Ok, I have been shopping around for a used Luxury car, preferrably a 97-98. I have looked at lexus and Mercedes lines and Infiniti and it seems the Q45 is a good deal. However I am not very experienced with such a car. I know alot of people with used Mercedes benzes and lexuses that have gone way past 200,000 miles and have had minor problems, however it seems they are more expensive cars used in general as compared to the infiniti. Though the new infinitis start out very expensive I have notice once they are 3-4 years old their price plummets and I was wondering if it was due to demand or because they have a bad track record.
I currently have a used 88 Toyota Celica that apart from the regular Engine Oil change, I have had zero problems with and is still going strong at 160,000 miles. I was wondering if a used Q45 with about 100,000 miles on it would give me and extra 60,000 miles assuming it was well maintained as the buyer I am looking at had t regularly garaged and serviced regularly. Are these card known to last long?
Looking to buy a 97 Q45, Will it Last??
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AZhitman
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The 97-01 Q45is generally accepted to be "bulletproof". Some of the lowest mechanical failure rates in their class.
That car, if maintained well, is a good investment (at the right price) for another 200K miles, not just 60K. The price plummets because it is not a "popular" car, in that it doesn't have the phony name recognition that Lex and MB have - It's definitely a "market sleeper" and that's a good thing.
I'm sure others will chime in here...
That car, if maintained well, is a good investment (at the right price) for another 200K miles, not just 60K. The price plummets because it is not a "popular" car, in that it doesn't have the phony name recognition that Lex and MB have - It's definitely a "market sleeper" and that's a good thing.
I'm sure others will chime in here...
200,000 miles? tell me you're kidding 
also, any reason to go with an older model with roughly the same amount of miles? I picked the 97 since it has the remote features (though it doesn't have remote start which kind of sucks) and because I like the body style. However I have heard the older models have better HP and peformance. As you can probably tell I am a layman when it comes to cars and I have been doing furious reading within this forum to find info on these cars as I truly think it is one of the best deals. I first got into one in 2001, it was a 91, I did not have the chance to drive it but the interior was just so beautiful for such an old car. I fell in love with it ever since.
also, any reason to go with an older model with roughly the same amount of miles? I picked the 97 since it has the remote features (though it doesn't have remote start which kind of sucks) and because I like the body style. However I have heard the older models have better HP and peformance. As you can probably tell I am a layman when it comes to cars and I have been doing furious reading within this forum to find info on these cars as I truly think it is one of the best deals. I first got into one in 2001, it was a 91, I did not have the chance to drive it but the interior was just so beautiful for such an old car. I fell in love with it ever since.
The 94-95's (G50 body) seem to be the compromise of preformance and reliability. I think no one on this (or any other ... less informed) board would disagree, the "stock" 90's have the most, while most 93 and earlier (also G50) are very simliar (discernable by the lack of a grill).
The 96's seem to be the "in-between". They were the first full fledged OBDII, and lowered HP ratings from the 94-95's.
The HP ratings did drop with the 97, but at a lower GVW, the perfmorance diff may not be noticable to all.
I have a 94, and I love it, but if I was in the market today and could find a nice 99 Touring model or 00 Anniversary Edition at that right price WITH dealer verifiable maintenance records, I'd be very tempted to go with the Y33 body.
To recap performance90-93 94-95 96 
(kidding, but know to be the slowest)97-01 
02-current
I'm sure any potential inaccuracies or opinions will be corrected.
Welcome to our board and enjoy the wealth of knowledge fouhnd by using the search feature and reading the articles.
The 96's seem to be the "in-between". They were the first full fledged OBDII, and lowered HP ratings from the 94-95's.
The HP ratings did drop with the 97, but at a lower GVW, the perfmorance diff may not be noticable to all.
I have a 94, and I love it, but if I was in the market today and could find a nice 99 Touring model or 00 Anniversary Edition at that right price WITH dealer verifiable maintenance records, I'd be very tempted to go with the Y33 body.
To recap performance90-93
94-95 96 (kidding, but know to be the slowest)97-01 02-current I'm sure any potential inaccuracies or opinions will be corrected.
Welcome to our board and enjoy the wealth of knowledge fouhnd by using the search feature and reading the articles.
