We went for it ... a new M45 has joined the family!

Forum for Infiniti M35 and M45, and Nissan Fuga owners.
dezm45
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I just got this car as well -- mine is Emerald Mist w/Willow Interior with the optional wood trim (very nice) and has the C & C and Premium Packages too ... also, the trunk mat, wheel locks and a set of splash guards

WHAT A CAR !!!


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szh
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Unfortunately, no longer a Nissan or Infiniti, but continuing here at NICO!
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dezm45 wrote:I just got this car as well -- mine is Emerald Mist w/Willow Interior with the optional wood trim (very nice) and has the C & C and Premium Packages too ... also, the trunk mat, wheel locks and a set of splash guards

WHAT A CAR !!!


It sure is!!! Enjoy! :)

I definitely need to get the splash guards, I have found out - enough stuff comes off the tires to make it a requirement on this car! I do not the other other packages, although I did want the C & C ... the dealer did not have one with just that package.

Z

russg
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szhosain wrote:It sure is!!! Enjoy! :)

I definitely need to get the splash guards, I have found out - enough stuff comes off the tires to make it a requirement on this car! I do not the other other packages, although I did want the C & C ... the dealer did not have one with just that package.

Z


Mine came with the splash guards installed, and I would consider them a worthy addition. They are black plastic, which matches the black rocker panels, so no need to paint. They aren't visually intrusive. Not very expensive and it doesn't look like they would be difficult to self-install.

I've noticed that stuff comes off the tires as well. I beleive it is mostly rubber, which of course means that the OEM Bridgestone Turanzas are probably not long for this world. Have you noticed that almost nobody makes a tire in the OEM size for the M (235/45 -18)? Almost no choices whatsoever for replacements. I'm hoping Michelin will add that size to their Pilot series soon. Other alternatives would be 245/45 - 18, assuming they would fit. These would be about 1.3% larger in circumference. Another alternative would be 265/40 -18, which would be an almost identical circumference match. Not sure if the 265's would fit in the wells. I guess I'll worry about it when the time comes.

dezm45
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Russ, I DO have Michelin's on my car !! I believe they are the Pilots as well -- they are the ALL SEASON tires.

I'll have to double check and let ya know ...

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szh
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russg wrote:Mine came with the splash guards installed, and I would consider them a worthy addition. They are black plastic, which matches the black rocker panels, so no need to paint. They aren't visually intrusive. Not very expensive and it doesn't look like they would be difficult to self-install.
Good to know, thanks! I will definitely get them and see if I can do the installation myself ...

Quote » I've noticed that stuff comes off the tires as well. I beleive it is mostly rubber, which of course means that the OEM Bridgestone Turanzas are probably not long for this world. Have you noticed that almost nobody makes a tire in the OEM size for the M (235/45 -18)? Almost no choices whatsoever for replacements. I'm hoping Michelin will add that size to their Pilot series soon. Other alternatives would be 245/45 - 18, assuming they would fit. These would be about 1.3% larger in circumference. Another alternative would be 265/40 -18, which would be an almost identical circumference match. Not sure if the 265's would fit in the wells. I guess I'll worry about it when the time comes. [/quote]

I noticed that size availability limitation too! I had already decided that I would go with at least 245/45-18 next time - some of the rolling diameters in that size are close enough to the Turanza 235/45-18 that the speedometer error would be minimal.

I had not thought much about any other tire sizes yet since the wheel rim size is a limiting factor for wide tires unfortunately.

Z

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szh
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dezm45 wrote:Russ, I DO have Michelin's on my car !! I believe they are the Pilots as well -- they are the ALL SEASON tires.

I'll have to double check and let ya know ...


That was one of the no-cost options for the car (V rated all-seasons) but I do not think that they are Pilot Sport AS. Some other Michelin model, that did not excite me either.

Next time, I will definitely find some far better 245/45-18 tire than these Turanza's though - they are useless. I almost can't wait for them to wear out!

