[Sara]

I have been driving a G37 Sedan for the last 4 years and it has been a great ride for me. This is the 1st time I posted on forums, but is getting input from all sources(Forums,Car Brokers,Friends etc)

For me a new car is decided after extensive research and test driving because I'm not a leaser, I purchase. So I need that car to be good for 4-6 years and 100k+ Miles.

I wanted to go the Q route but is concerned over the direction Infiniti is going and of course over the technical issues from the Q itself. To me it feels like after Acura's success story with their 3G ended, Infiniti really took over among that price segment. Acura's 4G was never competitive with the G37's(FWD,ugly design from 09-11, big drop off from 3G etc etc). I can't help but feel like the Q50 is a bit similar to Acura's 3G/4G story, in that it's trying to replace a highly successful and beloved model and initial impressions are ranging from negative to mixed.

Infiniti doesn't have a 5 Series or a MDX/RX/IS to fall back on if our bread and butter fails. I believe the Brand live and dies with the G/Q Series. It's worrying to me listening to the Infiniti management saying how they wanna gun for Mercedes S Class segments because I feel like they should really concentrate on perfecting their money maker segment first.

Anyways I'm seriously thinking about going for a Lexus IS 350 instead of a Q50. Lexus as of right now is still the superior Brand(from a non bias stand point).

I really really wanna just go the Q50 route but is very hesitant right now.

I don't wanna be driving a Q50 a year from now and a red TLX drives by and I'm thinking to myself.. I could have gotten that....... I wanna drive the Q50 and still be happy with my decision years down the line.

 

[reignstorm]

I came from a g37 and got a Q50s with the old schools steering and navigation. I'm really happy with it and have not had any problems. It is different but better than my G. Go test drive one and make your own judgement then go test the Lexus and see what you like better. Either way, both are good cars.

 

[SimpsonTide985]

The way you have to look at it is, there's always a bigger, nicer car coming along the way, which is a big reason why I choose to lease. Every 2-3 years there's going to be something appealing and new hitting the streets and there's always that feeling of remorse and curiosity that comes out of that, but it's not always something that a lot of people think about. For people like you and myself, it's another advantage of leasing---it gives you that opportunity.

Now, I was just as concerned as you were about the Q50 and maybe it comes down to biting the bullet and making absolutely sure you know what you're getting--maybe waiting a few more months for the next model year could alleviate some concerns as well, it's up to you.

I know you're not a leaser, but I think it's something to consider in this case if you think you're committed to driving an Q50 but at the same time, you're having these kinds of doubts for the long term.

 

[andrew]

If you get a 3.7L (not a hybrid), I don't think you have to worry about reliability from the drive train.
That's all proven and should give you 100K easily.

The big difference between the Q50 and G37 is a base Q50 doesn't have the handling of a G37.
You have to upgrade to Q50 Sport for that.

And you get InTouch as your center console control.
InTouch seems to be hit or miss for people.
You probably want to go play around with it a bit at a dealer and make sure you like it.


FTR, I leased the hybrid due to your concerns.
I know it's the drive train and tech were around 1 year in the M, but it doesn't look like they sold that many M Hybrids.
So with it all being still new and the first year of the Q50, I leased.
But if I went with a 3.7L I would have been fine with buying instead.

 

[q50x]

I'm the owner of a 2010 G37x Coupe. Great car but the new !Q50 is a handsome beast with a better looking interior. I've also owned a 2006 IS250 AWD and a 2007 IS350.

I purchased the 2010 G because I was just bored with the Lexus. I wish I liked the new Lexus IS 350 because now it is offered with AWD and would be just perfect.

That said, even my salesperson says the Infiniti isn't quite ready yet and Infiniti has promised a major update by the "end of the year". Or the 4th quarter 2013 or.....

Anyway the Infiniti is a fine looking car both inside and outside but I think it really needs an upgrade to the hardware to handle all the sophisticated technology it is using. My G37 certainly isn't lacking in technology but I can start it up and everything always works...right away!

