My close friend bought the RL when I got my M. I think the RL is much quieter than the M35x. I keep hearing Infiniti tuned the car so we could hear the exhaust "music." I don't hate it, but I would certainly be happy if they left it for Sport version. When cruising at 70mph, the car is a lot louder than my old LS430. The M's noise level and MPG are the only factors that might cause me to return to Lexus in a couple of years.
When cruising at 70mph, the car is a lot louder than my old LS430. The M's noise level and MPG are the only factors that might cause me to return to Lexus in a couple of years.
That's not really fair. I mean, come on. What's not louder than an LS430? That car's on a whole other plain when it comes to quietness. Other cars aspire to be so quiet.
Actually the 'snarl' is why I bought the M vs the RL. The one thing I love about my wife's G35 coupe is the growl of the engine through the tailpipes. That is the goal of Infiniti - they have combined luxury and sportiness into a great package. The RL targets those that want the quiet, understated ride. As for a Lexus LS, you would have to compare it to a Q45 to get an apples:apples comparison. The Q is the last model to get overhauled in the coming year. Will be curious what Infiniti comes up with there. When buying my M the salesman said he could give me a steal on a Q - he said they just aren't selling but also said the new model coming out is supposed to once again hold Flagship status. We'll see.
The goal of Infiniti is to balance both sport and lux - I think they are doing a great job - first with my wife's G35 coupe (her mid-life crisis car) and my M35 which gives me what I consider luxury and throws in the higher torque factor with a nice deep rumble.
Everyone is different so guess that is the great thing about having all these choices in cars...
Yes, you're right the LS is about as quiet as you can get. But I still think the M is louder than it should be at cruising speed. It should be at least as good as an Avalon or RL.
Doc--I agree wholeheartedly and this is really the only significant complaint I have about my M35x. My last vehicle was a BMW X5 which was whisper silent at high speeds on all road surfaces. The road noise in my M35 is so bad on concrete surfaces I can't even think about using my hands-free Bluetooth phone, and bad enough that it affects conversation.
I posted similarly many months ago and was advised by several posters to change the Goodyear Eagles to a quieter type like Avon or Pirelli. That's fine, but I'm pretty sure proper sound insulation in the wheel areas would have taken care of the problem. I have no complaints about the wind or engine noise, only the tire/road noise.
Also, Infiniti needs to improve the hands-free sound--every time I use my Motorola Razr with the Bluetooth hands free in the M35, the person on the other end of the call constantly complains about not being able to hear or understand me. The most common complaints are that I sound like I'm underwater, or in a wind tunnel. The road noise does not help. You may want to mention this to the engineers, as the functionality of the Bluetooth feature is greatly compromised.
I think the engineers came close to a perfect car here but instead it's just a great one. I have to say, overall, that I love my M and the shortcomings have not made me regret my decision in the least.
It defintely is louder than it should be at cruising speed. I have no interest in driving a wheeled coffin like an LS430, and I enjoy the engine/exhaust note from the M. Wind noise is fine. It's the road noise I can't stand. It's prohibitive at or above 70 and while trying to use the hands free feature. Infiniti needs to fix that problem for sure.
Everyone's saying the comparison to Lexus on the noise issue is unfair, but how about this: my 2002 BMW X5 was perfectly quiet at highway speeds, but you still get the snarl and engine sound when you step on it. The M should at least be the equal of ANY SUV in the noise dept.
Has anyone had any issues either either their tire pressure sensors or with a tire having a slow leak?
Funny you should ask. I just had my 6 month service and it included rotating the tires ... after which the sensors don't "sense". I need to take it back for them to "reprogram" (whatever that means).
I keep an old-fashioned pressure guage in my glove box ... it NEVER agrees with the sensors ... it's usually 2 - 3 psi higher than the sensors register. Technology's great, but sometimes the simple old gadgets are better. Bart :shades:
Unfortunately, I agree on road noise. It can be disconcerting. However as the driver I acclimated to it. Conversely the passenger who happens to be my wife has more of a problem with it. I have Bridgestones and I am tempted to switch to Michelins. Anyone done this with positive results. thanks
My right rear tire also has had a steady and slow leak. I'm taking it in for service as I think it has been a problem since purchase. So far the tire pressure readings match my digital tire gauge by 1 to 2 psi, not bad. Not to say that my digital gauge is more accurate than the Infiniti's internal gauges although it came in a fancy case and cost my wife a bunch of money so I guess it should be accurate!
