Infiniti G35 Sedan 2006 and earlier

blueguydotcom

AWD usually slows a car's acceleration. A good system can sometimes allow for brisker acceleration based on the ability to transfer power to the front wheels as the rears lose traction but it's pretty rare that AWD will make a formerly RWD car faster to 60.

himiler

What blueguy said.

AWD adds weight and limits wheelspin, both of which hurt 0-60 times.

ryoken

AWD would only improve your 0-60 time if you already had more power than you could put to the pavement with just two wheels. That's not the case with the G35.

kestrel02

I have a question about the color options on the G35 sedan. Looking at Infiniti's website, they show several colors including a nice looking Twilight Blue. However, Edmunds car builder doesn't list this color, and KBB has it flagged N/a after 11/2002. I'm not sure which is correct, can you still get the sedan in this color?

adpcs

Infiniti just re-released the twilight blue color a few weeks ago. I just ordered mine and should be getting it today. They discontinued the caribbean blue on the sedans. Check your local dealer stock on Infiniti's website. It is very up to date.

ryoken

What adpcs said. Except: They're keeping Caribbean Blue and discontinuing Emerald Mist.

kestrel02

Thanks for the response. Took a look at a twilight blue G35 tonight, I really like that color, and there's only one on the lot.

larcwest

I am considering the purchase of a G35 Sedan and am concerned that it is a rear wheel drive car . The dealer assures me that it will be fine in winter driving with snow and/or ice. Has anyone had experience with driving this car in those conditions?

kestrel02

I think the problem with the G35 is less the RWD and more the performance tires that are on it. They are pretty much summer only performance types, and will do terribly in the snow. If I lived where it might snow a lot, I'd have a separate set of tires for winter.

cheerioboy26

only the coupe with the 18" tire package has dedicated summer only tires, I believe. The other options, including all sedans, have some soft of all-season (goodyear eagle rsa or bridgestone turanza IIRC.)

mrman_3k3

If I am not mistaken, unless you live in poor weather areas, why would you want AWD? AWD only takes away more power and control from the driver. So what I do not understand is why so many people want an AWD G35, is it because they live in poor weather areas during winter or what?

jiamin

One of my friend driving a 4WD Audi said he could turn very fast on wet road, at a corner, into or out of parking lot entrance, etc. He'd never drive a car with no 4WD.

sopecreek

It will be more forgivealbe on a slippery road condition when you choose a wrong gear or apply too much gas. I don't know how well the VDC can compensate for this in RWD version, though.

robmarch

I get snow and freezing rain in winter, and also appreciate the extra stability in normal rain. For a pure fun car, or a second car, RWD would be a great choice for me. For my only car, or something I need to drive in any weather, I prefer the compromise of performance and utility and superior traction of AWD, over the utilitarian FWD, which also does pretty well in the poor weather.

bobp11

I don't think the rear wheel drive itself contributed to my issues last winter. I bought my G in January (for my only car) and went for two months of fretting it every day driving to work. The VDC worked fine, but the car itself has so much power and performance, not to mention such a fine automobile all the way around, left me wishing I had an SUV w/ 4x4 so that I didn't have to worry and take it through all the crap. So I leased one this summer for not only the upcoming winter, but to use for use for general hauling. Putting wet bags of mulch in the back of my G this spring left me wanting more utility. I have been loving the G this summer to drive to work and around for overall pleasure driving. If it is going to be your only winter time vehicle, you'll worry too when the ice storm and 12" of snow are bearing down on the area you live.

ryoken

Some sport-suspension G35 sedans come with Goodyear Eagle GS-D tires -- these are summer tires. However, even the other two all-season choices are poor in winter.

