bmw dealers can charge MSRP because people who buy these cars are willing to pay for prestige and status. Infiniti can't do that because their customers want VALUE and reliability. Different demographics I suppose. In addition, most Infiniti buyers expect some discount since it's traditionally been the case. I'm sure a lot of shoppers are holding out until the demand for G35 cools off. On my way home everyday, I have to pass a local bmw dealership. Guess what, there must be forty 3series and twenty 5series sitting on the lot every week. Now is not a good time to be in bmw sales. Every manufacturer wants a piece of the pie.
Everyone is gunning for a piece of BMWs market. And with the increasing competition, the B marque is facing more and more pressure to keep ahead of the chase. Mercedes fired a shot across their bow with the release of the C230 coupe, a sub $30K rocket with wonderful handling, power, and the build quality and solidity MB is famous for. BMW does not have a car to counter it. Which brings me to my point - Why doesn't Infiniti revamp its G20 model?
There is a willing engine in the Sentra spec V, and this motor dropped onto the taut suspension of the existing G20 (lets call it the G25 now) would make for a really nice mid-$20s model for buyers who would rather buy a little less car - for $7-9K less then the G35. Which by the way, would run on 87 octane.
I think they are missing an opportunity to capture sales where only Acura competes with the RSX Compact Hatchback, which only has two doors.
will be broadcast on Thur.4/25/02 in the Baltimore, Md. area. Check your listings. BTW, I test drove one yesterday and what impressed me was how this vehicle changes lanes ........ like a slot-car hooked to a track ;-) Excellent steering feel.
I also liked the power ( who woud'nt ) and the ride quality which was well controlled and was able to absorb road bumps without being harsh. I'm really looking forward to the coupe. I think the coupe is one of the best looking cars Nissan/Infiniti has ever come out with. imho.
maybeg35: It was supposed to air this morning on SpeedVision Channel at 7:00 am. I put it to tape and will know if the episode of the g35 aired this morning when I get home this afternoon. My PBS station will air it this weekend I saw it previewed at the end of last week's show, they showed it in red (in the preview).
rshaw11: My wife has an 2002 Acura TL-s and I have the 2003 G35. I just got my 6-month payment statement from GEICO and I am paying about the same for each car around $580.00 each. I know the total is under $1,200.00 and when I looked at the columns the difference was only a few dollars between each car. Hope this helps.
The difference is because when 2.55% was stated, some of us ( me including ) assumed that it was the APR and not the money factor. In any case, when we use .00255 money factor in lease guide, the monthly payments excluding tax work out to $409 which sounds about right.
dikran. I think the difference between your number and the leaseguide number is because the residual is computed based on MRSP and not on the cap cost.
I'm still looking around for a decent lease deal on the G. Updates with lease quotes would be very welcome.
The Motorweek special will air in Houston on PBS Sunday, 4-21 at 11am.
Has anyone had the nerve to try plain unleaded gas instead of premium? Results? Some 'friends' think I should try but I love my new G way too much to do it first. And I don't want to lose any power.
There is no need to revamp the G20. The Skyline can be had with 2.5liter, 3.0liter or 3.5liter engine in Japan. They just need to bring the 2.5liter version over here and call it G25. Nothing beats a RWD; it's time to drop the FWD platform. Competition is good for all consumers. I'm sure bmw is not going to stand still in this market. And meanwhile, bmw fans can buy their blue and white propellers at a discount. See, G35 is good even for the bmw faithfuls. Only bmw dealerships and their sales staff would have a reason to be hateful of the new G.
In this little definition the board is starting to put together, several words are needed. One, as the discussion has made clear, is VALUE(it is the same basis that makes all Acura products appealing, all the way up to the RL), PERFORMANCE is certainly necessary (and obvious), AFFORDABILITY adds to the appeal (different from value, which is less related to $$), and something like "CONTEMPORARY" style (as opposed to the 'classic style' of the current BMW 3 or 5). Personally, because I really like the interior, I'd want to add something about 'functionalist' or 'MINIMALIST' interior design (vs. the 'decorative' Pontiac or 'industrial' CTS).
Am I leaving anything important out? This is quite a new car and I think it's really setting a new direction (if it catches on in the market. Where I live you go weeks without seeing an Infiniti of any sort or age). Certainly its appeal is subjective and individual, as is all appeal, but the product certainly fits a design niche. I wish a Nissan person who worked on the project was a poster on the board!
jwilson1... Think the word CHOICES is also important. That is where BMW 3 Series shines. Besides automatic and manual transmission choices, you can get convertible, station wagon, coupe, super-high performance model, AWD, and more. Hoping Infiniti sticks with G35 long enough to get serious about choices.
G35 in bad weather: location: minneapolis,mn.the weather at this time is blowing snow and temps around 20 degrees,during this 30 min. test drive i drove on freeways and unplowed streets. i felt 100% in control of the car at all times, there was never a problem cornering even on streets that were deeply rutted. i made a complete stop on a 20 degree hill and made it across an intersection clogged with 8" of new snow. this car drives wonderful in bad weather. you must keep the vdc on during this time. vdc is the skid control system from infiniti.take one out on a rainy day and see for yourself. did not try 0-60 speeds, you must be careful no matter what car you are driving in bad weather. the dealer was lupient infiniti, sales person was john haggerty he insisted i take the car out to make sure it would perform in bad weather. this post was taken from another post sorry dont remember which.
