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Comments
Any ideas as to what kind of features said nav system has? Like a voice to tell you when to turn, or stuff like that? I saw the picture on Infiniti's web site, and that couldn't have been more lame and still had a pic.
Again, thanks!
KB
http://www.thefinalbean.com/powerdrift/articles/_03_Infiniti_G35/_03_infiniti_g35.html
You can find a business address just by entering the phone number, bird's eye view which is kinda cool, address book, and yes a female voice telling us where to go. Restaurants, services, and POI of course too.
I think I like the Lexus one better though.
Non Bose sound system uses the same clarion sourced head unit as the Bose system. The bose system gets you the Bose speakers the Bose amplifier and the Subwoofer.
22 miles is nothing sometimes the cars come off the truck with close to that much milage. Then the Tech has to drive it to calibrate the compass, put gas in it(they arrive basically empty), check out the balance and and alignment, and other parts of the PDI process.
i had the following questions:(he ordered G35 with premium package)
1. are Xenon lights included in that package
2. does it come with 16 or 17inchers, anyone has pictures of the rims? (thank you)
3. What exactly does the aerodynamic kit include? (do you have to settle with the firmer suspension if you get this package, is the car anylower with the different setup suspension).
he loved the VQ engine in the maxima, and he really liked this car. He is not going to drive the car to its limit (cornering wise at least) so the stiffer suspension is of no use to him.
by the way, nissan builds great cars and we are very happy owners of the following:
95 maxima (now being replaced with G35)
98 pathfinder which got replaced with 01 QX4
the VQ engine is the heart of Nissan.
I mentioned that i'm from canada incase the option configuration is different than the states. the canadian infiniti site is USELESS (not updated yet).
Best Regards
I still don't get shoulder room measurement. According to specs. it's like best in class but to me it is tighter than BMW. Profile for this car seems to be 160-180, no taller than 5'10" depending on your build, and oh yeah shoe size no larger than 10.
They were advertising a Cleveland Auto Show lease special of $469 per mo. for 48 months with an initial payment of $1600 (which I assume was total at signing, incl. 1st/sec/acq fee/plates). This was based on an Emerald Mist (nice color btw)/willow leather/prem/wood/sunroof/winter pkg at a cost of $33,560. Based on this cost and my "vast experience";-) from lurking on Car_Man's Lease topic on Edmunds, I surmise this is basically a full MSRP deal. I didn't talk deal with them right now because I have a few months to go on a '99 300M lease, but am hoping that deals will get better at that time (especially if the Sports Suspension kicks butt like expected!).
Last thing - don't buy a demo because they're getting mashed!!
Anyways, was pleasantly surprised by the way my g handled. I used manual mode and she handled like a dream, felt the traction control kick in , but the car stayed straight as an arrow , never felt by back end spin out except when I switched back to automatic, TCS came on alot and was much more difficult in automatic, than standard. The TCS can drive you nuts at times.
I was surprised, thought 17" tires would be awful in snow, but they weren't, they held their ground pretty well.
One thing with the tiptronic. When in drive and at a standstill, when you switch to standard you are in 4th gear so u have to shift down to first.
Have to find out why that is. If you forget to downshift you go nowhere fast.
http://home.attbi.com/~mikenvickie/G.htm
Thanks alot for the info, 17s and xenons being part of the premium package sounds amazing. thats what i wanted to hear. No need to change/modify the order then.
by the way, speaking of your winter driving & tires comments. I know that 17s will preform worse in the snow but i was thinking to buy (or maybe get them to throw it in for a cheep price now) another 17" rim for the g35. I'll put winter tires on the spare and the additional rim and stick them in the rear end for more traction in the winter.
any pros/cons? i just don't like to have steel wheels with hubcaps on the G35. but on the other hands, 17" winter tires seem silly but available.
So if you want the premium package in the first round of cars, here's what you'll typically get...
Premium Package --- $2,200
Moon Roof --------- $1,000
Xenon Headlamps --- $550
Wood Package ------ $250
You may also see these cars with the winter package, trunk mat, and splash guards.
In my case, I wanted the Xenon headlamps and wood package, so I was forced to get the Premium Package to get them... I'm sure these package limitations will go away as soon all the dealers get established with the new car.