I like my M35x's "humm", guess I just got used to it. My Volvo s80 was quiet, tooo quiet..almost fell asleep on some late night drives if the radio wasn't blasting..
If any M will have road noise, it's the Sport with the 19" wheels. On well paved roads I've not found it an issue. Sure, it's not "Lexus quiet" but it's not DESIGNED to be a Lexus. We're talking about two different approaches to the luxury car design ... one for the driver (Infiniti) and one for the rider (Lexus). They perform differently, they handle differently, and Infiniti's goal would seem to be to couple the driver to the road while Lexus seeks to surround the driver with absolute insulation. Even with my moon roof open I have no road noise issue, and on the highway with it open my hands-free phone works just fine.
I'm not 100% happy with all of the M-car's appointments, but I still love the car. I have a much greater issue with the passenger seat, with the doors not locking when putting the car in gear, there being no backup system to drive the car if/when the key fob gets lost ... those are issues that need to be cleaned up. And there are other minor nagging items that have been brought up on this board over the last seven months all of which I would expect to be gone in the next model year.
I respectfully disagree. I have a M35x with 18" Goodyear Eagles. It is flat out loud at cruising speeds, primarily on concrete-type surfaces or textured highway material. I'm not comparing it to a Lexus--I'm comparing it to my BMW X5, which was very quiet on the same surfaces.
The M isn't supposed to be a soundproof coffin like an LS430 but let's call a spade a spade--the M is a midsize luxury car and you shouldn't have obtrusive road noise at highway cruising speeds. Again I want to distinguish road noise (tires, pavement, etc.) from engine/exhaust and wind noise. The M is fine in the latter depts., but needs serious improvement with the former. That's just a fact.
Well I respectfully disagree, and now I'm starting to become convinced this might be a tire issue. I have the Sport, and have no issues with excessive interior road noise. However, I DO have issues with engineers who would hear road noise complaints and pack on 100 lbs of soundproofing, when the root cause may be the now inferior Eagles RSA's.
I am convinced that most of the road noise that I hear is from the Goodyear RS-A tires. These OEM tires are terrible and notoriouosly loud (see tirerack.com ratings). When I drive on rough concrete highways the tire noise is loud; however when riding on new smooth asphalt it is very quiet. I am seriously thinking about replacing the tires with Pirelli PZero Nero M&S.
Several posters above are questioning the role of tires in the M35 road noise. I made this observation several days ago and no one responded (don't you just love to quote yourself )
I think I can get a set of 4 PZeros for about $700.
well there is no doubt that interior noise can be affected tremendously by tire selection. I have a 97 BMW 528 which originally came with Michelin "Energy" tires which were incredibly quiet. I replaced them with the same at about 45K miles then at about 87K decided to try Dunlop A2's - disaster. Those tires were so loud I thought I was in a Yugo. Quickly returned to my dealer where I had new Michelin Energy Plus's put on again - they are still there at 132K miles. I will need some new tires soon - unless I can find a car I like first. Would have bought another 5 series in a heartbeat, but can't deal with the Banglized styling. Most of us in the LPS market like the performance an some snarl when we have our foot in it, but like the cabin quiet for routine highway cruising. I am always amazed when people debate the merits of various stereo upgrades for their cars when, depending upon how quiet they are, it may not make much difference.
Prompted by this recent exchange of opinions, I paid close attention to "road noise" on my way to and from the office today. Maybe I had just gotten so accustomed to it that I no longer heard it ... but even TRYING to hear obtrusive (or even non-obtrusive) noise I heard none. With my moon roof open, with it closed; doesn't make a peep except on "washboard" roads. My Sport has the 19" Bridgestone Potenza's ... I've had cars in the past with noisy tires ... that point has been made here and I'd second that as the issue you're likely facing.
Now admittedly most if not all of us are married men ... and we've all been accused of being hard of hearing by our spouses. To my knowledge, however, my hearing's just fine. Bart :shades:
When cruising at 70mph, the car is a lot louder than my old LS430.
This is a wholly inappropriate comparison, amigo. The LS430 is a totally different car ... if you were making the comparison with the Q45 it's closer to apples and apples ...
I had a Q45 ... it was every bit as quiet as the LS ... but it handled far more responsively than the LS and that's why I bought it. The original equipment Michelins were church-mouse quiet, and when I switched over to Goodyears (I don't recall which one) the car felt a bit different but it was still very much more to my liking than the LS. Bart :shades:
> If any M will have road noise, it's the Sport with the 19" wheels.
