I have the 03 M45 only paid 3k for it. It’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Even with it having 180k miles then and 220k miles now it’s very reliable and fun to drive. Only downside is little to no aftermarket support or engine upgrades. Mine is wrapped with no badges so no one knows what it is lol.
I bought a 2004 M45 in 2013. I had planned on keeping that car forever, that's just how I loved it! Had to get rid of it a few years ago because I accidentally messed the engine up then had to move across country not long afterwards. However, just recently spotted one that I am in the process of buying as I speak! So excited to be getting another one!
Man the looks of this vehicle were just incredible, a muscle car before the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300 and Pontiac GTO, even before the retro looking 2005 Mustang.
I remember when these were new. The American automotive press was hard on them because they were so clearly designed primarily for the JDM market, but they did give it high marks for performance relative to its competitors.
I miss mine...it was always fun taking it to 150 mph down the skyway bridge and sometimes on I75 shocking a corvette driver at 120, him looking over saying wtf is that thing💪🤣
I work in retail, at night like 1am literally no one on road on a Tuesday. The Howard Franklin or Gandy was my favorite. One night there I ripped the whole air deck off the bottom at high speed unfortunately, and kinda took it easy on it after that, 😂
Q45 was an awesome sled and very under-appreciated! Never got a chance to drive one but I've just got super close. My Q50S Hybrid just suffered TCM catastrophic failure and owners can only get total brand new transmission for THIRTEEN GRAND! Basically had to throw it away BUT found a 2005 FX45 and thoroughly spirited how smooth and fun the V8 is. Totally in love again!
Whoa sorry to hear that about the Q50. FX45s look cool and are fun to drive too. I drove one myself, it got a lot of attention. If Infiniti ever made a 4-door coupe like the CLS, that thing would be beautiful.
@@julf9178 Engine codes are notorious on these as they get older. But there's nothing not fixable on the engine. The hardest fix has been the alternator.
M45 owner here. Have one since 2020. Had to replace original engine in 2021. Since then no huge problems. Slightly temperamental but powerful and hella fun. Dounuts are easy to do especially on manual mode. Lack of aftermarket but love the meanicing look. May try to wrap it since paint is peeling off. Got a jdm 4.5 vk in it. Probably from a last gen cima in Japan
I leased a 2004 M45 in 2004 and loved it. Lease was a steel due to them wanting to move these cars. I enjoyed it so much I now own another 2004 M45 with 140K on it and it runs flawlessly. I am a big maintenance guy so i change fluids as scheduled and keep the 5.9 quarts of oil it requires topped off. Put new Stoptech brakes all around and replaced the shocks, struts and ball joints. She rides like new.
I just bought one for 2,000 cash and had 117,000 miles. I'm the second owner and drives like a dream. Torque on this V8 is instant. It definitely turns heads😁
I don't think there was a single Infiniti that was better than the Lexus competition, but this M45 and the generation behind it were the only Infinitis I've ever wanted.
I STRONGLY disagree!! Back in the 90s and early 2000s, Infinitis were just as good as Lexus'. Nissan marketed them TERRIBLY!! Therefore, they never gained the popularity that Lexus did. BMW and Mercedes always own "the most popular" luxury car segment and keep the prices high, but anyone who knows anything about reliability knows the German brands can't touch the Japanese brands when it comes to reliability! Back in the day, Lexus and Infiniti always topped the charts for reliability in Consumer Reports. Later on, after Nissan merged with Renault, their reliability started to falter on some models...especially anything with that brand murdering CVT transmission!!! Anyway, the question of which is better is they're both really good. I've owned MANY Infinitis in my 50 years. 4cyl, 6cyl, and 8cyl. They're the best vehicles I've ever owned!
You should do a video on the 1st generation Infiniti FX35 or FX45 and would love to see your input on it. I personally think it's a future classic and I think the designers at Infiniti nailed the sporty crossover curves and lines, can you believe that came out in 2003 which is crazy! I saw one a couple of days ago, it looks so modern even by 2023 standards. Subscribed!
