On a scale of Maserati Biturbo to brand new Toyota Corolla, how good an idea is it to buy one to use to drove to work (the ones I have seen are anything from the first year to 1997). Any major problems, nla parts, or expensive maintenance they always need? Do the transmissions last longer than a BMW would? Anything else interesting about them?
the engine is the predecessor of the McLaren M838T engine which propels the MP4-12c.
I'd buy one. Love em.
I am learning all that I can as quickly as possible.
Far more Corolla than BiTurbo.
The early years had issues with the chain guides that can grenade the engine (but can be preventively retrofitted.)
Avoid the Full Active Suspension.
Here is a plethora of knowledge: http://www.q45.org/
Field Service Manuals: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q45/
Tech articles: http://www.nicoclub.com/infiniti-technical-articles#q45
Buyers Guide: http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/infiniti-q45-buying-advice.html
My grandmother bought one around 95-ish? Cant remember what year the car was. She had a couple battles with leaky injectors (you have to remove the intake to replace the offending injector IIRC), but other than that it was "reliable enough".
I drove it a couple times. Once in particular I was at a stoplight and the lane I was in was ending (this is one of the times when it was running on 7/8 due to a leaky injector). When the light turned green I stood on the skinny pedal and hoooooooooooly smokes! That's a LOT of car for an 80-year old Japanese lady! 
She quit driving it this year when she got hit by a merging motorist down the passenger side. She decided she was "old enough" to not need to be driving anymore and the car got scrapped.
I had a '94 model some years ago. It was a great car and I had no issues, but it was a lot newer then. It was NOT an active suspension model however. It drove well, was pretty quick, and the suspension was based on the then current 300ZX. As a side note, the engine was related to their Indy V8 motor.
Mine unfortunately met an untimely death. I loaned it to a friend for him and his family to go to Florida for the holidays, and on the way back, a kid in a new TSX hit it broadside doing about 100mph. The Acura was spread all over the road and the driver may have been killed. The Q was hit on the post between the front and back doors, and although it moved the post in a few inches and the doors wouldn't open, they were able to drive it back to N. Alabama. Other than being sore, everyone in the car was OK. It was exceptionally strong and I was sad when the insurance company totaled it. I did make a couple of thousand on the deal though.
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