I don't think so because the coupe edged out the G coupe on the 0-60 mano a mano. You might want to read the whole article and then check out the stats at the end.
With the BMW 0-60 5.9 and the G Coupe 0-60 6.0 (a really big difference) 0-100 BMW 15.4 G Coupe 14.6...but wait...just a little further down...top speed BMW 123 mph G Coupe 142 mph. Like I said nothing but the rear end!
Ummm I still don't think so. There is no place in the US you can legally drive at 100mph or more. So if you are talking about a race track, I guess that depends on a lot of factors. If you are illegally dragging on the street, then yes, above 60 at some point the G will have a slight edge, but not enough to see the taillights, and both risk the potential for being thrown in jail.
But I guess we're at the point in the conversation, where we need to be talking about hypothetically going 120 or more to have to G have any real edge. Like on the Autobahn.
I'm surprised a bimmer fan would be that obssessed with the 0-60 and 0-100 numbers. G35 coupe's 0.92g skidpad and 67.7mph slalom numbers are much more impressive IMO.
Those are very interesting slalom numbers. Any speculation on why this car would outrun a 350Z on a track, when the Z has (at least on paper) more power, less weight and the more sport-oriented suspension, along with (presumably) equal or better tires and equal or better braking? Is the weight balance on the G35 better suited for track runs? Is it 50-50 or biased to the rear?
You can get a ticket for "display of speed" or racing going 0-60 so running your G35 up to 140 or so on a long mile or so straight away. It's illegal too. Pick your crime.
I think the main reason the BMW was able to keep pace 0-60 was because of gearing. I recall someone who had test driven the G35C 6spd saying that the car tops out at 56 in 2nd gear. If the G's 2nd gear was a little longer and allowed the car to hit 60 without shifting to 3rd I'm pretty sure the G35C would've outrun the 330Ci. But of course unless you always floor it right up exactly to 60mph and then hold a constant speed, this shouldn't be that big a deal. With it's torque advantage the G35C should feel quicker than the BMW at most speeds.
In all do respect guys..(kdshapiro, neo_gtrw, greddygtr, etc) shouldn't you take this to the comparison thread.
I hear enough of this bickering on the comparison threads. I do not want to hear it on the car specific thread. I visit the BMW threads to follow BMW specific topics. Likewise, I visit the G35 sedan and coupe threads to follow G35 topics.
If G35 interested buyers and owners want to talk freely about an Automag result, then they should be able to without having to defend their views and opinions from a BMW "fan".
Kdshapiro, have enough respect to let people talk on this thread without having no recourse to respond to your counterpoint comments on THIS thread. I'm sure that the BMW fans would expect the same respect from G35 fans that visited the BMW threads.
Fortunately for all of us that have different opinions, Edmund's provides us with two very active and heated G35 vs. BMW threads. See you there!
Mark - I do have respect and plenty of it. I wish I were treated with the same respect from some posters. If someone came into the BMW forum and said car X was this or that or the other thing inviting a comparision, I would respond accordingly.
You may notice in the BMW thread comparisions are few and far in-between. Those are left to the appropriate comparision thread.
I always am on the lookout for the g35 since there aren't many around. After reading all the reviews of the coupe out this month and seeing one of the two red ones in the pictures almost every time, I guess I was watching for the g35c, too. Yesterday, I thought I saw one.
It was in a huge parking lot, and nearly 200 yards away, bright red and sparkling, and I could see it from the front 1/4. Well, the sane part of me knew they weren't here yet, not really, but I couldn't think of a similar looking car, from any angle.
As I got even closer it gradually transformed into a Solara. Of all things.
Well, I guess it has to look like something ... but what do you think? Am I a)nuts b)ignorant c)recognizing pretty similar lines? (I put in a and b for you. Flame on.)
...am casting lustful glances toward the G35c. Wish I weren't so fickle, as the coupe will set me back just under 36 large bottom line out the door. Solara gets great fuel econ., costs peanuts to maintain and actually has a decent 5-speed and clutch. So why am I hot for the G35c. Three words: suspension, leathor and presence. A fitting replacement for the Supra I lost to a mouth-breather with poor reflexes (and a prediliction to inattention). ez..
I read your post re: the suspected G35c slowly turning into a Solara. So yesterday I was driving and was behind a Solara. I thought of your post and having seen the G35c up close (I went to a dealer preview and sat in it and walked around it probably 20 times) I'd say you have the sounds of a man in a desert thirsty for water and you spotted an oasis that was a mirage (and not a Mitsubishi, haha).
Maybe from a long distance (i.e. the old "good from far but far from good" deal).....but when you see more of the G35c you'll understand what I'm talking about. I find the G35c to be a real hot looking car but if you need a practical (read you have wife, kids, etc.) vehicle it probably won't do. I'm still moderately considering the coupe for my next vehicle but will probably end up with the sedan. If I get the coupe it will be because I keep my 96 Grand Cherokee as a secondary vehicle for my "family" needs and the G35c will be my play car during the week.
