Considering an EX

J

jginnane

Member
Well ... the 10-year old Yukon is up for another registration renewal. I think it's time to put Bessie out to pasture. And my choices, still evolving, are :

1. Honda Fit. Needs HIDs, LED tail lights, leather seats. By the time you get done customizing, you might have been better off looking for a better (cough) FIT.

2. Nissan 370Z, due in showrooms January 2009. By my calculations, I'll still have 8.62 weeks left in my midlife crisis (to justify this car).

3. Acura RDX. Well, we have Acuras in the family. And they're being discounted to 28K base model this month, December 2009. Turns out that parts of the reasons why is: (a) new Accord wagon next year, (b) redesigned RDX next year, (c) no one's buying a 4-banger that only gets 17/22 mpg (d) people realized it's a CR-V platform with a turbocharged engine, not a V-6.

So, that brought us over to Infiniti. And it was while we were leaving the dealership that the Wifey, like Goldilocks, spotted something that was Just Right: The well-designed female empty-nester vehicle, the EX. Which brings me to this forum.
 
Welcome to the Scene! Not many EX owners just yet. Hope you find the one you like. And btw, your other choices are bland compared to the EX except the 370z =)
 
welcome. advanced congrats on your next ride.

i happen to be checking autotrader and saw 2 ex for about $30k at tustin infiniti.
 
Dr.2K said:
And btw, your other choices are bland compared to the EX except the 370z =)
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Thanks for the welcome!

I personally would love the Z. And yes, I drive Stick. It's essentially the good Nissan engine, 4 tires, and a pair of seats. (The rest is pretty minimal sheet metal.)

But living in NJ, the chances to drive this thoroughbred like it should be driven are (a) after the police stop catching drunks outside bars and before the morning commuters, which means 3 - 5 am, and (b) Sunday morning, before Walmart mommievans clog the roads.

The rest of the time, the best of it is flashing your headlights at cretins going under 75 in the passing lane on the Parkway. (The worst is when you're sitting in the same Parkway at zero MPH, in a 20-mile jam, reciting Zen mantras while that dropped Civic with tinted windows next to you loosens your tooth fillings with "white Rap music".)

For these reasons, over the years the big-ass Yukon proved fairly successful as Intimidator vs that slow gold Camry in the left lane. On one of our other cars, I installed (extra) Bosch fog lights and driving lights ... which could melt the toupee off the back of someone's head. (That car went away when someone observed the array of colored lenses and said it looked like an Englishman's bad teeth.)

The EX is closer to minimal than the FX. It offers a measure of functionality that the other house Sedan doesn't. *If there's a foreseeable problem, it's that I'm likely to be the one stuck with the house Sedan.) 297 horsepower vs. 330? Hmm... nope, not a problem; it's all good. ;)
 
mtbfx said:
i happen to be checking autotrader and saw 2 ex for about $30k at tustin infiniti.
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What I'm seeing is absolutely crazy. Detroit's getting billlion$ in bailout for Suckmobiles. All the Japanese companies are going to do it on their own.

I have seen, but cannot yet confirm, the EX has $6900 in dealer incentives and $500 in customer cashback this month. If this is true, when I'm ready to deal for cash in February, I might get even more if I'm not married to a particular combo. And we'd likely have to get packages we'd otherwise live without. But yah, $30-34K for the finished piece is buying $40K+ sticker. How can you refuse that?
 
asherchy said:
???
how are you torn between a FIT and a Z?
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1. I carry my own luggage. On the Z I'd need a roof rack (for her stuff).

2. I don't trust valet parking. Ever.

Rather than the Fit, I wish Mercedes would import the A-Class to this country. But it took them about 10 years to reluctantly bring in the Smart Car instead (which I thought was a wrong decison).

3. We need a vehicle that can occasionally bring home bags of peat moss, might get another dog sometime, etc. Most extended driving scenarios I envision with a Z -- beyond day trips -- involve the use of additional support cars.
 
Welcome! You definitely think like European than an American.. :tongue: I've driven the EX twice as a loaner (meaning I tested its limits :smile: ) and these are my impressions on it:

Pros:
-Nice handling, nice acceleration even in its stock status
-Very nice interior compared to our FX except the blue speedo lighting (IMO). Feels tight and hugging..
-Your wife will love it
-You will love it when inside.

Cons:
-It looks like it's made for ladies, it sounds like it's made for the ladies (no exhaust "tone" that the 1st gen FX has) and the blue lighting inside.. Yup, it's for ladies (in stock look)
-Did I mention the exhaust tone? It's not 350z, g35 coupe or FX35 anymore. It sounds like a Bimmer. Not that I don't like Bimmers, my first car was a 3.18ti BUT the sound of the first gen FX is unique. So unique, a friend's Golden Retreiver thought my FX was coming every time one passed while waiting at the dealership service lot..

Anyhow, don't let me discourage you. It's a very good car/CUV and welcome again to :iS: :smile:
 
My Uncle just bought one a couple weeks ago for 33K fully loaded. They had like 8500 in rebates and dealer incentives. Like everyone said..inside is georgeous....outside, that's something your wife has to deal with and hopefully not you.
 
370Z. Mid life crisis only comes around once. Celebrate it.

Plus the 370Z has more rear leg room than the EX. :confused:
 
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