Infiniti M35/M45 2006+

blov8r

Perhaps the most remarkable parts of Infiniti's high tech are its simplicity and reliability. Many years ago I promised myself never to buy a first model year car but (happily) violated that pledge with the M. No regrets. None. Room for improvement? Absolutely, but all issues are minor. Bart :shades:

blov8r

I understand the new Lexi once again have their equivalent of OnStar from GM. I do miss that on both of my cars ... and it will be a genuine consideration when my next car comes around in two years. Bart :shades:

sfcharlie

mexibec ... when shopping for the M45, did you drive the Audi A6 V8? I'm comparing M and Audi ... Charlie

sfcharlie

Is the complaint that it offers no lumbar support selection?

blov8r

More than lumbar support .... that's minor. It's essentially a 4-way adjustment, unlike the driver's seat that tilts and reclines as well and is infinitely more comfortable.

Bart

mexibec

Charlie: I went to see the A6 and really liked it. It looks very good, and the interior is top notch. I did not drive though (the dealer only had one, and in the show room).

However, reliability what very important for me, and I eliminated the A6 for that reason (and other German models as well).

Another factor was resale value. For some reasons in SoCal, used Audi do not sell very well. With all the good publicity and top reviews about the M, reselling shouldn't be a problem even in many years from now.

pete_l_p

I think the front passenger seat is a legit gripe, but I also think one could get the wrong impression from your description, so let me clarify.

You can use the electronic controls to do any of the following on the front passenger seat:

1) Slide the whole seat forward or back with all the freedom you want.

2) Choose ANY angle for the seat BACK

3) Choose ANY angle for the seat BOTTOM

4) Change the Height of the seat BOTTOM.

That's pretty much all you would expect, but here's the big rub: Item's 3 and 4 are handled with one single control: When you change the height for the seat bottom, you're also changing the angle (A LOT).

So while you can get any angle OR any height (or some combination/trade off), you really CAN'T get any angle AND any height, as you can with the driver's side. Many passenger's find that it works great for them, but it's in the top three on my wish list.

The other two are:

1) An ultimate iPod interface, which they could do an incredible job on (with their big scroll wheel, 4 way arrows, select button, and big nav screen. They could also add support for it with their terrific steering wheel MENU controls with steering wheel SELECT button)

2) XM's Nav Traffic

Pete

sfcharlie

Varix ... I don't own one (yet) but have test driven the M35 and M35x a number of times, with my wife or son in the passenger seat, either right before or right after driving another luxury performance sedan. I know about the seat issue from this forum. In the first few test drives, they never complained and, in fact, kept identifying the greater luxurious and comfortable feel of being a passenger in the M35. We don't (as driver or passenger) notice any difference in quality of ride in city or highway part of test drives between M35 luxury and M35x, although professional reviewers say the suspension is more taut on the M35x and claim to notice the difference. Maybe the seats, headlight adjustments (apparently required on a small percentage of units), gas mileage and other non-performance items get attention because there is not that much else to complain about with this car (I've been reading car magazines for 40 years and the only car I can recall collecting so many compelling recommendations -- including the highest % of owners who told CR they'd buy it again -- 92% -- I've seen when Cr asks that question).

Or it could have something to do with what experimental psychologists, who study perception and sensation, refer to as a jnd (just noticeable difference) -- the amount that something must be changed for the difference to be reported half the time by test subjects. The difference between the driver and passenger seat in the M car would be one test. Maybe if I drove the car every day for a month and then switched to the passenger seat for a week, then I'd be saying "hey, what's wrong with this seat". But going from the Mercedes E350 to the M or from the Audi A6 to the M, we don't notice a difference that bothers.

The same might apply to road noise. We've been driving a Mini and a BMW 325i and in those cars you feel and hear the car on the road. By comparison, the M seems to have little tire noise or harsh ride characteristics. But, if a person does notice the difference, then it can be like a small splinter on the bottom of your foot. It's going to annoy you every time you walk.