This is the best looking car that I've seen in years. I have a love for most cars especially cps. And I've had a couple (95 bmw 325is and 98 mb,slk etc.) in my time. But this is the first time that I've been moved by a car in yrs. The last time this happened it was the toyota camry 92. And I bought that car. I can't wait to see the new G35c rolling down the street. The more pictures I see the more I want it. But I have to wait and see it in person and drive it before I can be sold. I just hope it drives as good as it looks or even half as good. I wonder if my son can fit in the back comfortable? Thats not gonna stop me.
I can (in a very remote way) see where the Sloara comment came from. In the mag pictures (side view)the car does appear to very long and thus the similarity to the Solara. Tomorrow the rep is stopping in my town with the red protype. I will let you all know how it looks in person. Hope it looks as good in person as it does in all of the reveiws. The latest picutes I saw today in a mag were of the coupe in the new light blue metalic color. Nice color for a Altima or Sentra, but not for the G35c.
I just wish Infiniti could have mustered the will-power and gave the coupe a distinct interior from the sedan. I'm not impressed with the faux platinumoid finish on the hard plastic. It's not going to wear well over time...
I got to sit in the G35 coupe at the auto show at the Texas fair last week. I have to say it is one sweet coupe. The interior trim is excellent, and the back seat is actually very roomy (comfortable for 2). The tailpipes on this car are huge (like the Z). I think the spec sheet said 280 hp, 290 ft. lbs torque. If that's true this car should fly!
Today the Infiniti rep came to town with the Red coupe. Let me first say that the Red in person (in bright sunlight) looks even better in person than in the recent photos in the magazines. I was told repeatedly last week that the Infiniti dealer sales staff would not be allowed to drive the car or even go for a ride so therefore, no customers would be allowed to drive or be taken for a test drive either. They were wrong. The rep was very cool and let me and one other customer take the car for a short test drive.
I had to do that. Just wanted to see if anyone was still alive. Let me preface by saying that the coupe I drove had the sedan engine in it (260hp). If I understood the rep, the actual production coupe will spec out at 280 hp, I can't remember what he said for torque. First my nit picking complaints- 1. Anyone 6' or taller will hit the rear glass. 2. Not happy that there is no such thing as a 18" tire that is all season rated. 3. Controls especially the climate could have been better thought out. That's it from the complaint Dept. Now to the good stuff. If you have seen the recent articles, you know the the red coupe looks great, but it looks killer in person. Other than the height issue in the back, there is plenty of room in the back, hell if they are over 6', letum drive their own car. The charcoal interior with the brushed aluminum looked very classy. The fronts seat bottoms were longer than in the sedan and more comfortable, one of the best sport bucket seats I have sat in. The car out goes like a bat out of hell with the 6 speed and handles very well. With the increased torque and HP, it is going to scary. Is it Saab that says" people who test drive a Saab usually buy one"? When the dealers get their first demo coupe in, this will be the case. When I came back from my test drive it was all over for me. There was one red/6 speed with premium due in around mid December that was unaccounted for before my test drive. It now has my name on it. What else can I tell you?
If so, lots more to be told: how were the gates, the throw, the feedback? If you had long enough, how was the steering feedback? How does the ride compare to the sedan's? And on and on and on.
Just wondering if anyone who has ordered the car is paying at or below MSRP? Went to 3 dealerships in New Jersey area 2 would not go below MSRP and 1 knocked a few dollars off. How about you "Jaydoll", did you get a good deal?
I seriously think this paint is as thin as the allowance my wife gives me. Good grief! Just 3 months old, has 7000 miles on it and I have little gray dots all over the front hood and fenders ..even one on the passengers door pillar. Geeez. I don’t tailgate as a habit and I go to great lengths to stay out of the path of trucks spraying up road debris and dirt but nonetheless I have dots all over the front of my pretty red car.
Is it just the red paint or is this common with all the colors? (Silver wouldn’t show if the primer is the same color as my car.)
So what’s up with that?
Roll with 9 visible-to-the-eye primer dots and counting.....
PS Nine doesn't sound like much but it's all I see when I wash the car or walk around the car to admire the fine lines of a well designed machine.
Hello all this is the fist time that I've evey posted on a BBS but your comments and the beauty of this car inspired me, so what can I say. After drooling over the G35 sedan and going crazy after seeing the G35 coupe I took a spin to Infiniti of Ardmore (PA just outside of Philadelphia) to take a look. I missed the red pre-production version by a day but took a G35 in deset sand I beleive, for a test drive. it was an automatic but had great acceleration and was a joy to drive. It beat the performace of my current car (1996 Mazda Millenia S 210 hp, miller cycle engine ) and I couldn't beleive that it even felt more stable. Style wise the 1995-1998 millenia was always my fave by this blew it away. Figuring that the G35 coupe has more tourque and HP then the sedan, it can only be a winner so like an spur of the moment 28 yr old guy with no kids I pre ordered the vehicle. Unfortunately mine will not be available for pickup untill mid feb of 2003 due to demand. As far as the pricing goes the gave it to me at about 250 of the invoice but after I got all the options I wanted i was looking at $36,000+ before the bank financing charges. With $10,000 down and no trade (I just paid off the Millenia and the G35c I picked comes with summer tires and anyone who lives in Philadelphia know the road are crappy to begin with and Feb is our snow season) The monthly payments come to abt $410. A potential problem is insurance. Does anyone know the diccerence in rates bet the sedan and coupe? My insurance co didn't have any data on the coupe and told me the sedan with max coverage would be about 280 a month. Also does anyone know if there are aftermarket all season tires I can put on this puppie? Any help would be appricated. Post here or email me at arii_s@hotmail.com..thanks all for your time.