1. Bad time to be in BMW sales? Hardly. In the last year BMW sales increased 17%, probably more than any other manufacturer, while Detroit cars are dying. The rave reviews BMW gets from everybody, from Consumer Reports to Car & Driver, are driving sales way up. Owning a BMW dealership is a license to print money.
2. Motorweek? One cheer. They tend to praise virtually every car. Their criticisms are always mild and marginal. I wouldn't base any car-buying decision on their reviews. Their repair guy is usually trying to sell some product.
3. Insurance. I phoned my insurance company for an estimate on the G35, and it ran slightly below the TL-S, but HIGHER than the BMW 525. Go figure.
Got home and SpeedVision aired a repeat this morning at 7:00 am (the one with the Volvo) My PBS station will air it this weekend though, I hope.
For 6 months I am paying $594.00 for the 2003 G35 & $552.30 for the 2002 Acura TL-S. So like I said before not much of a difference at all.
Right now I am seeing a show called Voyages on the History International channel and it's about the history of the Nissan Z. Very cool show. They are repeating it at 4 or 5 am for those interested.
If you walk the dealer lots, there are bunches of cars with sunroof and Bose, but if you want Premium, they are few and far between. Deals are probably easier to get on the non-premium.
bmw dealerships are finally willing to give discounts, something they were always reluctant to do. The fact that bimmer guys can only criticize G35's interior is enough evidence that Infiniti has a real winner here. Can't wait for G35 coupe and 6speed to come out and turn up even more heat. Isn't competition great?
The BMW guys have criticised the overall performance, but not me because I have never driven one. Was it you in another thread that said the only think about the BMW nameplate is prestige? I got a laugh out of that one.
If you walk the dealer lots, there are bunches of cars with sunroof and Bose, but if you want Premium, they are few and far between. Deals are probably easier to get on the non-premium.
No. Don't put words in my mouth. I said a lot of people buy bmws because they think the bmw brand is more prestigious. I have never criticized bmw's performance in any way. And maybe they are the ultimate driving machines, but many people buy them because they are also the ultimate snob machines. I always thought the bmw dealerships are arrogant and pompous, but when I heard the story that bmwna refuses to ship the new MINIs to the dealers in Texas, I got a good laugh. Looks like these dealers got a taste of their own medicine.
one was going for almost $37K with the aero package and sport package at Infiniti in Stevens creek. I thought they were suppose to be "a bang for the buck" I want to get one, but 37K for a re-badge Nissan??? sounds steep!! any thoughts
A fully loaded G35 does indeed push close to 37k... but by eliminating just one uberluxury item; the Nav system, suddenly the price goes below 35k... and that is just one deletion that has no effect on the cars performance or even much in the area of enjoyability.
I don't think you can really call this car a rebadged Nissan, unless differences like rear wheel drive vs front wheel drive and completely different suspension systems are small things to you...
30 thousand "anything" is not cheap by anyone's standard, but what you are comparing here is not an "amount" of money, but what you would spend to get the G35 performance numbers if no G35's existed... In which case you would be spending much more to get the same performance level (with perhaps lesser reliability), or the same amount to get less.
I wrote a check for over 30 grand to get mine, and if anyone said it was "cheap" I would slap them, but if they said "great performance + reliability for that price" I would say... in your vernacular "Flippin'ay"
Looking at the last 20 posts or so, with the exception of kshapiro, I see some BMW owners coming to G35 discussion to smear some mud here or there.. What's up with that?
We gonna have to put up a password protection for this g35 forum :P
Seriously though, we have appropriate forum set up for that, it 's call BMW3 series vs G35. Both sides can sling all the mud we want in that forum.
As I've notice, it's been over 3 days since my last post in that sedan vs sedan forum and no one has care to challenge or respond to it. If BMW owners want to reconvene that discussion in that forum, I will be happy to meet them there.
Please, let us all enjoy our cars regardless of what it is and respect each other's forum
Wulp! Just came back from the Houston Auto show, and thought I would share my worthless two-cents with you folks.
I have yet to test drive the G35 - since I am waiting for the manual version to come out, I see no point in going to an Infiniti dealership and have a salesman pester me over the next year.
Here are my (very) subjective impressions on the G35. They had three of them there - a White loaded, a silver with sports suspension package, and a red leather model with sunroof only.
INTERIOR -
Some have said it feels cheap. About the only thing I thought felt cheap was the titanium center console on the sport model - too plasticly and I am sure it will scratch very easily (already saw some scratches). Other then that, I honestly felt there was no difference in the interior quality between a BMW 3er and an Audi A4.
If you want really split hairs, then Audi comes in at one, BMW at two, and the G35 at three. If it were not for the titanium console on the sports package, I would have rated the G35 at the same level as the BMW, but both one SMALL notch below the Audi A4 - but not by mcuh for either two compared to the Audi. Oh yeah - the Lexus IS300 interior felt worse in quality then my current Camry - LOL! No comparision there.
But the one area where the G35 wins hand down would have to be the steering wheel. It is thick, small in diameter - almost like those aftermarket MOMO wheels. Just damn perfect IMO. And I absolutely loved the steering wheel controls - something that was not there on the Audi or the Lexus. And those controls feel very intuitive!
The DVD navigation system - played around with it, liked it a lot, but not worth $2K. I do just fine with a $5 paper map, thank you.
EXTRIOR -
This is subjective in terms of design, but I would rate the Audi and the G35 at about equal, followed by the 3er, and last the IS300. Probably because the Audi and the G35 are the newest designs. The 3er IMO is beginning to show its age in its design, even with the recent refresh. The IS300 just looks too generic - no personality.
