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2003-2004 Infiniti M45 - Anyone?


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I was driving around the small towns and backroads of NorCal gold country yesterday and I spotted a very cool looking car, that had a Nissan Skyline/Bluebird esque sweep to the c pillars giving it a very sleek "JDM" look (I hate that word...). Looking closer I see that it is an M45 Infiniti.

 

I want one.

 

Does anyone know anything about these cars? Are they good cars? Expensive to buy parts for? Interiors hold up? The cost of OEM interior pieces can eclipse the cost of an engine rebuild, this is why I'm asking. Any cool aftermarket parts for these cars?

 

I could totally picture one with a slight rake, large expensive wheels, a semi loud burble to the exhaust note, maybe a chin spoiler or similar. They are cheap enough on Craigslist. My last 2wd venture was fast as hell, but turned out to cost me more in one year than I paid for it, or sold it for for that matter. That was a 2003 Volvo V70 T5. Fast and fun, but a freakin lemon. If the M45 was a good car, I'd consider it.

 

What do you all think?

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Essentially the same architecture as my 04 G35. I love mine, don't ever plan to sell it. :)

Are they front or rear drive? And the M45 has the V8, right?

 

I wonder if buying a $3000 car off craigslist would be a wise purchase, or if I would put $4000 into it in the first year. In other words, what kind of stuff needs attention after 15 years and 150,000 miles? Would I be better off buying a $7000 car? In an vintage car, the cheaper car is almost always a good gamble. On a modern car, I can see that biting me in the ass.

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They're okay cars. They had a VK45DE (V8) hence the M45. It's a first gen Y34 chassis, similar to the G35 but lacking the aftermarket support.

 

The Y34 chassis was only made from 07/02-12/04 so its short production run makes it an oddity. Their maintenance cost isn't too terrible, but that's assuming it doesn't need a ton of work right off the bat. (Lets be honest, a high mileage infiniti thats over a decade old is probably going to be clapped out unless you spend a fair amount on a nice car)

 

You'll honestly probably be happier in the long run with a G35. Great aftermarket support, easy to find, fun to drive, etc.

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Thanks for all the info.

 

A family car is what we're after. Basically, I've got a young family and I am getting sick of the econo-box family cars and want a nice comfy cruiser. I freakin hate our Honda Pilot. The Scion is adequate, but rattles our brains on the freeway. My Dodge 2500 4x4 is our favorite road trip vehicle, simply because it's more comfy than the others and cruises well at at 85 mph. So, though I love the G35, and always wanted one, I don't want a sports coupe at this point in my life. The M45 has a look that I think will age well, especially with a couple mods I can picture in my head.

 

Looking at similar cars, like a 10 year old BMW or a Jag XJS coupe (with GM LS3 of course), I think the M45 would satisfy my needs and desires, but also (from the sounds of your replies) be a good, inexpensive car to own. Two of my favorite cars I've ever owned were my 1991 Taurus SHO and my 1982 Buick Park Avenue. Both were excellent cruisers and fun to drive. The Buick had some mods that made it a drifting king (believe it...), but it still looked showroom fresh with whitewalls and wire wheels. The SHO could cruise at 120mph all day long. I once drove it across Nevada and Utah at 100mph plus for over 250 miles straight. One 50 mile stretch was at 125mph. That's the kind of car I'm looking for.

 

I'll now begin the hunt for a nice one, so if you guys see anything nice in NorCal, let me know. - Thanks again.

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I'll now begin the hunt for a nice one, so if you guys see anything nice in NorCal, let me know. - Thanks again.

 

Theres always a few forsale here in WA state. anywhere from $2500-$6000

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Thanks for all the info.

 

A family car is what we're after. Basically, I've got a young family and I am getting sick of the econo-box family cars and want a nice comfy cruiser. I freakin hate our Honda Pilot. The Scion is adequate, but rattles our brains on the freeway. My Dodge 2500 4x4 is our favorite road trip vehicle, simply because it's more comfy than the others and cruises well at at 85 mph. So, though I love the G35, and always wanted one, I don't want a sports coupe at this point in my life. The M45 has a look that I think will age well, especially with a couple mods I can picture in my head.

 

Looking at similar cars, like a 10 year old BMW or a Jag XJS coupe (with GM LS3 of course), I think the M45 would satisfy my needs and desires, but also (from the sounds of your replies) be a good, inexpensive car to own. Two of my favorite cars I've ever owned were my 1991 Taurus SHO and my 1982 Buick Park Avenue. Both were excellent cruisers and fun to drive. The Buick had some mods that made it a drifting king (believe it...), but it still looked showroom fresh with whitewalls and wire wheels. The SHO could cruise at 120mph all day long. I once drove it across Nevada and Utah at 100mph plus for over 250 miles straight. One 50 mile stretch was at 125mph. That's the kind of car I'm looking for.

 

I'll now begin the hunt for a nice one, so if you guys see anything nice in NorCal, let me know. - Thanks again.

I’ve recently gotten back into luxocruisers for the same reason, I hate the wifes suv that isn’t comfortable and gets about 13mpg mixed. I’m too poor to go with something like the infiniti m, so I got an 07 Crown Vic cvpi and put Lincoln Towncar seats, remote keyless entry with an alarm, and a high end double din dvd receiver and new speakers in it. It’s as much luxury as I can afford. All the things that made it a good cop car make it a good family car. Big bodied v8 cars are fun. Good luck with your future purchase, I’ll be waiting for oics.

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I’ve recently gotten back into luxocruisers for the same reason, I hate the wifes suv that isn’t comfortable and gets about 13mpg mixed. I’m too poor to go with something like the infiniti m, so I got an 07 Crown Vic cvpi and put Lincoln Towncar seats, remote keyless entry with an alarm, and a high end double din dvd receiver and new speakers in it. It’s as much luxury as I can afford. All the things that made it a good cop car make it a good family car. Big bodied v8 cars are fun. Good luck with your future purchase, I’ll be waiting for oics.

I’m Assuming you have the 4.6... how do you like that drivetrain matchup ?

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I’m Assuming you have the 4.6... how do you like that drivetrain matchup ?

I really dig it. It’s basically a four door mustang without the crowd killing tendencies. The rear end is watts linked and coil springs, front is spring on shock, front and rear have thick sway bars. It handles better than you’d probably believe, is pretty fast, and with my added interior upgrades it has almost everything I need except cruise...that’s only a factory cruise steering wheel and an ecu tune away though.

Sorry for the off topic Matt.

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I love the look of that M45. I've nearly purchased one a few different times but it was never quite the right time for me.

 

As for the drivetrain Matt, you and I both know an LS would fit in there quite nicely....

 

I just barely replaced my 96 pathfinder with an 07 Saab 97X (trailblazer) with the 5.3. I did a full AFM delete on it since i bought it cheap with a failed afm lifter. I'm pretty happy with it. It has basically double my pathfinders power, and gets better gas mileage than the pathfinder ever did. My first LS engine. I'm a fan.

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I do love the LS. One customer sent me an image last week of his MPG meter, showing 24mpg average. That's a 1987 FJ60 with a LC9 5.3 LS backed by a 6L80E trans.

 

The Lexus doesn't do it for me. It's the look of the M45 that I fell in love with. It has that "Japanese" look. Hard to describe. Kind of funky, and that sweeping C-pillar reminds me of a R30 RS.

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