The recall notice is actually on the strut brackets and not the struts themselves. I received my notice over the weekend and am taking my Q in tomorrow for replacement.
I am taking me car in Friday for the recall repair. I have 1,000 miles on my truck (silver sage, premium, sport, rear deflector, wood package, pinstripe) and was wondering if I should get the oil changed. Are ther metal shavings in a new engine that would be removed by putting in clean oil, or should I just wait till 3000 miles for the oil change? Any advice ...?
Pfleeg, I guess it was too late for me when I posted, the notice does say brackets. I wish they had figured this out a few weeks ago before we picked up the Q.
I am also interested in the answer to Markinct's ? about the oil change. I forget when our sales person said we should have the first oil change, but we do have almost 2600 miles (it's been a busy 5 weeks!).
Has anyone noticed that the bottom of the gas tank is pretty big? In my old car, the top "half" of the tank was definitely the bigger "half."
If you live where it is hot and dusty, if you intend to keep it for 100K miles, or if you do a lot of stop and go driving, change oil every 3 months or 3000 miles. I think the book says 3750 miles. Also, go to an auto parts store and check the size of the oil filter. It is tiny compared to most other cars, so it won't hold as much.
I know a lot of people think this is just a scam to sell oil changes. I have bought several new cars of various makes, and when I do 3 month/3000 mile changes the engines will last forever (150K miles or better) and burn no oil. I have had one engine go bad over the years - It was in a car where I used Mobil 1 synthetic and did 12 month/ 6,000 mile oil changes. That engine lost a piston at 38,000 miles and off of warranty. So now I just use regular oil and get it changed more often.
If you leased your Q, don't worry about it. I have a neighbor who has 2 cars, and leases them every 3 years, and does practically no maintenance. He has lost 2 engines in the last 8 years, but the dealers always replaced them for free under warranty. Leased cars seemed to be so poorly maintained that I would never buy a used one that came off of a lease.
I've emailed quite a few Infiniti dealers in several states (NJ, MD, NC, IL, NY) and have listed the options I want (power sunroof, premium pkg, sport pkg) and asked them how much UNDER invoice they were willing to sell me the vehicle. So far, the best offer is $1000 under the invoice price of $34,919. Has anyone found a better deal anywhere?
I too received the recall notice for the rear hatch over the weekend. It sounds like they have know about this problem for some time but the dealers don't bother to perform the recall on unsold vehicles until they are actually sold. Go figure!
As far as the oil change, yes, you should change the oil after the break in period is over (after 1,000 miles) because there is always potential for metal shavings and other debris to come loose from a new engine. This debris should be removed to prevent any prolonged damage to the piston walls.
Just wondering if anyone else is having a tough time getting comfortable in the drivers seat. I swear I have reset the memory button no less than 40 times and I still can't get comfortable. I'm 5'10 inches, have the seat pushed all the way back and have tried various different heights and tilts, to no avail. My right leg gets tense in the upper thigh/hip area - just can't seem to get in a relaxed driving position. Any suggestions?
Yes, you're not the only one. I too am not really satisfied with the seat, at least driver side, in my QX4. I am 5'7" and I tried several times to make it comfortable to no avail. As a matter of fact, the seats in my "cheap" 2WD Nissan Frontier are more relaxed to be in than. Pay attention to the seat spot right under your hip, the seam between 2 pieces of leather is pinching your body, therefore circulation. If you find any remedy, please let people know.
Yes, there are better prices! Take a day trip up to Canada. I just heard back from another person who got his 2001 with AWD, prem, sport, sunroof for $28,500! And 2002's aren't a whole lot more. The exchange rate is at a record level. Take a look at post #641 above for some details I've posted before. I did it myself and know dozens of others who have since. I have lots more info if you want it - just email. -Jon
Garthfan, I am in NJ and paid 34,600 in mid-August with the options you want. We started with e-mail requests and then started working with sales people by phone. I'm don't know where you are, as you seem to be covering a wide geographic range. I would imagine with the 02s coming that the deals will only get better. If they won't do any better on the price, maybe you could ask them to throw in some free service coupons or waive the ridiculous admin fees you pay to get the car titled and registered. Just make sure they have corrected the strut bracket problem (recall) before you pick it up.