@@julf9178 It’s good! I still have it. I just rolled over 108k miles. I’ve only had to replace and idler bearing and the starter. Still running great, knock on wood.
@ heck yeah good buy, one thing i’ve regretted not doing after buying it is protecting the clear coat. My clear coat was absolutely flawless when I first bought it, now a year later, the clear coat on the hood is almost completely peeled off.
I just bought one a week ago or so for $2000. It’s in mint condition with a few minor issues that need to be fixed. It had 220k on it and rides like a champ. I’m hoping to have it on the road and fully up in running in the next few weeks. Appreciate the information.
Have had mine for 7 years. Still going strong but the parts are overpriced. This car is the reason I know how to work on cars now. Mechanics & stealerships used to rip me off trying to repair engine codes.
my good friend had a 2nd gen m45..it was every bit as nice and fast as any german sports sedan at the time, shame there was no nismo version always wanted a 1st gen...maybe someday
The "muscle car with brains" was the tagline. I know a guy with a 03'. Still looks fantastic too! I know the early ones were definately not U.S. talored in mind, but I like em.Great vid as always and saw you had a clip of Infiniti of the Palm Beaches...Right down the street from where I work!
Yep I like ‘em too. Many say they look bland but I always thought these were polarizing like the last Q45. 340-hp from a NA engine back then way crazy and these were quick. Palm Beach eh? Nice.
This Y34 M45 reminded me of Steel Chief's car in Street Supremacy PSP game! I loved it! I'm planning to buy and modify a miniature Tomica Nissan Cedric/Gloria with basically the same shape as this with Steel Chief-style mods!
You really did a great job on this video with the images, footage and content. I admit I could careless about this car, but I really enjoyed this video. I like how you made it interesting and educational and worth watching. I liked seeing the Japanese versions along with the American versions and how we got the cars in the United States. I knew about the Nissan President.
Yeah that Nissan President was similar to the JDM Toyota Century. Too bad we didn’t get the Y32 Gloria in the U.S. they looked really good. Thanks for watching again.
Had an opportunity to get either, and owned and loved an 03 GS430. Love and admire both GS430/400 & m45 but toyota has 40%market share in japan for solid reason- reliability. Renault sadly did not benefit nissans reliability at all-90s pre Renault may have been their peak on some levels, but that may be subjective (I also owned a 99 altima for the last 100k of 235kmiles that was every bit as reliable as my 300k mile lexus, seperated from both prematurely by no fault of the vehicles)
This infinity m45 looked like an ufo on wheels. I think it should've debuted in 1999 or 2000, especially because the Nissan Gloria debuted around 1999-2000. Also because this generation was so short lived existing for 2003 & 2004 only.
It was indeed different. Many thought it was outdated. To be fair, the Y34 Gloria debuted in Japan in ‘99. So that means it was probably actually designed back in ‘96 or ‘97. By the time it got to the U.S., it was already a bit old, similar to the original Leopard-based 1990 M30.
I had a 2nd Gen (Fuga) M35S -2006. LOVED that car. Always liked the first gen (Gloria) M45s...Such a menacing looking car. The M series didn't pick up mass appeal like they should have. But for those who've owned one, they know how great they really are. They continue to be absolute gems on the used market with the late model M37s and M56s to this day. The G model got the attention, but I dare say the M cars were the best ever made by Infiniti. I had the chance to buy a pretty slick 2004 M45 back in 2013 or so. But I'd have had to trade my M35S to get it. Just couldn't make sense of it at the time. Wish I could find another that clean again. Cheers.
They made the “M” for three separate generations. The first in 1990, based on the JDM Nissan Leopard. The second in 2003 based on the Nissan Gloria. The third generation based on the Nissan Fuga.
