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Comments
The car's only out a week for Christ's sake. Give it some time for people's custom orders to arrive.
Me--I'm holding back for the CVT/paddle shifter and better color selection.
infinitiseller is saying that Maxima is a stripped down Cefiro/I35, as opposed to the Cefiro/I35 being a gussed up Maxima.
http://www.thefinalbean.com/powerdrift/articles/Infiniti_G35/infiniti_g35.html
http://www.detnews.com/2002/autosinsider/0203/13/b03-439093.htm
Maybe a quality control issue?? I am with the reviewer, I hope a transmission chip comes out soon.
Mike
Thanks
I wish I could wait until the six-speed arrives. It's gonna be so fast!
Damn! Oh well - will see if I can view it tomorrow from work.
My wife and I have similar thoughts in regards to cars. As this was to be her primary driver, it was her choice to finalize, mine to get a mutually agreeable short list. Top on her list was the Jag X-type (it is the looks - ask most women), top on mine was an Audi A4 3.0 Quattro (I have been driving a 1.8T A4 the past 2 years in Germany). Others on the list were the Acura TL 3.2S and the Lexus GS300. The Mercedes and BMW got dropped early as too small and too expensive. The GS300 dropped because of price (and an old model). The Acura dropped off because of being too close to my wife's current Honda.
Yesterday my wife suggested stopping by the Infiniti dealer to see when the cars would be in the showroom. The dealer had several on the lot and one in the showroom from his first shipment Monday. My wife asked to take a test drive. On the back, twisty roads she put her foot into it and I have not seen that look on her face since our BMW 2002. As we drove away from the dealership she said she wanted to buy that car. So we went back to see what the dealer had in cars and what he was willing to do on price. The car on the showroom floor had all the options we had decided on online (Luxury Leather, Premium Package, Winter Package, Wood Package and Xenon headlights for MSRP $34,185. The dealer was willing to discount (not a lot but enough to cover the sales tax) so we went ahead. Dealership experience was good.
Deciding factors between the A4 and the G35? Price and vehicle dynamics. The A4 out the door with the equivalent options was several thousand more. Quattro vs. rear wheel drive? Depends on your subjective likes. The feel of real wheel drive is still hard to beat. Quattro vs. real wheel? No doubt in marginal conditions a plus for Quattro but with today's electronics (traction and dynamic control) real wheel drive is not so marginal condition dependent (that and not being in a Snow Belt). Oh, the Jag. My wife keeps up on things. She figured out that the cost was high, the power low, and the press not so great. We never got beyond looking at one on display.
Has anybody done a back to back with the 330 and what was your impression of the driving dynamics.
Who won and why? IMHO very close.
I'll go with the G35 coupe manual. I don't mind paying a bit more than a sedan, as long as it looks as good as a 330i coupe.
kdshapiro - Well, as you said in regard to some opinions I had posted earlier, to each their own (in essence). However, if you are not going to drive other cars, it would seem to me to be like believing that hamburger was the best meal in the world because it is what you always had AND because you never tried anything else. One of the best advantages of driving other vehicles is that afterward you KNOW why you like yours the best...
One other thing regarding the reasons you list for prefering the BMW... From what I've heard about the relative reliabilities of the brands (from Consumer Reports and other places), it might not be that much of a problem if the dealership isn't that close as you won't need to have it in the shop that much. As for oil changes, you could do that at a Nissan dealership (should be cheaper, but you won't get a loaner car). Six of one, half-dozen of the other...
When my wife finally decided to replace our '95 Chrysler Sebring (car STILL handles quite nicely compared to some of the cars we tested, especially with new rubber), we did the same thing we did when buying the Sebring (at ~$20K). We drove just about everything in the $30K-$40K range to see what would provide our best bang for the buck. This included, in alphabetical order: Acura (3.2 TL and Typs S), Audi (A4 1.8 and 3.0), BMW (325 and 330), Chrysler (300M), Infiniti (G35 and I35), Lexus (both ES300 and IS300), Lincoln (LS6 and 8), Toyota (Camry XLE and SE), Volkswagen (Passat), and Volvo (S40 and S60). We skipped the Cadilac Catera (and now CTS) because their reliability is SO poor. Same goes for the MB C240/C320 because they have reliability problems and are even more expensive than the BMW's and, according to the reviews, are not better.
I guess I should preface this by saying that my wife and I are in our 30's, so we like "cool stuff" (lean toward gadgets). When driving the BMW's we were thoroughly underwhelmed by the interiors and the handling didn't seem THAT impressive. The interiors were plain, almost cheap and when I was sitting in the back seat, didn't appear to be all THAT well put together. I almost found it offensive how active the Vehicle Stability Control was. It implied to me that the vehicle wasn't as stable as I had been led to believe.
