A Maxima in A Dinner Suit
I originally reviewed on Edmunds might as well post this again. This car really is my road dog. I bought this pearl white Infiniti in 2020 from a previous owner who was meticulous with the cars upkeep, and it was garage kept, nearly spotless. To be quite honest I wasn't even familiar with what an i35 was, it was never on my radar. I'm more of the g35 type, but you couldn't call me biased with this review. When I sat in it after test driving a 1998 Lexus ES, which was this cars' counterpart(albeit a generation older) but not by much, the i35 felt like it was in another league, very well built and solid from interior down to the driving experience. I've sat in some nice cars of the same era like S-class, 7 series, Audi, Lexus, this car comes close, if not meeting that same feeling those cars deliver. Especially when you consider its price, equipment, and reliability then, and now, this car was a steal, a jack of all trades. Needless to say this car has been amazing, great linear power, confident handling, luxurious spacious interior, nice looks, good mpg even by todays standards. Almost 20 years later she still holds up very well. I really don't have many reliability complaints, except for the oil burning/ oil leaks, leaky valve cover gaskets (which can lead to alternator failure)had to go through 2 alternators, and unfortunately had 2 breakdowns assumingly because of that leak, but trouble free now.
My personal cons: the turning radius is truly awful, if you live in a U-turn type city this is probably not the car for you, really nit picky but the transmission would've been nice as a 5-speed auto, even a manual trans to maximize the VQs power, but understandable as this car was aimed for more luxury aligned buyers. If you're a more performance oriented person go for the manual Maxima, oil burning/ leaks must be addressed, lack of exterior aftermarket (not the cars fault though), stock stereo ate one of my CDs
Some things I love: the leather seats are like pillows, good MPG, electroluminescent gauge cluster, enormous trunk, good stock sound system, rear sun shade, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, great legroom front and back, HID headlights, steering wheel controls, auto HVAC system, cornering lights, fantastic V6 powerplant, e-throttle is buttery smooth, maintenance costs are very low, easy to work on, plentiful parts support, graceful styling (especially with the right rims), good suspension tuning, exhaust hum, not common to see them, and its dual personality: in this car you can drive like a relaxed 85 year old, or like you're rushing to the ER. Many more pros just can't think of them right now.
Nissan/ Infiniti did this car justice, it's sad they didn't continue the line, a modern i35 would've been a standout, like this car was back in the day. I plan on keeping this car for as long as I can, eventually doing a manual swap, and vq35hr engine swap, (Ultimate sleeper status haha). So far I've done some upgrades like putting coilovers, g35 coupe rims, stereo, replacing valve cover gaskets, ignition coils, general upkeep, and alot more. It looks and drives great, I've even gotten compliments on it. This car is my daily, I've taken this car on many long distance road trips 100mi+, and even through a mild snow storm without chains, while other cars/ suvs were stuck and slipping, I was stunned how incredible it performed. Each time I drive it I don't wanna get out of it, she doesn't make a fuss, just that variable-capacity muffler VQ hum. One of the ads for this car said, something to the effect of "Get inside one, and see for yourself", rang absolutely true. I do not like writing reviews, but I had to chime in, I truly love this car.
Recommended
Verified Owner
