My 1997 J30 is about toast after 160K. Looking at an M35x as there are several in my area with under 100K. Just wondering what's the general consensus of this car, reliability, performance, maintenance do and don'ts, etc.

Any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

May want to look at this thread:
post6762616.html?hilit=buying#p6762616

Once you join - can use search (admittedly not the best system for finding info, but I just put in "buying" under this group and this thread popped up on the fourth or fifth page of results)

VQ motor is rock steady, less likely to have oil consumption issues compared to M45 (VK motor), electronics can be pricey...

Happy 10yr anniversary (site lists you as member since 03/2010).
On to the M-series. As the owner of two M35's let me say ... fear not. There is, of course a caveat ... The 3rd and 4th gen M's (2006-2008 and 2009-2010) are pretty much bullet poof .... IF ... they have been maintained properly. Mine were purchased with relatively low mileage so no major maintenance was needed by the previous owners.
I can't tell you that yours will be as reliable unless you can see the maintenance records regarding fluid changes, plugs, belts, hoses, etc. You can take it to any Infiniti dealer for an oil / filter change and get a pretty comprehensive inspection included. That should give you a starting point. Maintenance on any mid to high level car is pricey and M35's are no exception but you can budget them in one by one and you may be able to do them yourself. There are DIY thread in the FAQ section of the site.
I can't speak on the M35X models because I'm, in South Florida with no need for AWD. I can tell you that over the years I have not seen members complain about the AWD system very often.
My 07 M35 had the rare bourbon leather and was assassinated at just over 100k miles by a drunk 21 year old tart. Infiniti dropped bourbon leather in 2009 (just when other car makers were adding it and selling them like brownies). The 07 repairs were limited to a starter, 02 sensors, and hood struts over the entire life that I owned it.
My 09 also has an option that is rare called the 'premium package'. It was a $9,000 option which included all the xtra packages and added temp controlled, reclining rear seats with a movie screen that lowers from the roof. That was the last year infiniti offered that option. It now has over 110k miles. The only repairs to date were the catalytic converters and the air/con evaporator. I also had the dash replaced due to the air bag recall but that was not a failure - it was cosmetic.
Mind you, I spent a lot of money on maintenance. If you cheap out on the maintenance, your bills will be likely be higher.

Larz wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:29 am

Happy 10yr anniversary (site lists you as member since 03/2010).

LOL...one post every 10 years. Guess I should stop by more often.

Pulled the trigger on a 2006 M35x with 85K. Beautiful car with a good Carfax (for what it's worth). Very excited to join the club again!

10 days into ownership and wow, what an amazing car. Probably have 20 hours into detailing most of which no one would ever notice (lol).

I'd confirm what's been written here numerous times - gearing takes some getting used to, could use an overdrive option on the highway and was like going to school again to learn all the options, settings and gadgets.

For this particular car, 3 relatively minor issues but will need addressed:
1. It appears the valve cover gaskets are leaking just a bit. Not enough for any drips under the car but enough to see a little oil film on the cover perimeter.

2. Brake pedal is soft. New rear pads installed by the dealership prior to sale but no real improvement so far. Not sure how it takes for pads to seat.

3. A smidge more road noise than I would expect. Current tires are Hankook Optimas with 25K miles.

Physical limitations prevent me from addressing the first two on my own. If anyone living near SE PA wants a job, I'll pay $25/hr cash. Otherwise, it's off to the garage. Second, what's the quietest tire out there? The car will never see snow and I'm not the type to test the lateral G capabilities. So a good touring, QUIET tire is what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

According to Tire Rack, which is where I buy my tires, the top three quietest summer tires are:
Goodyear Assurance Comfort Tread
Michelin Defender
Michelin Primacy MXV4
I haven't driven these because I use Ultra High performance A/S tires, but Tire Rack is a great place with accurate revciwews and customer ratings for noise, wet, dry, etc.

As for tires, I just took a shot to see how it would work out, and it did, like a champ.
I purchased Mastercraft LSR Grand Tour tires, made by Cooper Tire. THey have a long treadlife, and I do a TON of long road driving.
At the same time, I had some serious front end road noise and a hum between 50 and 60mph. Had an alignment done and there was a toe in problem up front.
Hum is completely gone, and the new tires are really quiet and smooth.
I normally buy Michelins, but this was a one time change to see if I could save a little $$. It was well worth it. About 700 miles in and so far I'm very happy. I was very skeptical putting a brand I'd never purchased before on such a nice car, but it's currently working better for me than the Bridgestones that were on it.
I do not drive this car vary hard or aggressive. I like the comfort of these new tires.

Just throwing in my $.02.

Thanks for the tire thoughts. I will likely be going with the Conti DWS's as they are mid range in price and folks here have had success with them.

With that said, I may not get that far if we can't get the brake problem solved. I had an independent outfit do the valve covers and flush the brake fluid. Pedal is a little better but I'd still describe it as pretty much undriveable soft. We also have a '14 Passat, an '08 Volvo and an '07 Altima and the brake pedal on each is SO much firmer than the M35. The car is at the Nissan dealer now and if they can't improve the brakes, I'll be selling the car. Will keep you posted.

Dealer agreed brakes were soft and bled the system. They indicated "some air" was present. Pedal now is better to the point of barely acceptable. I guess that's the good news since I really did not want to part with the car. I'm still not convinced the pedal is as firm as it could/should be. Does anyone know of a good shop near southeast PA who can do a brake fluid flush 100% correct to ensure absolutely no air remains?

First off, thanks to all the members who recommended the Conti Extreme Contact tire. What an amazing difference in terms of virtually no tramlining, quieter and a much smoother ride than the Hankook Optimo's that were on it.

I found a local shop that has an EBS flushing machine so gonna give it one last shot at improving the brake pedal softness. Fingers crossed.