I couldn't agree more. On the morning I bought my M45, I drove (once more) both: Sport and Luxury, back-to-back, on the same run, and I politely ask the sales rep to keep its mouth shut during the 10-min ride (city & highway) so that I would not be distracted and would be able to focus on the handling and road noise.
At highway speed, the Sport was *definitely* noisier, all of it because of the tires. Although I could appreciate the superior handling of the Sport, I went with the Luxury because of its quiteness (on the highway) and plusher ride in the city. Besides, I dislike the Sport rims, so it would have cost me 4 rims and 4 tires to make it good (to my taste) and get rid of that noise. I just chose the chrome wheels on the Luxury, and they still look better than any rims BMW has put on its line-up this year (different subject, but I think BMW is screwing up with its exterior design, I mean, look at the 5...) Ok, ok...
Thanks God, the M remains very sporty (with a sweet exhaust note), much more than the GS430 (which is was a bit too "boring" for my own taste), but otherwise my #2 choice (I prefer the classy look of the GS over the M).
Car's not perfect, got a few problems, still one to be addressed (noisy brakes), but the car is otherwise excellent and would buy it again without hesitation.
To all you people complaining about road noise in the M - didn't you test drive the bloody thing before you bought it? lets get real if you own an M any M you have just about the finest car on the road under 80K right now so quit the b**ching! If tire noise has got you down try popping in a DVD-Audio disc and turn up the surrounds in the seats (If so equipped) and enjoy the car!!!
Although I could appreciate the superior handling of the Sport, I went with the Luxury because of its quietness (on the highway) and plusher ride in the city.
I've also wondered if this cold be a model issue. I got a 45 Luxury also, after driving a 35 and a Sport. I like the Lux the best, although it was a choice between "good, gooder and goodest ". The overall ride quality was better, to me, with the Lux, and it seemed quieter. But this was very subjective and subtle. The M, overall is the best car I've had. There are some nits to pick,sure. If this discussion, and our JD Power surveys, gets Infiniti to consider upgrading the OEM tires - great!
Talk about being frustrated. My M45 arrived in port (Elisabeth, NJ) and was supposed to be delivered to the dealer the week of the 14th. Then the dealer calls me and said the week of the 21st. Well the 21st is gone and still no car. Some crap about teamsters and getting it loaded on a truck for delivery. The port is only about 2 hrs from my dealer. Anyone else have this type of problem? Anything I can do? I certainly don't want somebody driving to the dearler form the port. My patience is wearing thin. :mad:
Question... My 2 yr contract is up with Verizon. If I renew, I can get a Motorola E815 for free, a Samsung SCH-a950 for $49. Or I can switch service to Cingular and get a RAZR. I'm not a heavy cell phone user, so all the bells and whistles are not as important as the phone working well with the car.
Has anyone tried the Samsung? Recommendations? Thank You...
The V815 for free is a no brainer to my way of thinking. I have a V815 that initially didn't couple with the car well, but that's been resolved and others here have posted they're very happy with it. Sound quality's terrific even with the moon roof open. The RAZR couples well, but neither the RAZR nor the V815 couples the phone book. Seems you're a "user lite" like me. I simply manually programmed the numbers I used most often into the car's system ... took me 10 minutes ... and all's just hunky dory.
Oh, one complaint I've heard about the RAZR is that with its internal antenna reception's a little weak. I love the slim package, though, but didn't want to sign on with Cingular because they have too many "black holes" in areas I tend to frequent. I moved from Sprint to Verizon because of better coverage and better choice of phones.
Yes...thanks that helped...actually I just came back from Cingular, and since I need 2 phones, at $199 a pop, free is real sweet. Could use the money for a tank or 2 when I get my M
The V815 for free is a no brainer to my way of thinking.
Let's not get confused here. The Verizon store here had what it had labeled as a V810 ... when I bought it it turned out to be an E815 by Motorola. I suspect there is such a thing as a V810 because I found and ordered online a holster for my new phone that fits a V810 and it's much smaller than the E815. When I lifted the battery on my new phone I discovered I indeed had an E815, the upgrade on the V710 ... and the same size as the V710. Be careful ... be certain what they're calling V810 is in fact the E815 ... if it's really a V810 I can't vouch for its quality.
