Infiniti G35 Sedan 2006 and earlier

afty

I found a web page that lets you make short links from longer ones. That should help for forums like Edmunds that limits the length of a link. The utility is at tinyurl.com.

Here is a shorter link to the Autoweek article baylorbear mentioned:

http://tinyurl.com/1cvr

memphisslim1

Made an error taking my G35 to Firestone, and am now looking forward. Thanks to RobMarch and Scott for their excellent comments and suggestions (especially where to buy tires and get them mounted and balanced in Memphis). Luckily, I (usually) learn from my mistakes, and I certainly will not take a $31,000+ vehicle to the Firestone place again. What was I thinking?

Like Scott, I also live in Memphis, TN (hot as an armpit in August) and usually run the A/C in "Auto Econ" mode, rather than full "Auto A/C" mode (which seems more efficient). My A/C cools so well the airflow can freeze your forehead if you're not careful. However, I haven't noticed that the AC noise is extremely loud proportionate to how fast and strongly the fan moves the air.

Haven't had any problems with my G35 (at 8000 miles), except for one minor thing that I'm not sure about. When I accelerate from standstill, it seems like the power driver seat slightly moves and I hear a click, only SOME of the time. When I try and move the seat when stationary (non moving vehicle) by scooting forward or pushing back with my feet, I do not experience this problem. Anyone else experience this problem?

I do notice that the transmission is broken in now, and seems to shift more often, or maybe it's just my driving the G fast on country roads (or the learning from the computer). When I first got the car, the brakes seemed touchy, but I am so used to them now that I don't even notice it (plus they are probably broken in by now). Love the Bose music system, and believe it is worth the money (if you are into music). Still get MANY positive comments about the G. Was filling up the tank at Sam's last weekend and the guy (with the Explorer) walked around the car twice while asking questions, and then asked if he could sit in it. After doing so, he asked if I minded telling him how much I paid. When I said $31600, he said that's not bad, not bad at all for a car like this. And he hadn't even driven it.

I have found this forum to be very useful (and at times, entertaining) for good, first hand (and expert) information about the G35.

Thanks!

Tom

cheerioboy26

I bought my 00 Maxima from Rosenthal, but was unimpressed by their Infiniti dealer, plus the fact they marked up the G by $995. Bought my G from Coleman in June. Much better experience there so far - no additional fees at all. First service tomorrow.

You'll do better getting a "deal" on an I than a G - G still selling at or near (-$1000) MSRP in many places. They are very different cars, so it depends on what you want.

Chek out this forum for more info, esp. dealer opinions - use the search function.

http://www.freshalloy.com

smz2

Looking at a '00 Bimmer with Space Shuttle miles, 74k. Any advise ? Can I get an extended warranty anywhere?

slasher617

I picked up my G on Saturday morning in Atlanta and drove it back to D.C. yesterday. Oh my, what a ride. I averaged between 80 and 90 whether I wanted to or not. This car begs for more speed. At one point when no one was around and I had a piece of clear flat road to work with I jammed up to 123 mph. Talk about a rush, the tach wasn't even at 4200. I got the twilight, willow, premium, sunroof, xenons, winter, and expanded wood. I also got lo-jack for 500 rather than the offered 700. While down there, I ended up paying between 1300 and 2000 below sticker. Not bad if you're willing to drive for it. I can't wait to go back out and play.

maxima4

I have been a subscriber to C&D since the early 80's. They first tested the G35 in the May or June issue and they "loved" it. They do another comparo and they almost do a complete turn around. Go figure! Enough to drive you nuts! (No pun intended :-)

Anyway, We are the best "everyday" critiques around. I'll put my trust in you guys. So far you haven't been wrong!!

riez

smz2... You should post your message on BMW board(s) here at Edmunds. Don't know anything about the 7 Series board here, but the 3 and 5 Series board members can be most informative.

I own 2 BMWs, each bought used last year. But I bought each CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) thru BMW dealer. I think that is the only way to go for a complex newish BMW. The CPO warranty is different than the original b-to-b warranty but is pretty comprehensive and adds an additional 2 years or 50,000 miles to the original warranty.

