Infiniti G35 Sedan 2006 and earlier

jwilson1

there's no general problem with the rotors.bobp searched g35driver, and I just searched freshalloy, and if there was a problem certainly there would be a thread, probably at both places.

So I suppose this is an individual problem, expensive and unpleasant. But like bigorange said, at 15k I don't see how it could not be a warranty replacement. If it were, say, 40k they may think you were driving way too aggressively, but you are right to think this is unacceptable.

Anyone else hear of this?

JW

coolpop36

I don't understand why this is not covered under Infiniti's warranty. I just had the rotors replaced on my wife's 2 year old Lexus that has 27,000 miles on it. Lexus did not charge us anything, replaced the rotors and even changed the oil for free.

I've had my G for almost 2 months, and if my rotors need replacing before I ring up 36,000 miles then you can bet I'll go all the way up the corporate ladder before I pay for them.

Vitdoc, you should demand a refund.

32caddy

Understand the 6 speed trans , 4 door is at my dealer. Has anyone driven it yet?? Your comments please. Also my dealer ( near Chicago) has a beautiful after market wood trim package for the front center gear shift area and the door handle.

greddygtr

Did you ever consider that maybe the dealer just wanted to sell you an expensive set of rotors that may not have actually need replacing? Any set of OEM rotors should last at least 35k unless you really drive aggressively/race on a regular basis. Also it seems unlikely that the rear pads would wear that quickly. With anything that you can easily inspect yourself like brake pads you should definitely take a look at them yourself and see if they truly are worn down enough to warrant replacement.

stanny1

The new Car and Driver just finished a long term test of a new M3.
You can imagine how many idiots at a car mag got to drive this thing in 40,000 miles.
European cars have never gotten awards for long brake life. Ask any MB owner, especially.
At the end of the test, the article said the original front pads had a projected life of 65,000 miles.
Possibly, something in the power booster or ABS system of your G35 is keeping the pads slightly engaged instead of letting them float.
This is a good question for one of those car call-in shows on weekend radio or Click n' Clack.
Or if you know some local brake shop expert, ask away.
Besides the M3 engineers knowing how to design long lasting brake pads, they discovered a way to make engine oil last 12,500 miles between changes. Of course the car used 14 extra quarts at $9.00 a quart, so the oil was sorta changed as you drove.

kdshapiro

If you treated your cars like I believe a lot of these cars are treated, you'd be adding oil every 500 miles also. My own car hasn't dropped a quart in 6,000 miles and still have 4,000 to go on the first scheduled change.

heaterjohn

I would like to buy a G35. However, all the rave reviews came from driving the car under dry conditions (one wonders how a car can receive such reviews WITHOUT driving under all conditions). Anyway, I understand that the G35 has "performance" "all-season" tires
(205/55 V17). For whatever that is worth! I really do not want to change to winter tires in the winter. If you ask Infiniti, they say you do not have to. I have learned a lot about tires in the past 3 days (was considering the BMW 325i with Sports package - I needed the Sports seat).
That car comes with ultra-high performance tires which DEFINITELY need to be swapped out in the winter.

My question is this:" will I be able to drive AND ENJOY (as advertised) the G35 with 17" rims & above-mentioned tires, under normal driving conditions (i.e. not aggressive), in Philadelphia suburbs where we normally have "light" snow conditions if any snow at all (this year is the worst in 6 years)? Also, the same question applies to "wet" conditions! Will all the superb handling hold up under these wet/"light" snow conditions?

Feedback is much appreciated.

kdshapiro

I don't own a G35, but your comments are applicable across the board to all RWD sedans in general. No car will ever be able to exceed the physical limitiations of the conditions in wet, snow or icy conditions. However, that said, depending on your skill level and the VDC it may prevent you from a nasty situation in less than ideal weather conditions. If you are really concerned about snow conditions, get a good set of snows on all 4 wheels. It makes a difference. Having some prior experience with RWD you will limp along with all-seasons or forbid high-performance tires, while snows will make the car seem like it's nailed to the street.