I just saw a Cingular ad on the web, RAZOR V3 is free for 2Yrs contract and $59 a month for 900 minutes. I'm waiting for my Sprint service contract to run out (5 more months), I may swich to Cingular. I certainly will not use Sprint again. (after many years with them)
Sorry, I only grabbed your email for reply because it followed several in the road noise catagory - my statement was towards everyone - and not mean spirited - We have a great car lets enjoy!!
Well, as per a previous post's suggestion I purchase the Hexomat winter floor mats for my M35X. They fit perfectly and look as nice as a rubber floor mat can look. One word of caution though, they smell amazingly awful until they've aired out a bit. Should've left 'em out in the garage for a few days. Whew! My wife and kids all thought a skunk got under the car; it's that bad and for some off reason it really does smell "skunky". Weird. Anyone else had this problem with rubber mats! It does go away, doesn't it, soon? :confuse:
Hi, I am new to this forum. I ordered a bmw 525i in august and they couldn't deliver it until december. So I decided to wait but still looked around. Last week I came across the deal of a lifetime. An m45 sport fully loaded. Here in Canada the m45 sport comes with every single option. So anyhow the persn in question wants to get out of his lease and I would be basically paying the same thing i would be with the 2006 bmw 525i. The bmw is fully loaded as well with navigation sport premium packages and all the other little goodies... So I am wondering if you guys think i am making the right choice??? One other issues is the color of the infiniti m45. It is millenium bronze with the light gray interior and aluminum trim. What do you think of the millenium bronze? i am 27 years old and am wondering if you think it is too old of a color. ANy thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The Bmw is a very nice car, but I have had many problems with it. It is very underpowered, and just terrible in the snow even with 4 dedicated snow tires.
My Infiniti (excuse me, my Wife's Infiniti), is the 35x model. The car is a rocket, handles great and has all the bells and whistles that I miss in the BMW.
If I were you, living in Canada, I would only look at an X model.
The car is so powerful that with only rear wheel drive, it will be a problem in Canada.
By the way, I leased the M35X for way less than the Bmw, with far more equiptment!
First of all, I agree with all the above posts on the M45 vs.the 525. If the 525 is an automatic, it really is a slug but will get measurably better gas mileage than the M35 if that's important to you.
Check the color out and if you like it, it's a no brainer, go for the M45. I don't believe a color is "too old of a color" and wouldn't care one way or another if I liked it.
Update on fixing the M. Finding certain structural parts is incredibly hard. 6 weeks after the accident, the body shop (ordering through the local infiniti dealer) STILL can't find the structural parts. I.e. No work has begun other than stripping the car down. The dealer says maybe 11/11 the parts may come in. On advice of my dealer (not the local dealer) I called the Infiniti complaint line who says they will look into the matter. Maybe they can find the parts before I go crazy and waste more money on a rental car.
Never thought about this being a downside to getting a brand new model but it is turning out to be.
I looked very hard at the BMW 530 with All wheel, and he Audio A6 - the Infiniti by far has the best value of any of these models; I spent 4 months trying to make a decision and visited my local infiti dealer literally 14 times before I purchased the car. Since then I am VERY happy;
I have had a number of friends with the new 530 and not one of them is every happy with the car, cool, and flashy, but misign something. The car is nice, dont get me wrong, its just way more money for less car.
Id urge you to further consider the M series. Also I think allwheel drive is important for the Canadian Weather (I live in AB). If you were prepared for the rear wheel in the BMW, they it will be no worse in the M, they have some sort of snow mode that makes for better control on starts. I've not used it, but its designed for snow starts/ice.
Good luck with the decision, BTW, color - not that important reallt - they always seem to be covered with white haze anyway here in AB anyway, my Midnight Blue (other car) looks white most of the year.... :-)
Agree the M35x would probably be an easy choice, but since you are looking at a specific M45 . . .
Bronze is often the color of 'old guy' cars, but the M tends to turn heads, and probably the color is going to work if you like it.
I too have driven RWD V8's in the snow for some years, without problems, but I think the low profile tires of the Sport won't work in Canadian winters. My guess is you'll want 4 mounted snow tires. The deal on a car coming out of an early lease may make it worthwhile.
