Infiniti M35/M45 2006+

m_pilot

Do you still have to wait a few months to let the paint "cure" before applying Zaino, or is that a myth from the past?

tayl0rd

The paint is already cured when you get the car. No waiting necessary.

blov8r

I do, but I don't know if I'm clever enough to attach a picture here. I can attach to an e-mail, though, so if no one here has one (I'm sure there is one w/ the upgrade packages already described) let me know by e-mail and I'll snap one for you. My e-mail is bartonlyle@yahoo.com.

blov8r

Yes they do. It's in the setup menu.

The only thing wrong with this car, and it's an early annoyance that once overcome will cease to be an issue, is the extreme hi-tech bells and whistles. Like shutting off that lane departure alarm in city driving. On the positive side, however, is the fact that almost everything is menu-driven on the console screen (unlike my wife's Lexus which isn't).

blov8r

I just caught your screen name ... and flag. Seems we have a common interest! Kudos right back to you.

blov8r

Black absolutely gets (and stays) hotter in the summer, and that goes for interior as well as exterior. I live in AZ ... the number that's cited here most often is that a black exterior will heat up ~ 30 more than white but I've heard no figures on black interiors. I came here in '85 with a Corvette black on black ... and it was miserable. Had to put sheepskins on the seats to make it tolerable. Even with the cooled seats I'd expect black to be uncomfortable in the summer. As much as I love the look of black, it's a no-no here.

che2

Thanks for the reco. What were you able to negotiate on the 35? Did you use the internet or traditional salesman?

lexusguy

In my experience, black leather heats up A LOT more in the sun than a car with black paint. I wont buy black on black cars anymore, you literally roast in them. My LS is a black with tan leather, and its not a problem. I'm certainly not going to buy a white one just because of a little heat. Then again, I live in PA, not AZ.

blov8r

I went directly to the dealership, made at least a half dozen (maybe more like a dozen) visits since last summer kicking tires. Went back three times in the last week when the new M's came out and really didn't negotiate anything on my own. When I left last Wednesday (4/6) they had offered to order a car for me and I declined, thanked them for their time, and left ... told them to call me when they could find what I wanted and if I hadn't already gotten a car I'd come back. By the time I got home there already was a message that they were willing to discount the overloaded floor model if I was interested. Three hours later it was in my driveway. I have no idea what their motivation was ... it was certainly a very pleasant surprise.

mrivision

Just tried a music DVD-video in the DVD-A player in my M35x/Tech/Journey. Although plays as a 2 channel sound (at least that is what the status indicator says), it does play through the speakers in the front seats as well as the front and rear speakers. I listened to the Eagles music DVD-video and it sounds awesome. These make a lot of sense to me since I can listen to them in my home through my DVD player that is connected to home theater. Try it. I think you will like it!

my45

There is a way to select between the different audio tracks on DVD-Video. Stop the car and put on the parking brake. Hit Disc until the video is showing. Then hit the 'Setting' button. This will pull up the DVD settings, which you can select which audio track you want to play. I think there is another easier way to do this as well that I ran across, but I can't remember it offhand.

You can also select the audio through the DVD menus the DVD-Video itself provides, and for that matter you can watch the video as long as you are stopped and the parking brake is on.

Have fun!

blov8r

Sorry, folks; I was wrong. Of all the high tech stuff on this great new car, the one thing it DOESN'T do is lock the doors automatically. I was confused by the new Lexus GS that I drove the day before I found my M-car. Or was it that silly Jag?

With respect to turning off the lane departure warning, my salesman told me he's found out how to do it but it's too complicated to explain on the phone! I'll share it when I learn the "trick".

Happy motoring.

bw45sport

Perhaps I missed something in an earlier post but turning off the lane departure warning system is as simple as pushing the lane departure warning button on the bottom part of the dash to the left of the driver. The button has an icon on it similar to the display that appears on your speedometer when you are being alerted to lane departure.

monstergerm

how do you do this? The car salesman did not know and the manual does not mention how do automatically lock all doors while driving.

blov8r

Born, raised, and educated in Philadelphia I know the effect climate has on cars. Part of my career was in Hershey .. again, similar climate. Cloth seats then to avoid the heat. But "heat" in PA is ... well, relative. We moved to AZ in '85 FROM Hershey ... (with that black on black Corvette) ... and couldn't deal with the heat. Dry heat? Right. When it's 115 here you're careful when you sit down and insert the key. Blisters on the fingers (and elsewhere).

