Drove out to Iowa and back in my M35x for the 4th to do some hiking around the Effigy Mounds NM. What a great car to zip around on the winding roads along the Mississippi! Got 21 mpg at usual speed of 65-70mph. Most interesting however was the ride back. We were caught in a steady torrential downpour along I-80 on Monday. The AWD system is fantastic. NO slip, NO slide, NO squiggles; felt rock stable on a soaking wet road with plenty of standing water in the ruts. It felt so stable at 70mph in the rain that I tried the cruise control. That adaptive system just doesn't like the rain, fools the lasers as noted in the manual. As I approached a semi the cruise would cut out. I suppose one shouldn't use cruise in the rain anyway but is there a way to use the adaptive cruise in a non-adaptive mode? This car is so nice in bad weather (rain at least) that I can't imagine owning a pure RWD car as long as I live in the snow belt. This adaptive AWD system is the best of both worlds. I think it is far more useful than the extra hp of the M45 in this climate.
Yes, there's a way to use the plain old standard cruise control.
-Start with cruise control completely off -Press and hold the Cruise On button for 1.5 seconds or more.
BTW. Intelligent cruise control will automatically turn itself off when you have the windshield wipers on. It would be unsafe to let you depend on it, when rain has a chance of affecting its behavior. Infiniti does the safe thing and simply disables it. (Also note that it would be equally unsafe to automatically revert to plain old standard cruise in rain conditions. In that case, people might not realize that it had reverted and they'd be assuming it would be braking for them when it wouldn't.)
However, that's when plain old standard cruise control comes in handy. The M's intelligent cruise is super, IMO, and it's also cool they give you the other for rain conditions.
Thanks for the info; guess I just have to sit down one night with that huge manual and read it. Actually it is incredible that despite all the tech toys you can still operate this car in almost every conceivable way without reading it in detail..
Great! I bought my M45 from these guys as well. I actually spoke with Lynnes before going to Salerno and they offered to match the deal after first trying to sell it at MSRP. Congrats on your new car!
I wouldn't have the BMW in any less than the 540 version and at THAT wouldn't spend that kind of money for what I believe is an inferior car to the M35-45. The interior's spartan at best and their problem and reliability list is lengthy. Just about anywhere in Canada you're going to get snow, so the M45 without all wheel drive could be a bit skittish. That aside, I drove in snow for decades with rear wheel drive in hot V-8's without a mishap and nary a problem, so if you're an experienced snow driver a set of decent winter treads on the M45 Sport and cautious driving habits can work for you in a car you'll have a whole lot more joy from in the long run.
And for the record, the 525i is a slug, so you're comparing a bottom of the line fully loaded car to a top of the line fully loaded car for the same money!
Chris, Let me know how you liked dealing with Kelly. I ordered my 45 Sport back in the beginning of May (90 day Lead) and should be in by the end of this month. Did you go for the Anti-Theft package that was offered ? BTW, I was about $2K over invoice.
anyone know the volume of sales for the 06 M45 since April? Or know where to get that info. I would like to see how the car is selling monthly compared to the other cars in its class. Iam waiting on my M to come in (aug) and when I stop at the dealer they have sold tags only 4 ot 5 M's at at time. they seem to be flying out of the dealer. I would like to see what the comparison is against Lexus, BMW, Acura, etc.
I was so enjoying your post until you threw in the part about living in the snow belt. While I do agree that AWD is invaluable in the snow, it is no less important, as I believe you will ultimately conclude, in non snowy geographies.
AWD is a performance enahncer, rain, snow and dry -- period. The M45X would fly off the showroom floors, I would bet, too.
aegis1, If you want to know the M's slaes record go to www.nissannews.com. Look under corporate news and the #'s will be there. As far as unit sales relating to other manufacturers, you can search www.freshalloy.com. There is someone there who posts the monthly results, comparing mercedes, BMW, acura, lexus, audi, etc.
From memory, the M sells about 2,300 unit/month, with merc, bmw & lexus at least doubling that volume, and acura and audi at half that volume.
I believe the models compared are the E, 500 series, RL, GS, A6, and of course the infiniti M.
My wait is over as well, although I ordered in April. Got a call last week that my M35x black/black with Journey, Tech, and MES will be arriving on or around July 13 - now I'm really getting excited about it. Reading this forum on a regular basis has helped me live vicariously until I can get behind the wheel of my very own M.
As stunningly great as the M-car is, until Infiniti has an identity it will not catch up with Lexus, BMW, or MB. Many, if not most, car buyers want some prestige for their dollars and will not settle for a car that's not easily recognized for its status.
Well I have to agree completely with Markcin on this one. AWD makes sense in any environment as I can certainly attest to from my driving experience in the downpour this week. My old Volvo s80 with FWD was still slippery in the rain and I still have nightmares about driving my Toyota Supra in ANYTHING but bone dry pavement. You are correct, a M45X would be a dream..did it not get built due to weight? Otherwise I can't think of a downside..
Lucas2, I believe you are right on target on this concept. I have neighbors who will buy ANYTHING with a BMW badge on it. My brother despises the idrive on his 5 series (hates it even more now that he has driven my M) but will go back every 3 years and pony up for the latest 5 series. He doesn't like the BMW's design as much as my M but he is very clear, the M is not a BMW and won't do in his suburban enclave. My next door neighbor has a 3 series BMW and could not fathom the fact that I never even considered buying a 5 series nor did I bother to test drive it. Really after driving the M I was dead set on that car, something that concerned me as I negotiated with the dealer from a relatively weak position. So I'm happy because finding my M was much easier without all those BMW types competing for the limited stock! Just think how the M would sell if the Barvarians made it. Yikes!
Not all of us are considering an M in order to boost our social status or "to be seen" by others in a certain way. Many of us are considering (or have already bought) the M for its wonderful combination of sportiness, functionality and luxury. I would never pay $45+ for a car just because I think others will think more highly of me or because it makes me look good. Just my opinion..............
