I'm pretty certain you can leave it on at all times in snowy conditions. The 12 MPH refers to the forced 50/50 front/back torque split (i.e. up to 12 mph, the front wheels are always getting 50% of the torque). I don't believe there is any mention in the manual of only using it when stuck.
The "4-low" gear refers to four-wheel-drive vehicles. I don't think it applies to AWD. If you can verify this, you might want to tell your dealer as I doubt she wants to give out faulty advice.
Funny, but when I went to Infiniti's seb site to look at my online (PDF) manual, it came up as the 2006 M but was obviously for the 2004! :confuse:
Anyway, I did find this regarding snow-mode (albeit regarding the G35):
Another unique feature of the G35 AWD system design is the addition of a Snow-Mode function, which reduces throttle sensitivity and fixes initial torque distribution at 50:50, helping avoid wheel spin for smooth starts on snowy roads. At speeds above 12 miles per hour, the Snow-Mode function allows the central computer processing system to take over again, continually monitoring traction conditions and changing the torque distribution as needed.
You probably have a digital throttle like myself (either all on or all off) I have had my M45 sport since may and I do all city driving and the occasionally highway getaway. I average 13.5 to 14.1 mpg for the city and 18 to 20 on the highway (depends on if I go 75mph, or 90mph) The M45 Sport is geared for acceleration not top speed or fuel economy. They really need to put a 6th gear in this car. Long story short, IMHO I do not believe there is anything wrong with your car.
I have an M45 sport (about 6 months) and I really love it. As my confidence and experience grows, I am pushing the car harder - with one problem. I love to late brake, and brake hard - and every time I do, the dam seat belt tries to decapitate me. I have been playing around with the height adjustment and it is better, but I was wondering if anybody knew if the "threshold" level where the car decides to tension the seat belt can be adjusted?
I just found this forum tonight and I am really impressed by the assistance and participation that goes on here. Thank you for any suggestion you may have.
I don't know when the pre-tensioners kick in, but you could probably figure it out in a large empty parking lot. Does it integrate with the light emitted from the ICC or LDW? If so, you may need a large, empty parking lot with a single car to drive towards (make it a beater ).
As it was explained to me, it is not necessarily just the amount of pressure applied but the speed with which you apply it. In other words, a quick hard jab is more likely to trigger the seatbelt action than one that is applied a little more gradulally even if it ultimately reaches the same decelleration rate.
lack of a higher gear is among the few regular complaints about the M (both 35 and 45). There is some complaining about road and interior noise and high rpms while cruising. This also hurts gas mileage. A sixth gear would help all of these issues by reducing the rpms during highway cruising. So far; however, I have not heard any rumors that Nissan/Infiniti have one in the works.
I also, am concerned about rode noise. I would like to buy another infiniti in 1 or 2 years, however, if another car such as Lexus,for example can do this I will switch.
One thing you may want to consider is swapping out the OEM tires from the dealer prior to purchase.
I find the OEM Eagle RSA's on my M35 Lux to be louder than I would like (but not intolerable), and found after putting Dunlop snows on the OEM rims the car was actually quieter!
I suspect that if Infiniti doesn't address the interior noise, I'll be back to Lexus next time around. I'm not complaining. The noise and poor MPG are worth putting up for the fun-to-drive factor.
I agree. When I first began to read this forum, there was a lot of talk about interior noise regarding acceleration. Indeed, you can hear the V8 on my M45 Premium on acceleration, in a good way, to my ear. Other than that, this is a quiet car, no real wind noise, no rattles at all. Maybe the versions vary :confuse:
Anyway, I did find this regarding snow-mode (albeit regarding the G35):
Another unique feature of the G35 AWD system design is the addition of a Snow-Mode function, which reduces throttle sensitivity and fixes initial torque distribution at 50:50, helping avoid wheel spin for smooth starts on snowy roads. At speeds above 12 miles per hour, the Snow-Mode function allows the central computer processing system to take over again, continually monitoring traction conditions and changing the torque distribution as needed.
I'm wondering if this could be the reason why some M drivers experience fishtailing going around curves when in "snow" mode. If the car is constantly trying to adjust the torque distribution as opposed to keeping it constant (like with Audi), it could cause wheel traction to modulate which may manifest itself as fishtailing....