In fit and finish, they were all very good. Gaps and panel alignment were consistent across all four cars.
As for the complaints for the supposedly ugly rear end, I thought the G35 looks beautiful in the back. Especially loved how those red LEDs light up!
Under the hood (no problems with the prop-rod, btw), I did not have much trouble taking out the oil dipstick, or putting it back in. Tried a couple of times as well, no problems. The hardest part was the opening for the dipstick was little low and hard to see.
DEAL BREAKER -
For me, it would have to be that "bulge" that is in the transmission tunnel on the drivers side. Honestly - with electronic throttle control, they could have put the accelerator any where they wanted, so why put them all the way in the corner where it is hard to reach with that bulge getting in the way? A major ergonomic faux pas in an otherwise impeccable interior (in terms of ergonomics).
OTHER INFO -
Here are some tid bits I picked up talking to those Infiniti reps. First, Infiniti is considering bringing in AWD for the G35. It is not finalized, so who knows. Second, they do not know when the manual will be coming on the sedan (damn!), but it is scheduled to come in. As for a LSD, it has apparently not been decided yet for the sedan. Curiously, I spoke with two Infiniti guys and two Infiniti gals. Both guys understood the merits of LSD and why it should be included in a performance sports car. Both the ladies gave a similar line that since the G35 has sophisticated stability programs, there is no need for a LSD. Go figure.
(honest Sheriff PAT, I am not making a sexual sterotype - it's the truth. Please don't censor me!)
Another thing mentioned was that Infiniti is considering NOT bringing over a manual for the sedan - the sales volumes would not justify the cost of bringing them over. As always, take it with a big boulder of salt until the actual product is released (or not).
I have yet to drive the G35 or the Audi. I have driven the 3er, and am not plannning the drive the IS300 - not for me at all. So my impressions are simply whats on the "surface." The actual drive may give a completely different impression. Although, with 260 hp and a manual transmission hopefully), I already know where I will be leaning. But again, if during the drive I feel uncomfortable due to that transmission tunnel bulge, then I will not be buying the G35. It will be the deal breaker for me.
Interestingly enough, when I was there - a lot of young people (teens, 20s, 30s) were hovering around all these cars, but the group around the Cadillac CTS was distinctly older. I know some of the buyers for the G35 on this board are a little older then me (I am 25), but it just goes to show that no matter what Cadillac does it will still be percieved as your grandpa's Cadillac for the near term future at least.
Nice comments. Interestingly, when I read your comment about the transmission bulge I was puzzled because I didn't remember seeing this. So........I went down to the garage and sat in my G and sure enough, there was the bulge. For me, anyway, it doesn't touch my leg or have any effect. I guess if you're really heavy your thighs might force your legs out into the bulge and that would be uncomfortable. But I figure that anyone that is heavy will have a problem with the seat controls 'cause of their butt so they won't buy the car. A final note. On other G forums nobody has raised the "bulge" as a showstopper so I think that you don't need to worry about it.
Finally, do yourself a favor and go drive it. They won't pester you too much because they're too busy selling 'em. If they do tell them you bought a BMW or something to get them off of you. You're denying yourself a real thrill and a lot of nice anticipation by not experiencing this awesome car.
I finally got the chance to drive the G35 the other day. It was pretty much what I expected given some of the feedback I've read here and other places, so thanks to everyone.
I did think the brakes grabbed a little much, but by the end of the test drive, I was used to it, so it's not really that bad. I found the cabin to be really quiet at highway speeds, there was a slight hum -- but I couldn't tell if it was because of the tires or the road surface. I've noticed vast differences in my current car depending on which part of town I'm in. The cars on the dealer lot seemed to alternate back and forth between Goodyears and Bridgestones.
The other pedal -- the one on the right -- was very responsive. Okay, I know it was the engine, but it was enjoyable. I tried a couple of quick passes on the highway, accelerating from 50 or 60 up to 70 or 80. I didn't push it too hard and there seemed to be more than enough power in reserve. I also tried a couple of streets with speed limits of 30, 35 and 40. I didn't have any problems lunges or keeping the car stable. I did notice the RPMs were back and forth between 800/1k up to about 2.5k, but if I hadn't been watching for it, I doubt I would have noticed because the cabin is so quiet at those speeds. I also was "on the gas" pretty good through one spot were recent rains had caused a runoff. I just happened to notice the "slip" indicator, but didn't have any feedback that anything extraordinary was going on. I haven't decided if that's good or bad. No one else in the car knew I lost traction though, so it was very subtle.
Likewise, I had no problem with the steering. It was very crisp. After hearing how it might be sensitive like the brakes, I was surprised when it seemed less crisp than my current car. I did think the turn signal switch was shaped goofy. And I thought that finding the desired headlight settings wasn't very intuitive. I was very slightly disappointed that you can't use the fog lights -- in foggy conditions -- without the headlights being on also. At least, that was the conclusion we came to in the daytime, looking at the reflection from a pickup's backend. If that's really the case, I wonder how bad it would be in truly foggy conditions with the Xenons.
As I looked closer, there were just a few other things I thought I'd mention. Maybe it's just me, but I got the oddest feeling driving down the highway that I was in my mom's Voyager minivan. It was okay, because I was noticing how much better visibility I had and how high I seemed to be sitting, but it just felt odd. For reference, I have a '96 300ZX -- so, I sit pretty low, and the tires (and gobs of road noise) are only 6 inches behind me. I just felt it was closer to her car than mine since I wasn't so low, and was missing one of my pedals. The other thing is the footwell in rear. I also used to have a '97 Grand Prix, and I'd usually put my laptop in the floor of the backseat so it wouldn't slide around. It might fit upright in the G35, but it won't lay flat.
