Hedgehog25

I've been thinking about getting a used 2011/2012 Infiniti G37 Journey sedan (leaning towards one from '12 for the extra warranty year), but I was just curious as to how reliable these cars are over the long-term. I'm not sure if this particular publication is considered an accurate source by most of you guys, but I like to read Consumer Reports pretty frequently, and they seem to love praising Acura and Lexus for their cars' outstanding reliability.

From what I've been reading, they used to consider the Infiniti brand to be one of the most reliable, but apparently, that reputation has become tarnished -- at least in CR's perception -- in recent years. It's funny, because if you look up the specific reliability percent score for the G37, the sedan version is rated as being 62% more reliable than the "average car" (whatever that actually is).

Maybe it's some of the new SUVs that are responsible for compromising the brand's overall reliability ranking?

Anyways, what I'm mainly curious about is how reliable I could expect a used 2011/2012 G37 sedan to be for the long-term. Everyone acts like Acuras and Lexuses practically "never" break down, but I've never owned one, so I can't attest to that. Is it generally the same case for G37s as well?

Let me put it like this -- for the last few years, I have been driving a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser that used to belong to my dad, and according to CR (and basically anyone with eyes and a brain), this car is pure CRAP in terms of reliability. However, the car currently has 210,000 miles, and it has NEVER broken down or needed any major repairs. I'm not sure if I've just been lucky or whatever, but it's never needed/received anything other than basic maintenance.

So considering that a Chrysler with one of the worst reliability reputations in the history of automobiles has surpassed 210k problem-free miles, is it safe to say that a 2011/2012 G37 with 25k-35k miles should last for at least 300k miles (with routine maintenance), assuming it wasn't abused by a previous owner?

'11G37S

iTrader: (4)

As long as you properly maintain your vehicle you shouldn't have any major issues. Heck, my brother has an '01 Audi TT which are not known for their reliability, and he has almost 200,000 miles on it and hasn't had any major issues. I've owned 2 Infiniti G37s (technically 3 but that's another story), and other than regular maintenance they've been very reliable.

warped ideas

From what I have seen, these Infinitis are pretty reliable. Most of the Japan cars are though.

Lego_Maniac

iTrader: (3)

I've never had a problem with any of my Japanese cars. The same is not true of the domestic and German cars I've owned.

My G37 has yet to be back to the dealer for an issue, and I've had it almost 2 years.

Our MDX is 4 years old and it was back to the dealer once, for a software update.

I think you are pretty safe getting a G.

AUR11

The G is pretty reliable, although it isn't nearly as nice as my Lexus was, but it is a great bang for your buck type of vehicle. Honestly the lack of refinement was what made me want this car, as it was a bit more sporting in nature. Although I will say that I'll be going Lexus again after this car, as they seemed to have switched places with the whole sporting character.

telcoman

Lexus and Acura are front wheel drive and handle much differently

A lot depends on how well the previous owner maintained the vehicle.

One would have to assume that your dad purchased the car new and took good care of it?

Once you go over or get close to 200k miles you can expect to start replacing lots of items.
I could have spent a couple of thousand on my 06 for brakes, rotors, headlight ballast, leaking differential seal but I chose to get rid of it and purchase a new one.

I only had one Lexus that was a 92 ES 300 5 speed manual purchased new. Had it for fourteen years put over 120k miles on it and got rid of it to purchase my 06 G35 6 speed Infiniti in December 2005. Put 171796 miles on that Infiniti which was far superior to the Lexus. The Lexus had two sticking wheel calipers that had to be replaced. My 06 Infiniti gave me 85k miles on the original brakes and had no sticking wheel calipers during my almost 172k miles of ownership. Still had that first set of replacement brake pads when I got rid of it.

My current 2012 G 37S 6 speed manual now has 35k miles with only oil changes thus far. Zero repairs since August 31st 2012

In order to reach an accurate assessment of long term reliability I think you need to purchase new with the expectation of keeping the vehicle for ten years or longer.

Just my $.02

Good luck

Telcoman

Serpens

Well- The Lexus IS, GS, and LS are RWD with available AWD.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

Buying a slightly used car is certainly a much smarter financial move than buying new, particularly when there is manufacturer warranty still on the car. An almost-new car with that first huge chunk of depreciation lopped off the top... very smart. There are only two risks: that the previous owner drove it crazy hard before it warmed up, or that there are unrecorded repairs on the car. While certainly plausible, those are also two unlikely situations in normal car ownership, mitigated by low mileage and good maintenance records.

People who advise you to only buy new cars are usually trying to rationalize their decisions. Put another way, they're willing to pay a disproportionate extra cost to go from 95% confidence to 100% confidence. While that's certainly their choice, IMO there's more bad advice there than good, so take their $.02 for what it's worth. Also, when reading free advice from strangers, there's often a larger context of questionable judgement that you may not realize, even if 87 reasons are right in front of you.

