Potential M45 owner!

[THT]

I am considering purchasing a 2004 M45 with every option. It is relatively low mileage with only 22K on it. Dealer wants $21,600 for it. Is this a decent price assuming the exterior and interior is in excellent condition?

What are some common problems with this gen M45? I read about the fuel gauge not reading properly...anything else? Should I worry enough about it to purchase an extended warranty?

[Manok]

I am considering purchasing a 2004 M45 with every option. It is relatively low mileage with only 22K on it. Dealer wants $21,600 for it. Is this a decent price assuming the exterior and interior is in excellent condition?

What are some common problems with this gen M45? I read about the fuel gauge not reading properly...anything else? Should I worry enough about it to purchase an extended warranty?

I paid 24K for one with 11,900 miles so I'd say thats a good price. I have 20 K on mine now. It's a great car.

[Andrew224]

I would say that's about right if not a little bit better than average as to the price. As for the warranty, I always like the piece of mind it gives me. You never know when a problem will show up or why it happens (lots of electrical stuff in this car). Anyways, you have until the factory one expires to purchase an extended warranty from Infiniti. Repairs / maintenance are not cheap on this car.

I live right on the border of Joliet and Plainfield... One thing to consider (not that I'm trying to talk you out of this purchase) is that this car is not good in the snow or foul weather. I admit that I've never tried winter tires on my M. I wound up picking up a QX4 for that reason. But on the other hand, it kicks a** in the summer! And for what it's worth, I've only seen one other 03-04 M in Joliet, so you will have a unique car.

Just out of curiosity, what dealer are you looking at?

-Andrew

[THT]

I would say that's about right if not a little bit better than average as to the price. As for the warranty, I always like the piece of mind it gives me. You never know when a problem will show up or why it happens (lots of electrical stuff in this car). Anyways, you have until the factory one expires to purchase an extended warranty from Infiniti. Repairs / maintenance are not cheap on this car.

I live right on the border of Joliet and Plainfield... One thing to consider (not that I'm trying to talk you out of this purchase) is that this car is not good in the snow or foul weather. I admit that I've never tried winter tires on my M. I wound up picking up a QX4 for that reason. But on the other hand, it kicks a** in the summer! And for what it's worth, I've only seen one other 03-04 M in Joliet, so you will have a unique car.

Just out of curiosity, what dealer are you looking at?

-Andrew

I have my Rav4 for the winter. My Maxima was garaged for six months and I expect to do the same for the M. The dealer I'm looking at is in NC (the name escapes me at the moment). Thanks for the input!

[busaboy]

Get used to having to add oil. You might use anywhere from .5 - 1 QT per 1k miles. I have 32K on my 2003.

Don't ever start the car for a short period of time like a few minutes and then let it sit for over 12 hours. The engine will have severe shake and noise issues until the lifters pump up and the engine idles smoothly. I have not figured out if the oil system loses prime or some of the lifters collapse. If I start the car, I always let it warm up before shutting it down if I know I will not use it until the next day. I can easily reproduce this bug.

The engine has a very bad habit of loading up with carbon. You either need to keep adding expensive fuel additives or constantly beat the snot out of the engine. Oil use jumps if you beat the car too much however. My 99 C5 Vette was the same. Both GM and Nissan should have fixed these problems instead of letting them go on for years. They both suck for ignoring the oil usage problem.

Never nail the throttle at high speed if the road conditions do not allow good traction. The car will be sideways in a heartbeat. The stability and slip SW sucks as well as the stock tires. I also believe the rear end lifts at high speed. The car SW allows the torque to jump quickly and this can break both rear wheels free in unison.

The electronic limited slip SW sucks. I really miss the viscous limited slip in my 99 Q45. The SW shuts down the fuel as well as braking the spinning wheel. All in all, don't jump out in front of traffic cause the car will not perform like 340 HP would suggest. My Nissan Titan is even worse. I hate electronic limited slips....

The car is not as stable at highway speeds as it should be. I felt much more in control of my 99 Q45T. At times you have to drive this car like you have diminished traction like being on a wet road or in slush. Don't make quick lane changes or be too aggressive in high-speed sweepers. In my opinion, the car sits too up high; the suspension is set up wrong and the rear end lifts at speed.

Brakes suck as with every Nissan product I have ever owned and I have owned a ton of them. You will need to get the front brakes worked on long before the pads wear out. I must be a masochist...

[nmgoodthing]

I have no idea what this guy is talking about. I have not experienced any of those things he is explaining.

He must drive w/ the VDC off the whole time.

I have never had an oil consumption issue either.

[M45-Zero260]

Welcome! Sounds like a great price for a great car, with low miles as well! I had to get my M shipped up here from TX, another ebay purchase - and it worked out very well. There were simply not any around near me at the time I was looking, with the color and options I wanted.