Another thing I wanted to check was the recirculating air setting on the auto climate control. My Z always has it turned off when I start the car, so I always hit that button first thing. The G35 didn't have a pattern I could determine. When we first got in, the recirculation was selected. After the test drive, we turned off the car, and right back on, the setting was gone. We set it, turned off, back on -- this time it stuck. We tried several different combinations of auto and manual settings and I couldn't tell for sure what it was going to do.
Overall, I was very happy with the G35. I can see why you owners have perpetual grins. I'll probably have to go back for another test drive at night to see about those guages and headlights. But to get all the options I wanted, I'm in the price range of the Passat W8 unless some of the dealers will honor the VPP program. None of the 3 around here seem willing even though they have 40-50 G35s on the lot each. I guess if MSRP is the measure of all things to them, I'll hold onto my MSRP$40k Nissan until I find the best combination of car and deal. It makes me wonder why they bother calling themselves "dealers" if they won't deal -- maybe they should just be called Infiniti middle-men. Or middle-persons, sorry Pat, I don't want to offend anyone.
Actually, I have never been accused of being heavy. I am 5'6", 135 lbs. Not heavy.
But my arms and legs are considerably longer in proportion to the rest of my body - may be that has something to do with it? My thigh does not touch the bulge - but my calf does. I don't know.
I also thought that the accelerator pedal was way too close to the center of the of the car - almost as if someone scooped out that area just so they could awkwardly place a throttle over there.
I would not mind it too much, except that I plan to get a manual version of the car, and throttle placement is paramount for proper heel-n-toe.
As I read these boards, I am finding it so interesting how varied we are in the things we find important in our cars.
Like maxcat1, I just had to go out to the garage to sit in my G to see what might be the problem with "the bulge". Honestly, I have 1200 miles on the car and couldn't have told you it had one. I'm 6 foot, 200 lbs, by the way.
As far as ride height, I did have a problem getting used to that. My last car was a Probe GT, which sat quite low to the ground. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to riding higher, now I don't notice it and the G feels perfect. Ditto the ride stiffness. I liked the stiff ride of my Probe, which was pretty extreme, and thought that I had made a mistake not getting the Sport suspension. Now I really appreciate the compliant, well damped ride of the G, which I find to be a good mix between ride and handling.
Some people on other boards have said that the lack of mirror adjustment in the seat memory settings was a deal breaker, others that the Infiniti rectangle on the trunk lid killed it for them, and still others that hate the metal finish of the steering wheel controls.
I guess what I take away from all of this is that you certainly get used to a lot of small differences over a short period of time, but that a deal breaker is a very personal thing. My advice would be, if you think something is a deal breaker, give it a second or third look before you write off the car. Its too good a car to pass up over a first take impression. And that rush of acceleration can wipe out a lot of objections, I found.
They made no extra comment about what I thought was an outstanding 60-0 of 115'. Most unusual thing was they raved about the interior. They stated that the Sport pack exhibited some hop and loss of traction over rough roads that the reg. car did not. Wierd kinda, never mentioned the competition other than to say the G was Germanic. As usual they said you're wasting your time shifting the manumatic, upshift hesitation, and jerking downshifts. And oh yeah they never mentioned "the bulge" that I mentioned on here months ago after sitting in the prototype. Only difference I see is the prototype bulge was not padded as the production model is. Have you noticed how cushy it is now compared to then?
I just got back from test driving a red/graphite/wood rocket. Nice. My only problems are what color, and do I need the sport suspension. I have always driven Nissan Z's(5 models) and 2 Maxima SE's, and like a firm suspension. I found the description from Car and Driver about the lateral wobble when starting a lane change to be true, and am curious if the sport suspension would make a difference. Any recommendations?
Welcome to the forum. You have found the G35, gotta-havit hotline you are looking for!
On the sport suspension, be sure to drive them both, if you can. It seems to be a personal preference thing. Some have found the sport suspension too harsh. I drove both my own standard suspension G35 and a Sport model over the same routes and didn't feel much difference. I came away happy with my own choice. I like the graphite/wood combo and you can't get the wood with the Sport, though you can have the dealer swap it or change it after purchase. You get the "titanium" center console, which I think looks like silver painted plastic and I think it will look crappy over time. However, the Sport wheels look better to me than the other 17" wheels that come on the Luxury models. Its all personal choice. I think that the standard suspension is a nice combination of good handling and ride.
Also, consider the Nav system. I'm a little unhappy that I didn't look more closely at the Nav. Its very cool, the way it pops up out of the center dash and tilts. I also love features like average mpg, miles til empty, estimated arrival time, etc, which some cars have standard on a trip computer, even though I rarely drive places that I need navigation. In the G35, these features are available in the Nav screen. Also, most people find the Infiniti clock hard to read, especially at night. The Nav has a digital clock in the screen.
Of course, colors are a very personal choice. Just try to see them all before you decide. Some people who don't like green just love the green on the G. I bought the Twilight Blue when I saw it along side all of the other colors.
Look back through previous pages on this forum for lots of opinions on the things you are thinking about. Also try freshalloy.com. They have a very active G35 forum.
I saw maybeg35 saw the Motorweek episode of the G35. I just finished seeing it myself. It was a red G35 with sports suspension and Willow interior. They loved the steering ratio, which I think they said was 15.9 They also loved the interior with their only major complaint being the some want cramped rear compartment. They praised the trunk as easy to load.
