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Infiniti J30

03310331 Member Posts: 1
in INFINITI
I have the opportunity to purchase a 1997 Infinity
J-30 with 11,500 miles form a close friend. Car
has never been wrecked, misused, etc. Any opinions
on this car would be appreciated? Is it as good
of a deal as it sounds?
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Comments

  • dougsilverdougsilver Member Posts: 62
    I have always thought the J-30 was the most original and unique of the Infiniti line. Moreover, it did not look like any of the other generic entry level luxury cars. Why don't you check the Kelly Blue Book site or other sources regarding the price. I'm no expert but $15,000 for a 3-year old low-mileage car in this class does not sound excessive to me.
  • enigmaoneenigmaone Member Posts: 128
    Only $15K for a 97 J30?? Damn that's a good price!! I would buy it. The J30 is a tad underpowered and it's aerodynamics stink because of the sloping rear deck, but it's interior is gorgeous and overall it's exterior styling is very original, even though I don't like the rear end.

    It's also a very reliable car and a pretty good handling RWD sedan. All in all you can't go wrong for $15k!!
  • maximamaxima Member Posts: 19
    the infinti concept car XVL??? in teh detriot auto show could be the next RWD J30 buy taht its cooler then teh 1997 version when it comes out!!!!!!!!
  • rbrenton88rbrenton88 Member Posts: 186
    A saw several '97 J30's on a dealer's lot, all with around 25k miles at a price of 19-20k no haggle price. Your deal sounds like a good one!
  • audia8audia8 Member Posts: 1
    It might be too late, but make sure you can check out the trunk on the J30. It is tiny! Approx 10 cubic ft. Otherwise it's a great car.
  • rbourgerierbourgerie Member Posts: 1
    The J30 has been the best car I've ever owned. I like the combination of design, performance and reliability, and the price for yours is excellent.
    By the way, I'm a designer, and I really like the looks of the J30, despite the Edmund's review, and I know 3 other product designers who also drive the same car. It was Jaguar inspired, and it still is one of the few cars today that has a unique look.
  • gmiller5gmiller5 Member Posts: 2
    I have a '95 and I love the car. I cringe at the gas pump, because it says "Premium" but it's well worth the cost.
  • cpreston1cpreston1 Member Posts: 1
    We had several Js and all suffered from the same problem. Harmonic balance problem with the 2-piece driveshaft. We were ready to get a new 97 but drove it about 2 blocks and there was the vibration. On the '94 we had, the dealer went through many attempts to cure the vibration, new shaft, new wheels, etc. No dice. Unfortunate because that J is my wife's favorite.
    Just curious, anybody else have a similar problem?

    Curt
  • sumner50sumner50 Member Posts: 1
    I am buying a 1993 J--30 with 75k miles this Friday. The interior and exterior of the car are pristine (there is not even the imperfection left by the left elbow on the door vinyl near the window that I've seen on every J-30 I looked at).

    The only thing the car needs is a new set of tires.

    Does anyone have any advice on a high end set of tires that keeps the car quiet? Also, I'm hoping with the new tires the car won't have the harmonic balance problem and resulting vibration I've read about. Even with the old tires, there was no significant vibration in the ride.

    Any other words of wisdom from J-30 owners/experts would be appreciated.
    Thanks,

    Sumner50
  • ramius17ramius17 Member Posts: 1
    I've been looking around the town and net for a 1993 -94 J30t... what's a reasonable price for one? I've seen a 1993 J30t for around 9,300; is that average?