BTW, I did get a chance to look at the navigation package in a Q45 (they are supposed to be the same). It appears to be pretty similar to operate as the nav package in the Acura (widely regarded as the best to use). However, the "birds-eye view" takes a bit of getting used to. However, I can see how it would be helpful when being used because it will provide a better feedback about upcoming road features.
In general, I think that the G35 is a real sleeper in handling and performance. It seems like you need to step harder on the gas than in the Acura 3.2TL Type-S to get what seems like better performance, in the normal automatic mode. However, it seemed to me that the manual mode was much quicker, especially if you kept the revs between the torque and hp RPM peaks.
As for handling, I thought it was much better than the BMW 330i. The BMW had a tendency to plow its way through hard cornering. The G35 (standard suspension) almost wouldn't exhibit understeer at all, even when pushed well past the point that other cars we had driven would (BMW 330i, Acura 3.2TL Type-S, Audi A4, Lexus IS300, VW Passat). It wasn't until I really tried to push it (in an empty parking lot and on a very tight freeway "clover leaf" type on ramp) that I was able to appreciate just how well it handles. The car just doesn't seem to drive like a car that handles as well as it does. Can't put my finger on it, but that's the impression.
We have tried to get the local Infiniti dealer (Memphis, TN) to get a G35 with the premium package, sport package, navigation system, aero package and he claims that there isn't one like that anywhere in the US. In fact, he doesn't think that the premium/sport package combo will be available within the next 3-6 months, unless it is special ordered, a 10-12 week wait.
Anyone else had any experience with this?
Thanks...
I drive my G35 like I did a regular stick in that I release the throttle when I shift gears,I can't imagine not releasing the gas when shifting.
Can someone out there pipe in on this, Am I to understand that once I obtain the desired RPM to shift I am not supposed to release the peddle?
More on winter driving conditions. This morning road conditions changed alot from last night, snow was ploughed and side streets had a layer of ice on them. Surprisingly enough the 17" tires were real good. Keed in mind the temperature was not that cold so you cannot judge the same way you would in below zero conditions.
One thing that was a bit of a pain is that on bare wet payment the traction control came on alot and despite the fact that I was accelerating we all know when the TCS comes on the car is applying the brakes so the natural thing to do is let up on the throttle. I had that on my Q45 so I am used to it. Also under these circumstances the car makes an awfull noise as if the slip light is not enough to remind you to ease up.
One of the primary things I was interested in was how the manual mode of the automatic trans. performed.
While I am not an expert, I now own a car with a manual mode automatic (00 Lincoln LS8 Sport, driven over 30,000 miles) and there are several things I really like about mine. And a few things I don’t.
On the Lincoln, you can force an upshift at virtually any rpm. And you do not need to let up on the accelerator. It is, after all, an automatic. It is designed to upshift under any throttle opening. One thing I like about the Lincoln is that even at WOT I can force an upshift at less than the engine red line. This is something that the BMW 330i that I drove (twice) would not do.
The G35 seemed completely confused about upshifting and downshifting in manual mode.
This may be resolved with a computer reflash. Several issues with the trans. performance on my Lincoln have been improved substantially by this process.
My main concern here, though, is how Infiniti designed it to work. It makes no sense to me to require letting up on the throttle to upshift an automatic. The ability to execute a swift upshift under any throttle conditions, with essentially no risk of overreving the engine or damaging the clutch or trans., is a key advantage to an automatic. It seems to me that making a manual mode available should not remove this feature.
Once some to the hype settles down, I will try this again.
- Ray
Who physically can no longer drive a car with a clutch in Atlanta area traffic . . .
The transmission behaves this way: The transmission does not downshift automatically even if you come to a halt (like the BMW Steptronic). The transmission behaves like an automatic (even in manual mode) for downshifts however it limits its upshifts to the gear you have selected.
