Are you sure about this?? I called Infiniti at the beginning of the month and they said "It is not available yet. It is only for direct employees" I work for a business partner of Infiniti and it was not available for us yet.(again that was the beginning of the month). You got me curious, so I will call today again and post their answer later.
Your comments appear to be a littler "condescending"??? (However, I am sure you do mean it to be that way.)
I apologize if they came across as "condescending"; they certainly were NOT intended to be. I was short on time and trying to be succinct. I couldn't agree more that all cars have blind spots (my old Chrysler 300M an excellent case in point) and not all are created equal. I haven't driven with the smaller mirror so perhaps the smaller mirror doesn't cover the entire rear window in which event I would clearly have been wrong. My mirror covers much more than the rear window so I'm guessing there's not an issue there. And yes, a larger rear window would widen the field of view but I haven't found it to be an issue. With my arthritis I rely on my rear and side view mirrors + the backup video, in addition to a painful turn of the neck, to get a clear view of what's behind me and I've not felt that I have a troublesome area.
Frankly, my biggest worry is curb height and ground clearance for my aero kit when parking! Fortunately the car's a bit on the short side so I don't have to pull all the way forward to park properly. I know I'll get it sooner or later though ... and a chunk of change will be blown then.
As it turned out, it is true. The VPP discount is available at the moment. I talked to a representative and she said and quote: "I believe the discount is 2.85% under invoice". That is awesome...
Based on the only response being from you though...it does appear that no one is having any issues with visibility/blind spots...which is great.
I hesitated to reply since I do not own an M (yet :shades: ). However I have driven it several times and I do own an FX35. The FX35 has the worst blind spots of any car I've owned, and will not buy anything so "poor" again. I'm pleased to say that the M35 has much better coverage than my FX. But I do intend on paying particular attention to this on future test drives.
That's not the formula as I know it. It's a fairly lengthy formula and they give you a price after they match a VPP number to a VIN. I paid about $500 over invoice.
Now that I think of it, you are right. But I was quoting what the Infiniti VPP person told me. Actually here is the formula...
For Business Associates, the VPP price is calculated as follows:
* Dealer invoice * Minus VPP discount (Nissan 2.87% : Infiniti 1.65%) * Plus dealer added options, Security Plus, etc. * Plus 2.5% delivery fee of dealer invoice after VPP discount has been subtracted * Plus destination and handling charge * Minus applicable incentives * Equals participant's purchase price
I am thinking she was talking about the first part of the formula and got confuse with the nissan discount...
Hi: Can you tell me what type of shampoo to use to wash the car before P21S? and what do you use for the tires and rims? I will be picking up a M45 sports tomorrow.
I had the same problem with my clock. It turns out the Dealer never put the fuse in for the clock. Went to the dealership the put it in - end of problem. I was peeved at first, but was glad that it was nothing more than that.
#3893 of 3894 Re: Paint and Wax and Nick [jeff721] by dl8 Jul 21, 2005 (5:25 pm) Replying to: jeff721 (Jul 20, 2005 8:29 am)
Hi: Can you tell me what type of shampoo to use to wash the car before P21S? and what do you use for the tires and rims? I will be picking up a M45 sports tomorrow.
Thanks.
I always wash the rims first. If they are very dirty use P21S wheel cleaner. I will use nothing, nothing else. (Nothing with any acid ever.) I have not need to use wheel cleaner on the M except for the firt day I brought it home. Dealer left blue dits and nonsense on the rims. Mostly off now but not completly. I use a separate bucket for rims and mis the mothers car wash. I use a sponge and rinse if frequently. Works great. I clean the tires with an old sponger and the soloution for the rims after all the rims are done. I do not redip this sponge as it is trashed after being rubbed on the dressed tires. I skip this step if the tires look good. The at the end I add tire dressing. Use a thick non flinging dressing like Simoniz Black Back. Works great and pretty cheap too. If you can find that, eagle one makes a good dressing.
I wash the Car with Mothers car wash, I use 2 buckets. One with clear water and onother with the soap. I rinse the sponge to get out any dirt that can scratch between dipping into soap again. Next I used a microfiber towel to dry the car. Then I go over the car to remove any tar spots with another microfiber towel and bug and tar remover. My car is new and there was no rough touch to the finish so I just clayed the hood and roof and trunk.(Claying is optional if you cannot feel bumps on the finish when it is dry. I use my hand, but they reccommend putting your hand in a plastic sandwich bag and running that over the car.
Then, wash off car really quick, dry and apply p21S carnuba wax as directed. No need to wait for haze like old waxes. Easy on and off. Apply with included aplicator and remove with clean microfiber cloth. Remove any tags from Microfiber towels as they can scratch.
This is not an ad but the P21S is amazing. I only hope it lasts 60-90 days. I can deal with waxing 4 X a year. Just need to get through Dec, Jan and Feb in NY.
I am totally frustrated with this feature. I never had this on any other car, but now that I do I monitor is regularly. My Passanger front tire will not read 95% of the time. My passanger rear reads 50% of the time. Both driver side tres read once the car get to a speed over 35 or 40 MPH.
I am totally frustrated with this feature. I never had this on any other car, but now that I do I monitor is regularly. My Passanger front tire will not read 95% of the time. My passanger rear reads 50% of the time. Both driver side tres read once the car get to a speed over 35 or 40 MPH.
I won't opine on anything other than the fact that you have warranty coverage. This isn't something about which to complain here; we can't solve it. It is, however, something Infiniti owes you. Anything less than flawless/perfect on this car is unaccptable. Bart
I took delivery of an M35x in May. I love driving the car and I am amazed with the technology. I have a couple of questions about the car.
1. When driving on a relatively flat street travelling 35 to 40 MPH I notice a slight drive line shutter. The car seems to shift into 5th gear too quickly and this is too tall of gear for speed, which causes slight shutter. Car acts like when you go downhill with the cruise control on and power goes on and off. Does anyone else notice this with their car?
2. On cool summer evenings I like to turn off air conditioning and just have fresh outside air come through ventilation. Car doesn't seem to allow cool outside air through vents even when I reduce desired temperature to the lowest temperature setting - warm air still comes in even with setting on outside fresh air?? This forces me to either put down windows, open sunroof or to turn on A/C. Any ideas here how to get fresh outside air through ventilation without A/C on?