At 100K the Q should be running like new and smooth as a dream. I had mine for about 35,000 miles now and the only problem I had was a bad ABS relay for about $20. It might need a new set of struts and shocks around 110 - 120K miles depend on your sensitivity with the bouncyness. I replaced mine with a new set of shocks and struts and shocks/strtus covers ($600 total for parts) and it run just perfect. There is absolutely no aftermarket part for this car at the current time except for air, oil and fuel filters, and brake rotors on eBay so you'll be a little disappointed if you want to mod it heavily. Anyway, I love my car and plan on keeping it for a long time.
yeah...at 100K your car should be perfect...just as good as new...well as long as don't let the idiot down here in Miam work on your car. I was about to sell my 95 Q with 130K on it when I realized I could not find a replacement for it under $40,000 either new or used so I decided to keep my car and sink about $10K into it....mainly all peformance mods. They are great cars and very reliable. It does cost some $$ to keep it maintained perfectly, but it is worth every penny to keep it in good running order. Just be aware that there are very few, if any, performance mods for the 1996+ cars.
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Q45tech
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1995 G20t 5 speed 334,000 miles 16" 2002 wheels - 205/50/16 Sr20ve vvl
Wishful thinking that any car is as new at 100,000 miles. Why you can buy them for 10-20% of brand new MSRP. [Obviously years come into play] but rememeber a 3 year old off lease with 45,000 miles is only worth 50% of brand new.....25% at 6 years a 7 year old [97Q] might be worth 20% if it was perfectly maintained.
You just budget 10-15 cents* per mile [for maintenance and repairs] to get to 200,000 miles plus the cost of the USED CAR tax and title interest etc..
*If you chose badly [don't have an expert go over the car].
We see new customers not understanding that heavy V8 cars cost at least 50% more than their old Honda/Toyota to maintain. The extra $50 month in premium gas, the $150 tires, the $750 brake jobs, the $500 in annual fluid exchanges.........they just don't consider the extra $150-$175 per month MORE.........we haven't even covered when something actually breaks.
"I currently have a used 88 Toyota Celica that apart from the regular Engine Oil change, I have had zero problems with"
Can't compare the two cars .
We have a few 97 Q customer with over 250,000 miles.
The question/answer is how will you feel about paying $6,000-$9,000 for the next 60,000 miles on the 97 Q hard to say which it will be as number of miles per year come into the equation.
I am very happy to only pay $3,000 per year [15 cents per mile] to maintain/repair my 1990 Q........gasoline at $1900, insurance now only $500, tag $35 per year.......say $5500 per year/20,000 miles = 27.5 cents per mile ------- heck the IRS allows 37 cents now.
Thank goodness in was paid for in 1990 [if you forget the $70,000 in capital and net after tax interest the money would have earned].
A lux car with any kind of purchase cost/depreciation [hanging over your head] is hard to operate for less than $9-10,000 per year new or used. When they get worthless 5-10% of new MSRP and paid for] the ownership cost drop a lot on an annual CASH used basis.
You just budget 10-15 cents* per mile [for maintenance and repairs] to get to 200,000 miles plus the cost of the USED CAR tax and title interest etc..
*If you chose badly [don't have an expert go over the car].
We see new customers not understanding that heavy V8 cars cost at least 50% more than their old Honda/Toyota to maintain. The extra $50 month in premium gas, the $150 tires, the $750 brake jobs, the $500 in annual fluid exchanges.........they just don't consider the extra $150-$175 per month MORE.........we haven't even covered when something actually breaks.
"I currently have a used 88 Toyota Celica that apart from the regular Engine Oil change, I have had zero problems with"
Can't compare the two cars .
We have a few 97 Q customer with over 250,000 miles.
The question/answer is how will you feel about paying $6,000-$9,000 for the next 60,000 miles on the 97 Q hard to say which it will be as number of miles per year come into the equation.
I am very happy to only pay $3,000 per year [15 cents per mile] to maintain/repair my 1990 Q........gasoline at $1900, insurance now only $500, tag $35 per year.......say $5500 per year/20,000 miles = 27.5 cents per mile ------- heck the IRS allows 37 cents now.
Thank goodness in was paid for in 1990 [if you forget the $70,000 in capital and net after tax interest the money would have earned].
A lux car with any kind of purchase cost/depreciation [hanging over your head] is hard to operate for less than $9-10,000 per year new or used. When they get worthless 5-10% of new MSRP and paid for] the ownership cost drop a lot on an annual CASH used basis.
