Buds78 wrote:
Here is my main concern. Literally the day after making the downpayment on the EX my 07 G35 (same engine) put out a code - Bank 1 exhaust timing control assy! This is costing me big $$$ (at a reputable Infiniti dealer) to fix. I decided to do both sides to make sure the other side doesn't fail on the ride home (that's what usually happens when I try to save a few bucks). I've already been through the nightmare and expense of the cam cover gaskets failing. The G35 has 135,000 miles on it. Am I headed down the same road buying the EX with the 3.5 engine. I don't see the same threads about these kind of problems here with the EX although we are talking about three years and about 80,000 miles difference. Are there other reasons the EX seems to be a more dependable choice? I usually drive my cars until the wheels are ready to fall off. I had a 96 maxima with 365,000 before I retired it. I take good care of my vehicles and do the routine maintenance when it's due. So can I expect to get longevity out of these cars with this engine? I'm considering backing out of this deal but my wife really likes the car and overall it is a lot nicer than everything else we looked at in the same price range. I would just like to know if I can expect it and my bank account to last for a good long time? Any help will be appreciated.
Welcome to the forum.
Your G37 and EX use pretty much the same engine (VQ35HR). However, we won't know the difference in reliability as your EX engine ages since Nissan may have implemented some minor design changes in those three years. From what I've seen on this forum, the engines in the EX in general seem to be reliable, and that the issues that do pop up tend to be a bit more random. But then again, I believe most of the members here haven't quite reached 100K on their vehicles. If you want more information on the relibility of this engine, I would say to check out forums that cover the G35. Those models are much more prevalent, and the forums have a lot more activity.
My EX had developed a bad throttle body at around 95K. I also noticed a faint weeping of oil at the timing cover gasket, which is one of the more common issues on this engine. I believe that the gasket was redesigned though on later models.
I don't think you can compare these Infinitis to the '96 Maxima that you had from a reliability and cost perspective. That generation of Maximas was known for being long lasting cars. The big 3 Japanese automakers were near the top of their game in the mid 90's when it came to designing and manufacturing reliable cars. Nowadays, I don't believe you'll find Infiniti hovering near the top of any reliability rankings. Also keep in mind that while it's possible to keep a late model Infiniti going over 300K, I think it would cost a pretty penny. These cars are more complex than what was on the market 20 years ago; and repairs on Infiniti's do tend to be somewhat expensive, so at some point before that mileage mark you'd have to decide when it's not worth fixing something. If long term reliability and longevity is at the top of anyone's list for vehicle attributes, a Lexus or Toyota would probably be the best choice.
With all that being said and the problems I've encountered, I've got over 111K on my EX and I still like it. And I'm hoping for many more miles of trouble free ownership (knock on wood).