I have enjoyed this forum for the last few months while at the same time confirming the wisdom of my purchase of an M35 - making sure that there are no trends in problem reports (which there do not appear to be any serious ones). I have had to restrain myself from posting on several occasions when the subject of 35 versus 45 comes up. There seems to be a certain smugness in the 45 owners looking down upon their 35 brethren.
I have also had to back away from the keyboard when the subject of M status vs. MB and BMW rears its ugly head.
Here is my view in a nutshell - the black on graphite Mxx looks every bit a 50 to 60 $K car. The way the black offsets the beautiful job they did with the chrome trim is beyond compare and does not seem to happen with the other color choices. People are shocked when they learn how little I paid (low 40s).
I recently saw a silver and burgundy M45 pull out in front of me near John Wayne airport and I was shocked at how cheesy it looked - it took me ten seconds to realize it was the same body style as mine. I personally felt that despite the v8 engine it diluted the value and status of my M35. It would not surprise me at all if it got parked next to the TLs and Avalons.
I recently saw a silver and burgundy M45 pull out in front of me near John Wayne airport and I was shocked at how cheesy it looked
Whoa, big fella ... mine's crimson and IMO looks anything but "cheesy". In fairness, black and its brethren smack more of elegance and I see more mention of those colors here than any other ... certainly no white ... but here in the desert w/ 100+ degree heat black/dark cars are mobile ovens. Mine's a sport, and the black dash and instruments are finger-burners when left in the sun more than a few minutes.
Not all of us are considering an M in order to boost our social status or "to be seen" by others in a certain way. Many of us are considering (or have already bought) the M for its wonderful combination of sportiness, functionality and luxury.
varix's brother-in-law makes my point.
I doubt that anyone here spent between 40 and 57 K for his M-car "to be seen"; everyone who's posted here has extolled the car's splendid design and performance and the joy of driving.
I'm now in my fourth month of ownership and don't have anything requiring service, anything that's less than perfect.
For all those non-leasing and detailing-inclined nuts lurking on this thread...
This past long weekend, I used Zaino for the first time on two cars. I figured I would first try it on an 8+ year old Volvo to see how the various components work. Although it took most of the day to Dawn, clay, Z7, Z5, Z6, Z5, Z6, Z5 and finally Z6 the car, the results were great. Most swirls and scratches were covered and upon the second Z5 layer, the surface got slick to the point a terry cloth would tend to slide off the trunk lid by itself, and very little product was needed for the third Z5 coat. The purpose was more protection than appearance because the car is parked outside.
Then did the M with Dawn, Z7, Z5, Z6, Z2 and Z6; again, it takes most of the day with a few breaks to do a good job. Given the two jobs, I would claim that: claying is overrated (does not remove as much as people claim if the car was new or kept clean to begin with) and Z5 is much better than Z2 (covers minor scratches, is much slicker, easier to apply in small quantity and to remove without bumps).
The results on the M's Diamond Graphite are great because there is adequate and elegant shine, "nothing sticks" and I feel the paint is well protected for the next 6-9 months. Appearance wise, I would venture a blasphemy here that Meguiar's Gold Class wax yields higher gloss (I can compare side by side with another car I did with that product last fall). Also, all these recommendations about using 100% cotton towels made only in the USA and bought from BB&B seem bogus; a twelve pack of 100% overseas-made white terry towels from WalMart worked just as fine even without cutting the edges--no scratches introduced.
The biggest problems on the M were water spots after the Z7 wash -- it is very difficult to dry this relatively big car rapidly in this hot and humid weather without scratching the paint. I have to look into some other solution for that (Mr. Clean tool, I guess). The most straining part were rocker panels (they need to be done well because that is where most of the tar sticks) and the front bumber (all those nooks and crannies).
The greatest part about Zaino is that it does not leave white marks on the black rubber or plastic chromed parts, unlike Meguiar's. Thus, on the M it is easy to do the rear bumper that has a black bottom skirt. Likewise, the chromed roof/window/grill trim.
I am evaluating the Sirius service using an initial 3-month trial period that came with the M. For some strange reason, using the >> seek button, I can only go through a few stations before the radio tunes back from channel 101 to 1. Is this a bug or a feature of a trial period? Sirius says they have to re-send the initialization signal to the unit because "the signal was lost" which I find hard to believe.
I also do not like the relatively low quality of the music channels. They are nowhere close to CD quality and tend to sound worse than the 128 kbps MP3s which is fairly evident with the 14-speaker Bose. Maybe just a bit better than regular FM, noise-wise but not bandwidth-wise in case of good FM reception. Sirius claims they use up to 192 kbps (read: they probably use VBR across all channels trying to squeeze as much as they can, just like DirecTV does with video, with detriment to music material). IMO, the service is not worth $140 per year given that I cannot even get reception in the garage. Compare this price to the number of customized songs you can buy on a CD at WalMart online. Plus, you would get to play what and when you like; on a recent long trip I noticed Sirius repeated the same songs after approx. 6 hours on the sample jazz channel.
Any opinions on that or comparisons with XM's quality?
Thanks much for the update. I felt that this Zaino thing was overrated. Looks like it is. One thing I learned though: after hand-washing my past Orient Blue 99 BMW 528i for 6 years (using Turtle Wax & Meguiar products), it looked almost new when I sold it to get an Twilight Blue M. But the M ends up with a bunch of swirl marks each time I wash it and I'm using the exact same cleaning products and methods... Heck, I removed some bird droppings the other day and it scratched the clear coat (not the paint), so much so I needed a pro to remove those scratches. So to all M owners, the paint and clear coat are somewhat not very durable, at leat not as much as BMW's.
> So to all M owners, the paint and clear coat are somewhat not very durable, at leat not as much as BMW's.
Could be a difference in full curing time between these finishes. For example, Volvo says in the manual not to wax in the first six months. Mercedes does not, and indeed I applied the first coat of recommended Meguiar's two weeks after purchase with no problems. Thereafter, I would always use a touchless car wash before hand-washing and waxing, and 5+ years later there are not swirls or scratches on the paint.