I guess I'm lucky, I'm 5'11" and don't have any problem getting comfortable. I set my seat so that I just barely have to stretch/move to get the radio & climate controls. The seat ends up being almost all the way back, with a moderate amount of recline. Very comfy! I will say, though, that the seat travel fore/aft is much less than my JGC. Still, love the Q.
As far as prices, there haven't been alot of posts, but I don't think I've seen anything better than $1000 under invoice. I guess it just depends on how much inventory they have that meets your requirements vs. the risk of losing the one you want. But, presuming inventories are high, chances are they might deal more. Or, listen to Jon and go to Canada. From the area you've indicated, Toronto is really not that far away, and the savings are huge. I wish I'd had the time to do it!
Took in my '01 QX4 yesterday and had the dealer install the new brackets and perform the 3,750 service interval. I had 4,000 miles on mine, but even if I'd had less I would have had them do the service interval since there's only one dealer in Denver and they're inconveniently located across town. They top all fluids, perform a multi-pt inspection, etc. You also get a washed and vaccuumed vehicle. Even with just 1,000 miles, I'd ask them to do the service when you get the brackets done.
320cobra, I can sympathize with the seat discomfort. I'm 5'11" and tend to get a cramp in the back of my right leg after an extended time in the driver's seat. It seems like seat depth is not adequate enough to support a longer leg. I've found that adjusting the front of the seat upward and turning on the seat warmer helps.
The gold emblem option is to have some of the detailing in gold trim, such as the "QX4" on the back hatch. I'm not sure how much trim is actually gold rather than chrome with the option, but I've never seen a vehicle with enough of it to make it worth it. They always seem to leave a couple things chrome that just throw off the whole point of upgrading it to gold.
I drove my 2001 QX4 for the first time at night. Something odd - the analog clock was not illuminated. Has anyone else noticed this? Or do I just have a bad clock?
Seems strange, as all the fords, dodges, and chevies of the 50s and 60s had clocks with internal lamps so you could see them at night. I haven't checked the Pathfinder, but I assume it has a digital clock that you can see at night, giving it one luxury step up on the Q.
I live in Austin and this is the deal that being offer to me from our Infinity dealer..
Premium Package $450 Sunroof $858 Wind Deflector $72 DVD Entertainment System $1400 Destination Charge $545 Warranty Supplement $90 Market Assitance Charge $328 Total Invoice = $34,730 Their selling offer is for $35,200. Is this a good deal ?? I wanted them to take off the charges on the Warranty Supp. & Market Asst. but they said they can't do that. Does anyone else had to pay these charges before ?? I have another dealer said that they can beat this price also.
The illumination of the analog clock is adjusted along with the lighting of the rest of your dash when your headlights are one. Try turning it up to see if that works for you. Otherwise you must have a bad clock light, because mine lights up just perfect. On the same note, the Pathfinder digital clock is subject to the same illumination situation.
That doesn't look like a good deal at all. For starters (as you may have seen in previous posts), many people have traveled up to Canada to purchase their QX4. Seeing that you're in Austin, you might not consider this, so... It's been quite a while since I purchased my QX4, but prices on a 4x2 a year and half ago were better than your price. With the 2002 coming out, they should be willing to go down on price, and to definitely through out bogus charges the warrantey supplement and market assistance charge (what are those anyway?). I suggest shopping around and settling at maximum for the Edmunds TMV.
Hopefully some other posters who did the shopping around can give you some tips...
For those of you who have taken their QX4's in for the recall. Is this something that is easily done while you wait or do I need to leave it at the dealership?
BTW- 1700 miles so far, no complaints, love the car.
The only complaint that I can come up with is the fact that the QX4 does not illuminate the ring around the key hole on the steering column. My wife's I30 has it and I have had this feature in other vehicles. My QX4 listed for $40,280.00 and does not have this feature. I feel that a price tag as high as this should have something that in my oppinion is common sense to have. I find myself leaning forward and searching for the key hole at night time. The overhead lights that come on when you open the door (not the map lights) do not seem bright enough to help with this issue (mostly because the light is located closer to the rear passengers because of the moon roof). I think Nissan should have done a better job with this.