Anyway, not all 03-04 M45's have the oil consumption issue. I just returned from a 200 mile round trip to Joilet yesterday, and checked my oil after it sat in my garage for a couple hours. My oil / filter change maintenance is nearing it's 3,750 interval, and it was exactly right in the middle of the full/add area of my dipstick - right where it was when I changed it last. I also averaged 75-85 MPH on that trip, got 22.4 MPG, and I'm at 81,700 miles on the odometer. I have never had any engine rattles or problems since I've owned it. Runs strong, and I would recommend this car in a heartbeat to anyone considering buying a car with great performance, luxury, unique looks, at an unbelievable price!

[lfj2025]

nmgoodthing, I agree with you, I have not had these problems either.When I sell mine I'll buy another one.

[busaboy]

The oil consumption problem is real and has never been fixed. Not all engines have it. You can go on ebay and find bad 2002 or newer 4.5 engines for sale on a regular basis. I don't remember seeing any of the old 4.5 or the newer 4.1 engines on ebay for oil problems. I knew about this problem before I bought my M45, but thought I would get lucky. My 1999 Q45T with 150,000 miles could go 5,000 between oil changes. I never had to add a drop and I beat the snot out of it. I intend to use the car until it drops. I put 30K per year on a car. I hope I can make it last to over 100K miles.

The lifter "problem" is very disconcerting when it happens. It has happened twice but only if I move my car in the driveway and then let it sit overnight. After buying my car used with 24k miles, I checked its history with Infiniti. It had to be towed to the dealer at 18K miles for a similar incident. I can only assume it scared owner and he had the car towed to the dealer. I wish I had pulled the records before buying the car. I never would have bought it. I suggest you get the complete history from Infiniti before buying.

And yes the "VDC" software sucks. It will let the rear tires spin much faster than the front for way too long time at high speed without doing anything. It will also let the car slide sideways at high speed and seems to do little of anything. It only seems to react if one rear tire spins faster than the other when coming off the line or turning hard left or right. I am starting to wonder if it has a gyro or three axis accelerometer like a normal VDC system would.

There is a reason that GM, BMW, Mercedes and others put a real mechanical limited slip in their high performance models, the software based limited slip used in their lesser models sucks. Infiniti needs to put a real limited slip back in or come up with a new system that works better.

[Boon]

Get used to having to add oil. You might use anywhere from .5 - 1 QT per 1k miles. I have 32K on my 2003.

Don't ever start the car for a short period of time like a few minutes and then let it sit for over 12 hours. The engine will have severe shake and noise issues until the lifters pump up and the engine idles smoothly. I have not figured out if the oil system loses prime or some of the lifters collapse. If I start the car, I always let it warm up before shutting it down if I know I will not use it until the next day. I can easily reproduce this bug.

The engine has a very bad habit of loading up with carbon. You either need to keep adding expensive fuel additives or constantly beat the snot out of the engine. Oil use jumps if you beat the car too much however. My 99 C5 Vette was the same. Both GM and Nissan should have fixed these problems instead of letting them go on for years. They both suck for ignoring the oil usage problem.

Never nail the throttle at high speed if the road conditions do not allow good traction. The car will be sideways in a heartbeat. The stability and slip SW sucks as well as the stock tires. I also believe the rear end lifts at high speed. The car SW allows the torque to jump quickly and this can break both rear wheels free in unison.

The electronic limited slip SW sucks. I really miss the viscous limited slip in my 99 Q45. The SW shuts down the fuel as well as braking the spinning wheel. All in all, don't jump out in front of traffic cause the car will not perform like 340 HP would suggest. My Nissan Titan is even worse. I hate electronic limited slips....

The car is not as stable at highway speeds as it should be. I felt much more in control of my 99 Q45T. At times you have to drive this car like you have diminished traction like being on a wet road or in slush. Don't make quick lane changes or be too aggressive in high-speed sweepers. In my opinion, the car sits too up high; the suspension is set up wrong and the rear end lifts at speed.

Brakes suck as with every Nissan product I have ever owned and I have owned a ton of them. You will need to get the front brakes worked on long before the pads wear out. I must be a masochist...

Do you like anything about your car?

I love mine. Not a problem at all. I start mine just to move it into the garage all the time and I have no issues the next morning. Either that guy got a lemon or he could find a problem with Jessica Alba if he had her.

Buy it and enjoy!

[CakeDaddy]

Get used to having to add oil. You might use anywhere from .5 - 1 QT per 1k miles. I have 32K on my 2003.

Don't ever start the car for a short period of time like a few minutes and then let it sit for over 12 hours.