Anyway, after driving all the others, we decided to put off our purchase decision (narrowed down to the Acura and Lexus IS300) until we could drive the G35. Glad we did. (I wrote up our experience in the G35 vs. BMW board, message #16, second to last I believe.)
However, you won't be able to appreciate the G35 until you really push it because it feels so sedate, so effortless that you don't get the same adrenaline rush from borderline control loss. Anyway, I agree with you about the 0-60 times, but to me, the REAL attraction of the G35 is the handling... and that was driving the standard suspension. If you push it HARD, I think that you will be surprised at how far you have to push it to get it to begin to lose traction/control.
speedracer - What is "TSB"?
zuba - FYI, the G35 (size-wise) falls between the BMW 3 and 5 series, most close to the Acura 3.2TL (and Type S) in interior volume and trunk space, but about 6" shorter. As you probably have noted on the board, it is ~$6-7K less than the BMW 330.
in general - Regarding the MSRP vs. trade-in dealer strategy, it makes sense from a bragging rights view. Here in Memphis, BMW ONLY sells MSRP (or more!). I think that Infiniti wants to generate that type of perception (tough to do when you are trying to gain market/mind share). Heck, net price of a vehicle (after trade) is like squeezing a balloon, it gets smaller in one place, but larger in another. To me, the bottom line is that Infiniti is trying for a "moral victory". Sell "only" at MSRP and you can effectively hurt the customer's negotiating position. However, that doesn't mean that the dealer can't throw in a full-size spare, trunk mats, wheel locks, etc., OR a higher trade-in value to effectively provide a discount. After all, the difference between the trade price and retail is often pretty significant, so they have some room to play. Of course, if it is not a car they are going to sell themselves, then they will sell it at auction, for whatever the trade value is and then what they gave you for the trade comes directly off the MSRP, in effect.
Typically, I like to negotiate with car dealers because they are not good at it... probably due to a lack of training. For those of you who would like more information on negotiation, the best book I've read is Roger Dawson's "Secrets of Power Negotiating, Second Edition" (about $20 from amazon.com or your local bookstore). My only caution would be to take a break after reading it to put your feet solidly back on the ground because you will feel like you can negotiate them into paying you to take it...
Darn, I'm REALLY looking forward to getting mine...
Scott
Bye Bye, we promise not to miss you.
BTW - Acura TL-S is to be redesigned possibly next year. May move to RWD platform and offer 6 speed manual (which I test drove this weekend in the CL-S version - VERY NICE!!!). This plus Acura reliability, awesome engine & AWESOME resale values could be the winner as well. What a great time to be looking at cars!!!
1. Bulge on driver's side footwell did bother me after a while
2. no trip computer (unless you get the nav?)
3. in manual mode, tranny did not hold gears and shifted up on its own...is it supposed to?
4. winter package does not offer heated steering wheel, or back seats...not a big deal but I35 has those features
The biggest concern, though, is the loud engine noise. Don't get me wrong, it's okay if you just want that sports car noise, but being an infiniti, I think there should have been a little more sound deadening for the passenger compartment, especially if you plan to take longer trips. It's not a low V8 growl like a mustang, but rather a higher pitched growl...
Like I said I really like the G35, but I just wanted feedback from some of your experiences.
i will have to prove you wrong as i know for a fact that NISSAN MAXIMA is sold in IRAQ as a NISSAN MAXIMA. For newer models atleast.
where in canada are you? which dealership?
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=4727&sid=183&n=157
BTW, where did you find such a long and cryptic user name?
Phase one... I went to all four major infiniti dealers in my area... Three of them said in essence "Sorry schmo, I'm not going to budge on the MSRP pricing because there are many in line that will even pay ABOVE msrp if we told them too..."
Of course, they didn't really say that in so many words, but their attitude was right in that ballpark. Some were kinder about it, others more arrogant.
But then I went to Infiniti of Pleasanton (CA) The sales person their had a different tune... Basically what he said was "Look, we can sell these cars all day long easy... but why wouldn't I deal if the customer wants to deal? "If I can make you happy with a price and you buy the car, that's all those people who want to buy it PLUS one! and that adds up over time"
Needless to say, I bought it
Everyone talked about the "bulge" in the foot well that touches your leg between the ankle and knee... I noticed this when I got in the car and hunted for it... After I drove the car for about 5 minutes I had to very strongly remind myself that it was even there at all. I am of average build; 5-11 190lbs, so it may have something to do with the ergonomics of my build.