Well done. Ive read the Wikipedia bibliography required for this videoessay moretimes than i can recount, and you still strung that data together beautifully. 🫡 Side note: idk how but in summer of 2001 or 2002 i got an invitation to go to road of atlanta and test drive the new m line up for the relaunch. Regretably, i did not get to go. I hope the stories of that day make this feed too
I have the 03 M45 only paid 3k for it. It’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Even with it having 180k miles then and 220k miles now it’s very reliable and fun to drive. Only downside is little to no aftermarket support or engine upgrades. Mine is wrapped with no badges so no one knows what it is lol.
Yeah they are cool cars. Fun to drive with that 4.5 engine.
You lucked up. Please take care of it.
I bought a 2004 M45 in 2013. I had planned on keeping that car forever, that's just how I loved it! Had to get rid of it a few years ago because I accidentally messed the engine up then had to move across country not long afterwards. However, just recently spotted one that I am in the process of buying as I speak! So excited to be getting another one!
Did you purchase the M45 yet?
Man the looks of this vehicle were just incredible, a muscle car before the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300 and Pontiac GTO, even before the retro looking 2005 Mustang.
I remember when these were new. The American automotive press was hard on them because they were so clearly designed primarily for the JDM market, but they did give it high marks for performance relative to its competitors.
I miss mine...it was always fun taking it to 150 mph down the skyway bridge and sometimes on I75 shocking a corvette driver at 120, him looking over saying wtf is that thing💪🤣
Dang. 150 on the Skyway?
Interstate 275 is always too crowded to speed on.
I work in retail, at night like 1am literally no one on road on a Tuesday. The Howard Franklin or Gandy was my favorite. One night there I ripped the whole air deck off the bottom at high speed unfortunately, and kinda took it easy on it after that, 😂
Amazing videos btw!
the T34 M45 is a real eye catcher, I've been wanting one for a while now..
Very underrated car
Underrated, indeed.
Q45 was an awesome sled and very under-appreciated! Never got a chance to drive one but I've just got super close. My Q50S Hybrid just suffered TCM catastrophic failure and owners can only get total brand new transmission for THIRTEEN GRAND! Basically had to throw it away BUT found a 2005 FX45 and thoroughly spirited how smooth and fun the V8 is. Totally in love again!
Whoa sorry to hear that about the Q50.
FX45s look cool and are fun to drive too. I drove one myself, it got a lot of attention.
If Infiniti ever made a 4-door coupe like the CLS, that thing would be beautiful.
@MotorMaster_Stunticon so true. I get compliments on the FX almost daily and most think it's a new vehicle. 😅
I have been owning mines since 2013 . Still have it. Luv it ! Over 200 k mi still runs great!!
Just bought one for 3k with 114k miles
Needs a little tune up and that’s about it any problems with yours at 200k miles? Transmission all good?
@@julf9178 Engine codes are notorious on these as they get older. But there's nothing not fixable on the engine. The hardest fix has been the alternator.
Proudly part of my personal underrated sedans chart
M45 owner here. Have one since 2020. Had to replace original engine in 2021. Since then no huge problems. Slightly temperamental but powerful and hella fun. Dounuts are easy to do especially on manual mode. Lack of aftermarket but love the meanicing look. May try to wrap it since paint is peeling off. Got a jdm 4.5 vk in it. Probably from a last gen cima in
Japan
@@thedevilsM45 The paint on mine is peeling off as well. From the roof. Will paint it next year. Still 145K miles on it.
i have one now-its preformance is just staggering! like a late 60,s muscle car. its super fast! . stoplite drag races are a blast!
I leased a 2004 M45 in 2004 and loved it. Lease was a steel due to them wanting to move these cars. I enjoyed it so much I now own another 2004 M45 with 140K on it and it runs flawlessly. I am a big maintenance guy so i change fluids as scheduled and keep the 5.9 quarts of oil it requires topped off. Put new Stoptech brakes all around and replaced the shocks, struts and ball joints. She rides like new.
Cool, thanks for telling us about it.
I just bought one for 2,000 cash and had 117,000 miles. I'm the second owner and drives like a dream. Torque on this V8 is instant. It definitely turns heads😁
I own an 03 M45 very reliable and fast sedans.
