FX45, what a ride..................

[jrbb]

Seen it , driven it, want it. I got a G35C last month. My sales guy told me the FX45 was due out early 2003. Last
Friday he called told me the FX45 was going to be in his store for a preview showing. I went by three times finally
got to see, drive and smell this urban assault vehicle.
I have owned many vehicles over the years can't wait to own one of these. One minor hit. Interior plastic used too liberally. Need to trim out the door panels and map pockets with leather. Switch panels need to be covered in
brushed aluminum, titanium, something.

The ride is tight, quick, you feel very secure behind the wheel. Dash is done as well as any vehicle I have ever seen.

[fxjunke]

Is this the production vehicle or is it still a pre-production vehicle like the ones that have been running around to dealerships so interested buyers can take a look at them. The one I saw a few days ago was nice on the outside but the interior was all plastic. Plastic door panels/arm rests etc. I was told that it was a preproduction and that the producion vehicle would be quite different inside(meaning types of material use) which was the vehicle you saw?

[fatddyslam69]

it must have been a pre-production because the FX is coming with alluminum trim-no plastic. The middle console and side panels, etc, are all going to be with real aluminum,....maybe the aluminum felt like plastic? http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[fxjunke]

Where are you getting your info that the interior will be aluminum? All the dealerships and even the Ifiniti hotline guy said they won't have any real info until January 5th. Everything else is just speculation.The vehicle I saw, The driver of the car said the car had 315hsp and the FX35 was going to have 280hsp but the Infiniti hotline guy said(where did he get that info) we are not giving out any info until the 5th.which will be when the pricing will be set also.He too said the interior would be different then what was on the final pre-production, but to what extent, He would not say.

[jrbb]

I am not certain as to pre-production or production. I have to assume that this was pre-production since this is
a vehicle that has been around for some time. It could be that Infiniti intends to dress up the interior on regular
vehicles put up for sale to the public. My saleman did say that he was certain something could be done about the plastic door panel map pockets either by Infiniti or some after market provider.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Last Friday, there was one in Houston and I stopped by to take a look. It was the silver FX35 with the dark interior. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to drive it, but here are my perceptions:

1) The interior looked a little unfinished. I am hoping that the production models look a little nicer. The leather was ok.
2) The aluminum trim in the center, had the feel of the "aluminum" on the G35. I don't know if it was real or not, but ...
3) The hood has the hydraulic supports (no support bar needed).
4) The cabin was roomy enough. I think 5 people could sit comfortably. I thought it was bigger than a Civic.
5) The back storage area was a little small. I do not think its as big as QX4/Pathfinder.
6) It is a good looking car in person. It has a massive, aggressive look to it.

Earlier in the week I had a chance to test drive the Murano. I liked the Murano a lot, and I think the Murano and the FX35 invite comparisons between them. Both are very sporty looking crossover vehicles. The Murano was a very smooth ride. It seemed to me that the rear seat area was bigger in the FX35 then the Murano, but I think the Murano has a slightly bigger cargo area (32.6' seats up). I would like to see the dimensions on both. Overall I liked both vehicles. My biggest disappointment with both vehicles was that the cargo area is small, and one would be giving up some cargo room switching to the new vehicle from a QX4/Pathfinder. However, it appears that both new cars have more passenger room than the QX4/Pathfinder. I can't wait to see the finished FX and take it for a long test drive.

PS. The one I saw had 18" wheels. Can't wait to see the 20" wheels up close.

http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif

[mossballs]

Boy you guys are easy. How can you love the FX and then say oH by the way, one small detail the interior sucks. That is what I have been saying all along. For 50K there better be an interior twice as nice as the one in the Murano and as of yet the FX has a lot of work to do. I don't know where your standards are on this vehicle but it seems to me they are very low. For 50K I could maybe overlook not having floor mats. One good thing about Infiniti using all this plastic on the FX, is that when they find out they can't sell them, at least they can "Recycle"

[dfw_danny]

mossballs, you have been relentless with your criticism of the FX because you obviously are interested in another vehicle.

As long as I can remember every preproduction vehicle has an interior that is deficient due to the fact that when they build these cars they use molded plastic or fiberglass.

There has yet to be a production vehicle seen in the US and as far as I know the first one will be used at the introduction show in Detroit next month. I will be there to see the vehicle as I believe that it is important to get out good information rather that negative info based on a non production unit.

What I really don't understand is if you don't like the FX whay do you spend so much time on the FX boards?

[fatddyslam69]

it definately has real aluminum...there was a post on this a while back.....there are pictures everywhere, there is even a post about why we think that it is real aluminum....here is the link (http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=FX45&Number=391630&page=1& view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1) to that post....and here is a high resolution picture that proves that it is real aluminum...look at the grain, etc....

http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~everblue/FX45_brush_grain.jpg

THERE YA GO! http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[jrbb]

mr. mossballs, i did not mean to imply that the interior was cheap. as in Altima cheap. there is plastic and then there is plastic. plastic like children's toys and plastic like in the space shuttle. i do feel that too much plastic in a $50,000 offering should be avoided. $50,000 vehicles need to look and feel like $50,000 vehicles. have i beat this one to death?