0-60: 6.2 sec 60-0: 115 feet 1/4 mile: 14.8 sec at 95 MPH They stated peak power at 4800 RPM
I'm not a big guy but I do have very limited mobility, so most backseats are still quite uncomfortable and I found the rear seats of the G35 comfy and easy to use. The two things that kill me in cars with backseats are low rear seats and low front seats that you can't put your feet under. The G's higher rear seat and roomy footspace under the fronts make riding the back a fine deal.
I also saw the motorweek G35 test. They made one negative comment about the sport suspension.. something about skittish..... and said the standard was better in that respect. Does anyone remember what was said?
I'm curious what you consider "roomy" footspace. One of my best friends is 6'11" with size 17 shoes. He can't fit in the back of most cars, and if he's in the front, the rear seats are very tight. I found the G35 to have a lot less room than the Acura TL-S, A6, or Passat. Granted, most people aren't mutants like my friend, but for such a long wheelbase, I thought the footspace in the front and rear of the G35 to be smaller than I would have expected.
I carefully compared the back seats of both TLS and G35. The G35's is higher and the seat itself is also deeper. That gives an impression of shorter leg room because the back of front seat is normally tiled back. On the other hand TLS is lower and the seat itself is also shorter, which gives an impression that space between front and back seat is wider. Realistically, a tall guy can fit better in TLS simply because he is almost like sitting on the floor with his knees pointing upward. It may not be a really comfortable position because not much leg support. One the other hand, average height people (like myself) will find G35's back seat more comfortable because of more leg support.
thanks, I hadn't really had a chance to compare leg room, since my legs are always the same length. The biggest difference I was noticiing was the footwell -- where in my Grand Prix, my laptop had enough room to lay flat, it doesn't in the G35. I think it would be tight in the TL-S too, though. Again, I was just surprised given the supposed advantage the G35 should have with a longer wheel-base. I guess a lot more of that room is eaten by the engine in the front-midship design by placing the engine further back from the front axle.
I just put down a deposit on a Desert Platinum with a Willow Leather interior. Only extra/package I got was a sunroof. This is my first RWD. Anyone have experience driving the G35 on a wet, rainy road-or even better, snow? I pushed it hard today on a slightly wet road. It tended to slip a bit, but seemed pretty good. Also trying to decide whether to lease (based on the price I negotiated) or buy it. Since it's a new car, not sure if value after 36months will be what projected in residual (57%), so don't know if I should "risk" a purchase. Last, I read that boomer23 mentioned having the dealer swap the cheap-lloking "metal" for wood on the sport model. Is that also possible to do on the Leather model? Mine is without the wood (have to get premium package etc. to get wood) and I would love the wood trim if possible?
Here are the numbers on my deal over the phone. Nothing signed yet. G35 with Bose, sunroof and winter package = $28,950 invoice according to Kelly Blue Book. Add the $375 for advertising (debatable whether this should be counted towards invoice) and the total invoice is $29,325. Dealer offered me $30,200. That's $875 over invoice and approximately $1800 under sticker. I told you prices were going down tiger8.
There's a couple of brief comments before that one in the past 200+ posts too. I was also looking for commentary on the wet stuff too... haven't seen any negatives yet, but there aren't that many posts yet either.
The deal I signed was for 28,690, while MSRP was 30,495. I got the Leather model with sunroof only. Would have liked the winter package, but all the cars with it also had premium package, which I didn't want to have to pay for. According to the invoice, dealer cost was 27990, but I know there's also a 2% holdback the dealer gets. I feel pretty good about the deal, considering the Acura TL and Passat V6 GLX were both a few bucks more and it's a new model with great reviews. Honda and VW take advantage of new models and their name to charge MSRP or higher on their new models.
g35driver, I have no first-hand experience, but from what I've read here, swapping in the wood touches on the door handles and the shift knob is a quickly done operation and should be able to be done on any G35. You might try negotiating it in at a discount on your purchase. You could also have it done after purchase by having the parts department order the wood pieces and having them install it. One other option might be getting the wood pieces from Infinitiparts.com, if they are available. I haven't checked.
I think that the wood adds the needed quality feel to the interior. My wife says she loves the feel of the door handles.
I only wear size 11's, so I'm not packing boats like your friend. I only notice footspace because it's a valuable commodity in most vehicles. One guy wrote to you regarding cars where you sit lower and your knees point straight up, well that's a physical impossibility for me, so I'd be extremely uncomfortable. For instance, the Accord/TL are supposed to be pretty roomy but for me it's a version of hell. I'll take sitting in the back of my Jetta ANY day over an Accord. The low rear seat, matched with the low front seat make riding in an Accord horrendously uncomfortable. On the other hand, my friend's G is shockingly comfy. I've ridden in the back for 30 minute stretches and never did I feel cramped.
I'm still laughing at everyone who said you wouldn't be able to buy one these for anything less than the mid 30's. I said I'd be able to pick this thing up for $27K or $28K and that was a huge advantage over Acura and BMW. It looks like it might even be possible to get a stripped version for less than $27K. Much more car for the money than any of the competition. I mean, it's not even close.
Now, is this Wood the real thing, or fake plastic? I am also referring to the aftermarket stuff at Infinitiparts.net - are their wood packages the real stuff or fake plastic?
After sitting in the car at the auto show and seeing the cheap titanium console, I am convinced that it needs to be covered with some wood.