BTW, I did finally find a comfortable sitting position. You just have to keep messing around with the controls until you find what works for you. Otherwise, the Q is doing just fine at 1,200 miles and counting.
for what you describe, you would get the QX4 4x2 in Phoneix for about $32,000 without a lot of arm twisting. Try calling dealers in other sothwestern cities telling them exactly what you want and that you want to pay $1000 below invoice and no extra charges other than destination fee. Llet them know you are shopping for best price, and see what they bid. If they have inventory you will get what you want.
The dealer in your city might even come around once they find out you have an out of town deal for your price.
By the way, on my #867 posting, I did have a bad clock light.
Cobra, I agree with you. Maybe this is a trend, my Mazda Millenia S doesn't have this light either. If Infiniti is watching, I would also like to suggest an 8 way power passenger seat. A lot of the "luxury" names in the 30K and up bracket really cheap out in this area. And, it would have made more sense to have a rear hatch release, rather than a window release. I do wish the rear window could be lowered and raised (like the family trucksters of my youth) into the hatch.
Reply to 872 and 874 postings by 320cobra and petem5.
A agree on the key problem - I also find myself leaning forward and to the right to find the key hole even in daylight. My other cars are easy to find, no searching, and have illuminated rings.
On the rear hatch and window, I particularly like the way the QX4 window operates compared to my old 86 Bronco. It had a power window that lowered into the rear tail gate. That was the biggest pain I had with the Bronco. It squeaked, was difficult for others to operate, and occasionally the interlocks kept the gate from opening. It also made that rear gate weigh about a hundred pounds. Replacing the power window motor also cost about $350.
I agree on the key light; not sure how or why this was left out. It's only a minor annoyance, though. I actually like the rear window release, I think it makes more sense than a hatch release. The truckster roll down window would be cool, but I probably wouldn't use it that much. Might be nice to keep the glass out of the way when hauling long stuff.
For anybody checking prices, my local dealer still has 20 01 Q's in stock, so somewhere you should be able to find a good deal!
Had my 2001 QX4 for a few months with about 5,000 mi. Last week it developed a major squeak coming from the rear passenger side. Every time I hit a little bump I get this loud annoying sqeak. Going for service today. Anyone else have this problem. It sounds like a loose axle or weld. I WD-40'ed all moving parts in the rear chassis, but no help. The spare is tightly secured, and I even removed it to see if that was the problem. It's definitely in the chassis or frame.
I know you said it is in the chassis or frame. However, I had a squeak that I thought was the spare tire or rear suspension. I tightened the spare and it went away for five minutes and then came back. I then realized that the only other thing I had done was open the tailgate! So I found a bumpy street and tried it with the tailgate open - no squeak.
I simply used silicon spray and wiped down the entire tailgate seal and bumpers. I have never had the squeak again and that was four months ago. PS. Don't use WD-40 for this - it can damage the seals and is also not good for the paint.
Thanks for the info. Got the same complaint on my 98 QX4. Do you know where I can buy that silicon spray? And could you please locate and describe me where the the tailgate seal is.
The dealer fixed my squeak. Apparently a rock lodged itself on the right rear shock upper bracket and they put a piece of styrofoam in it to keep future rocks out. There is a fix bulletin on this and it happens once in a while. This dealer has had this come up 9 times in the past.
Avalanche, thanks for the heads up on the WD40 and the paint. I have some wiping to do.
You can get silicon spray at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or any auto parts store. It is usually in the same place where you get WD-40.
The seal that I am talking about is the weatherstrip that is on the tailgate. It runs around the whole tailgate to seal the tailgate to the body. Also, wipe down the two round bumpers on the tailgate and the two wedge shaped bumpers higher up. Also, clean the area that the gasket seals against on the body.
