For new and prospective buyers of used Q45s (even newer ones)

[StarPD]

We often see redundant questions regarding simple problems by new owners of Q45s here. Some might be laughable, but they aren't funny to the guy who just dropped hard-earned cash on what he thought was a really nice car. "Wow, what a cool car. I can buy it for $3,000 and be stylin', and the chicks will dig me". Well, partially true. Unfortunately, the $3,000 is only the beginning.

There are already "stickies" on this, but repetition seems to be necessary, as the many posts asking the same questions by new owners are evidence that too many completely overlook them. So here they are for those who missed the stickies:

Despite repeated warnings here in this forum, many new and prospective buyers overlook the realities of getting a new Q. There are some things that if ignored, WILL cost you a LOT more money than you bargained for, and there are some things that are essential for enjoying your investment, and to keep you from spending far more than might otherwise be necessary.

First off, before you plunk down your geetahs, you MUST get all maintenance records on the car from day one of it's life. Secondly, you need to have an experienced Infiniti SENIOR technician inspect it to determine which items need attention. Hint: Buying him a case or fifth of what he drinks, a box of his favorite cigars or carton of his favorite cigarettes is a wise investment, cheap at any price, BEFORE he begins his examination.

Then, once you've determined what your new baby needs to bring it up to snuff, as Q45tech says, usually at least $3,000 or more, there are things you need to do to protect and prolong the life of your investment.Absolutes are:*Complete FLUSHES (or at least complete replacement) of ALL fluids. That means engine oil, transmission fluid, cooling system, brake system, steering system, and even differential, and fan fluid on those vehicles that use fans with replaceable fluid.*Replacement of ALL filters with either OEM or other premium ones.*4 wheel alignment*Replacement of W/S wiper blades*Cleaning of radiator and A/C condenser coils, heater and A/C evaporator coils*Cleaning of PCV valve and MAF

Probables, or at least possibles are:*Replacement of all suspension and steering rubber bushings, motor and transmission mounts and exhaust hangers*Replacement of shocks and struts, tension rods, and other steering/suspension components*Radiator, alternator, water pump, PS pump, starter, A/C compressor or clutch*Hood struts*Correct aiming of headlamps*Sunroof components, window/door switches and motors, power antenna*Brake master cylinder and calipers, pads and even hoses*ALL hoses and belts (should at least be checked)*Spark plugs and valve cover gaskets*Don't forget tires. Even ones with plenty of tread may be aged and vulnerable to failure.

These things all presume that the engine and driveline are all standup, and that engine passes compression and leakdown tests and oil pressure (hot) is within limits, and that the transmission shifts smoothly and positively hot and cold in all gears, and there are no undue vibrations at any speed in any gear. If not, run, don't walk away from the vehicle. There are plenty of others available that ARE good and worth refurbishing.

If they are all good, plan on doing everything the senior tech recommends, and get estimates for whatever it takes to bring it up to safe and reliable condition. 3 to 6,000 dollars is not an unreasonable amount to spend to resurrect a good solid Q that needs TLC to get the most and best out of it. Start the car out right, and it will reward you with years of enjoyable, safe, and reliable driving. Once properly refurbished, there are few other cars that are as enjoyable as a Q45, even the older ones.

Those who ignore this advice will be obvious by their presence here and in IOM. And yes, we'll still help you, even if you didn't pay attention here.

[oldschool45]

WOW!What did I get myself into? This is all good solid advice but geez, are Q's really that touchy? Makes me glad this is the wifes car. My 99 GS400 Lexus has needed nothing but normal maintenance since I bought it 3 years ago.

I may get flamed for this but I was just told that by jump starting her car letting it run for 5 minutes that I flooded her ride, whats up with these vehicles? By the way now I can't get it started!

Anybody want a parts vehicle cheap? 1991 Q45 for sale! Pass Front qtr and hood damage, California car, no rust. $1000 obo.

[StarPD]

WOW!What did I get myself into? This is all good solid advice but geez, are Q's really that touchy? Makes me glad this is the wifes car. My 99 GS400 Lexus has needed nothing but normal maintenance since I bought it 3 years ago.

