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Comments
This, by the way, is yet another reason why manuals are desired by some of us. The ratios are picked to do certain things and aren't (or shouldn't be) compromises driven by planetary sets that have a range shift involved. Forgive me, Fuller transmissions are in my past.
I'm very interested in what the Infiniti transmission will offer in terms of ratios & rear-end options.
The old asbestos brakes didn't dust and were cheap.
I just went to Porterfield Carbon/Kevlar pads on the LS. Too soon to comment but from reports from others much better stopping power and a lot less dust. www.racebrakes.com
This weekend on my way home from looking at houses I suddenly saw in front of me what looked like a large shoebox sized wooden box... It came up fast in the twilight of early evening and it was right in the spot of the fast lane where you couldn't jog to the left because of a steep shoulder and gravel roadside, and I couldn't run it straight between the wheels and under the car because it most probably would have shattered the airdam and so at the last second (my own mistake at indecision) I quickly glanced at the right sideview mirror and then flicked the car to the next lane to the right...
The car didn't protest a bit, and though there was some moderate body roll, there was no "oscillation" or even hint of it whatsoever, and it was a hard manuever at about 75, and the car settled smoothly into it.
I am still kind of riddled with guilt though because an Audi TT behind me ran straight into it and it must have been filled with large bolts or something because aside from the explosion of shattering wooden shards of the crate I saw a bunch of sparks on the road spreading out in front of his, what I assumed, shattered airdam, accompanied by a faint "ting ting" sound of bouncing metal things...
*sigh*
Faenor/dane4
Thanks...Jack
So I'm getting the StoneGuard put on the front and Remote Car starter (In Canada it gets cold here).
Now a question for the rest of you. I'm looking at window tint 17% rear and 35% back passenger windows (we can't have the front windows tinted). Do you have any experience with window tinting? Does it last? Fade?
Am waiting to replace my compressor, hopefully today Friday 6/7.
Yesterday the noise got about twice as loud and sounds off over 1500 rpm instead of the 2500 rpm it has been. Talked to the service manager Tom in San Diego yesterday and he said we had better get on it before it blows up completely. The noise is now at least twice as loud as the motor and is a real bummer. Tom said he is communicating with a dealer in Hawaii who said two out of five are making noise mostly when cold. Mine sounds off when the motor is cold or hot. Sounds like the G has a real problem with this. The temp here was 94 yesterday and I have to use the air conditioner all the time.
Paul
Bring it on!
However, there is some bad news with this. Putting film on the windows will degrade the clarity of what you see. Aftermarket tint isn't going to be NEARLY as clear and optically friendly as tinted glass. Make sure you look at it before you have it installed on your car (sit in a car that has been done and carefully look through it, at both close and distant objects).
While I liked how it looked, the lack of optical clarity is why we don't have it on the G35 and why I haven't made any effort to talk my wife into it. It's not like you can't see or make anything out, but I'm no longer willing to accept it. Then again, it may not matter that much to others...
Scott
OTOH, if you live "up north", there isn't the plethora of good tint shops. You'll need to ask around, but the dealers that sell high-end cars may be a good source. Lifetime warranties are available. The cheap stuff either bubbles or turns strange colours.
Get it. It helps. Good luck.
They had 4 mechanics working on it and finally gave up. Our car is now living at the dealers waiting for an expert from Los Angeles to look at it. Spoke with customer service and she said there had been no complaints about this. Probably all the compressors are ok but it is something else. What can it be?
Paul
El Cajon, CA
Have they examined the idler pulleys for the belt? Unrelated to the compressor but will make horrible, hard to track sounds if the bearings are bad.
Is the compressor only making noise when engaged by the clutch? Could be front bearing on compressor itself. Maybe the factory didn't put enough or any oil in with the R-134?
Just some ideas.
I hope they used a stethoscope to isolate the noise/which component.
Lastly, is the tension on the drive belt too loose or tight? It is set by a spring loaded idler pulley. Failing water pumps also make horrendous sounds.