I believe this is weird but like most things you get used to it. I believe the transmission is the weakest part of the package. It certainly is turning a lot of people off on this forum and on Freshalloy also. I got it because my wife just does not want to drive a manual anymore (we are in our mid 50s) and I don't know how I would be about it in 5-6 years either.
stsurbrook-
The Sport Package comes with the same size wheels and tires as the regular package (seems nuts don't it?). The springs and shocks are stiffer by 17% according to a salesrep who attended the launch training. Here's the kicker: Add the Winter package (sport) and they put the 17" All Seasons on (they come standard on the leather versions). So for a Sport Tuned Suspension option you get a stiffer ride and cornering and titanium trim, that is unless you live in the SunBelt and forgo the winter package. Even then you just get 215/55 WR17 performance radials. My expectations are that if you were expecting the same difference as between the BMW and Audi standard and sport packages, then you would be disappointed. Besides having driven an A4 3.0 sport package then the G35 (within 30 mins of each other), I can tell you the G35 standard suspension is as stiff the A4 sport.
I just bought the standard suspension package and will upgrade the tires later (225/50 - 17) will fit the 7.0" wide rims. Or if I get a financial windfall maybe 8.0" wide rims and 235/45 - 17 High Performance All Seasons (We get snow and ice here in Tulsa).
"Unfortunately, this is where the compliments for the 5-speed end. The manual-shifting mode is essentially useless except for using engine drag to descend hills. Shifts on our tester took so long that one driver, pushing the downshift direction, actually asked if it was broken before her head was jerked forward nearly a full second later. Sure, shifts at around 2000 RPM happen very smoothly and relatively quickly, but try bringing the engine higher into its powerband and the box sits there for a few moments, most likely calculating on a slide ruler if the new ratio will overrev and blow up the V6."
"Still, the ride of the G35 sometimes surprised us with a harsh response that was unfelt in an IS300 5-speed tagging along during the test."
"Interior materials lack the Lexus's quality feel in some places, including the cheap dash vents, sun visors, door levers, window openers and the sun shade covering the puny moonroof."
The foregoing are some of the comments from the Powerdrift article posted by Maybeg. How do these comments compare to actual experiences by owners?
I consider the items I quoted from the review to be deficiencies with the car. Others here have posted about balky and uncertain shifting. I am trying to find out if owners share the same criticisms, or if perhaps they are unique to the tested car. Comments about how great the car is without discussion of specifics are also worthless. I am sure I am not the only one who would like to know what it's like to live with the car.
I'm not expecting this car to be a 911 with four doors or an XJR. But, I may also decide to continue driving what I have now to see what else comes down the road if others have the same criticisms as the writers.
JLAN...I read that entire article. It's a favorable write-up, with good stuff to say. You simply cut and pasted the not so positive stuff. Why? We've all read the hundreds of ariticles and reviews. Then we formulated some sort of conclusion...why can't you.
Speaking of car writers...most people posting stuff here are just car "READERS". They go read some stuff, and come here and type what they read to try and sound like they have a clue.
Personally...I've been driving an INFINITI for 11 years, and love the G35. It drives fabulous, handles extremely well, is FAST and powerful, and looks OUTSTANDING! All this plus Infiniti customer service for under $33K.
PURWIN: Rosenthal Infiniti, Virginia
Prem pkg includes:
-Stereo w/ cass
-Bose Radio Syst
-Auto headlamps control
-driver seat memory
-pwr pass seat (4 way)
-reclining rear seat
-dual zone auto climate control
-Homelink
-auto dimming rv mirror
Here's the difference between understeer and oversteer:
Oversteer: driver is scared; passengers are not.
Understeer: passengers are scared; driver is not.
When a car oversteers, most scared drivers will lift off of the throttle, which shifts more weight to the front tires, and that makes the situation even worse.
In other words, all the arguing back and forth just keeps making this car shine! No matter what any proponent says, this car is not a BMW M5...
and what any detractor says, no one can argue how amazing it is to get a car that performs this well even at its MSRP.
I truly think after 4 cars purchased and owned that this one my 5th, is BY FAR the best value AND best combination of comfort, performance and reliability...
All of the negatives spoken about this car are minor given its price...
All of the positives spoken about this car are astounding given its price...
In the end, the mindset you are in determines how you will feel about the car, but take this example of how subjective and objective can sometimes meld in real life:
I drove my Brothers 2002 BMW M5 for the first time the other day... My first word after stepping on the accelerator and hitting the first corner was "DAMN!"
My Brother drove my G35 for the first time right after... after hitting the accelerator and the same first corner his first word was... "DAMN!"
