Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

mia321 · April 2003

gen64, is your message about FX45 with a tech package price quote of $48,677 an April Fools joke?

daschtick · April 2003

**I posted this message at some other boards also, so forgive the Mazda review, unless you find it interesting.

    I had some free time today, so I thought I'd go try out a couple of vehicles that I am interested in.

    First off, was the Mazda 6, V6 manual. I originally sat in this car at the auto show, and fell in love with it's excellent seating position and comfort, along with it's size and ergonomics. After reading several good reviews about it, I decided to drive one.
    The suspension produced great ride and handling characteristics, and it definitely was very comfortable, although I felt the steering was almost a tad bit heavy, as if Mazda was trying too hard to imply sporting intentions. Also, the gauges looked great, and it seems to be priced well.
    But....I really did not care much for the power train. The V6, although I felt had decent overall power, was not that responsive, and was slow to build revs. I much prefer the feel of the 'old' VQ 3.0 liter engine in the 95+ Nissan Maxima to this. I was also surprised by the long throw shifts, and long travel clutch. It was also easy to have the wheel tug at your hands at stoplight starts if there was ANY bump in the road. Overall, I walked away with a lukewarm feeling toward this car, and I almost wonder if this might be a better car with the base 4-cylinder engine.

    Next was the Infiniti brute, FX35. I had no intentions of driving this car, but I was curious to see what it looked like. WOW, 20" wheels are HUGE! Since there was no car on the floor, a saleslady offered to open one up on the lot (BTW, which had 15 FX's on it). After looking inside, I was surprised by the amount of room, especially cargo room, which looks almost non-existent from the outside. The backseat was also very roomy. The view from the driver's seat was really cool, with that big hood out front. You could sit "sport-ute" high (good for the wife

), or G35 low in the front seats also. The saleslady told me that I had to drive it....so I did!
This thing drives nothing like it looks! Boy, does it handle! The 3.5 engine is so responsive, that it feels pretty good even with 4200 pounds to move (although, I'd love to try the 4.5 V8). The rear-wheel drive bias is a great plus also. The ride it a bit more firm than I expected, but the braking/handling/steering response combo is nothing short of remarkable. The gauge pod is somewhat Audi-esque, and the controls feel typical Infinti. At $40,000, it's pricey, but it did include the "Sport and Premium Packages", which include 20"wheels, leather, electronic tilt/telescopic column, Bose 6-disc in-dash stereo, and some other goodies.

Now here's something that I found really interesting. I was in "the library", when I dug out my February issue of Car and Driver, and I re-read the article on the FX45. I flipped the page to find an article on the Mazda 6i (4-cylinder), so I re-read that one too. What I found amazing, was that they had documented that the behemoth FX45 outperformed the much praised Mazda 6 on the skidpad and 70-0 braking, similar to what I had noticed.

Mazda 6i: Skidpad 0.86g, Infiniti FX45: Skidpad 0.87g
Mazda 6i: 70-0 Braking 169 feet, Infiniti FX45: 70-0Braking 160 feet

Of course, the FX took the 0-60 at 6.3 seconds vs. 7.9 seconds also, but the Mazda was only a 4-cylinder. **These observations are not done to knock the Mazda 6, which does handle very well IMO, but to illustrate just how well the monster Infiniti drives.

To say the least....I WANT ONE, and I'd be more than happy with just the V6. Now all I need to do is convince my wife (because it would be her primary car), as to how "practical" it is. This experience just goes to show how a simple test drive can really make or break a car.

clpurnell · April 2003

Well today I drove the FX35 for the third time this time it was an awd sport. I also drove the x5 3.0 and the new lexus rx330. The BMW was nice tight handling and actually pretty good pickup from the 225hp i6. However it did not blow us away. It also stickered at 47k for one comparable to a "premium" FX. The rx330 is just not my type of car. Very light steering, large turning radius, anemic performance but it did have the softest and quietest ride also this one stickered at 40k with just the premium package. The dealership I went to however was totally abismal I will not even waste words describing it further. The Infiniti exceeded both vehicles in every way performance wise and was just a little noiser than the x5 and rx but not by a large margin. I will probably take possesion of a FX in less than 30 days. Congrats to all you owners you own the best crossover out there bar none.

crikey · April 2003

The wait will kill you... I hope you don't take too long. We love our FX35! No second-guessing corners now.

