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Bringing Home A Monster ? Mom?s 2011 Infiniti QX56

5K views 46 replies 18 participants last post by  gary88 
#1 ·
Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

Copypasta from the blog
http://jesda.com/2011/09/20/bringing-home-a-monster-moms-2011-infiniti-qx56/


Back in August I went car shopping for my mom [http://jesda.com/2011/09/01/comparison-2011-mercedes-benz-gl450-vs-infiniti-qx56/]. She was interested in a new three-row SUV to replace her Lexus GX470, so I went window shopping on her behalf with my friend Ian. We took a glance at Cadillac and BMW and took the Mercedes GL and Infiniti QX for a test drive. We came away quite impressed with the build quality and expensive materials used in the Infiniti, and it drove like a much smaller, livelier vehicle.

My mom leaned toward the Mercedes GL450 for its styling and appearance, at least as depicted in the brochures I gave her, but I urged her to go see the new Infiniti QX56 in person. As strange looking as it was, it drove and felt like something much more substantial and luxurious than its relatively competitive sticker price.

Additionally, my friend James, an engineer at Nissan who I met through NICOClub, offered us a generous Infiniti VPP discount coupon that took seven thousand dollars off the sticker price, eliminating any negotiation or haggling.

On September 14, 2011, she called me and asked me to meet up with her at Bommarito Infiniti. A week earlier, I e-mailed Bob Maher, our salesman at Bommarito, and told him she had decided to keep her Lexus for a few more years. Then suddenly, the night before at around midnight, she called and told me she wanted to see what was out there and asked me to meet up with her in the afternoon.

It was a gloomy, rainy Wednesday, generally terrible weather for buying or selling automobiles. I picked her up in my Seville and drove her to Bommarito Infiniti on Manchester Road. We took a white QX56 for a drive and Mom was immediately impressed, commenting that it “drove like a car.”

She called my stepdad to have him take it for a drive and share his opinion -- he favored it as well, especially the birds-eye-view camera system and the generous living room-inspired interior. [He arrived at the dealer in his impressively clean 2004 Lexus LX470 with 320,000 miles on the clock.]

Mom’s GX470 was still at the Lexus dealer for service, completed weeks earlier but never picked up because of her travel obligations. She intended to keep it for a few more years, especially after having the timing belt and water pump serviced, but said that after being without it for so long, she didn’t miss it.

And that’s the problem with so many Lexus products. A handful will make an impact, like the LS sedan, the first generation SC, and the current F-series performance cars, but the rest tend to be filler, tucked into well-defined marketing segments without any inspiration.

Even my mother, an automotive layperson, acknowledges this problem.

As questionable [that’s me being exceedingly polite] as the Infiniti’s styling may be, it’s still a joy to drive and an absolute pleasure to be in. Her agenda that day was supposed to be restricted to window shopping and kicking tires, but there was no reason to visit the Mercedes dealer or go anywhere else. For her, the Infiniti was the one.

That’s what happens when a driver emotionally connects with a vehicle, it cultivates (or breaks) brand loyalty and transcends test numbers in magazines or specifications in brochures. All the black and red dots in Consumer Reports mean nothing when it comes time to drive, look at, and feel a car.

Perhaps, then, the average Camry driver isn’t a boring, soulless person as I often tease. It’s possible that he or she hasn’t been exposed to the automotive greatness that’s out there, the motoring joy that's waiting to be experienced. Like art, like food, like music, like everything in life, it takes time and effort to make a connoisseur out of a mass market regular.

In the words of my friend Gary, “Life is too short for boring cars.” Preach on, Mr. Hebding.

Back to the QX…

My parents decided to keep their ’06 Lexus GX as an extra beater car, something for house guests to drive around. This made it difficult for Bommarito to make a profit on the deal since a trade was out of the equation and the VPP voucher set pricing well below invoice.

They decided to finance it and purchased the optional dent coverage and maintenance package, so at least the dealer made a few coins.



They took delivery of a gray AWD QX56 with black leather, 22-inch wheels, door and bumper sills, a roof rack, and rear seat entertainment. The sticker was $68000 but thanks to the VPP discount from James they took it home for $61000, a massive discount.