Z

russg
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szhosain wrote:That was one of the no-cost options for the car (V rated all-seasons) but I do not think that they are Pilot Sport AS. Some other Michelin model, that did not excite me either.

Next time, I will definitely find some far better 245/45-18 tire than these Turanza's though - they are useless. I almost can't wait for them to wear out!

Z


The all-seasons are probably Michelin Pilot MXM4. It's the only Michelin I can find in the OEM size.

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szh
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szhosain wrote: the wheel rim size is a limiting factor for wide tires unfortunately.


Just looked in the manual - the M45 rim is 18x7.5". This prevents the really wide tire choices! So, I think that 245/45-18 will work out well ...

Z

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szh
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russg wrote:The all-seasons are probably Michelin Pilot MXM4. It's the only Michelin I can find in the OEM size.


Yes, that sounds like the correct model! In retrospect, they may have been better than the Bridgestone Turanza ER33 tires I ended up with, though! :(

Z

dezm45
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Russ and Szhosain ... those ARE the correct tires -- I have the Michelin Pilot MXM4's ...

Ya think these puppies will last through my lease, since they are all-season ??? I have a 39 month lease.

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szh
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To be honest, I don't think much of either tire that Infiniti sells with the car! :( The M45 deserves much better! :) The Pilot MXM4 may last a long time (I doubt if they will go more than 20 to 25k miles though ... so probably not through the end of your lease, depending on how much you drive) but will not give you the ultimate in performance or handling. The Bridgestone Turanza ER33's are supposedly a Grand Touring tire ... so they should, in theory, be optimized more for lower road noise, etc. Unfortunately, they are noisy on the highway and not particularly grippy either. Nowhere near as nice as the Firestone Firehawk SZ50EP or, for that matter, the Falken Ziex 512 that I tried recently on my Q.

OTOH, since I am in California, near the SF Bay, with its milder temperatures, it is easy for me to decide to use high-performance tires instead of all-season. The selection in a 245/45-18 size is much better than 235/45-18 (see http://www.tirerack.com and http://www.falkentire.com and other places for more info), so that is my future likely choice. High price will be a pain, though!

Z

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szh
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russg wrote:I had the trans ECM reburn done (ITB 03034) this week on my M45 and it made a huge difference in the drivability of the car. The engine and trans now are in perfect synchronization and communication with each other. I highly recommned you get this done at your earliest convenience!


Question on the ITB 03034, did you have it all done? I.e., did you have them change out the Control Valve Assemby and repair the wiring harness as well? Or was just the TCM reprogrammed?

On the TCM program, did the dealer happen to note the specific TCM version they reprogrammed it with? It should be some number like "31036-*****". If you have this written down somewhere, I'd appreciate it!

Thanks for the info,

Z

russg
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szhosain wrote:Question on the ITB 03034, did you have it all done? I.e., did you have them change out the Control Valve Assemby and repair the wiring harness as well? Or was just the TCM reprogrammed?

On the TCM program, did the dealer happen to note the specific TCM version they reprogrammed it with? It should be some number like "31036-*****". If you have this written down somewhere, I'd appreciate it!

Thanks for the info,

Z


As far as I know, just the ECM was programmed. I haven't read the ITB, so I'm not familiar with all the details. No mention was made of any parts being replaced. The service invoice simply says "ECM Re-burn for trans. "Reprogram ECM with updated software per ITB # 03034." No parts are listed, only labor. I wasn't aware there is more to the ITB than that.

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szh
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russg wrote:As far as I know, just the ECM was programmed. I haven't read the ITB, so I'm not familiar with all the details. No mention was made of any parts being replaced. The service invoice simply says "ECM Re-burn for trans. "Reprogram ECM with updated software per ITB # 03034." No parts are listed, only labor. I wasn't aware there is more to the ITB than that.


It does sound like they just did the reprogramming. This is just labor as you noted. The other work is probably needed if you also have the "Check Engine" light on, I would guess. I will also try to get more information about this ...