You can also finance CPO cars thru BMW Financial Services. Local dealer in Omaha offering 3.9 percent financing on a lot of his CPO cars. Don't know if that includes 7 Series. 740i Sport is a magnificent car! But buy one very, very carefully. Have a mechanic check it out. Talk to former owner(s) and demand to see all service records/history.

jwilson1

I guess your name is on target, slasher....

slasher617

I just glanced down as I was rolling along since there was nothing in front of me for several miles and I had great visibility. Also, putting in a request to the Virginia dmv for a specialized tag SL4SH3R, hope they grant the request. My Salesman mentioned a first aid kit in the car, am I missing something? Does a kit come with the car or did he give me wrong information. If it does come with the car, where is it stored? Thanks for the posts you guys helped me make a great deal on an amazing car.

robmarch

is hidden well...do you want us to ruin the fun you will have hunting for it's unexpected location?

slasher617

C'mon Rob, ya gotta help me. I thought I tore the car apart looking for the thing and god forbid I actually needed it for a real emergency. Spoil this one for me and I won't ask where the dip stick is... lol.

robmarch

Ok, try the rear fold down armrest

Enjoy the car, I'm definitely an admirer.

slasher617

That's kinda cool. I guess they put it back there so that if the kids are killing each other, they can bandage themselves up after the brawl is over. Thanks for the info Rob but I think you need to stop being an admirer and join the gang.

tomekz

In ref. to memphisslim1

I have the same problem, dealer says, "check all screws, can't duplicate problem"

"When I accelerate from standstill, it seems like the power driver seat slightly moves and I hear a click, only SOME of the time."

stsurbrook

Only thing I can think of (haven't experienced it myself) is that MAYBE it is the "active head restraint" being slightly activated.

My understanding of the way it works is that if you are rear-ended, your body is pushed into the seat and a "pressure plate" and associated mechanism (NOT electronic) translate that body pressure into forward movement of the headrest to prevent/reduce whiplash. If you are accelerating aggresively, I can see how the pressure against the seat can increase...

Scott

boomer23

Infiniti has recognized the seat movement problem, has had engineers examine affected seats and has a fix available or in the works. Insist with your dealers that this is a recognized G35 problem and that you want it fixed, no ifs, ands or buts.

Do a search on this forum or www.freshalloy.com

c3po33

Yes check freshalloy.com
This has happen to others, I know at least 2 people have had the seat rails replaced and problem was fix.

sanandton

Does anyone know if there is a way to skip that annoying "agreement" screen on the Navigation unit? I hate having to "agree" each time I start the car.

stsurbrook

Shy of hacking it, there is not any way to disable the startup screen. At least that is what it says in the manual. I think that Infiniti has it in there so that people will not sue them (or at least be less likely to win), if they are in an accident because they were adjusting the navigation system while driving.

Scott

rghessel

For what it's worth, my Lexus Nav system has a similar AGREE screen that has to be acknowledged each time I the car is turned on.

Gotta love lawyers!

kd6aw1

From the horses mouth!

The dealers will recieve the tsb # on Tuesday Sept. 16. They will then order the parts kit and will start installing them as soon as they are in hand. Maybe next week?? I am first in line in San Diego. Be happy!

Paul

jimxo

WOW! This car was fun fun fun. Infiniti of Lisle (IL) has it there until 8:00 tonight and tomorrow it will be at Fields Infiniti in Glenview. Silver with tan interior 6 speed trany and all the options except Nav. First off the cars was sweet looking in person. The engine had a lot of torque and very short through's on the manual transmission. The seats were very different than the G35 sedan. They were big and fat kind of like the M3.

