2007 Infiniti G35s: Service and Clutch Recall

That is good to know. Now we can go back to liking it more than a 3-series.

further proof that I would be mad if I had to maintain a luxury car. $140 for an oil and cabin filter change is ridiculous. No wonder BMW advertises its free maintenance perk.

This is wonderful news if the clutch problems are greatly reduced or even rectified.
 
I've got to give huge bonus points to Infiniti on this one...how many 6mts did they sell? 2000? 3000? And to issue a Service Bulletin that involves serious labor on each one...that's impressive. This is not a recall, nor safety related.
 
Maybe the clutch pedal squeak was taken care of too...? :)
 
Joe

I also have the 2007 G35 S and I had the clutch recall as well. Mine took two days as well to do (I live in Boston) and the clutch came out beautiful. It shifts very smoothly and I am thoroughly pleased even though I did not experience any of the problems that the Edmunds' G35 had with squeaky and incredibly stiff movements.

Yeah, 1487, a luxury car is not for you if you are mad about a $140 15k miles maintenance.
 
BMW offers free maintenance because they only change your oil every 15k miles.

louiswei
 
What you said is just down right silly.
 
Remember this is just a glorified oil change for the most part. Changing the oil and installing the micro filter. Wow. Ouch. I just called my dealer and my 15K service is 28.99. The only difference is the in cabin micro-filter.
 
Wow. Ouch. HeeeHEEEE. Can't wait to hear how much the 15K is on the BMW, the Audi, etc.

No, what I said is not down right silly.
 
If you are hung up on the $140 15k-mile service then a luxury car is not for you. Deal with it.
 
By the way, this 15k-mile service is not "just an oil change". Sure it costs more than your Honda, Toyota and Chevy but at then end it is an Infiniti.

Aurakr/1487 -
 
I can't speak for Infiniti, but for BMW it involves a high quality full synthetic oil (and I believe it's between 6-8 quarts now), along with a high quality synthetic oil filter. Alot of dealerships will charge around $60-70 (this is low-end dealerships I'm talking about) for a synthetic oil change.
 
Furthermore, these BMW dealerships only require the owner to come in once every 15k miles. So that $150 service is the first service for 15k miles. Kind of a convenience factor, isn't it?
 
As far as BMW's maintenance plan (4 years, 50k miles)....what I LOVE about it is that it covers everything wearable. Battery, windshield wipers, oil, brakes, clutch.
 
So I can buy/lease my BMW, beat the snot out of the brakes everyday on back roads and use the clutch without worry....and I still only go in every 15k miles (or one year) for a service and have nothing to worry about.
 
Sure it's "expensive" to own...but you pay for the experience.
 
Joe

"So I can buy/lease my BMW, beat the snot out of the brakes everyday on back roads and use the clutch without worry....and I still only go in every 15k miles (or one year) for a service and have nothing to worry about."
 
Thanks for sharing. I'll let all the BMW service departments in Pennsylvania know this, Joe. j/k I'm sure you're happier driving your Civic Si (if I remember correctly), anyway.
 
BMW of North America's Maintenance Plan (4 year/50,000 mi - Note this is BMWNA's plan and *not* BMW's...if you buy a Bimmer in another country, there *may* be no soup, er free maintenance, for you (BMW Canada provides 4 year/80,000 km coverage, eh)) doesn't cover the replacement of maintenance items due to abuse. For example, if I regularly tracked my imaginary Bimmer at Willow Springs, Buttonwillow Raceway, and/or the infield road course at California Speedway (gotta love Southern California) in a way that necessitated front pad replacement every 5-8K miles, a BMW dealership as well as BMWNA would be suspicious as to why pads would need such frequent replacement. Then again, a real track addict probably wouldn't track their vehicle with the OEM pads and brake fluid. That being said, it would sure be fun to try!
 
http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/BMWUltimateService/Default.aspx
 
"BMW Maintenance Program: One of the most comprehensive maintenance programs in its class covering all factory-recommended maintenance, oil service and fluid service, as well as items that need replacement due to normal wear and tear - such as brake pads, brake rotors and wiper blade inserts."
 
Normal wear and tear, folks. :o) However, one person's interpretation of "normal" may vary greatly from another's. YMMV

Luxury car or not, $150 for an oil change and cabin filter is a lot. Just because you can afford a $50k car (or $40k in the case of the G35) doesn't mean that dealers should have free reign to gouge.
 
