charles02

I've been considering the Infiniti FX 35/45 as a second car to the S2000. I currently own a Tahoe, and I am looking into others to replace it.

What are your experiences with it?
Which to you own, 35 or 45?
And why did you choose one over the other (35/45)?

Thank you.

Charles

hyun83

A good friend of mine just bought the 35. I think the only difference is the 35hp and 4.5L as where as the 35 has 280hp and its a 3.5L. He got all the options on the 35, keyless entry,rear camera, navi,and the 20's. If you really need the extra 35hp then go for it. I drove it for awhile and thought it was a decent car. Even has the nice exhaust note that the G has. But yeah.. overall decent car except for the fact that, the interior seems a tad bit cheap, especially with the brick leather. Thats my .02

bjohnston

Hey, I may actually be able to be of assistance...imagine that. Anywho, we got a new '05 FX35 for my wife in May. It is white/wheat 4WD (you should probably get a 2WD in Florida) with the touring package (I think that's what they call the premium-type package). We passed on the dubs option (my wife's a Jewish lawyer...not exactly a "baller"). Anyway, she absolutely loves the car, and I am quite impressed myself (I am definitely not the SUV type, though). The handling is very good for what the vehicle is. The power is much more than adequate...I've never wanted for more power. It's not a sports car and will never be one. I couldn't rationalize spending the additional out-of-pocket dough and fuel costs on the 45. The interior, I think, is very nice. Much nicer than the G35 loaner cars that I've had while the FX is getting its oil changed and tires rotated. The seats are VERY comfortable. It's a great long distance cruiser. 90 mph on the highway feels like 60 mph. We've put on about 11,000 miles with absolutely no problems. Also, I've had great experiences with the 2 Infiniti dealerships that I've dealt with (on purchase and routine service). The biggest downside to the car that I've found is its limited space behind the seats. We can fill it up pretty easily. We have no kids now, so it works. But, her next car will need to have more room (we are getting a Newfoundland soon, so things may get tight for the dog without folding one of the rear seats). Hopefully, the next gen. will have more space. We are pleased enough to want to stay with Infiniti.

As far as $$$, we got a 42 mo. lease with 15,000 miles per year for $379 per month with $3,000 o.t.d. (I think that works out to be a cap cost reduction of about $1,500).

As far as the obvious competitors, the RX330 and MDX, the FX seems to offer a more engaging driving experience than the RX, and the MDX just feels MUCH more like a minivan to me than the FX (my wife wouldn't look at the MDX, but my Mom got a new MDX, which I drove briefly, around the same time we got the FX). I would also look at the B9 Tribeca now (I may be one of the 8 people who doesn't think it's ugly), but I doubt it'd be as quick or handle as well as the FX. So, if you can live with its limited cargo capacity, I'd definitely recommend it.

rai

Engine Type
FX45 4.5-liter 32-valve V8
FX35 3.5-liter 24-valve V6

Horsepower
FX45 315 hp @ 6,400 RPM
FX35 280 hp @ 6,200 RPM

Torque
FX45 329 lb-ft @ 4,000 RPM
FX35 270 lb-ft @ 4,800 RPM

+59 lb-ft of TQ at a lower rev range, and probably a broader/flatter TQ curve.

I drove my friends FX45 and most-def it's the fastest (and most sports car like) SUV or tall wagon I've ever driven. It's hard to call it a SUV b/c it's got such a small trunk area.

I believe it's the quickest NA SUV sold in the US. OK so you may not care about speed/power, but the big engine is more than just +35hp. (OK it is just +35hp, but that's only part of the story not the whole story).

for FX35
for FX45

The FX45 comes with 20" wheels (I'm not crazy about this b/c it's a stiff ride) and the 45 weighs ~100 lbs more than the awd FX35. The FX45 only comes with awd.

As for competition, I believe the Porsche Pepper and the BMW X5 are the closest (performance) but the FX weighs a lot less and costs a lot less than either.

pip33

45 since 03. One of the best compromises between sports and utility. V8 was an easy choice for us, since it was my wife

SojuSoulja

I just got Rid of my FX35...Man was the quality crapola!

Cons:
Leather...seat bubble like no tommorow...very thin leather and cheap
Interioir Trim...the panels all don't line up. There are gaps in It.
Service...service at my dealer suxed.
Gas Mileage is horrible...I couldn't average more than 12.4 MPG in the city.(could be the hills in SF)

I had the car for 8 months beofre selling it for my S.

Pros:
Handling is pretty amazing. Skid pad was like .90
Good power
20" rims yo!

BTW, I have a 02 tahoe...keep the tahoe...much better than FX!!!

There's a good FX forum www.infinitifx.org

Here's my FX35






It had Greddy Exhaust
Stillen Pop Charger
Crawford Plenum...

b0mbrman

I like that despite the fact that it's lighter and more of a tall wagon than an SUV, it's still got more passenger and cargo space than the other two.

FX: 105 + 27
X5: 98 + 24
Cayenne: ? + 19

How is the seating position?

hyun83

I'm sorry that you got the impression when I said, "I think" meant I know everything. I meant, I "assume" that it was 35hp and 4.5L was the only difference. I hope that clarified your misunderstanding and also you can get the 20's on the 35, its optional.

I think the X5 4.8 is faster. Before you look frown upon my statement again, I said " I think."

Christople

The FX stole the Cayenne's thunder when it first came out, unless you popped the money for the twin turbo.

I wonder how the Cayenne's sales are doing, but no worry porsche makes big money for each one they sell

DJRobNM

I had a Navigator and a S2000 and wanted to get the closest balance between the two so I bought an 2003 FX45.

Like most have said here, it is just fast enough that your aren't longing for more speed. I have found storage space to be more than adequate, the roof is short but the trunk is wide and the tailgate is curved out so that most big things you wouildn't expect to fit, actually fit.

As far as the 35/45 thing, you live in Florida so you don't need AWD and since it looks like you like to mod your cars, the 35 RWD might be a better choice. 45 mods have been slow to come.

That said, the 45 feels much faster and pulls stronger due to the ~60 increase in torque. It is also less buzzy than the 35 engine.

I can't speak for all cars, but my leather quality has been fine.

The standard may be Bose (typically crap) but it is actually one of the best Bose systems I've heard once you replace the subwoofer.

The ride on my 03 is supposed to be more harsh than recent models and I consider it to be both comfortable and responsive.

I was worried that I would get the expensive tech package and never use it (Keyless Ignition, Navi, Rear camera, DVD, Laser cruise) but now I can't imagine living without it. Getting in normal cars seems a step down.

All in all, I consider my FX45 to be right up there with my S2000 as the two best cars I've ever had.