Looking into getting a Q.

[Maximos]

Hello guys!

I am interested in getting a Q45 and had a few questions.

How is maintenance on these cars? Some other cars I was considering include: BMW 540i, Benz S420/S500. However, I was scared away from these due to their enormous need for maintenance, and its accompanying cost.

I understand the Q is easy to work on. I wouldn't mind doing some work myself if necessary. How reliable are these cars?

I have an opportunity to get a decent 88k 1996 example with upgraded wheels and purple tinted windows (disgusting!) for $4300. What do you guys think?

How do they perform in the snow?

Thanks!
Modified by Maximos at 7:28 PM 12/29/2008

[Infinitiguy19]

Well begin with reading the above stickes.

Then get the VIN number from the seller and get the service history at you local Infiniti dealer, or get a carfax report to find a dealer that that the car has been too then call up that dealer to get the service history. The Carfax should be provided by the seller if he or she is inclined to sell the vehicle.

Then if it all checks out you need to review the service history and see when all the fluids were changed and if they were changed on time then fine.

Also check to see if the mix door for the AC/heater works properly, as that can be a costly repair.

Check the FSM: http://Nicoclub.com/FSM to run all the diagnostics that you can such as AT-CHECK, AC/Heater check, BCM AKA Body Control Module Test.

See if you hear a buzzing sound from the back, that might be the fuel pump.

See if the idle is around 750 RPM's.

See if the car shake or idles bad. (Bad injector, MAF connector, MAF, Bad gas, spark plugs)

See if you hear any noise at 70 MPH (Bad Drive shaft)

See of the car shakes at 40 MPH (Bad transmission mount)

If that checks out and the rest of the car (paint, interior...) looks great then you have a great running car.

Once maintained properly these are "heavan on earth" cars trust me.

Who said these car are easy to work on?

As long as you have TCS AKA Traction Control your covered on the snow part.

If you have no TCS then see if you can get a 1990-1992 Q45 TCU AKA Transmission Control Unit because they start on second gear where your current TCU assuming you buy the car starts on first gear which is better for the transmission but harder for you to control in snow.

Welcome to NICO
Modified by Paul Wall at 11:22 PM 12/29/2008

[carfrk666]

well i say welcome to nico.

they are great cars in the snow if you are 19 and live in an area with lots of empty parking lots to do dounuts in, RWD car, quite light back end, it can get hairy sometimes.

as far as easy to work on, that depends on how much experiance you have on workin on cars. there is lots of "how to's" on this forum and if you fallow carefully, most things will be a snap.

the Q's are a great car however and i love mine to death!

[qship96]

The Q is easy to work on if your hands stopped growing when you were 2 years old, but your arms didnt.

[Skibane]

I understand the Q is easy to work on. I wouldn't mind doing some work myself if necessary. How reliable are these cars?

Welcome, Maximos!

I'd say that the Q45 is one of the easier luxury cars to work on - Like all its competitors, the engine compartment is tightly packed, but most items can be serviced without special tools. Factory service manuals are readily available on CD-ROM, and Technical Service Bulletins are available online for download.

Original Nissan parts are not cheap (particularly from local dealerships), but are very high quality - You won't have to replace the same part again for a long time. They are available at considerable discount online - see our NICO website sponsors for details.

Generally, the Q got more reliable as it advanced in model year - The first several years (1990-1991) tended to have expensive problems with the timing chain guides (which were replaced with a bulletproof design soon thereafter), the automatic transmission (which was corrected by beefing up the ATF cooler), and the active suspension (an all-hydraulic system that was eventually replaced with a much less sophisticated but reliable system that used electrically adjusted shock absorbers instead).

By the time the 1st generation "G50" Q gave way to the 2nd generation ("Y33") version in 1997, it was a reliable car - very reliable in fact, by luxury car standards. This trend continued when the 3rd (and last) generation (the "F50") was introduced in 2002, although the first several years of F50s tended to be prone to excessive engine oil consumption. Gradual refinements continued up until Infiniti dropped the model after 2006 - The final Qs are generally regarded to be superb cars.

Hope you find a Q that suits you - If you need any assistance, don't hesitate to speak up!
Modified by Skibane at 10:17 PM 12/29/2008

[Jesda]

Read every FAQ and article on this forum, get a service history, and enjoy the ride. When cared for properly, they are wonderful and timeless cars.

And even though 88k is low, 1996 was 12 years ago. Things made of rubber will age.

[maxnix]

By the time the 1st generation "G50" Q gave way to the 2nd generation ("Y33") version in 1997, it was a reliable car - very reliable in fact, by luxury car standards. This trend continued when the 3rd (and last) generation (the "F50") was introduced in 2002, although the first several years of F50s tended to be prone to excessive engine oil consumption. Gradual refinements continued up until Infiniti dropped the model after 2006 - The final Qs are generally regarded to be superb cars.

Let me translate this last paragraph.

There were no Y33 Cedrics and Glorias brought into the US, only the FGY33 Q45 with the VH41DE based largely on the JDM Cima. It sis retain the VLSD, but dropped the automatic mirror positioning and substituted the MAcPherson strut front suspension for the G50 multilink. The later 1999-2001 did add seatbelt pretensioners, extra side air bags in the front seats, rear sunshade, and HID low beams and traction control from the earlier years. Arguably a better car for an everyday driver.

