Trading a BMW for a Q45

[BillyCan]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post below, and who participates on this board in general. You guys have a great community that I hope to be part of.The end result is as follows:

I am actively looking for a older Q for my wife, as I am more taken with the older versions then the new.

I traded the BMW for a Lexus GS 430 with 15,000 less miles and still got some cash back to apply to getting my wife her Q.

I look forward to checking the board and learning more in the future.

Regards,

Bill

First of all, let me preface this by saying this is my first post, but hopefully not my last one. I have read through this forum, and you guys seem to have a very educated and informative group that is helpful to people with questions. Mine is a multiparter, so here goes.

I have a 2003 BMW 330 Convertible that I love. However, I love my 9 and 7 year old kids way more. And since they no longer fit in the back, it is time to get an adult sedan. I would like to keep the car for 5 years and 100 k miles once I purchase it. I am looking at basically a straight trade of my 2003 BMW for a 2003 Q45 with Nav, Adaptive Cruise, etc. Here are my questions:

1) The reliability of the G50 type Qs seem very good. Besides regular PM, is that an accurate statement?

2) The car in question has 55k on it. If I purchase it, what should I do for maintenance immediately?

3) Are there any significant known trouble spots in this year - Consumer Reports has no data due to lack of sample size.

4) All my family driving is either 1 mile to my kids school or the store, or 100 miles up the interstate. What kind of real world highway miles does this generation get. Edmunds comments vary wildly. City is a non issue for me.

5) Is an extended warranty worth purchasing, and if so from whom? Dealer, aftermarket, etc.

I know that is a lot of question, but I want a car I can rely on and drive for the foreseeable future. I love the look of the car, and you don't see them at every stoplight. I hope I become a contributing member of your forum in the future, and thanks for any insights on any of the questions.

Bill


Modified by BillyCan at 11:13 PM 11/15/2008

[Jesda]

I have a 2004 325 convertible. Its still in the shop getting repaired after an accident over the summer.

I frequently drove it with three extra adults.

When you factor in the F50's higher running costs, inferior reliability (compared to any non-M3 E46), and inferior performance, this is a trade you will regret.

[maxnix]

First of all, let me preface this by saying this is my first post, but hopefully not my last one. I have read through this forum, and you guys seem to have a very educated and informative group that is helpful to people with questions. Mine is a multiparter, so here goes.

I have a 2003 BMW 330 Convertible that I love. However, I love my 9 and 7 year old kids way more. And since they no longer fit in the back, it is time to get an adult sedan. I would like to keep the car for 5 years and 100 k miles once I purchase it. I am looking at basically a straight trade of my 2003 BMW for a 2003 Q45 with Nav, Adaptive Cruise, etc. Here are my questions:

1) The reliability of the G50 type Qs seem very good. Besides regular PM, is that an accurate statement?

2) The car in question has 55k on it. If I purchase it, what should I do for maintenance immediately?

3) Are there any significant known trouble spots in this year - Consumer Reports has no data due to lack of sample size.

4) All my family driving is either 1 mile to my kids school or the store, or 100 miles up the interstate. What kind of real world highway miles does this generation get. Edmunds comments vary wildly. City is a non issue for me.

5) Is an extended warranty worth purchasing, and if so from whom? Dealer, aftermarket, etc.

I know that is a lot of question, but I want a car I can rely on and drive for the foreseeable future. I love the look of the car, and you don't see them at every stoplight. I hope I become a contributing member of your forum in the future, and thanks for any insights on any of the questions.

Bill

1.) What year of G50? The earlier ones (1990-1993) must have the timing chain guides replaced at the minimum. And safety wise, there is only one air bag on the driver's wheel. The later ones add a passenger side dash.

On a now at least 12 year old car, even with low mileabe, there will be many issues with the condtion of the rubber in the suspension, the under plenum hoses, and oxidation and condensation in the oil and hydraulic fluids. Read the sticky above on how to buy a Q45. It's all about the maintenance history, for any car.

