i just wanted to get some opinions regarding the maintenance of my G35 (07 coupe 6mt). i bought my car new in dec. 06. as of today, i have 47k on the clock. i beat on the car i would say 60% of the time. still on original clutch.

i didn't do any of the 30k, 45k service intervals the dealer recommended. the only maintenance/service items i've done were regular oil changes at the dealer and have not replaced any parts yet, everything pretty much stock.

i got an oil change last week and also had them replace my drive belts (bought the belts myself for $38, labor was $125). they said my air filter needs to be replaced, and my brakes were done. i feel like its time to put in a little care into my G so **** won't all come crashing down at once. so i got a few questions hopefully answered without breaking the bank:

1. oil changes - should i switch to synthetic?

2. air filter - i'm going to get a z-tube, but should i replace it with the factory filter or go for a k&n filter? i'm also replacing the cabin filter with a charcoal filter.

3. brakes - the dealer quoted me $600 to resurface and replace pads on both F/R. didn't sound right to me and felt i can do better. i thought about getting slotted rotors with hawk pads. but then i thought it wasn't really necessary. will just replacing the oem pads with hawks and resurfacing the rotors be sufficient? how much will this run?

4. fluids - do any of the fluids need to be changed at this point? clutch/transmission/brake/rear diff/etc.?

5. alignments - i have my 19's set for summer and 17's set for winter. question is, do i need to get alignments each time i swap the sets around? the dealer, along with the brakes, also told me i needed an alignment cause my 19's are showing uneven wear. last time i had an alignment was when i put on my 17's last year.

6. suspension - how long do the factory shocks last? my suspension doesn't feel as stiff as it used to be.

and any other maintenance items that should be done, i'd appreciate it if you point me in the right direction to keep my G running problem free and for a long time. thanks.

 

1. Yes most guys here tend to switch to synthetic. Not just b/c long interval but better quality in oil. But as long as you are switching your oil regularly your fine.

2. Might as well get the Z-tube and K&N. I put that on after i got my car. I also clean the air filter every 10k miles with the K&N recharger kit.

3. The dealer will always charge more. But I think resurfacing w/ hawk pads is a good solution. Most brake places can resurface your rotors at a fraction of a price.

4. I dont know what infiniti does at 50k, but when I hit 50k I am goin to change my clutch and trans fluids.

5. It never hurts to get an alignment. But I dont think you're required to do it every time you swap out the rims. But if your 19s are showing uneven wear then it's a good investment to get an alignment. But our cars natural tend to wear tires unevenly.

6. Stock shocks without any spring modification should last you a while. I figure some guys just keep riding around with their original shocks past 100K easy. Other guys say that they last 80K. But whenever you add aftermarket springs, it will decrease your shock life.

 

dealer too expensive 4 services

 

Using quality synthetic oil is always a good idea, surprised you've waited this long. Using a K&N drop in filter is a great idea, they need to be cleaned every second oil change and if you buy/install one get the cleaning kit while you're there. ($10) Brakes, check our MARKETPLACE for the best price on the HAWK HP pads and have your rotors resurfaced. Do a SEARCH for the break in process, that will eliminate noises and extend the life....very little dust too. You'll know when your shocks need replacing, it's like a slap in the face....that obvious. With your mileage I'd have all your fluids drained/replaced....everything including brake fluid. By the way, you don't need to go to the Infiniti stealership for service. I go to Nissan, costs less and to me the mechanics are better trained....my opinion!
Gary

 

Make sure you change your diff and tranny fluid. You can do it yourself, takes like 30 min. Fluid's probably so burnt and black.

 

I heard bad stories about K&N a lot. How the oil on the filter messes up the sensors.

 

^ That's only when you go oil happy. You only need a little oil around the rim or else, like you mentioned, the MAF sensor will go crazy.

OP...synthetic oil is the better choice but once you start using it, it's not recommended going back to conventional. Not to mention synthetic is cheaper overall. Conventional should be changed every 3750 miles (or they say) whereas synthetic is every 6k miles. Cost difference is around $10...none if you went to the dealer for oil changes because they rip you off.

Don't go to the dealer for a brake job. $600 is ridiculous especially for oem pads. F/R pads will cost you around $110 +/- and to resurface is about $10/rotor. In any case, I wouldn't resurface them unless they're warped and rotors aren't that easy to warp. I just had F/R Project MU pads installed for $200. Decent price since I didn't want to change the pads myself.

You definitely should to do a tranny flush. I would've done it at 30k. If you were at 60k w/o ever doing one, I'd take a step back and re-evaluate things. You might be doing more damage than good at that point. You would need to examine the tranny oil.

 

this info actually helps! Thanks!

 

shouldn't be more then 500 bucks (US) to get new brake pads and resurface the rotors

I just saw it on an invoice from an infiniti service shop. So theres a hundred bucks off, but like i said, thats from infiniti not nissan, go there and you can probably save another 100.

 

bro me and u are in the same ball park, but i have had my filters changed and i have changed the oil.. i have to switched over to the other oil as of yet. like someone said b4 u can't/should not switch back to conventional oil.. I need new brakes as well. i just bought a new pads, stainless steel lines, blue dot racing fluid and rotors for 510.00 bucks.. the stealership wanted 500 for just pads and labor.. they gotta be smoking. I'm gonna buy the belt and let them change it .. i think will also let them flush the fluids.

 

Skip the K&N filter and get an Amsoil EA Nanofiber filter. Those K&N's let a ton of dirt by. I had one on my car for about 8K miles and took it out and replaced it with the Amsoil filter after I noticed a buildup of light dust on the clean side of my intake tube as well as noticeably dirtier oil at oil changes. This is no longer there now that I'm using an Amsoil filter.

Switch to Synthetic oil... absolutely, no questions asked. German Castrol 0W30 FTW.

As for fluid changes, change your differential fluid and manual tranny fluid, as well as your coolant.

Don't worry about your shocks... they're fine and will be fine for a long time.

 

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but i just hit 30k miles on my g also.

So after reading, i should be getting the following :
oil change
tranny fluid
differential fluid? - whats this?
coolant

Basicly get all the fluids replaced?

 

I'd also get the brakes checked out, and I already bought the belts. I'm planning on having all that done soon. My car has also just hit 30K.
I ordered all my fluids from www.amsoil.com and I also bought seafoam for my mechanic to pour and clean my throttle body. Can't wait.

 

wtf $500 to resurface the rotors and new brake pads? Why not just go to like tire mounting place and get it resurfaced. I get mine resurfaced for $10 each rotor. Aff don't even bother going to the stealership if you don't have warranty seriously save your money.

 

At 30K miles all fluids should be replaced. The differential is the thing your rear wheels are attached to and the center section (pumpkin) has heavy gear fluid lubricating all moving parts. This service can be done anywhere but like I mentioned previously it will cost less at Nissan than Infiniti, they use the same fluids.
Gary