I wish there was an outfit that rented cars like this for a week (but at some cost less than $100/day) so I could try all the ones that interest me in everyday real-world driving.

blov8r

I wish there was an outfit that rented cars like this for a week (but at some cost less than $100/day) so I could try all the ones that interest me in everyday real-world driving.

Now there's a business op whose time has come! I have found most local dealers willing to let you drive a used unit for a couple or three hours and an occasional late model car shows up on the lots. For a potential legit buyer this shouldn't be too difficult to work out. Our local MB dealer will let you take a NEW unit out for an hour! Bart :shades:

nyarlathotep

I'm a big audiophile who currently owns a 2003 Infiniti I35. One of my favorite features is that it has an option to shuffle through ALL 6 discs, as well as just one. My question is (now that I'm looking at buying a new car): does the M35x retain this cool feature? And, anyone know whether the new Lexus ES350 or the Acura TL can do this?

pete_l_p

That's EXACTLY what I did before I got my first infiniti (a 2003 q45)

I rented the Q45 for a week, an S500 for a week, and drove the LS430 for a week. (I had actually purchased the LS430, but because of my back and neck problems the Lexus dealer let me return it)

The Q absolutely won me over. Of course I love the M45 even more.

You can rent an M35 at some enterprise locations, and an Audi (and I thought I heard the same about an M35) at some hertz locations.

I think it's a great idea.

Pete

jshattner

M's do the CD shuffle - either on single disk or all 6 (programmable). Now if you want to shuffle DVD's, you're on your own

sfcharlie

When playing a CD on the M35, what shows up on the car's NAV-info screen? Doe it just say: "Track 1" or does it read the song title, etc? There's a photo of the Audi A6 system in the brochure for the car and it makes it look as if the complete song info is being displayed. Not sure if that really happens on any car.

nyarlathotep

Thanks for the info!

varix

sfcharlie, funny you mentioned how your wife liked being in the M. My M35x is the first car I have ever owned; and we've been through many; that my wife actually likes and wants to drive. She views cars as tools, like a hammer you use when needed and toss aside when not. However, despite the very slight gripe about the passenger seat aside she loves my M and prefers to drive or ride in it in almost all occasions over her 2006 Lexus RX 400h which is not too shabby on the comfort side itself. She just feels that the M's technology is just one generation above what we have on her Lexus and I agree. From the back up camera to the radio or the nav system the Infiniti does Lexus one better. I still like driving our hybrid RX as it is in it's own right technologically quite advanced but it is no where near as visceral as the M is. Even 1 year and 15K miles later...

dubb

Yes, Nav traffic would be extreeeemly useful.

No complaints on the passenger seat.

I WOULD change the tiny right/left switch for the mirror adjustment. My fingers need it bigger.

I WOULD ALSO like a fully functional nav/info screen while driving. Haven't done the fix but I'm getting ready to because I just need more functions without having to stop. THAT'S annoying.

I DID change my mind about the overdrive. DON'T need it. 120 mh feels fine in this car (especially with the new Pirelli P Nero Zero's on the ride ---it hungers for cornering, as do I).

About the only thing I'm waiting for at this point (after 8,500 miles) is V8 w/AWD. I heard it's coming out for 2007.

- Kai
M35x

pete_l_p

Kai

I've done the Nav fix and I highly recommend it.

Pete

jiddo

Could you please elaborate on the nav fix for traffic reports in real time.

pete_l_p

Could you please elaborate on the nav fix for traffic reports in real time.

There are two fixes which might have been confused in the previous threads.

1) The General Nav Fix:
This refers to cutting the car's "Vehicle Speed Sensor" wire (the VSS), and inserting a switch would then connect or disconnect the VSS at any time.

When the switch is in the OFF position - wire disconnected:
The car believes it is standing still, and as such, allows full entry of ALL navigation and system commands. In this position, the Nav will temporarily lose your correct position, since, though you're moving, the Nav believes that the car's standing still.