clpurnell · April 2003

I have actually been waiting on this car since the 2001 Chicago Auto Show where it was just a concept. I told my wife if they actually brought that out with the 20" wheels we would get one. After driving it and comparing all the competitors MDX,X5,RX300/330,xc90 etc. I can honestly say this is the best vehicle for those who really enjoy driving. I just can't believe BMW can sell x5 3.0's for the same price of FX45's. It might be sooner than 30 days but now I have made up my mind I have to have enough time to get the best deal for me.... Now the only question is what should my plates say. I'm thinking "SPCLFX" any other suggestions

psb1013 · April 2003

psb1013 · April 2003

For those of you on the fence between the FX45 or the FX35 w/the Tech package, I say get the FX45! The price difference is usually only $4K-$5K and you get a lot more for the money: V8, Premium package, Sports tuning, etc. The difference in mpg is also pretty small: 15/16 for the 45 vs. 16/17 for the 35. My previous BMW X5 3.0i did only 15 mpg in the city! Not to mention the "exclusivity" factor as there will be a lot more 35's on the road than 45's. I got my FX45 w/Tech package for $51K (vs. $47K for a loaded FX35 w/Tech package) and that includes extras like roof rails, splash guards, wheel locks, rubber mats, cargo area protector, and cabin microfilter.

ohiosuv · April 2003

Is anyone concerned with what appears to be aggressive discounting of the FX35/45? For a new vehicle, it's kind of surprising that anything other than token discounts are available. This suggests to me that Infiniti is having trouble selling the vehicle, which indicates the buying public is not embracing the vehicle design. If this is the case, while one can purchase the vehicle at what appears to be a discount, this "discount" could be illusory and may become painfully apparent when the FX is sold in a few years at a steep discount from cost.

Frankly, I kind of like the FX but when my wife said it reminded her of a hearse I lost interest. (I think she's "dead" on!) In addition, there is too much risk in ownership here. If a more "masculine" car-based SUV-ish vehicle is what you are looking for, then it seems to me the X5 or the new VW Touareg are the logical choices.

clpurnell · April 2003

Ok what may be bionic cheetah to one may be a hurse to another but to suggest that a BMW that costs 10k more or a 40k+ VW I drove the x5 this weekend and was not impressed also a co worker has one with less than 20k miles and had to have her whole fuel tank replaced cuz she couldn't put gas in it.rker has one with less than 20k miles and had to have her whole fuel tank replaced cuz she couldn't put gas in it. I would never buy a first year VW anything even though I love their interiors. Plus the vw with 6 cylinder wouldn't be close in performance with the fx because of it's portly nature. The discounts may have an effect on resale but I doubt it will be that severe. Similar discounts were/are available on the G35 and it's resale has held up very well. I don't mean to sound critical but all these suv's depreciate and I think the fx will hold it's own in that category.

clpurnell · April 2003

Plus the deals here I would suggest are not the average deal. By default those that peruse edmunds are going to do better than the pure impulse buyer. The thing is the impulse buyer out number us here probably by 10 to 1. if they didn't there wouldn't be a such thing as "adm", 7 year car loans or etc. If you go to any infiniti dealer there first offer would probably be msrp or msrp-500/1000. The ones getting 2-3k here have done their homework and deserve that kind of deal. The general car buying public honestly don't do that well in car negotiations and just buy what they like. these deals are not the norm. I can get a pilot/oddy/mdx for 1500-3k off sticker you think those will have terrible resale??

psb1013 · April 2003

At least in my area (in one of the suburbs of Chicago), the FX is selling extremely well. When I bought my FX45 from my dealer a few weeks ago, the wait to order one w/exact options and colors was something like 8-12 weeks minimum. My dealer's lot was full of recent trade-in's like X5's (including mine!), ML's, RX300's, etc, etc. I only got a "discount" of $500 and that's because I'm a local resident. With everything that the FX has to offer for its price, I highly doubt they'll stay on the dealer lots for very long.

gen64 · April 2003

This price was given to me by salesman over the phone. It is a real deal.

peteri44 · April 2003

We considered a lot of them: XC90, Touareg, GX470, RX300/330, Murano, MDX and we drove whatever was available. We settled on an FX35 w/Tech Pkg in Ivory Pearl/Willow. It looks good, drives great and has all the bells and whistles. While some dealers in Chicago were acting like they were dealing in gold, we got a very good deal. If you look at an FX35 w/Tech and the dealer has no floor plan/mktg element to cover, there's $4700 between invoice and sticker--not even considering holdback. If you come across a dealer with an inventory, you should be able to make a good deal.
Go to Inifniti.com and you can spec out any of their vehicles and search all dealers up to a 150 mi radius and check their existing inventory.

crikey · April 2003

For those of you on the fence between the FX45 or the FX35 w/the Tech package, I say get the FX45! The price difference is usually only $4K-$5K and you get a lot more for the money: V8, Premium package, Sports tuning, etc.

