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Driving 24 hours from Cleveland, OH to Houston, TX in a ...

18K views 52 replies 11 participants last post by  PetitFrereArmada 
#1 ·
I decided to pull the trigger.

I am at the airport about to fly to Cleveland, OH, to pick up a new to me.... and start driving it back home.

It would be replacing my Armada. Sad to say that, but we shall see what I decide after owning both vehicles for say a week or 2.

When I pick up the new to me ......, I will probably start a long drive back home and plan to take my time and hopefully the weather does not ruin things for me.

The price is good to me and I really wanted it based on its Carfax report and price. And it looks really clean. Besides, it is still 4x4 with 4Lo also. I had always wanted to own one of these mamoths.

I will post pictures if I finally pull the trigger and pay at the dealership later on tonight.

I hear there is a huge snow storm coming that way and I have not driven in snow before, so wish me luck.
 
#37 ·
Heck yea, like your write ups always, Sounds like a very nice SUV, What do you notice about the 2 when hitting 100mph vs your Armada, Looks like the QX hits another gear or is geared higher at top end free way speeds comparing the tachs, Besides the Mapping is the Engine and transmission the same on the Armada's. Hows the fuel mileage punching a smaller hole trough the air I would expect the QX to be better, Stability besides the leveling anti sway system how does it compare with a narrower stance or is it just a delusion to think the QX is a tic smaller and narrower, I will probably never own a QX unless I win the Lottery but the engineering and interior is awesome. Thanks for sharing such a cool trip the excitement your have says it all, I have looked the Infinities are top of the food chain very nice. And I really like the CB Antenna changes the entire look makes the QX look more rugged. Congrats!!
 
#39 · (Edited)
After a very fun long second day of 800 miles, I am finally home. Here are all the states I went through. Unfortunately, I do not have one for New York.







 
#40 ·
That's cool getting all the states except 1 I gotta say that Texas flag a flying looks the best out of all the states. WOW that suv will scoot. look forward to hearing your taughts on the Q56 vs the Armada.
 
#41 ·
the later models have outside mirrors that auto dim, the infiniti connection system (kinda like onstar), the backup braking assist, and the forward breaking has a new update to it that "learns" the traffic ahead of the car in front of you and adjusts the braking a bit earlier than the earlier systems.

these are mostly technology updates but the core of the car is the same from 2011 on up to the 2016.

the wireless headphones are standard 2 in back, regardless of the seating chart. i have the captains chairs (much preferred since its just me and i dont have a family) and I had 4 headphones thrown in the car.

yes everything about the new q is dyno-mite! the hbmc alone is worth the cost of admission.

yes petite has all options from what I can see. the car is a dream to drive.

ooh the trans is 7 speed and it has a DIG engine. manual "push stick" trans when you want to do some .. ahem.. spirited driving! ;)
 
#42 · (Edited)
Post Deleted
 
#43 ·
#44 · (Edited)
@liquid1

Personally, this is my experience about the 2012 QX56 vs my 2009 Armada.

Because the QX56 has a better engine with 400hp and 7 speed, it accelerates very fast, shifting is fast too and so it reaches top speeds pretty quick too. Plus at speeds of 100 you do not feel it as much as you do in the Armada. The Armada has only 5 speed. So, that is is a big difference. But you know people that buy these do not buy for the speed. It is just there, if you need it. These are more for taking the family around, on road trips and basically cruising on the freeway. As for me, I like to know what I am working with and hence I put it through all kinds of tests to make sure I know my machine.

One very interesting thing to know is that my 1,500 miles trip cost me $230 in premium gas in the 2012 QX56. I Honestly think I may have spent more if I was driving my Armada on the same 1,500 miles trip using regular gas (which is cheaper than premium). And mind you, I was fast. So, my guess is if I was cruising only, then I may have saved some more in gas with the QX56. So, QX56 beats my Armada in fuel consumption.

And if you do not know, the Armada gas tank is 28 gallons, while the QX56 is 24 gallons.

I think I was getting 14mph when punching it. But at cruising speeds, this QX56 can truly save gas. I think you get great gas mileage on the QX56 at speeds of 70mph or below. I think better than the Armada. I did not measure it at cruising speeds, lol.

I think the Armada is bigger than the QX56 and heavier than the QX56. Maybe that is why the Armada can tow more than the QX56 because the Armada has brute force.

Since my QX56 has the HBMC, it definitely handles curves better than my Armada. I don't know how a QX without this option feels like around curves, but I sure can tell you how this QX56 I got handles the curvy roads in Kentucky.

Oh, as for the CB radio on my QX56, I think it looks great also. It just flows with the color and stance. And I listened to a lot of stories on the road from these truck drivers. It is pretty cool and entertaining. Channel 19. From Nashville, TN to Little Rock, AR, the whole highway was full of these elephants. I must have passed about 50 of them or more on this stretch of about 250 miles. They even talked about me and I had to respond. So, I got into a convoy of about 8 18wheelers next to each other. Man, did I feel stuck. You know it takes a while before one of them can over take like 2 or 3 more. So, I must say I made the 2 18 wheelers on the fast lane know that I was behind them. All of a sudden I hear on the CB radio that "Hey buddy, you want to let that Infiniti get by. It seems to be in a hurry." All of a sudden, the other 18wheelers made way on the left for these 2 to fit in. I was shocked. I radioed back "thanks for letting me by". Then I got "No problem. Nice car", as I gunned it down and watch them disappear in my rear view mirror.