Doc ... I don't know what "golden" means in this context, but I stand by the "slug" character of the 525I. IMO, there's nothing "golden" about the Bimmer. :shades:
Well all you people's insight has been very helpful. In fact it is a specific car (m45) that is available to me. So the m35x is out of the question. I will actually be paying less for a m45 sport then I would for a m35x. It truly is a great deal... I have been having a very difficult past 2 days deciding between both cars... But I think I will end up getting the m45. The dea is just too good to pass up. As well I found 19" winter bridgestone blizzax tires on tirerack.com for about 850$ US shipped to Canada which I think is a great deal... Will these tires the job though??? I have always wanted a bmw I guess that hopefully my next car when i'm 30 will be an m5, if i can afford it... And at least i'll start my bmw experience with a "true" bmw...
I found 19" winter bridgestone blizzax tires on tirerack.com for about 850$ US shipped to Canada which I think is a great deal... Will these tires the job though???
I think they'll work out well. I don't own them (yet), but have several friends who do and they all feel they do a great job in the snow. They are consistently reviewed well online.
I have always wanted a bmw I guess that hopefully my next car when i'm 30 will be an m5, if i can afford it...
Can't help but be a little jealous here; when I was 27, I was driving a Chevy Citation :lemon: However, I'm better now - after years of therapy
As a person who has driven Bimmers - this car will spoil you for most of what BMW offers, though probably not an M5!
I feel for you. I bought the J when it first came out. I slipped on some black ice and slowly hit a light pole. Nothing dangerous, but it crushed the right front corner. It took more than 4 months to get it back. Of course the J30 was RWD with no traction control.
Can't help but be a little jealous here; when I was 27
When I was 27 I was newly married, starting the first year of my residency, had one kid on the way, and was taking home $92.12 every two weeks. I couldn't have bought the tires, let alone the car! LOL :shades:
Not exactly on point but I had this same issue with my MB E500 and OEM Continental CH95s. Absolutely hated to drive on certain stretches of expressway here in Chicago. These tires generated a lot of controversy in the MB forma. Reading through these threads, the complaints sound very familiar.
Replaced them 8k ago with Pirelli PZeros from Tire Rack and what a difference. Much, much quieter.
Well here comes winter. for all the "Cool" features of the keyless start I sure would like remote start for My M35X!!!! Has anyone investigated or even had a remote car starter added to their M yet?? I know it can be done it probably requires some add on modules for proper trigger etc. I did a forum search but it didnt come back with much info. If anyone has researched this please fill us in!! Thanks a bunch
I live in New England and am considering getting snow tires for my M35X. Initially I thought I would drive the car for the first winter with the OEM goodyear tires as the car has low mileage and tread is good. Now I am considering getting a bundle wheel and snow tire combo and going down to a 17" wheel for better winter traction. Does anyone thing this is a good investment or should I stick it out with the OEM 18" wheels and tires.
I didn't have time to review the user manual on how to treat the car/key when using a valet and I'm planning on using a valet for the first time tonight. Any advice, guidance that I should keep in mind as to the process. I know there was something on this, but I don't recall.
Take the metal key out of the fob and keep it (the metal key) yourself. Lock the pass-thru to the trunk. I believe there is a trunk lock button/switch it the glove box. You can lock this so that the trunk is secure (cannot be opened with the fob or by the switch near the steering column). Then lock the glove box. Give the fob to the valet. I am hoping that I remembered this correctly.
I also live in the New England area and have already ordered a winter tire/rim setup for my M45 sport. Yes it is the sport model and thus it is a necessity for me but the benefits of this setup would helpful for you as well.
All-season tires are a great compromise. They are expected to handle well in the summer, rain, cold, snow, ice, provide a quiet ride and last for the 50k (if not more). In reality they can’t do everything well. Can you get by with AWD and all-season tires, yes you can. However there will be a noticeable improvement in handling and braking with a winter setup.
I would suggest going with a 17” rim. The folks over at the Tire Rack are good at recommending a rim/tire. My last two vehicles, both RWD and sport models, had Blizzak WS-50’s mounted on 16” rims (sport rim was 17”). Very good winter tire but the sidewall is very flexible. Your first corner and/or lane change will make you say, what happened there! I’m going with the LM series for my M45. The sidewall is stiffer. The total package price was around $1k.
After removing the actual key from the fob, the remaining "keyless" fob will also lack any kind of hanging loop. It is my understanding that virtaully all valet parking systems have a cabinet or board with hooks to hang keys from. The M35 system will leave the valet company with no way to hang your fob from their board/cabinet. :confuse:
A crude solution may be to place it in a small zip-lock they can put their hook through.
