I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti

Post by **golfgizzard** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:47 am

I am brand new to this forum......I am thinking of purchasing the 2006 M35

I currently own a 2001 Mercedes S430 with only 25,000 miles

Was wondering if any other former or current M-B owners out there could give me a "what differences to expect" list.

Are Infiniti's expensive to work on?Is the ride smooth? (I know they handle very well)

Any advice or opinion will be appreciated.

Post by **elwesso** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:56 am

Welcome to NICO golfgizzard.....

I moved this to the M forum... you will probably get better responses here!!

Post by **CakeDaddy** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:36 am

Mercedes is a very solid car. My girlfriend has the CLK and it is a great car to drive. I'm very quick to grab her clk over my M45 sometimes. I can't begin to compare my M Infiniti to her CLK Mercedes. I can tell you that the price to repair a Mercedes is more expensive than an Infiniti, but I would bet that the Mercedes is more reliable than the infiniti in the long run. The S class that you currently have is very classy and is very popular with baby boomer and the M is a sport sedan with some attitude tailored for the X generation.

The service she gets a Mercedes is top notch. I've had to hustle my infiniti dealer on certain warranty issues/parts (trunk struts, headlights, etc..) as oppose to Mercedes knowing exactly what is covered and what isn't but, other than that the infiniti service is great.

Post by **szh** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:16 am

golfgizzard wrote:I am brand new to this forum......I am thinking of purchasing the 2006 M35

I currently own a 2001 Mercedes S430 with only 25,000 miles

Was wondering if any other former or current M-B owners out there could give me a "what differences to expect" list.

Are Infiniti's expensive to work on?Is the ride smooth? (I know they handle very well)

Any advice or opinion will be appreciated.

Infiniti and Mercedes are aiming at slightly different markets with the M45 and S430 respectively. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages - some of which will appeal to you and some may not. It all depends on what you are looking for!

I think that the bottom line is that the M will have a lot more value for the money - to get the equivalent in German cars means a significant price premium. This makes the decision simple for me - YMMV, of course!

FWIW, I know of a number of people (my boss among others) who went from a Mercedes to an Infiniti, after a test drive. My boss used to drive an S400 (also had a early 80's convertible MB 280, I think, of some sort - really cool!) and went for a ride in my Q45 a number of years ago. No contest!

He sold his S400 and bought a Q45 within a few months of that ride - both of us have now owned an Infiniti of some sort for more than a decade (he is on his second one, a 2004 Q45, and I am on my third, a 2003 M45).

My other concern (and this is not necessarily true of the high-end Mercs) is that German "precision and engineering" has apparently taken its toll on reliability. Another acquaintance is always in the Mercedes shop for lots of repairs - admittedly under warranty - but it takes time to get it all done. I forget which model he has.

While I have no personal experience with Mercedes, these stories keep me away from them.

Z

Post by **carbuff** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:27 pm

golfgizzard, having owned Infiniti and Mercedes automobiles, I have strong general opinions about each.

My response to your question, “what differences to expect" list” is that the Mercedes is sedate, richly styled, comfortable, reasonably quiet and expensive to maintain.

The Infiniti is elegant, styled with a modern edge, comfortable, somewhat noisy and absolutely requires proper maintenance.

Both have super engines, excellent transmissions and wonderful driver technologies providing safety, creature comforts and enjoyment.

IMO, Infiniti is ahead of the curve while Mercedes is the curve. Of the two, I prefer the M35.

Lastly, I now own a 2006 M45 which I think is superior to both the S430 and the M35. In fact, I think my M45 is better then any Acura, Audi, BMW or Mercedes that I have ever owned.

Post by **jshattner** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:33 pm

I got my M45 Sport 4 months ago coming off a string of Mercedes' between my wife and me, including 1996 C280, 2002 C320 (hers), 1997 E430, 2000 E55, 2003 E500 (mine). She's now in a BMW 3-series. All in all, it was time for a change.

Net, Mercedes builds a great car with niggling QC issues in my E500 - electronics and windshield problems galore. Their service is top notch. and highway ride is great - controlled and not too harsh.

The M45 is also a great ride; Sport is as harsh as the E55 or E500 on "firm"; handling a bit better, transmission less responsive. Service, from my limited experience so far, is 2nd rate on vehicle understanding and looking after the customer, but from all reports, and my experience so far, you won't need it much. The biggest PITA is the shorter service intervals. Gas mileage is also, so far, much worst than my larger-displacements in the E55 and E500.

