06 M35x 33000 miles First Steps

[hal3146]

I am glad to find this forum. I just received an 06 M35x from a family member. The Car has 33000 miles on it so was almost never driven. Other than routine oil changes I am not sure of the maintenance history.

Looking at the ifiniti recommended maintenance I am not sure where to start. What would folks reccomend I do for maintenance based upon mileage and age. Which things are most important.

Thanks

[USMC5811]

Since you basically have a brand new car mileage wise it should be in very good shape. With that being said, it is still a 2006 and cars don't like to sit long periods of time without being driven, so there are a bunch of things you'll want to get in order before you start daily driving it hardcore. At the very least, I would say change the oil/filter ASAP and get some fresh gas in there because who knows how long the gas has been in there, and make sure you use premium unleaded gasoline. Also, visually inspect the tires for dry rot and/or flat spots. Check the date on the battery and get a new battery if the one in there is old.

If it were my car I would do a bunch of other things, but only because I'm a nut and most the maintenance i perform on my own cars could be considered overkill. But I would change the spark plugs, bleed the brakes and get all new fluid in them, change the PCV valve, change the air filter, and change the cabin filter just because the age of the car. Others might say that some of those things are overkill and aren't necessary, but IMO you practically have a new car mileage wise so you might as well make sure everything else is newer to ensure that the car will run and drive like it should and for a very long time. Good luck with your new car, I'm sure if you treat it right then it will treat you right in return and last a very long time!

[bluedevil30]

I have owned that car and I currently own a 2009 M35X with 135K miles - they are basically the same car.

I would bring it to the dealer for the cheapest possible service - like a 7500 mile check-up. They will change the oil filter, rotate the tires and probably replace the cabin air filter. They will also check everything and look for work and tell you exactly what needs to be done - tires, brakes etc. Once you have that list, come back to this forum for advice and never do routine maintenance at a dealer again. I have had the majority of my routine maintenance done on my Ms at my local tire store for way less than what the dealer will charge.

Also, if the car has Navigation, I would definitely purchase the most recent disk if it has never been updated.

[Ilya]

This is what I would do (similar to USMC):

1) Auto-Rx treatment
2) Switch to synthetic after Auto-Rx is complete
3) Seafoam via intake and gas (some people say this is snake oil but I stand by it)
4) Change PCV valve, air filters, cabin filters and seat filters
5) Change engine belts (not because of mileage but age)
6) Same as #5 but for fluids like brake fluid, coolant, etc. If the car was hardly driven, it's likely got the factory fluids in there. Check the condition.
7) Check condition of spark plugs...cars been sitting a while and if cheap gas was used, they could be worse than you think
8) Brakes good? Battery good? Tires good and not rotten/flat spotted/etc?

I'd personally the opportunity to have the transmission and transfer fluid changed, but that's just me. My 2007 that I got in May of 2010 with 32kmi ended up running to this past November 2014 and 140kmi before I traded it in for my 2011 M56x. Take care of the car and it'll more than take care of you. These cars are great IMO.

Much of the information on how to do this stuff can be found in the FAQ in my signature. Welcome to the site.

[Larz]

Not to pile on ... YES do ALL fluids. Unless that family member can tell you when any fluids were changed, they are all due for one. Brake fluid and PS fluid break down and absorb moisture over time, reducing their ability to perform the way they should. Weak brake fluid will keep the brakes from stopping as well as they should and old PS fluid will not lubricate properly possibly causing failure of expensive parts of the steering system. Coolant does not have an 8 year lifespan and neither does the gear box or differential fluid. You don't have to do them all at once, but definitely have them done by the end of the year at least. All this stuff is going to cost you, but it will keep you from having to repair / replace expensive parts for years.