I'm with you, it should be placed in a glass covered case with floodlights illuminating the "key" (pun intended) to a wonderful machine that so far for me has just gotten betten each month I've owned it. I wonder how many, if any, Ms the valet might have already encountered. It will be interesting to see the reaction...
Comments
That's not really fair. I mean, come on. What's not louder than an LS430? That car's on a whole other plain when it comes to quietness. Other cars aspire to be so quiet.
The goal of Infiniti is to balance both sport and lux - I think they are doing a great job - first with my wife's G35 coupe (her mid-life crisis car) and my M35 which gives me what I consider luxury and throws in the higher torque factor with a nice deep rumble.
Everyone is different so guess that is the great thing about having all these choices in cars...
I posted similarly many months ago and was advised by several posters to change the Goodyear Eagles to a quieter type like Avon or Pirelli. That's fine, but I'm pretty sure proper sound insulation in the wheel areas would have taken care of the problem. I have no complaints about the wind or engine noise, only the tire/road noise.
Also, Infiniti needs to improve the hands-free sound--every time I use my Motorola Razr with the Bluetooth hands free in the M35, the person on the other end of the call constantly complains about not being able to hear or understand me. The most common complaints are that I sound like I'm underwater, or in a wind tunnel. The road noise does not help. You may want to mention this to the engineers, as the functionality of the Bluetooth feature is greatly compromised.
I think the engineers came close to a perfect car here but instead it's just a great one. I have to say, overall, that I love my M and the shortcomings have not made me regret my decision in the least.
Everyone's saying the comparison to Lexus on the noise issue is unfair, but how about this: my 2002 BMW X5 was perfectly quiet at highway speeds, but you still get the snarl and engine sound when you step on it. The M should at least be the equal of ANY SUV in the noise dept.
Funny you should ask. I just had my 6 month service and it included rotating the tires ... after which the sensors don't "sense". I need to take it back for them to "reprogram" (whatever that means).
I keep an old-fashioned pressure guage in my glove box ... it NEVER agrees with the sensors ... it's usually 2 - 3 psi higher than the sensors register. Technology's great, but sometimes the simple old gadgets are better. Bart :shades:
However as the driver I acclimated to it. Conversely the passenger
who happens to be my wife has more of a problem with it.
I have Bridgestones and I am tempted to switch to Michelins.
Anyone done this with positive results.
thanks
I like my M35x's "humm", guess I just got used to it. My Volvo s80 was quiet, tooo quiet..almost fell asleep on some late night drives if the radio wasn't blasting..
I'm not 100% happy with all of the M-car's appointments, but I still love the car.
I have a much greater issue with the passenger seat, with the doors not locking when putting the car in gear, there being no backup system to drive the car if/when the key fob gets lost ... those are issues that need to be cleaned up. And there are other minor nagging items that have been brought up on this board over the last seven months all of which I would expect to be gone in the next model year.
Bart
The M isn't supposed to be a soundproof coffin like an LS430 but let's call a spade a spade--the M is a midsize luxury car and you shouldn't have obtrusive road noise at highway cruising speeds. Again I want to distinguish road noise (tires, pavement, etc.) from engine/exhaust and wind noise. The M is fine in the latter depts., but needs serious improvement with the former. That's just a fact.
Several posters above are questioning the role of tires in the M35 road noise. I made this observation several days ago and no one responded (don't you just love to quote yourself
I think I can get a set of 4 PZeros for about $700.
Lawdawg:
Prompted by this recent exchange of opinions, I paid close attention to "road noise" on my way to and from the office today. Maybe I had just gotten so accustomed to it that I no longer heard it ... but even TRYING to hear obtrusive (or even non-obtrusive) noise I heard none. With my moon roof open, with it closed; doesn't make a peep except on "washboard" roads. My Sport has the 19" Bridgestone Potenza's ... I've had cars in the past with noisy tires ... that point has been made here and I'd second that as the issue you're likely facing.
Now admittedly most if not all of us are married men ... and we've all been accused of being hard of hearing by our spouses. To my knowledge, however, my hearing's just fine. Bart :shades:
This is a wholly inappropriate comparison, amigo. The LS430 is a totally different car ... if you were making the comparison with the Q45 it's closer to apples and apples ...