I recently discovered hitting a pothole pretty hard while my tires were lower tire pressure(26-28)than recommended resulted in bent wheels on the side of the pothole. I have the car in now for repairs to the bent wheels. The two tires on those wheels were slowly leaking air which made this a matter I had to address. The dealer had noticed the bent wheels last oil change but it wasnt noticeable to me until the air leakage became bothersome. I plan to run the car with the recommended tire pressure from here on. Has anyone else experienced this problem? My dealer said I was not his first with this problem.
I have a 35x and when at slow speed while turning corners i did notice the rear end getting a little squirrelly in the sno-mode however i thought it was perhaps the more icy than snowy road, or the original GY RSA's (or both) rather than any fault of the AWD system. At higher speeds and going straight- no problems.
Anyone hearing anything yet? Some talk about needing a six speed automatic to keep up with the competition and to improve mpg, but haven't heard anything definite.
In regards to the passenger seat not having adequate adjustment, after playing with the seat for a while I did notice that adjusting the seat height also varies the tilt of the seat. As you raise the seat it tilts forward. Most people seem to like the seat tilted back a bit more than it is, which means the best position for this is all the way down.
I've seen many reports on the M35x regarding it's handling in snow, and I've seen nothing but extreme enthusiasm, and no reports of fishtailing.
Where have you seen this?
Check out the recent posting to the sister board, Infiniti M35/M45 Owners: Problems & Solutions, post # 265 and on this board - post #5118, 5121, These (few) M35x owners have reported slippage/fishtailing. In one instance, going around a curve in the snow.
We have made 7 trips of 1k are better with good gas mileage. Get 23.6 at average speed of 80. People still stop to say what a fine looking auto the Black M is. We love the ride and the quickness.What is the air pressure that works best for most?
That is the best mileage I have seen posted so far for the M35. I assume that is highway driving. Do you have mileage figures for city driving (or highway/city combined)?
You are correct about the noise of the M35X. I thought it was terrible. I'm not a 20 something looking for a Saleen/Roush sounding hot rod. I want comfort and quiet. That plus the poor seat heaters pointed me toward the MB E class. The Audi A6 was a consideration but the MMI was a big drawback. The MMI is only slightly less of a nightmare than the BMW I-Drive. The Lexus G300 was also a contender but the trunk was way too small and the car had no road feel. I ended up selecting an E320 4-Matic and could not be happier. It's quiet and it handles great. For 50 large, I want quiet. I don't want to hear a "Performance Tuned Exhaust." The seat heaters on the MB (and the Audi) are the best in the business. After 10k miles on the MB, I have no complaints at all. While the M35X was a faster car, IMO, it is not a better car. Did I mention that the E320 gets 20MPG in the city and 28MPG on the Hwy. Maybe in 2008 the M will be a bit better. It's funny how the dealers (any brand) never call you to find out why you didn't buy their brand. JDP does but they don't get enough info to help the product managers or marketeers.
I like the E350, too. I had an 1998 E before moving to the LS. My E had horrible service problems. We're talking about being out of commission for 2 months at a time and getting Honda Civic for my free loaner. I'm glad to hear something positive about the E. I like they way they look and feel. I miss the seat heater. I love the MPG. But I feel the techno toys are better on the M. I really want a backup camera (not sonar), XM (not Sirrius) and a good Nav system. Bluetooth is really nice, too - but not a requirment for me. I also don't like the way MB charges for everything. I mean heated seats and Hi intensity lights should be standard.
I know we are still just about in 05..but does anyone know when the MY 07 M35 will come out and if there will be any changes? Hey the 06 came out March 05. I asked the Salesman when MY 07 will be out and he initially said December 06. When I questioned this answer he said.."err well maybe September or October". After 2 test drives I really like the M35, my short wish list is it could use a 6th gear for highway cruising economy and I would like auto door locks. All said this is a really great handling fun to drive car. Merry Xmas to All.
Congrats on getting a car that pleases you. Past experiences for me with MB and Jags were that oil changes / service visits could run into several hundred dollars. I just did the first service on my M for $52. Could I ask if you've had the MB serviced and if I may -- what was the ticket ? Just idle curiousity.