2.) Change alll filters and fluds and address any other areas indicated by the maintenance history and the senior Infiniti tehcnician's inspection.

3.) 2003 and later are the more desirable Q45, but obtain the Nissan extended warranty only as the electronic gadgets are expensive if they fail. The HID ballasts seem the worst. On the Infiniti dealer perforrmed service history, confirm the 3,750 OCI or walk.

4.) Highway loaded could be 22-24 mpg depending on grade and speed.

5.) Nissan from dealer only!

As far as reliability, while I haven't owned later models of either marque, the extended OCI that BMW thinks are good PM would give me pause after 100K. In general, I think you will find Infiniti much more reliable as are all Japanese brands compared to European.

On the F50, the Premium package is probably more rewarding, but do be aware that the VLSD is missing in the F50.

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,I agree with what Maxnix posted. The last generation Q45 seems to get no respect from most current or former G50 owners. There are a few F50 (2002-2006) owners on this forum that I am sure will chime in.

The two big issues are the headlight ballast for "the world's brightest production headlights" and some instances of oil consumption. Otherwise, the F50 has been pretty reliable. Hell, they still offer it for sale in Japan. I would not buy one without a PPI (pre purchase inspection) and examination of the records for the car. Never thought of BMW's as a pillar of reliability.Cheers,ML

[Bigmike40]

I own a 2005 Q45 with all of the bells and whistles. I bought the car with 17K miles on it from the Infiniti dealership. So far I have over 23K and the car has been to the dealership for an oil change and front rotor replacement (under warranty). My impressions of the car:

- Excellent driving car, smooth and very comfortable.- It is my daily driver so I average about 20 MPG in mixed driving- seats 4 adults in comfort, 5 if you need to but the rear diff hump in the back will make it uncomfortable for your leags- As for the VLSD, I never owned a G50 so I don't know what I'm missing!- Car is very powerful!- I get a lot of thumbs up from other drivers

I bought my car at the dealership so it came with the CPO warranty (100K) so i'm covered just in case something goes wrong. The car does burn some oil, about a half quart between oil changes (3,500 miles). I will bring this up next week when i take it in for service.

Hope this helps!!

Mike

[reggiegsd]

In 1999 I traded a '95 740i for a '94 Q45. The Q is superior in every single measure except the "You Have A BMW, Cool" factor. I have never regretted that swap, not once in almost 10 years.

Admittedly the G50 and F50 are different cars and neither will match the sportiness of a BMW coupe. Drive the Q45, if you like that kind of car go for it. You won't be disappointed.

Reggiegsd

[IceCubeFoSho]

I have an older 2000 Q45 (The Y33) and I've fit 7 people in my car before (including myself). Granted it was illegal, but we were only going a short distance to drop of one of the guys. I normally have 3 in the back, Me and another friend in the front. We're all Seniors in HS so we're not short guys or anything and we fit pretty decently/comfortably.

I was on the verge of getting an F50 and I loved the car, but the deal never went through. I still wish I could have it but I do enjoy my Y33. Its a plenty fast car, and has nice room. The styling is very conservative (Like my political beliefs! ). If I could trade up to an F50, I'd probably do it in an instant because I absolutely fell in love with the Premium edition when I saw it... To this day I still lament not getting it but what the hey, its all good.

Forgot to add I did have a 1991 G50 and liked that too. But the modern amneties of the Y33 were nicer and I've grown used to em.

[BadQ45t]

Ignore Jesda, we're not sure why he continues to post here as I don't even know that he has a Nissan or Infiniti anymore to his name..he seems to lurk here mostly to bash the aforementioned brands.

Jesda, here is a hint, go to a BMW board and go crazy....leave the Nissan/Infiniti commuity alone as you don't seem like like anything they have made in the last 10 years.

[Infinitiguy19]

That's a bit harsh I don't see what your reasoning behind that is everyone is welcome here.

And I think he meant the last 5 years that were bad.