There are some forums right now that I'm sure have some more information on winter driving conditions. YOu might want to search for them. The 3 and 5 series boards at this point have some general comments applicable to winter driving and snow tires that you might find useful.

heaterjohn

I would like to buy a G35. However, all the rave reviews came from driving the car under dry conditions (one wonders how a car can receive such reviews WITHOUT driving under all conditions). Anyway, I understand that the G35 has "performance" "all-season" tires
(205/55 V17). For whatever that is worth! I really do not want to change to winter tires in the winter. If you ask Infiniti, they say you do not have to. I have learned a lot about tires in the past 3 days (was considering the BMW 325i with Sports package - I needed the Sports seat).
That car comes with ultra-high performance tires which DEFINITELY need to be swapped out in the winter.

My question is this:" will I be able to drive AND ENJOY (as advertised) the G35 with 17" rims & above-mentioned tires, under normal driving conditions (i.e. not aggressive), in Philadelphia suburbs where we normally have "light" snow conditions if any snow at all (this year is the worst in 6 years)? Also, the same question applies to "wet" conditions! Will all the superb handling hold up under these wet/"light" snow conditions?

Feedback is much appreciated.

birdman579

heaterjohn: I too am considering the G35 and have similar concerns down here in Maryland. The problem would be worse in the coupe. I'd be up for using winter tires in the winter months if I could use the standard Infiniti rims. How much would it cost to get an additional set of Infiniti rims for winter use? I'd prefer to stay with the all-seasons all year and drive very cautiously during the 3-5 days a year we get snow in MD. If that asking for trouble with the all-seasons?

stanny1

Go to www.rearwheeldrive.org and you may be surprised at the answers.
With today's traction control systems, FWD has little if any advantage.
And a bunch of disadvantages, which I just covered in the new G35 vs. Passat forum.

birdman579

Thanks for the website, but I'm not sure about the credibility. For one, they list the reason FWD cars have torque steer problems is because the drivetrain is connected to wheels that steer. It has nothing to which wheels are connected to the drivetrain. Torque steer is caused by having different length half-shafts caused by the packaging of a FWD car. LSDs remove any torque steer. Interesting about Australia having mostly RWD cars though.

eds1300

I had premature warping of the front rotors on my 96 I30, just the right side at 26K. The right side of my brakes squeeked constantly. The dealer here in Dallas replaced both rotors, brake pads and bled the brakes all under 4/50,000 warranty. You need to follow up with Infiniti of USA, and please let us know which dealer you went to. Thank you.

kdshapiro

FWD with snows better than RWD with snows. This is from experience and spending many years with both types of cars in the snow belt.

Anybody who has really driven both with snow tires in deep snow understands FWD has better pull.

robmarch

I'm not sure how much snow Australia gets, but they have kept the RWD cars alive there.

I think there are several issues in snow.

First, accelerating from a stop or up a steep, snow covered hill. In this case, weight over the drive wheels helps the most, regardless of front or rear drive. Most Front wheel drive cars just happen to have the engine over those wheels. Two wheel drive Porsches do pretty well in this case also.

second, what happens when you try to change direction on snow. How the car reacts to lift throttle conditions is paramount here, since that's what most people do when they start to slide or "plow" Cars like the mid engine MR2's, which like to rotate on lift throttle, would be worst case here. But, Front wheel drive cars, which understeer on pavement and give a sense of security, no longer correct when lifting throttle on snow and "plow" more, due to the same weight imbalance that helps them out in low traction situations. AWD and RWD drivers are more used to staying on the gas and attempting a controlled drift to get back on course.

If you're respecting the conditions, number 2 can be less of a concern. And, winter tires really help too. I'd still like to see an AWD G35, since I like the weather factor as well as the performance factor.

Porsche 959, Skyline GT-R, WRX STi, Evolution, Audi RS4...These are the cars I appreciate the most. VQ, AWD, and manual tranny, with a handsome 2 or 4 door body, would be tough to beat.

bobp11

I was hoping that some other readers would make me feel better about the follwing:

I assume that the engine and exhaust have been tuned for maximum performance. Yet they do seem sort of loud from time to time. Is this normal for this type of car and exhaust system?