An error Lexus has made. Wood steering wheels. Hotter than "the hinges" during the hot months. My wife's GX has that as a flaw. Fortunately, it's HER car!

blov8r

I put a Neil Sedaka CD into my disc player and it sounds awful. Is there a different recording technology we need to buy?

blov8r

Perhaps .. and likely so. However this must be done every time you drive, and 95% of my driving is local. My goal is to disable that system UNTIL I do some highway driving. That's the wrinkle.

Happy motoring.

blov8r

Re: rear spoiler. My M35 is a "sport", w/ Journey and Tech packages, and (drum roll) Aerodynamic Body Kit ... and extra $1,390. I guess that's where the spoiler comes into play. Again, I offer my e-mail for pix as I'm not tech-savvy enought to attach a picture here.

I love this car!!

Happy motoring.

Bart

captnorm35

If it's the Eagles Hotel California, it should have 5.1 channels, according to:

http://www.amusicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=CELEDVD60509

Norm

bw45sport

If you really wanted to temporarily disable it easily I would imagine placing a small opaque piece of paper over the camera lens would prevent it from functioning since it couldn't see any lines.

markcincinnati

I have this (the Eagles) in DTS 5.1 and as I recall the M w/tech will also render 5.1 DTS. Insofar as the # of channels is concerned on a DVD-video that contains a concert, some discs offer Dolby Surround (2 channel when played in a system without a Pro Logic or Pro Logic II decoder), Dobly Digital (5.1) and/or 2 channel discreet stereo. To access the various audio tracks sometimes requires the user to go to the DVD-Videos Set Up Menu, select a sub-menu and turn on the sound you want. Some discs default to DD 5.1, older discs often default to matrix or 2 channel sound. And finally some discs like the James Taylor concert allow you to select either 5.1 or CD sound -- from the DVD's menu.

Now a ? Can you set the M to auto lock the doors from a menu or not?

ljwalters1

I put a Neil Sedaka CD into my disc player and it sounds awful. Is there a different recording technology we need to buy?

I think that would sound awful with any system. Try Led Zeppelin.

pasgener

There is a way to :permanently" disable the LDW. I can't remember how exactly (something like holding the button down for 2 seconds), but if you check the manual it will tell you the exact method. This disables the LDW and does NOT resume it when you turn the car on and off. You can then reactivate the LDW system simply by pushing the button again.

proe

I just finished reading the M35/M45 Owner Manual. I did not realize that for the V8, you have to use 91 or better while for V6 you can still use 87 and with some performance loss.
With the trend of the gas price that is going, I can see there is a good chance that the gas is going to hit $3.00 in very near future at San Diego.
I think I may have to go with M35 AWD instead of M45

sjcbill

Before you make that choice do a little math. Let's say that you drive 100,000 miles before you trade again. Typically premium fuel is $0.20 more per gallon than regular. Let's assume that you will average about 18 MPG. That's 100000 / 18 X 0.20 or an added cost of about $1,111.11 for premium fuel over 100,000 miles of driving. If that's a problem maybe you shouldn't be looking at $50,000 vehicles. Of course "your mileage may vary".

lexusguy

Using regular in an engine speced for premium is never worth it. Yeah, you'll save a few dollars, but its not particularly good for your engine, and you wont get the performance you paid for. As sjcbill was saying, if you want to pay regular, buy a car with an engine speced for 87.

blov8r

My dealer strongly recommends the highest grade of fuel even for the V6. This is the same V6 that's in the G35 series, coupe and sedan ... and they're using 87 so why the different advice for the M-car? (I've always used at least one grade above minimum guidance; won't change my practice now.)

I can't bring myself to cry about gas prices when I can afford a car that demands premium fuel. And when the fops who drink "designer water" at $1.00 a pint gripe about gas prices I can only laugh.

davido3

I have located a new M35 from a dealer, and the car has some "minor" hail damage. The dealer says that the damage will be repaired with a paintless process, and that some moldings will be replaced. This process has made the car more negotiable in price. (I have searched the internet and this car is the best combination of color/features for me).

