I'm graduating highschool next year and I'm saving up for a nice car for college. I'm thinking about getting a G37x coupe. If I do get one, I will probably buy a K&N cold air intake and an exhaust (idk which one yet). Is there anything I should know before going into the buying process? Is there a certain mileage I should aim for? I would rather spend more money for a car in better condition than being stuck with a car that hasn't been taken care of.

 

I don't remember which years it was that had the gallery gasket issue.. but one where it has already been taken care of or one where you don't have to worry about it would be ideal. That's one heck of a job to do on your own.. and very expensive if you pay someone else to do it. Other than that the car has been solid. Mine is a 2008 and ive keep it stock with looks and it still looks beautiful to me today. paid off and still beautiful. besides the gallery gaskets the cars are pretty darn reliable. what is your budget?

 

My budget is 20k, whatever I don't spend on the car ​​​​​​will go to modifications or maintenance. I'm not planning on putting anything more than a cold air intake and an exhaust on it though

 

Put your $20k towards a brand new vehicle.
It comes with all new parts and a warranty
A Honda Civic would be a good choice for a college student.
After you graduate college with a job you can think about a nicer car

 

Do whatever you want with your money and your automotive values. Your decisions about your life in ways that don't affect any one else are your own to make. Yours alone. Ignore the smug aholes who say otherwise.

For the G sedan, shoot for a 2012-2013 if you're interested in the RWD Sport Package. Otherwise a 2014-2015 Q40 is a fine car. (Same exact car, different badge, but no Sport Package available.)

 

Is there an X package on the q40? I live in Iowa so our winter would be a challenge for a RWD car

 

Yes, the Q40 could be had as RWD (open diff) or AWD.

 

Man... 20k budget can get you an evo x , or a wrx which both have far superior awd systems. As much as I love my Infiniti with 20k I would probably buy a different vehicle lol. But that’s just me

 

I don't want to buy a rally car because they are overvalued, in my opinion. I'd rather have a grippy road car than a grippy rally focused car, since over 99% of the time I will be driving on paved roads

 

 

I'd think 20K could get you into a pretty nice coupe, and the xS IIRC at least gets the BBK

Supposedly 2012+ has an improved oil valley gasket, which should negate what is probably one of the weakest link. My only word of caution is these aren't the most fuel efficient cars.

 

You are entering a very cool phase in your life. Take the time to enjoy it, and do it safely.
The G-37s are very reliable. Have a 2013 Coupe 6MT with 50K miles & only had to replace a battery and a set of tires.
These cars use about 15-18 MPG in city & 21-25 MPG in HWY (Overall: 19-21MPG) depending on conditions & your driving. These cars are heavier, which makes them more stable at higher speeds. Also, check insurance rates in your area.
Having said that, my 6MT is a blast to drive and look great. I was surprised how much stuff its holds by bringing seats down (leave other uses to your imagination)
All things equal, I would put my money on a 2013 or newer with fewer miles that is well maintained, than on the mods you mentioned from performance perspectives.
When you search this site, you will find that these mods add marginal HP at best but make the car sound cool. You'll find that I researched this a while ago.
Be really careful when selecting air filters to assure they do NOT let bigger particles into engine. OEM does a good job
wishing you best of luck!!!

 

Basically, if you have your eyes set on a G, aim for late 2011+ to avoid some of the more serious issues that were addressed in later years. Its a great platform to start on, but dont expect a lot of return on investment for mods vs how much power they give you. Dont get K&N intakes, all they do is add sound and rob performance. When I was tuning, the dyno showed identical numbers for stock intake vs K&N and I built this whole custom heatshield system and everything. Its a mod you will ultimately upgrade from, so dont waste the money. You have a decent budget for a fairly low mileage car, so happy searching!

Buying tip, get an OBDII bluetooth scanner and ask if you can scan the car when you're buying. Using OBD Fusion or Torque app, you can scan the car and see if there are any codes or historical faults that have been cleared to make the car seem better. There is also a hidden diagnostics menu that runs a self diagnostic test on the main sensors. You can just youtube infiniti g37 hidden menu or something like that.

When doing an inspection, make sure the mechanic checks the transfer case on awd models as sometimes those seals break and leak. (personal experience). Look at the rear differential and see if there is any residue like something was leaking out of the bushing onto the exhaust. The rear diff bushings are a common thing that goes, so checking if its intact is a good idea. Listen for loud ticking noises from the engine, the VVEL actuators sometimes let go and there have been a few TSB's out to fix the issue. Also listen for knock. These cars need premium gas, and Ive seen too many kids buying these and put 87 in them then complain about knock.

Ultimately, don't forget, despite the age of the platform, it's still considered a luxury car, so expect a luxury markup on stuff.

Thats all that comes to mind for now.