Strongly agree.
Always loved the way the 2nd gen M looked. Something a more modern 64’ Lincoln Continental.
Yep, the M45 was a beast
Best Infiniti of the 2000s even the Chime didn’t beep like a typical Nissan models
I always liked these! Wish I could have had one
Yeah and they are becoming increasingly rare too!
I don't think there was a single Infiniti that was better than the Lexus competition, but this M45 and the generation behind it were the only Infinitis I've ever wanted.
Yeah this M45 and the Fuga-based M45 are underrated.
I STRONGLY disagree!! Back in the 90s and early 2000s, Infinitis were just as good as Lexus'. Nissan marketed them TERRIBLY!! Therefore, they never gained the popularity that Lexus did. BMW and Mercedes always own "the most popular" luxury car segment and keep the prices high, but anyone who knows anything about reliability knows the German brands can't touch the Japanese brands when it comes to reliability! Back in the day, Lexus and Infiniti always topped the charts for reliability in Consumer Reports. Later on, after Nissan merged with Renault, their reliability started to falter on some models...especially anything with that brand murdering CVT transmission!!! Anyway, the question of which is better is they're both really good. I've owned MANY Infinitis in my 50 years. 4cyl, 6cyl, and 8cyl. They're the best vehicles I've ever owned!
You should do a video on the 1st generation Infiniti FX35 or FX45 and would love to see your input on it. I personally think it's a future classic and I think the designers at Infiniti nailed the sporty crossover curves and lines, can you believe that came out in 2003 which is crazy! I saw one a couple of days ago, it looks so modern even by 2023 standards. Subscribed!
I have a black 2003 M45.
I own one. It’s my daily. Has 245 k miles. Love this car.
Cool thanks for sharing that.
i picked up an 04 m45 with 95k miles about a month ago. i love it.
Good catch!
How is it holding up?
@@julf9178 It’s good! I still have it. I just rolled over 108k miles. I’ve only had to replace and idler bearing and the starter. Still running great, knock on wood.
@@LuckiToon nice I just picked one up for 3k with 114k miles gonna take it this week to get a tune up.
@ heck yeah good buy, one thing i’ve regretted not doing after buying it is protecting the clear coat. My clear coat was absolutely flawless when I first bought it, now a year later, the clear coat on the hood is almost completely peeled off.
I just bought one a week ago or so for $2000. It’s in mint condition with a few minor issues that need to be fixed. It had 220k on it and rides like a champ. I’m hoping to have it on the road and fully up in running in the next few weeks. Appreciate the information.
Awesome bro. Yeah these are cool cars, glad you found one for a reasonable price.
1st was 04 M45 Black on Black back in 06 and my 2nd one as a 03 back in 2015 or something like that.
Have had mine for 7 years. Still going strong but the parts are overpriced. This car is the reason I know how to work on cars now. Mechanics & stealerships used to rip me off trying to repair engine codes.
The days when Infiniti was cool !!!!!!❤
my good friend had a 2nd gen m45..it was every bit as nice and fast as any german sports sedan at the time, shame there was no nismo version
always wanted a 1st gen...maybe someday
Cool, thanks for sharing!
Infiniti, the most underappreciated car ever!
The "muscle car with brains" was the tagline. I know a guy with a 03'. Still looks fantastic too! I know the early ones were definately not U.S. talored in mind, but I like em.Great vid as always and saw you had a clip of Infiniti of the Palm Beaches...Right down the street from where I work!
Yep I like ‘em too. Many say they look bland but I always thought these were polarizing like the last Q45. 340-hp from a NA engine back then way crazy and these were quick.
Palm Beach eh? Nice.
Drove it today since 2006
This Y34 M45 reminded me of Steel Chief's car in Street Supremacy PSP game! I loved it! I'm planning to buy and modify a miniature Tomica Nissan Cedric/Gloria with basically the same shape as this with Steel Chief-style mods!