It's the tires, not the RWD nature of the car, that makes for bad snow traction. If you're in a snow climate area, invest in a winter tire and wheel package.

norcalmike2

Just got back from Sacramento Infiniti. They replaced my brake light switch in less than one hour. It might be worth your effort to have the switch replaced. The service writer told me that they have seen two failures of the switch. In both failures the cars were in park. Because the switch failed, the circuit could not be closed and the customers could not get their cars out of park, ergo, they were dead in the water. It would have been my luck that the switch would have failed like that in my car.

birdman579

I'm not too concerned about driving a RWD car in Maryland. It only snows a few times a year. I think all-seasons work just fine. During our blizzard this year (24" in less than 24 hours), I drove 150 miles in my Saturn with all-seasons. Audi quattros and SUVs were stuck all over the place, but my Saturn went right along. I would never had taken a RWD in those conditions, but storms like that are so rare here. I figure the G with all-seasons will do fine for snows of less than 6 inches. If it snows more, I'll take the day off and enjoy myself

robmarch

yeah, but several of my buddies with BMW's and snow tires still have a harder time getting around than you and I with our FWD/All season combo. The Audi's with sport package rims and sportier tires, etc., are pretty handicapped, even though they have AWD. They're also heavy. And, the AWD SUV's don't necessarily make it any easier to get around, but they do raise the comfort level to make it easier to do something dumb and get stuck I know...I have one. If I drive it slow, like I'd drive my car, I have zero problems. But, I constantly have to fight the temptation to raise my comfort level and overdrive the cornering grip, which doesn't significantly change no matter how much better acceleration and braking get.

I do agree with you in that if it's snowing/freezing raining hard enough to make driving a problem for a RWD with snow tires, I'd rather just stay home.

kdshapiro

"And, the AWD SUV's don't necessarily make it any easier to get around, but they do raise the comfort level to make it easier to do something dumb and get stuck "

Well I have to disagree. My current AWD SUV and my previous SUV with QuadraDrive, was outrageous in keeping the vehicles from getting stuck. Over the course I've seen a lot of vehicles stuck, but never me. One of the things about driving is to know your vehicle limits. During the last few storms here, I saw Yugos and large SUVs alike going 65 or more, (IMO) in a 50 zone over snow/ice packed roads. Both of these vehicles put others at risk with their inappropriate actions.

robmarch

maybe I wasn't clear enough...

I meant they make it easier to do something dumb, leading to getting stuck. Driven sensibly, I've had no problems either. Some people just think that because they have 4wd they can do 70 on ice, because they don't feel their wheels slipping, and find out around the next corner that cornering is when the slippery surface is the most dangerous.

kdshapiro

That was what I was saying, the smaller cars were flying over the stuff like they were invincible. Either way it's a disaster waiting to happen.

chrisboth

..and I see accidents every day it snows on 70 out there. You know who I see every time on the side of the road sideways, backwards or flipped? Ford SUV's #1 for some reason and lots of GMC/Chevy's. My guess is these people think an inch or two is nothing and they dont even put it it 4wd. Rarely see a car in these accidents. No need to get AWD if you are worried about traction. FWD will do fine in anything that can be driven in...just dont get stuck.

kdshapiro

"FWD will do fine in anything that can be driven in...just dont get stuck."

Exactly - first snowfall after I got the Jeep 15". I saw more stuck Hondas and Toyotas than you could throw a stick at. My Jeep however, didn't get stuck in 15" of snow. Kept on moving. Nor do you know when you're going to make a turn onto an unplowed road. Either way you decide on whether a RWD G35 is going to be the best vehicle in a winter such as the NE put up with last year. My concern is the smaller Hondas and Toyotas and the like, that think they are invincible that run around the SUVs causing accidents. A neighboor of mine got cut off by a Honda in his SUV, rather than hit the car and possibly kill the passengers, he put his vehicle in a ditch. I'm sure the passerbys were thinking - stupid SUV driver doesn't know how to drive.

robmarch

we must live in different areas Around me, it's the 4wd pickups and SUV's that speed around in the snow, because they think the AWD or 4WD makes them invincible. I think sitting up higher detaches you from the speed a little, also. The little FWD sedans drive slow, for the most part, and don't get into too many problems.

of course, there are plenty of aggressive snow drivers out there, regardless of vehicle.

chrisboth

I think KDSHAP lives in LA or CA anyway. CA snow drivers can be the worst as most Californians will agree. Here in PA I see more a4's and 325's than i do accords. And we don't get so much snow as to see people sliding around too badly. In sierras however you have to have chains even in the rain so I cant imagine too many cars would slide around unless it was very very poor conditions.