    Mileage high is not a big concern, but need to have the touring package for traction control and 4 wheel steering. Any input would be appreciated.
  • britbrit Member Posts: 1
    Have you gone to cars.com if you expand your search you should be able to see hundreds.I live in Denver and use 100 mls. but you could check see all. Good luck
  • txguy67txguy67 Member Posts: 31
    Help My 94J has lost it's radio, will not power on. Have checked all fuses..no luck. Any help would be Greatly Appreciated. Could get dangerous on my 5K mile trip this summer...
    JJR
  • madienermadiener Member Posts: 1
    I just found a 1994 J30t with 49000 miles. The asking price is $11,000. It looks great but has a just detectable click or vibration when idling. Everything else seems to be OK. I have no experience with the infinity. Any comments?
  • barke32barke32 Member Posts: 1
    You can now add aftermarket head units, amps, and speakers to the J30. autotoys.com has converters that plug into the factory harness to allow for upgrades. Just go to the site and use their "instant chat" feature to get help in getting the right converters.
  • skiergillskiergill Member Posts: 1
    A friend of a friend is selling a '95 J30 w/ 47,800 mi. and I am extremely interested in buying it. It is in very good condition, but it has been in a small accident. The left front panel and the driver's side door were replaced, but there was no major damage to the car. He is asking $14k, but I believe that price is a bit high. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I should offer?
  • tbrocatotbrocato Member Posts: 1
    My daughter is considering purchasing a '95 J30. I am concerned about the cost of rountine maintenance for this vehicle since she is a single Mom. Any comments on maintnance costs or any other cost considerations she should take into account?
  • tbookertbooker Member Posts: 1
    I'm getting ready to purchase a '94 J30, with 62738 miles for $12,200 with all the bells and whistles. I've test driven the car and it runs extremely well. I wanted to hear some opinions about the 'J30, mainly in that year. If it is a good car, and how does it compare to the Lexus ES 300.
  • johnnnypjohnnnyp Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking of buying a 1997 J30. anybody has any experience with this car? any price advice?
  • kganandkganand Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a 1993 J30t for $8000. It is in excellent condition (save the sunroof) and has 97000 miles. The car rides great. BTW, any suggestions on how to fix the sunroof myself? The dealer tells me the two most expensive elements in sunroof repair are labor and the rail.
  • bearbrentbearbrent Member Posts: 1
    I own a '97.5 J30t, only problems are a slight vibration on the highway, small interior, and easy to knock out of alignment. Recommend a good alignment shop at least once/year, even at substantial cost. Car is very quiet, and a surprising amount of fun on a twisty road. Not a true "line finder" like an old Porsche, but better feel than most cars, certainly better than any other quiet semi-lux car I have driven, and the reliability is top-notch.
  • dallisondallison Member Posts: 2
    I had my sunroof lock up. Fortunately, it was under warranty. The cost the factory ate was approximately $900. Overall, the car has performed very well, with no other major work needed. I have 97,000 + miles.
  • nrgaladaynrgaladay Member Posts: 1
    My favorite car of nearly 50 I've owned in past 35 years. Good compromise of luxury and responsiveness. Quality in every respect. Leased in 97 @ 35K, now have 80K. Will try to buy at lease end if price is right. Only complaints have been with the dealer (clueless)& Nissan Acceptance Corp.(applied my payments to someone elses account!). No needed service or repairs whatsoever while in my hands. Tiny trunk is only detraction. Looked at new Jag S type. Looked at price. Keeping my J!
  • solidsnakesolidsnake Member Posts: 1
    Somebody is selling 95 J30 with Touring Package, 62500 miles, from Poor to Excellent, the car is in Good Condition. The sunroof is moving and kind of stuck (how expensive is it to fix this?). He's selling it for $12000. Do you all think it's a good deal? How's the maintenance for this car (high/low)? Does it have good residual value down the road? Please help me out...

    SolidSnake
  • avickersavickers Member Posts: 1
    I'm currently in the market for a J-30, Standard 95 or 96 model. I've looked at one with 70,005 miles and the owner is asking $9500 for it, which seems like a good deal to me. My only concern is the maintenance that is standard for the J-30, ie what usually begins to break after this number of miles.

    I would appreciate responses from any owners J30 owners on anticipated repairs.

    Thanks
  • 3131531315 Member Posts: 1
    I own a 93 J-30. It has logged over 70,000miles I found this car is very reliable with the comments:

    a) hard to start in cold weather. problem solved
    with new fuel pump
    b) radio gone dead after 6 years. new radio cost
    $200. Excellent sound quality and it is better
    than my other 97 Acura 3.5 RL bose system.
    Very tight base and clean high notes
    c) Soft starting acceleration from stop light to
    go. But very good pick up after the car gets
    going. This car is much better for high way
    driving than start and stop city traffic
    d) I run this car on lowest grade regular gas for
    over 3 years and does not have any problem

