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Infiniti Q45

L8_ApexL8_Apex Member Posts: 187
edited October 2014 in INFINITI
Since the Q has showed up in several comparison
topics but never had one of its own, I'm creating
this one. I'll be consolidating several of those
topics into this forum. If you own or are looking
to buy this car, here's the place to talk about it!

Thanks,

L8_Apex
Sedans Host
«13456719

Comments

  • vqzhtrvqzhtr Member Posts: 9
    Can we discuss the New Q45 too.
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    so who here has real wood trim in their car?
    also does any one have the navigation system yet, i saw it in the website and it looks just like the QX4.
  • egm1egm1 Member Posts: 9
    I've got a 2000 model with a black interior and the real wood. It looks very nice but I've got to say that I did not have a problem with the "fake" stuff in my '97. The wood/leather steering wheel is a keeper. Very classy.
  • bbng01bbng01 Member Posts: 6
    Congrats on your purchase of the last good looking Q. As for me I'm still in the market for a good price, but unfortunately I seem to have really bad luck with salesmen. If you don't mind me asking, what was the price of your Q. And what color is the exterior. Would anyone know when they are stopping production of the 2000 Q45 Ann. Edition? Heard they have an aggresive 1-year lease out there for the Q. Any ideas on how the price will flactuate in the next month or so? Once again any info. is greatly appreciated.

    Thanks.
  • vqzhtrvqzhtr Member Posts: 9
    The Current Q45 is a beautiful car very elegant and powerful at the same time, but the 2002 model is beautiful in its own right too, I'm going to save my money for the new one all that technology and that interior just makes me drool. :)
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    finally infiniti has got the car right... real wood and innovative features.i hope the new Q has:
    HID Lamps
    real wood
    name brand leather like the europeans
    curtain airbags
    rear airbags
    3 zone climate
    reclining rear
    analog clock
    multi feed CD
    ESP or AWD
    audi sized door gaps
    more than 2 leather colors
    rear sunshade
    thick carpet and headliner
    quiter than the LS 430
    high quality plastics
    extended wheelbase model
    easy to use nav
    adaptive seats with massage and fan
    luminescent gauges
    special high performance mode like the S55
    solar sensing ac
    sonar parking assist
    good crashtest scores
    digital car phone
    voice activated controls
    rear vanity mirrors
    good interior lighting
    hydraulic assist in the doors and trunk
    self lowering rear seat head rests a la mercedes

    if all these features were in the new Q at ther right price, infiniti would not be able to build enough of them!!
    this list took 10 minutes to create... what other features should it have?
  • egm1egm1 Member Posts: 9
    MSRP was $52787 including delivery. My capitalized cost was $48234 and the dealer threw in splash guards and a gold package. The capitalized cost includes a $450 acquisition fee.

    I purchase the car in March. I've heard that Infiniti is now discounting much deeper but I don't have specific realible data. When I purchased mine, IFS had a money factor of 1.7 which equates to a 4.1% interest rate and a residual of 53% (36/36).

    Oh, the exterior is london grey.

    Good Luck on your quest and let me know how you make out.
  • vqzhtrvqzhtr Member Posts: 9
    The New Q45 has most of those things and more, it even has a camera in the rear of the car so when your backing up it shows up on the 7 inch LCD screen. Better than sonar pulse which the LS430 has. I've also heard that it has a better Drag Coefficient than LS430.
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    .25 cD is hard to beat...the Q45 needs to offer exactly every feature of the LS 430 and then extras for a lower price to keep up since they dont have the so-called prestige lexus has, like Audi to benz, they offer every feature of the benz and AWD for a lower price, which is how they are catching up. infiniti must follow this plan to eventually compete on the same foot as lexus
  • vqzhtrvqzhtr Member Posts: 9
    Q45 has a .25 Drag coefficient (.25763 to be exact) LS430 CD is .26. Infiniti is on the right track!
  • aimanaiman Member Posts: 61
    Where did u get .26 for the ls430? I think the Lexus has .25 since information on it was made public.