Just Kidding

[Jesda]

Ignore Jesda, we're not sure why he continues to post here as I don't even know that he has a Nissan or Infiniti anymore to his name..he seems to lurk here mostly to bash the aforementioned brands.

Jesda, here is a hint, go to a BMW board and go crazy....leave the Nissan/Infiniti commuity alone as you don't seem like like anything they have made in the last 10 years.

I've owned and been through more luxury cars than most, so I consider myself very qualified to make this kind of comparison and evaluation. Sorry if I'm not caressing Carlos Ghosn's balls to your liking.

And lots of long-time members here would agree that the recent Frenching of Nissan has tarnished its reputation for Japanese quality and precision. Style over substance.

G50, Y33, E46, E38 > F50
Modified by Jesda at 12:01 AM 10/25/2008

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,While I agree that since Le' Cost Cutter (Ghosn) took the reigns things have changed. Often for the worse.That being said, I thought most of the development for the F50 was completed prior to the takeover.It just seems that many G50 owners here constantly bash the 2002-2006 models. Especially the VK45 powerplant. While I agree that the VK45 is not as stout as the VH45, the VK45 is still a far better engine than most. The VH45 is one of the all time great engines. It is right at 20 years old and still more advanced than many engines available today.

There are now a number of F50 owners with 100,000 miles plus. So far, I have not read anything too disturbing. Yes, some have exhibited oil consumption. Some, not all. Obviously, there are not many owners yet with 200,000+ miles. Cheers,ML

[jimbyjimb]

Jesda has contributed to the Q community a vast amount. What's more is that he doesn't "Bash." He gives subjective and honest personal opinions based on his experience. Just because little whiners don't agree with him doesn't mean he isn't justified. I, for one, appreciate his contributive and objective viewpoints and opinions. There are alot of contributors on this site I find annoying and don't see eye-to-eye with, but does that make their input any less valuable? I think not...

[maxnix]

Hey, I agree with Jesda wholeheartedly! BMW is a great car if you don't have to afford maintenance or expect it to go much over 120K.

[Jesda]

Hey, I agree with Jesda wholeheartedly! BMW is a great car if you don't have to afford maintenance or expect it to go much over 120K.

A friend of mine owned an E65 (2002+ 7-series) and dumped it very quickly. It was, by far, the worst (and ugliest) car he had ever owned, putting him in a rental car for most of his time of ownership. The dealer also refused to fix a lot of issues, and the car flipped out when he swapped the CD for a cassette, as the LAN is apparently dependent upon the head unit for diagnostics.

To this day I still give him crap for owning one. I even bought him a toy 7-series to remind him of his expensive mistake.



But the E46 is a world-class car by any measure. Within BMW there's a lot of quality variation, and usually the more modern and higher up the ladder you go, the worse it gets.

I guess my point is that you can do a lot worse than an F50, but I'd have a hard time swapping an E46 for one.

[BadQ45t]

My point is Jesda is no longer a Nissan fan, he is a Nissan basher for anything made in the last years....Jesda, do you even own an Infiniti anymore?

I think Nissans lineup right now is pretty darn good. I have a 05' XTerra and it a great truck. For the money there was nothing better. My friend has an Altima and it is nice front wheel drive car, more style and power than Camry's I have been in was cheaper....Not debating helpfulness, but mostly seems to be bashing....

[Dabizzo1]