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AZhitman
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mcq - Here's a great example for you:
I had the heads off my Q at 104K miles. Long story short, there is NO wear (as measured by dial calipers) on my cam lobes compared to a brand new set fresh out of the box. There was visually NO wear on the cam bearings, the insides of the heads were shiny silver with a thin coating of Mobil 1, and the cross-hatching was STILL visible in the cylinder bores.
It's not even "broken in" yet.
I had the heads off my Q at 104K miles. Long story short, there is NO wear (as measured by dial calipers) on my cam lobes compared to a brand new set fresh out of the box. There was visually NO wear on the cam bearings, the insides of the heads were shiny silver with a thin coating of Mobil 1, and the cross-hatching was STILL visible in the cylinder bores.
It's not even "broken in" yet.
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elwesso
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I agree with Rex's statement.. if you want a great performing car, that is like a BMW, get the G50 (90-95)..
Ill take my 94 over a 90-93 merely for the extra convience items, heated seats, TCS, power headrests, power down mirrors etc...
IMO the 94 and 95 are the best Q money can buy...
Y33 is more like a lexus, with cushy ride, and dependable, but not as fun to drive...
Ill take my 94 over a 90-93 merely for the extra convience items, heated seats, TCS, power headrests, power down mirrors etc...
IMO the 94 and 95 are the best Q money can buy...
Y33 is more like a lexus, with cushy ride, and dependable, but not as fun to drive...
Sometimes I look at my crappy income (but oh man, what a stress free wonderful job) and think about dropping Q ownership for a while. But then, if I really wanted to save money on maintenance, I'd have to go really far downmarket where parts are super cheap and shop labor is quick and affordable.
I also compared owning my 92 Q to owning a brand new Nissan Sentra. Over the course of five years I saved 10 grand owning my Q. (I think... I posted my calculations in another thread a few months ago.)
And then there's the joy that cant be measured with words. I say cars are cars, and like women they come and go. Love and enjoy them while you have them. If you try to be too practical about owning an impractical vehicle, youre missing the point about automobiles and about life in general.
Woonelly, that was philosophical. Post some pictures of your 97 Q when you get it!
-Jesda
I also compared owning my 92 Q to owning a brand new Nissan Sentra. Over the course of five years I saved 10 grand owning my Q. (I think... I posted my calculations in another thread a few months ago.)
And then there's the joy that cant be measured with words. I say cars are cars, and like women they come and go. Love and enjoy them while you have them. If you try to be too practical about owning an impractical vehicle, youre missing the point about automobiles and about life in general.
Woonelly, that was philosophical. Post some pictures of your 97 Q when you get it!
-Jesda
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BadQ45t
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'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
MCQ, if you want to spend 10-12 grand on a great car that you'll drive for 2-4 years, you can get a very cool car for a very low price. I bough a 97' about 4 years ago and love it, it has 75k on it now and rides very nice. So far the only thing that went wrong was the fuel door solinoid that went bad, other than that bullet proof. I do the full fluid flushes, etc., but how long do you want to keep the car. You could drive it for 2-4 years and just do the basics and it will not fall apart. In 3 years you sell it for 5-6k and move on.
For me, I'm planning at least another 3-4 years so once annual flush of all fluids and I doubt I'll have any big problems if I do that. FYI, my 1985 Maxima has 290k on the orginal engine so Nissan's can go a long way if cared for properly.
For me, I'm planning at least another 3-4 years so once annual flush of all fluids and I doubt I'll have any big problems if I do that. FYI, my 1985 Maxima has 290k on the orginal engine so Nissan's can go a long way if cared for properly.
AZhitman wrote:The 97-01 Q45is generally accepted to be "bulletproof". Some of the lowest mechanical failure rates in their class.
So if the 97-01 are so "bulletproof", how are the 02-04 and the M45? They haven't been on the road long enough to know the durability. This would be good to know if the new Infiniti cars are as reliable. One day, I'd like to get one of those new Ms that are coming out and I don't want any surprises like chain guides. I'm glad I have a 95 Q. I didn't know about this guides issue until I was on NICO and that's on the verge of a class action law suit. IT"S THERE FAULT! How could they put a part like that, so hard to get to and the stress that it takes, that they would make that plastic. How stupid. The undersized brakes for instance. The first 15000 miles and the brakes would pulsate. The dealer said I was riding my brakes and would not resurface the rotors for free. IT was Infiniti's fault. I don't mind paying for maintenance, but paying for crap that poor design, that really burns my arse. I guess I have to wait a couple of years to see if anything crops up with these new Qs and Ms.