    With Q45 trying to catch up with Lexus LS, and looks promising, it would be interesting what Honda/Acura will do with their upcoming V8 RL which is suppose to compete with the LS and Q duo.
  • vqzhtrvqzhtr Member Posts: 9
    Your right it is .25 for LS430 I guess Q45 and LS are tied unless it's different in next decimal place.
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    the Cd is close enough, infiniti needs to make sure that the Q is quieter than the Ls by a wide margin also. I think they need to fix the front end a little, perhaps a new grill design. the headlights are striking. the Q will be great if it can live up to the expectations of being better than the new lexus and cheaper also
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    wow, 120000 miles in only 3+ years!!!good thing you checked, because the car probably would have started to give out pretty soon
  • bbng01bbng01 Member Posts: 6
    I have just purchased a new Q45 ae, black with beigh interior. I was offered an extended warranty from 4yrs/60,000miles to 7yrs/100,000 miles for an additional $1,200. Does anyone know whether this is a good offer?
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    Bbng01:
    Is this an Infiniti plan ? I think the best plan from Warranty Gold and others come in around $900 during their promotions. (For the 7/100k plan) I would rather have an Infiniti Plan, but you can get the car fixed at other shops with the other plans.
    The real question is whether you want one at all. The Q now has a 6/70 warranty on the drivetrain in addition to the basic 4/60 coverage. While there are some expensive things that may need repair after the warranty expires, the drivetrain coverage protects you from the potentially largest items. Estimate your milage that you'll accrue also. If you don't figure you'll get to 100k within 7 years it probably won't add up to a good deal. I checked with Warranty Gold recently and they told me the initial rate was good until the car is 18 months old. After that the rate increases. They will not issue coverage on any car after 80k miles.
    I hope you're enjoying the new Q. I've got a buyer for my old '93, and may very well buy a new one. I like variety, but the '93 Q was the best car I ever owned. It's hard to switch when you've had zero problems in six years.
  • 92drexel92drexel Member Posts: 153
    I agree with sysadb. That extended warranty is covering you for 3 years or 40,000 miles (based on the factory 4 year 60K warranty). With the Q having a great reliability record and a great factory warranty, I don't think its worth spending $1,200 for a 3-year/40K miles coverage.

    Another way of looking at it is asking yourself if you think your gonna spend more than $1,200 in repairs between 60K miles to 100K miles. I don't think you will.

    I find it funny that the salesperson pitches a car's reliability, then sends you to the "finance" guy who pitches an extended warranty "just in case". What a racket. I'm in the wrong business.

    You need to ask yourself if its worth $1,200 for 40,000 miles of peace-of-mind.

    Drex

    PS: Warranty Gold is a cheaper alternative. You can look them up on-line. www.warrantygold.com

    Good luck
  • gaujzcgaujzc Member Posts: 1
    Hello to all,

    In response to warranty coverage option.
    I purchased 1991 Q45 used from an Infinity dealer in 1994 with approx. 40,000 miles on it. This was the first time I ever purchased anything pre-owned in my life and I was kind of nervous about it. So to hedge my bet on this car, I decided to get an extended warranty for about $1,000 through the dealer, which was for 7 years/100,000 miles. Let me tell you, this decision I made saved me lots of money and gave me a peace of mind for a long time. There are lots of little and big things that can break down after initial factory coverage of 60,000 miles, like problem with my sunroof where dealer had to replace part of rails or something, had scratched driver and passenger side windows due to window rails (at different times) which dealer had to replace, center console button for right rear window which dealer replaced, both front struts which dealer replaced several times etc.... (These are some of things I can remember as I am writing this). When dealer charges $65 - $75 an hour for labor and throw in the parts to fix these little things, they add up quite a bit. Don't get me wrong, I love my Q and I love everything about Infinity (except for their decision to put "better" 4.1 engines in Q). I just want to say that sometimes the extra protection is well worth the investment.

    I think I rambled on too long. Until next time.

    Q Fan from Fairfax, VA
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    I agree with your observation, especially if you're buying a car nearing the end of it's warranty like you did. In your case the warranty (like mine) expired at 4/60k. I'm assuming when you bought the '91 that you intended to have it up to 100k and beyond. The term "peace of mind" that you used is important. For many people the money is well spent if it eliminates constant worry about the possibility of big repair bills.
    I think for someone buying a new Q the decision is a little harder, though, because of the factory extended powertrain warranty (6/70k) that comes with the car. As I said in an earlier post, the powertrain items are the ones that can cost in the thousands to repair. On the other hand, the service contract plans like Warranty Gold seem to have a lower price than other luxury makes, reflecting their reduced obligation period. In the end it just comes down to risk tolerance.
  • 2qornot2q2qornot2q Member Posts: 1
    Hi Q fans,

    I'm in the market for an "off lease" Q45 and recognize the value as compared to Lexus LS400. I've now test driven both cars in the same '97 year model and there is a significant difference in performance. When I read the numerous reviews on both cars I couldn't help but notice that the Q made its peak torque at 4,000 RPM's. The Lexus, by contrast, made 80% of its max torque at a relatively low 1,800 RPM's. This difference in torque numbers was QUITE noticable to me. The Q just didn't have the low RPM acceleration that the Lexus had and to get into the Q performance curve I really had to mash the accelerator. Admittedly, once the pedal was to the metal the Q did rise to the task, but the LS400 required a LOT LESS coaxing to achieve the same performance.