Just purchased a 98 QX4. Got a really good deal from my local Infiniti dealer. Super black, sunroof, all the goodies. Except I have one question. How do you set the digital clock integrated in the CD/stereo system? It sounds whacky that I poured over all the technical/specifics of this machine before purchasing, but forgot one of the simplest things. The owner's manual states to press and hold the 'clock button' while adjusting the time with the other two. My problem is that I don't have a 'clock button.' It sounds crazy I know, and trust me I have read, looked, and prodded everything, but thought I could get advise from current owners before returning to dealership with this question. Also, where's the CD changer located? The owner's manaul is very vague on this item. Again, it sounds crazy, but I'm a very busy manager, and wanted a well apportioned SUV with high quality and craftmanship since I don't have time to fix transaxle seals or tramissions in the Grand Cherokee that I almost bought. For once, my wife was absolutely right in having me buy a QX4. Love my Q, just wish it would tell me the time.
Does your QX4 have a round dial clock that has been a signature item of Infiniti? I'm not familiar with the '98 model, but my guess is that they left the digital capability out of the QX4 on purpose, and the words you read are left over from the Pathfinder write-up.
Don't know about the CD entry - my '01 was not easy either, I just took a look and figured out where to stick the CD.
Another possible answer - Do you have the original CD/Radio installed? a previous owner may have replaced it. Compare the picture in mnual to your unit.
is located directly to the right of the CHG button, which switches audio source to the optional CD changer, located under the front passenger's seat. Press and hold the "CLOCK" button to begin setting the time. Use the channel up/down \/ and /\ buttons to change hours and minutes. All of this is being done on the OEM Bose head unit. This unit was not optional, only the changer... it was a stand alone option or part of a package in '98.
I have been using a brand called "Liquid Glass" that is not a polish or wax, but some type of synthetic polymer. I love the product for its ease of use and quality finish. Does anyone else use this and if not, what brand do you use?
I also heard on the Mustang board that there is a brand called Zaino made by a company called Zaino Brothers out of New Jersey. They say that this stuff is out of this world. I just put an order in and will report back after I try it out. It appears that there are multiple steps involved, but it is supposed to be the best. Zaino's web site is www.zainobros.com if anyone else is interested.
I use LG also and frequent Detailing forums. From what I have researched,Zaino is only marginally better than LG. When you factor in the first tedious application and that you have to order it and pay by check, LG begins to look even better. LG is probably the best stuff I have found,as far as, durability, shine, ease of use and smoothness of paint.
Hello to everyone! I have been reading these boards for a while now and I finally can participate 'cause we bought a QX4!!!!! I am so incredibly happy!!!!! Sticker Price was $38,900 and we paid right around $35,000 plus tax and tags. We got the QX4 from a dealer in Bethesda, MD they were the only dealer within a 3 hour radius that would give us what we owed on our 2000 Acura TL ($500 over). Every other dealer wanted to give us $17-$18k for the TL when it's worth $25k. Bethesda gave us $22.7K Anyway, just wanted to say hello and say that I was happy :-) to finally be an owner instead of a watcher.
I tried purchasing a part from them for the advertised catalog price, and they wanted to charge me $57.00 more. They said the ad was a mistake and they would not honor it. That is very poor customer service in my opinion. I will never buy anything from this site. Pass this info on to anyone you know that owns an infiniti of any kind.
Hello to everyone! I have been reading these boards for a while now and I finally can participate 'cause we bought a QX4!!!!! I am so incredibly happy!!!!!
Congratulations! We'll all be looking forward to hearing about your experiences with it.
- i have an ML320 at this point and am going to get out of it -- so am looking at other vehicles. I was hoping that Nissan/Infinity would have their new version out by now, but that seems another year away. but, what about your experiences with the current model?? is reliability good??? is resale terrible or decent?
I originally looked at the ML320 (almost bought one). I then read the Consumer Reports ratings which stated "Below Average" reliability ratings. I have also know several people that have had Mercedes reliability problems. One was so bad (2001 E-class) that they are giving him a new 2002. Very appalling for a high end vehicle.
I have a '99 QX4 and have had no problems with it. The reliability seems to be very good and the vehicle compares very well with the ML320.
I feel that there is a very similar ride. The same level of luxury. A real climate control system - unlike the ML320 which has an archaic "hot/cold" knob. They really missed the mark on that one! I would expect that in a Ford F-150, not a Merc.