The windows on the doors have no metal trim around them. When you open the door the window move's down an inch just like the 911. It was easy to smoke the tires and get chirp 2nd gear. The salesman I was with was telling me to give it all I could since he was not good with stick. Handling was tight and steering was very responsive. The car was so much fun to drive, reminded me of my 89 Mustang 5.0

One thing I notice was as I accelerated up to 60 in second gear I was at 6500 RPMS' (red line) my speed was at 56 MPH. So if you want to hit 60 while in 2nd gear you will be a few hundred RPMS above red line every time. They told me that this car was a prototype and the factory units may not be identical. This car had 950 miles on it and seem to be a little to new for all out tire smoken.

If you own one of these you will be very satisfied. Dealer claims to have 20 pre-sold and 12 extra coming in about 30 days. Sticker was the selling price.

kbolin

Well... I've had my G35 for about 3 months now and absolutely love it. Last week I was at a buddy's place and we were in the backyard having a beer when we both hear his son crying. We go out and find his son laying on the ground behind my car with his bike beside him. He had been riding and wiped out on the back end of my car. Of course our first concern was that his son was fine... as we discovered he hit his head on the tail light of the car and broke the lens shade.

Once we got the boy settled down my buddy says "Don't worry I'll replace the lens shade... with my luck it's probably something ridiculous like $200.00". That's Canadian Dollars folks. I said... "You'll be lucky if it's only $200!".

So the next day he calls me and says "Do you know how much that damn tail light is?.... $500 BUCKS"... OUCH!

He took care of the car and I replaced the light last night... ends up you replace the ENTIRE light assembly.

Boy and car are fine and I'm loving my G35.... now if I could only remember driving past that Photoradar and getting a $100 speeding ticket.

Oh well... the joys of DRIVING FUN!

Cheers

billygunn1

Had a good experience in 99 on a new 2000. Infiniti of Lisle was stuck on selling me a used 99 1/2, with 18k miles for only $500 less (trade in there, so I'm sure there was some manipulation)than Fields wanted for new. Guess who I bought from.
So how were the back seats? Size-wise? Did it look like, or maybe you happened to get into, the back seat had any REAL room? MSRP was asking, but was that base price higher/lower than sedan? Any other interior room info would be greatly appreciated.

sanandton

The navi start up screen. I guess they don't mind if I have an accident trying to pull up the map while driving and reading their warning.

stsurbrook

sandandton - Or you can just do what I (and probably many others) do and just hit the joystick when you pop up the nav screen and wait for it to go away...

Scott

sanandton

I typically leave mine up all of the time. so I don't have to reach for it. Maybe I'll change my ways some.

keyrow

Read the new 2002-2003 Entry-Level Luxury Sport Sedans Comparison. It proves that the only one who capable of deciding which vehicle is best is yourself. If we depended upon "experts" the only car manufacturer in the world would be BMW.

robmarch

I have to think that the lack of a manual transmission subconsiously (at least) hurt the G35 by making it feel less "sporty"

Interestingly, the G35 got hammered on "recommended rating" but did 12 points better on "personal rating", so the evaluators would get the car themselves, but would have difficulty recommending it for the average buyer.

Neil Dunlop ranked 330, A4, TL, G35, because it didn't have "harmony" though it had "unique exterior styling, especially the radical front end; a creamy 260-horsepower V6; a seamlessly shifting automatic transmission; and more grip than peanut butter on the roof of my dog's mouth. Also, it was the least expensive vehicle in our test, with a sticker $7,090 less than the BMW 330i." I'm not sure why this would make him rank the TL above the G35, though, especially with his TL comments unlisted. All of the comments seemed to go out of their way to say how ordinary the TL felt, and how it "wasn't a sports sedan" and the "Cons" say "lacks a true luxury feel".