    I've decided on the Q over the Lexus because of VALUE!! I was offered a new 2000 (not AE) for 42,000, but I believe I'd be a fool to pass up the used Q values that are out there presently. I missed a '97 in Expresso with only 26,000 miles for $25,000 asking. I can live without the side impact bags and the clock for that kind of money.

    I'd be curious to know of the best deals you all have found on '98 and '99 Q models. If I could buy a '99 for $30k-$32k I'd probably jump on it.

    Best Regards,

    John Dent
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    Hello John. I came to the same conclusion as you 6 years ago and never regretted it. I bought my Q45 in '94 when it was a year old, and the car has been a good experience. I have a buyer picking it up tomorrow or Friday, and I will strongly be considering another Q.
    The best deals will be on the '97 models because of the number of them available off-lease. 98 and 99 models are more scarce. A 99 car for $32k is realistic when you find one, but $30k would probably be optimistic unless the car has high milage. Let me know if you find an extra !
    By the way, I saw an expresso car with 26k (I think) on EBAY yesterday, not that I would recommend buying a car via an online auction. (unless you inspect it first)

    Regards,
    Denny
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    too bad new Q45 sales are shot...only 300 or so a months sold according to autosite. i guess everyone is waiting for the new 2002 Q45
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    Thats going to be a long and painful wait for Infiniti dealers.

    M
  • vqzhtrvqzhtr Member Posts: 9
    I've also wondered how Infiniti is going to hold out on this one. No new products till April 2001!!! Ouch. The only thing I can think of is Infiniti putting the rumored 260hp V6 in I30 or introducing the New QE sports Sedan between that time.
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    Ferarri11: Not sure what you mean by shot. Sales are running almost identical to last year. The Q has never been a big volume seller, and Infiniti does not expect it to be. Overall Infiniti sales are up over last year, due to good sales of the I30. Keep in mind that there are less than 150 Infiniti dealers now, so the salesmen are not quite as painfully lonesome as some here believe.
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    still 1500 sales in 5 months is bad. i hope your reasoning is not used at infiniti for the next car. (not trying to be mean) imagine creating a car and not expecting it to sell. that is a bit silly. all car companies should create the best and most appealing car possible if they expect to be a great car company.

    in the mean time, they could dump the I30 engine into the G20. the car already has great handling. add better styling and they would have an instant 3 series contender. or supercharge the I30 for the T model.
  • kdbeskdbes Member Posts: 2
    I AM ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION IN MY 92 Q45. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM? WHAT IS THE TYPICAL LIFESPAN OF THE TIMING CHAIN ON THE Q45?
  • binki535binki535 Member Posts: 7
    The 2002 Q Cd is .30 compared to Lexus's .25 WITH its optional air suspension system. They have not told what the Cd is without the Air supsension is. Anyway, besides the Cd, the Q beats the LS430 in everyway. More power, faster acceleration (5.9 to 6.2), more interior space, and to me, much better and daring styling than the LS430. Not only does the Q have all of that over the LS, it has that over the S500, 7 series and A8- Infiniti has the got the car that will make them be reconized.
    5.9 0-60. That is the ESTIMATED time. Normaly, companies just guess the 0-60, so the Q would probably go faster 0-60 than 5.9 seconds. Unbelievable!
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    Of course Infiniti wants to sell more Q45s.
    According to the autosite figures some on these threads use, the figure for the first 5 months is 1966 units, almost the same as for the same period last year. That's why I wouldn't describe the Q sales as "shot". Consistently behind it's competitors ? Yes. There are a lot of Luxury makers right now who wish some of their models were selling at the same rate as last year. I see the Q is only about 500 units behind the GS400 for
    the year, which is off in sales (as are all Lexus cars - thankfully they have the RX300). But, I don't think anyone's ready to proclaim GS400 sales are dead just yet. It would seem that the 2002 Q45 should boost sales for that model when it arrives, but just how much depends on the final content, and the price, of course.
    Like you, I would like to see Infiniti keep the G20 and give it a little more power. I've driven a few of these for loaners when I've had my Q in for service, and they are fun cars.
    Car companies do not always build cars with the expectation that they will be volume sellers. While Infiniti is selling less Q45s than it expected when introduced years ago, it also knows that building a technically advanced car such as the Q is imperative if it wants to create the perception that the rest of the model line has that type of desirability. The buyer must perceive that there is a trickle-down effect with the less expensive models (the volume sellers) of engineering, quality, and prestige. A good example of this is Audi's A8. Audi will never sell that car in volume, but it doesn't matter. It shows potential A4 and A6 buyers that Audi can exhibit a car-building prowess that they somehow are benefitting from.
    BTW, although I have been out of the retail end of the auto business for some years (see profile), I still do some bird-dogging (locating cars) for a local dealer in the wholesale market. I'll be scouting for myself as well, though, since I sold my old Q yesterday. I usually buy cars one to two years old, and I can tell you that the Q is near the top of the list for the next one (along with maybe a 540). I look at value, or in my case, getting as much car as I can for the money (while being reasonably new). The Q fits the order well. In fact, with current incentives even a new Q is a good value. Cheers..
  • cprestoncpreston Member Posts: 2
    kdbes take a look at http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/infinitiownersclub There is great technical discussion on all early Qs particularly 92 chains --actually a chain guide problem from what I can gather.