But the Lexus IS series has one major flaw that has been beaten to death by pretty much every review.

It is butt ugly. The front end is way over the top and rear section pretty much follows the same theme. Lexus has the coupe prototype that looks a whole lot better but may or may not be built.

I'm going to look at the Cadillac ATS/CTS, the BMW 4 series and the Mercedes 2015 C when it comes out. Might even visit some domestic dealers to see whats in their showrooms. I'm not sure there are really any "bad" cars out there anymore but as much as I hate to say it, the Infiniti Q50 might just be banging at that door with the horrible implementation of its technology.

 

[Vancity808]

Im an owner of the Q50s RWD, and one of the lucky few who hasnt had any problems (knock on wood), like you, i plan to keep the car for a little longer then 6-7 years (under 120kms) and reliability on the expensive problems such as drivetrain isnt a big concern for me, as its very similar to the G's platforms and drivetrains. If the tech is what you're worried about failing, you can pick up an extended warranty, although i honestly doubt you'll need it if you purchase a 2015 Q50, im pretty sure infiniti will have gotten their act together about the Q by then.

The 2014 IS350 Fsport was a real contender when choosing the car, literally walked out of the saleman's office right as we were about to finalize. That being said, its a great car, however at the end of the day, i felt lexus didnt execute the IS as well as infiniti did with the Q, performanace & style wise, however im sure everyone has their own opinions on that. As for the ILX, cant speak for that as its not out yet, however if i remember correctly theres already a thread here bashing the car

 

[Sara]

Thanks everyone for all the input so far. Appreciate it.

In regards to the ATS/CTS. I would not trust GM Products. I know they won awards and is trying to convince everyone they changed, but every mechanic I talked to told me that they expect the ATS to run into major issues sometimes down the line. I hope that's not true, but history has proven that it is.

Leasing sounds like a great option but I love cars to the point of hard driving. I am reading the Q50 Thread and a number of owners are easily heading towards the 15,000+ mark in terms of miles per year. This is a normal number for me because I love driving so much. I guess I can get a 15,000 Mile Lease package......and work off that. I will definitely consider this.
If I didn't need a car right now, I would wait until the 2015 Q'S come around, but I already promised my little brother I'm giving him the G 37 for his first car(as it was mine).

I think the new Lexus is pretty cool(IS) and is underrated in terms of looks, but that is a personal opinion. I am seriously looking into leasing because purchasing really does cut out a lot of brands like ATS/BMW/MB/Audi because quite frankly I don't trust any of their cars past 80,000 Miles.

 

[Sara]

Im an owner of the Q50s RWD, and one of the lucky few who hasnt had any problems (knock on wood), like you, i plan to keep the car for a little longer then 6-7 years (under 120kms) and reliability on the expensive problems such as drivetrain isnt a big concern for me, as its very similar to the G's platforms and drivetrains. If the tech is what you're worried about failing, you can pick up an extended warranty, although i honestly doubt you'll need it if you purchase a 2015 Q50, im pretty sure infiniti will have gotten their act together about the Q by then.

The 2014 IS350 Fsport was a real contender when choosing the car, literally walked out of the saleman's office right as we were about to finalize. That being said, its a great car, however at the end of the day, i felt lexus didnt execute the IS as well as infiniti did with the Q, performanace & style wise, however im sure everyone has their own opinions on that. As for the ILX, cant speak for that as its not out yet, however if i remember correctly theres already a thread here bashing the car

Acura is held to a much higher standard than they really should. People are too hard on them. I think it is the fact they were so successful prior to the 4G years. They came out with so many good cars like Legend,Integra,RSX,3G etc... that I think the standards are a bit higher.
Looking at the sales of Acura.. their TL do around 32,000 per year.. which is around Audi A4, ATS numbers and it's better than Volvo S60.. but I think that because they were selling 50k-70k PRIOR to 2009.. it was considered a 'big failure' to suddenly start selling half of what they did.