Hey guys, from what I'm understanding, since Renault's partial ownership of Nissan, motor reworks from year to year have definitely affected their longevity and reliability especially in the oil consumption department. The repeated posts by F50 owners about improperly seated rings due to previous owner doing the break in period all wrong would really peeve me to say the least. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the F50's looks...gorgeous to me, but if I can't get to 200k without the fear of increased oil consumtion, no thanks. 350Z and G35 owners have their issues with oil consumtion as well. And as far as European cars go, man oh man I drool over the 7 Series and the Audi A8, but at what cost of maintenance. If it isn't a 7 Series transmission going out at 6K miles from new, it's the entire dash/security system going berserk in an A8 because it no longer recognizes the OEM stereo as installed. Scary stuff to me if I were to drop a ton of cash on such cars. I guess my overall point is that in ANY car line, domestic, Asian, or European, know the pitfalls of the model you've chosen and keep it for as long as YOU can bear to. Fords need their IAC Valves replaced at 30K like clockwork or acceleration begins to suck. GM beltlines tend to throw belts on certain motors due to vibration...ask a Corvette owner. Chrysler/Dodge issues range from weak trannies to sludged motors...on the subject of sludge, lets not forget about Toyotas from 98 to 02. I could go on all day. In my case, I chose to restore a 14 year old Q with known transmission and electrical gremlins by design. After 2 years and much $$ and wrench time, I would do it all over again. It's all about whatcha like. Please don't bash each other on this forum. This by far is one of the most informative places for Nissans and Infiniti's...I hope it stays that way. Boris

[jimbyjimb]

Ignorance is bliss.

[maxnix]

The early to mid 90 Japanese luxury brands were over engineered to prove their place amongst the Euorpean premier brands. Now everything is cost cutting to get to 100K life.

[seldomseen]

The Q45 is a great car, with tons of luxury features, excellent power, etc. I would suggest looking for an '05 or '06 Q45 that's fully stuffed. These last two model years can be bought realitively inexpensively.

[MinisterofDOOM]

My point is Jesda is no longer a Nissan fan, he is a Nissan basher for anything made in the last years....

Eh, I can't say I blame him. I mean, I'm a moderator and still own multiple Nissan products, have family who owns even MORE Nissan products--and we love them all--but Nissan's lineup has really lost me in the last few years.

Granted, I still love the big Infinitis (including F50--I'd love an '05 Sport) 6th gen Maxima, and the truck line. But beyond that, I wouldn't buy a new or newer used Nissan or Infiniti. And Nissan is fast on their way to ruining everything IMO. The new FX is ugly, if mechanically improved. The Titan, Armada, and QX's F-Alpha platform--the best half-ton platform on the market--is being axed to sell rebadged Dodges which might not even exist for much longer. The Maxima has SHRUNK (!!!) and turned into a Buick with eyelashes. If it's not a compact or the Altima, Ghosn doesn't care about it. He's brought the European school of small boring cars that sell like crazy to the US, and we don't want it here.

I'm still a Nissan guy, definitely. But I'm an OLD Nissan guy. I don't see anything wrong with that.

[Jesda]

I think the only new Nissan products I'd really buy are the Titan, M, and G. The Titan, after working out some early production problems, turned out to be a damn good truck. Sadly, it will cease to exist in a couple years.

Unfortunately, I've been renting a Nissan Frontier for the past two months and I absolutely hate it. I thought it would be a baby Titan. Instead, it drives more like an overgrown Buick Century. The fuel economy is slightly worse than my Escalade, which is quite terrible considering its size and weight.

There's a place in my heart for this car:I'll find the perfect one someday.

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,My comments about F50's being underestimated by many was not meant towards Jesda. I do feel like many G50 owners here do not like the F50. Especially the VK45 powerplant. I suppose that does indeed speak volumes. That being said, it does not seem like the F50 has any honestly fatal flaws. The ballast issue is well documented. The instances of oil consumption as well. However, for the money there are not many cars which touch it or it's kissing Cousin the 2003-2004 Y34 M45.Cheers,ML

[audiovisiony33]

There's a place in my heart for this car:I'll find the perfect one someday.

I wish I knew because I had one and I still regret selling mine after two years later.I had to sell because I didn't have room to store all my toys when I sold my shop and It's been great car with me for 12 years. I was almost ready for TT conversion too.

[Kiven422]

Hey, I agree with Jesda wholeheartedly! BMW is a great car if you don't have to afford maintenance or expect it to go much over 120K.

I wanted to agree with maxnix here.