Scammed in Dallas - 2005 G35

[Wes45]

I wish I could say I was the proud owner my first Infiniti, a 2005 G35, but I was dumb enough to be scammed on Craigslist. After taking it to the local indy shop, I need control arms and new front tires, new front rotors and brakes and should fix a leak from the valve cover gasket. My estimate was close to $2K.
I can do some basic repair work on cars, are the control arms and brakes a DIY job or best left to a shop? If DIY, what is the best source for the parts? I'll start reading for some answers. The car has 175K miles, looks like I should also replace the front shocks from what I've read so far.

I can tell you how not to buy a used car, and I thought I was smarter than this. It's been a tough few weeks, put the house up for sale, broke up with g/f (whose cars I was driving) and had to put my 10 yr old dog down last Monday unexpectedly. Now this. I claim full responsibility for being an idiot.
Thanks guys.

Lee in Garland, TX

[Wes45]

OK, got it figured out today. Mark Smith of Smith Home Maintenance in Carrollton at 972.537.8701, bought the car from the owner this past week-end for $3000, shorted them $100, then listed it on Craigslist, posing as the sellers relative saying he had owned if for the past 5 years and asking $4500 saying all the repairs that the original seller told him about had been fixed. What an a$$hole! Scammed me for $1500 and the owner for $100. I do not recommend using his company for any home services!

All that aside, I'm having the control arms replaced and I read that I should consider changing the shocks. It has 175K miles on it. What is the best value shock to use and who sells them? Also, are there upgraded bushings that I should consider replacing on the OEM control arms? Can someone direct me to a thread where I can learn more? I'm going with the idea, "Got Lemon, make lemonade".

I just took it to Rose Auto Detailing in Garland, TX for a engine steam clean and interior clean/shampoo of the carpets and they are AMAZING!! It looks like a new car on the inside and in the engine bay. Good place to go if you are in the DFW metroplex and very affordable, I gave them $80.

Thanks for any help.

[AZhitman]

Hey Wes!

Well, aside from the shady selling tactic, I'd say the repairs needed aren't really part of a "scam." Here's why: Those are common issues with ANY used car, esp ones with that many miles.

OK, with that said, ALL of those things can be done in your garage. We have the factory service manual right here on the site for you to reference, plus LOTS of us have done those tasks multiple times - all easy maintenance jobs. We'll walk you through it - zero labor cost.

I'm seeing the control arms on Amazon for a great price (http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-521-601-Co ... DCTDFAGTBY), and here's some on ebay for under $150/set: http://www.ebay.com/bhp/g35-coupe-lower-control-arm No need to go with an upgrade - get her back to as-new condition and you'll love it.

In keeping this to a "budget glass o' lemonade," stick to something tried-and-true for replacement shocks/struts. Here's a full set of KYBs for under $250 shipped: http://www.amazon.com/KYB-FRONT-REAR-sh ... M41Z41R3ZN

Factory fitment was Tokico, but they're harder and harder to source these days - KYB makes a nice substitute. BTW, if that car has the original units on it, they're LONG past shot. Typical lifetime is 50-80k miles for a set of dampers under normal use.

Rotors and pads - I like RockAuto.com and AutoAnything.com - Check them out. OR, hit up Amazon. Free shipping is always a plus!
$35 per front rotor is a score: http://www.amazon.com/Parts-Master-1262 ... 1253494011

If you want to tweak the seller, post an ad on Dallas CL with the same title as his ad, and include a link to this thread.

Hey Mark Smith: You're a douchebag!

[Wes45]

AZ,
That is exactly the kind of help I was looking for, I am very grateful to you for the wealth of info and the links! I spoke to Michael yesterday at Tunerzstore and came to the same conclusion on the KYB's. After reading several threads here I also thought it would be good to replace the lower control arm bushings with new Whitelines and replace the wheel bearings while I was at it.

Michael recommended the SPC front control arms to give me camber and caster adjustment but they are pricey at $375. I sure like the eBay prices you linked me to, does it matter if I use Dorman or the ones on eBay instead of the SPC's? Is the camber and caster adjustments worth twice the price? I'm sure there are folks that would weigh in on both sides of that argument.Thanks again and I'm going to get to some on-line shopping later today.
Regards, Lee

[Wes45]

Got an order in with Michael at Tunerzstore and he matched the prices on Amazon for KYB's. Got KYB shocks and mounts, Stoptech rotors, Hawk ceramic pads and Energy suspension bushings on the way for part 1.
Oh, and this car is pretty fun to drive. Can't wait till I start fixing these things.