But all in all, the M45 is so far the best of the lot for me. Love the seats, the roominess compared to the E, all the gadgets that work as designed (bad news on the Benz), and performance is excellent. Just wish it had a bit more passing "punch".

Another consideration coming from an "S" is that you'll pay a ton more for equivalent room in MB, unless you go used. The M should come close for rear seating, although it will be a bit tighter.

Post by **szh** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:45 pm

Great comments from people with experience with Mercedez Benz vehicles. Thanks, guys!

Z

Post by **MinisterofDOOM** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:12 pm

It always struck me as odd that the majority of people moving from another luxury brand to Infiniti are interested in the M35. It seems like people move from a V8 MB, BMW, or Lexus to a V6 Infiniti. There's certainly nothing wrong with the M35, but don't forget about the M45.

Post by **scjconsulting** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:59 am

In my case, I came from a 2004 S4 Avant which had a 340HP V8. Very fast (faster than a M45), but it also had all-wheel drive.

I would have been interested in the M45 if it was a M45X.

Some people have a cost consideration, but also, 280HP is enough for a lot of people.

Post by **golfgizzard** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:03 am

Let me also thank everyone who has weighed in so far. Can't say the decision has gotten easier, but the input has been great.

Love my MB....low mileage....great mpg....mostly worried about expenses "as we go"

On my first "look-see" at the Infiniti, it was explained to me that the M35 & M45 were the same car with different engines. At first thought, it seemed sensible that the existing HP in the 35 would be enough. I think now I owe it to myself to test drive a 45.

Post by **elwesso** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:06 am

Dont drive an M45 unless your willing to accept youll probably get it instead of the 35!!!!!

carbuff wrote:
IMO, Infiniti is ahead of the curve while Mercedes is the curve. Of the two, I prefer the M35.

I think this is a very VERY true statement!!!

Post by **gniknave** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:18 am

scjconsulting wrote:In my case, I came from a 2004 S4 Avant which had a 340HP V8. Very fast (faster than a M45), but it also had all-wheel drive.

I would have been interested in the M45 if it was a M45X.

Some people have a cost consideration, but also, 280HP is enough for a lot of people.

And this is why most people buy the M35. Consider that with the more expensive 530i, you still only get 255hp. Most people just find the M an overall nice car no matter if it's a 35, or 45. I've put myself in their shoes. If I couldn't afford an M45 would I get the M35, or would I buy something in the same price range with a different brand?

Ask it that way and then see what your options are with the M35 vs. it's direct competitors. Unless you want to pick up a used car that's around $40k, what better car is there that costs $40k new than the M35?

I sort of compare it to my dillema about whether or not I should sell my 1990 Q45. I could have sold it for $4000, and getting that $4k would have been nice, but after looking around there just wasn't a better car out there that I could replace my Q with for that amount of money. So for now, I'm keeping it until a better suitable replacement comes into the picture. As of now, the best thing I could do is spend more money and get a newer and more expensive car.

Same with the M35 buyer. Maybe they can't afford the M45, but the M35 isn't a deal breaker because there's really not a car that gives you more for the money in it's category.

Gas prices certainly aren't helping M45 sales either.

Post by **jshattner** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:46 am

gniknave wrote:
Gas prices certainly aren't helping M45 sales either.

Maybe true, but I have not seen much difference in posts or with friends who have the "x" between the 35x and my 45 on mileage. IF you run both on Premium (recommended for 35, required for 45) you'll probably see 'way less than $200 per year difference on a 12,000mi year. And I believe golfgizzard said his S430 was low mileage, so it'll likely be even more negligible. Both versions of the M are gas-guzzlers.

Post by **golfgizzard** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:11 am

Yes, I did state that my 2001 S430 was low mileage (actually almost 28,000 now....I bought it with 19,000 on it only 6 months ago), but it also gets about 24-27 mpg on a daily basis based on car's computer. I have not physically measured it.

My commute is 85 miles RT, 3-4 days per week, but as you can see I have logged 9,000 miles in my first 6 months. The M35's have 18/25 mpg on the sticker.....do you guys find that to be pretty accurate??

Post by **szh** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:43 am

golfgizzard wrote:My commute is 85 miles RT, 3-4 days per week, but as you can see I have logged 9,000 miles in my first 6 months. The M35's have 18/25 mpg on the sticker.....do you guys find that to be pretty accurate??

After break-in, if you drive about 60% highway and 40% street, you will see about 16 to 17 to 18 mpg for the M45 and maybe 1 mpg higher for the M35.

If you do a lot of highway driving, then the mileage goes up. On my 2003 M45, I have done a post in the past on measured mpg at various speeds on the highway ... here is the info from it:

szhosain wrote:Hi, all.