The F50 became more Lexus like with the deletion of the VLSD in favor of computer driven brake and throttle traction control only. Lighter 5 speed automatic (designed for the VQ35DE) and looser VK engine to achieve horsepower numbers, and many more electronic doo dads. Early 2002 were subject to a lower numerical ratio diferential and an ITB for throttle pedal and TCU reprogramming. Many revisions in 2003 and later (mostly unseen) inluding the higher numerical ratio differential. The 2006 was a rare and unique model. MacPherson strut front end retained throughout.

[Denver90Q]

Main problem with 1996 was reduced power due to elimination of VVT on engine and cheapened interior but still superior to 540i IMHO. Fuel injectors are main maintenance problem. You can do most work yourself if handy and 1996 is OBDII compliant. Work well in snow with snow tires.

[elwesso]

The Q is easy to work on if your hands stopped growing when you were 2 years old, but your arms didnt.

HAHA, I definitely laughed out loud! SO TRUE, they were made for tiny japanese people to work on them.

To the OP.. Check out some of the stickies and articles. miles dont mean much anymore, its all about maintenance... Maintenance records go a LONG way in assuring everything is kosher... I agree with paul for the most part.

IM not sure you'd like a Q better than your 540 regardless of if its a E34 or E39, however theyre still great cars.

The important thing to remember here is they are reliable cars WHEN WELL SORTED... For the past 4 years Ive had nothing go wrong on my car except little things and general maintenance.

You have to be committed to them and DIY labor makes them a bargain. The rule of thumb is assume that no one knows how to diagnose these cars properly except for someone that regularly works on Q45s, and this forum. Dont trust dealers, independents, whatever unless they have EXPLICIT experience on these cars.

Jobs on the Q are generally more tedious than anything. Most things are pretty straight forward, just a PITA because everything is jam packed in there. never worked on a 540 so its hard for me to compare, i bet its comparable though.

The 1st gens are the most desirable if you want a drivers car.. Theyre quite finicky and will always give you something to tinker with (some people like that). With that said, mine always starts when i ask it to and has never missed a beat! About 95% of electronic glitches can be cured by unplugging the battery for a few hours.

2nd gens are a bit more reliable, but theyre more like a lexus/cadillac mixture.. Not really a ton of fun to drive, mediocre acceleration, but they look nice and are cheap to operate... 3rd gens are a tremendous bargain with no known issues. Neither of those 2 cars have shown their age yet, IMO

G50s are a dying breed especially for people who know how to take care of them. Run away if you're not an enthusiast and either has a lot of money or a lot of want. Ask anyone here, if you want to maintain a G50 well on a minimal budget, it can be done, but not without some cuts on your hands and times of pulling your hair out! Bottom line is, theyre not for everyone!

[elwesso]

Also, i see you're in OH, if you can find one more on the west side of OH I'd be glad to personally inspect the car, just let me know!

[Maximos]

I consider myself a bit of a driver... as such, I got a driver's car

I found a great deal on an E39 BMW 540i, and I bit today. Gonna go get it Saturday.

I do feel a bit of remorse that I was not able to join your guys' family, but I hope all of you enjoy your sweet rides all the same!

[Infinitiguy19]

Damn Wes convinced him to the dark side.

Just kidding

But too bad you can't be here, But if you think you can help out or have any questions feel free to ask.

Did I scare you with my first post?

[Maximos]

No Paul, I know BMWs can be really high maintenance and pretty scary as far as problems go. But I also know that this car was well taken care of - its really clean in and out, looks great. It is a really deep burgundy color on tan leather. Its got 150k on it, but Carfax shows thats its been serviced regularly. I consider it a bit more of a value for the same price. 0-60 in 5.7s is nice too!

But in all seriousness, I drove a '94 E34 540i and was thoroughly impressed - and that one does 0-60 in about 6.9s. Really, BMW's handling is what did it to me. I knew that after I drove that 540i, I wouldn't be able to drive anything else. I guess its a German thing...

[Infinitiguy19]

Well I don't know if you drove the Q45 but there handling is great as well.

But I never drove a BMW.

consider the BMW the far away brother to Infiniti in a way.

But Good luck.

[maxnix]

94 BMW V8 were very problematical with high sulfur fuels. Many had to be replaced because of cylinder wall deterioration.

[Maximos]

Yes, I believe the one I test drive had suffered from that issue, but it still drove nice. I believe this 1997 model will be great!

[maxnix]

Yeah, they went to a different block design by then. You should be great!

I'll wave to you when I go by.

[Maximos]

Haha, if I were closer, I'd take you up on that

[seldomseen]

Only get an '05-'06 Q45 with low mileage...and one that has been pampered. Also look into getting an extended warranty before the B2B expires.

[joe maniqz]

Well I don't know if you drove the Q45 but there handling is great as well.

But I never drove a BMW.

consider the BMW the far away brother to Infiniti in a way.

But Good luck.

i have a 525 and i just bought my first q45 2 days ago, a 1999 touring. let's just put it this way, the Q can be the glamorous cousin of the 525. i feel so pampered each time i drive my Q. One should experience driving a Q45 at least once in their lifetime. Or else you'll never know what you are missing.