I love the looks of these cars. Anyone have one? I have begun my search, are they reliable above 100k?
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2003 Infiniti M45
- Thread starter VinylxScratches
- Start date
Throckmorton
Lifer
- Aug 23, 2007
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Throckmorton
Lifer
- Aug 23, 2007
- 16,829
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T2urtle
Diamond Member
- Oct 18, 2004
- 3,432
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i love these things. i wish i found one when i was shopping but i went with a 05 g35 instead.
guy on my local forum owns ones. Thing is bad ass. There was one issue with the motor, i forget what it was, maybe a slight oil burning issue or something with the valves i dont recall. These things to be are just straight baller.
I had a M35 06-07 as a loaner. It has the same baller feeling but the 03-04 was a better fit for me plus that V8 power. I never got my hands on a newer m45 to comment.
i think its a VK45 motor, which aren't exactly common, parts for the car aren't common. But if you swap the rear diff, ive heard people get decent 1/4 mile times with that alone.
guy on my local forum owns ones. Thing is bad ass. There was one issue with the motor, i forget what it was, maybe a slight oil burning issue or something with the valves i dont recall. These things to be are just straight baller.
I had a M35 06-07 as a loaner. It has the same baller feeling but the 03-04 was a better fit for me plus that V8 power. I never got my hands on a newer m45 to comment.
i think its a VK45 motor, which aren't exactly common, parts for the car aren't common. But if you swap the rear diff, ive heard people get decent 1/4 mile times with that alone.
i like em', i actually saw one lurkin around yesterday. Rare to see one, but when I do I always like.
SpatiallyAware
Lifer
- Sep 7, 2009
- 12,960
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I took a serious look at the newer m45 and changed my mind based on horrible reports of oil consumption problems that go back to the old q45..
Google m45 OCI and/or oil consumption issues before buying anything.. There was an m45 forum post where they were unable to find anyone with an original motor over 100k miles
Google m45 OCI and/or oil consumption issues before buying anything.. There was an m45 forum post where they were unable to find anyone with an original motor over 100k miles
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...2Nm=miles&rpp=50&feedSegId=28705&aff=national
There's one with 64,000 miles for 13000.
I'll check out the oil issue.
There's one with 64,000 miles for 13000.
I'll check out the oil issue.
Throckmorton
Lifer
- Aug 23, 2007
- 16,829
- 3
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http://forums.nicoclub.com/2003-m45-burning-oil-engine-replacement-t385113.html
I just had my engine replaced at 68,000 miles in my 2003 m45. It took many complaints and trips to the dealer and 3 oil consumption tests. The compression test may or may not show the problem, but either way, you should still be under the driveline warrantee and if they feel the need to check compression, it should be at their expense. Mine towards the end was burning 2 to 2.5 qts in a 1000 miles. The reason they do that is that in order to squeeze an extra 5 hp out of the engine, they used low tension rings on the pistons. Some of them just never seated correctly. The oil getting past the rings carbonizes the cylinders and clogs up the whole works. The new motor is great.
I just had my engine replaced at 68,000 miles in my 2003 m45. It took many complaints and trips to the dealer and 3 oil consumption tests. The compression test may or may not show the problem, but either way, you should still be under the driveline warrantee and if they feel the need to check compression, it should be at their expense. Mine towards the end was burning 2 to 2.5 qts in a 1000 miles. The reason they do that is that in order to squeeze an extra 5 hp out of the engine, they used low tension rings on the pistons. Some of them just never seated correctly. The oil getting past the rings carbonizes the cylinders and clogs up the whole works. The new motor is great.
brblx
Diamond Member
- Mar 23, 2009
- 5,499
- 2
- 0
the V8's are poop. the later model that ran to 09 is better (you want the 3.5 or 3.7 tho), but still suffers from typical luxury car issues. cushy seats and soft interior surfaces seem to get damaged easier. sophisticated suspension setups often need parts more frequently. even the best interior electronics can fail, and there's plenty. as an infiniti-specific thing, factory parts are often especially expensive and frequently come as large assemblies that can push repair prices into the purely outrageous realm. example- got a bad seat motor (any of them) on the passenger seat of your 6 year old G? dealer cost on the replacement part is about two grand (i's the entire passenger seatbottom, complete with foam and cover).
new M's are pretty sweet to drive, but can get ridiculously expensive (new m56 sport seems to sticker for like 70 grand, but shit it's a nice drive). it does look like every other new car, though. sit it next to a maxima, shit, sit it next to a sonata, and it looks they were designed by the same person. it's all about max aerodynamics plus a desire to abide by current styling trends.
i spent the last year or so at an infiniti dealer, i'm not exactly a master infiniti mechanic but feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.
i do like the look of the M's in the OP. kind of a bastard child of infiniti/nissans older, more square cars and the curvy big-wheeled stuff that they make now. too bad there aren't more of them.
edit- also, i would classify the '03 M as 'reliable past 100k' but not 'reliable past 8-9 years old,' which is what that car is. putting 100k of highway miles on in 2-3 years is a lot less abuse on a car than 25k of city commuting over a decade. age matters.
new M's are pretty sweet to drive, but can get ridiculously expensive (new m56 sport seems to sticker for like 70 grand, but shit it's a nice drive). it does look like every other new car, though. sit it next to a maxima, shit, sit it next to a sonata, and it looks they were designed by the same person. it's all about max aerodynamics plus a desire to abide by current styling trends.
i spent the last year or so at an infiniti dealer, i'm not exactly a master infiniti mechanic but feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.
i do like the look of the M's in the OP. kind of a bastard child of infiniti/nissans older, more square cars and the curvy big-wheeled stuff that they make now. too bad there aren't more of them.
edit- also, i would classify the '03 M as 'reliable past 100k' but not 'reliable past 8-9 years old,' which is what that car is. putting 100k of highway miles on in 2-3 years is a lot less abuse on a car than 25k of city commuting over a decade. age matters.
