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This is actually "Faenor" I have a seperate Edmunds account at home and at the office...
I did find the auxiliary lights on the stem after playing with it for a few seconds
The aux lights do a very nice job of illuminating a wide arc in front of the car... just the thing to improve close proximity night time situational awareness...
Did you notice that the Xenon's appear to be pointing a bit low? Was it actually you who posted that comment initially on this board?
I saw the little tags for the child seat placement in the back seats... They didn't really bother me that much even considering that my wife and I don;t have kids yet so we can't cover them up with the child seat :P I'll look at them closer today and see how they are affixed... Maybe a careful application of a blow dryer to heat them up may do the trick...
Oh, what do you think of the small pin striping on the car? I was thinking of getting my car "Diamond shield" coated with that teflon paint protection and they mentioned that if I wanted they could easily remove them, and actually should as soon as possible if I really wanted them gone as it is easiest when the car is so new... The striping itself is very subtle and completely unobtrusive, but I just have this thing about clean uninterrupted surfaces and stickers that will cause differential paint fade over the years.
On your first test ride, did you also press the brake a little too firmly like I did? Crushing the salesperson and I against the seatbelts with impressive force? *laughing* My 4Runners brakes are good, but the brakes on the G35 are incredibly powerful and it took me a while to get the feel of the new sensitivity level... Now when I drive the 4Runner and hit a stop light I'll probably sail halfway thru the intersection before stopping!
My office looks out on the parking lot thru giant windows... I parked right in front and I suddenly realized I keep staring wistfully at the car instead of working!
Thanks again and talk to you soon...
Faenor/Dane4
The performance was outstanding.... very powerful and responsive. I didn't have any of the jerky feel that others have complained about at low speeds and I puposely looked for it. The breaks were very touchy but again that would be something that you would just need to get used to.
The lump by the gas pedal didn't bother me. The seat controls were also out of the way.
Basically I am excited about possibly purchasing this car. Now I just need to start working the DFW dealers against each other.
In addition I put lots of miles on every year so Leasing would have not been the say to go.
I really wanted to get the Nav system, but it just added too much to the cost. Maybe down the road (no pun intended) I'll have one of the Alpine PowerNav systems installed. Infiniti won;t do a dealer retrofit on Nav systems, but then again, I hear the aftermarket one's are more capable...
Talk to you soon!
Faenor/Dane4
I mentioned this within a few posts, but I thought it might get more airplay as a seperate message.
For all the G35 owners out there... Do you find the headlight aiming point a little too low? Like it could be aimed about 2 degrees higher and you could see another 500 feet down the road without raising them to the level of oncoming drivers eyes?
Is this something that can be adjusted from the engine compartment?
by the way, I love the way the Xenons fire off from a cold start
Faenor/Dane4
C) Child seat tags, think we had both better to speak to dealer before we mess with them. Usually anything that has to do with Child seat is a Permanent fixture there for susequent owners. If anyone elese has dealt with this please let us know.
D) Pin stripe - What pin stripe? is this another thing that you americans got for your extra costs on the car? I do not have any pin stripes on my car
E) Brakes - Sesitive brakes were a sign of the newness or I have really come accustomed to them as they are perfect now and not senstive at all.
F) Are you planning to tint the windows? I find with the black that I need to get the them done.
what do you think?
I would suspect that the lights on the G should be self-leveling, surprised if not. When I first got mine I thought the cut-off line was too close to the car, but then tried standing in front one evening when my wife was coming to pick me up and decided that they were quite bright enough and the company must know something about the laws regarding the blinding of oncoming drivers.
So far as using them goes: the automatic feature is pretty good, but try not to park the car for too long without shutting it off as it does create a drain on the battery (according to my manual). And to protect the expensive xenons I was able to buy a plastic shield to go over the lights from my dealer. If Infiniti doesn't have one yet, I'll be you'll be able to get one aftermarket pretty soon.
Take care.
Joe W.
As for burning out the headlights, I wouldn't worry about it. From what I've read, xenons have a much longer lifespan than halogens and should last the life of the car.
Now if I can solve the case of the missing pin stripes my day will be made
Is there a trip computer anywhere? I was looking, but it was hailing...small hail, fortunately, during the test drive, so I was a bit distracted. Does anyone have the navigation system? They didn't have one at Beaverton Infiniti. They also claimed that I could basically order one, and it could be here in as little as a week and a half. Skepticism raises it's ugly head, here. Salesgirl also said the xenon lights were now included in the premium package, which I don't see backed up *anywhere*.