A truck/SUV left in RWD in these conditions being top heavy and loaded with skiers or people equates to a very high probabllity of accident. This will have to go to another board but SUV's are statistically becoming the less safer vehicles on the road. Not an FX or VW or Porsche I'm sure as center of G is low as ever. Tahoe, expidition, explorer...I'd rather be in a civic even if I risk getting trampled by a runaway SUV.

chrisboth

I would suggest us all to stay home in 15" unless you have a very high profile truck and wheels. Most participant are buying AWD for 1-8 inches and then enjoying family on those 20 inch days...east coasters anyway

kdshapiro

chrisboth - we both live in the Northeast. Didn't you get any snow this winter? There seem to be some generalizations being drawn that my observations don't bear out. I think some of the opinions might be slightly biased to try and make the point. My Jeep was my past vehicle. I got it because under no circumstances did I ever want to be stranded in the snow again. As in the blizzard of '96. I thought it was a reasonable compromise between an Accord and a Hummer. It did not disappoint. Until you drive one with it's 4WD system you can't appreciate it. With the ability to deliver almost 100% of the torque to a wheel with traction and shift the load in fractions of a second, it was great in the snow, mud, rain, etc.

RWD. FWD is a choice of surefootedness vs performance. You are both right people in large SUVs think they are invincible and act accordingly. But I'm not sure why we're downplaying the sheer numbers of FWD users that act in the same reckless manner. Going 70 in a 50 zone where the safe speed is 40, is a disaseter waiting to happen (and it has) for small and large vehicles alike. You can only hope if something should happen these aggressive drivers don't take out a number of cars. (As in some recent pileups).

gpwatfrd

I live in the same area as kdshapiro and would not even think about taking my G35 coupe in the snow (no snow tires) I have driven my wife's A6 in extremely severe conditions last winter and was shocked how well it handled. The car does not even have snow tires on it (all season) but handled better than my parents RX300 AWD along with several other AWD vehicles I have driven.

masterchef69

i have owned my g35 since last july and i am on my 4th cd changer. each time the problem has been that cd-r's get jammed in the changer. i know that it say's in the owners manual that they "may" jam the changer but you can't read the owners manual till after you own the car and the salesperson never mentioned it. all i own is cd-r's. i buy all my music off the web and burn them myself. how can such a technologicly advanced car NOT PLAY THESES THINGS!!!
i have have been round and round with infiniti and they have basiclly told "to bad, it's in the manual".
in the last 8 yrs i have owned 2 Q45's and a QX4, this will be the last infiniti i own because of their lack of concern for the problem and their failure to address it.
if i sound pissed it's because of the way the regional manager addressed the problem (did nothing) and after countless telephone calls and 3 registered letters the home office in CA has not responded.

msiseng

As mentioned in previous posts, the only thing Nissan/Infinity acts on is a complaint to a US Government agency regarding safety. This does not qualify as a safety issue. Let the buyer beware to those looking at Infinity for their next purchase. How many people air your same frustration? Just check previous posts!

One pays a lot of money for a car and one expects the CD player to work. If not, then the manufacturer should fix it. How difficult is that? Every car has issues and it is how the manufacturer handles these that matters.

Look on the bright side..the car is fun to drive and Infinity put a lot of R&D into the engine!

Does anyone know of a decent CD-Deck replacement? One would think an after-market brand could make a killing off this car alone.

ryoken

It's not CD-R's. It's the player itself. If you pay attention, 2004 feature upgrades include a new, "improved" CD changer.