This G is my fourth NISSAN in 23 years. I think NISSAN makes a reliable car, but I've that opinion on most Japanese auto manufactures. That said, I'm still thrilled to own my G.

Lastly, asking your question on a G forum will elicit predictable answers. You're better off spending the time researching the forum for common problems, then making your own assessment based on that research. Asking G owners how reliable their car is, that's not very useful. And making a wild comparison to a PT Cruiser... Pointless.

Lego_Maniac

iTrader: (3)

And the TL is available with AWD and a 6mt, plus all their suvs have available AWD.

To Rochester's point, there are pros and cons to new vs used. Generally, financing offers are a little bettet on new cars, and it's certainty easier in many cases to find a specific car or configuration in a new car, but lightly used cars are also a great value because you don't take that initial depreciation hit.

I'd especially feel confident buying a used Japanese car as opposed to a German car, unless I was getting into a cpo BMW or Audi.

Dough1397

1st bolded point:
This is true on both ends. People will always justify their actions and decisions, even if they're perhaps not the best (this is actually a well studied phenomenon in (social) psych). It takes courage, humility and some other adjectives I can't think of right now to admit wrongs and poor decisions/choices. That being said, most people will state, perhaps even overstate, the positive aspects of their views, decisions, or choice but likely not fully express the negative aspects. OP, weigh both sides, figure out what you value.

2nd bolded point:
Builds on the latter half of my above paragraph, lots of questionable judgement, but take the facts from both sides.

I've owned my car for 2.5 years, it was used and was still under bumper to bumper warranty. I say my G is very reliable, but it has left me stuck in 2 situations (CSC failure, and had trouble starting one very cold day after the previous two starts were literally to move the car 10'). My friends all claim my car is unreliable because of the above + its been in for warranty work and I am often nitpicking fine details that others do not notice.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

I rarely knee jerk the "both sides do it" philosophy, because in most cases there is always a stronger degree of emphasis on one side than the other. It also lays the argumentative premise for diametrically opposed points of view, when a gray area is more appropriate. But that was still well written, Dough1397.

telcoman

There are more risks than you can imagine.
Floods, accidents, driver abuse which you mentioned washed titles, lack of proper maintenance just to name a few. Risking $20k or more just to save a few thousand in depreciation is not a smart risk that I am willing to take.
My first vehicle was used and I got screwed on the purchase so I learned an expensive lesson

I'm only giving the OP something to think about based on my personal experience.

Purchasing new not only insures you are receiving an undamaged vehicle but you also get to choose options, colors and other items to your personal preference.

I agree with you that one can save by purchasing used but one needs to be extremely careful.

To answer the OP's original question Nissan/ Infiniti are very reliable.
I'm on my second Infiniti and the wife is on her second Altima.
Both vehicles have been very reliable and all four vehicles were purchased new.
Mine is fully paid for and the savings goes towards a future vehicle.
I hate car payments.

Telcoman

Vance67

iTrader: (2)

Nissan is the first and oldest Japanese car manufacturer. If they weren't as reliable as Toyota and Honda (what pops into most peoples heads when they bring up reliability) they wouldn't be the oldest Japanese car manufacturer....they would have been out of business a long time ago.

Now a days, as long as you properly maintain any vehicle it will last a very long time, the engine at least....and as long as it's not a GM product

nissanlvr

Are these cars as reliable as a Lexus or Acura? Absolutely not. Nissan's quality is quite a bit less than the quality of its Japanese rivals. But, are these cars more reliable than the average domestic or German car? Yes they are.

I also consider Consumer Reports to be one of the best sources for reliability data, and as you said, they list the G as having above average reliability. If you look at the charts with 10 years of data, you can see where an Infiniti and a Lexus start to separate after about 5 years. Long-term, a Lexus or Acura will probably have fewer problems than a G.

FWIW, every single one of my friends who have a car with over 200,000 miles on it (3 of them), the car is a Toyota product. And none have needed any major work.

All that said, I have owned a few Nissan/Infiniti products in the past and all of them have been fairly reliable. Most of the issues with mine were minor and stemed from their cheap interiors and low-grade materials, not from engines or transmissions. I would be confident than a G37 would last to 200,000 miles and hopefully well above that. But will it be as trouble-free as my friends' Toyota products? I doubt it.

So, no, the reliability/durability of a G isn't as good as a comparable Lexus or Acura. However, the reliability is still above average, and the car should last a long time. So if you like the G, get one. It'll certainly be better than your PT Cruiser!

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

That flexibility is also available when buying used, but it requires effort and patience. Not everyone is willing or able to apply both. It's an entirely valid compromise to pay extra money to avoid the heavy lifting.

Yes. But that's true in any purchase. Caveat Emptor.