They had five on the lot. Two drivers, two in the showroom, and a fifth I never saw. Two whites, three silvers. While I am a dyed in the wool silver guy, this one is *nice* (I was trying to avoid silver this time, so as not to be contrite). I'm even rejecting the wood package (which I *really* thought I wanted), as it didn't add enough wood to be worth it...plus, you have to compromise on the suspension choices. The 'cushy' model's ride was downright comfy...I can easily live with more 'feel'.
Of course, I did my best to avoid Q while I was there, but it was calling to me.... Ack, almost double the price for very similar performance....mmmmmm, more thought, and toe tapping, needed.
Thanks, all.
Caddylover (gonna have to change that, soon)
The best deal you will get from the DFW dealers is $500 off MSRP. If you're willing to look outside DFW, you may do better.
Caddylover -
In the initial allotment of cars, all premium packages come with xenon lights, wood package, and sunroof. The Xenons aren't part of the actual premium package, but they're included with any of the premium package cars. I suspect there will be more flexibility in the order process down the road.
Of course, this means I'm not going to stumble across a premium package, with the sport stuff, and you can't have that package combo. Grrr.
I guess it'd have to be an order...which is fine. Now to worry about getting rid of the two 'nonkeepers' in the family fleet. It's hard to convince your wife that the two of you need four cars....
Decided I was giving up on the old name, as the DeVille DTS just didn't "work" for me. Wife said it didn't suit me, either.
Thanks a bunch!!
Oh, and is there a way to search for a specific message on this board by poster's name? I can't seem to figure it out...and to think, I'm a computer guy...embarrasing.
G-man
Also, does Infinti send out birthday gifts every year to customers who buy ANY Infiniti? What sorts of gifts have people received? Any pictures?
These nice gifts may be enough to swing people sitting on the fence from BMW to Infiniti. I love free stuff and trinkets with car logos. I hope Infinti continues this nice perk. Good for brand loyalty.
For $900, that's how much it cost me to rig my home stereo entertainment system with Yahama speakers and receiver.
Instead of paying $2,200 for premuim package, save the money and buy yourself a 46" Mitsubishi HDTV. At least you'll enjoy the TV more than the "home link, Bose, and passenger memory seats" in the premium package. Big deal!
If you don't like the premium package, don't buy it. Don't berate others into options that have nothing to do with a car purhcase.
Now , the real challenge is to find one with xenon yet without premium pack.
Are they selling at MSRP or lower? Any other people out there seeing a lot of G35's just sitting around?
As for HDTVs, I kinda like the idea of sub'ing the high def tv (perhaps plasma to save space) for the nav system, and know my kids would like it. Also, for the $900 Bose option, you could get one kickass subwoofer and some other speakers - I like the 125w M&K sub made for home theater, mates well with the plasma monitor for the best in digital audio and video! LOL
Good luck on being very specific about options in the DFW area. Typically, the dealers order with the options they think the customers want - which usually means leather, auto, moonroof, premium packages, and whatever makes it "luxurious." There don't appear to be many sport equipped cars heading this way. Not many dealers want to hassle with ordering special cars from Japan. If they can find them stateside, no problem, but going overseas just complicates things for them for not much return.
I *really* enjoy the Definitive Technology towers in my house...at the same time, I want *some* quality in the car. Now, $4K worth of car stereo is overkill, but at home...well...my wife 'let' me spend it, though it will probably have to last me a lifetime. Home stereo equipment *can* do that, car audio can't, as the speakers aren't going to fit in the new one, change over when replacing it with the new car is a total hassle, and well, besides car stuff wearing out with the conditions (dirt, humidity, heat, cold, etc) it's just a pain.
I have to admit, given the choices, I'm going to go for the premium package, only 'cause I want the dimming mirror, memory seats (really wish that included the mirrors), climate control, power pass. seat, and the garage door thing is a neat touch. I've seen what other 'package' deals including stuff like this, on other cars, goes for, and basically, Infiniti's throwing in the Bose. Personally, I'm not a Bose guy, but then, I've yet to see any Yamaha/B&W audio options on *any* car.
Now things like the wood 'package' option not being available with the sport suspension, that goes all over me. Just plain goofy, that is.