When the switch is in the ON position - VSS connected:
The car behaves as it did from the factory. GPS tracking works fine and some Nav entry is restricted.

When using the Nav normally (while the the switch in the ON position), you can hit the switch at any time (switching to the OFF position) and thus enter a few commands. When done, you restore the switch to the ON position, and in about 10 to 20 seconds the GPS tracking will be restored, and all is good.

2) The Nav Traffic Fix (XM NavTraffic)
This is an option which will be available in the New 2007 G and (I believe) in future M's, although the WHEN is unclear.

This feature provides traffic information transmitted to the car via XM's satellite radio. That information will be integrated with the Nav System, showing such traffic conditions on the Map and allowing you to choose better alternate routes. I believe it will NOT be available as a hack or as an upgrade to existing cars.

Pete

howardk111

I also am having a problem with my scratched rims. My Infiniti dealer tells me that they cannot match the paint because it is a lead based paint (which is illegal in the U.S.) and that any paint applied would be a sufficiently different color such that it wouldn't match the plastic caps at the center of the wheel. The only solution they're offering me is an acid process that comes very close in color, but, they say, peels off in a year or two and needs to be reapplied on a regular basis. I don't like this solution at all for that reason. Since I live nowhere near Tewksbury MA, does anyone have any ideas?

howardk111

I forgot to ask for an e-mail alert when replied to, so I'm doing so by this post.

pat

Hi - just wanted to let you know that you can also ask for email alerts on the "My Tracked Items" page.

(Sorry you got an email over this little bit of nonsense. )

pete_l_p

just wanted to let you know that you can also ask for email alerts on the "My Tracked Items" page.

Pat

I went to the tracked items page and all of the preferences pages and saw nothing about receiving email alerts. The one exception was an item in a preferences heading regarding email notifications, which however, provided no options that I could alter. (I tried this in both internet explorer and firefox)

Pete

pat

Sorry, there are two things I should have mentioned. First, you have to be "tracking" the discussion. (I do not know if you have to be tracking it to ask for an email alert when you post - I was thinking that you do when I made that post, but maybe you don't.)

Second, the default setting on that page is for discussions to only show up if they have new messages. So you won't see what you are tracking if none of them have new messages. But you can go to the bottom of that page and uncheck "Show only items with New Posts" and then all of your tracked discussions show up. THEN you will see the check box on the right side for email alerts. Honest! :shades:

mwg

What is the Nav fix?

Emgee

pete_l_p

What is the Nav fix?

See message 5707 above.

pete_l_p

Thanks for the info pat

sfcharlie

Nissan USA suffered a May sales decline of 11 percent and Infiniti was down 15.2 percent.

Nissan already announced it would shut down production at its U.S. plants for about a week sometime by July in order to reduce an over-supply of unsold vehicles.

M, by itself, has been having good spring -- best April ever I think I read.

May 2006 sales figures

BMW 5-series - 4,838
Mercedes E-Class - 4,070
Lexus GS - 2,456
Infiniti M - 2,178
Cadillac STS - 2,171
Audi A6 - 1,597
Acura RL - 1,047

But parent company still weak, with Nissan sales down almost 20% in Japan too.

sfcharlie

From Left Lane News:

Nissan has registered the names “Infiniti G37,” “Infiniti M37,” and “Infiniti FX37? with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office. Typically, companies register names of new products a few weeks or months before their introduction.

blov8r

Nissan has registered the names “Infiniti G37,” “Infiniti M37,” and “Infiniti FX37? with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office. Typically, companies register names of new products a few weeks or months before their introduction.