Faenor/Dane4
Thanks much,
B_Dogg
So I wouldn't hold the manumatic action against the G35. It is probably a decent automatic, but one thing it isn't is a true manual transmission. If you want that or what that gives you, you'll have to wait till the purported 6-speed comes out. Whenever that will be.
So far, only the folks who knew well ahead that the G35 was coming have gone to dealerships. I am sure there a LOT more people who do not read car mags, visit forums, or anything of the sort and simply form a purchase list based on friend/coworker recommendations and TV advertising.
He's already over 1100 miles with the G. He got it up to 130 the other day and said the car still had plenty more power on tap.
BTW this setup is nothing new for Nissan, they have had a CVT in the Gloria for over 2 years. I had heard they just put out a huge contract for someone to build the systems for them so maybe soon. England is getting them, why not us?
As for the interior, I wouldn't call it cheap. It's not fancy but one again a step above the 3 series. With the sports package and the graphite interior it's very attractive. The only significant complaint I have is with the orange indicators on the dash - virtually disappear in bright sunlight.
All in all, I think it is by far the best sports sedan for the money, especially when equiped right.
PS All you beemer lovers, don't get upset. It's just my opinion and where I'm putting my money. Feel free to be another one of the half million 3 series running around.
I would prefer an 8-speed (or even a "lowly" 6-speed) CVT transmission over a manual, especially if it comes with paddle shifters. But what about cost? Would it be significantly higher? Also, what about reliability and longterm durability. Unlike some of the more lucky folks here, I keep my car of r 10 years or 150K miles at the least. Not up to speed on CVTs - so I would be worried about that.
jww51 -
Since you drove (own?) a G35 with the sport suspension, how does it perform over pot-holed streets? Does it loosen the teeth fillings, or do the "ripple-control" shock work as advertised?
In any case my point is find a car you like, it will never be perfect, drive it , enjoy it and don't look back, only look ahead at the next one you want to purchase, because thats what us BOYS look forward to.
The G35 standard suspension has about the same ride stiffness as the A4 and BMW sport suspensions. They both ride a bit better but I will know more after the G35 has gotten broken in. My wife's I30 loosened up quite a bit after 1000 miles or so (not so great in the I30's case..). The G35 suspension handles the pot holes and railroad tracks just as well as the BMW or Audi. As I have alluded to before I believe the G35 is just a good set of wheels and tires away from being a great handling vehicle even with the standard suspension. Now the new wheel/tire combo needs to weight around the same as the stock set....
Mike
The G35 suspension takes
Recall the intro of the TL-S and all the rave reviews when it came out. Now look at the boards and see all the complaints about squeaks, rattles, transmissions failing, etc. I'm sure a lot of current owners would have liked that information before they bought. Exclaiming about the good without discussing the bad does not make a better product or purchase.
Re post #2996, dealers don't have all that much choice in what they buy from the manufacturers. Very often, and especially with new models, the dealers are told what they will buy if they want to keep their allotments. They all buy them on credit, much as every well run business leverages its inventory. I will also bet that Infiniti, like virtually every manufacturer, extends credit to the dealers. There are also many other ways in which manufacturers subsidize dealers (holdbacks, advertising rebates and coop money, dealer cash and incentives on slow sellers and old inventory, etc.)
Premium package and sport package will be here in Portland come a week and a half from now. The dealer I'm 'working' with has a Desert Platinum, which I haven't seen, but it sounds like gray (which would work), coming in. Prem. pkg, sport susp., Nav sys., no aero-stuff, winter pkg., moonroof, and xenons. Pretty much the machine I'd order, cept for color. Tap, tap, tap....might have to swing by and see if I can pick out the Q they have which is the same color....then get ready for trade-in...ouch.
Great link posted earlier by Maybe35g, that was a very comprehensive article, and I have to admit, while the manumatic is neat, I know I'm not going to use it much...not much at all. I'm *very* happy they went with a 5-speed auto, instead of 4. That alone, for me, is worth it.
Thanks very much for the Nav info. Sounds neat, and better than having my GPS velcroed to the funky pop-up trash bin over the radio... ;-)
Even my wife like the looks of the car, which kind of shocked me. Maybe she's tired of my waffling. Oh, pet peeve, why in the hell did they not make the turn signals LED?! Fortunately, those can be 'replaced', but still, you'd think they would want to carry through the 'coolness'.
G35Mann