Everyone else seemed to rank the G second, but the scoring between the A4, TL, and G35 was very close. I guess the bottom line is that there are several nice options in this market, and everyone should consider them all for their own preferences.

greddygtr

I think it's unfair to test AT cars vs MT in these comparos. Of course for most enthusiasts a manual will simply be more fun and rewarding to drive. Even with an auto I'm sure the BMW would still have won but I bet the gap would have been narrower.

clpurnell

I think reading the C&D and Edmunds review is that BMW was really worried about the G and how it would do after initial single reviews on it and decided to put "pressure" on these magazines to rank they're cars higher. Also comparing sticks to autos on a comparison test is like trying to compare macs to pcs just apples and oranges. Given the choice of which one to BUY the G wins hands down it's about 5k cheaper and performs as well or better. Now if one is leasing it turns around completely because a G is more costly to lease than a similar 330i. Until Infiniti steps up to the plate with it's lease program those considering that option will more than likely get a 3 series. G owners take these comparisons with a grain of salt you have a wonderful car for less cost than the 3. If I had a choice right now the G would definately be in the garage.

clpurnell

Went to both companies web site and did a lease of 330ia and G35 both with Sport and premium packages at msrp.

330ia MSRP 40k
36/12 lease 529

G35 MSRP 35k
36/12 lease 544

both 0 down

cloth

Wouldn't that mean the residuals are higher for the G, or BMW is heavily subsidising their leases?

palmerg

Due to the great info I saw in these forums related to tires I did a little additional checking and decided that I wanted the Bridgestone Turanzas(sp) for my G35 (scheduled delivery in late Oct). So I wrote an email to the international infinity customer service center making that very request. I asked the dealer and they implied it would be impossible without actually saying that. Others have told me the same.
I decided to make the attempt anyway. After all I understand their should be design implications surrounding tire choice. However, if the manufacturer has decided that three tires will be made available for a given vehicle (Dunlop, Goodyear or Bridgestone) why cant the consumer make a choice. It seems like it should be the same as any other option.
What do you all think?
Anyway, I'll let you all know what happens and I'll share any data I get from Infiniti. I asked for an explaination if they couldn't fulfill my request for Bridgestone tires.

ciao

realsox3

I'm posting this for the Illinois buyers. I went to Infinity Of Lisle in June. I wanted a silver G35, leather, and wood. They wouldn't even talk to me. Only would talk MSRP. I will never pay that. Then they tried to low ball me on my trade-in. I had a 96 toyota Avalon,loaded,78,000. They wanted to give me 5500?? What? Anyway, I went to Infinity Of Orland and got exactly what I wanted and a good deal on my trade-in. Warning for Ill. buyers. Shop around!!!

kdshapiro

BMW might be offering promotions or it might mean residuals are higher for the 330i, not lower. The higher the residual the less you pay for the lease. Either way residuals tend to vary almost month to month. I don't know what causes the variation, but it has nothing to do with BMW and everything to do with the leasing industry.

tlc5610

I came up with a lease payment of $607 for the 2002 BMW 330ia (MSRP $40,485) on the BMW site. The only way it comes out to $529 is with a $2500 down payment, which is one of the default assumptions the lease calculator is set up with. Still a pretty good deal though, Edmunds Lease Compare shows lease payments around $730 for a 2002 330i ($40K MSRP) and about $690 for a 2003 330i (both 0 down). BMW may have some incentives to clear out the 2002's. Anybody out there have lease numbers (from BMW) on 2003 330's?

Also the G35 MSRP (sport & premium) is closer to $33K. I came up with a lease payment of $532 for a 36/12 lease and $544 for a 36/15 lease on the Infiniti site.

stsurbrook

Talk to your dealer. Let them know that, of the three tires available for your G35, you want the Turanza EL42's. When I was negotiating, the local dealer implied that they would be willing...

However, if that is the case, see if they will buy into taking the tires in at price ($199 at my local dealer) and putting on tires of your choice (I would put the Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Positions in a 225/55-17 size at $154 + $13 shipping from tirerack.com, over 1" more rubber on the ground according to measurements). In retrospect, that is what I would have done, if I had it to do over again.

It doesn't hurt to try...

You could also try to sell the EL42's on eBay. May be able to get a good price...

Scott

palmerg

Thanks! Good suggestions for alternatives. I just know with my luck I'll end up with the Goodyears on mine off- the - boat. Not a bad tire but I've owned Eagles before and they just don't last.