Local sales manager told me horsepower's going up significantly next year ... that would be the 3.7L powerplant, no doubt. Bart :shades:

sfcharlie

Bart, since I'm increasingly interested in the M35 over the Audi A6, I just wanted to clarify ... by "next year" you mean the upcoming 2007s? Right? As far as ypu know, when will those start arriving?

blov8r

Charlie ... I doubt the '07's will have the 3.7 moniker; from what the sales manager told me I think it will kick in a year from now. I've read here very recently that the '07's are coming in July or August .... just scroll back through the last 20 or so posts to find the answer.

Get the M ... it's stunning! :shades:

ghstudio

Dealer's couldn't order 2006 cars after March. The April/May/June orders are all 2007 cars...so the introduction must be in July or early August because the last of the 2006 cars should arrive in June.

sfcharlie

Consumer Reports drove A6 with Michelin Pilot HX MXM4, size 245/45R17 99H.

They drove M35x with Goodyear Eagle RS-A, size P245/45R18 96V.

Anyone know the pros and cons of these tires versus each other?

sfcharlie

...to be Announced at the 13th Annual Auto Interiors Show, June 7-8 at Detroit's Cobo Center. M35/45 not a finalist in any category. Sponsored by Ward's Auto World magazine. 69 automotive journalists and 991 industry members participated in the voting.

Premium-Priced Finalists: Mercedes S Class; Lexus GS; BMW 3 Series: Audi A6; Lincoln Zephyr; Cadillac DTS.

Audi A6 was also nominated for Best Instrument Cluster.

arnold14

How well does the air conditioning work on the M35?

docnukem

The AC works very well here in MI, with high humidity but not scorching temps (mine is black, so it gets warm). The seat cooling works okay, but it is only noticeable after the car warms up a little. It is much more noticeable when you get back into the car after the car is already warm. Some people have said that it is only the seat cushion. I doubt that this is true, as I clearly feel air blown from both the cushion and the lumbar region.

Personally, I always feel warm. I found that even here in MI, I appreciate the seat cooling more than the seat heating.

mwtrx67

I ordered a M45 Sport in the beginning of April and called my salesperson a few days ago and he told me that there is no update with my car. No VIN# or date of delivery. Hopefully they will tweak a few things on the 2007. So I guess they didn't patent the M47 name? I guess it makes sense that they don't realease any new information as it may slow down sales of the 2006 model. Hopefully this will be the case, as I hope there is more than option rearrangement as the only difference.

sfcharlie

Makes intuitive sense ... the M has dominated LPS segment in automotive press and its astonishing high marks in CR's auto issue -- 92% of owners said they'd but it again and it was the only one of the "Top Picks 2006" that got the "excellent" mark in all three major categories: "test score", "reliability", and "crash protection". That was only the April issue and many buyers will be heavily influenced by it and by all the other highest-praise stuff they find when they google it. So, I suspect, Infiniti is leaving things alone. No one (or few) who bought one in the last year is likely to trade up (many will still be locked into a minimum of two-year lease) just because a 3.7 was dropped into the 2007 M. Waiting until 2008, on the other hand, will not only generate another round of press coverage of the "new" or "updated" M37 next year, but will also lead some early buyers of M35 to consider trading up. Don't think I'm that judicious to wait.

sfcharlie

"I ordered a M45 Sport in the beginning of April and called my salesperson a few days ago and he told me that there is no update with my car. No VIN# or date of delivery. Hopefully they will tweak a few things on the 2007. So I guess they didn't patent the M47 name? I guess it makes sense that they don't release any new information as it may slow down sales of the 2006 model. Hopefully this will be the case, as I hope there is more than option rearrangement as the only difference."

I wonder why Infiniti is proceeding this way. I guess, as you speculate, having had a good sales increase (compared with 2005) for April/May, they don't want to slow down sales. Audi, by contrast, struggling to hang in the LPS competition, will eagerly show you ordering sheet for 2007 A6.

arnold14

So are you saying that the AC thru the vents works well but you still need the seat cooling too?

docnukem

Yes and no. The AC through the vents is very strong. The seat cooling is gravy. It's just one more thing, but it is a nice extra. The three different seat fan speeds is also nice.