I personally think both vehicles are awesome. But since Infiniti is Nissan's luxury division, Nissan has given it some more goddies to justify someone moving from the Armada to the QX56.

What makes the QX56 better than the Armada? I think comfortable leather, new body style and technology advancement. Apart from that, the Armada definitely is better in that it truly has more room than the QX56, tows more, cheaper to maintain and you can take it to more places, lol. Because of the cost of parts for the QX56 and maintenance, I can see why this 4x4 may end up being a mall crawler where one will engage 4lo only to go over speed bumps at parking lots. So, no offroading for this beauty. This truly looks like a garage queen.
 
#45 · (Edited)
Awesome explanation and write up. Yea she's to pretty to get all scratched up, As I think our Pearl Armada is.. WOW a 7 speed, 400 hp with a smaller gas tank and a little better mileage with nicer plush interior. Nice upgrades for sure. So the QX56 and QX 80 are close to the same.
Sounds like you got some respect from the truckers, cool stuff. The Infinity is nice to look at for sure, Didn't know they were that much more advance over the Nissan. Infinity is top of the line for sure, There cars are very nice!!
 
#46 ·
the qx 56/80 is lower and wider than the the armada/qx of old. the tank is smaller but you have more gears so you get a bit better petrol mileage out of the gate.

at the end of the day the new qx is built and designed a bit differently over the older style. made in japan with a full box frame. the hbmc is a blessing once you get in a car that doesn't have it. I tell you, the things i have gotten away with in that car going around corners.... hbmc is awesome...

id love to have the newer front bumper of the 2015+ (direct bolt on, minor wiring mods) as that's all i would like to have...
 
#48 ·
...the tank is smaller but you have more gears so you get a bit better petrol mileage out of the gate...
Talking about gears, I have been thinking of some maintenance things I can start doing or taking to the dealership for them to do it. I have already bought the OEM spark plugs and OEM serpentine belt.

About the transmission fluid change, I cannot find a dipstick for this vehicle. I have searched the internet also and it seems a transmission drain and fill can only be done at the dealership? I got a quote from the dealership for $189 plus tax.

Do you know if this service can only be done at the dealership? I see where I can drain the fluid, but I do not see where one can fill it up back. They say they have a machine that does it by pumping the fluid back from underneath the vehicle. I mean, I do not fully comprehend it all. Is this true? By chance do you happen to know how many quarts they change when they do it at the dealership? Also, do you think I could take this to a Nissan dealership and they will do the same thing?

For my first oil change, I plan to take it to a Nissan dealership, not the Infiniti dealership with their Infiniti prices. Besides, I hear it is highly recommended to be doing the oil change religiously every 3,750 miles? Not longer than that at all or it may mess up other things?

I would appreciate your input on these.
 
#47 · (Edited)
Can you tell if the qx 56 suspension is the same as the armadas? Not counting the hbmc. Imagine. Being the 1st one to use a titan lift and custom rear for a qx80. Might be sick. If they are the same one could contemplate.
 
#50 ·
Thank you. The rear suspension is exactly the same. It's the front that I am not sure about from your video. Well I am glad Petit had a nice trip and hope it went smoothly.
 
#51 ·
@marctronixx

Or anybody who may know how...

I am thinking of saving for some maintenance stuffs on my QX and was looking at doing the transmission fluid change. But this QX56 has no dipstick. The drain and fill plugs are under the car. In fact, the drain plug and the fill plug both face the ground and both look like drain plugs, but you can tell which is which.

So, to drain the fluid will not be a problem as it will just drain. But now to put new fluid will need a special tool to pump fluid in that will not keep on draining at the same time.

Before I go join the QX56/QX80 forums and post this question, does anybody have any ideas? Basically a pump that would pump fluid into the transmission pan against gravity and the fluid will not be draining or backing up at the same time instead of filling the transmission pan.

I will appreciate any suggestion.
 
#53 ·
Do you know what pump I could buy that would do that? If its affordable, I may buy it.

As for the transmission, that is true. It is sealed. When I could not find the dipstick, I called the dealerships and they told me that.

When I usually cannot figure out something about my car or just wish to get an opinion about service or the price of a service from the dealership, I usually call many different dealership to have different opinions.

I googled all Infiniti dealerships in my city and close by cities. I got like 5 to 8. Then I start calling them all for the exact same thing. Some of the service techs have patience and are very knowledgeable and do educate you well, while some just rush through some explanations. That is what I do most of the time when I need to find out something about my cars.

Then I save the number to the Infiniti I would like to go to. Then under that name and under notes in my phone, I store the name of all the other dealerships that I learned something from them. That way I can always call them whenever I need to know more about something else again.

It is just like getting a second or third opinion when a doctor gives you a diagnosis.
 
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