Thanks again!

twoof1

First let me say that I really like the G35 and I am thinking about replacing my current ride with a G35 coupe next year.

Second let me say that I currently drive (flame suit on) a 2001 BMW 325 with the sport & premium package.

All this whining about a conspiracy theory that BMW pays off the major automotive magazine publishers not only belittles your own cause, it sounds petty and paranoid.

I did not hear any of this whining either here or on the BMW 3 series board when the G35 first came out and R&T and Automobile magazine along with the others were raving about how great it was.

Competition is good for the entire breed.

We are all extremely lucky to drive some of the best cars ever made.

These comparison discussions ALWAYS turn into a "Mine is bigger than yours" discussion.

What is the point so that someone can prove they are faster 0-60 by .06 of a second?

Believe me I understand the value for the dollar thing and it IS an important factor. But for people that want to spend the extra money it does not make either car more or less worthy.

I sell commercial printing for a living and a sales manager once told me to remember that buyers buy for buyers reasons, not yours and that's all that matters. Just some food for thought.

Drive what you love & love what you drive.
(Flame suit off)

irabuddymo

I leased my G35, premium, leather, bose upgrade, sunroof, no nav, 15k miles, 39 months for $508, which includes $24.91 in Mass tax. No money down, no trade in, no security.

My original lease quote thru Infiniti was in the ballpark quoted in the earlier posts, but Norwood Infiniti searched for lease deals to win my business. Ultimately the deal was done thru Chase as the leasing partner. Infiniti of Norwood was a pleasure to deal with, very direct, with no price dance to see if the customer is stupid.

Infiniti lease program is terrible, particularly compared to Volvo's. Main issues for Infiniti is their cost of money rate(interest rate..Infiniti was approx 6.5%, where Volvo was about 1%) and the residual value. The interest rate difference could be understood as Infiniti really priced the car very tightly, and they had little room to absorb additional costs for below market( implicit rates below market interest rates)leases. The residual value was more surprising, as Infiniti was saying their cars don't hold value as well as Accura or Volvo. I understand that this has been true in the past, but with a great package at a great purchase price like the g35, I hoped they would show a bit more confidence. AS I recollect, Infiniti competition uses a residual value of 65% to 67%, where Infiniti was using 59% to 61%.

jrct9454

Leaving aside subsidies, and to my knowledge BMW is not currently subventing any leases, there is an undeniable fact that at the moment, any BMW 3er will have a higher projected resale value than any G. The simple problem is that Nissan neglected the Infiniti brand so badly in the past decade that resale across the board is awful. The fact that the G is the best car they've offered as a price/value package may alter that in the future, but for the moment, all Infiniti badged cars are laboring under the weight of the lousy history of the brand. It will take time, and some more home runs, to change that.

kdshapiro

Leased my 1999 Jeep Limited, MSRP about 38,5. Dealer gave me a cap cost reduction, no other money to dealer, 36 months, 15K below $500 including tax.

2002 Mountaineer - MSRP about $33.5. $1,000 to dealer, 15K miles, upper 400s.

330i (MSRP about $41) after giving the dealer $2500(I think), 36months, 12K, $518.

techhawk

"I did not hear any of this whining either here or on the BMW 3 series board when the G35 first came out and R&T and Automobile magazine along with the others were raving about how great it was."

You must have been in a sensory deprivation tank then. They're both great cars, but even a cursory look at the 330i vs. G35 board will disabuse you of Bimmer guys taking the high road you describe. There's plenty of passion on both sides... its actually a good thing IMO.

Regards.

kdshapiro

You must have been in a sensory deprivation tank then. They're both great cars, but even a cursory look at the 330i vs. G35 board will disabuse you of Bimmer guys taking the high road you describe. There's plenty of passion on both sides... its actually a good thing IMO.