My opinion is that most idler pulleys have too much tension which prematurely kills water pumps and alternators (also A/C bearings). Just look at the Buick V-6 3800's. Absolutely notorious for alternator and water pump bearings (25-30k max).
We encountered a 124 MB ['89 260E] that we took for a test drive many moons ago that had a similar-sounding problem, and which turned out to be an idler pulley that was slightly off center.
Rumor has it, and this is from a dealer only, that the 6-speed sedans will only come in a sports version with leather and sports suspension, options will be 18" wheels and bigger brakes, much like the coupe, as he put it a true 330i killer.
This is before the easy bolt-on mods like air box, summer tires, chips, moving the battery to the trunk and a true dual exhaust with at least 2.25" pipes and an X-box instead of resonators.
And these mods will be cheap compared to Teutonic parts prices, and more readily available.
Will BMW just be another also-ran brand like Hudson and Tucker after the Infiniti onslaught?
Once the performance enthusiasts embrace the G35, it will outnumber the true few performance BMW models out there, because every G35 equals a 330i. Garden variety BMW's, like most of the 3 and 5 series line, will look like old VW Beetles in performance terms.
Modified G35s will be at the heels of M3s if not their equal in performance for a lot less money.
I've waited for this giant killer for years and wondered why no one else had the guts to pull it off.
I can't wait for the six-speed!
Faenor/Dane4
Has the new Q45 threatened MB or BMW? Did the Acura NSX?
Guessin' that means a 335i soon enough with Double Vanos and all the goodies. That is the true beauty of the G35. It will force BMW and MB to further improve their cars and keep them price competitive.
And don't forget Infiniti chose not to bring out the G35 with a manual from the start. Or that G35 will only be coupe and sedan. No convertible. No AWD. No touring (station wagon). No high performance M. So they are giving up a lot of market segments.
I've owned 13 MBs and 4 BMWs and even the odd Porsche in the past 40 years - they all were excellently engineered, generally robust, and ridiculously expensive to repair and maintain for the long haul. The only reason an S430 is not a $100k car right now is because of the Japanese competition.
No one is going to "bury" these guys as long as there is loose money around - but as mine has gotten tighter in retirement, the Japanese have gotten progressively more of my dollars. I doubt I'm alone...
Here is the reality of what the R&T article said:
Of the 11 reviewers if they had to spend their own money here's what they would have bought:
330i= 5
G35= 2
CTS= 1
I300= 1
C320= 1
9-5= 1
Performance Scores:
330i= 195.7
G35= 193.8
Subjective ratings:
330i= 191.4
G35= 186.5
The G35 is about VALUE and that is a good thing. The article closes with the following statement:
"The BMW was the best all-around sports sedan for the enthusiast driver, and the Infiniti was the best all-around sports sedan for the money".
Now while I get my flame retardent suit on, remeber these are the facts as they are written (not my opinion) in the article you guys keep refering to. Also bear in mind I LIKE the G35. I think competition helps improve the entire breed. I also think you will find most true bimmer enthusiasts would agree with me. Most of us are DIRVING ENTHUSIASTS first and Bimmer fans second.
Bottom line, we are ALL very lucky to drive some of the best handling and performing cars in the world and for that fact alone, we share a certain kinship.
Love what you drive and drive what you love.
It was a very interesting article to read (Oh, by the way, I own a G35, ahd to get that out up front *smile*) but when you're having a competition, isn't that what it is? A competition? They had a large set of categories spelled out and this included the price/value point as, what I would gather, an important point because it was, well, there.
I think the BMW is a fantastic car, and in the performance segment minus price I think it won the competition, but price was actually a criteria, and I think it was just rather amusing that they could say, "We have a WINNER! *but only kind of*" LoL!
It's like having a Miss America contest, and singing "Here she is.... Miss kind of America!"
If they were going to qualify the choice so much in the end game, couldn't they have just had the competition in a certain price range of sedans and left the value factor out? I think that the G35 would shine perhaps more brightly as a 2nd place to the BMW in performance and THEN you can throw the value part in after that along with the fact that it is an automatic.