Z

SIDVICIOUS
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I HAVE JUST PICKED UP MY M45 2 WKS AGO. WOULD IT NEED THE REPROGRAMING? I DO NOTICE SOME LAGS AND JUMPS AT VARIOUS POINTS. WILL MY DEALER KNOW OF ITB 03034 REBURN? i AM A LEAD FOOT BUT THE MANUAL SAYS TO TAKE IT EASY FOR 1500 MILES(UNDER 4000 RPM) OR SHOULD I TEST IT, WHICH I HAVE?SID

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PalmerWMD
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Follow the drive-in instructions to the letter, it will make for a happier car in the future.

yes your dealer will be able to tell by your VIN if you car need the "reburn" or not and they will know what you are atlking about when you give them the ITB #.

Congratulations on your new car!

Great to see you here on NICO!

Fred..:)

SIDVICIOUS
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FRED..THANKS...I'M CHECKING WITH THE DEALER FOR INFO. I'M NEW TO THIS SITE SO NOT SO WELL VERSED ABOUT THINGS. WHERE IS THE ROLL CALL & PPL.SID ....[email protected]

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PalmerWMD
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I checked and see you already posted in it.

Fred..:thumbup

dezm45
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Hey Sid .. what part of Jersey ? I'm there too -- and where did you buy your M from ???

SIDVICIOUS
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DEZM45 I GOT IT AT RAY CATENA ON RT1 IN EDISON. I'M LEASING AND GOT A GREAT DEAL. I'M IN THE SOMERSET/HILLSBOROUGH AREA AND I NEVER SEE ANY OTHER M45'S OUT ON THE ROAD. HOW ABOUT YOURSELF?SID

dezm45
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Hey Sid .. I actually got mine at West Chester Infiniti (in PA) ... an INCREDIBLE lease deal ! I'm in South Jersey, and Holman (Egg Harbor) wanted $120 MORE per month on the lease for the SAME CAR !!! Those guys at West Chester REALLY hooked up the deal !!!

In the YEAR that the car has been out, I've seen 3 total -- A white, a black, and another green .. and NONE since I've had mine !!!

SIDVICIOUS
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DEZM45...I'M ORIG FROM WEST DEPTFORD AND VISIT FAMILY IN LINDENWALD AND WOODSTOWN. MY DEALER ACTUALLY GOT IT FROM PA BECAUSE HE OFFERED ME A TECH PAKAGE FOR 392 PER MONTH...W/5K DOWN AND 12K PER YEAR. I'LL CHECK OUT EBAY. MINE IS PEARL WHITE WITH EVERYTHING!!!! THE DEALER WILL INSTALL THE SPOILER NEXT WEEK. LET ME KNOW AND MAYBE WE COULD MEET HALF WAY...SID

dezm45
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Sid ... please tell me you DIDN'T put $5000 down !! OH NO !!! You shouldn't put ANY $$ down on a lease - in the event anything ever happens, the car is insured but your 5k vanishes :(. I didn't put ANYTHING down -- just the first month and the bank fee -- (Total due at signing was $1000 even) .. and I'm in the low $400/mo range !!!

I guess I really did STEAL this car !! lol I have everything except the tech package ...

But hey -- all that matters is that you are HAPPY with the car -- and it is a GREAT car !!!

We gotta find some more people from the PA/NJ/DE area and arrange a meet !!

SIDVICIOUS
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I DON'T FEEL SO BAD, IT HAS EVERYTHING, NAVIGATION, SPOILER,VOICE ACTIVATION, AND THE FIRST THREE MAINTAINENCE COSTS. I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN THOUGH. I CHECKED OUT THE PICS ON E-BAY OF THE M45 WITH THE SPOILER. I LIKE IT. WHAT PART OF JERSEY ARE YOU FROM?

dezm45
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Sid, as long as you like the car that's ALL that matters .. and yes, the car DOES have 'EVERYTHING' !!! No matter how you look at it, it's a great value !!!