Comments
Value at a luxury dealer... now there's an oxymoron.
There is a willing engine in the Sentra spec V, and this motor dropped onto the taut suspension of the existing G20 (lets call it the G25 now) would make for a really nice mid-$20s model for buyers who would rather buy a little less car - for $7-9K less then the G35. Which by the way, would run on 87 octane.
I think they are missing an opportunity to capture sales where only Acura competes with the RSX Compact Hatchback, which only has two doors.
I test drove one yesterday and what impressed me was how this vehicle changes lanes
........ like a slot-car hooked to a track ;-) Excellent steering feel.
I also liked the power ( who woud'nt ) and the ride quality which was well controlled
and was able to absorb road bumps without being harsh. I'm really looking forward
to the coupe. I think the coupe is one of the best looking cars Nissan/Infiniti has
ever come out with. imho.
I put it to tape and will know if the episode of the g35 aired this morning when I get home this afternoon. My PBS station will air it this weekend I saw it previewed at the end of last week's show, they showed it in red (in the preview).
rshaw11: My wife has an 2002 Acura TL-s and I have the 2003 G35. I just got my 6-month payment statement from GEICO and I am paying about the same for each car around $580.00 each. I know the total is under $1,200.00 and when I looked at the columns the difference was only a few dollars between each car. Hope this helps.
$409 which sounds about right.
dikran. I think the difference between your number and the leaseguide number is because the residual is computed based on MRSP and not on the cap cost.
I'm still looking around for a decent lease deal on the G. Updates with lease quotes would be very welcome.
TIA
Has anyone had the nerve to try plain unleaded gas instead of premium? Results? Some 'friends' think I should try but I love my new G way too much to do it first. And I don't want to lose any power.
Competition is good for all consumers. I'm sure bmw is not going to stand still in this market. And meanwhile, bmw fans can buy their blue and white propellers at a discount. See, G35 is good even for the bmw faithfuls. Only bmw dealerships and their sales staff would have a reason to be hateful of the new G.
Am I leaving anything important out? This is quite a new car and I think it's really setting a new direction (if it catches on in the market. Where I live you go weeks without seeing an Infiniti of any sort or age). Certainly its appeal is subjective and individual, as is all appeal, but the product certainly fits a design niche. I wish a Nissan person who worked on the project was a poster on the board!
Take care.
Joe W.
2. Motorweek? One cheer. They tend to praise virtually every car. Their criticisms are always mild and marginal. I wouldn't base any car-buying decision on their reviews. Their repair guy is usually trying to sell some product.
3. Insurance. I phoned my insurance company for an estimate on the G35, and it ran slightly below the TL-S, but HIGHER than the BMW 525. Go figure.
Insurance: the 525 isn't perceived as a "sports" vehicle as much as the "G." The marketing, for example .....
Have a good weekend!
Joe W.
For 6 months I am paying $594.00 for the 2003 G35 & $552.30 for the 2002 Acura TL-S. So like I said before not much of a difference at all.
Right now I am seeing a show called Voyages on the History International channel and it's about the history of the Nissan Z. Very cool show. They are repeating it at 4 or 5 am for those interested.
I don't think you can really call this car a rebadged Nissan, unless differences like rear wheel drive vs front wheel drive and completely different suspension systems are small things to you...
30 thousand "anything" is not cheap by anyone's standard, but what you are comparing here is not an "amount" of money, but what you would spend to get the G35 performance numbers if no G35's existed... In which case you would be spending much more to get the same performance level (with perhaps lesser reliability), or the same amount to get less.
I wrote a check for over 30 grand to get mine, and if anyone said it was "cheap" I would slap them, but if they said "great performance + reliability for that price" I would say... in your vernacular "Flippin'ay"
Faenor/Dane4
We gonna have to put up a password protection for this g35 forum :P
Seriously though, we have appropriate forum set up for that, it 's call BMW3 series vs G35. Both sides can sling all the mud we want in that forum.
As I've notice, it's been over 3 days since my last post in that sedan vs sedan forum and no one has care to challenge or respond to it. If BMW owners want to reconvene that discussion in that forum, I will be happy to meet them there.
Please, let us all enjoy our cars regardless of what it is and respect each other's forum
Thanks,
Tony
I have yet to test drive the G35 - since I am waiting for the manual version to come out, I see no point in going to an Infiniti dealership and have a salesman pester me over the next year.
Here are my (very) subjective impressions on the G35. They had three of them there - a White loaded, a silver with sports suspension package, and a red leather model with sunroof only.
INTERIOR -
Some have said it feels cheap. About the only thing I thought felt cheap was the titanium center console on the sport model - too plasticly and I am sure it will scratch very easily (already saw some scratches). Other then that, I honestly felt there was no difference in the interior quality between a BMW 3er and an Audi A4.
If you want really split hairs, then Audi comes in at one, BMW at two, and the G35 at three. If it were not for the titanium console on the sports package, I would have rated the G35 at the same level as the BMW, but both one SMALL notch below the Audi A4 - but not by mcuh for either two compared to the Audi. Oh yeah - the Lexus IS300 interior felt worse in quality then my current Camry - LOL! No comparision there.
But the one area where the G35 wins hand down would have to be the steering wheel. It is thick, small in diameter - almost like those aftermarket MOMO wheels. Just damn perfect IMO. And I absolutely loved the steering wheel controls - something that was not there on the Audi or the Lexus. And those controls feel very intuitive!
The DVD navigation system - played around with it, liked it a lot, but not worth $2K. I do just fine with a $5 paper map, thank you.