I suppose at that price point there are allways comprmise sigh*
DL
As for the log in name... too many forums, emails, etc. that sometimes it is difficult to think up names on the spur of the moment. It is the current three cars and years (Volvo, Honda, Infiniti) The Volvo is an 1800E and yes I have read the classic car threads...
I'm with you. The $1k+ M&K sub in my home does wonderous things!!! But I wouldn't spend that much on one speaker in my car. Nor would I spend on my car audio what was spent on the audio part of our theater. It doesn't increase the resale and is a lot to spend for 2-3 years use. I'm not a particular Bose fan either, but then the price on the Levinson packages sold by Lexus are purely ridiculous.
I would go for the premium package as well because the features it provides at least give you the some of the level of luxury sought in Infinitis and similar makes. Personally, the home link is valuable because I need two garage openers to get in my house. Like Xenons, wouldn't buy a car without that anymore. The memory seats are great when you have more than one driver, and the auto dimming mirror is sure nice to have in urban areas.
So I get to experience winter with those lovely 17"ers. The way it is snowing should be about 5-6 inches on the ground before I get out of here, so stay tuned....... and you will get another "heard it first from the Gabman"
What with the rather damp weather here in the Pac NW, I'd spring for an anti-algae system...seriously.
KellyB
I purchased my new 2003 Infiniti G35 last week and have been driving it since then. I got one with the leather package, sunroof, Bose premium audio system, trunk safety mat, and paid MSRP (i.e., around $31,400). Please realize that I hate paying list price for anything, but the G35 is so new here in Memphis that Infiniti wouldn’t discount it at this time (BMW also charges MRSP) and the one with the options I wanted happened to be delivered the day I visited the dealership. My G35 has black paint with black (sports perforated) soft leather interior and the titanium finish, and this color scheme works incredibly well for this car (the windows are treated to prevent UV exposure too the cabin). It is one sharp looking car and appears to be a real head turner as I drive it around Memphis. Looking out the front windshield you can hardly see the hood as it quickly dips to the road, but you do see as you glance toward the front sides the very cool flared fenders, that provide a classy sports style. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
I am almost compulsive about researching any major expenditure, so you can imagine what it was like finding a car. I had been researching cars for about a year and this took me into new depths of fact finding as I explored information. Consumer Reports, Edmunds.com, Epinions, Cars Everthing, and a long host of search engines and other Internet sources (plus auto magazines) provided valuable information. I decided after much consideration to purchase an upscale performance sports sedan (and then I began to test drive cars). As you may know, the luxury sports sedan market (judging by Internet traffic and web reports) is a fast growing segment of the car market (my wife thinks that since I turned 50, this is a baby boomer phenomena as those of us in their early 50s turn in their vans and SUVs for sports sedans, but we still have the van).
So I looked at upscale sports sedans, and after a while I had an outline of what I was looking for. I knew I wanted a rear wheel drive car with good horsepower, torque, and handling, and I wanted it to look and feel good. I wanted to feel the road and have fun. Since I have teenagers, I wanted a 4-door sedan just in case I needed it. I wanted a relatively light sedan (under 3400 pounds) with a tight cornering radium (under 38 feet), a sport tuned suspension, 17 inch alloy wheels with high performance tires, strong brakes, stability control, independent 4 wheel suspension, the latest technology and safety features, and something that corners nicely. I preferred a manual shift. The G35 had all of these, except the manual clutch transmission, so giving that one up was a compromise. The G35 corners in less than 36 feet, so the car is particularly agile. No compromise in steering, which is nice and tight and communicates road feel. One of the most important attributes I sought was a high reliability index. I found that many of the German luxury sports sedans have only average reliability (as stated by Consumer Reports and other independent raters). And, I heard again and again from BMW and Audi owners in person and via reviews how nice their cars are, but how they spend so much time in the shop (particularly as the cars age) having them repaired (plus these repairs are not inexpensive). I tend to drive cars for many years, and so I didn’t want to support some car shop. I also wanted value (which, I understand is somewhat subjective and relative). But life is a series of compromises. I really liked the BMW, which I still believe is the benchmark for luxury sports sedans. I also liked the Acura TLS, but felt it was heavy, ponderous, did not corner tightly, and is basically just a higher horsepower performance luxury Honda (really nothing wrong with that since Honda is such a good product), and although there are positive reasons for having front-wheel drive (especially in snow), I didn’t like the idea of torque steer when cornering. The Acura TL type S does represent a good value (but I believe the G35 is an even better value). I test drove many front wheel drive cars, and knew I wanted rear wheel drive on my sports sedan. Eliminating front wheel drive knocked out many cars, but my most vigorous filter was the high reliability index. Granted, the American and European car manufacturers have markedly improved in reliability, but many have just made it to average. I wanted way above average reliability.
