OK, I have almost written off the G35 sedan because there don't seem to be any CPO options out there in my $15k price range. I've been told that CPO is a very good idea since I will only consider a 6-speed. I've been looking at the Saab 9-5 and BMW 330i but can't seem to find either with a manual and the sport package Comparing the cars on consumer reports shows the G35 Sedan to be a much better car and the only place I have heard of problems have been infiniti forums (normal for most cars). Say I do get a non certified 05 or 06 and it does start using oil, do I have to replace the engine? Are there any re-build kits out there that could be preformed by a local mechanic or myself that would fix the problem? Could I just add oil when needed? The last figure I heard on here in one of my threads was 1 out of 3 rev-up cars have this issue. I would guess that chances are pretty good that I could face this problem if I get one since I am capping the price @ $15k

 

Just be as smart when shopping for a G35 as you would any car. Take it to an Infiniti dealership (if purchasing from non Infiniti dealership) and have them look the car over.

As long as you are still within the Warranty Coverage I wouldn't worry much about a CPO or non CPO. Best thing to look for is accidents or severe neglect of the vehicle.

 

Whats the duration of the factory warranty?

 

Basic 4 year / 60,000 miles
Drivetrain 6 year / 70,000 miles
Roadside 4 year / Unlimited miles
Rust 7 year / Unlimited miles

The Extended Warranty is your friend. Get it.

 

if you buy the car from an infiniti dealership, they can make it CPO (so long as it is less than 4 years old AND under 60k miles AND has not been in an accident). But it might cost you $1,500 or so. This will cover you until the car 7 years old or 100k miles.

Another option is the extended warranty program, which can extend beyond 100k miles.

If your budget is $15k, you might be hard pressed to find a car that is even elgible for CPO. Thus, I would advise inquiring about the extended warranty option.

 

I purchased my 04.5 6mt last year for about 16.5k out the door with taxes, title and tags. It only had 32k miles on it. I considered myself lucky to find one in such good condition and low miles. Wasn't CPO because it was involved in a minor accident but I have had no problems with it at all. I went ahead and got the extended warranty after my basic warranty expired and they have taken good care of me.

 

I've seen several 05's and even a few 06's in my price range with less than 70k so they would still have the power train warranty

I have always heard that the 3rd party extended warranties aren't a good deal, would there be any other reason to take the car to the dealer other than the oil consumption problem? I would be doing all the maintenance and could do most repairs.

Did you buy your extended warranty through infiniti? Have you had to use it very many times?

 

I did purchase my Extended Warranty through Infiniti. I have only had to use it for the Compression Rod, stuck caliper, and axle clicking. I took it in and it was all fixed at one time.

 

A car can qualify for CPO status even if it's been in a wreck under 2 conditions: one, that the wreck was minor with only cosmetic damage, and two, that it was repaired at an Infiniti dealership. And not every car qualifies despite it's age and mileage. It has to pass a pretty strict and detailed inspection process before becoming Certified. And it's only 6 years, not 7. You can add an extra year to a CPO for not much money (it's one of their Elite Plans).

Third party warranties are usually crap, but you can get good ones. However, jmcohen was probably talking about an Infiniti Elite Plan which is basically the same coverage as a CPO, but they're not cheap, figure $700-$1000 per year of coverage (they run 12/12K up to 48/48K). The Elite Plans also cover the Bose and Nav systems. But whatever their cost, it's probably better than ANY third party warranty out there. I have a CPO 2005 with over 3 years remaining on it, and if I never use it, it will still have been worth the money spent just for the peace of mind.

 

i still have my powertrain warranty. i only have 34k miles on my car.

 

What are the common failures in these cars that wouldn't be covered by the power-train warranty? I guess the reason I keep asking these questions is I kind of have the opposite view of car warranties. My wife and I have had several new vehicles since we got married and I have only used the warranties a few times. Definitely not enough to merit the extra cost of the new cars. My reasoning for buying used and staying at 15k is we can find a vehicle that is only a few years old with relatively low miles for half the cost of new. From what I have read in consumer magazines and on consumer web pages the Infiniti is one of the most reliable sport sedans out there which put it at the top of my list.

I guess the best way for me to make since of all my ramblings is to say this. The closest infiniti dealership is hours away and even if covered under warranty I would be more likely to do a repair in my garage than to take the car to the dealership if the repair is not going to cost me more than a few hundred dollars. I'm not rich but I do have more money than time and don't want to drive a few hours to save $100. The only major things I have found with the G35 have been the rev-up oil consumption issue and some tranny issues. I'm probably taking a chance with the transmission in all of the cars I'm looking at because I'm looking for a used manual. I'm also taking a chance of all of the cars nickle and diming me because they are all fairly rare in the area and with the exception of the Benz there are no dealerships in my area for any of these cars (BMW, Lexus). My rational for my thinking even if I would have to replace a transmission and for some reason didn't want to take the case out of the bank I could get a loan to cover it for much less than I can get insurance. It also seems like I could pay myself for the insurance and then have the extra cash in a car fund instead of paying someone else and maybe never see the money again.

Back to the original question though, why does the engine have to be replaced when its consuming oil? Does it lead to other problems? All cars have a tendency to consume oil I know one of the other cars I looked into the RX8 has a tendency to consume a lot. A lot of the owners say they have to keep a qt of oil in the car at all times because it tends to drink the oil pretty quickly.

 

I'm 150 miles from the nearest dealer, and I asked them about this same issue. If it's a warranty repair, they will bring me a loaner and take my car to the dealership for repair, then bring it back to get the loaner. A friend has an Acura TL, and is in the same position, and they also brought him a loaner the one time he had a repair. It's one of the perks when you buy a higher end car like Infiniti (Lexus is the same way).