Bob introduced my mom to some of its most important functions and paired her iPhone to the head unit.


The truck has grown on me, but the look hasn’t and probably never will.


Bommarito’s clean but small service bay.


It’s hard to tell from a blurry camera phone photo, but the stitching is impressive.


Lighted sills.

My role as an advisor was complete, so I headed home while mom and her husband finished up the deal. I drove over to her house later that night to take a closer look at the new truck.




It barely fits into the garage, a modern home built in the 1990s. I’m still having trouble accepting its weird face.



Her Lexus was short enough to park behind the freezer. The QX had to be parked at an angle to get around it. My aunt’s Subaru Impreza will be moved to this space instead.

To inaugurate her purchase, she’s driving the Infiniti to Minnesota. A road trip is an excellent way to bond with a new vehicle, learning its quirks and discovering new features. [She was surprised when I told her about the heated steering wheel.]

Big thanks to my friend James Sisson at Nissan for the discount, Bob Maher at Bommarito Infiniti for the sales experience, and the engineers in Japan for creating this Godzilla on wheels.
 
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#9 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

While I agree it's no Escalade (in terms of exterior styling) It's really no worse than anything else out there. At least it's somewhat different. And if the interior is as good as you say it is, that more than makes up for it.
 
G
#11 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

While I agree it's no Escalade (in terms of exterior styling) It's really no worse than anything else out there. At least it's somewhat different. And if the interior is as good as you say it is, that more than makes up for it.
Even I think it's heinous and I bought a Crosstour! There isn't one angle on that whole vehicle where it can be said it even kinda looks good!:histeric: All new cars are ugly to me save for the 'Vette, Mustang and Challenger and numerous European and exotic cars. Just big melted looking gobs of ugly shit. I visited the Nissan dealership looking for a car and quickly left.
 
#10 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

While I can't say it's a handsome truck like an Escalade, it certainly does stand out and won't be confused for anything else in the Ethan Allen parking lot. The interior, drivetrain and driving dynamics sound unmatched though.
 
#12 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

Wait wut??! You guise bought a Nissan product!!? :nyanya:

eta: the Infinity definitely has a unique look, but they're very nice inside. One of the best things about that SUV is the engine. They make a LOT of power and sounds great.
 
#16 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

BMW needs to make an X7....the X5 is ridiculously small for how much it costs....
 
#26 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

BMW needs to make an X7....the X5 is ridiculously small for how much it costs....
BMW, in general, is smoking crack these days. I pushed for the X5 initially, then realized what they were asking for a shoebox of a vehicle with base model specifications just because you upgrade to the V8. Other than the X5m, which is for a completely different audience than the average third-row needing SUV buyer, the whole thing is pointless.
 
#17 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

If you read my comparison between the QX and GL, you'd see this observation I made:




Freakishly similar.



The grey paint masks the bulbous shape a little bit. The interior is awesome and there's enough technology to launch a space shuttle. And it was dirt cheap at $61k. At the $67k sticker price the GL450 becomes a contender despite being small and dated.

Competitors with equivalent options:
X5 V8: $73k
GL450: $68k
Escalade AWD: $72k+

The QX has the best powertrain, features, and highest build quality of anything out there, and there's no question about what its role is -- it isn't a truck pretending to be a sedan pretending to be a stationwagon pretending to be a jet ski. It's an unapologetically enormous luxury lounge on wheels. Infiniti would sell a boatload of them if they weren't so damn ugly. :thepan: Perched from the throne of her monster truck, I don't think she cares (but I do).
 
#19 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

There is a definite resemblance similarity between the front of that bus and the Infiniti. For a finishing touch, your Mom's SUV could use a pair of chrome trumpet horns mounted on the roof. Some of those orange running lights up there would be a nice touch! You think she'd go for a "Jesda" tattoo somewhere where it would show!
 
#22 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

There is a definite resemblance similarity between the front of that bus and the Infiniti. For a finishing touch, your Mom's SUV could use a pair of chrome trumpet horns mounted on the roof. Some of those orange running lights up there would be a nice touch! You think she'd go for a "Jesda" tattoo somewhere where it would show!
If GM still made the H2, she'd be driving one today.
 