I laugh (inside) at my wife sometimes. I always use the automatic setting for climate control. When she gets in the passenger seat, she almost always turns the fan down (which turns the auto setting off), then proceeds to turn the temperature down (from 70 to 63) to cool off. While it has dual temp settings, it does not have dual fan settings. I like the cool breeze when I'm hot, so I always punch the auto button again when she's not looking (and then she proceeds to dial the fan down again).

arnold14

Is rear AC standard on the M35 and M45?

alto101

I test drove the M35x today and loved it. The one thing holding me back from getting one is the trim options that are offered, only wood. I really do not like the wood trim and love the aluminum trim that is offered on the sports models. Is anyone aware of anyway to get the trim switched from the wood to the aluminum? I will not purchase the M35x with the wood trim and the dealer did not seem to think it was realistic to switch out the trim.

Also, if anyone is willing to share the terms of their lease, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks:)

blov8r

How well does the air conditioning work on the M35?

Who better than a guy who lives in Tucson to judge the A/C on the M35? I'm now entering my 2nd summer with mine and it cools quickly and effectively ... even in temps well above 100 (which it is today). My car is a crimson sport w/ pewter-colored interior so although I do heat up a bit due to the exterior color, the interior color modifies that effect materially. I wouldn't expect a dark interior to cool nearly as quickly, however. Unrelated to the A/C, but of significance, is the intensely hot eyeglass compartment in the headliner ... I leave it hanging open (when I remember to) or my sunglasses become too hot to touch. The seats cool nicely as well. I have no complaints about how quickly the cabin and seats cool off even in this broiling heat. :shades:

jshattner

When I was about to ordr my M45 Sport, I thought I would not like aluminum trim, and the Sport is not available in Canada with Rosewood as a priced option (which it is in USA). My dealer offered to change it out for Rosewood if I didn't like it, and gave that to me in writing. However, I loved the aluminum so never took him up on it. All this to say that there may be dealers who are prepared to change out the wood for you. Email a few and find out. Of course, you could always order the M35 Sport (which also isn't offered here in Canada) to get the aluminum but that would forego 4wd...

s54

Anyone know a good independent repair shop and a good tint shop in Denver?

TIA,

Jim

sfcharlie

Overall 4.5 (out of 5)
Technology 5.0
Navigation 4.5
Entertainment 4.5
Fun Factor 5.0
ECO-Friendliness 3.0

"Check off just two options on the order form for the Infiniti M45—the Technology and Journey packages—and you'll be driving the most technologically advanced car you can get for under $100,000, our Digital Drive winner for luxury automobiles."

sfcharlie

Overall 4.0
Technology 4.5
Navigation 4.0
Entertainment 4.5
Fun Factor 4.5
ECO-Friendliness 3.0

"Some day every car will have a cockpit controller. Today, Audi's A6 luxury sports sedan leads the way with its integrated MultiMedia Interface (MMI). How does it work? You select a function such as Nav, CD, or AM/FM via one of eight buttons, then you navigate screens via the knob. In addition to the 7-inch screen in the console, a smaller LCD in the gauge cluster provides key navigation, phone, and entertainment information. Bluetooth is standard, and the Bose audio system plays MP3s and WMAs."

pete_l_p

Charlie

Speaking of PC mag, did I mention that PC mag awarded the M "Luxury Car of the Year", and stated that the M had more better than any car for $100,000?

My opinion is that menus are becoming more of a necessity because of the ever increasing diversity and complexity of our car's software. This is not a bad thing per se because that software provides so much real value.

The problem is that when driving 80 mph on a highway, you are MUCH better off avoiding multi-layered menus WHENEVER possible.

The beauty of the M is that while they do have menus, (and allow full menu navigation and selection RIGHT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL), the M allows you to do 95% of what you want to do without going into those menus. One click is far, far better than menu navigation at 80 mph.

Pete