New gig and an update on my X5

[Ghost-Flame]

I haven't been here in a while and a lot has happened. I spent the first part of the year looking for a corporate type Sales position. Well for some reason no one wants to hire a person with a solid 32 of professional sales experience. I was told in one interview that I was too formal. What's that mean you are too FU$(!nG old?

So in April I gave up and decided to get a job in the luxury car business. Mercedes dealers don't answer or return emails or phone calls, Bmw dealers are nuts, Volvo dealers give you the impression that any moment they are going to disappear, Audi acts like they are doing you a favor. The most impressive operations, bar none, were Infiniti and Lexus. Sharp Sharp Sharp people and product.
I am working for Infiniti. I knew nothing about them... nothing. What an impressive line of luxury cars. For what segments they are in they are among the best when compared to BMW, Lexus, Mercedes and Audi. Aggressive sports and performance handling and overall amazing performance across the entire line.

We just traded a infiniti sedan (I'm still learning the models, this one was retired) that is 10 years old with 200,000 mile. Compare that to what we put up with in the BMWs. The car never never had a repair except brakes, belts, tires, and consumable items.

DEAD SOLID reliability with all the aggressive performance of any luxury sport line of cars. They are gradually getting away from the Nissan platforms and soon in the next 5 years or so the company will be identified as a distinct brand. We are about to get into the higher end and exotic market. So Far I am sold.

I just dumped another $1500 into my beloved X5: 152,100 Oil and Filter Change 5w-40, Replaced crankcase breather system and valve cover because of cracks. 1 ignition coil pack replaced (don’t know which cylinder), New fuel filter. $1600 total.

Original engine and transmission with regular fluid changes at 50,000 intervals. I love this car but too "breaky". every 3 or 4 months its another $1000 to $1500. Altough that is still cheaper than $800 or $900/mo for a new one. lol

[SlickGT1]

Been a long time. I thought you moved on. Yea you can't mess with Lexus or infinity reliability. My last Lexus GS430 stayed with me for nearly 8 years. Only thin that had to be done to it, was replace the actuator motors for the lock. All 4 motors cost $4. Lol. Other than mods, only thing to do on it was oils, brakes and tires.

[Ricky Bobby]

this is why I drive the german luxury, and my fiance drives a 2011 Rav4. Toyota/Lexus/Infiniti reliability is excellent, and I have enough of a headache with little things on my German cars needing fixing, I don't need her driving one too!

All she will ever need is filters and oil changes for the next 150k, and maybe brakes and tires once or twice. simple.

[tmv]

I like Lexus, Infiniti and Acura, but I like my BMWs just the same. They are my cars. My 22 yrs-old Z32 still turn head when I'm driving down the street.
Maybe I'll go back to Japanese Luxury later on, even Huyndai luxury.

[Bulk]

That's why European are more of a head turner - They are less attainable because of their reliability issues. Ridiculous I know but if they had zero issues there would be more driving around which in turn would make them seem less "special". My mate has a Ferrari and that thing is in the shop all the time. $2000 is an oil change, but I tell you when it's out driving it's all worth it (well to me because I don't have to pay for the servicing but I get to drive it)

[motordavid]

G-F, Congrats on your new gig, and if you are half as good as your 32 years of professional selling implies, you will kick azz, imo...the competition in 'sales', as you probably know, has eroded, and I suspect you will be very successful, esp when up against the usual 'gang in the cubicles'.

NEway, as a fellow peddler that sold at literally all levels for 27+ years, the last 11 as VP of Sales & Mkting for a ~ $Qtr Billion manufacturing operation, I hear you, and only that I bailed early in 2000, have I not had to seek work or another selling career...

Glad to read of your situ coming to fruition, and I wish you good luck & success.
Best Regards,
Ol'UncleMotor

PS: And Yes, to keeping our '01 3.0, until it drops on the side of the road, or rides off to Valhala.

[Clockwork]

ha, I've often thought about the cost of monies I've put into my 850i and wonder why I do so, but I have to say (knock on wood) that my '01 330Ci was SOLID to the day Isold it with 198,000 kms and my '05 4.4i with 135,000 kms is amazingly reliable and NOT a money pit like my E31 is.
BUT every manufacturer has cheap maintenance vehicles and high maintenance vehicles... and then within those are a mash of lemons and pears... we just have to decide what we want OUT of this "from point a to point b machine".
I'm not ashamed to say that if my X5 acts up, I'd be going back to a Japanese manufacture in a heart beat. Infinity FX's are gorgeous and FUN to drive.
but I'm extremely lucky to be able to repair my vehicles, when needed and DO love the looks I get in my 8 and the purpose of my X5 in a Canadian winter season... Viva la BMW.

[SlickGT1]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

ha, I've often thought about the cost of monies I've put into my 850i and wonder why I do so, but I have to say (knock on wood) that my '01 330Ci was SOLID to the day Isold it with 198,000 kms and my '05 4.4i with 135,000 kms is amazingly reliable and NOT a money pit like my E31 is.
BUT every manufacturer has cheap maintenance vehicles and high maintenance vehicles... and then within those are a mash of lemons and pears... we just have to decide what we want OUT of this "from point a to point b machine".
I'm not ashamed to say that if my X5 acts up, I'd be going back to a Japanese manufacture in a heart beat. Infinity FX's are gorgeous and FUN to drive.
but I'm extremely lucky to be able to repair my vehicles, when needed and DO love the looks I get in my 8 and the purpose of my X5 in a Canadian winter season... Viva la BMW.

Absolutely. And I think that is the reason most of us deal with the BMW issues. Xoutpost deserves credit as well.

[RickM5X3]

Congrats on the new gig and hope it works out well. Auto sales industry can always use enthusiasts who care and learn so you will probably do well.

[Ghost-Flame]

Thanks for all the well wishes. I'm having fun and they let me drive a different car every day and they fill the tank . That'll save me at least $200/month. And it feels nice to be working and needed again! I wish everyone looking in this lousy economy good luck!

I want everyone to know that I am not knocking BMW. It appeals to a different driver and I'm going to drive my x into "infiniti" ha ha ha see what I did there, I kill me!

On Friday the dealership feeds us lunch. I'm sitting with a manager in the Infiniti dealer. We also have an Audi dealer on the same property and the managers from both meet once a week. So Chris the Infiniti manager says that they report the number of towable incidents for both brands under the respective warranty periods. Audi has 9 towable incidents for every 1 Infiniti. Yet they outsell us 2 to 1... No wonder Sado Masachism has roots i Genrmany! JK. StutGart says it's good for us, so, we buy and we like 'da big repair bills, hit me again Dieter!

Yesterday I had a German Chemist living here on a work visa. He has been an Audi/Bmw guy for like 30 years. He was leasing an Audi S5 Coupe. While he's waiting he wanders over to infiniti. I took him on a test rdie in our 2012 G37 IPL. Agressive sport coupe generates 350 Hp and about 280 torque, less price... more nice, than the Audi. When he came back he canceled the Audi S5 lease and leased the IPL. They are just that impressive.

I don't make this stuff up.