Infiniti manual does not say anything about early waxing. The dealers routinely apply a buffer with a cheap compound before delivery because it removes the residue from the protective plastic sheets much faster. I specifically requested no such thing be done before the delivery of my M. Removed a few pieces of glue-like residue with a simple tar remover myself with no problems before applying Z5.
What month was your car made (check the sticker visible when you open the driver's door)? Mine was built in March, so the paint had about 4 months to settle. (Yes, I know they likely apply IR/UV at the factory to speed up the curing and all that, but time is time.)
Full disclosure: I had ordered and placed a deposit on an M35X w/technology, Sirius. My wife's BMW X3 has the upgraded audio package and Sirius -- and ultimately Audi of America made me an offer that I couldn't refuse and I am now in an A6 w/Premium (maximum Bose sound system).
OK, so now you know my perspective -- but we don't know yours. The Technology Package in the Infiniti brings with it the best audio system in any car I have ever heard. The Journey package claims to bring an upgraded system (over a non Journey and non Technology version), but the Journey package audio system is simply just "good." The Technology sound system is way way better.
Now, having said all of this, I must tell you that sat radio needs a line of sight to the satellite, so NO, it will NOT play in a garage (but it does have a buffer).
In terms of sound, Sirius (in both my wife's BMW and in my Audi) is superior to any FM and is often equal or better than many CD's.
The fact that the Infiniti with the technology package offers the ability to play DVD-Audio is a recipe for disappointment. You see, after you have put in the Eagles in DVD-Audio, or Yes in DVD-Audio or Mark Knopfler in DVD-Audio, etc etc etc -- NOTHING sounds good anymore.
Since you didn't say what system you have, I will with full anticipation of raising the ire of some, say the Infiniti M with the Technology package sound system is equal to the best I have ever heard (the Acura TL system, thus far). Yet, the Infiniti's system in the Journey package only is simply "pretty good."
The differences, since I have heard all 5 of these systems are huge: my pecking order would be -- #1/2 Infiniti M/Technology package system (tied with the Acura TL), #2 the Audi A6 Premium system, #3 the BMW (2005 model) Premium audio, and the #4 Infiniti M/Journey only system (yes that is 5 systems.)
Now that we have Sirius -- I cannot imagine "regular radio." And, saying that CD's or stuff you made yourself is the same is difficult to imagine, since often there are live DJ's and countless NEWS and other non music channels from which you can choose (Martha Stewart anyone? Jimmy Buffet?)
Nothing against XM at all.
We just love Sirius and what it suggests about the future of in car audio. . .we'll see if the market is big enough for both XM and Sirius to party on.
I'd keep voice control and sat radio without question. I could take or leave pushbutton start especially if there is a charge for it (like there was for my Audi A6.)
It took me 2 1/2 months battling myself to switch from MB 600S to M45 sport. After first test drive the M, decision was made. I just had to convance myself not to worry about how my neighbor sees. Can't wait to receive the M45 sport in 2 weeks. A good friend of mine was upset with me because I would not test drive BMW 5's
I was wondering if anyone else noticed that when on the parkway at 70 MPH the car is in 4th gear? (2700 RPM's) I was in drive on the parkway yesterday and decided to down shift to exit a parkway exit ramp. When I slid the lever from Drive into the manual gate, the D in the dash changed to a 4th. I was expecting it to be in 5th. I was no accelerating at the time so the transmission should have been in 5th, right? I guess it assume that when crusing on a parkway the car should be in its OD or tallest gear? Is there something wring with my car or does this happen with everyone elses?
My gas milage is at 16.4 with about 50/50 city highway mix so I guess I am in there with everyone else in that respect.
Also, upon delivery my salesman told me to change the oil at 1100 miles. He explained that the first service is complimentary. I called for an appointment at about 800 miles and the service advisor told me that the manufacturers reccommendation is 3500-4000 miles for the firstr service. He explained that any "debris" in the oil from the "breakin" will be easily removed by the oil filter. Any one else have this experience?
Does anyone have any experience with a magnetic oil plug? It is designed to catch metal filings before they get into the engine? I have no experience or knowledge either for good or bad. Anyone have some info on this ?
I absoluely love this car.
I forgot what it is like to search for the perfect spot each time I park for fear of shopping carts and dings.
Thanks for all who post and respond. Its been a big help.
Got my m35x at the end of march. The car now has 6100 miles. Dealer told me not to change the oil until maint. light came on at exactlly 3750 miles. My first service WASN"T complimentary and cost approx. $45.00. No other problems with the car at that time or now with over 6k miles. City/Highway mileage is 16.5 to a high of 21.2.
> I was no accelerating at the time so the transmission should have been in 5th, right?
When you switch into manual mode, it downshifts, and your RPM goes up. Test it for yourself: go into manual mode on the highway and when on the 5th gear, swtich into D, and no gear change occurs. Go back to manual mode, and it will downshift to 4th.
> Also, upon delivery my salesman told me to change the oil at 1100 miles.
There are mixed opinions on this (both by mechanics and owners), as you found out for yourself! I for one will change the oil at 1200 mi (which is the end of the break-in period). It costs next to nothing, takes little time, and can only help. I plan to keep the car for 5-6 years, so I take care of it early on.
Not all of us are considering an M in order to boost our social status or "to be seen" by others in a certain way. Many of us are considering (or have already bought) the M for its wonderful combination of sportiness, functionality and luxury:
I drove a 530i until I drove & purchased the M35. It shouldn't be a status thing but what feels right to you. IMO, there are a number of skilled BMW drivers on the road and an even greater number of those who are not drivers in the real sense of the word. If image is vital to your self-esteem, stay with the herd.