The engine does "growl" in a very satisfying and almost intimidating way. At a launch from a stop light, the 5 or so people who were standing at the corner all looked over
Ride is not as smooth and quiet as the more luxury, luxury sedans, but it is still in the realm of smooth and quiet, and for me, I wouldn't characterize it as "noisy" at all, but as a heightened sense of road feel. This is not a statement to justify a negative attribute of the car either. As an example, I was driving just this evening on a frontage road running parallel to the golf course... There is a long sweeper there that I was hitting at speed. Apprently there was some construction in preparation as the asphalt was partially scraped up in some spots... I hit a few of the rough spots and immediately decreased speed, apexing the corner in the middle of a particularly long rough area the car started to drift (in a perfect four wheel slide which felt INCREDIBLE!) and the whole thing afterwards just felt routine
I bought the white with graphite interior. Graphite because I am certain that would hold up longer over time and dirt, and white because EVERYONE has a Silver car! *laughing* It almost seems like everyone buying anything goes silver, black or some variation on silver.
I was initially turned off to white because I thought it was that stark, solid white, but it isn't, its more of a "pearl" and it shimmers in an almost iridescent way... Its that kind of Nissan white pearl ivory sheen... If you looked at it from different angles and at different lighting levels I really think it looks more like what "silver" should look like
The lighter shade makes the chrome less blatant than the car does in red and black, and even silver to an extent... and my last car was silver, so hey, a no brainer *laughing*
Steering was incredibly sharp and tight with only a barely perceptible "dead spot" in the center. It felt almost like there was insignificant caster in the front suspension geometry because the car, though it tracks straight as an arrow, almost felt like it wanted to "hold" the amount of corner you were trying to grab. I hope this doesn't get me in over my head in spirited driving
I was one of those "fast and furious" type jokers in my youth, trading comfort and dental work for flat cornering... The G35 corners as flat as my old ride ever did and with a limosine like ride in comparison. I agree with the others that posted who said you just keep smiling the whole time you're driving this thing.
People have complained about the amber dash lighting... I have gone all my life with cars that had the green and I think the amber is just fine when I first saw it I seriously wondered what the complaining was about, but again that is just subjective taste and what not.
The seats are firm, and from someone who came from cloth interiors, the leath is slick and I found myself bracing to stop lateral motion in hard corners, but all in all the support is good and I didn't feel the "pressure point" that was spoken of earlier concerning the placement of the seat controls on the right side of the seat bottom. Maybe if I was "wider" down there it would have been more apparent.
One thing I did find disappointing is that the Xenon headlights seem to be be pointing a little low... maybe 1 or 2 degrees... they are bright as all git out but their aiming points seems to intersect the road about 200 feet forward... when the car front lifts over a small rise in the road and the headlights momentarily point straight out parallel to the level road it was unbelievable how bright and how far the things could be seen! In comparison even high beams in conventional headlights just throw a pale yellow glow a long distance, the xenons pointing straight ahead made things very distinct and clear seemingly thousands of feet ahead. In addition, the cars that were heading toward me during these rises in the road never high beamed me once... so even a major correction in aiming the headlights would not blind oncoming traffic... I will have to look more into this.
Whew! that's enough for now... Damn... I want to go driving again!
Cheers!
Have you checked out the fog lights yet? You didn't mention this so perhaps like me you didn't even know they existed. They are on the turn signal lever where the lights are however they are on the inside to the right of where you turn on the lights. The switch turns like the headlights do.
Also on the backseats at the bottom of the back portion their are two pictograms (Stickers) showing a child's carseat, do you know if they come off. I was trying to take them off but it appears to me that they are not designed to be removed. I just noticed them and now they are bugging me. I don't want to force the issue and screw up the leather so if your dealer mentioned anything I would appreciate an answer.
Also I have been reading on here about a safety kit located in the compartment of the rear armrest, did you notice any such kit as I do not have one. May be a U.S. thing and not a Canadian one?
Haven't seen a white one yet here, just saw a red one on display at a shopping centre over the weekend,was not crazy about the red. Is your White more of an offwhite or cream colour? I had a Q45 in that colour and it was so nice.
I have a black on graphite, I much prefer the graphite interior to the willow.
Enjoy your car , talk to you later.
Gabman
One thing that I am noticing in auto mode as I now have about 500 miles under my belt is the car shifts very early at low rpm's around (1800) and this can make for a bit of a bumpy ride. Perhaps it requires an adjustment. This happens when you are pressing the peddle lightly and is not as pronounced when you are firmer on the peddle ( around 2200 rpms) . Have to be honest it is starting to bug me. Will probably make my way over to the dealer and take the service guy out for a spin however I am afraid that they may have not gotten proper training yet so I don't want him messing with my car and buggering it up .