I also think there is a hatred for Acura and Lexus Brands that comes from a lot of car forum posters.

The TLX MIGHT come out in May.. but I'm pretty sure I will have a new car by than. I like the TLX but don't like it ENOUGH to wait for it or take that risk in going right into one.

 

[vbx]

Sounds like you have your mind set on a Lexus or the new Acura TLX. I would just wait for the TLX since it'll be out soon.

Once that's out, you can decide between the TLX or the IS350. I'm pretty sure the IS350 will get a new center console so wait for that to be out soon.

The current IS350 has a joystick and bad placement overall. The redesign console with have a touchpad and a better placement of controls.

Problem with Lexus though is that they are busy if you need to service your car. Sure they have about 10+ service reps but when you go to Infiniti, it's dead empty and I like that. lol

The Q50's design is a bit for the older folks. I'm talking 40+. So, I need to get out of this asap. Lots of technology in the car for senior citizens. Such as electronic steering, lane departure warning, sonars to warn you if you're about to run a kid or objects, etc etc.

 

[Vancity808]

i agree the IS350 is a "younger" design, but in no way do i think the Q50 is tailored towards the 40+ zone. It does have a more mature look then the IS's boy racer theme, but im 19 and i still love the way my Q50s looks.

 

[vbx]

i agree the IS350 is a "younger" design, but in no way do i think the Q50 is tailored towards the 40+ zone. It does have a more mature look then the IS's boy racer theme, but im 19 and i still love the way my Q50s looks.

19 and driving a 40K+ car? I hate you.

 

[andrew]

Sara, are you looking at DAS electronic steering.
That is potentially another area where there might be some reliability problems.
If your not interested in DAS.. probably no point doing a long rehash on here.

 

[piggybox]

Well, I seriously looked at IS 350 before buying the Q50. A few reasons:
1) Q50 is roomier
2) I don't need GPS (in case I do need I'm covered by my smartphone), yet I couldn't find a 350 without that in nearby dealer inventories
3) Safety concern on the small overlap crash test. 2013 IS got a 'poor' rating. 2014 one still hasn't been tested yet. G37 and Q50 are both good on this.
4) Got a better deal on Q50 than on IS

Having heard of issues and bad reviews on DAS at the time, I decided to avoid that, so unfortunately I had to give up the tech and deluxe package. Basically I brought a G37 with a newer skin. This was our first sedan and we felt it was a good value for the price vs competition.

Again since you already have a G37, you may or may not find it's worth upgrading to Q50 if you choose not to have DAS like I did.

 

[JayG35]

i agree the IS350 is a "younger" design, but in no way do i think the Q50 is tailored towards the 40+ zone. It does have a more mature look then the IS's boy racer theme, but im 19 and i still love the way my Q50s looks.

I have always liked an understated, elegant, yet purposeful design. Even when I was your age, I was all about the BMW and Mercedes sedans of the time, as well as a few Japanese designs that aped them pretty well (LS400, Acura Legend, 3rd-4th gen Maximas, and the original Q45 to name a few).

With that said, I feel that the Q50 pulls this type of design off better than any Infiniti before it. It looks sporty and expensive, yet not at all overdone so as to appear too "youthful." It doesn't look like it's trying too hard- something that plagued the G35/37, FX and the M. It also helps that, for the first time since the afortementioned Q45s, they got the proportions right. This thing is low, wide, and has wheels that fill their arches in BMW-like fashion even in the AWD version.

So while the IS may be designed for a slightly younger crowd, that doesn't necessarily mean that the Q50 is for 40+ people. I'm with you on that one. I feel that the Q50 (and hopefully all new Infinitis to come) has a bit of timeless appeal that will attract people of all ages. I have a 24 year old friend who loves it. I'm 33 and obviously find it quite attractive. My father is 59 and thinks it looks great. Infiniti nailed the styling, for sure.

Again since you already have a G37, you may or may not find it's worth upgrading to Q50 if you choose not to have DAS like I did.

