1st test drive

A forum for lovers of Infiniti's hot-rod crossover, the FX! In 2014, all FX models will be named Infiniti QX70, in line with Infiniti's new naming structure.
kahlilj
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:52 pm
Car: 2006 FX35

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Hey folks,
I recently joined this forum because I plan to purchase an fx35 soon and hope to learn as much as I can before and AFTER doing so. So any advice as I continue this "purchase journey" is greatly appreciated.

I finally got to test drive one a couple of weekends ago. The car was a 2006 going for $9K with just under 120K miles. The road feel was about what I expected from what I've read: good handling & responsiveness, taut steering. The bad: noticeable shudder under moderate to hard braking (likely warped rotors); really bad corrosion in the undercarriage and engine bay. Those last two things are what concerns me about high mileage cars registered/owned/driven in northern states.

I've attached a couple of pics of the undercarriage. Folks tell me if my concern is bit off and this level of corrosion probably isn't anything to worry about.

one odd thing: reaching the seat controls from the drivers seat were unusually and uncomfortably tight. I'm not a big guy nor have big arms, but reaching my hand between the seat and the door paneling was very tight and almost painful. Has anyone else noticed that? or am I missing something there? lol

Oh also I had asked about room in the engine compartment to do minor work - access to drive belts in particular. Datman did reply there should be room and it is. I was very nicely surprised to see just "how" roomy the engine compartment was! Especially after looking at the compartments of other cars I was considering - the Lexus RS350 - no way! That engine compartment was ridiculously tight and so were a couple of other cars... nixed off the list of consideration.

This leaves the only other cars of interest (albeit lesser): Acura MDX, Audi Q5 and maybe a really cheap Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX.

After researching and reading more, I think I've narrowed it down to what I'm looking for:

∙ 2007 FX35
∙ less than $8 or $9K
∙ exterior color black, silver or liquid copper (burnt orange?)
∙ interior has to be that fabulous brick/black ( or all black if I simply can not find the B/B at the right price point)
∙ options: touring, hands free and tech package. would love to have the sport & touring package too
∙ minimal corrosion and rust
∙ fairly clean body paint and not too abused leather.\

Is that too much to ask?

Thanks all for your help on here in my ongoing search.

https://app.box.com/s/ibieqkru2bw7oni3pq3dzbu6h7oc82v7
https://app.box.com/s/r8uspkdb9nruccg2hs82i9fih7fkmg3s


macgiver
Posts: 1612
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:21 am

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mac,just my opinin , & I used to live back E. with snow/salt on roads - that's JUNK :facepalm: ,most of those bolts someone's gonna have a BIG fight with = breakage etc.I really sympathize with your locale :tisk: Not no $9k basically.

kahlilj
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:52 pm
Car: 2006 FX35

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macgiver wrote:
Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:33 pm
mac,just my opinin , & I used to live back E. with snow/salt on roads - that's JUNK :facepalm: ,most of those bolts someone's gonna have a BIG fight with = breakage etc.I really sympathize with your locale :tisk: Not no $9k basically.
Thanks Mac. My sentiments about that car too. I couldn't even begin to account for the cost of that to make an offer when the dealer asked me to make one. when he told me they paid $7K +, I thought to myself "you paid too much for it" given the condition of the undercarriage and even some in the engine bay.

My dilemma is the ones I feel more confident in will be back closer to home (Ga or Socal), but obviously I'm too far away to just pop down on the weekend and check any of them out. :rolleyes:

EdBwoy
Moderator
Posts: 3507
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 12:47 am
Location: Indiana, USA
Contact:

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You'll be amazed by what accommodations sellers, especially established businesses are willing to make these days.

As recently as 5 years ago, half the dealers would ignore, hang up, or slowly drop communication if you called from an out-of-state number. These days if you ask nicely for a walkaround video, pictures and video of the undercarriage, engine startup clips, carfax or autocheck report, most are inclined to make it work and offer airport pickups... unless it's a hot commodity/low dollar car that they can sell without breaking a sweat.

kahlilj
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:52 pm
Car: 2006 FX35

Post

EdBwoy wrote:
Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:58 pm
You'll be amazed by what accommodations sellers, especially established businesses are willing to make these days.

As recently as 5 years ago, half the dealers would ignore, hang up, or slowly drop communication if you called from an out-of-state number. These days if you ask nicely for a walkaround video, pictures and video of the undercarriage, engine startup clips, carfax or autocheck report, most are inclined to make it work and offer aor port pickups... unless it's a hot commodity/low dollar car that they can sell without breaking a sweat.
Sorry just now seeing this Ed. I'd been too busy with work and finding out EXACTLY what you described about dealers offering to do all of the above to accommodate me and get my business. There was a car I really seriously considered, Acura MDX, in Mississippi. The salesman offered to do facetime video of the car, sent every pic that I requested including getting it up on a rack and taking pics of the undercarriage, sending carfax reports and ultimately offering to pick me up from the airport in the actual car so I could take the 50 min long test drive in it back to the dealership. Unfortunately during the time I finally called back to put a deposit on the car until i could book a flight there in a couple of weeks, it sold.

Well maybe not so unfortunately, because since that time I ended getting almost the EXACT car I wanted all along - a 2006 FX35, liquid copper with brick/black interior, fully optioned (Sport, touring & tech packages). The only thing different I would have wanted is a 2007 model bc from what I read those models for some odd reason had 5 more HP than the year before (2006) & after (2008). That seems odd to me, but maybe what I read was wrong?

But after searching for exactly what I wanted for this long (been looking since late Feb, March) at the price I paid, I felt it was a good value.
It needed some work, but I felt i could get that done and still be in budget.

https://app.box.com/s/850aiveu6dfwjmiraa9aq72te9kfhang

Thanks to all for your help :)


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