Opinions on a used m35x

[jaytrey]

Hey guys,

I'm in the market for a used M35x. I found one that i am interested in for 18,900 with 49,000 miles. For all of you M35 owners, is there anything I should be worried about with high miles like this?

after reading this forum for a bit, I also see that a lot of you recomment getting an extended warranty. Can you purchase a warranty from the dealership if you didn't get the car from an Infiniti Dealer?

On a side note, I noticed that the HID's are optional on M35x's. Is there a way to spot the halogen lights from the HID's just by looking at photos?

I would really appreciate any info you guys may have. I've been looking for a while..and i'm starting to get restless!

Thanks

[M4T5]

49,000 mi isn't too bad. If you can get all of the service records that would be good insurance for what you are buying. Yes, get the Elite extended warranty! You can acquire it at a local Infiniti dealership.If the photo is really good, you can spot the HID's. They look like 2" diameter translucent eyes. Why not just ask the seller???I personally would never buy a car without seeing and test driving it in person. Photos can be really deceiving. Photos tend to not show scratches, dings, dents, paint chips, and windshield rock chips. Also request a carfax!!!!!! I cannot stress that enough!You need to check and make sure the tires are in good shape. Also, check to see if the 30K mi service was performed. It will be due for a 60K mi service in 10K mi. You need to have the brakes checked too!That price is relatively pretty reasonable if the car is in great shape and comes with some good options.

Good luck!

J

[jaytrey]

49,000 mi isn't too bad. If you can get all of the service records that would be good insurance for what you are buying. Yes, get the Elite extended warranty! You can acquire it at a local Infiniti dealership.If the photo is really good, you can spot the HID's. They look like 2" diameter translucent eyes. Why not just ask the seller???I personally would never buy a car without seeing and test driving it in person. Photos can be really deceiving. Photos tend to not show scratches, dings, dents, paint chips, and windshield rock chips. Also request a carfax!!!!!! I cannot stress that enough!You need to check and make sure the tires are in good shape. Also, check to see if the 30K mi service was performed. It will be due for a 60K mi service in 10K mi. You need to have the brakes checked too!That price is relatively pretty reasonable if the car is in great shape and comes with some good options.

Good luck!

J

Thanks for the detailed reply....Yea In the picture they looked like HID's, but in the description it says Halogen headlights. Are the headlights the 1st "translucent eyes" or the 2nd? i don't know what's up with that. Do you have any idea how much the extended warranty runs for? For an average M35, should i expect to see any kind of problems as it nears the 60,000 mi range?

[M4T5]

The HID's are placed as the outer sets of bulbs and all high beam bulbs (inner sets) are all Halogens on all M's.They should look different.Not sure about longevity as mine only has 20K mi on it. No major problems yet. Just minor stuff.

J

[M4T5]

Can you post the link of the car you are looking at?

J

[DashingMax]

Factory warranty is until 60k or 4 yrs from in-service date, whichever comes first.

Check out Consumer Reports Reliability Ratings. It ranks the Infiniti M as one of the most reliable cars in its class!#1 M35 (RWD)#3 M35 (AWD)#5 M45

3 out of top 5 are Infiniti M models!!

For additional peace of mind, look into the Infiniti Elite Extended Protection Plan. Don't waste a penny on any aftermarket crap.

[jaytrey]

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...false

What kind of minor stuff are you encountering ? Also, do u know where i can find a different faceplate to replace the wood grain on the console? It's a bit too old fashioned for my liking. Maybe a link to a picture or place to buy it? Is it hard to do?

[M4T5]

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...false

What kind of minor stuff are you encountering ? Also, do u know where i can find a different faceplate to replace the wood grain on the console? It's a bit too old fashioned for my liking. Maybe a link to a picture or place to buy it? Is it hard to do?

That's a nice looking ride! It looks clean. The photos are glaring too much to tell on the HID's.It does not have the tech or advanced tech pkg. The advanced pkg comes with lane departure, ICC (Intelligent Cruise Control), and 14spk Bose audio system) Nope, it does not come with HID's or Navigation.It is pretty basic, but it looks really clean.But it comes with some nice chrome 18" wheels and the aerodynamic pkg.