If you own an exotic, i.e. Ferrari, Lotus, etc, then I agree; difficult to access parts = high cost.
 
But for a run of the mill luxury sedan like the G, the 3 series, or the Audi 4, the cost should be no more than a Hyundai Sonata (allowing for synthetic oil vs reg).

bankerdanny is right. That is why I called my local dealer and asked for not only what it covered, but how much it cost.
 
The inspection is the same, save for the installation of the micro filter, that is it. In fact each of my 5k services comes with free tire rotation. Even better, on my wife's van, at discount tire, we have free rotation and balancing for the life of the tire, as many times as we want. The tires are guaranteed for 80,000 miles. Those paying $150 for luxury cars would probably not want to hear about that, though.
 
As my father said, a fool and his money are soon parted. If someone wants to pay that much, let them.

"Ouch. I just called my dealer and my 15K service is 28.99. The only difference is the in cabin micro-filter." - Aurakr
 
Aura, while $30 is a fine price, that's well shy of the Saturn recommended 15K mile service which they say will cost $107.

It's not like people who own luxury cars don't want to hear about your 80k-mile tires and rotate-it-as-much-as-I-want service. The reality for a luxury sedan owner is more like:
 
- The tires are stacked (225 front / 255 rear) and directional so it can't be rotated.
 
- The soft ultra performance summer tires cost about $300 a pop.
 
- They only last about 30k miles at most and 15k miles if one drives agressively.
 
Like I said, if one is hung up on the $140 service he/she should think hard before buying a luxury performance sedan. Yes, those people paid more for a car but they get more while driving it as well (maybe not for you).
 
So I guess you are calling everyone who owns a 3-series and G35 a fool huh?

I can't speak for Infiniti, but for BMW it involves a high quality full synthetic oil (and I believe it's between 6-8 quarts now), along with a high quality synthetic oil filter. Alot of dealerships will charge around $60-70 (this is low-end dealerships I'm talking about) for a synthetic oil change.
  
Joe "
 
"synthetic" oil filter? Your service adviser told you that?

boxermike
 
That is why I called my local dealer.
 
My dealer says they no longer go by the M1/M2 service interval. My service advisor did say that each dealer is different. Each standard 5K service is 28.99, which includes free tire rotation.
 
To be truthful, I liked the old service breakdown better. Back in 1993, when I bought the SL2, I got a 3000 mile service break down, and the approximate cost for each service. It was great. I loved it. I wish each dealer had to do that today.
 
I am sure that somewhere down the road, I will get hit with a bill that I think is totally outrageous :-)
 
No I am not calling "EVERYONE" who owns a G35 or a BMW a fool, however

This recall didn't affect the G37 did it?

Arua-
 
I just brought our Aura in for service, our dealer stil goes by the Saturn service intervals. So I'm not totally sure what yours is up to. Maybe trying to save a buck for a loyal customer?
-mike

boxermike
 
I don't think so, although it would be nice after all the years(15) I have owned a Saturn or Saturns. They announced it at the new owners barbeque they had after we bought the XR. That was over 1 year ago. When I go in for my 10k service,(8000 miles) I will let you know how much they charge. I will also be on the lookout to see if they try to augment with "recommendations".
 
That is why I loved the old service schedule. I think it was one reason our SL2 has lasted as long as it has.
 
What type of Aura do you have, XR or XE? As I have stated before, no issues at all with our car, including the sunroof. The middle console doesn't move, I guess we got lucky.
 
Rumor has it on GMInside news the Aura 4 cylinders are jumping off the lots. I know I would wait until the 2.4/6 speed before I considered the 2.4.

Aurakr, I 'have' the long-term Aura XR as I am a staff member here at edmunds (and the author of this blog post).

"Aura, while $30 is a fine price, that's well shy of the Saturn recommended 15K mile service which they say will cost $107."
 
what is included in the 15k service at your dealer? $140 for a oil change and cabin filter is steep in my book.
 
"Sure it costs more than your Honda, Toyota and Chevy but at then end it is an Infiniti."
 
and what does this have to do with anyting? Luxury dealers charge more because they can get away with doing so, not because they are doing anything special. The idea that it should cost more just because of the brand of the car is ridiculous. If people are OK with that then that is their choice, but it cannot be justified. Do you really think its harder to change the oil on a G35 than on an Altima? do you believe the technicians are smarter at the Infiniti dealership? I don't which means all that extra money is just more profit for the dealer.
 