Does anybody elses brakes seem to grab or feel like there is a noise or lurch when releasing the brake when it is raining or wet outside. Sometimes they just seem to want to stay tight with the rotors when released. To, me this is not a repair issue at this point. Maybe they are just breaking in. - 1000 miles

heaterjohn

My original post addressed the issue in areas where there is LIGHT snow a FEW days a year. Thus, is it OK to drive the G35 with 17" performance all-season tires (comes with leather edition) all year without switching to winter tires? Of course this also brings up the question of how the G35 behaves under WET conditions?? Has anyone driven under wet conditions.

To birdman579: You CAN use the original 17"rims.

I am now looking at the BMW 325xi which is an AWD car. I have seen reviews by drivers who say the car with original tires does very well under ALL conditions (including rain & snow). Yes, it sells for about $4-5K more!

stickguy

In the snow you will get in a normal year, the all season 17"s should be fine. Just use common sense. And, I assume you don't plan to drive on unplowed roads on a regular basis. If it really concerns you, get dedicated snows, but I don't think you will need them. I live in NJ (same basic snow patterns), and never have a problem w/o snows, including a RWD Nissan pickup that had no rear traction at all.

The tires, combined with all the electronic controls, should be great in the wet, but I can't vouch for the G35, not having tested it in the wet. I do have a friend with one, and she loves it.

uecker1

Having been an I30 (FWD) driver for 6 years, I was also curious about the wet/snow handling of the G35, so have test driven the car in both conditions.

In the wet, it felt more secure than my I30 (albeit the old car has 40K on the tires), and I had little trouble driving it up my snow covered driveway (4-6 inch drifts) and on snow pack. VDC and TCS help a bunch.

Fear not, but always drive within the limits of yourself and your car.

I plan to purchase either a G35 or an FX35 in the next 2 months. RWD vs RWD vs AWD not an issue for me.

phillycheesehd

Heaterjohn: I bought a G35 3.5 sedan in November and have been commuting 35 mi each way through the Philly suburbs since. My G35 has the Winter/Sport package that provides the 17" all seasons.

As you know, we've had a crazy winter with a fair amount of snow and a little ice. As of today, I've only had ONE problem in the snow, and that was during the morning commute on 2/7 after about 7" of snow. Traffic stopped while I was half way up a long hill (Sumneytown Pike, near Exit 31 on the Extention) and I struggled to get going again. By the time I got to the top of the hill, however, I looked back and saw an Accord struggling with the same problem....maybe he had bald tires, but it was very slick.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I've found the car handles great in ALMOST every condition I've been in (snow, rain, sleet, ice, dry). It does not hydroplane (FWD problem) and my experience is that it is very hard to make it fishtail with the VDC on.

I'm originally from northern Wisconsin, and if I really cared about heavy snow, I would own a 4X4 Truck or SUV like I did back then. Trying to compare the bad weather "go power" of passenger or luxury cars to that standard is silly.

Just my opinion, but bad weather handling problems are more likely related to the experience of the driver then the ability of the car.

kdshapiro

You're saying that you didn't have a problem in your Nissan in the first snow of the season in late December? The one that dropped 12 inches. I left my RWD in the garage and took the SUV. As I did the last snow storm.

I find that in under 5 inches, there is not a problem, but over 5-6 inches, the RWD does not do it's best job even with DSC. I would not be convinced the G35 is the snow-handler with all-season tires as I've seen first hand RWD vehicles, including G35s, having problems in the last snow storm. This is not a driver skill problem, this is basic car dynamics, and while we can debate this back and forth, it stands to reason, to get the best traction in snow with RWD, use snow tires. Or get a AWD/FWD with snows.

sdiori

For all those lost in the rapture of the G35, but worried about the snow capabilities, there are a couple lucrative routes one can take without compromising the newly crowned "king".
1. You can just buy snow tires, therefore increasing traction and overall stability during inclement weather.