I had the same problem with mine. The analog clock and the Homelink are on the same fuse circuit. Someone had removed the fuse on my car (it is red - 10 amp I think) and put it in the ashtray. Why? I don't know. I put the fuse back in and everything worked fine.
#3899 of 3901 Re: Tire Pressure Readout [jeff721] by blov8r Jul 22, 2005 (12:17 am) Replying to: jeff721 (Jul 21, 2005 10:18 pm)
I am totally frustrated with this feature. I never had this on any other car, but now that I do I monitor is regularly. My Passanger front tire will not read 95% of the time. My passanger rear reads 50% of the time. Both driver side tres read once the car get to a speed over 35 or 40 MPH.
I won't opine on anything other than the fact that you have warranty coverage. This isn't something about which to complain here; we can't solve it. It is, however, something Infiniti owes you. Anything less than flawless/perfect on this car is unaccptable. Bart
Thanks for pointing out the fact that I have a warranty. I was just wondering if anyone else was having the same issue or if I was the only one. Thats what this space is for???????? If all you want to read is how much everyone love the car and how much fun it is to drive, join the local Infinity fan club, sit around and blow sunshine at each other.
I am here to share my experiences, good and bad, opinions positive and negative as well as to ask the same of eveyone else. I plan to vistit the dealer soon for my first iol change and I have a short list if items to be corrected. Mostly minor. This is on top of the list.
#3900 of 3902 New owner questions by carboy2 Jul 22, 2005 (1:32 am)
1. When driving on a relatively flat street travelling 35 to 40 MPH I notice a slight drive line shutter. The car seems to shift into 5th gear too quickly and this is too tall of gear for speed, which causes slight shutter. Car acts like when you go downhill with the cruise control on and power goes on and off. Does anyone else notice this with their car?
Yes, annoying isn't it! Your lower speed and 5th not the issue I think. I feel it too at higher speeds. Cruse at say 70, take your foot off the accelerator and ever so lightly hit the gas. Very lightly, like trying to wring out as much MPG as possible. You'll feel it. I thought it was just me and my 3 week old M35x. Was going to have the dealer check it on my first scheduled maintenance trip. Sounds as if it's the car and not me...
I've tried it at varying speeds, always in 5th, from about 50 to 80 m/hr with the same results. Almost felt to me as if the drivetrain was attempting to kick into 4 wheel drive with the hesitation I feel. A reall pain. Can't wait for 1200 miles and lower gas prices so I can open it up and not treat it like it's a nervous 18 year old's first time.
And thanks to the person who posted about the steering wheel being off to the left! Really noticing it now! ;-)
Basically love the car/features, but miss the smoother and quiter ride and higher quality seats in my now gone '97 Bonneville SSEI. Had a much higher gear ratio, got way better gas milage, and the super charger was a real blast to drive. Take your foot off the gas at 80 m/hr and it would coast forever. Real low RPM's too. Infinity really needs to add a six speed box on these things.
I think what blov8r meant (in response to you asking about solutions) was that there isn't a method we can offer you as any kind of a DIY fix for this particular issue. I don't think you need to take his comments personally - he is supporting you in the fact that it shouldn't be that way.
But yes, sharing your experiences and asking others about theirs is exactly what we are here for. Let's see if any others have seen this - do let us know how the dealer responds.
I have had my M35X for 2 weeks and noticed the same thing "drive line shutter"-I also noticed when I was slowing down for a car that was turning and went to change lanes and accelareted there was a significant lag before it kicked in. I was gonna give it a couple of months and then go to the dealer with questions about these issues
Thanks for update. Just retuned from the dealer. They replaced the single fuse; clock and homelink have power. Service Dept. told me not to charge the battery with a 15 amp charger. They said to jump start the car if battery dies. If battery needs charging it should be brought in for evalaution.
> Cruse at say 70, take your foot off the accelerator and ever so lightly hit the gas. Very lightly, like trying to wring out as much MPG as possible. You'll feel it.
I'm glad to read it's not unique to my car. I didn't notice in the first days, but no matter how gently I depressed the gas pedal at 60+, there's always that kick. Annoying at highway speed when there's moderate traffic and you need to take your foot on and off the gas pedal.
I have to return to the dealer because at my 1200 mi oil change last week, I mentioned the driver seat was loose, which they said was within the specs, but after insisting they went in another M and concluded that my seat was too loose (!) So I'm heading back to the dealer next Friday (a week from today), but I'll let them know right away this kick problem... They might have to order a gas pedal assembly...??? I'll post an update then.
A couple of points that probably won't make anyone feel any better other than in terms of "misery loves company."
I've been driving, until recently, a 6 spd manual transmission (in an Audi allroad 2.7T -- MY 2003.) When I began shopping for my next car, as some here may recall, virtually all of the cars I tested were going to HAVE to be automatics. It seems to go with the territory (BMW does still allow one to order a 5 series -- say the 530xi -- with a manual transmission, but at the time I didn't even consider the BMW to be a contender.)
I had, due to some outrageous leasing terms, narrowed my choice to Audi A6 3.2, and Infiniti M35X and had picked the M35X. I did think a 5 spd auto was somewhat odd since Audi and BMW were coming out with 6 speeds and Mercedes was moving to 7 speed autos. But that is not exactly the point.
The new Infiniti transmission as I read the preceding thread here may have a hardware or software problem (and perhaps it is only the one or two folks who have bothered to comment here that it is affecting.) On the other hand, the stutter or as I call it "shudder" may be a term that is applicable to virtually all of the current generation of "too smart for their own good" something-tronic transmissions.
Those who have Audi/Porsche/VW cars with "tip-tronic" have "tip lag," BMW's with "step-tronic" have "step lag" and so on. A lot of folks don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Yet a scan of the edmund's blogs as well as other brand specific site's blogs will produce at least some incidence of this malady.
My current take on this is that those who have not driven the smart transmissions previously may notice this something-lag (and some folks attribute it to DBW (drive by wire, sorry) rather than transmission lag), and those of us used to driving stick shifts notice this "feature" most acutely.
Perhaps this is DBW or lag or driveline "lash" -- perhaps it is, in this instance, a defect. Obviously, I am just speculating. But I am becoming convinced that this [transmission] is "doing what it is told" by the software.