I had a Q45 ... it was every bit as quiet as the LS ... but it handled far more responsively than the LS and that's why I bought it. The original equipment Michelins were church-mouse quiet, and when I switched over to Goodyears (I don't recall which one) the car felt a bit different but it was still very much more to my liking than the LS. Bart :shades:
I couldn't agree more. On the morning I bought my M45, I drove (once more) both: Sport and Luxury, back-to-back, on the same run, and I politely ask the sales rep to keep its mouth shut during the 10-min ride (city & highway) so that I would not be distracted and would be able to focus on the handling and road noise.
At highway speed, the Sport was *definitely* noisier, all of it because of the tires. Although I could appreciate the superior handling of the Sport, I went with the Luxury because of its quiteness (on the highway) and plusher ride in the city. Besides, I dislike the Sport rims, so it would have cost me 4 rims and 4 tires to make it good (to my taste) and get rid of that noise. I just chose the chrome wheels on the Luxury, and they still look better than any rims BMW has put on its line-up this year (different subject, but I think BMW is screwing up with its exterior design, I mean, look at the 5...) Ok, ok...
Thanks God, the M remains very sporty (with a sweet exhaust note), much more than the GS430 (which is was a bit too "boring" for my own taste), but otherwise my #2 choice (I prefer the classy look of the GS over the M).
Car's not perfect, got a few problems, still one to be addressed (noisy brakes), but the car is otherwise excellent and would buy it again without hesitation.
I've also wondered if this cold be a model issue. I got a 45 Luxury also, after driving a 35 and a Sport. I like the Lux the best, although it was a choice between "good, gooder and goodest
Question... My 2 yr contract is up with Verizon. If I renew, I can get a Motorola E815 for free, a Samsung SCH-a950 for $49. Or I can switch service to Cingular and get a RAZR. I'm not a heavy cell phone user, so all the bells and whistles are not as important as the phone working well with the car.
Has anyone tried the Samsung? Recommendations? Thank You...
Didn't you read my bloody email before replying to it?
The V815 for free is a no brainer to my way of thinking. I have a V815 that initially didn't couple with the car well, but that's been resolved and others here have posted they're very happy with it. Sound quality's terrific even with the moon roof open. The RAZR couples well, but neither the RAZR nor the V815 couples the phone book. Seems you're a "user lite" like me. I simply manually programmed the numbers I used most often into the car's system ... took me 10 minutes ... and all's just hunky dory.
Oh, one complaint I've heard about the RAZR is that with its internal antenna reception's a little weak. I love the slim package, though, but didn't want to sign on with Cingular because they have too many "black holes" in areas I tend to frequent. I moved from Sprint to Verizon because of better coverage and better choice of phones.
Hope this helps.
Bart :shades:
Let's not get confused here. The Verizon store here had what it had labeled as a V810 ... when I bought it it turned out to be an E815 by Motorola. I suspect there is such a thing as a V810 because I found and ordered online a holster for my new phone that fits a V810 and it's much smaller than the E815. When I lifted the battery on my new phone I discovered I indeed had an E815, the upgrade on the V710 ... and the same size as the V710. Be careful ... be certain what they're calling V810 is in fact the E815 ... if it's really a V810 I can't vouch for its quality.
Bart :confuse: :shades:
I'm waiting for my Sprint service contract to run out (5 more months), I may swich to Cingular.
I certainly will not use Sprint again. (after many years with them)
I am new to this forum.
I ordered a bmw 525i in august and they couldn't deliver it until december.
So I decided to wait but still looked around.
Last week I came across the deal of a lifetime. An m45 sport fully loaded.
Here in Canada the m45 sport comes with every single option.
So anyhow the persn in question wants to get out of his lease and I would be basically paying the same thing i would be with the 2006 bmw 525i. The bmw is fully loaded as well with navigation sport premium packages and all the other little goodies...
So I am wondering if you guys think i am making the right choice???
One other issues is the color of the infiniti m45. It is millenium bronze with the light gray interior and aluminum trim.
What do you think of the millenium bronze? i am 27 years old and am wondering if you think it is too old of a color.
ANy thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
The Bmw is a very nice car, but I have had many problems with it.
It is very underpowered, and just terrible in the snow even with 4 dedicated snow tires.
My Infiniti (excuse me, my Wife's Infiniti), is the 35x model.
The car is a rocket, handles great and has all the bells and whistles that I miss in the BMW.
If I were you, living in Canada, I would only look at an X model.
The car is so powerful that with only rear wheel drive, it will be a problem in Canada.