I may get flamed for this but I was just told that by jump starting her car letting it run for 5 minutes that I flooded her ride, whats up with these vehicles? By the way now I can't get it started!

Anybody want a parts vehicle cheap? 1991 Q45 for sale! Pass Front qtr and hood damage, California car, no rust. $1000 obo.

Some of the cars we're talking about here are as much as 19 years old.Let's see if your Lexus will last that long without regular flushes and replacement of rubber components, as well as suspension components, etc, especially if you bought it used and don't know how the PO treated it.

As for your current Q45, maybe you need to take it to a senior Infiniti technician, or would that be too expensive for you?

[Rex]

The long and short of StarPD's post is the Luxury Used car bargain so many get aren't really the bargain they thought it was. As many on here have learned, they got a great deal on a 12-15 yr old car, because the previous owner was just made aware of a significant repair that's needed to keep the car running for the next few years.

And in all fairness, comparing a 91 Q45 and a 99 GS is a bit slanted. Find a 91 LS or a 99 Q and lets start comparing.

As for the "flooded" situation, the Q's initial start up puts a lot of fuel in the cylinders and a "start - quick move - stop" will leave the plug wet and the car will be unlikely to start. Especially since the re-start will dump a bunch of fuel into the cylinders again. Try pulling the fuel pump fuse and turning it over until it really tries to start. Otherwise, just let it sit overnight. Keep in mind you may want to shorten the oil change interval, as you've probably thinned the oil a bit with the gas.

[qship96]

Take that 99 lexus to a trained technician, and I guarantee you he finds 3000 + dollars of parts/service it needs to restore to near new operating condition.

There is a BIG difference in a 1999 vehicle that starts and rolls down the road and one that performs as new- most secondhand owners dont realize what they are missing since they never experienced the vehicle brand new.

[maxnix]

WOW!What did I get myself into? This is all good solid advice but geez, are Q's really that touchy?

No but rubber degrades regardless of who makes. Fluids form foul chemicals when tehy get saturated with water, air, and heat degrades all.

All cars have maintenance due. Depends what your standards are and how long you want to keep OEM as new performance once you have restored it. Obviously you have not paid for the timing belt service yet.

You still con't understand that on a cold start, it is not the length of time it is run, but what temperature the coolant reaches before it is shut off and how soon one attempts to restart it cold again. I bet it was a lot less than 5 minutes if the ambient temperature was > 50° F.

[qsiguy]

People on this board tend to be pretty "anal" about their Q's. The simple fact is, as Brian stated, that any old vehicle will require maintenance similar in range as the Q if you expected it to operate as new. The difference is, most old cars people buy just to get around and they don't care if it operates as new. People that buy Q's have higher expectations as they should.

With that said I'm more than a little tired of hearing about how we all need to dump thousands of dollars into our cars and how ignorant we all are if we don't. Let people read the stickies...

[maxnix]

With that said I'm more than a little tired of hearing about how we all need to dump thousands of dollars into our cars and how ignorant we all are if we don't.

Let people read the stickies...

But they don't.

Every new owner who is seduced by what the car could be or is compared to the beater thay just abandoned comes here and posts some symptoms caused by usually multiple neglected items and wonders how they can fix it with parts from Kragen or Midas.

They just don't understand, when systems fail, it does cost thousands to replace them. No further discounts on parts or labor because of age or especially deferred maintenance are available beyond the discounted purchase price they just paid. Why we say it is still a $50K car in pre-Bush dollars and an opportunity to invest and another few formerly large to return it to its original glory and more importantly safety, which is quite glorious still indeed for those of us who know that state.

And a restored G50 is still quite a bagain in the grand scheme of things.

Had a medical or dental procedure or needed an attorney lately? A few Benjis doesn't go very far anymore in case you haven't noticed. Cars in the US and even fuel at $5 a gallon is cheap. Go ask some Europeans, especially ones from recently freely emerged Eastern European economies.