Also being the objective guy that I am and having had the car for about a week and a half I am noticing things or paying more attention to the trim. For instance, the way the carpeting covers the bulge on the passenger side , it is not a tight fit and looks a bit cheap along with the carpet quality. Also the rear parcel shelf is made out of a felt like material and I think it will attract alot of dust to it. In my opionion I think that infiniti will correct this on future models once the car gains acceptance and they can raise the price a bit to offset better use of materials in the car. Manufacturers tend to do this witness the maxima and the I35, each year it got better and better, but the price did rise
Small things, but important when you spend so much time in ones car.
faenor- enjoy your car. I have owed 3 white cars before (my favorite color usually-depending on car of course) and wanted a change. Silver was my first choice on the G-35 with the white a very close second.
Gabman black looks great but I have never been much of a black car person (did have a 79 Black Trans-Am though) and my wife now owns a black 2002 Acura TL-Type S and did not want to have 2 in the garage.
mao316- I saw this was answered already but yes the remote is separate from the key, it would be very cool if it was all one piece like in my 2000 ES. I do love the way all the windows go down if you keep pressing the remote very nice feature. BTW windows go down very quickly and rear windows go down ALL THE WAY, very cool, and unusual.
For the one who is worried about getting leather because of the heat, I live in South Florida and have never had a problem. Leather does not get very hot at all and cools very quickly not like vinyl in the old days that was sticky and stayed hot.
Nav compartment is small I haven’t though of what to put in there yet. On the upper glove compartment I put the CD case that came with the car from Infiniti/Bose.
cecilt-you said only Gabman had bought a car, I bought one on Wednesday right after my test drive. Like someone else mentioned dealer did not do much on sticker price but compensated on my trade in so it evened out and I left very happy. Could I have done better in a month or 2 probably but I really liked the car especially since they had exactly what I was looking for on the lot. A Silver/Graphite with Premium, Wood and Xenon with nice Goodyear tires on it.
By the way the cars in this dealer are very young. They had one just like mine but the Bridgestone’s with a vin # ending in 000098 mine is 000605 so I think they must have gotten one of the first allotments from the factory. Number 605 made me feel better than 98 even though this car has been selling in Japan for a while now.
Sorry for the long post.
Sorry I could not be more specific but I promised..
Mike
c3po, what month is your G35 built? You should be able to see it in the sticker on your door frame (B pilar?).
Thanks
Gabman
Stooge2000 - I saw date on door but cannot remember right now will check again and let you know. For some reason I thing it said January but not sure.
VIN #, How to Read it.
1st digit is where vehicle is built, 1,4,5=USA, 2=Canada, 3=Mexico, Puerto Rico or Costa Rico, 6=Australia, 9=Brazil, J=Japan, K=South Korea, L=Tawain, S=United Kingdom, V=France or Yugoslavia, W=Germany, Y=Sweeden, Z=Italy.
2nd and 3rd characters indicate specific manufacturer.
4th through 8th characters are a portrait of the specific vehicle, Brand, Body Style, Engine Size & Type, etc.
9th character is a security code that identifies the VIN as being authorized by the manufacturer. Law enforcement can determine if a VIN is authentic or not from this character on a specific vehicle.
10th character is the model year of the car. 1980=A, H=1987, J=1988, N=1992, P=1993, T=1996, V=1997, through Y=2000. Then 1 = 2001 and so on. There are no I, O, U, or Z years.
11th character is the specific plant which assembled the vehicle. Each manufacturer uses different codes to identify their plants.
12th-17th characters are the serial number of the specific vehicle. Not all companies start at #000001, practices vary among manufacturers.
" The introductory price of the car in Canada is so much less than in the USA that we are not giving any premiums with the car. " went on to say
" Americans have to get something for their money and ultimatly they are paying for these extra's in the price of their cars"
To much , and the story continues.....
I would bet the farm, if you paid them a visit, yours would be in the mail the next business day.
QUESTION: Does the compartment clock (little round one) illuminate at night? I did my test drive during the day.
Thanks
Don't give up...if the dealer will not give in...then call INFINITI's consumer hotline...they will ensure you get the goodie bad.
my questions are:
1) assuming that none of these dealers has the car i want in stock, how do I order and make sure that i get the car from the dealer who gives the best price?
2) if the delivery takes 5 to 8 weeks, does anyone think the price will drop in that time period?
thanks for any input.
-jg
Not very bright, but by the second time you look at the clock you may be able to figure out the time.
Well, guess what , my dealer tells me everything is sold (including what is now on the water) and there is a 2-3 month waiting list on new orders. Keep in mind that we got our cars a few weeks before you guys in the USA.
I think as the public is getting to actually see and read about the G35 that your U.S> intial orders are going to go quick. I may be wrong but I don't think so.
The point is if you want one don't sit on the fence to long