Let's be a little accurate here...the only difference between an FX45 and an FX35 with Technology Package is just the *engine*. The FX35 with Technology Package also has the Premium and Sport packages that the FX45 has.

MSRP for FX45 with Technology Package, roof rails, cargo protector and splash guards is $52,870. MSRP for FX35 with same options is $46,145. The difference is $6725. Is the V8 worth $6725? That's up to the buyer.

The difference in mpg is also pretty small: 15/16 for the 45 vs. 16/17 for the 35.

From infiniti.com:
FX45 15/19
FX35 AWD 16/22

While city mileage is only a 1 mpg difference, highway mileage is 3 mpg. To me, it's a lot but it might not be to some.

Real-world mileage figures are what counts, though. I just filled up my FX35 AWD and got 305.5 miles on 16.279 gallons which translates to 18.77 mpg mixed city/highway driving. The 'FUEL ECON' computer read 17.5, which seemed a bit off.

peteri44 · April 2003

Loaded 45 v loaded 35--differences are money, engine and emblems--that is it. Unless you drove behind the FX you would never know which was which. I would bet that Infiniti will close the gap (probably by raising the price of the 35.)

cobrabrowe · April 2003

Very nice vehicle. It had the tech package and was like 44k sticker. One thing I noticed was the front grill was chrome plated plastic. Anyone else notice this?

Brian

fernandojso · April 2003

last saturday to be sure about the FX-45 i drove the X5 4.4. The car is beautiful, great room, power, riding. However the FX-45 is better and in Toronto all the dealers have a 6-12 weeks to deliver.

psb1013 · April 2003

YES, there is a quite a difference in performance. I test drove both the 35 and 45 in city and highway driving before settling on the 45. Not only in straight-line performance but also in highway passing, the 45 accelerates much more vigorously than the 35. Specifically, I would say that from 0-30 mph, the cars would be almost neck-and-neck, but after that, the 45 leads away. Recently, Car and Driver timed the 45 at a blazing 6.3 sec 0-60 (beating both the X5 4.6i and ML 55 AMG at 6.5sec). The reps at Infiniti claim the 35 will do that in the low 7's. (Still very respectable). Sure, the $6K or so difference between the 35 and 45 may be a big deal for some, but when you think about the fact that for the price which, incidentally, won't even get you a base X5 4.4i, you're getting performance to rival and even surpass those Ultra SUV hot-rods! For me, only the V8 does justice to the sleek and menacing style of the FX.

psb1013 · April 2003

I don't know if any of you FX owners experienced this but the laser cruise control on my car drives my Valentine One radar detector crazy! (Even though it's off!) I even tried using my friend's Passport 8500 instead but that too was constantly buzzing. Anyone similar results?

dklanecky · April 2003

Try driving with a V1 behind someone with a laser cruise control, NOW THAT WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY!

It was so annoying that I had to pull over and let the laser cruise control go by so I could drive on my way in a reasonable fashion.

At first I thought some "kid" was shooting my V! with a laser pointer or something:-)

You's think they would work on different light frequencies or something. I wonder if the "ask Mike" over at V1 could answer this one?

daschtick · April 2003

Car and Driver Magazine noticed the exact same thing.....their V1 acted up all the time.

varich · April 2003

I recently purchased an FX45 w/tech. I have been using a Valentine 1 without difficulty. The radar cruise control has not interfered with it. I made sure that the V1 would work with it prior to purchase as I had also read the Car and Driver article. The radar is always on in this vehicle - it primes the brakes if you are getting too close to a vehicle in front of you, anticipating your application of the brakes.

crikey · April 2003

The radar is always on in this vehicle - it primes the brakes if you are getting too close to a vehicle in front of you, anticipating your application of the brakes.

You lucky folks with the Tech Package have this feature -- Brake Assist with Preview.

crikey · April 2003

One thing I noticed was the front grill was chrome plated plastic. Anyone else notice this?

