Why the hate? (Inre 2003 and 2004 Infiniti M45)

[Mark Linkous]

Owing to an abundance of free time this summer, I have perused what seems like every M45 review on the planet. All of this reading has led me to one conclusion. There was a cabal against the 03-04 M45. That is I think there was some secret meeting amongst automotive journalists where they decided to flame our beloved Y34. It seems every gen.2 review I read starts off with some snarky comment about how the new car is the second coming while the previous was a "benchwarmer, also ran, homely, you name it. At the time of introduction the M45 offered the most advanced powerplant in its price range. I do not understand what is the problem with a car being designed for the Japanese domestic market either. Does everything have to be supersized? I will agree that interior packaging could be a little better with a car that could be kindly described as long. I remember the first time I saw a M45 at Baker Motors in Charleston, SC. While my friend was taking his ragged out C280 in for service I wandered around the showroom. In the corner was a Diamond Graphite M. I absolutely loved it and wished 50 large was in my range at the time. Kinda wish I got a Diamond Graphite M the more I think about it. I thought then and do now that the car provided an excellent balance of luxury and sport. The fit and finish is unrivalled as well. I think the new M is an outstanding car. The FM underpinnings are rock solid as well. I just do not understand why the 03-04 is so maligned.Mark

[M45-Zero260]

I couldn't agree more, Mark. It had me baffled when I looked at all the archived reviews and comparisons. They knocked the styling, one magazine even saying that, in black, it looked as if it had some "chewing tobacco in it's lower lip".

Then, one of my favorite magazines - MotorTrend, did a head to head comparison with the '03 Lincoln LS V8, and although the '03 M45 pretty much dominated every test, they went with the Lincoln...perhaps because it was named the COTY a few years back.

Maybe everything happens for a reason though. If they really talked up the car, maybe Infiniti would have sold more, they would have made more, and I wouldn't have been able to get mine last year at the price I did. IMHO, I think perhaps it's styling was a few years before it's time. Good thing for me now, because just about every Chrysler 300 I pass, I see them looking at my car like they've never seen it before (which might be true...lol). I was even thinking about switching around the 45 on the back to read M54 just to confuse them even more.

[szh]

I love the unique looks of my 2003 M45 and was absolutely hooked when I test drove it ... my wife and I instantly decided to get it instead of the G35 Coupe I had gone in to buy that day.

It also helped that the price was about the same effectively as the G35 (I bought my car new for about $8.5k less than MSRP) since I did not get the add-on stuff that I was not going to use anyway. I know that this lowered the future resale value of the car, but since I was planning to keep it a long while, that was not an issue then or now.

The real point is that I suspect that the look, although unique, was a bit dated (had been seen in Japan for years already) compared to the other cars that were coming out at the time. So, the magazines panned it heavily. They also probably suspected that it was a placeholder model, which was going to be replaced shortly, so there was no incentive for them to like it.

Their loss!

Z

[auditech10]

Their loss!

And our gain, enough said!

[Lotus]

I think you should, switch the numbers in the back. So we can represent, Number 54, Brian Urlacher of the Bears. And since tis almost the season for Football, it would look great "tailgating".

[Mark Linkous]

Football is too painful for us Atlanta Falcons fans. This has to go down as the worst postseason ever.Mark

[paranoidjack]

I think you should, switch the numbers in the back. So we can represent, Number 54, Brian Urlacher of the Bears. And since tis almost the season for Football, it would look great "tailgating".

Wearing my Urlacher jersey right now....

[vzuptnguyen]

i wasnt shocked, im glad the average american thinks this car looks like ****. They dont have a sense of style or class. they think mercedes are the ****, when infact mercedes has the worst interior design ive ever seen. for an import that is.

why do you think they price dropped so much =]

so id like to thank all reviewers for making it psosible for me to coming close to affording an M soon.

[Mark Linkous]

Vzuptnguyen,I agree with your thoughts about not seeing eye to eye with the masses. I was shocked however that every gen.2 review starts off with some throwaway line about the Y34. The car was class competitive or class leading in most every criteria at the time. I am the first to admit for as long as the car is, the rear seat is not exactly cavernous. I still love it. I go to school with a guy named Choung Nguyen who used to live in Cali by the way. I hope you get your M soon.Mark

[AZhitman]

Football is too painful for us Atlanta Falcons fans. This has to go down as the worst postseason ever.Mark

Amen, fellow Bird-lover!

Honestly, I think the 03-04 M was the most impressive car Infiniti has built since the G50 platform was discontinued, and I prefer it over anything in the current lineup as well - But that's just me.

It SHOULD have been the modern iteration of the 90-93 Q45 with more HP and an active suspension option.

[Mark Linkous]

Yes the Joey Harrington era has begun in earnest. It will be interesting to see how fair weather the fans are going to be in ATL. Before Vick you could honestly get tix for free absent the Dirty Bird 98-99 era. Perhaps the Bulldogs will pull me out of my NFL doldrums.CheersMark

[szh]

It SHOULD have been the modern iteration of the 90-93 Q45 with more HP and an active suspension option.

That would have made it quite awesome indeed. I'd love to have seen the current M suspension in a Y34 look (freshened up a bit perhaps) - but Infiniti had to go with the current soap-dish look to make it comparable to other brands on the road. Oh, well.

Z

[AZhitman]

Yes the Joey Harrington era has begun in earnest.

That, in and of itself, makes me sick.

Matt Schaub will go and light up the NFL, and once again, we'll be left playing .300 ball.

[vzuptnguyen]

Vzuptnguyen,I agree with your thoughts about not seeing eye to eye with the masses. I was shocked however that every gen.2 review starts off with some throwaway line about the Y34. The car was class competitive or class leading in most every criteria at the time. I am the first to admit for as long as the car is, the rear seat is not exactly cavernous. I still love it. I go to school with a guy named Choung Nguyen who used to live in Cali by the way. I hope you get your M soon.Mark

thanks man, hope i do too. i was amzed when i first saw this car when i was about 13. i cant stand driving a car everyone and their mom has. there are many nice cars out there i consider, but i love that look when people break their necks just to take a glimpse of what i drive right now. haha. wonder if you guys get that. i, believe it or not, see 1-2 M's on the street a year. THANK YOU LORD.

what do you mean by "starts off with some throwaway line about the Y34". like they start by saying something like ..."the new M is much an approvement oppose to the ugly blah blah one before..."?

and i know what you mean about the rear seats. there are some things not too classy about the interior (door panels) but its the outside that just gets me. and the rear how the floor divider elevates up cuz of the RWD. thats an excuse to drive less people though =]

btw. everyone, go to yahoo image search and type in nissan gloria. Look at the blue wallpaper. you will just die

[vzuptnguyen]

this is it

http://www.japcar.ru/autowallp...1.jpg

[AZhitman]

That's gorgeous.

V, you have some pics of your Saber?