                         -or-

2. You can wait until the AWD G35 wagon (yes, wagon) arrives in showrooms later this year. Consider it a direct competitor to Volvo's cross country with the addition of the highly-touted VQ Series engine (that's 260 horses for newcomers).

Below you will notice a link to a site that contains pictures of what you're likely to see at Infiniti dealers later. (The site isn't the best for credibility's sake, but does include actual photos of the G35 concept that is, if not production ready, striking close to the final product.) Happy Driving!

http://www.thehollywoodextra.com/infiniti/infiniti.html

jwilson1

heaterjohn: it doesn't sound like you need any more lessons in winter driving ;-) but I'll answer your question:

 "will I be able to drive AND ENJOY (as advertised) the G35 with 17" rims & above-mentioned tires, under normal driving conditions (i.e. not aggressive), in Philadelphia suburbs where we normally have "light" snow conditions if any snow at all (this year is the worst in 6 years)?"

Yes.

This is what good all-season tires are made for. If you go to G35driver or freshalloy you'll see that there are no complaints on the all-season tires from the Philadelphia latitude. There are complaints, but mostly from people who, like me, live in snow belt areas.

I'm not sure of the wet handling on the tires but, again, no complaints. You could check driver ratings on the tires at TireRack.

Finally, while the 325xi is, of course, an excellent car, I don't think awd is NECESSARY to drive in winter or wet for fun in your area. But In my area during our most recent storm I drove past 3 SUVs on my way home, each in a drift because they lost traction. The problem wasn't with the tires or the drive system but because, as your question made out clearly, they overdrove the conditions at the time. Since you don't have to deal with those conditions except very rarely, I don't see it would be a problem.

Finally, your question was really about the torque delivery of the G35: is it easy to control. Yes. It's not like a Mustang with masses of low end torque or a 4-banger's ECU that delivers extra grunt on the start up. The G35 advertises its drive-by-wire system which gives you exactly the torque your foot requests .... a help in compromised conditions, I believe.

Good luck with your choice.

JW

jwilson1

If the G seems loud, you may be asking for the wrong things for the design of this car. You might try the Lexus. Most G drivers admire the sound of the engine and exhaust; in fact some report they shut off the radio so it doesn't interrupt.

You're right that the brakes are just settling in. Many people complain they are "grabby" for some time after the break in. Some claim it is gone by 500 miles. Others have said it was all gone by 2000. But if it doesn't go away I'd certainly ask the dealer for an immediate correction. Have you noticed them getting any better?

JW

stickguy

I don't still have the Nissan PU, but it was functional (not great) in snow. Mostly used it as an example. The G obviously has all the whiz bang electronics to help out.

I actually don't like FWD on wet roads. I think it leads to too much sliding around with the front wheels trying to do double duty, and the rears just keeping the back bumper from hitting the ground. Also can be a problem hydroplaning when you try and turn and accelerate at the same time. I prefer to balance the work out to both ends of the car. Plus no torque steer (I have a Maxima 5 speed now, and that can be a handful on a wet road if you aren't careful).

kdshapiro

"But In my area during our most recent storm I drove past 3 SUVs on my way home, each in a drift because they lost traction."

During the first snow storm of the year, the SUVs were their to pull out the vehicles that thought they could make it with 9+ inches of snow on the ground. From what I've seen the FWD vehicles are even worse then the SUVers who think they are invincible. The RWD drivers take it easy because of the limitations of RWD in extremely heavy snow. Oh well, I guess people drive differently in different parts of the country with the same type of weather. I really can't understand how one can say the all-seasons perform admirably with the heavy snows we've been having. It just has not been that way on the east coast and you can tell by the way people are driving.

ryoken

Yup. The driver plays a big part in it. You should see the pile-ups we have in San Diego when it rains. Nobody slows down or keeps their distance. "Ye gads.. what is this? Water falling from the sky!? I must hurry home and sacrifice a small animal to appease the gods!"

stanny1

In San Diego, you need FWD like a fish needs a bicycle. This is year-round RWD country, and I have the balding Bridgestone SO-3 rears to prove it.

kdshapiro

San Diego is not the northeast. Your RWD with balding tires would be as useless up here as a screen door on a submarine.

mariner7

I've seen a pic at hollywoodextra. Not bad looking, the rear lights are too Volvoish.