Yes, the front grill is chromed plastic. It seems to be a weight-saving and maybe, a cost-cutting measure. Still looks decent, though, since most people initially think it's metal.

morganchiu · April 2003

I was at leasecompare.com this morning. I plugged in $0 down, MSRP-$3000 as selling price, and 15K miles/36 mo. I was offered the monthly of $570 something. It also offered me a 39 mo. special which drops the monthly to $537.

mia321 · April 2003

Cobrabrowe, yes I noticed that the front grill was plastic. Did you expect it to be of stainless steel? I don't think that nowdays a lot of car manufacturers are using stainless steel for the front grill. At least in the cars up to 60K. I guess cost and weight as somebody has already said. Just to make sure I checked tonight on H2 and it was plastic too.
Does anyone think there is something wrong with the plastic grill vs. stainless steel?

carnaught · April 2003

Most of even high end cars have (ABS) plastic grills. They are both attractive and durable. BTW, when's the last time you saw a new car with chrome bumpers?

psb1013 · April 2003

In my opinion, I think that there's way too much "chroming" going on in the auto world lately....chrome wheels, chrome moldings, chrome guages, chrome moldings, etc....it makes the cars look like "pimp-mobiles." (i.e. Escalade). If anything, I wish Infiniti made the large, front grille gun-metal or titanium in color to make it more "stealthy." As far as the plastic issue is concerned, for a performance-oriented car like the FX, anything to save weight (and thus, to enhance performance) is a big plus in my book.

psb1013 · April 2003

Recently, a female co-worker of mine had a chance to see my brand-new FX45. Even though she found my car to be "cool," she told me that she could never find herself driving one because it looks too "masculine." (She drives a RX300 BTW). I was shocked to hear my wife say the same thing on the day I bought it. I then came to the conclusion which my sales rep. told me was true: Infiniti purposely designed the FX to appeal primarily to males in their 30's and 40's....you can see their intentions all over on the FX: Huge wheels, big engines, hard ride, loud exhaust, small cargo area, tons of gadgets, and the low, aggressive styling. Whereas, for example, if you look at the RX300 (or the new RX330), which BTW according to Lexus was designed primarily for women (which is why you see 90% of them driven by women), you see the emphasis on ergonomics, cute styling, easy handling, high visibility, quite ride, and practicality (pretty much the opposite of the FX). Personally, as one of the dwindling number of males still driving SUV's these days, I find it refreshing that Infiniti would take such a gamble to create a car that appeals to us. (Even the Hummer has been de-masculinized...hence, the H2)

daschtick · April 2003

After driving an FX35, I came home glowing with excitement, and gave the brochure to my wife. I was concerned about what she would think, as this would be HER primary car (but my secondary car). She thought it looked really cool, and suggested that we look at one together! She's also a sucker for a good exhaust note, but that's probably only because she's put up with my automotive addiction for the past 13 years!

crikey · April 2003

My wife calls our FX, Bob, while all the previous vehicles we had, including my current daily driver had/have feminine names. She couldn't give it a feminine name because it looks too masculine.

hootspa · April 2003

I think there will be a big potential for hotrodding the FX 35 since it shares the same engine as the Z. It will probably take a while for aftermarketers to come up with the possibilities, however.

cobrabrowe · April 2003

mia321...my concern about that front grill is love bugs and the like. If it gets a small chip in it, I could easily see everything "peeling" off. This happened to another vehicle I had several years ago with a similar chrome-plastic grill.

Maybe someone will make a different grill some day.

Brian

mgkagan · April 2003

Reldim - you mentioned lease deals in Atlanta in msg #320. Can you email me or post where you found them and who you talked to? In the market for what you described: fx35 39mo lease.

bomcq · April 2003

My wife calls her FX35 "the gangsta car"

ohiosuv · April 2003

The FX is absolutely the male SUV and the Lexus is the female SUV. Does not mean the opposite gender should not own or should dislike the other, but this categorization is just a generalization that has its basis in truth. If you like the looks of the FX, want something more masculine and are willing to accept higher than average resale value risk, then the FX is tough to beat.

revka · April 2003

because it was not within our Town Hall guidelines.

To those concerned- Please check your email. We invite you to edit your message and post it back into this discussion. Also, feel free to email me if you have any question/comments regarding this matter. Thanks! ;-)

And now, back to the subject of the Infiniti FX45 / FX35!

Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards

reldim · April 2003

Thanks to Edmunds and a lot of research, I leased my FX 35 RWD in Sand with willow interior yesterday. Did the majority of my negotiating via the internet and phone - this was my first vehicle that I leased without setting foot in the dealership until the final steps. Of course, the dealer kept telling me my figures were all wrong, but could never tell me which figures were incorrect! I was armed with money factors and depreciation schedules that I read on this discussion board, and used the lease calculator to determine my payment. It's hard to argue facts.