EXTRIOR -
This is subjective in terms of design, but I would rate the Audi and the G35 at about equal, followed by the 3er, and last the IS300. Probably because the Audi and the G35 are the newest designs. The 3er IMO is beginning to show its age in its design, even with the recent refresh. The IS300 just looks too generic - no personality.
In fit and finish, they were all very good. Gaps and panel alignment were consistent across all four cars.
As for the complaints for the supposedly ugly rear end, I thought the G35 looks beautiful in the back. Especially loved how those red LEDs light up!
Under the hood (no problems with the prop-rod, btw), I did not have much trouble taking out the oil dipstick, or putting it back in. Tried a couple of times as well, no problems. The hardest part was the opening for the dipstick was little low and hard to see.
DEAL BREAKER -
For me, it would have to be that "bulge" that is in the transmission tunnel on the drivers side. Honestly - with electronic throttle control, they could have put the accelerator any where they wanted, so why put them all the way in the corner where it is hard to reach with that bulge getting in the way? A major ergonomic faux pas in an otherwise impeccable interior (in terms of ergonomics).
OTHER INFO -
Here are some tid bits I picked up talking to those Infiniti reps. First, Infiniti is considering bringing in AWD for the G35. It is not finalized, so who knows. Second, they do not know when the manual will be coming on the sedan (damn!), but it is scheduled to come in. As for a LSD, it has apparently not been decided yet for the sedan. Curiously, I spoke with two Infiniti guys and two Infiniti gals. Both guys understood the merits of LSD and why it should be included in a performance sports car. Both the ladies gave a similar line that since the G35 has sophisticated stability programs, there is no need for a LSD. Go figure.
(honest Sheriff PAT, I am not making a sexual sterotype - it's the truth. Please don't censor me!)
Another thing mentioned was that Infiniti is considering NOT bringing over a manual for the sedan - the sales volumes would not justify the cost of bringing them over. As always, take it with a big boulder of salt until the actual product is released (or not).
I have yet to drive the G35 or the Audi. I have driven the 3er, and am not plannning the drive the IS300 - not for me at all. So my impressions are simply whats on the "surface." The actual drive may give a completely different impression. Although, with 260 hp and a manual transmission hopefully), I already know where I will be leaning. But again, if during the drive I feel uncomfortable due to that transmission tunnel bulge, then I will not be buying the G35. It will be the deal breaker for me.
Interestingly enough, when I was there - a lot of young people (teens, 20s, 30s) were hovering around all these cars, but the group around the Cadillac CTS was distinctly older. I know some of the buyers for the G35 on this board are a little older then me (I am 25), but it just goes to show that no matter what Cadillac does it will still be percieved as your grandpa's Cadillac for the near term future at least.
Nice comments. Interestingly, when I read your comment about the transmission bulge I was puzzled because I didn't remember seeing this. So........I went down to the garage and sat in my G and sure enough, there was the bulge. For me, anyway, it doesn't touch my leg or have any effect. I guess if you're really heavy your thighs might force your legs out into the bulge and that would be uncomfortable. But I figure that anyone that is heavy will have a problem with the seat controls 'cause of their butt so they won't buy the car. A final note. On other G forums nobody has raised the "bulge" as a showstopper so I think that you don't need to worry about it.
Finally, do yourself a favor and go drive it. They won't pester you too much because they're too busy selling 'em. If they do tell them you bought a BMW or something to get them off of you.
You're denying yourself a real thrill and a lot of nice anticipation by not experiencing this awesome car.
I did think the brakes grabbed a little much, but by the end of the test drive, I was used to it, so it's not really that bad. I found the cabin to be really quiet at highway speeds, there was a slight hum -- but I couldn't tell if it was because of the tires or the road surface. I've noticed vast differences in my current car depending on which part of town I'm in. The cars on the dealer lot seemed to alternate back and forth between Goodyears and Bridgestones.
The other pedal -- the one on the right -- was very responsive. Okay, I know it was the engine, but it was enjoyable. I tried a couple of quick passes on the highway, accelerating from 50 or 60 up to 70 or 80. I didn't push it too hard and there seemed to be more than enough power in reserve. I also tried a couple of streets with speed limits of 30, 35 and 40. I didn't have any problems lunges or keeping the car stable. I did notice the RPMs were back and forth between 800/1k up to about 2.5k, but if I hadn't been watching for it, I doubt I would have noticed because the cabin is so quiet at those speeds. I also was "on the gas" pretty good through one spot were recent rains had caused a runoff. I just happened to notice the "slip" indicator, but didn't have any feedback that anything extraordinary was going on. I haven't decided if that's good or bad. No one else in the car knew I lost traction though, so it was very subtle.
Likewise, I had no problem with the steering. It was very crisp. After hearing how it might be sensitive like the brakes, I was surprised when it seemed less crisp than my current car. I did think the turn signal switch was shaped goofy. And I thought that finding the desired headlight settings wasn't very intuitive. I was very slightly disappointed that you can't use the fog lights -- in foggy conditions -- without the headlights being on also. At least, that was the conclusion we came to in the daytime, looking at the reflection from a pickup's backend. If that's really the case, I wonder how bad it would be in truly foggy conditions with the Xenons.