There are only about 20 things I like to see Nissan do before G wagon. Doesn't Infiniti want to project a sporting image? Will it cut into FX35 sales? Altima/Maxima should have wagon before Infiniti? I think Nissan is wasting its time on this one!

robmarch

way too boxy in the rear, for a car that sleek in the front. And, the market is covered by FX35. Why not put the resources into an AWD sedan?

just my bad opinion.

totalnet

All they did is to attach the back from the Nissan Stagea, also built on the FM platform and available in 4WD, to the front of G35 sedan.

http://www.nissan.co.jp/STAGEA/M35/0110/EXTERIOR/index.html

http://www.nissan.co.jp/STAGEA/M35/0110/SPEC/index.html

mariner7

In effect a Skyline wagon. The only reason they have to bring it over is because the German Luxury 3 all have wagons. But you hardly ever see them on the road, so I don't know if that's a good reason! Look at the IS Sportcross, I've seen a single one since it's been out!

Is there really a AWD Skyline in its native land? Or is that sheer speculation and wishful thinking?

Stagea? That got to make all time worst name list. Together with Atenza, Altezza, Avensis, Cima, Gloria! At least it's better than giving them Nippon names, most of us would never be able to tell them apart! Honda has the coolest names: Civic, Jazz, Fit, Latitude, City!

blueguydotcom

I've seen a pic at hollywoodextra. Not bad looking, the rear lights are too Volvoish.

The Hollywoodextra is a site set up by a little dweeb who likes to pass on lies. I've seen the guy's "work" online for about 3 years. He's nothing more than a snake oil salesman. Do not believe anything you see there.

totalnet

They do have that in Japan, also CVT.

nicdmx

I'm in love with the G35 and hoping to pick one up after I finish my Master's in april, after which I'll be moving to start work in L.A. (South Bay, Redondo Beach area). The only hesitation I have about the G is that I'm hoping to do some camping. I don't plan on going "off roading" and what not but and most weekends wouldn't be able to travel any farther than Joshua Tree N.P. and possible some of the national forest areas not terribly far from LA. Occasionaly might venture up to Sequoia N.P.

My question is what you think about the G as car that would occasionally serve the purpose of having to be taken off on some possibly remote, possibly unpaved (dirt, etc) roads. The big SUV makers would have us believe that you need an SUV or truck if you are in to any type of outdoor activities, but I don't buy that. I basically just want the ability to get to some spots they may be off the beaten path (and I'm not talking major off roading.....an inimporved dirt road or tame two track at the WORST). If it turns out that the G35 just isn't a good bet if i ever want to be able to do anything like this I may just go with a Subaru Forester but I am so excited about the G35 that I hope I can spoil myself with one.

Also, how is the trunk space? Good enough to fit a cooler and some camping supplies in for weekend trips?

Thanks much.

don725

If it doesn't work, you may want to wait, I hear that there will be a AWD version in some form later this year. You might want to consider the FX35 AWD SUV. I test drove that vehicle before I bought my G35 last Friday. It is one hot SUV! Base price is around 34-35k, but w/ premium pkg it will be 38k-39k. If you want Nav, you will have to get the technology pkg which will come in around 45k. I really wanted Nav, but didn't want to go into the 40's for this purchase. I test drove the G and was very impressed, I got it fully loaded w/ Nav for 34.5k. Good luck.

Don

robmarch

I don't see a lot, but the 3 series wagons are great looking cars. The Audi A4 really dominates the german wagon market that I've seen. I see a lot of Subaru Outbacks also.

mariner7

That's just my point. Wagons don't sell here, except the wagon specialty shops Volvo & Subaru. Americans prefer SUV's, so why bring the G wagon over if they're going to have minute sales?