J

[jaytrey]

That's a nice looking ride! It looks clean. The photos are glaring too much to tell on the HID's.It does not have the tech or advanced tech pkg. The advanced pkg comes with lane departure, ICC (Intelligent Cruise Control), and 14spk Bose audio system) Nope, it does not come with HID's or Navigation.It is pretty basic, but it looks really clean.But it comes with some nice chrome 18" wheels and the aerodynamic pkg.

J

1. How can you tell it does not had HID's? The headlights look exactly the same on this one as one that i compared that did have HID's.

2. What is the difference between the tech package and the advance tech package? I know that the tech package includes the lane departure and ICC right?

3. How can you tell that the vehicle did not come with navigation? I thought they all came with it.

Thanks for your info, you're a huge help!

[DashingMax]

From the VIN in the Carfax report, this dealer bought this car from Manheim Pennsylvania for $17,000. Add Manheim fees + transportation + detailing, etc and his asking price of $18,900 is reasonable.

Note: His stated mileage is incorrect. It states 49,834. He bought it with 50,847 miles on it.

[jaytrey]

So does this mean the guy is trying to be shady if the mileage is lower than when he bought it?

is it worth it for a car that does not have any tech or nav?

although, it looks like there is nav, unless it's just a screen

[striz923]

all the M's have the screen, but not all have Nav. If you get into the glove box there is a DVD drive for the Navi system. I think if that is not there it stands to reason there is no Navi. As far as is it worth it w/ o Nav, that depends on how much you want/ use Nav. I have found that my nav has come in handy 2 times in 6 months, other than those 2 times it has been worthless to me.

[jaytrey]

I do travel quite often, so the nav is handy. Is the nav dvd based? do the maps need updating?

I am beginning to rethink this specific deal because it does not have all the fancy gadgets.

Can you guys let me know how these two stack up? worth it for the miles? I really appreciate your help guys. great forum!

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...ype=b

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...INFIN

[NightWatch]

That vehicle does not have the NAV system, you can tell by the buttons around the Infiniti Controller.

[striz923]

Nav is DVD based until '09 (pretty sure not 08), so yes it needs updated sometimes.

[jaytrey]

how would you go about doing that?

[M4T5]

That vehicle does not have the NAV system, you can tell by the buttons around the Infiniti Controller.

Exactly why I said it did not come with the Nav.Good observation!

J

[M4T5]

I do travel quite often, so the nav is handy. Is the nav dvd based? do the maps need updating?

I am beginning to rethink this specific deal because it does not have all the fancy gadgets.

Can you guys let me know how these two stack up? worth it for the miles? I really appreciate your help guys. great forum!

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...ype=b

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...INFIN

Both of those cars look very nice and have identical features. They both have ICC, lane departure, Nav, and 14spk Bose System (Not sure about the white one). I prefer the ones with the areodynamics pkg, but that's all preference.

J

[striz923]

how would you go about doing that?

Buy a new DVD on the manufacturers website, or Ebay. You can search this site for the info, it was posted a few months back.

[macmanks]

May I ask if you will have a passenger very often? If yes, you may want to consider a 2007 or newer.

The 2006 models have the passenger seat that has minimal adjustment options. My wife found the 2006 passenger seat to be very uncomfortable but she loves my 2007 because it is fully adjustable just like the driver seat.

Enjoy!

[jaytrey]

yea i most likely would have my fiance in the passenger...Hmm...so many things to consider...I def want the nav unit in the car. How does the ICC respond? is it a feature that you feel would make or break your decision?

[Bob24]

I have the ICC and to me it is a throw away option. I am not a big cruise control guy. If you like to use the cruise and you go on a lot of longer trips where you want to maximize your mileage and minimize your chance at getting a speeding ticket, it isn't bad.

I have used it a few times just to show it off to friends. I think regular cruise already detaches the driver from the task at hand enough and ICC just compounds that.