I would appreciate any first-hand feedback from anyone on this forum.

blov8r

We haven't been able to get the display on my speedometer to show up yet! Ever. And yes, I can disable the LDW whenever I get in but it's a nuisance ... I want to activate it when I travel (and that's seldom) and leave it off the rest of the time. Most of my driving is local ... to and from offices, etc.

ljwalters1

I wouldn't sign anything until the car is fixed and you can look it over. I'd expect "hail damage" means minor dents, but there's probably several of them. If the car gets bought up in the meantime and you need to pay more for the car you want, consider the extra amount as "insurance" for getting a perfect vehicle.

markcincinnati

Using regular when there is a note that says "It's OK to use regular but we think you should use premium" is generally more expensive than using premium fuel.

There have been some particularly erudite explanations of this (not by me); but the gist of them is that if the car is designed to use premium but will compensate for regular (typically by some electronic adjustments including retarding the spark) it compensates (or YOU compensate) for the reduced power by increasing consumption.

If you are getting anyone of these M cars -- unless they specifically state they prefer regular, well then it will ultimately cost more to use regular than the fuel they were designed for in the first place.

$3.00 per gallon -- absolutely, positively and certainly. Indeed, according to some interesting (and long) economic explanations, when gasoline reaches $5.20 per gallon (ETA 2007) we will unleash a whole new bunch of exploration and the "theory" is something like at $5.20 per gallon there is enough oil in the ground to last for many many many decades even factoring in Chinese and Indian rising consumption as these two "continents" go mobile (with petroleum powered vehicles).

Furthermore, so says those who speak as if they know, the economic models actually then show the price of oil starting to decline as the costs of the technology to get the oil out of the ground begins to cost less (think plasma TV prices). I have no idea if this is true. But one thing I do agree with -- you can't sell oil for $50 a barrel that costs $50 a barrel to get out of the ground. At $90 a barrel there is more oil in the ground than has been taken out life to date (or so says the economists).

Finally, our appetite to drive our own cars is apparently only stifled a modest amount until a gallon of gas exceeds $5.00. We're half-way there here in Ohio (for premium, that is).

Conversely, using Premium in a car designed for Regular is also a waste.

Get the car you want -- not the one that will simply "tolerate" Regular -- unless you really do want to spend more money on gasoline.

cbg

I purchased a hail damaged car 10 days ago in Austin, Texas. The hail that damaged the car was golf-ball size. The car had dings on the hood, the top, the trunk lid and on one side. There were probably more than 100 dings on the car.

They knocked $3K off sticker and agreed to fix all damage to my satisfication or replace components they couldn't fix, including the hood.

I picked up the car last week and am extremely happy with the job they did. All dings were fixed with the paintless process. The only pieces that couldn't be fixed were the chrome moldings around the window and these were replaced. I defy anyone to detect a single dent on the car.

tayl0rd

Post some hi-resolution pics and I'll take that challenge.

2bdriven

I bought my M45 Sport in Austin as well. The car I was going to buy was damaged by hail the night before I was going to pick it up. I decided not to buy it even though they offered the same deal as you received. My reasoning was I didn’t want a $56,000 car that was damaged and needed to be fixed. I am not sure of the long term effect the hail damage will have on the paint. It may never be a problem; I just was not willing to find out the hard way. The VIN records on the car will show it was hail damaged. That will substantially affect the amount you can get for the car when you trade it in. The dealer located a new M45 in another city and brought it in on a flat bed. I hope it all works out well for you!!

markcincinnati

But if they will lease this car to you with a super nice discount, you will not have to worry about the residual from a trade in perspective.

cbg

Well it is a risk; but I haven't been able to find anything that says there are longer term effects. Would be interested if someone knows of an article on this.

The manufacturers warranty is unaffected - still full warranty. Also, I keep my cars 7-8 years so I'm not too worried about resale.