I think all of the BMW &MB talk is ridiculous. I priced a loaded m45 sport against loaded versions of the other cars in it's class. There was one cheaper the GS430 by about 800. But it also didn't have laser or radar cruise. none of the competition offered the MES or a comparable system and again none offered the lane depature and bmw doesn't have keyless go. below is the price break down of the cars as close as I could get them. I would love for someone to think less of me for buying an M. I will think less of them for the extra 10k they wasted on less of a car.
M45 Sport loaded 59,140 - Sport + tech +joureny+mes+full size spare+flaps and mat+spoiler
> OK, so now you know my perspective -- but we don't know yours.
I've got the Tech Pkg (14-speaker Bose). I am certainly not comparing Sirius to DVD-Audio (would be like comparing an M to a Kia).
Today, the Sirius failed on me repeatedly in moderate rain on the highway, buffer or not. Of course, there is a reception hiccup passing under any bridge of substance. No such thing with FM.
I double-checked the reply from Sirius and they claim to transmit at a minimum (not maximum) of 192 kbps which I find very hard to believe. Music sounds as if it was MP3 encoded at less than 128 kbps, say at 96 kbps. It is pretty evident when an announcer speaks between songs on Ch. 71. The voice at first appears to be artificially changed by a vocoder to give it a little pizzazz but upon closer inspection you can hear artifacts of heavy compression. The audio bandwidth appears to be cut somewhere around 12-13 kHz (compared to about 15 kHz for FM and 20 kHz for CD). How do I know this? I can compare with these same tracks on the original CD, and also refer to my previous experience with a cheap FM tuner that had such a bandwidth cut-off. The only advantage is less noise than on FM but this is not an issue with a strong FM station.
The 65 music channels advertised would sure be nice if I could get them. I do not care that much about spoken news, live DJs (do not add any value just noise over music, IMO) or the former prisoner, or the upcoming shock-jock transmissions (re: Mr. HS).
> Satellite radio rules.
To each their own, Mark. I remain (unfortunately) quite disappointed with it.
Nope. As I wrote in the original post, I am only able to tune to less than 10 channels using the >> button (it works fine on FM, though). For example, Ch. 71 (jazz) skips to Ch. 90-something then to 101 or so then back to 1. Is there some trick with the receiver in that it goes through channel categories first than through channels of a given category?
Thanks much for the update. I felt that this Zaino thing was overrated. Looks like it is.
I don't think he was really saying that Zaino is overrated. The only comment that he made that could be construed as not totally positive is that he felt the gloss from Meguiar's Gold Class wax was higher. It may or may not be. Many feel that you cannot get a better shine than using a high quality polish followed by a wax with carnauba. I've always thought a clean paint surface that has been properly polished looks terrific with a good wax.
As a relatively new Zaino user, I can tell you that the one thing that I have found to be a great advantage is the length of protection the products provide. I used Zaino on my new M45 upon delivery in mid-March and the car still beads and sheets away water as if I did it yesterday. No wax will provide protection for that length of time or creates a surface that is as easy to maintain as Zaino.
While it takes some effort to get a few coats of Zaino on the car, once it is finished you'll find that the product makes it very easy to keep the car clean and maintain a beautiful, wet shine. Bugs and tar, two big offenders, literally fall off with a small amount of cleaning solution and a rag. Dust, which seems to be attracted to wax finishes seems as if it is being repelled by the Zaino product. Instead of seeing a layer of dust within the first day of cleaning, it generally takes 3 or 4 days for dust to become noticeable.
All in all, I think that the creation of products that can provide the show car looks of a good carnauba with greater protection, durability, and ease of maintenance is quite a feat.
on a recent long trip I noticed Sirius repeated the same songs after approx. 6 hours on the sample jazz channel.
Any opinions on that or comparisons with XM's quality?
My observations exactly, and I'm using the XM trial period that does little to enthuse me. The programming is also repetitive, at least on the music stations (obviously not an issue on the news channels). The sound's equal to quality FM, nothing taking advantage of that great Bose system we have. My mood dictates the channel (from decades to jazz to classical) but I can find most of that on the local AM & FM broadcasts. I don't know the monthly charge, but I'll subscribe only if it's nominal. No true value added, IMO.
Could be a difference in full curing time between these finishes.
It's all about curing time. I won't go NEAR any surface treatment until at least 6 months from manufacture. I made the mistake of "protecting" a new car years ago and the lustre was gone forever, could never get it back. I flat out ruined it. Paints are better now and clearcoats more protective, so what's the rush? The stakes are too high to take any risk. And I lease but treat my cars as if they'll be my own for a decade having them professionally hand washed every two weeks and detailed and the engine steam cleaned every year. And drive-thru car washes are a definite no-no.
My observations exactly, and I'm using the XM trial period that does little to enthuse me. The programming is also repetitive, at least on the music stations (obviously not an issue on the news channels). The sound's equal to quality FM, nothing taking advantage of that great Bose system we have. My mood dictates the channel (from decades to jazz to classical) but I can find most of that on the local AM & FM broadcasts. I don't know the monthly charge, but I'll subscribe only if it's nominal. No true value added, IMO.
My reaction is the diametric opposite. I listen to Real Jazz,Beyond Jazz (Fusion), Luna (Latin Jazz), Water Colors (Smooth Jazz), Rock Cafe, and Franks Place.
IMO, XM sound is incomparably better than FM; the programming is absolutely wonderful; and (except for a little bit of repetition on the smooth jazz station) the depth and freedom from repetition is astounding.
I could not be happier, and give XM my whole hearted recommendation.
If you do a search for XM sirius dropouts (also try "drop outs") you'll see many reports that indicate that XM does a better job of holding a signal in areas with obstruction. That was also my experience when I test drove an M with Sirius. Also, many folks have claimed less repetition on XM, but I'd say they're both orders of magnitude better than FM.