There seems to be a little less room in the back seating area, but more cargo room.
The exterior styling is, in my opinion, more truck like on the QX4 and more "mini van on steroids" looking on the ML.
Good luck on your decision. You are doing the right thing by asking owners not salesmen.
PATHETIC, thankfully I leased mine. The trade value of my '98 is about $4.5k BELOW the current lease balance. I wish the best of luck to the good folks at First Union's auto leasing business unit.
MacieC -- congratulations on your Q (and your excellent deal)! What color did you get?
Spfotey -- info on new features and colors has been out for a while but I don't know if the 02s are on the lots yet. There is not a whole lot that is different. You can get an excellent deals on an 01 -- many of us who have purchased recently paid below invoice -- with 3.9 financing. I can't speak to long term issues as we have only had ours since August, but the first 4500 miles have been wonderful. We are getting almost 17 MPG with mixed highway/city driving. It is solid, quiet, and the engine power is there. Friends all seem to agree that it is a good looking truck. Exterior styling was very important since we plan to keep it forever. Good luck in your decision.
Lots -- we had been test driving off and on since early this year to replace my wife's 91 Mazda MX-6, which she loved and was willing to keep until the right vehicle came along (minimum requirements 6 cylinders and power everything!). We wanted something bigger for the dogs and our stuff -- never thought we would get an SUV. We started off with wagons -- Suburu Outback VDC (liked it), Passat 4motion (seats too hard)and the Volvo Cross Country. Our local dealer even let us pick one up before closing on Sat. and return it on Monday morning. We really liked the XC until we started reading about problems and started to weigh the high base price + expensive options, hard to justify the cost which wasn't terribly negotiable, just for a comfy seat. Then we drove the Toyota Highlander in July -- which changed everything for the wife. It was our first move toward something SUV-ish, although we know it is built on the Camry platform. She loved it -- I was pleasantly surprised but not in love with the exterior look. Then we took out a loaded Chevy Trailblazer -- cheap on fit and finish -- and the wife said it felt too big. The Infiniti was next, and last. We probably would have driven one sooner but it is the only dealer we don't have locally, so it was a special trip. It turned out to be the right mix of comfy seats, ride, look, room, financing and bottom line.
As for the ML and MDX, the ML has never been a look we've cared for (armored minivan)so I know nothing about it. The MDX was just hitting the roads as we drove the Q, so the wife wrote up the dimensions for consideration but she did not care for the look, so we never drove one. From reading the MDX board, it sounded like people were ordering and waiting at full sticker price. The Q has more cargo room but the MDX has a third seat. Other interior dimension differences are a trade off, but the exterior dimensions are all bigger on the MDX. I believe I read on the MDX board that Honda is supposed to come out with an SUV based on the Odyssey platform next year.
Ive been reading that the Nissan Pathfinder will be totally redesigned for 2003 with an increase HP to 260, however there will not be an infiniti qx4 model. I currently have a 2001 infiniti g-20, however with a new career in sales Im looking at the qx4, however if this is the last year for the SUV Im skeptical....any comments?
Comments
The recall notice is actually on the strut brackets and not the struts themselves. I received my notice over the weekend and am taking my Q in tomorrow for replacement.
I am also interested in the answer to Markinct's ? about the oil change. I forget when our sales person said we should have the first oil change, but we do have almost 2600 miles (it's been a busy 5 weeks!).
Has anyone noticed that the bottom of the gas tank is pretty big? In my old car, the top "half" of the tank was definitely the bigger "half."
I know a lot of people think this is just a scam to sell oil changes. I have bought several new cars of various makes, and when I do 3 month/3000 mile changes the engines will last forever (150K miles or better) and burn no oil. I have had one engine go bad over the years - It was in a car where I used Mobil 1 synthetic and did 12 month/ 6,000 mile oil changes. That engine lost a piston at 38,000 miles and off of warranty. So now I just use regular oil and get it changed more often.
If you leased your Q, don't worry about it. I have a neighbor who has 2 cars, and leases them every 3 years, and does practically no maintenance. He has lost 2 engines in the last 8 years, but the dealers always replaced them for free under warranty. Leased cars seemed to be so poorly maintained that I would never buy a used one that came off of a lease.
