Purchasing an 08 M45x - question for the experts

[iamthewalrus]

Hi folks....I am seeing an 08 M45x tomorrow and have a question, and so far have only seen pictures.
I know it has the Technology package because it has Navigation, Bose speakers, etc.
The steering wheel has a button for the LDW system, and it looks like the LDW switch on the dash underneath the Intelligent key port.
But I thought LDW was only available with the Advanced Technology package? Is this correct? Did Infiniti use the same steering wheel for all cars and just "dummy" out the buttons that aren't being used?
The car looks to be in very good shape, and carfax shows dealer maintenance every 3750 miles, so I know it has been cared for.
Thanks

[Larz]

First of all, congrats on finding an M you like and may I just add that CarMax is an excellent place to buy a car. I am on my second car from CarMax and I can't say enough about the experience.
To answer your question about the steering wheel LDW: The LDW switch you see on the lower dash section is the typical LDW that beeps at you when you begin to leave your lane without using the turn indicator. It does nothing to change things, just beeps at you to alert you that you are about to leave your lane.
The LDW switch on the steering wheel is a more active system. When that button is activated, you see a green symbol in the speedo area and in this case, when your car is about to leave it's lane, the car applies brakes to which ever wheel is necessary to make your car drift back to the center of your driving lane. It actually helps prevent a lane change in the event your hands are not on the wheel and you haven't activated your turn indicator.
As far as which packages are on the M you're looking at, items in the packages can vary from year to year with Infiniti. It is impossible for a place like CarMax to get all the details and packages correct in the listing for each car on the lot. I can't tell you if the steering wheel LDW was part of a package or if it was standard in 2008. I can tell you that if you have bose speakers on the front seats by the head rests, you will probably also have radar cruise control, XM radio, and a DVD player in the console. Those seem to be part of one of the tech packages. My car has rain-sensing wipers, surround sound bose, and a rear entertainment system fold down screen and reclining climate controlled rear seats and all the sticker said was 'tech package'.

*** IMPORTANT: If you purchase the car from CarMax you MUST get the MaxCare warranty - it covers more than the Inifniti extended warranty and mine added 60 months or a total of 150,000 total miles on my car. If you fix it at CarMax - no co-payment. If you fix it at the Infiniti dealer (which is the only place I go) : $50 co-payment per repair. When I've used it at my Infinit dealer, they had no problems and were already familiar with MaxCare and they were paid instantly via CC# provided by CarMax. I just bought a 2009 M35 to replace my 2007 which was totaled last month. The cost of the warranty was $2000 and one major electrical repair (Nav screen, transmission, etc) will pay you back. They can even add it to the loan if you like and if you sell the car while still under their warranty, you get a pro-rated check for the balance of the warranty you did not use. (if you have 60 months and only keep the car for 30 months, you get about half the 2,000 back). I am getting $920 dollars back.
Also, if you finance you MUST get GAP insurance. It will cost about $400 but if your car is totaled like mine, it will pay the bank the difference between what your insurance company pays and what the bank says you still owe. In my case the value paid by the insurance company was about 1,000 less than the bank loan and GAP paid the difference so I didn't have to.

[iamthewalrus]

Hi Larz-
Thanks for the excellent feedback. Yes, the car has the Bose speakers next to the headrests. The car is actually being offered for sale at a Honda dealer, not CarMax. I found this forum when I bought my 05 Q45 - unfortunately, it was in an accident and while the damage is not severe, the cost of parts has caused it to be totaled. So I was quite bummed after the wreck, but really like what I see in the M45x. Hopefully, I'll have some good news to report after tomorrow!
Mark

[The Bodyguard]

That would be the advance tech package, dvd in the center console, hard drive music box, Bose surround speakers in the front seats etc. 08+ adv tech packages are all hard drive based. The adv tech package includes LDW and LDP not just LDP so if you see that it is the full adv tech package. Rear ent. Package is different, you should see the rear flip down TV screen and the rear center console have a series of extra switches!! Good luck

[iamthewalrus]

Thank you - yes, it has the advanced tech package. Bought it last night! Picking up Friday morning. Can't wait!