    Several EXTREMELY knowledgeable folks at the site. Enjoy,

    Curt
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    1900 units in 5 months is low though. even the 7 series and the S class and LS400 sell more. they are more expensive too. i agree, the present is a deal for 40000, as the paper advertises. it still has a relatively small back seat compared to the competition though.

    binki535-
    i wouldnt say it is better than the 7 series, which will be released in the next year also. no one has ever driven both yet. we cant compare until the cars are released...but Cd and 0-60 times are only a small part of the luxury pie, and these have to be experienced before making a judgement.
  • binki535binki535 Member Posts: 7
    And I know you cant say its better because of Cd and 0-60 times...that's why I explained the other features such as its torisional rigidity is better than the 2000 Q by 40% which translates into better handling. It also has more room and is by far the sportiest car of the pack. Ethusiants like sporty, therfore, it will be the better car.
  • binki535binki535 Member Posts: 7
    The Infiniti concept the XVL, will be the next G20, or possibly the next J30. It will have a the most powerful V6 engine in its class, tons of state of the art saftey features, a Cd of .28, and 17 inch wheels. It will be the next super sporty car coming from Infiniti. Tom Orbe of Infiniti says that all of the future Infinitis will be sport oriented with luxury second instead of slow, semi luxurious cars.
    Infinitis future will have a sport coupe (spun off of the Skyline GT), a roadster, a crossover SUV making the QX4 become a LX470/Navigator competitor, and a redesigned I30. All cars will be rear wheel drive...the way it should be.
  • crowedogcrowedog Member Posts: 2
    I am currently interested in a 1995 Q45t w/approx. 70,000 miles. Car is loaded and in incredible shape (int. & ext. immaculate). Has CD player, etc. Seller is asking $14,900. Never owned one but can now understand the attraction. Looking for advice, Is this a good buy or should I pass and look for something else?
  • binki535binki535 Member Posts: 7
    I think thats a good price, but 70,000 ,iles is a lot. So try to get the price down to $14,500 or $14,000. Good luck.
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    The '95 is a good year. For these cars you can place a higher priority on maintenance and service records when figuring value. If this car is as nice as you say you might want to stop and think what you can buy with $14.9k. Looks even better then, doesn't it? If the seller will let it go for a little less that's even better..
    BTW, if you're concerned about the expired warranty, Warranty Gold told me about 6 months ago that they have coverage plans you can obtain as long as the car has <80k miles. The '95 model is a very reliable car, though. I checked out WG for my '93 but it had 83k at the time. I wasn't serious about buying the coverage though; just curious about the price. For market value comparisons, I sold my '93 last Thursday for $11k. It had 85k miles, but looked like a new car. It didn't have a CD, but had BBS wheels. Good Luck !
  • yjlauferyjlaufer Member Posts: 2
    I'm in northern NJ.
    Looking for exceptional 94 to 96 Q45T.
    Will consider same year Non-T with BBS wheels.