If they truly think that the BMW is the Best car out of the 11, then why have cost factored in at all? Except for picking the contestants of the competition overall? I mean, this IS Road and Track; they reguarly have 100,000 dollar cars on the cover of their magazine. If one football team wins despite the fact that everyone says the other team is better and had a better performance overall, what does it really matter? let the winners roll around in the accolades of winning! LoL!
This post is largely just kidding... I can understand the back peddling the editors had to do to quantify given how the points worked, but THEY set the rules, and the G35 won... Can't they just leave it at that?
p.s. If it was up to me, I would have both cars in my garage, and maybe a Bentley too just for showing off LoL!
Oh, just as another funny note, I waved the page in front of my brother (who is a BMW fanatic) and said, "Look at this! an 11 car competition and the G35 won over the BMW!" and he says "let me see that..." and I pulled the magazine back and and said "NO!"
Have a good one!
Faenor/Dane4
R+T places fuel economy with the "performance" statistics, but would most enthusiast drivers place it there? Eliminate that category from "performance" and the G35 wins by the same margin that the BMW won by with fuel mileage considered. The BMW ranked third on braking, which is unarguably a performance criterion.
Where the G35 shines is in overall balance. It wins by doing everything either as well as the BMW or a close second. Any subjective or price ratings are out of this equation.
Also remember, this sedan comparison had some pretty wide criteria for inclusion of the cars. The prices ranged from under $30K to over $46K. Options were all over the spectrum. The G35 had an automatic, but still matched the BMW in 1/4 mile and was only 0.1 second away on 0-60. Lateral accelleration was identical and only 0.4 mph slower through the slalom.
The G35 isn't precisely in the same segment as the 3 Series. The 3 is a smaller car, more than 10 inches shorter and 5 inches shorter wheelbase. The G35 is rated as a midsize, rather than a compact car, based on interior volume, while both the 3 Series and 5 Series are compact cars. I dropped the 3 Series from buying consideration because it was too small in the back seat.
The fact that the G35 automatic matched the 330i stickshift in all important performance criteria except fuel economy is incredible. The stickshift G35 should be faster and get better economy than the automatic.
I wonder if R+T will do another comparison next spring.
The G35 is in it's first year (actually in it's first months) and option packages are still in what I call a fluid state.
The first offerings are just a first attempt at defining the market here. Infiniti will have to judge response to the NAV, Sport, and other option packages.
In addition, the first cars are automatic, have somewhat lean tire and wheel options, etc.
That said, the G35's showing in the R&T comparo was spectacular.
One can only look forward to the upcoming C&D and Automobile mag tests. Of note will be the first 350Z test, which will give a glimpse of G35 Coupe and Manual sedan performance numbers.
I think BMW should be more concerned with the facts that the G is only the first soldier in the coming war and that easy and relatively inexpensive modifications (compared to BMW)will make this car a formidible force on street and track.
Eclipse, Integra, Accord and Civic owners respond to the results of magazine road tests with a laugh. They know the hidden potential
of the car from what they see on the street.
So it will be with the G.
The coming Manual G will probably come with better tires and wheels, Sport suspension standard, as well as other performance mods.
I plan to move the battery to the trunk and improve on the "aerodynamic" exhaust which may be restrictive compared with a "true dual".
I think that a minimally modified manual G will pull mid 5's and be pushing the rear of the many of the M cars at a bargain price.
If the R&T Comparo had featured the Manual G, I feel the test would have been a runaway victory for the newbie contestant.
This is just the start of Infiniti's offense and BMW's new migraine.
BMW 3 can be had as:
coupe
sedan
wagon
convertible
BMW 5 (better comparison to G35 as size is closer)
sedan
wagon
MB C class
coupe (it is different car but still)
sedan
wagon
CLK (it is based on C platform)
I need space for family car (2+3) and we refuse to buy SUV or minivan (maybe except Honda Odyssey). G35 wagon would be nice competition for BMW 5 and Audi A6 or Passat Wagon.
