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Comments
JW
Has anyone heard of such a change in the 2003.5 model over the "Classic" 03
Is there anything I can do about it?
By the way, paid $280 for 15K check with synthetic oil.
To mawg. The 2003 and the slight changes for the 2003.5 have the same engine. Not sure why you experienced less noise in the loaner compared to your car.
Not bad for the 15k service check and oil change. Just for comparison, the 15k check-up on my former 2000 Altima was about $225.00 done at a Nissan dealership. Except they used regular oil.
Grip was identical but the SO-3 wore out very quickly (14,000 vs. 38,000 miles)
It's probably worth the extra bucks to buy the longer life Michelins.
The only positive comment about the SO-3 was a smoother ride.
My theory is that the Michelin has a harder (higher durometer) carcass than the Bridgestone, which is really close to a racing gumball.
Last June, I installed a set os 245/45/17 SO-3s and after only 8,000 miles and 8 months, the rears are toast. Great cornering and make no noise when sliding but the SO-3s are fast wearing.
March 29th is our first Solo2 and I'll blow out the SO-3s in grand style. It's probably a great slolom tire.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-02-11-entrylux_x.htm
I heard future M and Q will be on stretched G/Z platform. So it might be accurate to say of Infiniti: one sushi roll, at least four sizes!
JW
JW
Although, I suspect the Michelin Pilots A/S might be an exception in this case instead of a dedicated snow tire.
I'll find out how the OEM Goodyears RAS' will perform this weekend when I pick up my G35. Not holding my breath as I know they are a crap tire.
:-(
Maxima4 - yes dedicated snows, this weather left absolutely no doubt about it.
All season tires are, by definition, a compromise. The fact that people get by on luck or skill doesn't change the fact that life with snows would be much easier (if more expensive since we haven't had a storm like this since '96 and, admittedly, in most circumstances and on most roads the A/S would be adequate).
JW
I think the first winter on a nice set of A/S tires you'll probably get by, but after that, your way better off having dedicated snows (or staying home).
Just think how much money you'll save on the expensive tires by running the relatively cheap snows for 3 months. (That's of course assuming you downsize to a cheaper snow tire and cheap steel wheel.)
JW
I put mine on this season on January 12th at the first significasnt prediction of snow. Didn't get any of course until last week.
I'm going to get them off March 15th (I hope) either that or we'll get 30" of snow on March 20th.
They're great when it snows but loud as H*** on dry pavement.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of AWD compared to only rear drive?
Additional Sticker Cost ???
Any additional cost for maintenance???
Does it require more maintenance?
Thanks for any info.
It did fine in the slush. I did spin 'em a few times starting out in the thick stuff. All in all no big deal except for the grey car I'm driving now : }
traction at 4 corners, double the contact patch.
Disadvantages:
more expensive (usually about $1500-$2000)
heavier (uses power)
No extra cost for maintenance or repair. Most systems on the road are very reliable. Of course there are lemons with everything.
For more detail, you might want to check out some of the Subaru or Audi boards here, though you'll mostly hear about the advantages.
JW
1) I live in a very rainy and wet region of the U.S. (South Carolina,)at least in the winter time.
And I was wondering if the splash guards are now available on the Infiniti G35 and G35C. I did see some on a G35 today, but I don't know if they are still having problems with them. They look really good on the car IMO.
Also, when is the 6spd. manual available?
Thanks in advance.
Quality of materials. Lots of hard cheap plastic.
Buttons in wrong locations. Power mirror switch hard to use.
Radio mounted too low.
Seat controls in the wrong place, very counter intuitive.
Foot opperated parking break (haven't seen one of those in many years).
Small glove compartment that is split in two sections. Why couldn't Infiniti just put the DVD for the NAV in the trunk (like Honda does)? Most users won't change the DVD very often anyway.
I hate the tilt steering wheel. It is true that the controls tilt with it, but moving the wheel changes that angle at which you can see the controls. You end up with a very restricted range of possible adjustments. Car badly needs a telescoping wheel.
I have to say that the G35 probably has the worst interior on any car that I've looked at in the last few months - and I've looked at every car over $25,000.
Its a shame, because I would love to have that kind of performance with Infiniti reliablility, service, and support.
Maybe move the seat controls or switch from here to there, but nothing major. If you can't live with it the way it is, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for a change.
Everybody Japanese mfg should place an A4 or A6 in their interior design studios.