[SilverForce]

Just remember a 300$ garmin can do all and more than this nav can, according to all my research. I am in the market for this car too...

[jaytrey]

That is a good point. However, All the m35's that i have found under 20,000 are all around the same price, regardless of if it has the nav or not. The ones that i found without the nav are running around 19000. The ones with the tech package are running around 19,900. If that is the case, why woudn't u shell out an extra 900 for all the bells and whistles?

Your thoughts?

I totally agree with you on the garmin aspect. It's cheaper and work better, but for 900 more you get a clean all inclusive look.

[striz923]

I have the ICC and to me it is a throw away option. I am not a big cruise control guy. If you like to use the cruise and you go on a lot of longer trips where you want to maximize your mileage and minimize your chance at getting a speeding ticket, it isn't bad.

I have used it a few times just to show it off to friends. I think regular cruise already detaches the driver from the task at hand enough and ICC just compounds that.

I disagree with the point that you "maximize mileage" with the CC or ICC. I have found that it uses more gas since The car in front of me speeds up and slows down nad my car responds, sometimes downshifting. I enjoy the ICC quite a bit when I am not in a hurry, and want a relaxing drive. That being said, I would not be upset if my next car didn't have it.

If they are all in the same price range then sure get the extras for a few hundred more, mainly because it is cool.

As far as passenger seat adjustment in the '06 my wife hasn't had any problems at all getting comfortable. She is 5'3" so I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

One more thing about the garmen, if you ever need to rent a car you can take it with you!

[macmanks]

Not that us men need to appease our women - after all we are MEN!!

But, if you want brownie points, and in my experience those never hurt, you may want to have your gal check out the seats. Much like everything else it is personal opinion.

As for the NAV, I like having it because the screen is much better, IMO, to look at than the screen without NAV. Yet, you can always simply turn off the screen. Garmin is far better if you want NAV, hands down.

As for the ICC, I've had it before and I hated it on the Infiniti, Lexus and Toyota. Opinion.

It is interesting to note that at auction these option packages make absolutely no difference in the price a a dealer pays. A base model in the same condition, same year, and same miles will garner the same price within a couple hundred bucks. Knowing that you should you should discard the BB or NADA valuation adjustments and go for the lowest price possible for the most bells and whistles.

Ultimately, get everything you want so that you will be as happy as possible. These are awesome cars!

[jaytrey]

I don't really really care that much whether it has it or not, but if it is only a couple hundred more isn't it nice to have those things? How is the nav on the infiniti? nothing beats a garmin, but i used to have a pioneer d3 installed in my other car. can it compare?

i guess the biggest things i care about is the heated/cooled seats, hid lights, awd, and steering wheel controls..i know it sounds basic, but my old car 99 ford explorer had none of these..cept the awd of course...it would be nice to get an upgrade!

thanks guys!

[NightWatch]

They are nice if you're actually going to use them. Otherwise they're just something else that might malfunction that will need to be repaired. I have a friend who has a 2008 M45 with the premium package. He's never used ICC, he finds the LDW annoying and turns it off, He doesn't see the point of the "Music Box" and only uses the Nav when he goes on long trips which is once or twice a year. But he constantly raves about the heated and cooled seats! To each his own.

The NAV system in these cars doesn't compare to a Garmin. Its nice because its integrated into the vehicle, but the technology is a generation behind the portable GPS systems. It is not as sophisticated as the Pioneer D3 either.

[M4T5]

You haven't spoke of audio....so i'm not sure if it matters to you or not. The standard audio system sounds ok...nothing really special about it. The 14 spk Bose system does sound really good, but lacks the loudness I would prefer. If you like having or want a decent audio system, you better go for the M's with the Advance Tech pkg to get the 14 spk Bose system.You will be happier with the car if it has the Advanced Tech pkg from your needs you are describing.Also, you just might want to consider the 07' models due to the lack of passenger seat adjustment in the 06' models. If you plan on taking any long trips. You might find having the 06' passenger seat is not too bearable as you might have thought. Then again, it may be fine to you. The best way would be to get in the passenger seat and see for yourself.

J