shop and had the Sport Suspension switched out for something more "middle of the road"?

 

Grazie, Jon B.

divack05

please let me know if you were able to fit the 275/45/20. I read that those kind of tires would not fit on the factory wheels (they are only 8 inches wide). I have the same problem with my fx, i can not find these tires, and i don't want to pay way to much for them. I forget who told me that the fx is the only currently produced car that uses 265/50/20 tires. Any info would be very helpful.

cyrus

I have been Running my 2004 FX/35 AWD on the 87 octane for the last 4000 miles (current odometer reads 5800 miles). I consistently obtain approximately 19.9 to 20.3 miles per gallon (with occasional Full throttle acceleration, but mostly gentle driving). Nonetheless, when it was warmer (late summer-early fall) I used to get 20.6 to 21.7 miles per gallon - with very gentle driving and mostly on the highway.

clpurnell

Divack,

 

I did indeed fit the 275/45/20's on the stock rims and have been very pleased with them. They actually have improved the ride also which I wouldn't think would happen since the sidewall is even shorter but it has. I would either try the Falkens on the Cooper Zeon's in the 275/45/20 you will give up the V speed rating but I try to keep it under 120 mph any way

larry montan

I'm having 2 problems in snow with my '04 FX35.

 

1. One inche snow build-up across the entire back-end of the car. Covers all the lights. People driving behind me say they cannot see my brake lights. Ihave 20 inch wheels; factory installed mud-flaps. This appears to be a design flaw

2. Wheel wells become impacted with snow as do wheel rims. Car rattles and becomes unstable at 40 mph. Its so bad the steering wheel vibrates violently; and my teeth chatter.

 

Suggestions?

ferrari99

Lower the tirepressure to about 30. I have a FX45 and at that level it handles the bumps alot better than 32-35psi.

stever

This thread may help with the snow in your wheel wells:

 

ballistic, "Subaru XT Turbo Forester" #3737, 27 Feb 2004 8:03 am

 

Maybe a good clay and wax on the back-end would help the snow slide off a bit?

 

Steve, Host

darthveda

Hi, has anyone been able to hook up an ipod to their infiniti fx35

if so could you please let me know how?

thanks

kris007

I am using Griffin Technologies iTrip to beam it to the radio.

HTH,

KriS.

darthveda

Thanks Kris007

 

HOwever do you know or does anyone else know of a direct line in?

thanks

kflanary

If you have the DVD, you can connect it directly to the auxilary plugs.

clpurnell

There is also on two other forums a way to use the IPOD directly with the FX. Even if you do not have the tech package there is a harness in the back of the center console (true of '03 and 04 don't know about 05) where the DVD would be. People have been able to succesfully splice this harness and have the IPOD play through the direct connection. If you are uncomfortable doing it yourself if you can find the directions in this other forum any decent autoshop should be able to do it. The only bad part is that most need an inline amplifier as the volume is pretty low.

punjabi_sahib

hi guys... i have an ipod and use it all my cars with a very simple device...u know the portable cd player adopters (looks like a tape)that hook up to your car using the tape player and have a wire sticking out the end of them and that wire plugs right into the ipod(or any device in that case) and costs about 5-10 bux but the direct line you can go to a specialty shop and the put a ipod doc in the car. charges and plays at the same time...dunno the price but guessing that it'll cost you couple hundred $$$

stevefx45

I have a 2004 FX 45 and just drove it in the snow for the first time. The traction was "OK" but the 20" wheels with the 265 mm wide tires tend to float and not grip.Steering and braking are not fun! No one seems to make a 20" winter tire -tirerack.com directed me to an 18 inch wheel/tire combo but they only have alloys (no inexpensive steel version) in this size so I am looking at $1500.

 

If I spend the $$ I am wondering if the tire presure sensors will cause problems sicne they'll be disconnected. My dealer's service manager said he "Didn't know of a problem" but I'd like more of a firm answer before I sepnd big bucks. I am also going to get a quote from the dealer for an OEM 18" winter wheel/tire package (assume it'll be set up for sensors) but the service manager told me it was a fortune but he did not know the actual price.

stevefx45

I HAVE THE fx 45 ALSO AND MAY GET 18" WINTER WHEELS AND TIRES. Did you have the tech package with the tire pressure sensors and, if so, did you do anything specila about the sensors?

 

Steve

stevefx45

I tets drove teh 35 and 45 with 18's and 20's. Bought the 45 which come swith 20's, The ride is frim but more sporty than harsh. I know that they changes the tire and suspension a bit for 2004 after all teh talk about harshness when teh 2003's first came out.

 

I recently bumped a curb in the snow -minor scratch on the wheel but I ahd to havbe it rebalanced. I was doing about 7-8 mph.

et3l82

Any problems with lowering the pressure this low? The harsh ride is getting on my nerves. With that said, it hugs corners like the best of sport cars.

texasfx35

Running anything other than the recommended tire pressure will always have some drawback. Under-inflating will have some impact on fuel economy and tread life (outside treads will wear faster than center). Mid-2004, several contributors to this board touted over-inflating tires to improve road feel and handling. Then they realized that they were getting accelerated wear on the center treads. At $200 a pop for tires, you just have to decide what your wallet can stand. If you do any high speed driving, under-inflated tires could be a safety issue.

dante

I agree, had the same experience last night here in Chicago where we got about 8 inches of snow, maybe 10. The car handled fine in the city as we were going no faster than 25/30 and I had no major problems although I too felt that the 20 inch tires floated a bit. The AWD compensated continuosly by working all the wheels so in the end I was OK but I would have preferred more grip. I read somewhere that in Canada they sell 20 inch snow tires. Don't feel like springing for new rims...

 

Jon B.