- Mark
I have driven it 1k miles in the last week and a half (total ownership time) and find the my 2003.5 G very comfortable and fun to drive. BTW, I came from a Lexus SUV.
Don
wow...including GM products, and the Nissan Altima? what about Ford and Lincoln?
"Actually, many others share my opinion. So, there are a lot of us "nit picking sissy" types!"
Sorry, I don't think there are many that would agree that this is the worst interior over $25k.
The point is that Infiniti gives great support, builds very reliable cars, and the G35 will perform as good or better than any vehicle in its class. Give it a decent interior, and you will not be able to keep them on the lot. However, I pay $35,000 for a car, and I don't want to deal with hard plastics, switches in all the wrong places, and also sort of other ergonomic issues.
But, if you like the interior, I have no problem with that. To each his own....
JW
"Quality of materials. Lots of hard cheap plastic."
Subjective at best.
"Buttons in wrong locations. Power mirror switch hard to use."
They work great for me. I have no problem with the power mirror switch position.
"Radio mounted too low."
Not an issue for me. Besides 99% of the time I use the steering wheel mounted controls.
"Seat controls in the wrong place, very counter intuitive."
Use it once or twice and you will find that not only is it intuitive, but it is a much better location than trying to squeeze your hand down along side the seat bottom to get to the buttons. I am 6'2" 225lbs. and while some have posted concerns about them being uncomfortable on their thighs, I have no such issue.
"Foot opperated parking break (haven't seen one of those in many years)."
If the option was having a hand brake taking up much of my center console like in the A4 or 3 series, I would gladly take the foot brake. Either grab it with your hand, or tap it with your foot. What's the difference?
"Small glove compartment that is split in two sections. Why couldn't Infiniti just put the DVD for the NAV in the trunk (like Honda does)? Most users won't change the DVD very often anyway"
Works great for me. I have no need for the Nav system. I keep my manual in the top box and it gives me plenty of room for stuff in the bottom box.
"I have to say that the G35 probably has the worst interior on any car that I've looked at in the last few months - and I've looked at every car over $25,000."
This comment speaks for itself. Maybe you should buy a Grand Prix.
Just curious as to what you are basing your opinions on. What do you currently drive and what are you shopping for?
Bottom line is that opinions are subjective and everyone is entitled to their own.
I did ask a simple question: Will the G35's interior be revised? That was not an attempt to attack anybody, criticize your personal car selection, or deride Infiniti. I was merely trying to gather some information because I am seriously contemplating a G35 purchase in the very near future. There is really no need to be insulting or confrontive. I'm really not sure why a few of you are getting so bent-out-of-shape or why some of you found that lone question threatening.
I drove the G35 twice, the A-4, the BMW 3 series, Acura TL, VW Passat, Saab 9-5, Honda Accord, and a few others as well. In terms of quality of materials, layout, ergonmics, etc, I found all to be superior to the G35 in the interior. I did not find any other car that offered the G35's overall package of performance and likely quality control (I trust Infiniti more than any other company - including Acura and Lexus - and I think the available data are supportive). That is why I am still considering the G35.
I think many other drivers will share my impressions, given the comments I've seen here at Edmunds and at other sites. I do agree, however, that this is all subjective. Its just that others seem to share my viewpoint. The concerns that I have are also reflected by other sources, including the media. For those reasons, I don't think it would be shocking if Infiniti made some modest moves to improve the quality of the interior. That is the only reason I asked. I was not attempting to insult anybody or their cars. I was just trying to finding out if any changes were in store so I could make an informed purchase.
Thanks for your input.
Is every question posted here followed by such hostility?
Certainly you are entitled to your opinion, but to make flat out "this is the way it is" statements about subjective issues, and for those statements to be totally negative contributions to a discussion in which the subject enthusiasts participate, you kinda oughta sorta figure on what kind of response you will get.
I don't know if anyone here knows the answer to your question. Take the fact that no one has replied as the response.
If you are genuinely interested in this vehicle, you need to express your opinions as a) opinions and b) your own. It doesn't really matter what you think "others" think, it only matters what *you* think.
Buy what suits you and enjoy it!
None of us need to argue that point.
"Here are some things about the interior that I don't like."
"I do agree, however, that this is all subjective."
Where do you see me stating anything as fact there? It is "fact" that others have raised concerns about the interior (including other "enthusiasts" in this very forum) and that the interior has been critcized in the media. It has been an issue and is a reasonable topic for discussion in this thread.