Amen...Jesda wrote:And then there's the joy that cant be measured with words. I say cars are cars, and like women they come and go. Love and enjoy them while you have them. If you try to be too practical about owning an impractical vehicle, youre missing the point about automobiles and about life in general.
...Enjoy The Ride!Getting back to SauN's original post, I just want to caution him to be prepared. Q45Tech said it best, but I'll add my 2 cents in layman's terms. Luxury cars cost money!
I have had a series of Camry's, and I was a little bored with them, so I bought a J30 on a whim. I just wasn't prepared for what lay ahead! (I hadn't done my homework.) After those Toyotas that you can take most anywhere, I had a hard time finding a trustworthy mechanic. After some trial and error (and $$$) I actually ended up getting the best service at the dealer.
Even though my car was pretty well maintained, they hadn't replaced the timing belt, and the car needed some other routine maintenence. It all cost more than I was expecting, and caught me off guard.
I almost bailed on the car, but I found myself so far "in," there was no turning back. That said, after I got through the beginning rough start, now I love the car! It is a joy to drive, turns heads, and I love that it's a unique car but with Japanese reliability. I'm also counting on some trouble free miles for a while. :-)
We just got back from a long trip down I-5 in California. It was my first long trip in the J30. Nice!
So, SauN, owning an Infiniti will be very different from your Toyota, but it can be lots of fun. Pricey, but fun.
I have had a series of Camry's, and I was a little bored with them, so I bought a J30 on a whim. I just wasn't prepared for what lay ahead! (I hadn't done my homework.) After those Toyotas that you can take most anywhere, I had a hard time finding a trustworthy mechanic. After some trial and error (and $$$) I actually ended up getting the best service at the dealer.
Even though my car was pretty well maintained, they hadn't replaced the timing belt, and the car needed some other routine maintenence. It all cost more than I was expecting, and caught me off guard.
I almost bailed on the car, but I found myself so far "in," there was no turning back. That said, after I got through the beginning rough start, now I love the car! It is a joy to drive, turns heads, and I love that it's a unique car but with Japanese reliability. I'm also counting on some trouble free miles for a while. :-)
We just got back from a long trip down I-5 in California. It was my first long trip in the J30. Nice!
So, SauN, owning an Infiniti will be very different from your Toyota, but it can be lots of fun. Pricey, but fun.
Couldn't agree more..
If you arn't prepared for it, it really hits you hard..
It also seems once it starts hitting, it never stops.
I was literally getting my 94q fixed every month. Granted I was driving 3,000+ miles a month, so I was probably speeding things up a bit..
It sucked, and I hated it... However, I realized the car isn't unreliable, it just needs parts replaced.
I finally got the car running great again, and haven't had a problem since.. I love it, and you will to..
97+ are cheaper to maintain anyway, arn't they?
If you arn't prepared for it, it really hits you hard..
It also seems once it starts hitting, it never stops.
I was literally getting my 94q fixed every month. Granted I was driving 3,000+ miles a month, so I was probably speeding things up a bit..
It sucked, and I hated it... However, I realized the car isn't unreliable, it just needs parts replaced.
I finally got the car running great again, and haven't had a problem since.. I love it, and you will to..
97+ are cheaper to maintain anyway, arn't they?
Those are excellent and very true observations.
I bought my Q a few months before I got laid off. Thankfully a fat severance check and performance bonuses helped smooth things out.
All that money disappeared fast as one thing after another started going wrong (water pump, AC compressor, fuel pump, and other basic things that need replacing at 160k). But after those series of monthly repairs for the first six months, not much was left to fix, and things have been quite stable and smooth. Additionally, I was doing 600 miles a week.
I bought my Q a few months before I got laid off. Thankfully a fat severance check and performance bonuses helped smooth things out.
All that money disappeared fast as one thing after another started going wrong (water pump, AC compressor, fuel pump, and other basic things that need replacing at 160k). But after those series of monthly repairs for the first six months, not much was left to fix, and things have been quite stable and smooth. Additionally, I was doing 600 miles a week.