After researching and test-driving many cars over many months, it seemed that the 2002 BMW 330i (or even 325i) (raved on by critics, Consumer Reports, and quite a few die hard fans) was the clear choice, and the 3 series does indeed look beautiful and corner on rails. In fact, I was about ready to go back to the BMW dealership and order one (BMWs on the car lot have so many overpriced options that it’s hard to find what you want without paying through the nose), when I decided to contact the Infiniti dealership and see if they had the new G35 in yet, as I wanted to at least test drive one. I called and they just had one that day available to test drive (by yourself).
After driving the G35 I was wowed. I brought my wife back the next day and took her for a drive, and she agreed whole-heartedly about this one, and she’s not a sport sedan fan. What a car! In less than a week I was hooked on the G35. After driving one, and even after seeing the value price compared to the BMW, it was still a difficult decision. Well, maybe not that difficult. I got the G35.
About the only thing I think I gave up in getting the G35 over the BMW 3 series, was the legendary BMW chassis and suspension (the BMW ride is indeed more compliant), the manual transmission (although I like the one I got better and better every day), the BMW logo, and an added cost of about $9000 over what I paid an equipped 330i. Sure, the BMW inline 6 has that nice turbine sound, but you should hear the engine on the G35 when you punch it on the Interstate—chills all up and down your spine. Plus one more thing (now this may be just me), but I loathe conspicuous consumption, keeping up with the Jones and all that and just having a BMW or Mercedes screamed status conscious and I wanted to get away from that image if I could (still don’t know if I did) and not drive something with such an obvious luxury cachet (yes, I know some people buy the BMW for that very reasons I’ve mentioned).
Although I was somewhat queasy about purchasin
Now, here are my impressions after driving it around town for a week (I plan on reporting back after a few months). I had to exercise amazing restraint to try and break it in easy and gradually, and only redlined it one (honest!). Need to seat those rings gently.
The G35 is an incredible car, and if you haven’t driven one, try it if you’re in the market for an upscale sports sedan. It is incredibly fast, with a 3.5 liter making 260 horsepower (at 6000 rpms) AND 260 torque pounds (at 4800 rpms) in a car that weights less than 3400 pounds! In fact, it probably has too much horsepower for my needs, but it is nice to have it when you need it. I think the sport suspension is a bit stiff, but I guess it’s a tradeoff for the excellent road feel and cornering capabilities of this machine. It is a joy to drive. The downside is that gas mileage is rated 19 city and 26 highway, not as good as some other models. However, it does have an econ button to regulate climate control (you just set the internal temp that you want and the computer does the rest) to maximize fuel economy. My son says the brakes are a little touchy but I didn’t notice this to be the case. The brakes haven’t really been broken in yet and they are massive (I was told that the rotors are the largest of any Japanese car in this country).
I very much like the styling of this vehicle. The cabin is quite that you can’t even hear the engine when it’s idling, but when you rev it at higher speeds, the smooth throaty sound it makes is exhilarating. Some reviewers said the cabin design is uninspired and lacks the opulence of the German sedans. However, I like the simplicity of the cabin, the layout is nice and everything works well and the dash certainly appears different (almost futuristic) than most other vehicles I’ve been in. I like the peaceful orange glow on the speedometer/tachometer instrument panel. The 5-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive transmission with manual shift mode (standard on this model) is extremely smooth and easy to use (reminds me of the BMW transmission). The manual shift mode is fun to use, but it is not the same as a crisp manual and the fun of going through the gears with a clutch. But going through the five gears in this car is fun, and the automatic shifts where I think it should. I like the steering column audio controls and cruise controls. And while the steering column doesn’t telescope, when you move it up and down the instrument panel moves with it so everything is balanced. There are many nice little details. The 200 watt Bose audio system is truly awesome and you have to be careful while cranking it up not to kill an inordinate number of brain cells. A six-disc CD changer, audiotape cassette, and diversity antenna embedded in the back windshield is standard. Once you figure out what everything does, it is very easy to use and I like the way the instrumentation looks and works. The bag seats are comfortable for two adults, and the trunk is plenty big for a car this size. No sacrificing on room for passengers or cargo. The seats are comfortable and the leather relatively soft for what you get in cars these days. The only drawback for me is that at this time there was no manual shift, but I hear that one is supposed to be coming out on the G3 coupe in Fall 2002.
