Buying 1991 Q45 - Talk me back to my senses!

[viso]

Let me start by saying that, deep in my heart, I have lusted after the Q45 ever since I saw it profiled in a 1990 issue of Car & Driver. My first car was a 1976 Datsun 710 (4 years, classic 70s rustbucket), second was a 1983 Nissan Sentra (4 years, nice try Nissan), and present 1986 Toyota Camry (17 years). So the obvious question is can I be wooed back from the dark side? I've denied myself all manner of pleasures and been a good steward of my financial resources. Now that I'm in my early 40s. I must ask myself when I will start having some fun?

In my home town, there is a 1991 Infiniti Q45 for sale, 62000 miles, local car (never been further than 200 kms from town), same owner for 16 years. The body is clean, clean, clean. It could use a good cut-waxing and the front seat leather is a bit scratched up, but basically this is a sound vehicle that has lead an easy life. Original exhaust. Repair records kept but this nice elderly couple were by no means maintenance fanatics. They're asking $6,000 Canadian (about $4,800 US) but I suspect that they'll drop.

From reading this (wonderful) forum, I understand that (assuming I purchase this critter) I should undertake the following maintenance steps.- Substitute metal timing chain guides for the plastic ones- Install a transmission cooler- Replace all fluids- Probably a few other bits and pieces, as is the case when you buy a car

Adding those up, I can see having to spend around $3,000 (pure guess - your corrections welcome), mostly for the chain guides. Incidentally, my Camry has gone through three belts (two snapped) but because of non-interference heads, this was never a big deal. Not so with the 90-93 Q45 of course (although I understand that 94+ have all metal guides). I'm not a do-it-yourself kind of guy, so my mechanic will have to do this work.

My Options========1. Buy the 91 Q45 for $2,400 dollars (suggestions?) and hope for the best.2. Buy the 91 Q45 for $2,400 dollars (suggestions?), invest the $3,0003. Say goodbye to these nice people and shop for a 94-96 instead. I have found a few examples already (94 100,000 miles $6,000, 95 77,000 miles $6,500)4. Go buy another Camry, you knave. You've been Toyota-ized and are a lost cause to the true thrills of life.

Your advice greatly appreciated.

Modified by viso at 7:53 PM 2/14/2007
Modified by viso at 8:15 PM 2/14/2007

[ScottJackson]

Life's too short to drive a boring car. At least that's my opinion. I consider the Q a boring car, but it could be worse (Toyota Camry). If you really dig the car, I say buy the thing and get the guides replaced and whatever other little bits it needs (maybe injectors). The thing about the Q compared to your other cars is that the maintenance won't be cheap. You may get by for a while without having any major expense after the chain guides. However, if it needs a trans or injectors, it won't be cheap if you're not a serious do-it-yourself type. Are you wanting the Q for its better interior and a little more power or are you wanting a "midlife crisis" sort of car? If so, the Corvette (modified C4, stock or modified C5 or C6) are very popular. They're much faster than a Q and rather basic with relatively low maintenance costs. Of course, they're also substantially more $$$ up front than a 15 year old Q.

[viso]

Are you wanting the Q for its better interior and a little more power or are you wanting a "midlife crisis" sort of car?

Good question: basically, I need a 4-door sedan, I've never had a luxury car, I'll always have a soft spot for Nissan, and I'd like to try something fun for a few years.

[Peterofdevon]

Life's too short to drive a boring car. At least that's my opinion. .

Well, I'm in the other camp. I believe the G50 is totally un-boring.

There's no way its going to be a Porsche but the reality is it is a very fun car. I remember test driving a 01 or 02 Vette, the stripped down one, and then getting back in the 93 for the drive home---I liked the Q better!!! The Vette was too jumpy and lumbarsome on the bumpy PA roads. The feedback through the Vette's wheel was not of control--it was unsafisticated feeling.

The Q felt more sporty and connected to the road compared to the Chevy in daily driving.

Scott, is your G50 sorted out? How could you say such things!!! I'm breaking up with you!

Peter

[bruce.weiland]

Viso,

I have to agree with Peter. However, I will say this. I can't get what I want out of a single car.

I will agree with Scott that the Q is not a sports car.

That being said, it can come pretty close for a 4 door. My I prefer smallish sprot cars. Had 2 triumphs (2a, 4a), 3 Porsches (356a, 914 2.0, 944 turbo), and a lot of other cars over the past 42 years of driviing.

In '90', when there were no baby seats available for the 944 turbo and the second girl was on the way, my wife said Porsche has to go. It took me a year to find the right car. A '91' active.

So, my comments are about an active car. The early Q was very much a 4 door 'Z' car. Two extra cylinders and doors, but very similar suspension and same auto transmission. Other than brake pads, braided brake lines and wheels and tires, I drove a "stock/OEM" very happily until '97' when I traded it for a '95' active, the last year of that suspension type.

In 2001 I let the '95' go on a trade. Have driven several other cars since, including a '96' XJ12 (I always wanted a V12 - been there, done that and now I am back).

I picked up a '94' active about a month ago and I am loving it! I am not trying to make it a sport car - I have a Solstice GXP (turbo). So, when I am in the mood for that I have my little roadster.

The Q is a GREAT car, a real "sleeper". Yes it will cost more to maintain it, but, it is worth it. Once you sort out the older bits that need to be replaced you will find it a joy to drive.