To be fair to the Q50, even without DAS and the full suite of tech options, it's a substantial upgrade over the G37 in key areas like fit-and-finish, ride, noise isolation (it's even better than the Infiniti M here!), and usable interior space.

 

[JayG35]

Thanks everyone for all the input so far. Appreciate it.

In regards to the ATS/CTS. I would not trust GM Products. I know they won awards and is trying to convince everyone they changed, but every mechanic I talked to told me that they expect the ATS to run into major issues sometimes down the line. I hope that's not true, but history has proven that it is.

Leasing sounds like a great option but I love cars to the point of hard driving. I am reading the Q50 Thread and a number of owners are easily heading towards the 15,000+ mark in terms of miles per year. This is a normal number for me because I love driving so much. I guess I can get a 15,000 Mile Lease package......and work off that. I will definitely consider this.
If I didn't need a car right now, I would wait until the 2015 Q'S come around, but I already promised my little brother I'm giving him the G 37 for his first car(as it was mine).

I think the new Lexus is pretty cool(IS) and is underrated in terms of looks, but that is a personal opinion. I am seriously looking into leasing because purchasing really does cut out a lot of brands like ATS/BMW/MB/Audi because quite frankly I don't trust any of their cars past 80,000 Miles.

I love driving too. The first year that I bought my first car (that wasn't a hand-me-down from the parents), I put 22,000 miles on my then-new 2005 Altima. I still have it along side the G35 sedan, both with 171,000 miles. The honeymoon never ends.

I understand the trepidation with regards to taking these tech-filled luxury sedans to over 80,000 miles, but they are all much more reliable than their ancestors were 10-15 years ago. 80,000 was a lot when I was in high school. Now, the average car on the road is 11 years old!

To deal with the mileage/cost of things breaking dilemma, I plan to buy certified pre-owned sometime in the not distant future. I surf the MB forums, and I've discovered that they have just lifted the mileage restriction on their CPO warranties. No one knows if this will be permanent, but if it is, it just may be enough to steer me away from Inifniti some day. Their standard CPO only covers an additional year (making it 5 years from new), versus the luxury standard of 6 years. However, you can extend the MB one to 7 years for about $3,500, and now it's unlimited friggin' miles (used to be an already-generous 135,000). I could go back to 20,000 miles per year with peace of mind!

 

[SimpsonTide985]

As for the ILX, cant speak for that as its not out yet, however if i remember correctly theres already a thread here bashing the car

I guess you're confusing the ILX with the TLX. The ILX is whole different animal. That's just a simple FWD 4-banger competing at the <$30k level. On a side note, I love the design of the ILX. It's a very simple commuter car with no kind of true power to speak of, but it has a really nice look, a decent 2.4L engine, and the manual transmission looks really good. It's one of those cars that I wouldn't be embarrassed to downgrade to if I had to.

 

[mkaresh]

I'm the owner of a 2010 G37x Coupe. Great car but the new !Q50 is a handsome beast with a better looking interior. I've also owned a 2006 IS250 AWD and a 2007 IS350.

But the Lexus IS series has one major flaw that has been beaten to death by pretty much every review.

It is butt ugly. The front end is way over the top and rear section pretty much follows the same theme. Lexus has the coupe prototype that looks a whole lot better but may or may not be built.

Lexus is definitely going to offer the coupe, which they're calling the RC. But the styling is even more extreme than the IS sedan's.

 

[SimpsonTide985]

Lexus is definitely going to offer the coupe, which they're calling the RC. But the styling is even more extreme than the IS sedan's.

If by extreme, you mean head-turning!! I think it's nice to be seen in a car that stands out--good or bad...

 

[selzini]

I think it's nice to be seen in a car that stands out--good or bad...

You mean in things like these?(I rest my case)

This person should be shot:

 

[SimpsonTide985]

I think it's nice to be seen in a car that stands out--good or bad...

You mean in things like these?(I rest my case)

This person should be shot:

How did you find all of those photos so quickly?

It's almost as if....


Nevermind.