As far as the oil change, yes, you should change the oil after the break in period is over (after 1,000 miles) because there is always potential for metal shavings and other debris to come loose from a new engine. This debris should be removed to prevent any prolonged damage to the piston walls.
320cobra
320cobra
Yes, you're not the only one. I too am not really satisfied with the seat, at least driver side, in my QX4. I am 5'7" and I tried several times to make it comfortable to no avail. As a matter of fact, the seats in my "cheap" 2WD Nissan Frontier are more relaxed to be in than. Pay attention to the seat spot right under your hip, the seam between 2 pieces of leather is pinching your body, therefore circulation. If you find any remedy, please let people know.
-Jon
As far as prices, there haven't been alot of posts, but I don't think I've seen anything better than $1000 under invoice. I guess it just depends on how much inventory they have that meets your requirements vs. the risk of losing the one you want. But, presuming inventories are high, chances are they might deal more. Or, listen to Jon and go to Canada. From the area you've indicated, Toronto is really not that far away, and the savings are huge. I wish I'd had the time to do it!
320cobra
The gold emblem option is to have some of the detailing in gold trim, such as the "QX4" on the back hatch. I'm not sure how much trim is actually gold rather than chrome with the option, but I've never seen a vehicle with enough of it to make it worth it. They always seem to leave a couple things chrome that just throw off the whole point of upgrading it to gold.
johnskev
Seems strange, as all the fords, dodges, and chevies of the 50s and 60s had clocks with internal lamps so you could see them at night. I haven't checked the Pathfinder, but I assume it has a digital clock that you can see at night, giving it one luxury step up on the Q.
Mark
Premium Package $450
Sunroof $858
Wind Deflector $72
DVD Entertainment System $1400
Destination Charge $545
Warranty Supplement $90
Market Assitance Charge $328
Total Invoice = $34,730
Their selling offer is for $35,200. Is this a good deal ?? I wanted them to take off the charges on the Warranty Supp. & Market Asst. but they said they can't do that. Does anyone else had to pay these charges before ?? I have another dealer said that they can beat this price also.
The illumination of the analog clock is adjusted along with the lighting of the rest of your dash when your headlights are one. Try turning it up to see if that works for you. Otherwise you must have a bad clock light, because mine lights up just perfect. On the same note, the Pathfinder digital clock is subject to the same illumination situation.
-johnskev
That doesn't look like a good deal at all. For starters (as you may have seen in previous posts), many people have traveled up to Canada to purchase their QX4. Seeing that you're in Austin, you might not consider this, so... It's been quite a while since I purchased my QX4, but prices on a 4x2 a year and half ago were better than your price. With the 2002 coming out, they should be willing to go down on price, and to definitely through out bogus charges the warrantey supplement and market assistance charge (what are those anyway?). I suggest shopping around and settling at maximum for the Edmunds TMV.
Hopefully some other posters who did the shopping around can give you some tips...
-johnskev
BTW- 1700 miles so far, no complaints, love the car.
BTW, I did finally find a comfortable sitting position. You just have to keep messing around with the controls until you find what works for you. Otherwise, the Q is doing just fine at 1,200 miles and counting.
320cobra
for what you describe, you would get the QX4 4x2 in Phoneix for about $32,000 without a lot of arm twisting. Try calling dealers in other sothwestern cities telling them exactly what you want and that you want to pay $1000 below invoice and no extra charges other than destination fee. Llet them know you are shopping for best price, and see what they bid. If they have inventory you will get what you want.
The dealer in your city might even come around once they find out you have an out of town deal for your price.
By the way, on my #867 posting, I did have a bad clock light.
Mark
A agree on the key problem - I also find myself leaning forward and to the right to find the key hole even in daylight. My other cars are easy to find, no searching, and have illuminated rings.
On the rear hatch and window, I particularly like the way the QX4 window operates compared to my old 86 Bronco. It had a power window that lowered into the rear tail gate. That was the biggest pain I had with the Bronco. It squeaked, was difficult for others to operate, and occasionally the interlocks kept the gate from opening. It also made that rear gate weigh about a hundred pounds. Replacing the power window motor also cost about $350.
mthomas3
For anybody checking prices, my local dealer still has 20 01 Q's in stock, so somewhere you should be able to find a good deal!
