By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
The G35 offers, I think, one good example with the delayed introduction of the 6-spd. I'm willing to bet that the initial absence of the manual in the G35, a universally described sports sedan, has more to do with justifying the expense (dollars, time, effort) of offering a relatively low demand option then any engineering hiccups.
As for the future, I think in the near term that the introduction of the CVT in the Nissan Murano is the harbinger of things to come for the entire Nissan/Infiniti lineup. With its progression into the G35 being limited, once again, mainly by the bean counters in the company. But, what I would really like to see is for the G35 to be the first on the affordable 'sports sedan' block to offer an SMT (sequential manual transmission). Some of us just love the feel and sound of a manually controlled CFE (continuously fluctuating engine!?) and dread the thought of giving it up. ;-)
Reliability, to me, is paramount, followed by maintainability. If it works, lasts, and is easy to maintain, I'll probably end up with one.
Reliability is often (but not always) associated with simplicity combined with years of continuous improvement--strengthening the areas that broke. It'll be interesting to see how (or whether) it's achieved with this "new" (first seen by me in Popular Science in the early '60's) technology. Wonder it took so long to get to market? There may be actual reasons, and I'm perfectly willing to let others find out whether they exist, and if so, what they are.
I'm sure it's going to be an awesome car when it arrives!
maxima4 - yes, a 6 speed manual is desparately needed in the G35. not that it's not a great car with an automatic, just so that we have the option:) I just saw a nice sage green G35 in my parking lot, and started daydreaming about VQ, RWD, and 6 speed manual.
Right now I'm heavily leaning towards WRX wagon, but I believe I will test drive the G35 manual and even the Maxima 6-speed before making my final decision, barring any expensive work required by the Altima:)
A clutch replacement is a fairly simple operation, particularly in a RWD vehicle. An automatic transmission replacement or, worse yet, rebuild, will cost $2K or more.
Did you realize that was quite a pun when talking about high tech transmissions?
Just to chime in on the "my clutch went xxx miles" discussion. I've had a clutch last as long as 140K miles and never less then than 90K miles. And the one that went 140K ('86 VW Golf) lasted through not one but two adolescent trainees. I can't imagine someone brutilizing their clutch to the extent that it would wear out in only 40-50K miles short of racing it or maybe if you lived in San Francisco and constantly slipped the clutch like a hill holder feature.
I'm glad to see that, with newer materials that you can expect >100K miles on a clutch. However, I would hazard a guess that many people who claim that their clutch was "fine" at >100K (120K, whatever) would find that, in comparison to a new clutch, they would find definite differences in shifting.
However, as noted above, clutch (friction plate) changes are not a big deal, so I used to see it as just one of those periodic maintenance items.
Again, I'm happy to see that clutches now have materials that will last >100K miles, but it wasn't always so. Makes me want one even more!
Scott
The G35 still impresses me, especially on windy roads on a Friday night with the Bose cranking and the sunroof open.
enjoy the G, the windy roads should help you forget about a couple dollars for an oil change
I had a nail through the sidewall of the right-rear tire and the Firestone store wanted $253 for the tire ($199, Bridgestone EL42's), mount, balance, road hazard, and tax. The tire was $126 delivered from tirerack.com plus $13 for mount and balance at Direct Tire on Pleasant View (runs between Covington Pike and Sycamore View). Personally, I'll save the money for lifetime rotate/balance/tire hazard... Of course, that is just me.
Oh, for the Bridgestone S-03 Pole Positions (245/45-18) I was interested was over $1300 for the set (buy three, get one free), vs. about $720 from tirerack.com mounted at Direct Tire.
Scott
Cheers. Boomer
infiniti.com/G35coupe.
1. Grabby brakes - I found them touchy because they begin to grab when you begin to press the brake pedal, rather than after you have depressed it a short distance, like most other cars. However, since I find that people are infinitely more adaptable than vehicles are, I can say, with assurance, that we have not noticed that after the 1st 500 miles. It COULD be that they "loosened up", but I would think that the real case is just that our feet have gotten used to them.
2. As for the harsh ride, I really cannot say where that is coming from. You are definitely connected with the road (through Bridgestone EL42's at 40# pressure, in our case). However, while you receive feedback that the road may be rough (the car is as smooth as glass on smooth roads), we have not found it to be jarring. I should note that the "sport suspension" (stiffer shocks, different wheels, and "summer" tires) DID transmit more road roughness than the standard suspension, during test drives (we have a standard suspension G35). I have found the "ripple control" shocks to be particularly effective in damping road bumps, while still asserting that you just drove over one. I believe that the G35 is particularly effective in keeping the tires on the road in its factory configuration.