I was coming back from San Francisco tonight, and traffic was light, so I tried to do a very simplistic mileage test using the built-in MPG measuring system.

(As a side note, I remembered a factoid from my 1991 Q45: once the cruise control is engaged, each click of the Set button reduces the speed setting by 1 mph, and each click of the Reset/Accel button increases the setting by 1 mph. Sure enough, it works the same on my M45 and the speed setting were exact (reading the speedo carefully, of course). Cool! )

Anyway, here is what I did:

* Starting at 60 mph, * I set the cruise control in 5 mph increments from 60 mph to 80 mph, * let the car settle into the speed for about a mile, * reset the MPG counter, * recorded the average MPG after 5 miles. * If the road wasn't reasonably flat in that 5 mile section, I would reset the counter and go for another 5 miles.

Here are the results and they are kinda interesting and confusing at the same time!

* Indicated 60 mph: 29.1 mpg * Indicated 65 mph: 27.0 mpg * Indicated 70 mph: 25.6 mpg * Indicated 75 mph: 23.2 mpg * Indicated 80 mph: 23.2 mpg

What is interesting (peculiar?) is the slightly higher than expected reading at 70 mph (off the slope), and the lack of a real change from 75 to 80 mph!

Note that, at a steady 65mph, the M45 met its CAFE "mileage" of 27mpg for highway driving! Also cool!

Anyone have any explanations for this? Is it some gearing/engine-power/something-else anomaly?

I think I have going to have to repeat this test someday over a wider range of speeds!

Z

Post by **jshattner** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:39 pm

That could help explain my lousy mileage. Who wants to drive at 60mph in the M45? My Benzes seemd to deliver peak mileage at about 80mph. Oh well, let's see, a 6mpg difference (let's say 22 vs 28) over 12k/year = 120Gal = $300 or so = $1/day for the fun quotient. Guess I'll forget about 60mph...

Post by **szh** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:48 am

jshattner wrote:That could help explain my lousy mileage. Who wants to drive at 60mph in the M45?

Agreed. I tend to be nearer 75 to 80 all the time.

jshattner wrote:et's see, a 6mpg difference (let's say 22 vs 28) over 12k/year = 120Gal = $300 or so = $1/day for the fun quotient. Guess I'll forget about 60mph...

Good analysis. I have a similar one for the folks who want to put in 87 or 89 octane into their M45 engines. It just is not worth it, given the relatively minor 10 cent/gallon difference between 91 and 89.

Z

Post by **carbuff** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:55 am

If milage was a paramount consideration, I would buy a Honda Civic hybrid. But, it isn't THE reason that I buy a car.

Secondly, if you do drive the M45, it will go vrooooooooooooooom and you will not find the M35 to look quite as good as it did before.

That V8 engine does make a difference. Everything else the car offers becomes even more appealing.

Good luck with your choice. You cannot go wrong with either the M35 or M45.

Post by **Nick240sx** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:09 am

my dad owns a CLS55 AMG, and the cars hauls. personally i love the looks of the M45 SPORT. i find the M45 and M35 to be a little more plain and more classy/luxury = looking less agressive. however that is after looking at a CLS55 AMG everyday and loving the M45 SPORT- the cream of both models so looks wise my opinion is limited. just wanted to add in what i thought on which models look the best

if you wanna go fast and get great mileage i have a nice sporty car for you, im asking $30,000. its a RARE car but its RWD and its built with nissan quality. they call it the 240SX.

Post by **szh** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:20 am

Nick240sx wrote:my dad owns a CLS55 AMG, and the cars hauls. personally i love the looks of the M45 SPORT.

The CLS55 AMG is definitely awesome, and, yeah, I would not mind owning one. But, the price difference between these two cars would lead me to get the M45 Sport instead for sure!

Z

I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti

I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti

Re: I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti (golfgizzard)

Re: I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti (golfgizzard)

Re: I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti (golfgizzard)

Re: I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti (golfgizzard)

Re: I'm new here and still thinking about an Infiniti (carbuff)

Re: (szhosain)

It's called AWD!

Re: (szhosain)

Re: (golfgizzard)

Re: (gniknave)

Re: (jshattner)

Re: (golfgizzard)

Re: (szhosain)

Re: (jshattner)

Re: (golfgizzard)

Re: (carbuff)

Re: (Nick240sx)

Nissan Forums

Infiniti Forums

Datsun Forums

Technical Forums

Classifieds / Marketplace

Nissan Motorsports

General Forums