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T2urtle
Diamond Member
- Oct 18, 2004
- 3,432
- 3
- 81
bad seat motor = replacement of lower seat and 2 grand cost on a 6 year old G?
The hell...did i read that right? My 6 year old G, needed a new seat motor, cost like $50 in parts. G seat motor = 350z seat motor. Not a rare item exactly. Maybe on the M. But a motor is a motor. How the whole seat base yes can be pricey but if the motor is bad and can be removed from the cushion then by all means only replace the motor. This would be the same for the G's window motors that always goes out. its a $50 motor but you could just clean the brushes off.
You gotta be a little handy when working on slightly older cars.
The hell...did i read that right? My 6 year old G, needed a new seat motor, cost like $50 in parts. G seat motor = 350z seat motor. Not a rare item exactly. Maybe on the M. But a motor is a motor. How the whole seat base yes can be pricey but if the motor is bad and can be removed from the cushion then by all means only replace the motor. This would be the same for the G's window motors that always goes out. its a $50 motor but you could just clean the brushes off.
You gotta be a little handy when working on slightly older cars.
brblx
Diamond Member
- Mar 23, 2009
- 5,499
- 2
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no, you didn't read that right, 'cause i said two grand was cost (guess what our markup was? 100%
and you gotta factor in dealer labor (~250-300 bucks).
at the infiniti dealer, yeah, this is the truth. we had no availability of seat motors, you have to buy a frame. (dealer cost on that is prob 400-500 or more). that's the driver's. the passenger had one of those bladder-type occupant weight sensors, which is probably why they wouldn't sell it in pieces.
dont know if the nissan dealer across the street had motors and/or if they would fit G seats. would be amusing if so.
but this was a general trend with lots of parts for infinitis. i'm with ford now, in the same dealer group with the same parts markup, and my estimates are now so ridiculously cheap in comparison to infiniti. only positive with the latter was that if you priced a $1000 part that took no time to install, you could easily inflate the labor like hell without changing the customer's shock and (un)likelihood to buy the repair...not that i would do that.
and by '6 year old G' i'm just throwing out something random. really i mean any 03-07 G, since it's the same part. iirc new gen started in '07, part's probably cheaper to help their warranty numbers.
and you gotta factor in dealer labor (~250-300 bucks).at the infiniti dealer, yeah, this is the truth. we had no availability of seat motors, you have to buy a frame. (dealer cost on that is prob 400-500 or more). that's the driver's. the passenger had one of those bladder-type occupant weight sensors, which is probably why they wouldn't sell it in pieces.
dont know if the nissan dealer across the street had motors and/or if they would fit G seats. would be amusing if so.
but this was a general trend with lots of parts for infinitis. i'm with ford now, in the same dealer group with the same parts markup, and my estimates are now so ridiculously cheap in comparison to infiniti. only positive with the latter was that if you priced a $1000 part that took no time to install, you could easily inflate the labor like hell without changing the customer's shock and (un)likelihood to buy the repair...not that i would do that.
and by '6 year old G' i'm just throwing out something random. really i mean any 03-07 G, since it's the same part. iirc new gen started in '07, part's probably cheaper to help their warranty numbers.
JulesMaximus
No Lifer
- Jul 3, 2003
- 74,544
- 924
- 126
They didn't sell well and they suck gas down like a heavy duty pickup except it requires premium. I test drove one once. Great car, very comfortable with plenty of power and luxury but I took one look at the average mpg reading on the computer and said no way man! The car I drove was black on black with around 15,000 miles on it. It was only a couple years old at the time and the dealer was asking around $20k for it.
I think they are kind of ugly, the newer style is much better looking.
I think they are kind of ugly, the newer style is much better looking.
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Throckmorton
Lifer
- Aug 23, 2007
- 16,829
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How dare you say that? The old one looks like sedans used to look. Long and sleek, with a flat roof. The current M45 looks like an overgrown Maxima with the arched roof, messy muscular lines, and the damn vertical headlights!
JulesMaximus
No Lifer
- Jul 3, 2003
- 74,544
- 924
- 126
This is the one I was talking about. It looks a million times better than the car the OP is talking about.
Arkaign
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2006
- 20,736
- 1,379
- 126
This is the one I was talking about. It looks a million times better than the car the OP is talking about.
I won't deny that that gen and the current one both look very nice, though I think the one in the OP is a lot more distinctive, for better or worse.
JulesMaximus
No Lifer
- Jul 3, 2003
- 74,544
- 924
- 126
How does 15mpg city with premium fuel sound to you? Because that is pretty much what you're going to get with that car. I would agree that the car was a bargain after the newer models came out but now that they are aging and are going to require some money to keep everything working as it should there is no way I'd consider one. I considered one a few years ago when you could find low mileage models that were still almost new and I decided to pass...no way would I consider one with 100,000 miles and 8 years of wear and tear.
WhoBeDaPlaya
Diamond Member
- Sep 15, 2000
- 7,414
- 402
- 126
JulesMaximus
No Lifer
- Jul 3, 2003
- 74,544
- 924
- 126
Not that much worse
My LS gets ~17mpg, but then I do take off fast...
Yeah, I hate dusting LS's while getting 45mpg...I almost feel guilty about it.
LTC8K6
Lifer
- Mar 10, 2004
- 28,520
- 1,575
- 126
Yeah, I hate dusting LS's while getting 45mpg...I almost feel guilty about it.
Wait until you get the mileage tax letter.
You boys on bikes have been getting over on highway taxes for too long...
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