    Appreciate in help in locating this car.
    Jason
  • crowedogcrowedog Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the responses. I bought the car, moved a little on price to $14,500. What an unbelievable machine. I just hope I can keep it away from my wife. There is no way I could have come close to purchasing anything comparable for the money. Will be looking into Warranty Gold - Thanks
  • binki535binki535 Member Posts: 7
    Congrats! I wish I could drive it...I wish I could drive period. Good luck with it.
  • mjuemjue Member Posts: 1
    One of the previous posters mentioned looking for an off lease '97 Q... I bought my 97.5 new at a substantial discount off list price and here in the SF Bay Area at least, current Q's are running $12k OFF MSRP. That's a tremendous incentive to consider a new one. (Although I'll admit the ~26k prices commanded for used '97's is compelling.)

    97.5 models are identical to '98's with the then new side air bags so if you are looking at 97's, you can get the '98 spec by looking at the seat side for the airbag.

    My wife and I are looking for a replacement car for the aging Volvo I drive now and each time the topic comes up around S class benzes (even E class) or Lexus GS or ????, we invariably look around and say, "Waitaminute... the new Q45T in two tone is "only" 40k compared with costs of some of these others at +10k or more with 6 cylinder engines." Another Q in the house? Hmmmmm.....

    Good luck!

    Mic
    '97.5 Q - 60k
  • ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    if you are looking for a car in the low to mid 40000s, check the audi A6 2.7t. i have this car and it simply is the best. it's faster than all the other 6 cylinder cars, even the Q and the LS400. has the best interior and exterior and AWD. the Q 45 is also a great value, esp since it's a low 40000s V8 and a premium luxury car look. i think the real bird's eye maple trimmed version is great financial alternative to the LS 400. both have great reliability, the LS isnt 20000 quieter/sportier/more luxurious. the Q and A6 are great values.
  • steinre1steinre1 Member Posts: 2
    i'm currently looking at purchasing a 97 q45, but was surprised to hear all of the complaints about the older q's (pre-97). how has the reliabilty been in the more recent years?
  • mjvargomjvargo Member Posts: 11
    There were significant issues with the transmission and fuel injection in the first Q's but since '94 they have been outstanding from a reliability standpoint
  • nupemannupeman Member Posts: 2
    thinking about buying a '94 Q. any thoughts on this year? I think that the Q is a well kept secret that's about to be told.
  • swimmer7swimmer7 Member Posts: 1
    I am looking at a '97 Q45T that is immaculate and has been meticulously maintained. All the service records are in place. It has 50,000 miles and the asking price is a mere $22,000. What do you folks think? Should I jump on it. Can I expect to be able to run it to over 200,000 miles without major repair bills? I would appreciate any feedback
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    Swimmer7 and Nupeman:

    I just sold my '93 Q that had 85k on it. I bought it when it was a year old, and not one item broke on it. That's about as reliable as it gets. However, Swimmer7, Although you might get 200k out of one without "major" repair bills, it would be a stretch to reasonably "expect" to do so. No car that I know of is that reliable. Some go that long without major repairs - but most don't.
    The $22k price sounds fine for the '97 Q45t.
    Having the service done is a big plus, and although the car has 50k miles, Infiniti's warranty is 4/60, so you have some factory coverage left.
  • c627vc627v Member Posts: 1
    I want to spend $40-45k for a new or used luxury car. I've driven used 740i's and LS400's and new Cadillac DTS's and Q45's. What do you recommend considering the price range?

    Thanks!!!
  • sysadbsysadb Member Posts: 83
    c627v:
    If you like these four cars you can't go wrong. I'm also considering a couple of those myself. (the 740i and the Q). As the 740 and the LS400 are obviously in the used market at that price, you should be able to pick up a nice 98 740 or a nice 99 LS400 in that range. Good hunting!
  • airseaairsea Member Posts: 1
    To Jason (yjlaufer)
    If your still looking for a Q45a, I have a 95 Ivory with 48,000 miles. Traction control, 10 disk cd, and spoke wheels. Perfect condition always garaged. All service records with none of the major problems some people have experienced. There is 1 year and 1 month factory bumper to bumper warranty left. I live in South Jersey. Price is 18,500.
    Bruce airsea@bigfoot.com
  • bbng01bbng01 Member Posts: 6
    I have a question for you all. I've just purchased and picked my 2000 Q45ae, it has 100 miles on it, the question I have pertains to the heat that is generated by the engine or the car overall. I've notice that there is heat in the form of hot coming from under the car, even on ignition. In addition to that, I've notice that when driven with the AC off, I feel heat coming from the foot area, though the heat and AC functions are off. Is this heat generated by the Xeron headlights? Is this something that is usual for a new car? Any info. will be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks
This discussion has been closed.