You really did a great job on this video with the images, footage and content. I admit I could careless about this car, but I really enjoyed this video. I like how you made it interesting and educational and worth watching. I liked seeing the Japanese versions along with the American versions and how we got the cars in the United States. I knew about the Nissan President.
Yeah that Nissan President was similar to the JDM Toyota Century. Too bad we didn’t get the Y32 Gloria in the U.S. they looked really good. Thanks for watching again.
*couldn't
Still trying to find one
They’re out there.
Great show! Are you in Lansing? I recognized that corner in Frandor!!!
Thanks for watching. No, not in Michigan. The image came from a viewer.
LOL too funny! I recognized the Better Health store, Qdoba, and Jets Pizza that corner is about 1/4 mile from my house @@MotorMaster_Stunticon
That close eh? That’s quite a coincidence!
04 owner, love this car
That’s awesome. Glad to hear you own one.
TBH i'll pick this over the GS of the same era!
Had an opportunity to get either, and owned and loved an 03 GS430.
Love and admire both GS430/400 & m45 but toyota has 40%market share in japan for solid reason- reliability. Renault sadly did not benefit nissans reliability at all-90s pre Renault may have been their peak on some levels, but that may be subjective (I also owned a 99 altima for the last 100k of 235kmiles that was every bit as reliable as my 300k mile lexus, seperated from both prematurely by no fault of the vehicles)
Always thought these were awesome cars, if Nissan still had the quality of the 90's they would be in so much better shape these days.
This infinity m45 looked like an ufo on wheels. I think it should've debuted in 1999 or 2000, especially because the Nissan Gloria debuted around 1999-2000. Also because this generation was so short lived existing for 2003 & 2004 only.
It was indeed different. Many thought it was outdated. To be fair, the Y34 Gloria debuted in Japan in ‘99. So that means it was probably actually designed back in ‘96 or ‘97. By the time it got to the U.S., it was already a bit old, similar to the original Leopard-based 1990 M30.
I own a 2003 Infinity m45
I had a 2nd Gen (Fuga) M35S -2006. LOVED that car. Always liked the first gen (Gloria) M45s...Such a menacing looking car. The M series didn't pick up mass appeal like they should have. But for those who've owned one, they know how great they really are. They continue to be absolute gems on the used market with the late model M37s and M56s to this day. The G model got the attention, but I dare say the M cars were the best ever made by Infiniti. I had the chance to buy a pretty slick 2004 M45 back in 2013 or so. But I'd have had to trade my M35S to get it. Just couldn't make sense of it at the time. Wish I could find another that clean again. Cheers.
Somewhere in an alternate universe, the M45 is the preferred choice of car by the average custodian of street takeovers.
Anyone selling parts on theirs should contact me. There are a few parts I can't find online.
I UNDERSTAND INFINITY STRUGGLES BUT INFINITY STILL A STRONG VEHICLE AND NISSAN MAXIMA POPULAR
Yep. I own a Maxima and love it.
I'll take a 03/04 M45 Y34 over any other Infiniti or Luxury mid size sedan.
Agreed
Stick to the subject car, I know more about the G35 and not the M45.
Nah, I cover cars that should be mentioned and indirectly involves the subject vehicle.
Since when does infiniti make a car called the m45 I've never heard of that
They made the “M” for three separate generations. The first in 1990, based on the JDM Nissan Leopard. The second in 2003 based on the Nissan Gloria. The third generation based on the Nissan Fuga.
Own one n if u wanna buy one nowadays start lookin for motors or transmission…. Cars r getting older now n everything’s starting to go on em
😊 Promo_SM
Well done. Ive read the Wikipedia bibliography required for this videoessay moretimes than i can recount, and you still strung that data together beautifully. 🫡
Side note: idk how but in summer of 2001 or 2002 i got an invitation to go to road of atlanta and test drive the new m line up for the relaunch. Regretably, i did not get to go. I hope the stories of that day make this feed too
Dang! Too bad you didn’t get to drive it at its relaunch.