My observations are that those who claim no sound or programming difference when comparing satellite radio to FM, seem to be in an extreme minority. In fact the percentage of people who believe that appears to be no greater than the percentage of americans actually employed by the FM radio industry.
having had xm satellite in my 04 acura tl and currently in my 01 lexus ls430 I have to say that comparing xm to fm is utter lunacy. I pre paid for a 3 year subscription just before the prices went up. this is one of the factors I am including in potentially trading my car for an M lease. if someone was talking about the top 20 channel on xm I could almost believe the repetition claim based on the format. but to say that there is repetition on the music channels is silly since the author 'sampled' so few of the stations. I dont listen to music all day but in my experiences I cant recall any songs being repeated. I like the fact that the playlists are so deep. also the formats are quite varied. the only annoyance I have is the crap like 'megabyte minute' and 'earth and sky' and the spam they have in lieu of commercials. I wish they would figure out a way to eliminate the xm ads from people who already subscribe. and please someone find and shoot lazlo.
First....jrock65 and lucas2, thank you for the info, it is exactly what I wanted.
2nd, I have to agree with kmg68. I actually am glad to see the numbers are not as high as bmw and mercedes. I like having a car that isn't as highly numbered on the road, makes me different. My '02 Q45 right now is sparse on the road. But I turns heads where ever I go, and when people get in it, bmw and Mercedes people alike they all say how nice it is, and are even a little jealous. The Q had/has a lot of technology in it. I live in Philly, and when i go in town, to dinner, to a club, whatever....I'm 34.....It is always parked up front and they always tell me how they want my car. I believe the M will be the same.....1 more month until I find out.
I have an M45 and an 03 Q45, and I've had similar treatment with my cars. I also feel that my M is much less common than the BMWs and MBs I see all over town.
The M's sales are beating their projections and are growing. That's a good thing, however I'd like them to keep growing and get the kind of numbers they deserve. Specifically I'd like them to surpass the GS.
Greater numbers provides several benefits to existing Infiniti owners and enthusiasts:
1- Greater resale value 2- More knowledge of Infiniti among the public at large. Given how great this car is, that will mean more (well deserved) prestige. 3- The more profitable Infiniti is. the more capable they are of doing what they do best. Namely, building more great cars with a greater variety of choices, and a tremendous set of features and performance.
Some examples: They're not making an M45x (AWD) because the market size doesn't justify it. If M sales really take off an M45x would be increasingly likely. Similarly if M45 sales went through the roof, Infiniti would be more likely to make a next generation, absolute killer Q45. (or Q50) Imagine the possibilities.
I couldn't wait until my T-Mobile Treo 600 contract would expire and I just went ahead to get a Samsung i730 at Verizon. Gooooooood news: all is working fine!. Can handle all phone calls from the car (initiate a call, receive one, upload phonebook entries, etc.) I've only been playing with it for 1 hour, though. Will post additional info if I come across other interesting things.
Samsung i730 at Verizon. Gooooooood news: all is working fine
Mexibec: I just brought my i730 home 20 minutes ago (4:40 PM PDT) and it's not working. I get no signal bars on my nav screen. When I try to initiate a call (as with my V710) I get the message others have gotten with the Treo ... "phone disconnected". Clearly my Verizon salesman fouled something up and I have some "learnin' to do" ... but can you please share your settings? Was there a process that had to be initiated by VZ to recognize the i730, or was it like my V710 where you turn it on, activate Bluetooth in the i730 and the car immediately recognizes it? I actually logged in to post "bad news" and was most heartened to learn I'm wrong. :shades: :confuse: Bart
Bart: The Verizon sales rep set up the phone (phone #), but did nothing about BT. I got in the car, went into Settings > Phone > Bluetooth Setup > Pair Phone, initiated a pairing from the i730, and that was about it. I did notice that I do not get the signal bars, but I do get the antenna symbol when it connects via BT. The phone is automatically recognized within seconds of starting the car and that's when the antenna symbol shows up. I can then initiate calls, receive calls, etc. Let me know if you have any specific questions. Are you sure BT is still active on the i730?
Many thanks for the help, mexibec. It's 111 here right now and margarita time, so I'll take your instructions to the car in the morning when it's only 90 ... and see what happens.
Are you sure BT is still active on the i730?
Yes. There's a screen that has checkmarks for "Turn on Bluetooth", and a sub-checkmark for that says "Make this device discoverable to other devices". Both are checked, so BT would appear to be functional/ready in the i730 awaiting my setting up the car's system. I'll be back with an update tomorrow. If I can't make it happen, I'll go back to the VZ store and have them do it. And if that fails, I'll go to Infiniti Monday afternoon and have them set it up. In either event, I'm delighted this is going to work.
I'm also happy you beat me to the post because I would have posted bad information.
Hey guys I also picked up my I730 and I can say it is working perfectly. More important the sound in and outgoing is better than the Treo or V710 I had. I have not tried to add phone number transfer yet.
Bart: What I meant is are you sure BT is shown as "ON" on the Today screen? For some reasons, it turned itself off (it could have been my fault though because I'm playing a lot with the device - heck it's a new toy). Turn the screen on (by pressing down the left button) and make sure BT shows "ON". Make sure WiFi shows DISABLED (I don't think it will matter, but both use the same frequency range, so that may actually help). I'll be glad to help. If you want to bring the discussion off-line, just email me at mexibec04@yahoo.com.
I called my wife from the car and she couldn't tell I was driving. Well, I'm driving the Base model, so (factory) tire noise is not an issue. :P I also happened to receive another call, and the caller told me he could hear me crystal clear. I could hear him that much too. The cool thing is that I was listening some CDs when the call came in: the CD went on Pause and resumed when I hung up. In a previous post, I said that the electronics were no-nonsense. Man, isn't that true... What a smart car!
Comments
-Start with cruise control completely off
-Press and hold the Cruise On button for 1.5 seconds or more.
BTW. Intelligent cruise control will automatically turn itself off when you have the windshield wipers on. It would be unsafe to let you depend on it, when rain has a chance of affecting its behavior. Infiniti does the safe thing and simply disables it. (Also note that it would be equally unsafe to automatically revert to plain old standard cruise in rain conditions. In that case, people might not realize that it had reverted and they'd be assuming it would be braking for them when it wouldn't.)