I might be wrong thou. Pacifica & Freestyle look awefully wagonlike (of course I'm not supposed to call them that) and they might start a new movement!

corkfish

Subaru unveiled a new 2.5 turbo Forester at the Chicago Auto Show today. 235 lbs of torque at 3600 rpms. Might be a good candidate if you're interested in camping.

norcalmike2

I don't think a G35 would work well any type of a dirt road. The front air dam is just shy of 7" above the road. I can't even clear a standard parking cement curb let alone anything on a dirt road.

mjc440

Last month the Infiniti dealer here told me that the G35 Sedan would be available with AWD in the Fall. I've seem no other mention of this, except for an AWD Wagon

So last week I went back to the dealer and questioned them again. They continue to maintain that the G35 SEDAN will be available in AWD in the Fall. I hope they know what they're talking about - I hope they're not talking about the ugly station wagon. (It looks like a Volvo with a G35 front-end)

Anyways, I'm waiting for the AWD Sedan to arive in the Fall. They said no price data was released yet, but they said expect it to cost about $3,500 more than the rear-driver.

robmarch

3500 more sounds steep, unless it requires other options, and is 3500 more than base, but 1000 more than a comprably equipped rear driver.

jrct9454

...that the G35 sedan will be offered in AWD for the '04 model year. A wagon, if it appears, would be a bonus for those who want it, but for those who don't, the sedan is supposed to go AWD before the end of this year. Price? Who knows, but MB does it for $1800 in the C, so it's hard for me to imagine that Nissan would demand much more than that.

maxima4

I am picking up my G35 Sedan 5AT next Sat. 2/22/03. I was going to hold out for the 6MT Sedan, but the waiting list was way to long and I knew they weren't going to budge on price. Plus my lease was up on my 00 Altima.

Anyway, I got a Garnet Fire with Premium/Aero/ Winter Pac Sport/ Sports Suspension/ Trunk Mat/ Wheel Locks and NAV for just over 36K which included state sales tax.

I bought it at Masapequa (sp) Infiniti in Long Island over the internet. It was one of the best car buying experiences I ever had. Bart was my salesperson. I recommend him highly!! If anyone would like his information just send me an e-mail at Yukonhawk@yahoo.com

Can't wait to hit the road with this machine. :-)

cooldude13

just got quoted 500.00 over invoice.

black+ willow leather + premium,sport tuned, aero, winter sport package

any comments?

cooldude13

How much was your tax, got my quote from NY also via internet

macman246

Silver ext, graphite int, premium pkg, wood trim, tinted windows. It is SWEET! Way better than my '02 GMC Envoy lemon GM just repurchased from me.

I previously test drove the GS300 and IS300 Sportcross. Both are nice cars. The GS300 didn't impress me with off the line acceleration, but it was fast once it got going, smooth, and luxurious. And $10K more. The IS300 felt quicker than the GS, seemed to have better low speed steering than the G35, but it was just too small.

Overall I am very pleased with my new G35. It seems to have the right balance of features, performance, and comfort for the right price.

maxima4

CT has a 6% tax rate which amounted to $2055.90 Base Price was $34,225.00. I think I got a really fair deal.
 The only bummer is the car's OEM tires are the Goodyear RSA's. I've read reviews on Tire Rack and they weren't very good. I want to get the Michelin Pilots A/S but they are very expensive but worth it.

Anyway, good luck to you on your purchase.

markjenn

If you're getting a new car and don't like the carp OEM tires, talk to a local tire retailer about an immediate trade in on a tire you like. I did this on my last car. It came with Generals. After picking up the car, I drove it twenty blocks to a Discount Tire retailer and they swapped them for Michelins. All I paid was the difference in price between the two tires in their online catalog.

In my mind, tires are the most important item on a car, and it is stupid to endure crappy tires for the first 40K miles just because the car mfg is too cheap to put decent tires on their cars.

I always go with Michelins these days. I'm sure there are other tire mfgs out there which are good and maybe better in certain tires, but I've never had a bad Michelin tire on any vehicle. They've all performed wonderfully and met my expectations on wear. OTOH, I've had some awful experiences with Generals, Goodyears, Firestones, and Goodrich tires.

- Mark