[audtatious]

Tunerzstore will take care of you. If you are going to look at front control arms then I would stay away from cheap/no-name. I've seen others compare Dorman vs. SPC and others and quality seems night and day. With SPC you are ensured of longevity.

[AZhitman]

Yep - It's a high-end car, and SPC isn't outrageously pricey. Still less expensive than an OEM replacement.

Looks like you're gonna get the last laugh on the seller. HA!

Glad you've found a home. Welcome aboard, again.

[Wes45]

One week later and this is what's been done or ordered:

Interior detailed and carpets shampooed, engine steam cleaned $80
R & R wrinkled window tint and replaced with Lifetime HanitaTek window film; front sides Cool Coal 38, rear sides Cool Coal 05, back window Cool Coal 18, windshield stripe Cool Coal 05 $275
R & R cracked front windshield $154
New NAPA air filter, cabin air filter and fuel filter $65
Stoptech standard front brake rotors, Hawk Ceramic front pads, KYB front & rear shocks, KYB front & rear shock mount kits, Energy suspension FCA bushings $655 @Tunerz Store

Scheduled 7/3:
Replace valve cover gasket to fix oil leak; replace control arms and bushings; install brakes and shocks; replace filters; flush brake fluid, power steering fluid and antifreeze.

Scheduled 7/6:
Wheel alignment, TBD brand of 4 new tires (have any affordable recommendations?)

Scheduled 7/7:
Bell's Auto Trim, Plano, TX to have 1/2" foam added to drivers seat bottom below seat heaters. Justin only does recovering & foam for automotive seats and is one of the best in the business.

Headlights look like crap, water lines appears to be inside the plastic - any reasonable recommendations? Don't want eBay China junk, but don't want to pay OEM prices either.

I found the original window sticker in the glove box. Base price was $30,700 with Painted Splash Guards $110, Premium Package C $3,500 and Trunk Mat $70 plus $590 destination = $34,970.00
I need to research the Intelligent key as all I got was one regular key.
That was a lot of money 10 years ago!

I think that will get me to a dependable and fun daily driver, anything else I should be considering as a "must do"?
Thanks for all the support!

[arrow23]

I am on my 2nd set of Nitto Invo tires.
Love e'm ! Great grip, quiet and smooth
First set lasted 25k mi (could have went 3-4,000 more).

[Wes45]

Quick question - Yesterday I stopped by O'Riley's Auto parts for new wiper blades for the new windshield and since it seems like the car hesitates a bit when I start it, I asked them to do a free battery test. The battery terminals were badly corroded and although the nasty old looking battery supposedly tested fine, after starting the car the tech said the alternator was bad. How accurate are those testers? Should I buy a new battery first and see if that fixes the problem?
I had it on my Sears battery charger last night and it was not fully charged when I hooked it up but the green "Fully Charged" LED was on by morning.

[telcoman]

^^^^^
Use a battery hydrometer to test individual cells. About $10.00
You may be able to locate a date code on the battery but it probably just needs to be replaced. If so obtain a 700 CCA battery. A little higher than a cheaper 550 CCA



An automobile battery will show 12.6v on a voltmeter. With the engine running the functioning alternator will now show about 14.4v across the battery.
Harbor Freight sometimes gives away a cheap multimeter for free.

When i needed a battery for my previous 06 G35 the Infiniti dealer was about $20 higher than auto supply stores so I just had the dealer do it. Everything worked after they were done.
If you do decide to go the dealer route call the parts department for a quote. Do not go to service first as it will most likely cost you more.
After you pay for the battery in parts, then carry it over to a service advisors desk and ask them to install it.

Good luck

Telcoman

[RED_DET]

Got an order in with Michael at Tunerzstore and he matched the prices on Amazon for KYB's. Got KYB shocks and mounts, Stoptech rotors, Hawk ceramic pads and Energy suspension bushings on the way for part 1.
Oh, and this car is pretty fun to drive. Can't wait till I start fixing these things.

[Beancooker]

So many "likes" in this thread. Awesome.

[Wes45]

Hi Guys, sorry it's been awhile since an update. I have some pics but do not know how to upload them. My latest problem started with the horn -not working since I bought the car, then a week later the airbag red light began flashing on the instrument panel.

My mechanic diagnosed it as a defective clock spring. Bad news, OEM price was over $450, I saw some on eBay with the stalks for $150. Any comment on getting one off eBay?
This car sure has had it's share of issues!

Also, a local locksmith can program a smart key for $200 out the door, does that seem reasonable? I never got one with the car and just have the regular key that goes in the key slot, I think there is a chip in it because they wanted $80 just for that.

[Rogue One]

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[telcoman]

I wish I could say I was the proud owner my first Infiniti, a 2005 G35,.....