However, that's when plain old standard cruise control comes in handy. The M's intelligent cruise is super, IMO, and it's also cool they give you the other for rain conditions.
Pete
Well said. It really is an enormous accomplishment.
Pete
And for the record, the 525i is a slug, so you're comparing a bottom of the line fully loaded car to a top of the line fully loaded car for the same money!
Bart :shades:
Thanks.
AWD is a performance enahncer, rain, snow and dry -- period. The M45X would fly off the showroom floors, I would bet, too.
AWD = confidence.
From memory, the M sells about 2,300 unit/month, with merc, bmw & lexus at least doubling that volume, and acura and audi at half that volume.
I believe the models compared are the E, 500 series, RL, GS, A6, and of course the infiniti M.
Happy driving!
E = 4,205
5 = 4,183
STS = 3,719
GS = 3,317
M = 2,480
A6 = 1,581
RL = 1,565
Total = 21,050
May 2005 Sales:
5 = 3,611
E = 3,569
STS = 3,346
GS = 3,141
M = 2,170
RL = 1,404
A6 = 1,313
Total = 18,554
April 2005 Sales:
5 = 4,571
E = 3,731
STS = 3,541
GS = 3,198
M = 2,288
A6 = 1,635
RL = 1,304
Total = 20,268
March 2005 Sales:
5 = 3,949
E = 3,608
GS = 3,209
STS = 2,954
M = 2,253
A6 = 1,681
RL = 1,376
Total = 19,030
I have also had to back away from the keyboard when the subject of M status vs. MB and BMW rears its ugly head.
Here is my view in a nutshell - the black on graphite Mxx looks every bit a 50 to 60 $K car. The way the black offsets the beautiful job they did with the chrome trim is beyond compare and does not seem to happen with the other color choices. People are shocked when they learn how little I paid (low 40s).
I recently saw a silver and burgundy M45 pull out in front of me near John Wayne airport and I was shocked at how cheesy it looked - it took me ten seconds to realize it was the same body style as mine. I personally felt that despite the v8 engine it diluted the value and status of my M35. It would not surprise me at all if it got parked next to the TLs and Avalons.
Whoa, big fella ... mine's crimson and IMO looks anything but "cheesy". In fairness, black and its brethren smack more of elegance and I see more mention of those colors here than any other ... certainly no white ... but here in the desert w/ 100+ degree heat black/dark cars are mobile ovens. Mine's a sport, and the black dash and instruments are finger-burners when left in the sun more than a few minutes.
Bart
varix's brother-in-law makes my point.
I doubt that anyone here spent between 40 and 57 K for his M-car "to be seen"; everyone who's posted here has extolled the car's splendid design and performance and the joy of driving.
I'm now in my fourth month of ownership and don't have anything requiring service, anything that's less than perfect.
Bart
This past long weekend, I used Zaino for the first time on two cars. I figured I would first try it on an 8+ year old Volvo to see how the various components work. Although it took most of the day to Dawn, clay, Z7, Z5, Z6, Z5, Z6, Z5 and finally Z6 the car, the results were great. Most swirls and scratches were covered and upon the second Z5 layer, the surface got slick to the point a terry cloth would tend to slide off the trunk lid by itself, and very little product was needed for the third Z5 coat. The purpose was more protection than appearance because the car is parked outside.
Then did the M with Dawn, Z7, Z5, Z6, Z2 and Z6; again, it takes most of the day with a few breaks to do a good job. Given the two jobs, I would claim that: claying is overrated (does not remove as much as people claim if the car was new or kept clean to begin with) and Z5 is much better than Z2 (covers minor scratches, is much slicker, easier to apply in small quantity and to remove without bumps).
The results on the M's Diamond Graphite are great because there is adequate and elegant shine, "nothing sticks" and I feel the paint is well protected for the next 6-9 months. Appearance wise, I would venture a blasphemy here that Meguiar's Gold Class wax yields higher gloss (I can compare side by side with another car I did with that product last fall). Also, all these recommendations about using 100% cotton towels made only in the USA and bought from BB&B seem bogus; a twelve pack of 100% overseas-made white terry towels from WalMart worked just as fine even without cutting the edges--no scratches introduced.
The biggest problems on the M were water spots after the Z7 wash -- it is very difficult to dry this relatively big car rapidly in this hot and humid weather without scratching the paint. I have to look into some other solution for that (Mr. Clean tool, I guess). The most straining part were rocker panels (they need to be done well because that is where most of the tar sticks) and the front bumber (all those nooks and crannies).
The greatest part about Zaino is that it does not leave white marks on the black rubber or plastic chromed parts, unlike Meguiar's. Thus, on the M it is easy to do the rear bumper that has a black bottom skirt. Likewise, the chromed roof/window/grill trim.
Happy detailing.
I also do not like the relatively low quality of the music channels. They are nowhere close to CD quality and tend to sound worse than the 128 kbps MP3s which is fairly evident with the 14-speaker Bose. Maybe just a bit better than regular FM, noise-wise but not bandwidth-wise in case of good FM reception. Sirius claims they use up to 192 kbps (read: they probably use VBR across all channels trying to squeeze as much as they can, just like DirecTV does with video, with detriment to music material). IMO, the service is not worth $140 per year given that I cannot even get reception in the garage. Compare this price to the number of customized songs you can buy on a CD at WalMart online. Plus, you would get to play what and when you like; on a recent long trip I noticed Sirius repeated the same songs after approx. 6 hours on the sample jazz channel.
Any opinions on that or comparisons with XM's quality?
Could be a difference in full curing time between these finishes. For example, Volvo says in the manual not to wax in the first six months. Mercedes does not, and indeed I applied the first coat of recommended Meguiar's two weeks after purchase with no problems. Thereafter, I would always use a touchless car wash before hand-washing and waxing, and 5+ years later there are not swirls or scratches on the paint.