    Any other J-30 owners have any comments? By the way, mine is a Canadian vehicle.
  • redman5redman5 Member Posts: 4
    1. THE SUN ROOF GETS STUCK.
    2. THE CD PLAYER REJECTS THE CD'S.
    3. THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF ON THEIR OWN.
    4. HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR SOMETIMES. (AUTOMATIC)
    5. POWER LOCKS GO OUT.
    6. POWER WINDOW MOTOR BREAKS DOWN.
    THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WENT WRONG WITH MY 93 J30 THE FIRST MONTH I OWNED IT.
    THIS CAR HAS A GOOD SIDE TO IT TOO. IT'S VERY SMOOTH, IT'S FAST, IT'S COMFORTABLE, IT'S RELIABLE, IT LOOKS GOOD.
    EVEN THOUGH I'VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF PROBLEMS FOR THE SHORT TIME I'VE OWNED IT, I CAN'T HELP BUT LOVE IT.
    THE CAR IS TIMELESS IF YOU FEEL LIKE PUTTING SOME TIME INTO IT.
  • roadster6roadster6 Member Posts: 1
    Had my J30 for over a year now and once in a while the door locks by themselves by just opening one or more door then closing them.Is this common on the J's.
  • scarlett7scarlett7 Member Posts: 9
    What are the differences in these cars?
  • redman5redman5 Member Posts: 4
    It's not normal for your locks to be lockig behind you.That's what mine starting doing and then one day my drivers door could not be unlocked. Every time I would unlock it, it would automatically relock itself. Your door lock sensor is going bad.
  • mjvargomjvargo Member Posts: 11
    The I30 and J30 are compleatly different automobiles. They both use 3.0L V-6's but even these are different. The J30 is a rear wheel drive performance sedan based on the 300ZX drive train. The I30 is a frontwheel drive luxury sedan based on the maxima drive train. The J30 uses a 212 HP V6 with belt driven camshafts(so you will have to change timing belts every 60000 miles) it is smaller inside in comparison to the I and has a much smaller trunk. It is also lighter. The I30 uses a chain driven camshaft V6 produces either 190HP in '96 to '99 models or 227HP in the '00 and newer vehicles. The J30's being rear wheel drive and fairly light weight can be a little interesting to drive in the snow especially older touring models with 4 wheel steering.
  • n4pyn4py Member Posts: 10
    The post from mjvargo contains a few errors. The J30 is actually a fairly heavy vehicle for its size. It weighs 3600 pounds compared to 3342 pounds for the I30. Also, the timing belt for the J30 is listed as replacing every 105,000 miles
    (not 60,000). The J30 is heavy because it is a rear wheel drive vehicle. The rear end adds a lot of weight to the car. It is good in snow because it has a limited slip differential which gives you two drive wheels instead of one. I have a 96 and love it
  • troyhockeytroyhockey Member Posts: 1
    Bought a 95 3 months ago and love the car. Was told by dealer to replace tires with Bliz Ax snow tires for winter and put two 80# bags of salt in truck to take care of snow traction problem. Anyone have any other thoughts? Is there a particular tire that does the trick year round?
  • txguy67txguy67 Member Posts: 31
    Ok..Have a 96 J30 with 61K miles. My dealer wants to charge $2000.00 + to replace timing belts, water pump..etc as "regular maintenance." Is this correct? The owners manual does not answer my question nor does the Infiniti 800 #. Am I being taken to the cleaners? The car runs great and have not had one problem with it. Any info would be Great!!!
  • n4pyn4py Member Posts: 10
    to txguy67. You are being taken to the cleaners on this one. The timing belt needs to be replaced at 105,000 miles, not 60,000. This information is in the back of the owners manual. I also have a 96 J30. The water pump should only be replaced if it leaks.
  • tstreatertstreater Member Posts: 5
    To txguy67, The only J30 that needs the timing belt replace at 60,000 miles is the 93 model 94 and up timing belts get replace at 105,000 mile.
    I have a 94 J30 and I just had the timing belt package done on my car. I don`t remember everything that was replace in that package just some things like the timing belt, waterpump, waterpump belt and a couple of other things and the price I paid was $760. I don`t know where you are located but I am in MD,Va,DC area, my dealer was Rosenthal Infiniti in VA. I have a 106,000 mile on my car and still running good.
  • txguy67txguy67 Member Posts: 31
    I really appreciate the info you both provided... Guess I should take my car off the lot... I was actually going to sell it rather than pay that ridiculous price... I know I'm definitely NOT going back to the local Infiniti dealer.
  • coryhomcoryhom Member Posts: 1
    hello all -

    my 1995 J30 ABS warning light came on last night during one trip and when i started the car to return home it stayed off - anybody experience a sporadic ABS warning light?