These days luxury brands are about prestiage and having something others cant afford. The performance and technoogy gap between mainstream cars and luxury cars is smaller than ever before and thus luxury cars seem more overpriced than ever before. while a luxury car owner may be convinced that the extra cost is worth is due to the enjoyment he gets while driving that is on them. You feel good driving an expensive car because you love the prestige and recognition that comes with the vehicle. You can get driving enjoyment from many vehicles that are under $30k if that is your only concern.

aurukr-
  
I see where you're coming from and what you're trying to say....it's just that the way it was phrased was pretty harsh.
  
  
Owning a vehicle will inevitably have some major expense. Even the lowliest and most reliable vehicles will have something break or go wrong with them.
  
I plan on getting a G35; I'm sure that I can do the little things like changing the oil and changing the air/oil/in-cabin filters so the $140+ "service" won't matter to me or to the other owners that try to do as much of their own maintenance as possible.
  
Also keep in mind-it's not just the service alone; it's the loaner that they'll give you and the convienience of not having to do it yourself (along with the supposed "prestige" of owning a "luxury" vehicle).
 
That said, if a person is that worried about being screwed by a dealer or mechanic then they should just forego owning a vehicle and rely on public transportation or bicycle. ;-)

What asinine arrogance to imply that luxury car owners are being ripped off and therefore somehow dumber because they pay more for an oil change than the owner of a Saturn. Please.

"I plan on getting a G35; I'm sure that I can do the little things like changing the oil and changing the air/oil/in-cabin filters so the $140+ "service" won't matter to me or to the other owners that try to do as much of their own maintenance as possible."
 
This is pretty rare these days, especially when talking of luxury cars.
 
"What asinine arrogance to imply that luxury car owners are being ripped off and therefore somehow dumber because they pay more for an oil change than the owner of a Saturn. Please."
 
Benson, spare us please. Just the fact that you think someone's opinion should be validated by the car they drive shows that you should refrain from commenting here. What's arrogant is to assume that you can discredit what I am saying because I dont drive a high class vehicle that meets your lofty standards. Anyone with a shred of common sense knows that all luxury brands charge exorbant rates for maintenance services. This is an undeniable fact and obviously those who buy luxury cars feel the cost is worth enduring, or they buy a BMW.
 
ANY mainstream brand offers more value when it comes to service and maintenance, it has nothing to do with Saturn. Again, let's use some common sense here- if possible. I fail to see what is positive about spending more for the same service you would pay less for on another car. Are you suggesting that we measure one's intelligence by how much they are willing to pay for service? I guess everyone who owns a Toyota, Honda, Chevy, Ford, etc. must be real dumb in your book.

I have a G35 and an oil change w/inspection runs $35.99 at my local stealership. Also, the in-cabin microfilter requires removal of the dash panel so part of the cost for this service includes labor.

I have the 2007 G35 S in Boston and I usually bring my G to a Nissan dealership that is close to my house. I usually have a coupon and it is only 29.95 for an oil change that comes with a vacuum, car wash and full check of the car (tire pressure etc.). However, it costs 80 dollars for my 2007 Saab 9-3 sport sedan as it requires the synthetic oil.

"and what does this have to do with anyting? Luxury dealers charge more because they can get away with doing so, not because they are doing anything special. The idea that it should cost more just because of the brand of the car is ridiculous. If people are OK with that then that is their choice, but it cannot be justified. Do you really think its harder to change the oil on a G35 than on an Altima? do you believe the technicians are smarter at the Infiniti dealership? I don't which means all that extra money is just more profit for the dealer."
 
luxury dealerships tend to treat you better (hey, you're paying them more). Infiniti dealerships (at least around here) give you a loaner even if you are going in for an oil change. and they don't give you chevy cobalts or dodge magnums (2 cars i've had rentals for warranty repairs)...you get G35's, FX's, etc...

Don't blame Infiniti, BMW, Lexus or any other luxury marque; blame those consumers who want the best in life. This isn't just about dealerships charging a lot for basic service; this mentality extends to nearly every aspect of modern life.
  
Why would a person pay $1000-$1500/night to stay in the Presidental/Executive suite at an upscale hotel with $199 rooms?
Why would a person spend $100/plate at a steakhouse when McD's is a couple blocks away?
Why would a person spend $100 for a pair of tattered and worn jeans?
  
I know that we're getting WAY off track in this discussion but let's face it:as long as there are consumers that are willing to pay a premium for something there will always be those more than willing to cash in on them.