I'm also on my 4th player. I only put approved store-bought music CD's in my player, and it still jams. The CD-R's are just a scapegoat. The only thing I've been able to figure is that stick-on CD labels may aggravate the player, but if you have a CD-R that's labelled with a Sharpie, there shouldn't be any problems.

wibble

The "improvement" in the CD player is purely to speed up the loading and unloading of CDs. A number of people had complained that the mechanism in the existing player was too slow. I have played CD-Rs in a number of Infinitis and not had any problems.

ryoken

Yes, it's faster. And, I've heard, less likely to jam as well.

birdman579

I've read at FA that only certain types of CD-Rs will jam in the G35's CD player. Supposedly only the thinner CD-Rs have problems. If you use higher quality CD-Rs that are the same thickness as a regular CD, you shouldn't have any problems.

jaydoll

I have been contemplating trading in my 02 A4 3.0/6 speed quatro for a few weeks (well maybe months now) for a 04 Caribean blue coupe 6MT. I have come to this board frequently to get a general sense of how people are fairing with their sedans and coupes. Well afeter going to the problems section and this section, I am panicked. Im not sure what is worse, the problems (cd changers. brake lock up,etc.) or the lack or response from infiniti. My A4 has gone through 2 radios, but the Audi dealer was always right on it and did everthing they could to chage out the radio as fast as possible.

Bottom line here folks(especially you coupe 6MT owners), after everthing you have experienced and read youselves, would you buy another G35? Lastly, test drove a couple of used BMWs this weekend 2000 540 with 6 speed- exellent sports car feel in a very comfortable sedan. 2000 M5- All I can say is, drive one if you want to know what true performance is with four doors to boot.

don725

I have a 2003.5 and have driven 17k miles since February. I have had no problems w/ my car! It's been a blast to drive. My dealer has been great too. No BS..... No excessive brake wear, no CD problems. Just one fast "G"

Don

2003.5 Black on Black, Premium, wood, winter, nav

bobp11

You have to remember that a lot of people on these boards and others are automotive hypercondriacs. I too have a 03.5 bought earlier in the year, and it has been trouble free. All cars will have a problem or two from time to time and will need brakes, tires, etc. So, far I would buy another G without regret.

mbednorz

Love my G35. Completely problem free. edmunds forums tend to be a primary stop for the owners with problems, and so reading here will give a slanted view. (Same problem with many other makes.) Go to the freshalloy forums for some of the "satisfied" users.

I am NOT minimizing the frustrations of those who have had problems, and have posted them here. These forums serve as a very useful source of information, when read in balance with other sources (freshalloy, g35driver, etc.)

msiseng

All cars have problems. It is how the manufacturer rectifies these issues that is important. Infinity receives a C+ in my book for correcting issues.

After owning many different makes, there is much better and there is also far worse. This is neither a Benz E Class nor a Kia. Somewhere in between is my humble opinion.

ficuss

bobp11, the correct term for those suffering from abnormal anxiety over a cars' mechanical state would be automotive mechanical HYPOchondriasis or AMHC for short. The condition is best treated by purchasing an extended warranty, thereby shifting the financial burden to the manufacturer of the ailing beast.

Try it it works.

Frank

msiseng

Maybe someday the term will appear in Webster's Dictionary. "Automotive" and "Mechanical" should be in upper case if you want to create an acronym and a car cannot own a mechanical state, so lose the apostrophe. But, hey, who is nit-picking here?

I love the acronym, Ficuss. Patent it before someone else does.

kdshapiro

love the acronym, Ficuss. Patent it before someone else does.

Too late my wife already gave this name to me 20 years ago,

ficuss

2 capital letters and misplaced 1 apostrophe, but, I do follow my own advice. I also drive a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer. Now there is a car with a history of electrical and mechanical problems. I quickly bought the extended warranty soon after my engine had to be replaced at 2100 miles.
 msiseng: when restoring the older Jag engine, don't forget to replace the many short pieces of fuel line between the fuel manifold and the injectors. I had an '83 XJ6 that leaked fuel from those lines. The car always smelled of gas. It was fun to drive but was in the shop too often for me.
 BTW,what kind of technology are you chief of?