I would personally consider G35 in wagon form.
Krzys
The problem with M cars is that they are so expensive that most of their owners don't really drive them at even a small % of their capabilities.
Me, I don't waste any on-ramp or off-ramp that is clear of traffic.
And I bet you will see a lot of G's at Solo 2 races as soon as the manual is out.
For the pictures go to the "G35 Coupe" album on my Yahoo! Photos page, http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo. To view the pictures in full size, you need to first click on the "Thumbnail" shot, which will then be expanded to a "Screen Size" shot, and then again to expand to the "Full Size" picture.
Best Regards,
Shipo
I think they should construct more freeway ramps.
*kidding*
Faenor/Dane4
If you get one, take a look at www.gpsdiscount.com (I have NO affilliation!) I got the SP III with a 256 Meg memory stick (good for almost half the US, for $985.00 and thats _including_ shipping almost all the other places I have looked on the net were over 1000 without shipping added in and with only a 32 meg memory card...
If you find a cheaper place, please post it on here as others would definitely find the info useful, and I will try to search back for the GPS post on this board...
Have a good one!
Faenor/Dane4
Olive branch not withstanding, given my preference for cars, I don't suspect that I am too welcome over here, so I will adjourn to the "Verses" boards, and see you over there. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
Best Regards,
Shipo
I can vouch that this works. I can DOUBLE the recommended freeway cloverleaf ramp speed in my (wife's) standard G35 (ie. non-sport) while accelerating through it. However, the handling gets "funky" if I don't accelerate. Also, too heavy an acceleration coming out of the curve causes the tail to get "happy" and force the VDC to kick in to correct it...
riez - regarding your comments about how come Infiniti didn't kick some MB/BMW rear end in the 1990's, I just wanted to note that, IMO, the reason was because Infiniti DID basically stand still during much of the decade. The difference between Lexus (who, IMO, IS kicking MB and BMW's rear-ends... in the competing segments) and Infiniti, is that Lexus DID NOT stop still, but kept improving.
twoof1 - regarding your earlier post about he R&T article... The value did kick the G35 over the BMW, but as noted by others, that is only because of some odd placement of the components of certain categories AND, IMO, an over emphasis on MPG's in an "enthusiast" comparison. If had been a manual (as many are deploring the lack of) it would have won, I'm sure, hands down...
I mean, hey, how big a deal can a manual tranny be anyway? Heck, "The Ultimate Driving Machine" premier vehicle, the 745i, isn't even available with a manual! And it costs $73K MINIMUM! By the standards outlined by some BMW fans here, what a piece of junk... (ROFLMAO!) 8^0
cloth - Thanks for pointing out that without the gas milage and a more appropriate emphasis on braking, the G35 would have won the most important category of the review, performance.
Let the fun begin!
Scott
Scott
I can't wait to see manual transmission versions of Z350, G35 sedan, and G35 coupe. Not to mention the over 300-hp Pontiac GTO (Holden Monaro) being promised by Bob Lutz for 2004. That will be a heck of a shoot-out!
I agree with R&T though that MPG is a performance issue. They weighted in downward by reducing the maximum points allocated and it simply would not apply in the only other category ("Subjective").
Personally, one of things I find most compelling in the 330 is the fact that it gets the performance it does with class leading MPG. Either they are doing something very right, or everyone else (Lexus, for example) are doing something very wrong in the engineering dept.
HiC
infiniti.com/G35coupe
This is going to sound bad, but you can get a well equipped C320 Mercedes or a BMW for about the same price or less because those dealers are willing to bargain with price as opposed to the Infiniti dealer, who is making a killing on people buying at MSRP. Try the new Passat with the 280 hp engine as well. I have found all of these cars to be far superior to the G35 and I think that after the hype, we will be seeing discounts on the G35 soon, so wait a few months and avoid the pathetic greed of the Infiniti dealers if you really want this car.