The M transmission does have a feature called rev matching -- and I imagine it COULD be this feature (but since you are not claiming you are attempting to induce a down-shft, this doesn't really seem all that plausible.)
When writing about my new Audi A6's 6spd tiptronic, I said:
" The transmission is less impressive, however. Formerly known as “Tip Lag,” this transmission seems to be plagued with, um, er, gee, uh, “indecisiveness” – which is, after all, a common trait of all modern “smart” automatics, or so it seems. All current, premium-car-class, 5, 6 and now 7 speed automatics are hell-bent to be in a higher, therefore more economical, gear. This is laudable.
However, when the driver needs or wants to react quickly (to squirt through a traffic issue or just plain wants to get going), these smart transmissions attempt to discern if the driver really, really, really is calling for so much extra urge that a downshift might be called for. This half-second delay to ponder the meaning of life often causes the hapless driver to press even further on the accelerator pedal. Then, since this pedal is actually connected to a computer, the transmission receives the instruction to downshift violently 1, 2 or sometimes 3 gears – causing a great deal of fuss and strum as the car leaps forward after the slight “indecision” lag. Audi’s new 6-speed Tiptronic thankfully has a secondary program that mostly eliminates this tendency. Keeping the lever in the “S” (for sport) rather than the “D” detent retards the rapid and relentless tendency to shift up, up, up. Seldom in “S” mode will the transmission be in a gear substantially below the 3.2’s fairly broad torque band.
But, for the ultimate in lag-free motoring, a full manumatic mode is offered, and this time the transmission stays in first gear until you tell it to up-shift or when you reach the engine’s red-line. I have said it before, it is quite possible that those not used to driving a stick-shift may never even notice the issues suggested by the preceding remarks."
Does this make sense with respect to the Infinti as perhaps at least a "possibility" if not an outright "probability?"
It makes perfect sense. I felt similar hesitation on a VW, Acura and even Lexus. This is more bothersome for folks used to driving manuals. In reality, even with this "hesitation," the auto is shifting faster than I could shfit a manual trans. But the problem is that manual is linked to my brain and hence I feel as if everything is moving much quicker. I am willing to bet that most if not all "smart" trannys will behave/feel this way (once in a while). I am wondering how quickly the manual modes work. I think there's a difference there between different makes.
This bothered me even more in my Audi A6 4.2 with the 5 speed since it seemed ever so reluctant to remain in ANY gear unless I just set the cruise control.
When we tested the new BMW X3's with the 5speed steptronic, I sang the song "a hunting we will go, a hunting we will go, hi ho the gear you know, a hunting we will go."
I first drove an automatic in 1967 and it was a "torqueflight" transmission in a huge V8 equipped Chrysler. Transmissions then were not all that smart and I never remember the constant "soich for the proper gear" like I do with the currently produced automatics.
For the life of me, if automatic transmissions were discontinued altogether, I wouldn't miss them a bit.
I only hope the DSG style or CVT style transmissions replace the current generation of "I'm smarter than you" automatics, for I know that manual transmissions day's are numbered.
1) On a BMW Z3 with steptronic, going from a stop or low speed (when the transmission is "disengaged", there would *sometimes* be a delay between the moment the engine starts to rev up (as I press the gas pedal) and the moment the transmission actually engages the 1st gear, resulting in a kick. I did not observe another other condition for that kick on this vehicle. Definitely a tranny firmware issue, which I couldn't reproduce at the dealership. Drove me nuts.
2) During a 2005 BMW 545i w/ steptronic test-drive, at very low speed (), slightly pressing the gas pedal resulted in the car strongly hesitating to move forward (like releasing a clutch with not enough gas). The dealer later confirmed that the tranny had to be reprogrammed. That confirmed to me that the 545i was no longer a contender (and the M45 won). Heck, it's a new car and the tranny needs repogramming? :confuse: no thanks
3) On the Infiniti M, I have observed that the kick only happens at high speed (70+ mph), when releasing and pressing the gas pedal (even when pressing very very very gently). Otherwise (at other speed), I have not observed a kick. If I would be driving at <65 mph, I would not observe that kick (but I would end up rear-ended on any non-congestioned SoCal highways, so it's 65+ mph here).
But on my way to work this morning, I tested at 65, 70, 75 and 80 mph. And no kick :confuse: But coming back home last night, it kicked any time I would release and press the gas pedal at 70+ mph. This tells me that 1) it's an intermittent problem 2) if I bring the car to dealer, there's a risk that they may not be able to reproduce the problem which 3) may just add more frustrations. :mad: Oh well, I'll ask nonetheless to check it next week when they fix my loose seat.
All in all, <b>jeqq, I agree with your idea that's it's somewhat related to the rev-matching. I think it happens because at 70+ mph, the engine is revving up high, and the tranny firmware might try to bring up the rpm up to the actual vehicle speed (similar to rev-matching) when the gas pedal is pressed again. And the reason it happens on the 5th gear only is because if you release the gas pedal at say 3000 rpm on any other gear, it will upshift to a lower rpm. So I'll try at 3000+ rpm on say 2nd gear in manual mode in order not to induce an upshift, and see what happens.
The Bluetooth issue wit the i730 was much easier to solve
Mark-I think it's a probability-for 2 of us to sense the same exact problem I don't see it as an individual vehicle problem-rather a problem, or should I say, a trait of this vehicle-which I guess is a relief to know I don't have a serious tranny problem-I have driven sticks and my previous vehicles were cadillacs-but I had never noticed such an extreme lag or stutter before in any of the vehicles-say what you want about "smart" automatics-it seems that sometimes improvements cause other issues-"If it isn't broke,Don't fix it" This would be the most serious issue I would have with the vehicle. Another issue and this could just be me-but in regards to blind spots - the biggest spot I have noticed is looking back over my left shoulder before I change lanes. All and all this is the nicest and most fun vehicle I have ever owned and do not regret, by any means, getting this vehicle.
> the biggest spot I have noticed is looking back over my left shoulder before I change lanes.
I 100% agree. There's not much visible in that left rear corner...
Suggestion for Infiniti (hope they read Edmunds forums!): why not putting a small bright red LEDs on the external mirrors that light up when a vehicle is in the blid spot areas? I first check my mirrors beefore changing lane (and then turn my head), but the LED would immediately let me know there's a vehicle around. That's not a technological issue, given that the LDW and ICC work very well! It could be hooked up to the blinkers (like the LDW) so that the LEDs only (potentially) come up when I actually want to make a lane change.