Compared to a front wheel drive car (the Camry) the differences are amazing. Actually compare to most rear wheel cars it is almost like the Porsche retort "there is no substitute".

Having had a Camry for 17 years you have been very finacially responsible, it is time for some fun.

Bruce

[maxnix]

For urban drivng in Vancouver and its environs, the Q is overkill and a little combersome. Take a road trip and you will be glad you refurbished one.

Budget well and there are a couple of posts of garages that have done the chain guides in Vancouver. We had three members up there, but pretty quiet the last few years.

[96Qowner]

I'll start by repeating a couple points other posters made.

Rear wheel drive - not for winter streets - keep that in mind.

Boring or not - well, in my opinion it's best as a highway car, and as a highway car, it most certainly is NOT boring. If you'll be driving it at speed most of the time, go for it, and don't look back. If you'll be using it primarily as a low speed city car, it's not going to be very exciting to drive.

Cost - it's pretty clear from the years of experience by NICO members that a Q45 will cost you in the neighborhood of 20 cents per mile in maintenance.

If none of that nixes the deal for you and if you can pick up that Q for $2400US, do it. Invest the $3000 (and more - suspension, plenum hoses, etc) and have that car you wanted 16 years ago (like me). It's really a great car - a true individual and pretty special - one of the finest cars Japan ever made. The earlier G50s were a little noisier and a little more powerful - more of a sports car than the 94-96, which added some luxuries at the expense of some performance.

[ScottJackson]

yes, I shouldn't have made the Q sound like completely boring crap. It isn't. Mine is an active '92 Q and the steering response and cornering is remarkable for a heavy 4 door. It also has very good quickness for its size. I think if speeds were kept at sane levels (below 100mph or so), the Q actually could be more fun than a vette. Do you need the extra room of the Q? Are you planning on going on long trips with it? Do you need a rather smooth ride? If so, then the Q would clearly be a better car for the job. Price comes into play also (why I have Q45s and older BMWs but still no Corvette as I can't afford to buy one and pay the insurance). The Q will be a luxury hot rod compared to your current car.

[Peterofdevon]

yes, I shouldn't have made the Q sound like completely boring crap. I think if speeds were kept at sane levels (below 100mph or so), the Q actually could be more fun than a vette. .

Gosh, so we are not going to break up!

What is the deal in Iowa? Do you guys have minimum 100mph speed limits? hahaha

I zip over 100 once in while on the AC Expressway. I tried having fun last month on a local interstate and I almost went to JAIL!!! Well not quite, but I have to see the Judge next month and get on my hands and knees.

Do you have speed limits?

P.

[ScottJackson]

Ha! Yeah, I've only been to jail once, and that was for a high speed chase. I actually didn't even know the cops were behind me as I guess their cars only go something like 130mph. I was testing out my Camaro shortly after getting it running well and had the speedo pegged at around 160 (speedo goes to 145 but the peg is quite a ways beyond that. I also had the tach needle resting comfortably on the peg at 7K rpm. The speedo hits the peg at a little over 6K rpm. I remember letting off the gas, hearing the engine rev down a bit, and THEN the tach needle came off the peg. I guess I was around 180+mph. Anyway, long story short, I pulled into my friend's driveway that was about a mile down a gravel road and then 4-5 cop cars came in shortly later. They just followed the dust trail and knew I didn't go any further because they actually had another cop coming from the other direction that they'd radioed in. They never got radar on me and never were able to pace me to get a close estimation of speed. I got off with a failure to obey stop sign (which I did stop at it but they didn't believe me cuz they didn't catch up in that time) and careless driving. It was an open country road that was relatively flat and had no traffic on it. There just happened to be a cop that decided to follow me out of town after clocking me at something like 67 in a 55 before coming in to town (a bad perk of having a red 3rd gen camaro with loud exhaust, cop bait). So now I'm pretty paranoid of cops and don't drive nearly as fast. I feel pretty pathetic at times, but I'll live through it. I don't know exactly what the rules are for cops to lose sight of a car and then when they see it again to say it was the same car. Technically I think I could have gotten out of everything since no cop actually saw me at any point when I was speeding. Sadly though, cops like to make up stuff (I know they do, my dad was in law enforcement for 31 years and even he has a strong disliking for most cops). This one wrote in his police report all sorts of BS about me speeding in town and how when he was a half mile behind me he saw me run a stop sign at an intersection. Thing is, less than 1/4 mile from that intersection is a railroad crossing that's raised up and there's no possible way to see the intersection from where the cop said he was. That's the only way I got out of the charges, the cop wrote too much in his report and I could prove he was lying. Otherwise, the judge always takes the cop's word over yours and you get screwed. Yes, I broke the law and was speeding, but the cop made up all sorts of stuff about speeding through town, running stop signs, peeling out at intersections... that would have been huge against me if I hadn't been able to prove he was making stuff up in his report. Oh well... I guess I'm getting way off topic.
Modified by ScottJackson at 10:34 PM 2/15/2007

[viso]

Ditched the 1991 (turns out that it hadn't been started in over a year!) and purchased a 1994 instead! Thanks everyone.

[bruce.weiland]

Congradulatoins

You will be hanging out here a lot more.

[maxnix]

Ditched the 1991 (turns out that it hadn't been started in over a year!) and purchased a 1994 instead! Thanks everyone.

So tell us about it and post some pcitures.

[viso]

Will post pic and entry in roll call. Please also see new post regarding initial maintenance to be done. Many thanks to all.