3. Driving smoothly - This one has me dumbfounded! When my wife and I were looking for her new car, we drove just about everything in the sport sedan segment, with the exception of the Cadillac CTS (just thought it was too ugly to even try). The G35 was the smoothest driving vehicle we drove. In fact, the first time my wife drove it (with the salesman present), she thought it was TOO SMOOTH and not sporty enough (even "smoother" than the Acura 3.2TL-S). When I talked her into trying another test drive (over a particular route and in an empty parking lot) without the salesman present, she came back with this bemused, awed grin and said she had found her car. My only comment was that the G35 drove SO smoothly, most casual drivers would not realize just how sporty it is until they REALLY pushed it.
4. We have experienced no warranty or other problems with the G35. The A/C is JUST starting to exhibit some of the A/C noise, some people have complained about, but it is not yet objectionable, just disappointing. The car would be slightly quieter, if the A/C was as silent as I think it should be. We have had none of the stereo problems other have had with high ambient temperatures. However, we also experience the delayed correct temperature readings and have found the navigation system's MPG calculation to be 5-8% off actual (higher).
5. It has performed flawlessly, especially on highway cloverleaf exit ramps (I LOVE driving them in the G35, so long as no one is in front of me, those behind are a memory). Acceleration is still very good (though the "normal" driving is, IMO, causing the adaptive transmission to shift in a manner that does not optimize acceleration. Gas milage has been steady at 23+MPG for many tanks (65% highway/35% city).
6. The interior leather is holding up very well, as are most of the other interior materials. The only "complaint" I have is with the area around the ignition, which is getting slightly scratched up by the other keys on my keychain.
7. The tires are holding up well (aside from a nail in the sidewall of one). The full sized spare tire has already almost paid for itself. We put the spare on (right, rear) and put the new replacement tire on the other side (left, rear) so we have two tires (with newer tread) on the rear and matching rubber on the front. The Bridgestones are wearing well, I expect to get at least 40K miles out of them.
Anyway, as I think of more, I'll post it, but my wife (and I) are still VERY happy with our decision to buy the G35 and try to drive it every chance we get!
Scott
stsurbrook: Thanks for your very comprehensive 10k report. I was wondering what your opinion is on the issue of whether to go with the standard suspension or the sport suspension? I know you have the standard and have driven both. Is the sport significantly rougher than the standard?
First, I'll start with the standard suspension (with 17" wheels/tires). The ride is as I have described in my post just above. The handling is very good. I, personally, prefer the Bridgestone EL42's over the Goodyear RSA's (an opinion that appears to be supported by customer surveys at tirerack.com and I have had three sets of the RSA's on other vehicles). The Bridgestones are, IMO, quieter, handle better in the dry and especially wet, and appear to be more durable. My experience with the RSA's was one of disappointment. They had a tendency to "dry rot" and, as I found out when we replaced the tires with the least expensive tires we could find (Hercules "brand", about 3K miles before trading in on the G35), they did not handle as well as the Hercules tires which cost 1/2 as much. I'll never own another set of Goodyear tires! I WILL buy Bridgstones again.
Anyway, this wasn't meant to be a tirade against Goodyear tires, but a commentary about how, with the Bridgestone EL42's, you should find the G35 to be a VERY competent handling car that is quiet on the road and smooth riding.
Now on to the sport suspension model. With the $425 sport suspension, you get "stiffer" shocks, different wheels (same size) and summer W-rated (same size) Goodyear GS-D's. I drove the sport suspension model twice over the same route as the standard suspension model (VERY aggressive driving in a parking lot and a VERY tight asphalt cloverleaf) in a back-to-back comparison and, in my opinion, found the handling to be slightly worse than the standard suspension, while getting a slightly more jarring ride.
Sounds contradictory, doesn't it? Well, here is my supposition as to why. I think the problem may be in the Goodyear GS-D tires that come with the sport suspension. I don't think they are as good as the Bridgestones and just could not grip enough to make the sport suspension shine. However, as the salesman said, how much better can it be for only $425? Especially considering that the only real improvement should be in the tires and shocks (wheels should cost the same).
Personally, with the Eibach Pro-Kit springs now available (see www.tirerack.com), I would save the money on the sport suspension, spend $280 + installation and get a car that is 1" lower (assuming you can live with it) and should handle significantly better while only being slightly stiffer than the standard suspension, comparable to the sport suspension. However, I should mention that I do not know what putting the Eibach springs on will do in regard to your warranty. I would check with both Eibach and Infiniti.
Anyway, in summary, we bought the standard suspension model because, IMO, there was no difference in handling, but was a noticable (but fairly slight) difference in ride smoothness. We felt that the standard suspension was the best of both worlds.
I should note that if Infiniti comes out with a more aggressive sport package (springs, stabilizer bars, 18" wheels, wider tires, like the Coupe/350Z), a "track model" I will probably take a hard look at it again. I would more readily spend $1500 than $500 for a significant "sport" model upgrade. Especially if it includes my "dream" Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position tires...