    thanks - cory.
  • sanchezmsanchezm Member Posts: 4
    I am shopping for a 2001 I30Luxury model with Xenon HID and Chrome wheels with gold embleming. I was quoted for $28950 for the basic with Xenon and maybe another $700-800 for the Chrome and Gold embleming from one dealer? Is this a fair price? I appreciate anyone's input who bought recently 2001 I30 luxury within the last couple of weeks?
  • azylstraazylstra Member Posts: 7
    All 93-94 (I'm not sure about 95) J30s have the same problem with door locks. It is a design flaw in the door lock timer (the delay is too short). An updated door lock timer (with a longer delay) is available that will fix the problem. We have 2 J30s (93 & 94) that I replaced the door lock timer on myself. It takes about 10-15 minutes. I paid about $60 for the part from Infiniti of Scottsdale. It is well worth $60 to not get locked out of your car!
  • azylstraazylstra Member Posts: 7
    I noticed several posts about headlight problems. Your headlamp relay has gone bad. They have an updated relay that is electronic instead of mechanical. I replaced this on one of our J30s (the other one still works). The list price on the part is under $30. It's located under the hood in the corner by the firewall on the driver's side. The hood strut gets in your way. It's a pain to replace, but this will fix your problem cheap. You can test for this problem by tapping on the relay when you have the headlights on. If it makes one go on and off, this is the culprit. It's usually the driver's side headlight that goes on and off.
  • azylstraazylstra Member Posts: 7
    There is good news for those with sunroof problems. Infiniti now has a sunroof repair kit for about $30~40. Only problem is it is extremely labor intensive. Warranty pays the dealer 4.6 hours labor to fix. Imagine doing it yourself. My brother wants to attempt this when he gets some time.
  • azylstraazylstra Member Posts: 7
    The window regulators on the J tend to go bad. The window will go slowly, this means that the regulator is binding. If you keep using it without replacing the regulator, you'll burn out the motor (regulator is cheap, motor expensive).
  • azylstraazylstra Member Posts: 7
    If you buy tires, make sure you get the quietest ones you can find! The J will sound like a tractor with the wrong tires. I have Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus on mine, they are very quiet. Just Ordered Yokohama Avid H4 for parents' J, they are supposed to be even quieter (and less than half the price).
  • azylstraazylstra Member Posts: 7
    You can get your Bose CD player, amps, whatever repaired cheap. Look around online for shops that specialize in this, there are tons of them online. You have to take it out and send it in, but it's worth it.
  • oneunderparoneunderpar Member Posts: 5
    I just purchased a '96 J-30 with 33,000 miles. I know the book says the timing belt should be replaced at 105,000, but I'm wondering if there is an "age factor" that should be considered as well? This car has been in service for almost 5 years now. I hate the thought of replacing the belt with so few miles, but I don't want to risk engine damage either. Any thoughts out there?
  • txguy67txguy67 Member Posts: 31
    Don't replace the timing belt at 33K. I was going to replace my 96 with 62K but thanks to this BB I saved myself a huge amount of $$$. I was almost robbed by my local Infiniti dealer. Was your car garaged for years? That low of mileage is incredible. I own a 96 (Bordeaux Red, Tan interior), what do you have?
    Good Luck-You'll Love your car Immediately...
  • kdawk3kdawk3 Member Posts: 2
    I just had the dealer give me an estimate on repairing/replacing a blown rear speaker. Since these speakers have the amplifier built in, apparently you cannot just replace it with a speaker from your local car audio retailer. I was told that Bose can repair the speaker for $130 plus 1 hr labor to remove and 1hr labor to replace (at $84/hr). I was also told a new speaker would cost around $600. Has anyone tried to remove a speaker and send it to Bose directly? I've taken a look at how the speaker is installed, and it looks a bit more complicated than when I used to do this in high school with the old Kraco's. Maybe this is why the dealer charges for 1 hour of labor. Any suggestions?
  • azylstraazylstra Member Posts: 7
    As I stated in an earlier post, this is a DIY project. Go to some websites such as boserepair.com, carstereohelp.com, etc. You can do a search on the web for Bose repair, Nissan, Infiniti, etc. and there are tons of places that will fix it for you at a reasonable cost. These shops know exactly what the problems are, how to fix them, etc. It's probably your the amp, not the speaker itself. If you have the service manual you can see how to remove the door panel for removal/installation. You will have to ship it out for repair but the cost is minimal. Hope this helps.
  • webstockerwebstocker Member Posts: 1
    I had all my fuel injectors on 94 J30 go bad slowly one at a time. The extended warranty covered it. The dealer mentioned that is a common problem on J30s. I was wondering if any of you have run into it.

    Any suggestions to prolong the life of the fuel injectors. Thank you!
  • oneunderparoneunderpar Member Posts: 5
    Mine is black w/the chrome "t" wheels -- great looking combo! I looked at one w/your bordeaux red color and really liked it too. I take you are in TX as well -- which dealer was trying to stick it to you? I'm in Dallas & would like to avoid them. Have you found anyplace you can recommend?
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