As I looked closer, there were just a few other things I thought I'd mention. Maybe it's just me, but I got the oddest feeling driving down the highway that I was in my mom's Voyager minivan. It was okay, because I was noticing how much better visibility I had and how high I seemed to be sitting, but it just felt odd. For reference, I have a '96 300ZX -- so, I sit pretty low, and the tires (and gobs of road noise) are only 6 inches behind me. I just felt it was closer to her car than mine since I wasn't so low, and was missing one of my pedals. The other thing is the footwell in rear. I also used to have a '97 Grand Prix, and I'd usually put my laptop in the floor of the backseat so it wouldn't slide around. It might fit upright in the G35, but it won't lay flat.
Another thing I wanted to check was the recirculating air setting on the auto climate control. My Z always has it turned off when I start the car, so I always hit that button first thing. The G35 didn't have a pattern I could determine. When we first got in, the recirculation was selected. After the test drive, we turned off the car, and right back on, the setting was gone. We set it, turned off, back on -- this time it stuck. We tried several different combinations of auto and manual settings and I couldn't tell for sure what it was going to do.
Overall, I was very happy with the G35. I can see why you owners have perpetual grins. I'll probably have to go back for another test drive at night to see about those guages and headlights. But to get all the options I wanted, I'm in the price range of the Passat W8 unless some of the dealers will honor the VPP program. None of the 3 around here seem willing even though they have 40-50 G35s on the lot each. I guess if MSRP is the measure of all things to them, I'll hold onto my MSRP$40k Nissan until I find the best combination of car and deal. It makes me wonder why they bother calling themselves "dealers" if they won't deal -- maybe they should just be called Infiniti middle-men. Or middle-persons, sorry Pat, I don't want to offend anyone.
Scott
Actually, I have never been accused of being heavy. I am 5'6", 135 lbs. Not heavy.
But my arms and legs are considerably longer in proportion to the rest of my body - may be that has something to do with it? My thigh does not touch the bulge - but my calf does. I don't know.
I also thought that the accelerator pedal was way too close to the center of the of the car - almost as if someone scooped out that area just so they could awkwardly place a throttle over there.
I would not mind it too much, except that I plan to get a manual version of the car, and throttle placement is paramount for proper heel-n-toe.
Like maxcat1, I just had to go out to the garage to sit in my G to see what might be the problem with "the bulge". Honestly, I have 1200 miles on the car and couldn't have told you it had one. I'm 6 foot, 200 lbs, by the way.
As far as ride height, I did have a problem getting used to that. My last car was a Probe GT, which sat quite low to the ground. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to riding higher, now I don't notice it and the G feels perfect. Ditto the ride stiffness. I liked the stiff ride of my Probe, which was pretty extreme, and thought that I had made a mistake not getting the Sport suspension. Now I really appreciate the compliant, well damped ride of the G, which I find to be a good mix between ride and handling.
Some people on other boards have said that the lack of mirror adjustment in the seat memory settings was a deal breaker, others that the Infiniti rectangle on the trunk lid killed it for them, and still others that hate the metal finish of the steering wheel controls.
I guess what I take away from all of this is that you certainly get used to a lot of small differences over a short period of time, but that a deal breaker is a very personal thing. My advice would be, if you think something is a deal breaker, give it a second or third look before you write off the car. Its too good a car to pass up over a first take impression. And that rush of acceleration can wipe out a lot of objections, I found.
And oh yeah they never mentioned "the bulge" that I mentioned on here months ago after sitting in the prototype. Only difference I see is the prototype bulge was not padded as the production model is. Have you noticed how cushy it is now compared to then?
Nice. My only problems are what color, and do I need the sport suspension.
I have always driven Nissan Z's(5 models) and 2 Maxima SE's, and like a firm suspension.
I found the description from Car and Driver about the lateral wobble when starting a lane change to be true, and am curious if the sport suspension would make a difference.
Any recommendations?
On the sport suspension, be sure to drive them both, if you can. It seems to be a personal preference thing. Some have found the sport suspension too harsh. I drove both my own standard suspension G35 and a Sport model over the same routes and didn't feel much difference. I came away happy with my own choice. I like the graphite/wood combo and you can't get the wood with the Sport, though you can have the dealer swap it or change it after purchase. You get the "titanium" center console, which I think looks like silver painted plastic and I think it will look crappy over time. However, the Sport wheels look better to me than the other 17" wheels that come on the Luxury models. Its all personal choice. I think that the standard suspension is a nice combination of good handling and ride.
Also, consider the Nav system. I'm a little unhappy that I didn't look more closely at the Nav. Its very cool, the way it pops up out of the center dash and tilts. I also love features like average mpg, miles til empty, estimated arrival time, etc, which some cars have standard on a trip computer, even though I rarely drive places that I need navigation. In the G35, these features are available in the Nav screen. Also, most people find the Infiniti clock hard to read, especially at night. The Nav has a digital clock in the screen.
Of course, colors are a very personal choice. Just try to see them all before you decide. Some people who don't like green just love the green on the G. I bought the Twilight Blue when I saw it along side all of the other colors.
Look back through previous pages on this forum for lots of opinions on the things you are thinking about. Also try freshalloy.com. They have a very active G35 forum.
Good luck and enjoy your search.
0-60: 6.2 sec
60-0: 115 feet
1/4 mile: 14.8 sec at 95 MPH
They stated peak power at 4800 RPM
The dealer was incorrect. The interest rate is not 2.55. That was the money factor (.00255). the interest rate was about 6%.
Scott
Scott
I think that the wood adds the needed quality feel to the interior. My wife says she loves the feel of the door handles.
After sitting in the car at the auto show and seeing the cheap titanium console, I am convinced that it needs to be covered with some wood.
Paul red G35
El Cajon, California