By the way, I leased the M35X for way less than the Bmw, with far more equiptment!
I agree, get the M35x. It will perform far better than the 525 and will do very well in the snow.
Check the color out and if you like it, it's a no brainer, go for the M45. I don't believe a color is "too old of a color" and wouldn't care one way or another if I liked it.
6 weeks after the accident, the body shop (ordering through the local infiniti dealer) STILL can't find the structural parts. I.e. No work has begun other than stripping the car down. The dealer says maybe 11/11 the parts may come in. On advice of my dealer (not the local dealer) I called the Infiniti complaint line who says they will look into the matter. Maybe they can find the parts before I go crazy and waste more money on a rental car.
Never thought about this being a downside to getting a brand new model but it is turning out to be.
I have had a number of friends with the new 530 and not one of them is every happy with the car, cool, and flashy, but misign something. The car is nice, dont get me wrong, its just way more money for less car.
Id urge you to further consider the M series. Also I think allwheel drive is important for the Canadian Weather (I live in AB). If you were prepared for the rear wheel in the BMW, they it will be no worse in the M, they have some sort of snow mode that makes for better control on starts. I've not used it, but its designed for snow starts/ice.
Good luck with the decision, BTW, color - not that important reallt - they always seem to be covered with white haze anyway here in AB anyway, my Midnight Blue (other car) looks white most of the year.... :-)
Bronze is often the color of 'old guy' cars, but the M tends to turn heads, and probably the color is going to work if you like it.
I too have driven RWD V8's in the snow for some years, without problems, but I think the low profile tires of the Sport won't work in Canadian winters. My guess is you'll want 4 mounted snow tires. The deal on a car coming out of an early lease may make it worthwhile.
Good luck, this is a great car.
Doc ... I don't know what "golden" means in this context, but I stand by the "slug" character of the 525I. IMO, there's nothing "golden" about the Bimmer. :shades:
Bart
I have been having a very difficult past 2 days deciding between both cars...
But I think I will end up getting the m45. The dea is just too good to pass up.
As well I found 19" winter bridgestone blizzax tires on tirerack.com for about 850$ US shipped to Canada which I think is a great deal... Will these tires the job though???
I have always wanted a bmw I guess that hopefully my next car when i'm 30 will be an m5, if i can afford it... And at least i'll start my bmw experience with a "true" bmw...
I think they'll work out well. I don't own them (yet), but have several friends who do and they all feel they do a great job in the snow. They are consistently reviewed well online.
I have always wanted a bmw I guess that hopefully my next car when i'm 30 will be an m5, if i can afford it...
Can't help but be a little jealous here; when I was 27, I was driving a Chevy Citation :lemon: However, I'm better now - after years of therapy
As a person who has driven Bimmers - this car will spoil you for most of what BMW offers, though probably not an M5!
When I was 27 I was newly married, starting the first year of my residency, had one kid on the way, and was taking home $92.12 every two weeks. I couldn't have bought the tires, let alone the car! LOL
Replaced them 8k ago with Pirelli PZeros from Tire Rack and what a difference. Much, much quieter.
Any help is appreciated!
I also live in the New England area and have already ordered a winter tire/rim setup for my M45 sport. Yes it is the sport model and thus it is a necessity for me but the benefits of this setup would helpful for you as well.
All-season tires are a great compromise. They are expected to handle well in the summer, rain, cold, snow, ice, provide a quiet ride and last for the 50k (if not more). In reality they can’t do everything well. Can you get by with AWD and all-season tires, yes you can. However there will be a noticeable improvement in handling and braking with a winter setup.
I would suggest going with a 17” rim. The folks over at the Tire Rack are good at recommending a rim/tire. My last two vehicles, both RWD and sport models, had Blizzak WS-50’s mounted on 16” rims (sport rim was 17”). Very good winter tire but the sidewall is very flexible. Your first corner and/or lane change will make you say, what happened there! I’m going with the LM series for my M45. The sidewall is stiffer. The total package price was around $1k.
Good luck with your decision.
Regards,
Chris
After removing the actual key from the fob, the remaining "keyless" fob will also lack any kind of hanging loop. It is my understanding that virtaully all valet parking systems have a cabinet or board with hooks to hang keys from. The M35 system will leave the valet company with no way to hang your fob from their board/cabinet. :confuse:
A crude solution may be to place it in a small zip-lock they can put their hook through.