Having followed this forum since I got my M35X in May I must admit to being a bit amused at complaints re: lack of auto door locks and the 'toastiness" of the seat heaters. These things play such a minimal role in my decision to purchase a car that I feel I must be missing something. I cannot imagine buying a MB over an Infiniti solely because the seat heaters are better or the doors auto lock at 15mph and in the process trade off getting a more reliable, better handling, less expensive and frankly more fun to drive car. We're just getting too soft if we cannot push the button and lock the doors ourselves and the seats in my M do get warm after all. I am just surprised that the purchase of a 50K + car would hinge on the perceived quality of seat heaters!
I agree! While I was somewhat surprised that the M's doors don't lock automatically, I can't consider it a hardship. One excellent M feature that seems to get little mention is the Intelligent Cruise Control. I use it on almost every drive, and it is quite effective. It is one reason I went for the M over the Lexus GS.
Has anyone tried the LG 9800 in an M? It has all the features I want, but I'm wondering how well the Bluetooth works. It's not listed on the Infiniti/Bluetooth site, I think because it's too new. I have two more days to decide whether to return my Motorola e815 to Verizon. I'm not totally happy with the e815.
I am a proud owner of a M45 sport with all the extras. I left BMW because I was tired of all the gadgets not working and costing an arm and a leg to repair. I have 15k on my car already and am in LOVE!!!! This car performs, and all the gadgets work!!! I use the Bluetooth with a razor..no issues..I use the nav and voice commands all the time..no issues...Tha car is getting 20-22 MPG on the freeway and is way fun to drive. I just put a Stillen exhaust system on, and am looking for a Brembo or Stillen brake package. Has anyone else started tuning their ride with after market parts?? if so..what type? Oh yeah...I put 19" Zanettis rims better tires on (yoko's) and my road noise went Way down. Would love to chat with another maven on tuning tricks for the M's. Vic
Would love to see some pics with the new exhaust and rims. I've toyed around with upgraded exhaust on the M45 Sport, but I'm kind of fond of the OEM rims. Do you hear a noticeable difference in the exhaust note?
This has received some attention on this forum. I have a 2000 E320 with this feature and think all in all it's something I like, however when I get in my car other than in my garage, I usually manually lock the doors anyway. That's because the time when I'm most worried about being carjacked is when I first get in the car and the auto locking doesn't occur until I'm moving. Once I'm moving and more in the open being carjacked doesn't seem like a big fear. Also I've heard some people say they don't like the feature since if they get in a severe accident and the doors are locked, it would harder for emergency workers to get to them.
I have a minor glitch I haven't seen posted. The rearview mirror on my M45 doesn't dim as soon as I'd like it to at dusk. There is a forward-facing sensor on the mirror, and according to the Infiniti web site the mirror won't dim until this senses that it is dark. Then, the rear-facing sensor will trigger dimming when it senses headlights. At dusk, it really takes a long time for the mirror to start getting dark. Once it starts, it's fine. Am I missing some adjustment instruction in the owner's manual? I've put a bit of tape over the sensor, at times, and this helps. I'll tell this to the dealer at the next service, but wondered if anyone else has noticed this.
I'm unfamiliar with the Stillen exhaust ... will "google" it. Interesting that you're looking at a different brake package; again, I speak from lack of familiarity, but how much better can brakes get than come from the factory?
With my Mac i just downloaded several photos from the Infiniti web site and installed them as wallpapers and then rotated the images as a screensaver. Don't know if u can do that with a PC though..
I have an M35x with the Premium options and my 11 year old daughter, as per her typical behavior, just throws the DVD remote on the floor of the car when she gets out. Well of course it got stepped on last week and destroyed so i thought i'd order a new one. My local dealer said it was going to cost me $230 for a new one! Yikes. i am going to look for it on line but I think when I replace it I'll buy a far less expensive generic programmable remote as a backup for the future. i'll also try to convince my 11 year old to stop storing everything on the floor of the car although this is not likely to happen.