I'm down in South Jersey -- by the shore -- near Atlantic City ...

pmcd1966
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Edmunds.com shows a $3000 rebate for M45's from 10/1 to early January on 2003 models. I may have to check them out!

russg
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pmcd1966 wrote:Edmunds.com shows a $3000 rebate for M45's from 10/1 to early January on 2003 models. I may have to check them out!


The $3k discount/rebate has actually been available for some time now. It used to be in the form of $1k dealer incentive coupons, of which up to three could be used per car. Now it is in the form of a cash rebate. Same $3k, assuming you apply it to the purchase of the car. I purchased mine in August. The deal was $200 over invoice, less the $3k discount, for a purchase prices of $2800 under invoice, or about $7k under MSRP in my case. That was done without even breaking a sweat. I suspect that if you wanted to really turn the screws, you could do even better.

dezm45
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Russ .. I REALLY turned the screws .. HARD TOO ! Now, what I want to know is ... this $3000 incentive -- I wonder if it's ON TOP of the coupons .. now THAT would be insane ! It can't be though .. you'd be $6k or MORE below invoice if that was possible

I also knew about the $3k worth of 'coupons' back in August and September (when I did the deal) ... and used that info to my advantage. There was also an additional $1500 that went back to the dealer if they sold a certain # of M's for the month -- I got that $$ too ! My cap cost wound up being almost $5k BELOW invoice !!

So, to anyone looking for an M .. if you really work at it -- you can get this car for an INCREDIBLE price !!!

russg
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dezm45 wrote:Russ .. I REALLY turned the screws .. HARD TOO ! Now, what I want to know is ... this $3000 incentive -- I wonder if it's ON TOP of the coupons .. now THAT would be insane ! It can't be though .. you'd be $6k or MORE below invoice if that was possible

I also knew about the $3k worth of 'coupons' back in August and September (when I did the deal) ... and used that info to my advantage. There was also an additional $1500 that went back to the dealer if they sold a certain # of M's for the month -- I got that $$ too ! My cap cost wound up being almost $5k BELOW invoice !!

So, to anyone looking for an M .. if you really work at it -- you can get this car for an INCREDIBLE price !!!


I assume they switched the dealer incentive to cash rebate. Seriously doubt they'd offer both, but don't have any hard data. Outstanding job on your deal. My deal was so easy, it caught me off guard. The dealer offered up more ground up front than you can usually get only after hours of hand-to-hand combat in other situations. In my case, they over-allowed a bit on my '00 Q, which had 4 months to go on its lease. In the end, not a nickel changed hands, we swapped keys, and my lease payment went down $200 per month (same 36 mo 15K miles). Couldn't find a good reason to declare battle stations, so I just drove home in the new car.

This is the best kept secret about buying the higher end Infinitis. If you're at the right place at the right time, you can strike some terrific deals.

I leased my '94 Q in November 1994, and the 95's were already on the lot. $52k MSRP capped at $41k with very cheap cost of money on the lease. At the end of the lease in 1997, the residual was $25.5k, much more than market value. I really liked the car, felt it had many more miles left on the clock, so I bought it off lease for $4k under residual.

January 2001, I had my 94 Q in for service, and saw a beautiful 2000 Tuscan Beige Anniversay Edition Q on the lot. 01's are already on the lot as well. Infiniti sponsors some sort of golf tournament here in Phoenix, and they let VIP's drive new Infinitis while in town. This was a tournament car. Had $3k miles on it, but had never been titled, so it was to be sold as new, like a demo. $52k MSRP, capped at $37k, but no great deal on the money factor and a pretty low residual. Still, a pretty decent deal on a nice car.

This is how I can afford to drive Q's and M's and why I keep coming back for more. Realy looking forward to the 05/06 Q's and M's. Figure my timing might be such that I'm ready to move on an 05 just before the 06's arrive? We shall see.


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