Infiniti manual does not say anything about early waxing. The dealers routinely apply a buffer with a cheap compound before delivery because it removes the residue from the protective plastic sheets much faster. I specifically requested no such thing be done before the delivery of my M. Removed a few pieces of glue-like residue with a simple tar remover myself with no problems before applying Z5.
What month was your car made (check the sticker visible when you open the driver's door)? Mine was built in March, so the paint had about 4 months to settle. (Yes, I know they likely apply IR/UV at the factory to speed up the curing and all that, but time is time.)
OK, so now you know my perspective -- but we don't know yours. The Technology Package in the Infiniti brings with it the best audio system in any car I have ever heard. The Journey package claims to bring an upgraded system (over a non Journey and non Technology version), but the Journey package audio system is simply just "good." The Technology sound system is way way better.
Now, having said all of this, I must tell you that sat radio needs a line of sight to the satellite, so NO, it will NOT play in a garage (but it does have a buffer).
In terms of sound, Sirius (in both my wife's BMW and in my Audi) is superior to any FM and is often equal or better than many CD's.
The fact that the Infiniti with the technology package offers the ability to play DVD-Audio is a recipe for disappointment. You see, after you have put in the Eagles in DVD-Audio, or Yes in DVD-Audio or Mark Knopfler in DVD-Audio, etc etc etc -- NOTHING sounds good anymore.
Since you didn't say what system you have, I will with full anticipation of raising the ire of some, say the Infiniti M with the Technology package sound system is equal to the best I have ever heard (the Acura TL system, thus far). Yet, the Infiniti's system in the Journey package only is simply "pretty good."
The differences, since I have heard all 5 of these systems are huge: my pecking order would be -- #1/2 Infiniti M/Technology package system (tied with the Acura TL), #2 the Audi A6 Premium system, #3 the BMW (2005 model) Premium audio, and the #4 Infiniti M/Journey only system (yes that is 5 systems.)
Now that we have Sirius -- I cannot imagine "regular radio." And, saying that CD's or stuff you made yourself is the same is difficult to imagine, since often there are live DJ's and countless NEWS and other non music channels from which you can choose (Martha Stewart anyone? Jimmy Buffet?)
Nothing against XM at all.
We just love Sirius and what it suggests about the future of in car audio. . .we'll see if the market is big enough for both XM and Sirius to party on.
I'd keep voice control and sat radio without question. I could take or leave pushbutton start especially if there is a charge for it (like there was for my Audi A6.)
Satellite radio rules. :shades:
After first test drive the M, decision was made. I just had to convance myself not to worry about how my neighbor sees.
Can't wait to receive the M45 sport in 2 weeks.
A good friend of mine was upset with me because I would not test drive BMW 5's
Fellow Phoenix M lover (graphite). :shades:
My gas milage is at 16.4 with about 50/50 city highway mix so I guess I am in there with everyone else in that respect.
Also, upon delivery my salesman told me to change the oil at 1100 miles. He explained that the first service is complimentary. I called for an appointment at about 800 miles and the service advisor told me that the manufacturers reccommendation is 3500-4000 miles for the firstr service. He explained that any "debris" in the oil from the "breakin" will be easily removed by the oil filter. Any one else have this experience?
Does anyone have any experience with a magnetic oil plug? It is designed to catch metal filings before they get into the engine? I have no experience or knowledge either for good or bad. Anyone have some info on this ?
I absoluely love this car.
I forgot what it is like to search for the perfect spot each time I park for fear of shopping carts and dings.
Thanks for all who post and respond. Its been a big help.
When you switch into manual mode, it downshifts, and your RPM goes up. Test it for yourself: go into manual mode on the highway and when on the 5th gear, swtich into D, and no gear change occurs. Go back to manual mode, and it will downshift to 4th.
> Also, upon delivery my salesman told me to change the oil at 1100 miles.
There are mixed opinions on this (both by mechanics and owners), as you found out for yourself! I for one will change the oil at 1200 mi (which is the end of the break-in period). It costs next to nothing, takes little time, and can only help. I plan to keep the car for 5-6 years, so I take care of it early on.
I drove a 530i until I drove & purchased the M35. It shouldn't be a status thing but what feels right to you. IMO, there are a number of skilled BMW drivers on the road and an even greater number of those who are not drivers in the real sense of the word. If image is vital to your self-esteem, stay with the herd.
M45 Sport loaded
59,140 - Sport + tech +joureny+mes+full size spare+flaps and mat+spoiler
BMW 545 loaded
70,069
Mercdes E500
75,869
Mercedes CLS500
84,184
Lexus GS430
58,334
I've got the Tech Pkg (14-speaker Bose). I am certainly not comparing Sirius to DVD-Audio (would be like comparing an M to a Kia).
Today, the Sirius failed on me repeatedly in moderate rain on the highway, buffer or not. Of course, there is a reception hiccup passing under any bridge of substance. No such thing with FM.
I double-checked the reply from Sirius and they claim to transmit at a minimum (not maximum) of 192 kbps which I find very hard to believe. Music sounds as if it was MP3 encoded at less than 128 kbps, say at 96 kbps. It is pretty evident when an announcer speaks between songs on Ch. 71. The voice at first appears to be artificially changed by a vocoder to give it a little pizzazz but upon closer inspection you can hear artifacts of heavy compression. The audio bandwidth appears to be cut somewhere around 12-13 kHz (compared to about 15 kHz for FM and 20 kHz for CD). How do I know this? I can compare with these same tracks on the original CD, and also refer to my previous experience with a cheap FM tuner that had such a bandwidth cut-off. The only advantage is less noise than on FM but this is not an issue with a strong FM station.
The 65 music channels advertised would sure be nice if I could get them. I do not care that much about spoken news, live DJs (do not add any value just noise over music, IMO) or the former prisoner, or the upcoming shock-jock transmissions (re: Mr. HS).
> Satellite radio rules.
To each their own, Mark. I remain (unfortunately) quite disappointed with it.
Sorry to read your report -- that Technology system is something I certainly will miss in the Audi.