I cant wait for a full comparison of this segment. My prediction: BMW, last place. Acura RL, Mercedes E, Lexus GS, middle finishers. STS 2nd place (the mags seem to like it for some reason) M45 first place. And a lot of bimmer fans VERY upset.
i know this is probably not the right place to post this, but i am looking to buy either an infiniti 35x for $800 over invoice or the is 350 for $2000 off MSRP. I live in Boston, so winters are somewhat of a concern (which was the reason for considering the M35) but I LOVE the Lexus. Also note... I am 21 years old. Can anyone give me their 2 Cs? I am looking to make my decision within the week.
i also know the two cars arent really comparible.. both being it different classes... but they are the two cars that have won my auto-heart. hehe..
I have an M35x with the Premium options and my 11 year old daughter, as per her typical behavior, just throws the DVD remote on the floor of the car when she gets out. Well of course it got stepped on last week and destroyed ...
If it were my daughter she'd have watched her LAST video in the car. An 11 year old is too old to be irresponsible w/o accountability. If she wants to watch video have her buy another remote.
If it were my daughter she'd have watched her LAST video in the car. An 11 year old is too old to be irresponsible w/o accountability. If she wants to watch video have her buy another remote.
I knew there was a reason I felt a sense of kindred spirit with some Infiniti owners...
Comments
The "4-low" gear refers to four-wheel-drive vehicles. I don't think it applies to AWD. If you can verify this, you might want to tell your dealer as I doubt she wants to give out faulty advice.
Anyway, I did find this regarding snow-mode (albeit regarding the G35):
Another unique feature of the G35 AWD system design is the addition of a Snow-Mode function, which reduces throttle sensitivity and fixes initial torque distribution at 50:50, helping avoid wheel spin for smooth starts on snowy roads. At speeds above 12 miles per hour, the Snow-Mode function allows the central computer processing system to take over again, continually monitoring traction conditions and changing the torque distribution as needed.
I just found this forum tonight and I am really impressed by the assistance and participation that goes on here. Thank you for any suggestion you may have.
dcpatrick
I don't know when the pre-tensioners kick in, but you could probably figure it out in a large empty parking lot. Does it integrate with the light emitted from the ICC or LDW? If so, you may need a large, empty parking lot with a single car to drive towards (make it a beater
I find the OEM Eagle RSA's on my M35 Lux to be louder than I would like (but not intolerable), and found after putting Dunlop snows on the OEM rims the car was actually quieter!
S
My M45 premium is a quiet as falling snow. Perhaps it's the difference with the sport version.
BTW, my points of reference are 4 previous Lexus LS's
Pete
rrob
Another unique feature of the G35 AWD system design is the addition of a Snow-Mode function, which reduces throttle sensitivity and fixes initial torque distribution at 50:50, helping avoid wheel spin for smooth starts on snowy roads. At speeds above 12 miles per hour, the Snow-Mode function allows the central computer processing system to take over again, continually monitoring traction conditions and changing the torque distribution as needed.
I'm wondering if this could be the reason why some M drivers experience fishtailing going around curves when in "snow" mode. If the car is constantly trying to adjust the torque distribution as opposed to keeping it constant (like with Audi), it could cause wheel traction to modulate which may manifest itself as fishtailing....
-- Bill Zide
Where have you seen this?
Where have you seen this?
Check out the recent posting to the sister board, Infiniti M35/M45 Owners: Problems & Solutions, post # 265 and on this board - post #5118, 5121, These (few) M35x owners have reported slippage/fishtailing. In one instance, going around a curve in the snow.
Merry Xmas to All.
Pete
Oh yeah...I put 19" Zanettis rims better tires on (yoko's) and my road noise went Way down. Would love to chat with another maven on tuning tricks for the M's.
Vic
Thanks.
Thanks, rrob
Happy New Year to all.
Bart
Bart
i also know the two cars arent really comparible.. both being it different classes... but they are the two cars that have won my auto-heart. hehe..
If it were my daughter she'd have watched her LAST video in the car. An 11 year old is too old to be irresponsible w/o accountability. If she wants to watch video have her buy another remote.
I knew there was a reason I felt a sense of kindred spirit with some Infiniti owners...
Let's help the guy with his question and skip the lectures.