Interesting about interperations. I interperted twoofs sentence to mean the 3 series board, not the vs. board, where there has been quite a bit of rhetoric. Again just a minor point, but I guess there is no detail to small to escape the eagle eyed posters in this forum.

twoof1

techhawk,
I NEVER mentioned the VS board. That's a futile "mine is bigger than yours" game. Nobody wins and it seems like everyone is just trying to justify their purchase. You won't find any posts by me in that forum. I do not & will not play that pointless game anymore.

stsurbrook

Maybe you haven't read far enough back or just happened to come by during a drought. However, this "paranoia" has been around here for quite some time.

As someone who grew up on German cars, it is apparent to me that there is a definite bias toward them in the press. My wife and I drove the 330i and we were really underwhelmed. I even drove a sport model w/optional 18" wheels and did not think it handled any better than the standard G35.

I see bias when I see the trade rags describe the 330i control placement as "almost intuitive" or other allusions toward "fits like an old shoe". It means that they have driven BMW's SO often that its control placement has become second nature. Naturally, this is just one issue, but if you identify a certain set of subjective criteria as being the ideal, then nothing else CAN compare (Audi, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes are all pretty inbred/standardized, so there is no significant subjective difference between them).

I have to admit that Infiniti did not help itself with the G35's control placement. Even if you had driven/loved other Infiniti's controls, you would be scratching your head over the G35. However, as I'm sure that most people who have owned a wide variety of brands/models of cars would agree, control placement becomes secondary if the car is your "everyday driving car" and really does not hurt in the long run, IMO.

As for other subjective criteria, I think the same holds true. Because of this, the main criteria for me are the objective data... and even that is rather questionable if you have ever taken any research design courses.

OF COURSE, my (wife's) G35 is better than any old 330i! (VBSEG!) How much better do I think it is? Well, if I were given the opportunity to swap our G35 for an equally used (10K miles) BMW 330i sport, I really believe I would not do it. I do not think I would do it for a new one... though the financial benefits of taking it, selling it, and buying a new G35 would be tempting!

I have been an off and on regular reader of most of the car mags for the last 20+ years. When I first started, I drooled over the BMW's of the time (2002)... for quite some time. However, when I bought my first used RX-7, I began to realize that the Japanese really did have something and the best (only) sport (and sedan) cars did NOT have to trace their genetic heritage back to the Alps.

Unless something changes dramatically, in two years, when I have my dissertation finished and am settled down with a new job, I plan on getting a G35 and modding it as much as it as possible without violating the legal warranty. OF COURSE, it will have a 6-speed. However, it is possible that a paddle-shift CVT (with manual tranny-quick shifts) could convert me...

Scott

pat

Um, actually twoof1 has been around the 3-Series board for just about ever.

It is also my opinion that the arguments have taken place on the comparison board, not in the main 3-Series discussion.

That is not to say there has never been a disparaging word about the G35 in the 3-Series discussion, but from my perspective what twoof1 said seems accurate.

That said, let me remind you that this is a dedicated discussion to the G35 and if you want to pursue the comparison between this vehicle and the 3-Series, please go to the appropriate discussion on the Comparison Board.

Thanks!

techhawk

I stand corrected. I don't frequent that board. I've stated in the 330 vs G35 thread that I have no problem with the Edmunds comparo; I may not agree with their conclusion, but its very defensible. C/Ds comparo is very controversial as their performance numbers are wildly different than other posted times/numbers. If you want to see really harsh criticism, go to C/Ds own forums; where enthusiasts of all stripes have ripped this comparo mercilessly. Otherwise, I think your observation has merit. I suspect it relates to the difference in age of the cars. The 3 Series is very accomplished with numerous awards and a great history, a few reviews will never change that. The G35 is brand new, with no track record in the U.S. and comes from a maker with a very small footprint in the U.S. market. Reviews CAN make or break a car in that setting; so enthusiasts rooting for it will tend to be more sensitive/defensive. That's an explanation, not an excuse. I basically agree with everything you said, and have said the many of same things in my posts.

mbarto

Thanks Pat! My sentiments exactly.

Cheers!
Mark
June '03 - G35 Coupe for me