Frank

jaydoll

Just wondering if any of you that own the 6MT have gotten used to the very notchy/klunky feeling of the shifter. Also, after a while, do you ever seem to get used to heavy clutch pedal?
These are my only complaints that I could find on my test drive. loved the car other wise and I don't care if my kids have to climb in back. As far as passengers beyond +1, if they are over 5'4'', it's their stiff neck not mine. Shifter and clutch observations are compared to my Audi A4 6 speed which has a very smooth shift and much softer clutch pressure. The trade in on the Audi seems to be very reasonable (I am working with a Audi/Infiniti dealer). Quatro doesn't mean a thing to me because I can't drive the dam car in snow without a tire change due to the LP/high performance tires on it. Looking for something that is fun to drive everyday. So G35c owners, please ring in. Has it been worth the 35 grand? Would you buy one again? If I didn't need the back seat, I would be driving a 350Z right now.

Thanks for your input I am really down to the last week to make up my mind.

msiseng

Changing anything in the newer Jaguars is almost impossible as Ford "locks-down" the engine compartment. One needs special tools to open the engine housing. Once in the engine itself, it looks like a Ford, smells like a Ford and is more expensive than a Ford to fix. In fact, many Jaguar engines are made in Cleveland, Ohio. Ford makes a lot of improvements over the old 1980's models. The newer models are virtually free of electrical issues. The service is the kicker (wonderful). Nothing like it.

Chief over web application servers and the associated software/harware environments. I am sure this is not a topic for this board. Email me if you wish to take this offline.

Jdoll - the G35 is worth it for the engine alone. Of course you could get the Altima 3.5 with the same engine for less....

dfd3

The 6MT really loosens up after several thousand miles. Was your test-drive vehicle a very new one with low miles? I bought my 6MT sedan several months ago and now have 3000 miles on it. The shifter was what I would call "stiff" at first but has now loosened up considerably. The clutch feel, takeup, and throw are just about perfect for me. Most of my previous experience with manuals has been with FWD Hondas and Acuras which as you know are cable-linked units. The G35 6MT shifter is much more precise that these. You might try to find another G with more miles on it to test. I know this will be difficult at the dealership. Maybe at a G35 Meet?

jaydoll

dfd3,

Thanks for that insite. The notchy feeling is undeniable, but either it dos smooth out or you ifact are used to it. Either way, that's all I needed to hear. My test drive was in a new one with very low mileage.

nmsiseg,

Regarding your recommendation for a Altima, can you say torque steer? If not better learn how to. I drove a 3.5 5 speed last year. Sadly very cheap interior. And try gunning it off the line- boy can that Altima wheel hop. Point is, the only FWD car that I have driven that can handle 200+ hp with the torque steer was the Acura 3.2 Tl. I don't know what they did to eliminate it, but they did. keep in mind, I am a big Nissan fan as I owned 2 Maximas bith with 220hp. If I didn't need a back seat, I would be in a 350 Z now.

msiseng

You make a good point regarding the torque steer.

The recent Acura 3.2 has terrible transmission problems. It is easier to live with the G35 issues than to need a transmission replaced many times. The new '04 model is better from what the "experts" say.

The more I read some "expert" opinions, the more I believe they are driven (no pun intended) by marketing or kick-backs. This is true of any product experts. For a large expense like a car, maybe it would be better if they were more objective.

Agreed, the 350 Z is schweeeet! The G35 coupe is close behind, IMHO. I would be in one if not for a few things...

mrman_3k3

Well I have a 1999 Acura TL and have had no problems with anything luckily knock on wood. I test drove a 6MT sedan and found the tranny to be heavier and more stiff, but ultimately more rewarding than an Acura TSX tranny. Definetly once I get used to it, there should be no problems.