I'm on my second one and love them both.
The major difference between us is both of mine were purchased brand new.

Hi Guys,

My mechanic diagnosed it as a defective clock spring. Bad news, OEM price was over $450, I saw some on eBay with the stalks for $150. Any comment on getting one off eBay?

How qualified is your "My mechanic?"

Personally I would never purchase anything off of Ebay but that is just me.
You may end up saving some money or if your mechanic is incorrect you may end up spending even more if you end up having to have an Infiniti dealer actually find the root cause.
Me! I would suck up the dealer cost and have them completely check out your vehicle for you
You get what you pay for in this world.
Buy cheap and you will usually buy twice
If it sounds too good to be true it usually is

.....The car has 175K miles,....

When you purchase an eleven year old vehicle with that kind of mileage you have to expect putting some money and replacement parts into it. I traded in my 2006 G35 6 speed manual with 171796 miles because I chose not to spend any money on needed repairs

Just my $.02 and good luck to you

Telcoman

[Wes45]

Any ideas on how to search the site for driver switch repair? The switch works except for the forward and back actuator?
I found the Clock spring at Nissan for $135 on line, except they said they do not offer a parts warranty if you install it on an Infiniti! Is that typical?
Thanks, Lee

[AZhitman]

Which switch are you replacing?

Instructions should be available via the FSM, which you can find at www.infinitiservicemanual.com

[Wes45]

The switch on the drivers seat at the right hand side. It's the switch that makes the seat go forwards and back. I pulled the seat and removed the switch assy, just need to watch the Youtube video agin where a guy posted how to repair it. Of course I am just guessing that it's the switch,however when you actuate it, you cannot hear the motor running so there is hope it's the switch.

I replaced the cabin filter, looks like it had never been replaced in 10 years. I vacuumed the dirt and wiped down everything I could get to.

My mechanic is going to R&R the Clock spring tomorrow and hopefully that fixes the Airbag LED and horn. Finally, the tilt wheel quit tilting today when I start the car, praying somehow that is a Clockspring problem as well, we'll see.

[Wes45]

Hi Guys,

My mechanic diagnosed it as a defective clock spring. Bad news, OEM price was over $450, I saw some on eBay with the stalks for $150. Any comment on getting one off eBay?

How qualified is your "My mechanic?"

Personally I would never purchase anything off of Ebay but that is just me.
You may end up saving some money or if your mechanic is incorrect you may end up spending even more if you end up having to have an Infiniti dealer actually find the root cause.
Me! I would suck up the dealer cost and have them completely check out your vehicle for you
You get what you pay for in this world.
Buy cheap and you will usually buy twice
If it sounds too good to be true it usually is

.....The car has 175K miles,....

When you purchase an eleven year old vehicle with that kind of mileage you have to expect putting some money and replacement parts into it. I traded in my 2006 G35 6 speed manual with 171796 miles because I chose not to spend any money on needed repairs

Just my $.02 and good luck to you

Telcoman[/quote]

Thanks for the comments, I think my newfound mechanic is pretty good, he had the horn working after turning the steering wheel and explained about the clock spring. He's certified on BMW's and Porsche's and appears to be pretty sharp.

Agree about eBay, getting an OEM part and will install that.

I'm not complaining about the repairs, just the guy who scammed me telling me everything was done. It's my fault for believing him and not having it checked out before I gave him the money. A $1500 mistake on my part. Not the end of the world, at least now I know exactly what I have.

[Wes45]

Well, my mechanic, Michael who just opened his shop, Eurauto in Plano, TX certainly knows what he is doing. He replaced the clock spring in about 30 minutes and the horn works and he cleared the codes and the airbag idiot light is now off.
Now for the "last" issue, the drivers seat did not go front to back, and upon further inspection, the entire motor and gear box is missing!! Geeze, I'm guessing it would be more expensive to buy the parts than to find a used seat and replace the entire thing? We called a few large junk yards and no luck. Checked eBay, they have one in Houston for $348. Does that seem like a good deal? Are there any other sources for a used drivers seat with memory for a 2005 G35 sedan?
Thanks guys, it's been very helpful being here on the forum. I am praying this problem is soon behind me. I was thinking about throwing a party to celebrate the completion of this project at my home in North Dallas, anyone is welcome to join us, probably later in September. Swimming pool, beer and BBQ - someone just needs to bring the girls, LOL.

[Wes45]

[Wes45]

Clock spring replacement caused other problems, now the SLIP and VTC off lights come on after I start the car and drive off, it also jerks like crazy, apparently the ABS brakes are locking up and then eventually quit when the idiot lights both come on. Mechanic says it is a simple scanner fix, I hope so. of course the scanner is in a clients car and not available.