I have been enjoying my Aspen Pearl 2023 Infiniti G37S M6 Sedan for almost 12 years now (sole owner, approaching 95K km, or 60K miles), and I am thinking perhaps it would be time to move on and get a larger vehicle. I fell in love with the 2025 Infiniti QX80. I think it is a gorgeous but muscular, and luxurious vehicle. But there are a number of things that bother me at this vehicle - such as its high price, no fog lights, no trunk/cargo cover, no extensible thigh supports, no side bolsters for the seating part of the driver's seat, no four-piston, fixed, sport front brake callipers, etc. - most important of all that it has an automatic transmission. All my life I have driven only cars with manual transmission and I am not sure I would get used to / enjoy the acceleration lag of an automatic with a turbo engine.

For now, I am mulling over and tinkering with the idea. I was also searching for a forum for the QX80. There is in fact one that I could find - https://www.infinitiqx80.org/forums/ - but it is a virtually dead forum, nothing lively and supportive like this one.

Any idea where QX80 enthusiasts and owners may hang out online, where I could discuss more and get some questions answered?

Thanks.

 

Or... you get that big SUV, but you keep the G as a hobby car and start modifying it.

 

I have been thinking about keeping the G37, too, but I need to check the costs, basically a second underground parking spot in my building and a second car insurance. Sadly, I am not into mods. My G37 is 100% factory original.

 

Those aren't insignificant considerations, underground parking and insurance. If that were my situation, I'd let it go. Mostly because of the parking. Sorry for the whiplash.

Our cars were twins once when I bought it 13 years ago.

 

You are perfectly right. Underground parking could be CA $100/mo. Full insurance with $100/$300 deductible costs me now some CA $1,240 per annum.

I ordered mine in December 2012 and had to be manufactured to my specs in Japan - Aspen Pearl, Manual, No GPS - so I picked it up on 30 March 2013. Then, I bought a second set of wheels and put Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 (or, R2) for winter. Last year I changed the Bridgestone OEMs to Michelins Pilot Sport 4S tyres. If I get the QX80, it'll be wash rinse, repeat.

Do you still have yours?

 

Yes. Absolutely. 53k miles on it, barely driven these days. Like I said, hobby car.

 

Full disclosure, I have a 2009 G37 Sedan 6MT I bought after 210k miles on my 2004 G35 Sedan 6MT, and I have a 2006 Cayman S which is very modified and is my fun/track car.

Your issues:

• Price - all new cars are stupid expensive, because as consumers we collectively are demanding huge, luxurious SUVs laden with stuff. Nothing is free, and the new cars are all $60-100K for virtually anything that we might have spent $30-60K for in the past. No options around this, save buying used clean cars like yours.
• no extensible thigh supports - I have never used these, as I am short. do you use and require these? These were not a thing pre-late 2000s, so I suggest the answer is "no." Need is perhaps the wrong term. Have you looked at the Q60? It offers them, it seems.
• no four-piston, fixed, sport front brake callipers - You are looking to buy a six thousand pound truck. It will not accelerate, brake, or handle like your G37. Four piston calipers versus two just gives a slightly better distribution for clamping force on the rotor. You are not threshold-braking in this truck. Have you considered the Q60?
• I am not sure I would get used to / enjoy the acceleration lag of an automatic with a turbo engine - See my point about the six thousand pound truck. The twin-turbo engines are very quick spooling and the lag will be very minimal, and it's 0-60 time is about 5.3 seconds, so it is slightly faster off the line as your G37. It will be a very different experience, but power and lag should not be a concern. The truck part would be my concern... have you considered a Q60?
• , etc. - most important of all that it has an automatic transmission - I hate to repeat, but see the point about SUVs: it is 62% heavier, 32% taller, and 37% percent more powerful. Nearly no new cars have manual transmission, and I will say virtually all trucks. This vehicle is nothing like your G37. Q60?

I am sorry to harp on the point, but every concern you raised says a Q60 might be what you want. Why not buy a 2025 Q60 Red Sport instead? It will address all your concerns save the transmission and price, and you'd have to buy certain BMWs, Audis, etc. to get a manual. Price will be better but still high.

I hope this helps. I don't understand the tone of your complaints - you are comparing two entirely different things, and then calling out the differences. Perhaps you should cross-shop to decide which you really want, and then you wouldn't have to be concerned.

Good luck!


Rick

 

i got you beat at 54k

 

I ask myself the same question almost daily if I should get rid of mine as well, good luck lol, although I've only owned mine for 5+ years and it has around 48.5k miles on it and it's a 2012. I'd agree with @Rik R. though, it really sounds like a QX80 is not what you need given your complaints. I have personally been looking at 2020 BMW X3 M40i's or X3M's if I were to step into something bigger but still fun to drive.

 

I love your car @MichaelYYZ

where are you located? Any rust? what would you let it go for?

 

Rick, very good points. But... Let's make it clear from the beginning: The 2025 QX60 is not for me. It has an outdated visual design and is relatively small. I'd like to experience something big. As I progress in life (i.e. as I age), I am in need of larger space, more comfort, additional amenities. Sportiness tends to occupy a second place.

Agree. And, sadly, the prices are here to stay. There has been inflation, and yes, consumers are demanding large cars, fully loaded with luxuries and technology. It's not bad, we've only got to get used to the idea that luxury items don't come cheap. Never did.
No, I don't think I would require these, and the seats seemed quite deep in the 2025 QX80. I sometimes use the extenders in my G37S M6 when I drive long distances, for many hours, but often I forget about them. I am 5'9", so not tall.
I agree. The G37S M6 was the only car that I owned with fixed callipers. All others had sliding/floating callipers. What always bothered me at the latter was that, when the brake pad on the cylinder side was worn out, the opposite side one still had some 40% of material left. They would always wear out unevenly.
I did test drive the 2025 QX80 several times. For a vehicle this size, it is fast. But this, like many other automatic rental cars which I have driven over the years, is laggy. When, if stopped or cruising, I suddenly floor the gas pedal of my G37 M6, the cars sprints immediately. All automatic transmission cars experience some delay, a lag, like a hesitation before getting into action. For the 2025 QX80, and for most automatic transmission cars, I would estimate this lag to be 0.6-0.8 seconds. I suppose this would be the difference between a rigid coupling (dry clutch) vs. a viscous coupling (torque converter). Maybe it'd be a matter of time to get used to having this lag.
Yep. Such is life. Perhaps the era of manual transmission cars is over, and we need to adapt to the times.

Sadly, no. I fell in love with the 2025 QX80, despite everything. It's a gorgeous, and I am sure trusty and reliable car.

Thank you, Rick. There were not complaints per se, I was just nitpicking. However, the one item that really bothers me is the lack of fog lights. Infiniti actually provided the QX80 with placeholders at the bottom of the front bumper but no actual lights, just empty recessed spaces. It would suck big time to pay more than $100K for this vehicle only to have Infinity do a facelift in the near future and add the fog lights.

 

For me, no American, European, Korean, Chinese, etc. cars. I have a strong preference for made-in-Japan Japanese vehicles.

 

I believe it says under my name. I am in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The car has no rust, to the best of my knowledge. I shall have a look underneath it in November, when I change the wheels to ones with winter tires.