My issue was to keep the payment under $500 with the tax included. So, with the premium package, sunroof wind deflector and cargo area cover, with $2,100 down and no security deposit or acquision fee, my total payment is $457 a month + sales tax.

The dealer was Troncallin Infiniti in Atlanta . They were as polite and service oriented as one would expect any Infiniti dealer to be. I highly recommend them.

I am totally pleased with the FX! Rides like a dream and there are so may hidden features that I was unaware of, such as the ability to toggle beween CDs from the steering wheel controls (not just tracks from the same CD) and driver adjustable controls to vary the height of the Xenon headlights.

reldim · April 2003

The deal that mgkagen asked about was at the same dealer I purchased my FX - Troncalli Infiniti in Atlanta (FX 35 RWD with premium package, mud flaps and cargo protector) - They are advertising a $399 + tax lease with $1500 down + first month and sales tax for 60 months.

skee · April 2003

I just bought a FX35 AWD with the Premium package. Does anyone know if this package is pre-wired for DVD, Navigation, or anything else? I heard that it may be pre-wired.

-Skee

psb1013 · April 2003

You cannot "add" the Infiniti NAV or DVD system later. (Which is why they have the Tech Package). These complicated systems were designed to be installed at the factory during assembly of the vehicle so that everything would have a "seamless" look and function to it when it is finished. However, you can always buy and install 3rd party NAV and DVD systems from any electronic/car stereo store if you didn't order the Tech Package....it just won't look "seamless."

crikey · April 2003

According to the GM of Grubbs Infiniti in DFW, TX, all FXs seem to be pre-wired for Satellite Radio.

If you check the pics that I took of my Ivory Pearl FX35 AWD, I found that the wiring for the DVD headunit is also there. The center console has the mount and plug head for the DVD headunit. I'm not too sure about which headunits would work with the plug head or if adapters are required to make it work with any headunit. I did not bother to look for the wiring of the monitor on the headliner. If you find the urge to explore, please post pictures as it may help others wanting to add a DVD system in the FX seamlessly without needing to get the Sport and Tech Package. BTW, the center console cover comes off easily and there are no screws involved. Very Carefully pry the cover from the very bottom and the clips will unlock.

I can't say for certain about the Navigation System.

crikey · April 2003

For those of you who are trying to get the best deal on the FX35/45, look no further. I also participate in the freshalloy forums and Grubbs Infiniti in DFW, TX has extended VPP pricing to all members. This is a great hassle-free deal on getting an FX. I think Grubbs can also ship the vehicle anywhere in Continental US.

BTW, I have nothing to gain by this, just wanna help prospective buyers get a great deal on the FX.

mgkagan · April 2003

The deal mentioned at Troncalli, was that 36 or 39 months and 12k or 15k miles per year?

reldim · April 2003

For mgkagen, the deal at troncalli is a 39 month with 12K per year. They have been running the ad for several weeks. Includes roof rails, cross rails, mud flaps, premium package and rear cargo protector. The same ad offers a purchase price of $32,900.

For skee, regarding the XM radio, my dealer told me that it is bundled only with the $9,000 tech package, but is prewired in all versions, so they anticipate being able to add it later as a dealer installed option. But, the shaky financial state of Serius and a lesser extent XM have delayed Infiniti signing a deal for satellite coverage. So, while all versions have a satellite button on the radio, as of now it is not an available option. he suggested instead of paying $400 for the option once available, just head down to your local Best Buy, Circuit City, etc and get one installed, since the actual display is small and the same orange display as the fx gauges.

mgkagan · April 2003

From what I have gathered... The residual on the Fx's is 52% and the money factor is .002 on the dealer lease deals. Does any one know what adjustments they make for 15k miles per year over 12k? I would assume they would adjust the residual...

carnaught · April 2003

Nice ride! Many safe miles with the kids.

memgranite · April 2003

fx45 where are the chrome wheels some dealers are chroming the stock wheels , is this a good thing

crikey · April 2003

Thanks.

That's actually one of the reasons why we bought the FX -- safety. My wife and I thought that it had enough of the safety features that we required. I think the only thing missing was the Rollover Stability Control on the Volvo XC90. But since the FX is a bit lower to the ground than the XC90 and the MDX, we figure that it's less likely to rollover. Hopefully, we won't regret our decision. So far, just grins and grins...

psb1013 · April 2003

With wheels as big as on the FX, chroming them will get you lawsuits from people blinded by the glare! Seriously, I hate chrome wheels.....very high maintenance and makes the car look like a "pimp-mobile" like the Escalade. (No serious sports car has chrome wheels).

Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

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