Thanks for pointing out the fact that I have a warranty. I was just wondering if anyone else was having the same issue or if I was the only one. Thats what this space is for????????
Actually there is a dedicated Problems and Solutions Thread for the New M - that's where I would prefer to read about problems; that IS what that thread is for. Frankly I get frustrated coming into this thread to find it dominated by Problems and Bluetooth issues (there is also a dedicated Bluetooth Forum).
The blind spot issue may be seat-related. I find that the blind spot is not bad at all. However, I tend to like my seat very upright (although pushed relatively far back). I also generally have my side-view mirrors tilted a little closer in and down than most people. I generally don't have to turn more than 45 degrees to see the blind spot area.
Of course, I may simply be comparing it to our other car (Sequoia) where you could hide a few large circus animals (and the tent...and the train they all arrived in).
Who is using what models, and what results are you having?
I have decided to 'pass' on my company provided cell phone & service and get my own phone and service. I want to be able to take advantage of the M's Bluetooth technology.
Is it worth it? Am I crazy to do this? I've basically had a free cell phone for over 20 years.
Motorola V551 with Cingular - No problems yet - Very easy to hook up to the car-It isn't quite as clear as using the handset-but alot easier to dial (voice recognition) & use thru the car. Is it worth it? Too judgemental -Is the car worth 50K? (To me it was) - If the choice was I pay for the phone & service just to have bluetooth versus the company paying all for the phone & service no bluetooth - I'd let the company foot the bill. However the other option would be to remain on the companies service and just buy your own compatible bluetooth phone to go on the companies service. Which to me would be the best option
I am here to share my experiences, good and bad, opinions positive and negative as well as to ask the same of eveyone else. I plan to vistit the dealer soon for my first iol change and I have a short list if items to be corrected. Mostly minor. This is on top of the list.
As are we all, Jeff. Malfunctions (your problem) are one thing, quirks are another. Until I've driven a couple of miles my tire pressures show up as asterisks .. then all's fine. Your problem is more than a quirk ...
My comment about the warranty wasn't intended to offend, it was my simple approach to anything that's less than perfect in a car. Pointing out your issue with your tire pressure monitors is important ... if it's being experienced by others Infiniti's got a potential systemic problem to resolve. Like those moon roof tracks that rattled. Admittedly my dealer is five minutes from my office and gives me a car whenever anything needs to be done ... and washes mine in the bargain. Thus far I've only had to go in for an oil change at 3 1/2 months ... nothing needed service or adjustment.
I seen that my M35X speedometer goes up to 160 MPH. Has anyone tested this to see if it's hyperbole or not. If not how close have you come? Realizing that having a car like this, that when your not paying attention, you sometimes ACCIDENTLY go over the speed limit. As I only have 400 miles on mine the highest I have had it up to is 80 (again by accident).
Hi, Thank you so much for the information. I picked up my M45 Sport yesterday morning from Horizon in Honolulu. The car was sitting in the rain the night before. It was kind of dirty. So, I decided to get some cleaner to wipe it off. I bought Armor All shampoo, Armor All tire extreme. Car looks good, but, I will get the P21S products today for the next time cleaning and wax. Hope I did not hurt the paint, I did rains it immediately after I washed each section. Again, Thanks a lot.
The M45 is a Beemer Buster (and Mercedes Mauler) of the first order; see it hit a double bicep in the form of its class-leading 335-hp 4.5 liter V-8 engine. Marvel at the state of the art technology -- including a Lane Departure Warning system, Active Rear Steering and Adaptive headlights. Recline -- in the back seats -- and enjoy the Studio Surround sound audio.
And do it all for pocket change -- relatively speaking.
For $450 less than the base price of a 530i -- and $8,850 less than the base price of the power-equivalent 325-hp V-8 545i -- you get to play with that 335 horsepower eight -- instead of make due with an arguably undersized, underpowered (in this class, for this kind of money) 255-hp in-line six. (That's $46,950 for the base M45 vs. $46,500 for the 3-liter Beemer).
Or, turn it around this way: You could also get a $6,400 discount courtesy of your pals at Infiniti by going with the V-6 powered, 280 horsepower M35 ($40,100) and still walk away with a 25 horsepower advantage. Want all-wheel-drive? The M cars have that, too -- and for a whole lot less. The MSRP of the M35 w/AWD is $42,600 -- vs. the $48,700 BMW hits you up for to get the AWD-equipped version of its 5-Series sedan -- which just happens to be a mere grand less expensive than the MSRP of a loaded to the electric moon roof V-8 M45 equipped with the new-for-'06 Sport Package which includes biggest-in-class 19x8.5-inch alloy rims hogged out with monster 40-series ZR speed-rated tires comparable to what you'd get in an M series BMW (and we know how much BMW wants for one of those) or AMG-tuned Benz.
The Sport version of the M45 also features that very cool Active Steering system mentioned earlier; it adjusts the geometry of the rear wheels during aggressive cornering by up to one degree, which is noticeable in very hard left or right-handlers -- where the tail would otherwise begin to swing wide earlier and faster -- or the stability/traction system would have to cut in to keep that from happening. It's a more driver-oriented way to keep the car on track than the use of electronic stability Band-Aids, which are designed to correct for driver error more so than let the driver push the car even harder -- right to the edge of the car's limits of grip.
I had the misfortune this weekend of scraping the right rear wheel on a granite curb when parking. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to possibly polish or repair the scrape?
When I bought the car 3 months ago I considered the wheel/ tire insurance but declined it when I read the fine print that said that scratches and scrapes were not covered. The 18 inch wheels look great but they do make for an easy curb target when parking the car.
That comment on polarizaton orientation must be right on because my Maui Jim's are perfectly fine when I view from the driver's seat, but just yesterday my wife drove and while I was in the passenger seat the NAV screen looked like a horrible orangish glow and not nearly as clear/clean of a view as I have when I'm driving. It it is a polarization orientation issue, it looks like I got lucky.
By the way - I've had the car for about a week and a half now and I absolutely love it and am very glad with my decision.