The buying experience with the Infiniti dealer was great, and they treat you with respect and provide straight answers. Infiniti offers a great warranty program that is among the best in the car industry. However, this car was so new that the salesmen had not yet gone through training (the first G35 in Memphis arrived on the lot the week I was there), so I knew almost as much as he did about options, which I’d collected from Internet research (and not all of which was accurate).
I could go on, and on, but I just realized how long I’ve been typing my entire lunch hour and this review is turning out to be quite long, so my apologies for taking up cyberspace.
As you can no doubt tell, overall I am very happy with this car and I still can’t believe how fast, responsive, and neat it is. I’m still getting to use to it, and the driving experience is an interesting learning experience. As I mentioned, I have a couple of teenagers and they’ve already had every friend over to sit in it and listen to the awesome sound system. Of course, they still have brain cells left to burn.
Will report back after a few months to share whether my opinion has changed on the G35. Right now, I have no regrets.
22 miles on the odometer. Is this typical? I expected less than 10 miles.
The power driver and passenger seats with driver side memory can be argued as being completely unecessary, but my wife sat in the passenger seat and she was jazzed about the power controls there, and when I showed her how the memory feature worked (we were still in the dealership and I read the manual *laughing*) She thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread! and I KNOW that just that single thing smoothed the way toward the purchase decision right then and there. Things are MUCH easier with the wife's say-so and cooperation
besides, I already have a wide format HDTV... Now I have the Premium car too... and a happy non-complaining wife, am I in the optimal situation or what?
Faenor/Dane4
I was inordinately 'wowed' by the fact Infiniti had obviously thought the intake through so well. I've *never* seen a car, well, post EPA-stuff, on which you could see the air filter, with the hood opened, and no pieces removed. Nice.
Unfortunately, with the hail-intense test drive, my wife couldn't pick out noise (plus, she'd lost the gold back of an earring, and couldn't get the seatbelt responsible comfy), and I was more concerned with the slippery stuff than performance. However, it did give me a chance to purposefully try out the VDC, which was shockingly invisible. I punched it, in the rain, leaving a light. No funky ABS noise (like our Intrepid...I cut it slack, as it's 7 years old), no weirdness, just reduced engine power until there was traction, then *BOOM*, full-thrust, no waiting. Very nice. I expect we'll be back in Colorado while this vehicle would be in the stable, and I *don't* want to have to replace it with an "SUV". Have one now, don't want it...didn't want it then, either, but you have to be able to cover ground in 18 inches of snow sometimes, or be house-bound for a week, or two. Those wickedly bad five days a year make the rest of the year an automotive living hell....
I'm glad to see the 16" wheels will be a bolt-on, that way I can get set up with a second set for winter tires. Very cool.
KellyB
Gabman
BTW, do you find the engine growl too loud or even intrusive during long trips?
Even my Suzuki SUV, '99 Grand Vitara, has power windows/mirrors/locks, ABS, a CD changer, and the like.
Later,
KellyB
"main" car: '85 Fleetwood Brougham D'elegance, RWD, 100K miles, on only 2nd engine (love that mid-80's GM engineering) Surprisingly, everything works...
This was the only manumatic I've driven, and it seemed like very close to the best of both worlds. One very nice thing, according to reports by the press, it's real 'manual' when you put it in a gear, as it will bounce of the rev-limiter until you shift. That's *exactly* what I want, instead of half-a**ed second-guessing by the transmission.
KB
U01-Nav pkg.
P01-Prem. pkg.
J01-Moonroof
T01-Sport pkg.
X02-Winter pkg.
N01-Xenons
Now, I was hoping for brilliant silver and willow, *but* salesgirl says that while they don't have one just like this, they do have one coming in with all this stuff on it, but it will be in platinum. That's close to silver.... argh...I don't need temptation like this....
I think the price of the one car in the 'fleet' just dropped a couple hundred bucks. It wasn't very high to start with, so that's a substantial percentage.
KB
Ugh, now comes the trade part. I wonder if I should just start laughing now, or wait. I'll wait.
So, has anyone seen the nav system? Any info on it besides that it's DVD-based? Trip computer on this puppy? For 36 large, I'm hoping so.
KB
You can still have the G35 do 0-60 in 6.5 without paying $2,200 for premium package.