#23 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

I've sat in a QX56. Damn nice place to sit. I mean really damn nice. Blows the regular Escalade out of the water, I'd say its a step or two nicer than an Escalade Platinum even(and I really like those).

Its just a damn shame that its so ****ing ugly on the outside. Right now my favorite premium SUV is the Range Rover(not the sport, the "big" one). Still, I think I'd rather have a used Benz G55 AMG if I were in this type of market. That thing makes a statement, and hauls ass.
 
#29 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

My buddies father just got a QX after driving LX Lexus's for the past twelve or so years, actually he did drive an x5m for a couple months until it hurthis back getting in one day and then he got the Infiniti. He took the QX in for service the other day because his two month old truck was leaking oil all over his garage, anyways while it was in there they rotated the tires and on one of the tires only replaced two of the lug nuts.. I find this to be ridiculous from a place that charges close to $115 an hour for labor.
 
#30 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

My buddies father just got a QX after driving LX Lexus's for the past twelve or so years, actually he did drive an x5m for a couple months until it hurthis back getting in one day and then he got the Infiniti. He took the QX in for service the other day because his two month old truck was leaking oil all over his garage, anyways while it was in there they rotated the tires and on one of the tires only replaced two of the lug nuts.. I find this to be ridiculous from a place that charges close to $115 an hour for labor.
The Ford dealership around the corner charges 122....
 
#32 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

Geez, Jesda, the economy must be pretty solid for your parents these days:)

I read your blog (excellent, btw), and it appears your dad is keeping his LX, your folks are keeping the
GX with 100k as a $25k "beater", and then they have the $60k QX for road trips and commuting.
Not a bad stable.

You mentioned in your blog that the timing belt/wp service is $2-3 k at the Lexus store.
Yikes ... my LS400 only ran $600 at a Lexus specialist shop.

The way I read the QX, it has a world class cabin ... looks like a cross between a modern Jag (if Jaguar
made such a vehicle) and an Audi. The exterior, albeit weird, does give a lone female a feeling of
road presence. Its a weird design, but also kind of menacing.

It will be interesting to see if the Infiniti can pile on the miles as trouble free as your Dad's LX.

Good post, great blog.
 
#33 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

Yeah I don't think the 2-3k is the case anymore except for REALLY opportunistic dealers. I think for the LSs it runs about 1200.00 at a Lexus store, and the Toyota store in Wichita will do the whole shooting match for 550.00 when there's a coupon, or 600 otherwise. Toyota uses the exact same parts and procedures too, probably the single biggest trick when you own an older Lexus is to just have it serviced at the Toyota dealer. In fact, that Toyota dealer in particular even has cookies, free soft drinks, bananas and coffee depending on the time of day, so the experience is near Lexus like, even if the building isn't up to Lexus levels of grandeur.

I have tried and failed numerous times to acquire that 320k mile LX470. If they EVER decide to actually sell it, which will probably be never, I am first in line to snag it.

As for Honda, they SORT OF brought back a half decent wagon with the TSX Sport Wagon. However, the TSX is based on the smaller JDM/Euro Accord so it's not quite as nice, or big as the American market full size Accord.
 
#34 ·
Re: Bringing Home A Monster — Mom’s 2011 Infiniti QX56

$2000-$3000+ also includes a full suite of 100,000-mile services. All new fluids, brakes if needed, belts, TB cleaning, fuel system service, tuneup, etc. You know, all the "nice but not 100% necessary" stuff that service writers like to tack on to earn their bonuses. Still very pricey, but the mechanical longevity speaks for itself, for the most part. It's too bad the GX has unresolved electrical gremlins. The LX has been darn near flawless. It's a shame Lexus decided to cheap out on their latest interiors. They had a great thing going.

The high pressure PS hose and wheel bearings alone were $1000 on the Seville at an independent shop, so I guess that's not *too* bad for a Lexus dealer, but its more than I would pay if it were my truck.
 
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