I also believe you can get rid of blind spots by properly adjusting your mirrors. Most people have them pointed inwards toward the car too much, sometimes to the point where you can see the rear of your car. This mirror positioning is incorrect.
The mirrors should be set WIDE, to the point where you're looking well into the lanes on either side of your vehicle. You want to be able to see the car in you side mirrors as it moves alongside your rear quarter panel. When it disappears, if adjusted correctly, the other car's hood should be next to the driver/passenger door just as it disappears from your side mirror. When the car's alongside of you, you should be able to see it with a slight turn of your head (or even the corner of your eye). Set your mirrors and test it in traffic; tweak to your liking. This will ensure no blind spots regardless of seat position (of course you want to save it ASAP to your memorized position once you get it just right!!)
I learned this technique in TEVOC (Tactical Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) and it's come in quite handy!!
I also believe you can get rid of blind spots by properly adjusting your mirrors. Most people have them pointed inwards toward the car too much, sometimes to the point where you can see the rear of your car. This mirror positioning is incorrect.
You are exactly right sir. Also, when the mirrors are properly positioned, as cars approach you and leave the field of view of your rearview mirror they should become visible in your side view mirrors. If they don't, you have your side view mirrors set too narrow(too much towards the side of your car). I've noticed that almost all drivers make this mistake.
I had the misfortune this weekend of scraping the right rear wheel on a granite curb when parking. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to possibly polish or repair the scrape?
I would ask the dealership if it has someone it can refer to repair the problem. I had a similar problem when my G35 Coupe was new and was sick when I saw the scrapes. The dealer referred me to an independent wheel repairman here in Omaha and after one day and $70 the wheel looked as good as new. I'd always been under the impression that alloys were either very difficult or expensive to repair but was pleasantly surprised with the results I got.
I also believe you can get rid of blind spots by properly adjusting your mirrors. Most people have them pointed inwards toward the car too much, sometimes to the point where you can see the rear of your car. This mirror positioning is incorrect.
Ummm, while it is true that you can configure your side-view mirrors to decrease (or eliminate) your blindspot, setting them "wide" (i.e. looking far into the adjacent lane) will increase your blindspot size. To minimize the blindspot, the mirrors actually need to point fairly close to your car ("narrow") such that you can slightly see your rear door handle on the M. Obviously if you see too much of the car (i.e the entire side panel) then the mirror is not properly positioned. Being able to just barely see the door handle helps key you oriented to where you are looking, and ensure that the mirror is showing what you want to see (adjacent to your rear door and trunk).
Where do i find that dedicated thread for Infiniti m35x problems and solutions? I don't mean to bother you, but would like to read up on a few minor things that ae going on with my new 35x.
the mirrors actually need to point fairly close to your car ("narrow") such that you can slightly see your rear door handle on the M.
My typical settings have no view of the handles but I get a glimpse of them edge if I lean a couple of inches to one side or the other. Gives me a slightly wider field of vision.
I totally agree with you and BW45sport regarding side mirror adjustment. I didn't believe it until readjusting them; i.e., bringing my mirrors out more, then tweaking them while on the highway. It opened up a whole new world and is much safer. To those naysayers, try it; it will take some getting used to.
On occasion (maybe 1 in 10 times), the M45 hesitates when accelerating and the engine is 'cold'. It recovers within about 2 seconds, and doesn't happen often, but at the wrong time this could be dangerous.
Have others experienced this, and if so, has it been fixed at the dealer?
The Browse by Vehicle search on the left side of the page is one way to find other M35-related discussions - there are some other excellent search options there as well.
Comments
Ahh. A brother!! Someone who understands. Yes I feel the same way about driving a clean car...especially my new M.
I have a life, this is just part of it.
Hmm. That's a better way to put it. Me too.
I apologize if they came across as "condescending"; they certainly were NOT intended to be. I was short on time and trying to be succinct. I couldn't agree more that all cars have blind spots (my old Chrysler 300M an excellent case in point) and not all are created equal. I haven't driven with the smaller mirror so perhaps the smaller mirror doesn't cover the entire rear window in which event I would clearly have been wrong. My mirror covers much more than the rear window so I'm guessing there's not an issue there. And yes, a larger rear window would widen the field of view but I haven't found it to be an issue. With my arthritis I rely on my rear and side view mirrors + the backup video, in addition to a painful turn of the neck, to get a clear view of what's behind me and I've not felt that I have a troublesome area.
Frankly, my biggest worry is curb height and ground clearance for my aero kit when parking! Fortunately the car's a bit on the short side so I don't have to pull all the way forward to park properly. I know I'll get it sooner or later though ... and a chunk of change will be blown then.
I hesitated to reply since I do not own an M (yet :shades: ). However I have driven it several times and I do own an FX35. The FX35 has the worst blind spots of any car I've owned, and will not buy anything so "poor" again. I'm pleased to say that the M35 has much better coverage than my FX. But I do intend on paying particular attention to this on future test drives.
For Business Associates, the VPP price is calculated as follows:
* Dealer invoice
* Minus VPP discount (Nissan 2.87% : Infiniti 1.65%)
* Plus dealer added options, Security Plus, etc.
* Plus 2.5% delivery fee of dealer invoice after VPP discount has been subtracted
* Plus destination and handling charge
* Minus applicable incentives
* Equals participant's purchase price
I am thinking she was talking about the first part of the formula and got confuse with the nissan discount...
Can you tell me what type of shampoo to use to wash the car before P21S?
and what do you use for the tires and rims?
I will be picking up a M45 sports tomorrow.
Thanks.
Replying to: jeff721 (Jul 20, 2005 8:29 am)
Hi:
Can you tell me what type of shampoo to use to wash the car before P21S?
and what do you use for the tires and rims?
I will be picking up a M45 sports tomorrow.
Thanks.
I always wash the rims first. If they are very dirty use P21S wheel cleaner. I will use nothing, nothing else. (Nothing with any acid ever.) I have not need to use wheel cleaner on the M except for the firt day I brought it home. Dealer left blue dits and nonsense on the rims. Mostly off now but not completly. I use a separate bucket for rims and mis the mothers car wash. I use a sponge and rinse if frequently. Works great. I clean the tires with an old sponger and the soloution for the rims after all the rims are done. I do not redip this sponge as it is trashed after being rubbed on the dressed tires. I skip this step if the tires look good. The at the end I add tire dressing. Use a thick non flinging dressing like Simoniz Black Back. Works great and pretty cheap too. If you can find that, eagle one makes a good dressing.