I think your issues are isolated to "your" car and yes, the oil consumption is an issue with a very small percentage. I don't necessarily (sp) think any of the stuff you listed is something anyone should get “get use to"

What are some common problems with this gen M45? I read about the fuel gauge not reading properly...anything else? Should I worry enough about it to purchase an extended warranty?

THT,common problems/issues, all subjecticve, so...

U-Turns Trunk struts OEM fogs -

Climate Ctrl/Audio Ctrl - can be a pain to operate, especially when you are new to it.


Modified by CakeDaddy at 5:36 PM 4/7/2008

[nmgoodthing]

And yes the "VDC" software sucks. It will let the rear tires spin much faster than the front for way too long time at high speed without doing anything. It will also let the car slide sideways at high speed and seems to do little of anything. It only seems to react if one rear tire spins faster than the other when coming off the line or turning hard left or right. I am starting to wonder if it has a gyro or three axis accelerometer like a normal VDC system would.

There is a reason that GM, BMW, Mercedes and others put a real mechanical limited slip in their high performance models, the software based limited slip used in their lesser models sucks. Infiniti needs to put a real limited slip back in or come up with a new system that works better.

I understand your frustration that you had w/ your M. Sounds like you got one of the lemons.

As far as the VDC issue. What are you doing 130 or trying to drift?


Modified by nmgoodthing at 9:36 AM 4/11/2008

[busaboy]

I understand your frustration that you had w/ your M. Sounds like you got one of the lemons.

If the oil consumtion does not get any worse, then I can live with it. I like many others had a similar problem with the GM LS1 engine. At least my Vette had a low oil level indicator that came on long before oil pressure dropped. GM never fixed the problem until maybe 2003. Seems like Infiniti followed the same path.

As far as the VCD issue. What are you doing 130 or trying to drift?

I was never one to baby a vehicle. I was surprised how poorly the 2003 M45 VDC software works and the high speed handling seems worse than my 99 Q45T with worn struts. I would rather have the old traction control system in my Q and it's viscous limited slip. I drive the same 150 mile route each week. I put 100K on my Q and 150K between a C5, C2500 truck and a 300ZX. I got in trouble the first day I drove my M45 at high speed in damp weather. I have gotten into trouble a few times since. I have learned not to drive the car as hard as my other vehicles. I am hoping that different tires will improve things.

[szh]

I got in trouble the first day I drove my M45 at high speed in damp weather. I have gotten into trouble a few times since. I have learned not to drive the car as hard as my other vehicles. I am hoping that different tires will improve things.

What tires do you have on now?

Ihave the same concern as you. I do not like driving in wet weather, so I try to get the best tires that I can for that condition.

The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 are the ones I would recommend for that situation - I have gone through four sets of those tires (two on my car, and two on my wife's Acura CL) and really like them a lot. Almost as good as my previous favorite: the Firestone Firehawk SZ50-EP ... which is, unfortunately, now discontinued .

I recently decided to try Michelin Pilot Sport A/S for some driving in light snow conditions (sub-zero temps) for which the Goodyears are not suited - no sub-zero temps for those Eagles!

The general result is that I will go back to the Eagles (or try the Pilot Sport PS2) the next time round. The Pilot Sport A/S does not have as good wet weather, or overall, handling as the Eagles - longer report to follow when I get some time.

Z

[THT]

What tires do you have on now?

Ihave the same concern as you. I do not like driving in wet weather, so I try to get the best tires that I can for that condition.

The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 are the ones I would recommend for that situation - I have gone through four sets of those tires (two on my car, and two on my wife's Acura CL) and really like them a lot. Almost as good as my previous favorite: the Firestone Firehawk SZ50-EP ... which is, unfortunately, now discontinued .

I recently decided to try Michelin Pilot Sport A/S for some driving in light snow conditions (sub-zero temps) for which the Goodyears are not suited - no sub-zero temps for those Eagles!

The general result is that I will go back to the Eagles (or try the Pilot Sport PS2) the next time round. The Pilot Sport A/S does not have as good wet weather, or overall, handling as the Eagles - longer report to follow when I get some time.

Z

I had the GS-D3s on a set of SSRs. I then switched to Toyo T1Rs and I couldn't believe the difference. I love my T1Rs!

[busaboy]

The car still has the stock OEM tires. I've been too lazy to wait at the tire store to get new ones.

I will never understand why Infiniti uses uncommon tire sizes on it's vehicles. I had to change the tires on my Q to a common size and I will change the ones on my M to 245-40-18 or 245-45-18.

[THT]

Okay, my M is being transferred...should be ready for me to inspect in two to three weeks! According to the NC Carmax dealer, there are no major blemishes (nickel-sized dents, creases in the sheet metal, interior stains/tears) and it was a non-smoker's car. The worst case is I don't agree and I'm out the $450 transfer fee.

