00:00 - SHOW OPEN

Today's Better Than New used vehicle is an SUV that is truly fun to drive... on the road.  This is not another car-based SUV trying to pose as a rugged, trail-busting 4x4. Instead it’s an SUV built from car DNA that pretty much sticks to the car thing and ends up doing a solid imitation of a 4-door sports sedan - just one with a little more ground clearance, a rear hatch and AWD for better traction on wet and snowy roads. 

01:10 - INFINITI FX45 SUV - 2003-2008

The Infiniti FX45 was available in the US from model years 2003 to 2008.   It’s a beast of an SUV with a V8 engine, sport suspension, 20-inch wheels and somewhat polarizing styling.  Personally I think it has aged well and as a used car buy today, I would call it a good looking, compact, quick-accelerating and capable handling SUV that’s affordable and way more fun to drive then most. 

02:15 - YOU MIGHT WANT AN INFINITI FX45 IF:

• You enjoy great handling, but need the extra space an SUV offers
• You want your SUV to drive more like a car
• You want extra horsepower and torque to go with your SUV
• You prefer more sport than utility when it comes to Sport Utility Vehicles 

03:20 - WHAT MAKES THE FX45 SO GREAT?

• Based on Nissan's FM (or Front Mid-ship) platform
• Near 50/50 weight distribution
• Excellent driving dynamics
• That V8 Engine! (315-hp, 329-lb.ft of torque)
• Lots of performance for the money
• These SUVs have depreciated substantially from original $50K
• $10K gets you a great used example today

07:20 - WHAT'S NOT SO GREAT ABOUT THE FX45?

• Fuel economy is poor on a V8 SUV - This one is no different
• Firm suspension and rough ride on early examples
• Liquid filled differential bushing can fail over time
• Dash material can bubble up and pull away from sun exposure
• Leather seating surfaces are not as durable as they should be

15:35 - I TRY TO BUY AN FX45 FROM A GUY IN A TIN FOIL HAT

I found a nice, low-mileage FX45 in 2019 for just under $6K, but the seller was located two hours away and there were some questionable things mentioned in the ad that he couldn't completely explain away.

I didn't want to invest four hours driving there and back, plus the time to inspect the vehicle without running a CarFax first to check for any hidden issues with this particular FX45. Unfortunately, for some unexplained reason the seller refused to give me the VIN or vehicle identification number, which is required for the CarFax report. After multiple fruitless requests for the VIN over the course of several days, I finally gave up.

Even though that FX45 seemed to be in good condition, the fact that the seller wouldn't give me basic info about the vehicle so I could run a CarFax report was a glaring red flag, so I moved on and bought a different vehicle.

21:05 - SHOULD YOU BUY AN FX45?

If you have ever considered buying a "cheap" used Porsche Cayenne or a BMW X5 SUV, I believe the Infiniti FX45 would be a better choice. It offers a spirited driving experience that mimics the German SUVs, with a typically lower used purchase price and operating costs.

22:10 - WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT TO PAY FOR A GOOD FX45?

• There are a lot of high-mile, used-up examples near $5K. 
• As you move up towards $10K, they get substantially better
• $9K-$12K is the sweet spot for good to excellent examples
• More than that and you may be paying too much

23:40 - WHAT COULD YOU BUY INSTEAD OF AN FX45?

• Infiniti FX35 – Basically the same SUV with a V6 engine instead of the V8. Get the sport package suspension with 20-inch wheels and you will have FX45 looks and the same good handling, but a few less horsepower. 
• Infiniti FX50 – Available from 2009-2013 – Slightly different styling compared to the FX45, but this one has an even more powerful V8 (5.0-liter with 390-hp and 369-ft.lb. of torque). Expect to pay more for this newer and quicker Infiniti SUV.

25:00 - CLOSE