I wash the Car with Mothers car wash, I use 2 buckets. One with clear water and onother with the soap. I rinse the sponge to get out any dirt that can scratch between dipping into soap again. Next I used a microfiber towel to dry the car. Then I go over the car to remove any tar spots with another microfiber towel and bug and tar remover. My car is new and there was no rough touch to the finish so I just clayed the hood and roof and trunk.(Claying is optional if you cannot feel bumps on the finish when it is dry. I use my hand, but they reccommend putting your hand in a plastic sandwich bag and running that over the car.
Then, wash off car really quick, dry and apply p21S carnuba wax as directed. No need to wait for haze like old waxes. Easy on and off. Apply with included aplicator and remove with clean microfiber cloth. Remove any tags from Microfiber towels as they can scratch.
This is not an ad but the P21S is amazing. I only hope it lasts 60-90 days. I can deal with waxing 4 X a year. Just need to get through Dec, Jan and Feb in NY.
Car will come out MINT>
Enjoy the car!
VPP Program
Anyone else have this issue?
Any Soloutions?
I won't opine on anything other than the fact that you have warranty coverage. This isn't something about which to complain here; we can't solve it. It is, however, something Infiniti owes you. Anything less than flawless/perfect on this car is unaccptable. Bart
1. When driving on a relatively flat street travelling 35 to 40 MPH I notice a slight drive line shutter. The car seems to shift into 5th gear too quickly and this is too tall of gear for speed, which causes slight shutter. Car acts like when you go downhill with the cruise control on and power goes on and off. Does anyone else notice this with their car?
2. On cool summer evenings I like to turn off air conditioning and just have fresh outside air come through ventilation. Car doesn't seem to allow cool outside air through vents even when I reduce desired temperature to the lowest temperature setting - warm air still comes in even with setting on outside fresh air?? This forces me to either put down windows, open sunroof or to turn on A/C. Any ideas here how to get fresh outside air through ventilation without A/C on?
Replying to: jeff721 (Jul 21, 2005 10:18 pm)
I am totally frustrated with this feature. I never had this on any other car, but now that I do I monitor is regularly. My Passanger front tire will not read 95% of the time. My passanger rear reads 50% of the time. Both driver side tres read once the car get to a speed over 35 or 40 MPH.
I won't opine on anything other than the fact that you have warranty coverage. This isn't something about which to complain here; we can't solve it. It is, however, something Infiniti owes you. Anything less than flawless/perfect on this car is unaccptable. Bart
Thanks for pointing out the fact that I have a warranty. I was just wondering if anyone else was having the same issue or if I was the only one. Thats what this space is for???????? If all you want to read is how much everyone love the car and how much fun it is to drive, join the local Infinity fan club, sit around and blow sunshine at each other.
I am here to share my experiences, good and bad, opinions positive and negative as well as to ask the same of eveyone else. I plan to vistit the dealer soon for my first iol change and I have a short list if items to be corrected. Mostly minor. This is on top of the list.
1. When driving on a relatively flat street travelling 35 to 40 MPH I notice a slight drive line shutter. The car seems to shift into 5th gear too quickly and this is too tall of gear for speed, which causes slight shutter. Car acts like when you go downhill with the cruise control on and power goes on and off. Does anyone else notice this with their car?
Yes, annoying isn't it! Your lower speed and 5th not the issue I think. I feel
it too at higher speeds. Cruse at say 70, take your foot off the accelerator
and ever so lightly hit the gas. Very lightly, like trying to wring out as much
MPG as possible. You'll feel it. I thought it was just me and my 3 week old
M35x. Was going to have the dealer check it on my first scheduled maintenance
trip. Sounds as if it's the car and not me...
I've tried it at varying speeds, always in 5th, from about 50 to 80 m/hr with
the same results. Almost felt to me as if the drivetrain was attempting to kick into
4 wheel drive with the hesitation I feel. A reall pain. Can't wait for 1200 miles
and lower gas prices so I can open it up and not treat it like it's a nervous 18
year old's first time.
And thanks to the person who posted about the steering wheel being off to the
left! Really noticing it now! ;-)
Basically love the car/features, but miss the smoother and quiter ride and higher quality
seats in my now gone '97 Bonneville SSEI. Had a much higher gear ratio, got
way better gas milage, and the super charger was a real blast to drive. Take
your foot off the gas at 80 m/hr and it would coast forever. Real low RPM's too.
Infinity really needs to add a six speed box on these things.
But yes, sharing your experiences and asking others about theirs is exactly what we are here for. Let's see if any others have seen this - do let us know how the dealer responds.
Just retuned from the dealer. They replaced the single fuse; clock and homelink have power. Service Dept. told me not to charge the battery with a 15 amp charger. They said to jump start the car if battery dies. If battery needs charging it should be brought in for evalaution.
I'm glad to read it's not unique to my car. I didn't notice in the first days, but no matter how gently I depressed the gas pedal at 60+, there's always that kick. Annoying at highway speed when there's moderate traffic and you need to take your foot on and off the gas pedal.
I have to return to the dealer because at my 1200 mi oil change last week, I mentioned the driver seat was loose, which they said was within the specs, but after insisting they went in another M and concluded that my seat was too loose (!) So I'm heading back to the dealer next Friday (a week from today), but I'll let them know right away this kick problem... They might have to order a gas pedal assembly...??? I'll post an update then.
I've been driving, until recently, a 6 spd manual transmission (in an Audi allroad 2.7T -- MY 2003.) When I began shopping for my next car, as some here may recall, virtually all of the cars I tested were going to HAVE to be automatics. It seems to go with the territory (BMW does still allow one to order a 5 series -- say the 530xi -- with a manual transmission, but at the time I didn't even consider the BMW to be a contender.)
I had, due to some outrageous leasing terms, narrowed my choice to Audi A6 3.2, and Infiniti M35X and had picked the M35X. I did think a 5 spd auto was somewhat odd since Audi and BMW were coming out with 6 speeds and Mercedes was moving to 7 speed autos. But that is not exactly the point.