Someone else commented about a high-res picture. Not sure how high-res it needs to be, but when you can't see it with the naked eye from any angle or distance then I'm not worried about seeing it with a microscope. I hear the same argument about sound frequencies and stereos. Frankly, if I can't see it or hear it then it doesn't bother me.

pasgener

From page 5-17 of the manual:

In the manual mode, the LDW system will
be off when the ignition switch is pushed to
the ON position. The LDW switch must be
pushed to turn on the system.
To change modes, push and hold the LDW
switch j1 for more than 4 seconds when
the LDW system ON indicator j2 is off.
Both chime sounds and blinking of the LDW
system indicator inform you that the mode
change has been completed.

That should solve your problem.

kenm45sport

Are people annoyed so much by the LDW that they want to turn it off? In my very limited experience (a little over 200 miles in my M45 Sport), I kind of like the LDW. It only goes off when I am driving over 40 mph and changing lanes without using the turn signal. That means I am drifting too far over in my lane, so I like to be alerted. Or it means that I'm changing lanes without signaling, and I don't mind if the car yells at me a little bit for that. Is there something more that I'm missing? Does LDW become more annoying with time?

dickster1

Picking up My loaded M35 tomorrow. Very little was in stock and the salesman is driving several hours to get on for me from another dealer. The Infiniti lease requires no money down, no disposition fee and no acquisition fee.

I priced the lease against several internet leasing companies, and this is by far the best deal. I will say, however, that it does not approach the $495 mentioned in the other forum submission. If that deal has the same terms as mine (list price about $49k) I wouldn't let it get away.

jrock65

There is an owner's poll in another forum. About half seem to use it and the other half don't. It's a personal thing. If you like it, it's a good safety feature.

Falling asleep at the wheel can definitely happen.

johnhw

I like it as well. The noise it makes is not a bother to me. I agree it is a safety feature. I am now up to 1800 miles on my M45 sport and still lovin' it, even more as the days go by.

antmo

Anyone care to offer an opinion on if these wheels are are the same brand as the 19" M Sport? If not anyone know where I can find them?

http://www.sfxperformance.com/parts/MOT23579854.htm

monstergerm

Isn't this a safety issue (car jacking etc) that the doors don't lock while you drive? Even $20000 cars do this now and most aftermarket alarm systems have this option.
Anybody has an idea how to hack this feature?

bw45sport

I agree. The chime isn't that loud and it only sounds when you are doing something you shouldn't. It's obvious some are picky though when they complain that the turn signals are too loud too.

blov8r

Your point is well stated and made, and to a large extent I agree with you. The problem I'm having here in Tucson is that so many of the roads I need to travel going between offices and home are multiple-lined that even when NOT changing lanes the system picks up on them. In addition, the system picks up light reflections from tar stripes and interprets THEM as lane marking lines.

sdcal

Okay, I'm sorry folks, but I am only somewhat of a 'techie' and the bottom line is that if you follow the manual, everything works just as advertised. To disable the lane departure system (default is automatic), you have to first turn the system off (the orange light will go out), then push and hold the button in for four seconds (see manual section 2-35 and 5-16). The system will even give you a little chime of satisfaction to let you know that you have completed the process. Not to sound patronizing or repetitive, but it's just like the manual says. I've had my M45 Sport for two weeks and have read all the manuals, and have not had to go back to the dealer once for any additional assistance. And like I said, I am only somewhat "techie." I just don't think people want to read the manuals...

By the way, if the car locked the doors for me automatically, I think I'd have to shoot it!

hpowders

What you call picky others including me consider annoying. Those turn signals are the loudest I have ever heard.

carnaught

"Those turn signals are the loudest I have ever heard."

I understand that those on a Buick are nice and quiet (LOL).

m4dennis

I am ready to buy an M45 Sport, but cannot find a dealer in northwest Florida or Alabama willing to sell below MSRP. I am hoping people will start sharing more of their buying experiences and strategies here to help those of us who are in the buying process. Thanks for any help provided.

undecided7

I can't believe I haven't been able to spot the new Ms on the road yet. I live in the Chicago burbs and usually the new models are quick to show up in the streets and highways here, but so far no luck with the M. I wonder if that means sales are slower than expected.

I suppose it isn't all that bad considering the Acura RLs came out in February and I just started seeing them on the streets about 2 weeks ago.

I personally can't wait to take delivery of my M35x with Journey, Tech, and MES, which is estimated to arrive late June/early July.