Hope this helps.
Scott
A car like the Mustang goes wonderfully fast in a straight line.
The G on the other hand, does this while going around corners. Granted it won't have the brute force of a 5.0 engine, but you will be surprised at
how it moves.
Step on the gas and your pinned to your seat.
Unlike a lot of cars where the non-sport version is mushy, the non-sport G35 is pretty crisp. The sport version is a little better (to me), and I see why some people would prefer it. The sport-package noise and ride are different, but not unpleasant (to me). I eventually got a non-sport version, and it handles OK.
-- Joe
Scott
Scott
I also enjoy taking the cloverleafs at full tilt. I have the Bridgestone tires. Everything you mentioned I have had the same results. No AC problems, I do have the CD changer problem when the car sets out in the sun for long periods of time. I have not complained to the dealer on this, hoping that the problem may go away. Matter of fact it is getting somewhat better. I do use the CD player that much from home to work anyway and I relunctant to have the unit replaced for fear that it might get worse. Other than that small complaint, the car is solid, fast, and beautiful.
For all the complaints on the interior, I have the opposite feelings. I love the way it is layed out and it holding up quite well. IMOP folks should be hard pressed to find a car within this price point that performs better and offers the the amenities of the G.
In one of the test models I drove, the span of plastic between the seats showed lots of scuffs and superfical scratches... Seems like it's not going to fare well in the long run...
Any of you who have had the G35 for a while care to comment?
My question is this:
Your post indicates that you have the Nav system. Have you found that the space taken up by the DVD unit in the glove box as well as the missing storage taken up by the monitor, are missed? Is there sufficient storage elsewhere in the passenger compartment to make up for this? I ordered mine with Nav (I do a lot of regional travel so I consoder it a necessity).
Thanks, and again great post!!
Gary
joes230 - Another thing about the EL42 vs. GS-D's debate. After thinking about my experience with driving the two tires, I think I have realized why I prefer the EL42's. It goes back to your comment about how the EL42's would start "squealing" earlier than the GS-D's.
I realized that, in combination with my everyday driving experience with the EL42's, the GS-D's DID have more grip up until they reached their limit of traction. Then they would lose traction and just would not give it back, causing what I felt was less controlable understeer at (and above) the limits of traction. This is consistent with my experience with the Goodyear RSA's on other cars.
The EL42's may start squealing, but they still grip predictably with no sudden loss of traction. You could continue to push and push and they would squeal louder, but still do a very competent job allowing you to tighten the turning angle, maintaining your desired path (why I just LOVE to drive on a highway cloverleaf), but at a higher speed (2-3 mph higher on my back-to-back test drive).
I believe this is due to a superior tread compound in the Bridgestone tires, but without actual track data, I do not have any way to support this. However, I can tell you that I have NO DOUBT that the EL42's have superior wet traction.
Anyway, this is entirely my subjective opinion in trying to account for the difference in handling I noted between the sport and standard suspensions, respectively.
Scott
http://www.freshalloy.com/site/cars/infiniti/2003/g35/longterm/intro/home.shtml
Scott
The manumatic is programmed so that when you are on the freeway in 5th gear, you can push the lever to manual mode, the trans will automatically drop to 4th gear so that you are in a gear to pass someone.
As techhawk said, when "4" is displayed, the car is not actually in 4th gear. The number displayed is the highest gear that the transmission will shift to. If you stop, when you accelerate, the car will start in 1st gear, and shift up to 4th, but not higher. Of course, if you stop and you want to shift for each gear change, then you need to pull back three times to get to 1st gear before you start. Then you will shift up to 2nd, 3rd, etc as you accelerate. I usually start with the indicator in 2, since the 1-2 shift happens so quickly anyway.
The nice thing is that the trans will hold to redline in each gear, so you really can shift like a manual.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?A50726AB1
I ultimately replaced my EL42s with 225/55-17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. In some ways the Pilot Sport is better, but it made my G35 more sensitive to road crown (pulling L and R depending on road tilt). Overall the EL42 is a great tire.
The GS-D had much more tire "hiss" and "roar" at low speeds. It was quite noticible, but not objectionable (to me). The EL42 was very quiet, by contrast, but felt slightly "mushy". I think both tires are good; they just have different characteristics.
-- Joe
The Pilot Sport A/S's are excellent tires. I would imagine you noticed a definite improvement in handling.
Scott
Scott
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
http://www.autoweek.com/search/search_display.mv? port_code=autoweek&cat_code=reviews&content_code=01425496&Search_Type=STD&Search_ID=573390&record=2
I tried to make this a "clickable" link, but Edmunds limits words to 115 characters. Just copy and paste the link, but make sure you REMOVE the space between ? and port.