The new Infiniti transmission as I read the preceding thread here may have a hardware or software problem (and perhaps it is only the one or two folks who have bothered to comment here that it is affecting.) On the other hand, the stutter or as I call it "shudder" may be a term that is applicable to virtually all of the current generation of "too smart for their own good" something-tronic transmissions.
Those who have Audi/Porsche/VW cars with "tip-tronic" have "tip lag," BMW's with "step-tronic" have "step lag" and so on. A lot of folks don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Yet a scan of the edmund's blogs as well as other brand specific site's blogs will produce at least some incidence of this malady.
My current take on this is that those who have not driven the smart transmissions previously may notice this something-lag (and some folks attribute it to DBW (drive by wire, sorry) rather than transmission lag), and those of us used to driving stick shifts notice this "feature" most acutely.
Perhaps this is DBW or lag or driveline "lash" -- perhaps it is, in this instance, a defect. Obviously, I am just speculating. But I am becoming convinced that this [transmission] is "doing what it is told" by the software.
The M transmission does have a feature called rev matching -- and I imagine it COULD be this feature (but since you are not claiming you are attempting to induce a down-shft, this doesn't really seem all that plausible.)
When writing about my new Audi A6's 6spd tiptronic, I said:
"
The transmission is less impressive, however. Formerly known as “Tip Lag,” this transmission seems to be plagued with, um, er, gee, uh, “indecisiveness” – which is, after all, a common trait of all modern “smart” automatics, or so it seems. All current, premium-car-class, 5, 6 and now 7 speed automatics are hell-bent to be in a higher, therefore more economical, gear. This is laudable.
However, when the driver needs or wants to react quickly (to squirt through a traffic issue or just plain wants to get going), these smart transmissions attempt to discern if the driver really, really, really is calling for so much extra urge that a downshift might be called for. This half-second delay to ponder the meaning of life often causes the hapless driver to press even further on the accelerator pedal. Then, since this pedal is actually connected to a computer, the transmission receives the instruction to downshift violently 1, 2 or sometimes 3 gears – causing a great deal of fuss and strum as the car leaps forward after the slight “indecision” lag. Audi’s new 6-speed Tiptronic thankfully has a secondary program that mostly eliminates this tendency. Keeping the lever in the “S” (for sport) rather than the “D” detent retards the rapid and relentless tendency to shift up, up, up. Seldom in “S” mode will the transmission be in a gear substantially below the 3.2’s fairly broad torque band.
But, for the ultimate in lag-free motoring, a full manumatic mode is offered, and this time the transmission stays in first gear until you tell it to up-shift or when you reach the engine’s red-line. I have said it before, it is quite possible that those not used to driving a stick-shift may never even notice the issues suggested by the preceding remarks."
Does this make sense with respect to the Infinti as perhaps at least a "possibility" if not an outright "probability?"
Mark :shades:
When we tested the new BMW X3's with the 5speed steptronic, I sang the song "a hunting we will go, a hunting we will go, hi ho the gear you know, a hunting we will go."
I first drove an automatic in 1967 and it was a "torqueflight" transmission in a huge V8 equipped Chrysler. Transmissions then were not all that smart and I never remember the constant "soich for the proper gear" like I do with the currently produced automatics.
For the life of me, if automatic transmissions were discontinued altogether, I wouldn't miss them a bit.
I only hope the DSG style or CVT style transmissions replace the current generation of "I'm smarter than you" automatics, for I know that manual transmissions day's are numbered.
1) On a BMW Z3 with steptronic, going from a stop or low speed (when the transmission is "disengaged", there would *sometimes* be a delay between the moment the engine starts to rev up (as I press the gas pedal) and the moment the transmission actually engages the 1st gear, resulting in a kick. I did not observe another other condition for that kick on this vehicle. Definitely a tranny firmware issue, which I couldn't reproduce at the dealership. Drove me nuts.
2) During a 2005 BMW 545i w/ steptronic test-drive, at very low speed (), slightly pressing the gas pedal resulted in the car strongly hesitating to move forward (like releasing a clutch with not enough gas). The dealer later confirmed that the tranny had to be reprogrammed. That confirmed to me that the 545i was no longer a contender (and the M45 won). Heck, it's a new car and the tranny needs repogramming? :confuse: no thanks
3) On the Infiniti M, I have observed that the kick only happens at high speed (70+ mph), when releasing and pressing the gas pedal (even when pressing very very very gently). Otherwise (at other speed), I have not observed a kick. If I would be driving at <65 mph, I would not observe that kick (but I would end up rear-ended on any non-congestioned SoCal highways, so it's 65+ mph here).
But on my way to work this morning, I tested at 65, 70, 75 and 80 mph. And no kick :confuse: But coming back home last night, it kicked any time I would release and press the gas pedal at 70+ mph. This tells me that 1) it's an intermittent problem 2) if I bring the car to dealer, there's a risk that they may not be able to reproduce the problem which 3) may just add more frustrations. :mad: Oh well, I'll ask nonetheless to check it next week when they fix my loose seat.
All in all, <b>jeqq, I agree with your idea that's it's somewhat related to the rev-matching. I think it happens because at 70+ mph, the engine is revving up high, and the tranny firmware might try to bring up the rpm up to the actual vehicle speed (similar to rev-matching) when the gas pedal is pressed again. And the reason it happens on the 5th gear only is because if you release the gas pedal at say 3000 rpm on any other gear, it will upshift to a lower rpm. So I'll try at 3000+ rpm on say 2nd gear in manual mode in order not to induce an upshift, and see what happens.
The Bluetooth issue wit the i730 was much easier to solve
I 100% agree. There's not much visible in that left rear corner...
Suggestion for Infiniti (hope they read Edmunds forums!): why not putting a small bright red LEDs on the external mirrors that light up when a vehicle is in the blid spot areas? I first check my mirrors beefore changing lane (and then turn my head), but the LED would immediately let me know there's a vehicle around. That's not a technological issue, given that the LDW and ICC work very well! It could be hooked up to the blinkers (like the LDW) so that the LEDs only (potentially) come up when I actually want to make a lane change.
Actually there is a dedicated Problems and Solutions Thread for the New M - that's where I would prefer to read about problems; that IS what that thread is for. Frankly I get frustrated coming into this thread to find it dominated by Problems and Bluetooth issues (there is also a dedicated Bluetooth Forum).
Of course, I may simply be comparing it to our other car (Sequoia) where you could hide a few large circus animals (and the tent...and the train they all arrived in).