[Manok]

Okay, my M is being transferred...should be ready for me to inspect in two to three weeks! According to the NC Carmax dealer, there are no major blemishes (nickel-sized dents, creases in the sheet metal, interior stains/tears) and it was a non-smoker's car. The worst case is I don't agree and I'm out the $450 transfer fee.

richer than I am. You could have flown out there to inspect it for cheaper.

[THT]

richer than I am. You could have flown out there to inspect it for cheaper.

It wasn't a question of money but rather availability. Due to the nature of my job, I don't have the time to fly out to NC to check it out and drive it back. Would have preferred to so I could get to know the car better on the long drive home but cest la vie.

[Double E]

Are you kidding me??!!! Is that the white/tan '04 unit in the Raleigh area? ...Or are we talking about the Johnson or Leith autopark white & black units? Carmax just had the one 03 last I looked.

I drove those cars as far back as 3 months ago and could have given you info about it. Hell, I could have shot video on them and sent it up for the cost to ship the disc!

I'd also take $100

[Andrew224]

If you have another car for winter, you'll love your M. I do the same and store it in the winter.

I haven't had those horrible issues with mine that busaboy has. Sometimes you just get a lemon. I had a '99 Mercedes E320 (with less than 50k miles on it) before my M and it had electrical problems up the ying yang. It was in the shop every month for about 6 months with an incurable electrical problem before I gave up on it. It soured me on the brand (as I took a beating when I traded it in, it still hurts a little) and I switched to Infiniti.

Infiniti treats me very well and I was so impressed with the car and their service, I bought a QX4. Hope everything turns out well. Let us know what happens.

-Andrew

[CakeDaddy]

It wasn't a question of money but rather availability. Due to the nature of my job, I don't have the time to fly out to NC to check it out and drive it back. Would have preferred to so I could get to know the car better on the long drive home but cest la vie.

nice! If that doesn't work out we have black one here in ABQ,NM for sale at the Inf dealer. Aftermarket 18's on it, but let me know; I can inspect it for you while I eat all the freshly made cookies.

[nmgoodthing]

I'm going to start requesting they start serving some low fat cookies Cake. I can see your panza from here.

[CakeDaddy]

I'm going to start requesting they start serving some low fat cookies Cake. I can see your panza from here.

Si si mi panza es muy grande Me gusta alimentos dulces. I went in to get the BG44K kit and I managed to woof down 4 cookies in no time! I ruin my "body for life" schedule evrytime I walk in there and with ABQ Tortilla across the street; I'm doomed twice over. If I keep eating those cookies they'll try to squeeze mi grande A$$ in a QX56!!!..and maybe that is the plan over there.

[THT]

Are you kidding me??!!! Is that the white/tan '04 unit in the Raleigh area? ...Or are we talking about the Johnson or Leith autopark white & black units? Carmax just had the one 03 last I looked.

I drove those cars as far back as 3 months ago and could have given you info about it. Hell, I could have shot video on them and sent it up for the cost to ship the disc!

I'd also take $100

Nope, this one is black on black with 22,628 miles, fully loaded.

[THT]

Just pulled the service records from Infiniti for this car.

3,500 mile service was not performed7,500 mile service was performed, front and rear brakes were resurfaced due to pulsation15,000 mile service was performed, trunk closure assembly TSB and residue in seat belt D-ring TSBs were performedOil changed at 16,000 milesDriver seat motor replaced at 20,125 miles22,500 mile service performed at 20,350, battery was replaced

What say ye?

[szh]

Hmmm ... no oil changes at less than 7500 mile (or 3 month - give or take a few) intervals? That would concern me ...

Z

[busaboy]

Just pulled the service records from Infiniti for this car.

7,500 mile service was performed, front and rear brakes were resurfaced due to pulsation

Like I said Nissan brakes suck. My 99 Q45 needed new brakes all the time. I lost track how many brake jobs I did. My 03 M45 needed the rotors redone at 25K. My 91 300ZX would warp it's rotors every 5 K miles. I had similar problems with my older 300 ZXs. My 04 Titan had it's front and rear rotors/PADs and mounting brackets replaced with bigger units due Nissan undersizing the system for the truck. The 08 Titan has another new system. I like Nissan, but they should do better Engineering on their products.

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,You seem to be in the minority in regards to brake wear issues. I gotta ask, is there anything you like about your car? There seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction about your car in your posts. Hopefully your oil consumption will subside and your brakes will be fade and warp free. Also, I have driven 100+ for hours on end with no stability concerns whatsoever. Any chance your car was in a accident prior to purchase?Cheers,M.L

[Mark Linkous]

Hello,You seem to be in the minority in regards to brake wear issues. I gotta ask, is there anything you like about your car? There seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction about your car in your posts. Hopefully your oil consumption will subside and your brakes will be fade and warp free.M.L