Should I buy my father-in-law's M45 Sport?

[ntwrkguy1]

So....it turns out my father-in-law has decided to lease a new vehicle. He's offered me his car -- a Liquid Platinum Metallic '06 M45 Sport -- at a pretty decent price, and I have a car that I can sell that would net me nearly that same amount. So the question is, should I buy it?

Pros:
He's owned the car since '08, and it was a 1-owner FL car prior to that
Interior is basically perfect and exterior/paint is nearly perfect
Essentially, I know the maintenance history from 41,000 miles forward
Love the factory stance and exhaust note
New brakes all the way around in the last 3,000 miles

Cons:
Tires might have 5,000 miles left on them and are cupped --- and they don't come cheap (at least the MIchelins don't)
Struts are original, and are contributing to the tire problem
Mileage is getting up there (137,000)
Wheels have a surprising amount of curb rash, and constantly seem dirty
Gas mileage is pretty low (16city/22hwy is what I have averaged for the last 2 months)


The gas mileage is really the least of my worries, as neither my wife nor I drive enough to feel that pain (I drive 6k a year, my wife probably 5k). However, the struts need immediate attention, and the car likely needs some additional front end work plus an alignment after a new set of tires. All told, I figure I would need to spend close to $1800 on the car to do struts/tires/any miscellaneous front end work. At that point, the car would be in great mechanical condition.

My wife and I would then have a car that would easily give us 6-8 years of service and still be under 200,000 miles.

Even after spending the money on tires/struts/suspension stuff, I would still be at least $1000 under anything I've seen on Auto Trader, Craigslist, etc. But is a 137,000 mile M45 a wise investment nonetheless?

[Jesda]

The rule of thumb with aging luxury cars is to set aside a couple grand up front for rehabilitation and a grand a year for maintenance and unexpected repairs.

The M's powertrain is solid but suspension, steering, bushings, bearings, and other odds and ends will show their age after 100k.

On the other hand, resale value is low enough to justify the maintenance cost.

I personally wouldn't have any problem buying it. Just know what to expect. It is highly unlikely to leave you stranded unless you neglect fluids, battery maintenance/age, etc.

[ntwrkguy1]

The rule of thumb with aging luxury cars is to set aside a couple grand up front for rehabilitation and a grand a year for maintenance and unexpected repairs.

The M's powertrain is solid but suspension, steering, bushings, bearings, and other odds and ends will show their age after 100k.

On the other hand, resale value is low enough to justify the maintenance cost.

I personally wouldn't have any problem buying it. Just know what to expect. It is highly unlikely to leave you stranded unless you neglect fluids, battery maintenance/age, etc.

That's kind of what I figured. The good news is that my FIL was consistent with fluid changes. About the only thing that hasn't been done is the rear diff, and I haven't looked to see what the owner's manual calls for as far as an interval on that.

And I'm okay with up to $2000 in rehab costs, as nearly half of that is the cost of 4 new tires.

Two other questions: Does the M45 Sport have rear shocks? I looked on Rock Auto under struts, and it only lists part #'s for the front struts. When I clicked on Shocks, there were listings for rear shocks.

Also, are the suspension pieces (should I want to rehab the entire front end) readily available in the aftermarket? I prefer to avoid buying from the dealership, and have been a long-time user of Moog suspension components.

[Ilya]

Yes, the rear is shocks (spring separate from the shock).

I agree with Jesda, the only thing that would give me pause about this car is that it's an older M45 which were known for oil consumption issue. The benefit of this particular is you know the owner very well, so he can tell you if it had that problem or not. If it did, personally I'd stay away unless you know the condition of the motor and don't mind adding oil constantly, but if it didn't...you're good to go.

[ntwrkguy1]

Yes, the rear is shocks (spring separate from the shock).

I agree with Jesda, the only thing that would give me pause about this car is that it's an older M45 which were known for oil consumption issue. The benefit of this particular is you know the owner very well, so he can tell you if it had that problem or not. If it did, personally I'd stay away unless you know the condition of the motor and don't mind adding oil constantly, but if it didn't...you're good to go.

Well, that's good news for the rear, as the shocks are about 50% cheaper than the struts. Do most of you guys use KYB or Monroe for the shocks/struts? That seems to be the only two flavors out on Rock Auto, though I am sure there are other brands in the aftermarket.

I've read a little about the oil consumption issue, and from what I understand, Nissan/Infiniti never did a recall on it? What's the actual "fix" for something like that? A motor rebuild? My FIL has never told me anything about excessive consumption. He sees the same mechanic he's been seeing for about 15 years, so I know he gets the oil changed every 3,000 miles, regardless of what the owner's manual calls for.....lol.

[CPJ LB]

KYB's are inexpensive compared to dealer shocks/struts. I've used them as a replacement when the stock shocks/struts went bad.

Michelin's are currently on my car (Michelin Super Sports) - you can find them for under $230 each

good luck with the purchase - the 06 body style is a classic.

[ntwrkguy1]

I agree -- I'm really sold on the lines and stance of the '06. I'm looking forward to getting this one mechanically refreshed!

[Ilya]

If FIL hasn't had issues, you're go for launch sequence, sir. Check out the FAQ's in my signature which will help with some of the work you're looking to do.

As for tires, I personally use the Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires which are around $200 as well. Also, can you update your location in your control panel? Thanks.

Good luck.

[ntwrkguy1]

If FIL hasn't had issues, you're go for launch sequence, sir. Check out the FAQ's in my signature which will help with some of the work you're looking to do.

As for tires, I personally use the Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires which are around $200 as well. Also, can you update your location in your control panel? Thanks.

Good luck.

I'll be sure to check out the FAQs in your signature. Interesting feedback on the Continental tires -- I'll take a look at them and see what deals are out there locally.

[mexillis]

you shoul buy my M45 instead