Nope. As I wrote in the original post, I am only able to tune to less than 10 channels using the >> button (it works fine on FM, though). For example, Ch. 71 (jazz) skips to Ch. 90-something then to 101 or so then back to 1. Is there some trick with the receiver in that it goes through channel categories first than through channels of a given category?
I don't think he was really saying that Zaino is overrated. The only comment that he made that could be construed as not totally positive is that he felt the gloss from Meguiar's Gold Class wax was higher. It may or may not be. Many feel that you cannot get a better shine than using a high quality polish followed by a wax with carnauba. I've always thought a clean paint surface that has been properly polished looks terrific with a good wax.
As a relatively new Zaino user, I can tell you that the one thing that I have found to be a great advantage is the length of protection the products provide. I used Zaino on my new M45 upon delivery in mid-March and the car still beads and sheets away water as if I did it yesterday. No wax will provide protection for that length of time or creates a surface that is as easy to maintain as Zaino.
While it takes some effort to get a few coats of Zaino on the car, once it is finished you'll find that the product makes it very easy to keep the car clean and maintain a beautiful, wet shine. Bugs and tar, two big offenders, literally fall off with a small amount of cleaning solution and a rag. Dust, which seems to be attracted to wax finishes seems as if it is being repelled by the Zaino product. Instead of seeing a layer of dust within the first day of cleaning, it generally takes 3 or 4 days for dust to become noticeable.
All in all, I think that the creation of products that can provide the show car looks of a good carnauba with greater protection, durability, and ease of maintenance is quite a feat.
This is not a paid advertisement.
link title
Any opinions on that or comparisons with XM's quality?
My observations exactly, and I'm using the XM trial period that does little to enthuse me. The programming is also repetitive, at least on the music stations (obviously not an issue on the news channels). The sound's equal to quality FM, nothing taking advantage of that great Bose system we have. My mood dictates the channel (from decades to jazz to classical) but I can find most of that on the local AM & FM broadcasts. I don't know the monthly charge, but I'll subscribe only if it's nominal. No true value added, IMO.
It's all about curing time. I won't go NEAR any surface treatment until at least 6 months from manufacture. I made the mistake of "protecting" a new car years ago and the lustre was gone forever, could never get it back. I flat out ruined it. Paints are better now and clearcoats more protective, so what's the rush? The stakes are too high to take any risk. And I lease but treat my cars as if they'll be my own for a decade having them professionally hand washed every two weeks and detailed and the engine steam cleaned every year. And drive-thru car washes are a definite no-no.
My reaction is the diametric opposite. I listen to Real Jazz, Beyond Jazz (Fusion), Luna (Latin Jazz), Water Colors (Smooth Jazz), Rock Cafe, and Franks Place.
IMO, XM sound is incomparably better than FM; the programming is absolutely wonderful; and (except for a little bit of repetition on the smooth jazz station) the depth and freedom from repetition is astounding.
I could not be happier, and give XM my whole hearted recommendation.
If you do a search for XM sirius dropouts (also try "drop outs") you'll see many reports that indicate that XM does a better job of holding a signal in areas with obstruction. That was also my experience when I test drove an M with Sirius. Also, many folks have claimed less repetition on XM, but I'd say they're both orders of magnitude better than FM.
My observations are that those who claim no sound or programming difference when comparing satellite radio to FM, seem to be in an extreme minority. In fact the percentage of people who believe that appears to be no greater than the percentage of americans actually employed by the FM radio industry.
Pete
2nd, I have to agree with kmg68. I actually am glad to see the numbers are not as high as bmw and mercedes. I like having a car that isn't as highly numbered on the road, makes me different. My '02 Q45 right now is sparse on the road. But I turns heads where ever I go, and when people get in it, bmw and Mercedes people alike they all say how nice it is, and are even a little jealous. The Q had/has a lot of technology in it. I live in Philly, and when i go in town, to dinner, to a club, whatever....I'm 34.....It is always parked up front and they always tell me how they want my car. I believe the M will be the same.....1 more month until I find out.
The M's sales are beating their projections and are growing. That's a good thing, however I'd like them to keep growing and get the kind of numbers they deserve. Specifically I'd like them to surpass the GS.
Greater numbers provides several benefits to existing Infiniti owners and enthusiasts:
1- Greater resale value
2- More knowledge of Infiniti among the public at large. Given how great this car is, that will mean more (well deserved) prestige.
3- The more profitable Infiniti is. the more capable they are of doing what they do best. Namely, building more great cars with a greater variety of choices, and a tremendous set of features and performance.
Some examples: They're not making an M45x (AWD) because the market size doesn't justify it. If M sales really take off an M45x would be increasingly likely. Similarly if M45 sales went through the roof, Infiniti would be more likely to make a next generation, absolute killer Q45. (or Q50) Imagine the possibilities.
Pete
Mexibec: I just brought my i730 home 20 minutes ago (4:40 PM PDT) and it's not working. I get no signal bars on my nav screen. When I try to initiate a call (as with my V710) I get the message others have gotten with the Treo ... "phone disconnected". Clearly my Verizon salesman fouled something up and I have some "learnin' to do" ... but can you please share your settings? Was there a process that had to be initiated by VZ to recognize the i730, or was it like my V710 where you turn it on, activate Bluetooth in the i730 and the car immediately recognizes it? I actually logged in to post "bad news" and was most heartened to learn I'm wrong. :shades: :confuse: Bart
Are you sure BT is still active on the i730?
Yes. There's a screen that has checkmarks for "Turn on Bluetooth", and a sub-checkmark for that says "Make this device discoverable to other devices". Both are checked, so BT would appear to be functional/ready in the i730 awaiting my setting up the car's system. I'll be back with an update tomorrow. If I can't make it happen, I'll go back to the VZ store and have them do it. And if that fails, I'll go to Infiniti Monday afternoon and have them set it up. In either event, I'm delighted this is going to work.
I'm also happy you beat me to the post because I would have posted bad information.
Bart
Craig