I have decided to 'pass' on my company provided cell phone & service and get my own phone and service. I want to be able to take advantage of the M's Bluetooth technology.
Is it worth it? Am I crazy to do this? I've basically had a free cell phone for over 20 years.
That said, thanks for sharing gang.
Vroooom! Still luvin it!
Is it worth it? Too judgemental -Is the car worth 50K? (To me it was) - If the choice was I pay for the phone & service just to have bluetooth versus the company paying all for the phone & service no bluetooth - I'd let the company foot the bill. However the other option would be to remain on the companies service and just buy your own compatible bluetooth phone to go on the companies service. Which to me would be the best option
http://www.exposecorp.com/i730bt.htm
As are we all, Jeff. Malfunctions (your problem) are one thing, quirks are another. Until I've driven a couple of miles my tire pressures show up as asterisks .. then all's fine. Your problem is more than a quirk ...
My comment about the warranty wasn't intended to offend, it was my simple approach to anything that's less than perfect in a car. Pointing out your issue with your tire pressure monitors is important ... if it's being experienced by others Infiniti's got a potential systemic problem to resolve. Like those moon roof tracks that rattled. Admittedly my dealer is five minutes from my office and gives me a car whenever anything needs to be done ... and washes mine in the bargain. Thus far I've only had to go in for an oil change at 3 1/2 months ... nothing needed service or adjustment.
I picked up my M45 Sport yesterday morning from Horizon in Honolulu.
The car was sitting in the rain the night before. It was kind of dirty.
So, I decided to get some cleaner to wipe it off. I bought Armor All shampoo, Armor All tire extreme. Car looks good, but, I will get the P21S products today for the next time cleaning and wax.
Hope I did not hurt the paint, I did rains it immediately after I washed each section.
Again, Thanks a lot.
And do it all for pocket change -- relatively speaking.
For $450 less than the base price of a 530i -- and $8,850 less than the base price of the power-equivalent 325-hp V-8 545i -- you get to play with that 335 horsepower eight -- instead of make due with an arguably undersized, underpowered (in this class, for this kind of money) 255-hp in-line six. (That's $46,950 for the base M45 vs. $46,500 for the 3-liter Beemer).
Or, turn it around this way: You could also get a $6,400 discount courtesy of your pals at Infiniti by going with the V-6 powered, 280 horsepower M35 ($40,100) and still walk away with a 25 horsepower advantage. Want all-wheel-drive? The M cars have that, too -- and for a whole lot less. The MSRP of the M35 w/AWD is $42,600 -- vs. the $48,700 BMW hits you up for to get the AWD-equipped version of its 5-Series sedan -- which just happens to be a mere grand less expensive than the MSRP of a loaded to the electric moon roof V-8 M45 equipped with the new-for-'06 Sport Package which includes biggest-in-class 19x8.5-inch alloy rims hogged out with monster 40-series ZR speed-rated tires comparable to what you'd get in an M series BMW (and we know how much BMW wants for one of those) or AMG-tuned Benz.
The Sport version of the M45 also features that very cool Active Steering system mentioned earlier; it adjusts the geometry of the rear wheels during aggressive cornering by up to one degree, which is noticeable in very hard left or right-handlers -- where the tail would otherwise begin to swing wide earlier and faster -- or the stability/traction system would have to cut in to keep that from happening. It's a more driver-oriented way to keep the car on track than the use of electronic stability Band-Aids, which are designed to correct for driver error more so than let the driver push the car even harder -- right to the edge of the car's limits of grip.
When I bought the car 3 months ago I considered the wheel/ tire insurance but declined it when I read the fine print that said that scratches and scrapes were not covered. The 18 inch wheels look great but they do make for an easy curb target when parking the car.
Thanks.
By the way - I've had the car for about a week and a half now and I absolutely love it and am very glad with my decision.
The mirrors should be set WIDE, to the point where you're looking well into the lanes on either side of your vehicle. You want to be able to see the car in you side mirrors as it moves alongside your rear quarter panel. When it disappears, if adjusted correctly, the other car's hood should be next to the driver/passenger door just as it disappears from your side mirror. When the car's alongside of you, you should be able to see it with a slight turn of your head (or even the corner of your eye). Set your mirrors and test it in traffic; tweak to your liking. This will ensure no blind spots regardless of seat position (of course you want to save it ASAP to your memorized position once you get it just right!!)
I learned this technique in TEVOC (Tactical Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) and it's come in quite handy!!
You are exactly right sir. Also, when the mirrors are properly positioned, as cars approach you and leave the field of view of your rearview mirror they should become visible in your side view mirrors. If they don't, you have your side view mirrors set too narrow(too much towards the side of your car). I've noticed that almost all drivers make this mistake.
I would ask the dealership if it has someone it can refer to repair the problem. I had a similar problem when my G35 Coupe was new and was sick when I saw the scrapes. The dealer referred me to an independent wheel repairman here in Omaha and after one day and $70 the wheel looked as good as new. I'd always been under the impression that alloys were either very difficult or expensive to repair but was pleasantly surprised with the results I got.
Best of luck in fixing your problem.
Since you are in HI, maybe there are bugs with the Nav system.
Ummm, while it is true that you can configure your side-view mirrors to decrease (or eliminate) your blindspot, setting them "wide" (i.e. looking far into the adjacent lane) will increase your blindspot size. To minimize the blindspot, the mirrors actually need to point fairly close to your car ("narrow") such that you can slightly see your rear door handle on the M. Obviously if you see too much of the car (i.e the entire side panel) then the mirror is not properly positioned. Being able to just barely see the door handle helps key you oriented to where you are looking, and ensure that the mirror is showing what you want to see (adjacent to your rear door and trunk).
Where do i find that dedicated thread for Infiniti m35x problems and solutions? I don't mean to bother you, but would like to read up on a few minor things that ae going on with my new 35x.
Thanks,
Dennis R.
My typical settings have no view of the handles but I get a glimpse of them edge if I lean a couple of inches to one side or the other. Gives me a slightly wider field of vision.
Have others experienced this, and if so, has it been fixed at the dealer?
But here is a link to the one you asked about: kfhmail, "Infiniti M35/M45 Owners: Problems & Solutions" #1, 26 May 2005 5:39 pm