Ten years ago today…

[louiegz]

…on December 17 1994, my father and I went to the Infiniti dealership in Englewood NJ to pick up his new, dark purple, 1995 Q45. Man that was a special day. What a car when new. That was also the day of my father’s 64th birthday. The salesman even gave birthday gift and my father gave the salesman a bank check for about $52,000. Great, the deal is done. Let’s drive! My father didn’t want to drive an unfamiliar car at night, so I was the first to drive the car while he followed in his POS 88 Sedan de Ville. I got behind the wheel with less than 10 miles on the odometer. The Q was like butter. What a car. I dropped of my dad at home and took his Q out for a long drive. Lucky me!

Unfortunately, my father didn’t get to enjoy his Q long. Four years and two days later, he passed away from cancer. Way too young. He is missed. Sorry I’m getting a little sentimental, but today would have been his 74th birthday and I was thinking about him. Believe it or not, he never really liked the Q. I guess for the old guys, if doesn’t have a column shifter and a pillow soft ride, it’s no good. Several months later, I took over ownership of the car with about 27,000 miles on the odo.

Now six years later and the Q is running better that ever thank to the NICO forum for energizing my enthusiasm for a car that I was starting to get board of and for pointing me in the right direction on repairs. Thank you.

While I’m at it, I was thinking how many of the Qs on the forum are owned by the original owner. I will put the poll question on top. Technically, I’m not the original owner, but the Q has been in the same family all this time. Thanks for reading and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[Jesda]

Great story Lou!

I am the fifth owner of this Q. A pilot, some other people, a teacher, and then me. And so far this is also my first Q.

Happy Christmas and New Year!

[kimrober]

Great story indeed..I hope you'll keep the Q as a memorabilia of you father and wish you a merry christmas and happy new year.

[AZhitman]

Agreed.

I think he'd be proud of the way you've maintained it and the lessons you've learned.

[elwesso]

Louie.. Do you think the Q drives as well now as new?? Because it was awefully smooth!!!

Great story...

I was 3 owner on my old Q (owner, sludgeking lawyer, and me)...

I dont know if I am the 3rd or 4th owner of my Q.. I have never been around a new Q45... Current or when they were new back in the day... Kind of a shame!!!

Merry christmas lou...

[1qckser]

Great story Lou, your pops would be proud of you , Im the 3rd owner, and have 12 pages of dealer work since the car was purchased new in Florida, the car then went to Atlanta for a few years, it then came to CT and was serviced at Infiniti of Greenwich, and Heart Infiniti, my car spent more time at the dealership for the buttons on the windows rusting than anything else.

[louiegz]

Louie.. Do you think the Q drives as well now as new?? Because it was awefully smooth!!!

Well, it drove better as new of course but now with the Tokicos and the rear sway kit, the handling has tighten up a bit. The bad thing when the car is old, you start getting the creaks and rattles of a car loosening up during the years of bumpy NJ roads. The one thing that I would say that's different from new is that when the transmission shifts from 1st to 2nd in the 1500-2500rpm range is not as smooth as I remember it to be as new. Aside from that everything seems fine. When you have a car for this long, it becomes broken in, like an old leather jacket or a faded pair of jeans. I might not have the shiniest car on the block, but all I know is that there’s more car that I rather not drive than my Q. When I do get a new car, it has to blow me away. I have a very short list of replacements, but if I can, I will stilll like to keep the Q.

[maxnix]

Just turned 64K on my TX Q45. Had to jump from 75 to xxx today to get a Porsche Cayenne off my tail. Second owner on all my Q45, and they drive as new. No creaks.
Modified by maxnix at 9:43 AM 12/20/2004

[redmanfx]

Memories can be powerful!!

I'm the second owner of my Q.

red

[szh]

I was the first owner on my 1991 Q45, second or third owner on my 1995 Q45, and first owner on my current 2003 M45.

Z

[PalmerWMD]

I bought all my 4 Q45's I have owned used.I always fantasized of how it would have been to have one new.

Fred..

PS: Great color!

[Jeff Williams]

Both my Q45's were bought used, but the I30t was picked-up with 8 miles on the odo. It too was a birthday present, for my wife, on December 22, 1999.

[AlabamaDan]

I'm the third owner. The original owner sold to his son in law and I bought from him.

My father in law got me hooked on infinitis. He bought a 92 brand new and I fell in love with it then. I traded that one in on a 99. I had always said I wanted his 92 when he traded it off and I was sore with him for a while for not letting me get first dibs. It took me five years to find another one. He's looking to trade in his 99 now and isn't even considering another Infiniti. It's a real shame what they've done to the Qs. I mean my family has owned six infinitis and now when he trades off again, he's looking at BMWs, Acuras, and stuff.

Not only do you have a great car, but a great link to your dad.

[elwesso]

I really hope the new M45 brings people back with the spririt of the origional Q..

[louiegz]

I really hope the new M45 brings people back with the spririt of the origional Q..

We've yet to see if people are willing to spend $55k on an Infiniti again. I'm sure a lot of M35s will sell. The M45 is another story. Maybe it will be like the FX. I read a Car & Driver article saying that they actually liked the FX35 better that the FX45. The extra power which only gave an extra .5 sec. to the 0-60 wasn't worth the harshness of the big rims and suspension upgrades and the added expence. The M35 might be the key to the sales that they need to succeed.

[Rex]

Yea, I've thought if I was to buy an FX (real possibility in 3 years), I'd swap from the 20's down to 18's just to keep tire costs in check. I'm sure the extra sidewall would help ride as well. My plan was purely driven by costs .

[qship96]

m45 will be a very slow seller-just look at the ratio of lexus gs400 to gs300 sales-almost 10-1 ? the big engine and performance reviews by the magazines create the buzz,the cheaper version hogs the sales!

[SFBayQ45]

Well, it drove better as new of course but now with the Tokicos and the rear sway kit, the handling has tighten up a bit.

Is this rear sway kit OEM or aftermarket? Is this better than installing a Q45a rear sway bar? If you don't mind me asking, was the kit expensive?

[louiegz]

Is this rear sway kit OEM or aftermarket? Is this better than installing a Q45a rear sway bar? If you don't mind me asking, was the kit expensive?

It's the OEM Q45a bar. the one that Joe sells. I think it was about $250 or so. I forget.