I know you said it is in the chassis or frame. However, I had a squeak that I thought was the spare tire or rear suspension. I tightened the spare and it went away for five minutes and then came back. I then realized that the only other thing I had done was open the tailgate! So I found a bumpy street and tried it with the tailgate open - no squeak.
I simply used silicon spray and wiped down the entire tailgate seal and bumpers. I have never had the squeak again and that was four months ago.
PS. Don't use WD-40 for this - it can damage the seals and is also not good for the paint.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for the info. Got the same complaint on my 98 QX4. Do you know where I can buy that silicon spray? And could you please locate and describe me where the the tailgate seal is.
Jeycue
Avalanche, thanks for the heads up on the WD40 and the paint. I have some wiping to do.
You can get silicon spray at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or any auto parts store. It is usually in the same place where you get WD-40.
The seal that I am talking about is the weatherstrip that is on the tailgate. It runs around the whole tailgate to seal the tailgate to the body. Also, wipe down the two round bumpers on the tailgate and the two wedge shaped bumpers higher up. Also, clean the area that the gasket seals against on the body.
Don't know about the CD entry - my '01 was not easy either, I just took a look and figured out where to stick the CD.
Another possible answer - Do you have the original CD/Radio installed? a previous owner may have replaced it. Compare the picture in mnual to your unit.
mthomas3
ace
I also heard on the Mustang board that there is a brand called Zaino made by a company called Zaino Brothers out of New Jersey. They say that this stuff is out of this world. I just put an order in and will report back after I try it out. It appears that there are multiple steps involved, but it is supposed to be the best. Zaino's web site is www.zainobros.com if anyone else is interested.
320cobra
(ready to plow through 2700 posts? Not to mention the archived discussions ).
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Hello to everyone! I have been reading these boards for a while now and I finally can participate 'cause we bought a QX4!!!!! I am so incredibly happy!!!!!
Congratulations! We'll all be looking forward to hearing about your experiences with it.
tidester
HOST
SUVs
thx.
I originally looked at the ML320 (almost bought one). I then read the Consumer Reports ratings which stated "Below Average" reliability ratings. I have also know several people that have had Mercedes reliability problems. One was so bad (2001 E-class) that they are giving him a new 2002. Very appalling for a high end vehicle.
I have a '99 QX4 and have had no problems with it. The reliability seems to be very good and the vehicle compares very well with the ML320.
I feel that there is a very similar ride. The same level of luxury. A real climate control system - unlike the ML320 which has an archaic "hot/cold" knob. They really missed the mark on that one! I would expect that in a Ford F-150, not a Merc.
There seems to be a little less room in the back seating area, but more cargo room.
The exterior styling is, in my opinion, more truck like on the QX4 and more "mini van on steroids" looking on the ML.
Good luck on your decision. You are doing the right thing by asking owners not salesmen.
ace
Spfotey -- info on new features and colors has been out for a while but I don't know if the 02s are on the lots yet. There is not a whole lot that is different. You can get an excellent deals on an 01 -- many of us who have purchased recently paid below invoice -- with 3.9 financing. I can't speak to long term issues as we have only had ours since August, but the first 4500 miles have been wonderful. We are getting almost 17 MPG with mixed highway/city driving. It is solid, quiet, and the engine power is there. Friends all seem to agree that it is a good looking truck. Exterior styling was very important since we plan to keep it forever. Good luck in your decision.
As for the ML and MDX, the ML has never been a look we've cared for (armored minivan)so I know nothing about it. The MDX was just hitting the roads as we drove the Q, so the wife wrote up the dimensions for consideration but she did not care for the look, so we never drove one. From reading the MDX board, it sounded like people were ordering and waiting at full sticker price. The Q has more cargo room but the MDX has a third seat. Other interior dimension differences are a trade off, but the exterior dimensions are all bigger on the MDX. I believe I read on the MDX board that Honda is supposed to come out with an SUV based on the Odyssey platform next year.
Let us know how your shopping goes.