Infiniti M35x/M45

[SuPhistiKatEd]

I'm in the market for a new vehicle....originally a new SUV.

I took my truck in today for a routine checkup and had time to burn. I walked over to Hyatt Infiniti to look around, got approached by a salesman, started talking, and next thing I know, I'm all over the new M35x.

This car is nice! The standard features are endless...you get a lot of bang for your buck.

http://www.infiniti.ca/en/models/m35_45/overview.html

I ran out of time, unfortunatley, so I didn't get a chance to drive one. However, The salesman was really nice, told me to think about it, and look at some other cars. (Lexus GS series, BMW 5 series)

Thoughts/Opinions? Any info on the competitors? Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[euro_racer]

when i worked there i loved that car...the m is deffinately a very nice car,i dont think there is such thing as a "basic" m35/45 because they all are pretty much fully loaded (speakers in seats, heated seats, reverse camera...and more) i think the m45 might just be my fav infiniti for now (till the new g35 comes out that is)

you should take some time next time and go for a test drive, you will be impressed with it for sure :thumbsup:

[blinkme_210]

The specifications of the M class is best in it's class, definitely the best bang for your buck. I would have gotten the M, but the looks of it turned me off. So I went with a 5 series instead.

[Orbie]

The M35x is a pretty nice car, but to tell you the truth. With the introduction of the new G35 sedan, the M35/x is pretty much out-dated. My brother owns one and although he likes it he wishes the new G35x was around at that time, as he probably would have went with it. Most of the features you can list on the M35 the 07 G35 has or can get. The things like Speakers in the seats, DVD player etc. are all options, they are NOT standard on the M35. The things that my brother likes the most about the car, keyless start/entry, speech recognition etc. are all available on the G35 for much less money. If you haven't yet, I would take a look at the 07 G35's, I know Hyatt Infiniti just had their release preview for the car last week.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I've driven both the M35X and the M45. Both are pretty awesome, and the guys at Infinity have always treated me extremely well.

The M35X had good power even though it was the V6. You also get AWD and like others said, just about every damn available option for $56,000 or so. The rev-matching down shifts with the automatic in manual mode are extremely good as well. The car is a bargain and they sell a ton of them. 9/10 M's I see on the road are 35X's.

The M45 is very nice as well, but it's just over $70,000 with the sport package, which adds standard nav, better wheels, and a couple other goodies like reclining rear seats I believe. It is quite fast and it still rev matches the downshifts in manual mode just like the M35X. Unfortunately, AWD is not available on the M45 but they have an amazing stability control system that works with the drive by wire. You cannot spin this car out. I was in a snow covered parking lot, accelerator on the floor and the wheel at full crank and nothing happened - the car only goes as fast as it can given the traction.

My dad was looking at The M45 and the 540i at the time, and he chose the 540i.

You can't buy any of the competition for the M45 new for the price of a new M45. The Lexus GS430, BMW 550i, and MB E550 are all alot more money. The GS430 is a very nice car but in my opinion lacks the "soul" that the BMW and infinity have. It is a very quiet, comfortable, cruiser. The BMW 545 and 550's are awesome and you need to look at those before you make a decision. The MBE550 is a rocket and is getting very good reviews, but I don't think their old enough to be in the price range of the M45. Look into that though. I would also suggest looking at an Audi A6 4.2. You get AWD and the best interior in the business.

Take a whole day off and go drive 4 or 5 cars back to back in the automall there and I think you'll find it is alot easier to make a decision or at least narrow the choices down.

[B17a]

Car and Driver just did a comparison between the cars Mitsu mentioned at the Infinity came out on top, just nudged out the BMW 550, mostly due to price.

[HyperZell]

The cars are awesome! I would really love to own a 45 - not only does it look nice, but it really exudes personality. I guess it depends on the look you are going for, but it could easily fit in in a corporate environment or be a sweet ride to pick a date up in. Fantastic, and I will applaud anyone who picks one up!

[SuPhistiKatEd]

Went back and test drove one last night. Amazing! I loved it when I turned the traction control off (VSD?) and pinned it. Wheels spinning and high revs, it sounded great. I loved it even better when it was on. I got great acceleration and grip on sheer ice and all season tires (They look like they don't grip very well, but I was proved wrong)

The braking system is awesome. I could manouver around any obstacle while braking.

Back-up camera is a great feature. Works well in the dark, but tough to see where you are going when the camera is dirty or smoke billows out of the tail-pipes in cold weather. Nonetheless, I still liked it.

GPS is a great feature to have. Never owned a vehicle with it. Lady's voice is annoying, but that can be tuned out. Very precise!

Control system is nice. Easy to understand and navigate through menus. Voice activation button on wheel helps alot.

Manumatic function works great. It'd be nice if the wheel had paddles, though. Adaptive headlights are a great safety feature.

Interior is nicely designed. Like the seats. Love the color combinations. I was a big fan of the Silverstone exterior/Bourbon interior w/ wood trim color combo.

I thought the ride quality was alright. It's crisp, sharp and responsive at first, but then it became uncomfortable as time went on. I started to notice how the slightest bumps made it feel uncomfortable and cheap. Whether it's from the tires or the fact that the vehicle and outside environment was cold, who knows, but I wasn't really happy with this aspect of the car.

I noticed alot of road noise as well, due to the lack of soundproofing Infiniti decided to put in the car. I liked hearing the revs from the motor, but the road noise (ie: highway driving, rocks, wind, etc) was pretty loud and noticable. I often found myself raising my voice to talk to the dealer. You could soundproof the wheel wells and undercarriage, but I still don't think it will help.

Other than the two gripes I have, it's a nice car.

I went to Lexus as well to check out the GS350, but they do not have any to testdrive yet. I still looked at the model, and found it to be very luxurious and sporty (The M35x feels more sportier and somewhat luxurious), from the wood infested interior to the smell/feel of the leather. It screams luxury. It basically has everything that the M35x has. Price variance is small, maybe a few little bells and whistles that differentiate the two, but not a whole lot of difference. I won't know the real difference until I get a chance to drive one.

I think I can eliminate BMW from my decision though. Doesn't really appeal to me.

Stay tuned!