future q45 owner
future q45 owner
Looking to buy a q45. I was able to find a local one 1999 q45 but it has 180k miles. I want to keep the car for a good amount of years so the mileage worries me. Is there anything I should look for with this high of miles?
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Skibane
- Posts: 1056
- Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:33 pm
- Car: 2000 Q45 AE 110K
- Location: San Antonio, TX
Re: future q45 owner
Does it have any service records?
By that mileage, quite a few items probably would have needed to be replaced. If they haven't been done already, you'll spend some money doing them.
Shocks: If it has "Active Suspension", the shocks will be expensive to replace. IIRC, only Nissan sells a replacement. Aside from checking them for proper operation, leaks, etc., make sure that they're the OEM part - It's possible that someone may have installed a cheap aftermarket part that wasn't designed for this vehicle.
Rubber parts: There's a few bushings in the front suspension that will make the car handle sloppy when the rubber in them deteriorates. Also, the rear suspension member has two silicone-filled rubber mounts that are prone to leaking on high-mileage vehicles - very expensive to replace. There are also a few rubber boots over rear drive shafts that should be checked for leaks. The engine and transmission mounts should also be inspected carefully.
Normal spark plug replacement should have occurred way back at 105K miles - If the previous owner went cheap on the replacement plugs, you could be due for another set pretty soon.
The original valve cover gaskets are prone to oil leaks - They might have been replaced back when the spark plugs were changed.
The O2 sensors and knock sensors often fail by that mileage. The knock sensors are nearly impossible to replace without removing the intake plenum - some folks clean the inside of the plenum at the same time, while it's out of the engine.
The electric fuel pump is another high-mileage failure item, especially if the fuel filter hasn't been replaced on schedule. The pump is located inside the fuel tank, which is between the trunk and the back seat. Open the trunk, and listen for any unusually loud whining noises back there while the engine is running.
When test-driving the car, try to drive it before it's warmed up to normal operating temperature - that's often when transmission problems show up. The 2nd-to-3rd gear upshift tends to be a tad "lazy" when the transmission is cold, but should become a lot quicker after it warms up.
As always, inspect the transmission fluid and power steering fluid for a dark color or burnt odor. Also check the engine coolant and engine oil for signs of having been replaced recently.
By that mileage, quite a few items probably would have needed to be replaced. If they haven't been done already, you'll spend some money doing them.
Shocks: If it has "Active Suspension", the shocks will be expensive to replace. IIRC, only Nissan sells a replacement. Aside from checking them for proper operation, leaks, etc., make sure that they're the OEM part - It's possible that someone may have installed a cheap aftermarket part that wasn't designed for this vehicle.
Rubber parts: There's a few bushings in the front suspension that will make the car handle sloppy when the rubber in them deteriorates. Also, the rear suspension member has two silicone-filled rubber mounts that are prone to leaking on high-mileage vehicles - very expensive to replace. There are also a few rubber boots over rear drive shafts that should be checked for leaks. The engine and transmission mounts should also be inspected carefully.
Normal spark plug replacement should have occurred way back at 105K miles - If the previous owner went cheap on the replacement plugs, you could be due for another set pretty soon.
The original valve cover gaskets are prone to oil leaks - They might have been replaced back when the spark plugs were changed.
The O2 sensors and knock sensors often fail by that mileage. The knock sensors are nearly impossible to replace without removing the intake plenum - some folks clean the inside of the plenum at the same time, while it's out of the engine.
The electric fuel pump is another high-mileage failure item, especially if the fuel filter hasn't been replaced on schedule. The pump is located inside the fuel tank, which is between the trunk and the back seat. Open the trunk, and listen for any unusually loud whining noises back there while the engine is running.
When test-driving the car, try to drive it before it's warmed up to normal operating temperature - that's often when transmission problems show up. The 2nd-to-3rd gear upshift tends to be a tad "lazy" when the transmission is cold, but should become a lot quicker after it warms up.
As always, inspect the transmission fluid and power steering fluid for a dark color or burnt odor. Also check the engine coolant and engine oil for signs of having been replaced recently.
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maxnix
- Posts: 22627
- Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2002 8:11 pm
- Car: 1995 Infiniti Q45
1995 Infiniti Q45t
2000 Infiniti Q45
Re: future q45 owner
Your EGR tube is clogged at the very least. Your AT is shot if not maintained. Rotors might well need replacing. Thermostat, water pump. How's the differential and PS fluid?
Service history is everything. Obtain it and get a PPI by a qualified senior Infiniti tech if you can find one. Read the Sticky at the top on buying a Q45 then wait for the right one.
Service history is everything. Obtain it and get a PPI by a qualified senior Infiniti tech if you can find one. Read the Sticky at the top on buying a Q45 then wait for the right one.
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BadQ45t
- Posts: 3255
- Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 7:54 am
- Car: '21 Nissan Leaf SL Plus (wife's car)
'05 Nissan X-Terra S 4x4
'97 Infiniti Q45t SOLD! Miss the old girl
'84 Nissan 300ZX (Original Owner)
'16 Mercedes Benz S550e V8 Power & 35 MPG - Location: Half Moon Bay, CA
Re: future q45 owner
Unless you have a large pile of receipts from lots of work done to the car RUN do not WALK away. My have a very serious bundle of receipts for my 97' Q45 with 1/2 the mileage that car has. Everything above if not replaced is going to be going out shortly.
If the owner has done most/all of this work then you might have a good one, but that is a lot of mileage and there will be issues to deal with.
How much they looking to get for it?
If the owner has done most/all of this work then you might have a good one, but that is a lot of mileage and there will be issues to deal with.
How much they looking to get for it?