My only point was that Infiniti has been a responsive company in the past and it is reasonable to wonder if some improvements to the interior (which, as one poster above observes) would probably be modest. I was only wondering if somebody here knew something. But, a few posters that apparently took that as a need to defend their own purchases.
I guess you are right. Nobody here seems to have heard of any impending changes, which may mean that nothing is in the works or at least nothing has leaked out.
I'm just trying to help -- if you don't like what I have to say, please email me and we'll get it straight privately. There's no need to disrupt this conversation any further.
Thanks.
Anyway, thanks for your help.
I do agree that it would be preferred to offer the center console with left-hand drive controls. Pure ergonomics aren't greatly sacrificed with the right-hand configuration, but I personally don't like having Nissan's cost-cutting efforts right out in front for everyone to see.
You also consider Audi as tops in interior design. Most people would agree that they use top-quality materials and design, but the ergonomics suffer in some areas such as having the climate controls positioned very low on the dash and having too many buttons that all feel the same and require taking your eyes off the road to use. BMW has similar issues. Just my 2 cents.
The G35, in my view, is pretty close to being a perfect car. I love the way it looks, accelerates, and rides. I would like to see some interior materials upgraded just a bit and the switches for the seat fixed.
There have been other cars that were updated like that. I remember that Honda added an armrest to one of the previous generation of Accords after the second year. Passats have recently undergone minor interior improvements as well.
I can't speak of any information regarding the sedan but I have heard, via an Infiniti source that has always proved reliable in the past, that the Coupe will get an up-graded dash in the form, likely, of aluminum (like in the FX series) to replace the silver paint. There is also an armrest that is set to appear for the coupe 6MT; it is already on the sedan version. The drilled pedals are supposed to also be available in the future as a dealer add-on.
That's all I've heard about. If it all pans out, it will address my areas of concern. Personally I like the no-frills, no plood or wood, no cushy sports approach that the actual materials create, though I realize it is an entirely different style than from, say, Lexus or even BMW.
JW
The G35 interior is off the hook!!!
The last thing we need is another BMW, Audi wanna be. Those cars are of low value (for your dollar) to say the least. I'll take Japanese reliability anyday......
Like yourself, I was seriously shopping the competition. All the usual suspects A4, TLS, CTS, MB C class (no Saab, just could not get myself to go there) I was coming out of a 2001 325ia. While I liked the BMW, it was somewhat anemic with the automatic. Here was my take (read opinion) on the competition:
A4: Loved the 3.0 with CVT however the historic reliability and the current coil pack failure problems scared me. I can appreciate Audi's reputation for first class interior's but I found some ergonomic flaws that bugged me i.e. controls buried very low behind the shifter and cup holders that covered the radio.
TL type S: Strong but peaky engine. FWD and problems with tranny failures along with boring exterior soured me. This car is a great value however when comparing price to features.
CTS: I personally could not stand the interior of this one. To me it looked like typical GM with a Cadillac premium price.
MB C class: I looked at the C230K coupe. This car with the supercharged 4 cylinder is a great value and I am surprised it has not done better in sales. Out here in southern California, they can be had for under invoice.
BMW 330ia: Great car but comparably equipped it would have been $7,000.00 more for a car with less room. IMO not worth the extra $'s
BMW 530ia: Again a great car but comparable equipped it would have been $15,000.00 more. Actually the 5 series if you look at the specs (which I did in my spread sheet comparison) stacks up size wise much better to the G35.
G35: Best blend of power, RWD, quality, features, warranty (4 year 60,000 mile) & price. Clearly the best value out there in this class in my assessment. With 260hp & 260lb ft. of torque this machine is a beast!!
Good luck & let us know what you decide to go with.
Do you think any mass-produced car is free from problems. Not Honda, not Toyota, not Nissan, not BMW. Just as a point of reference, the last time my car saw the dealer was early summer, how about yours? How about the Honda trannies, the infamous sludge problem and so on. So far total maintenance cost in over a year of ownership. $0. I'll go on record as owning three Nissans in a row, while none of them ever left me stranded, they were always going back to the dealer for an adjustment to this, or an adjustment to that. So I'm Nissaned out at this point.
That was a very generic statement, just as generic as saying Japanese vehicles are not any fun to drive. It seems to me Uncle David was really trying to get some information.