I ordered the 6speed manual a couple of months ago and the dealer agreed to knock just 300 off the msrp. i haven't decided whether to go for the lease or not--i was thinking 4 or 5 years on a first production year car might be the safest bet, and then let myself decide if i wanted to buy it out in the end. I'm making a considerable jump up here--this is my first new car, recently out of college. I didn't get to drive the coupe like jaydoll, but i have basically the same impression--back seats are a little small, but hey, they exist unlike the Z; sucks that i have to buy winter 18" tires (i live in cincinnati now, not sure if the winters get too bad); and finally, i am baffled by infiniti's packages--the dealer i went to claimed you can't get the 6MT without the premium package. i would prefer to keep it simpler for affordability's sake, but they seem to be strong-arming me into the extra 2 grand. Other than that--i've been looking for a car for almost two years now, and this is my choice. i've gone from the saab 9-5 aero to the lexus IS300 to the subaru wrx to the bmw 330i. i went to the infiniti dealer 3 times to drive the g35 sedan. then i saw the coupe and, well, the rest is history.
If you folks want to check the appropriate discussioin thread on freshalloy, you'll find a prolonged -- and pretty painful -- discussion on the lack of either all season or snows for this car, other than perhaps a set of Pilot AS at megabucks/tire with no guarantee they handle snow or ice as well as they should. Infiniti, apparently, hasn't recognized that there is life outside of the sunny California climate (too many Beach Boys tunes?), and has nothing to offer.
Again, I'm repeating what I've read. None of this is first hand.
I'm thinking it would make sense to simply buy a set of cheap rims in a 17" size and snows, keep them in the garage (if you have a garage) and change them on/off at Thanksgiving or Easter.
Sorry, no other suggestion. But I sure wouldn't want to take delivery of a new sports coupe in February, not even in Philly which is a good 500 miles south of me.
First off let me tell you that I completely concur with your thoughts about the coupe coming with summer tread only. Audi was listening to all of the complaints last year regarding the A4/A6s sport package equipped cars that offered a summer tread HP tire. In 03, they now offer a 17" all season high performance tire option. IMHO, for 99% of your driving, a 17" all season HP tire is better for wet traction, will give you a better ride, and will only sacrifice handling at speeds and cornering that most of us shouldn't be attempting. That being said, compared to the sedan, I felt the ride was a bit more stiff but not harsh. S wheel feedback felt good to me, not to light. Keep in mind that I didn't get to take the car on the highway so my impression is based on 60mph and under speeds. Shifter through felt a bit long and clunky 1st to 2nd but I was told that the shifter in the car was not the same one that is going into the production car. I am a big fan of the Nissan 3.5 motor and I feel that this tuning of it works. Get on it in second and third gear and it you plant your head into the headrest. Again as I mentioned in my last post the engine in the prototype I drove was the sedan version (260 hp) not the 280 version that the production models will have.
Hope this answers you questions.
Regarding price, all of the dealers I called are standing by MSRP. So if you are looking for a discount, you picked the wrong car at the wrong time. Furthermore, by the end of this year, expect some major kodos from one of the big player mags which will only serve to increase demand.
Infiniti, apparently, hasn't recognized that there is life outside of the sunny California climate (too many Beach Boys tunes?), and has nothing to offer.
Where are most Infiniti's sold though? I'm guessing the snowbelt is not the most popular destination for sports cars/coupes considering porsche and BMW send a disproportionate amount of their cars to CA. I believe the last thing I read of porsche had them sending 50% of the US batch to CA each year. BMW's not quite that high but it's markedly higher than other states per capita.
I'll be sure to bring this up to the Infiniti dealer when I stop by there later today. Its a very valid point. Any poster mentioned that coupes are no often sold in the snow belt. I don't know about that as this will be my 5th car and 4th coupe in my driving history. Do you think I'll have any problem fitting 17 inch tires and rims on the car if it comes with the 18's in my package group? The lug mounts should all hav ethe same spacing right ? The more I think about it the more perplexed I am. What was infiniti thinking? The trip to the dealership to my home is about 6 miles, I can see it now, slipping of a frozen slushy road into a median..car totaled with 1/2 a mile on it ..a nightmare!..thanks for all your help..
I'm not sure, but isn't one of the packages with 17" wheels? If not, it certainly is in the Z version of a very similar drive train.
In any case, you are free to go down (or up) - or + 1" at any time. It only needs rubber to compensate. Most people are interested in performance packages, so they are +1 and that means that they have to put on a tire of nearly equivalent rubber (with a lower aspect) so that the speedometer isn't thrown off too much or, more important, the wheel doesn't rub on the wheel well.
When you go down (in th is case to the 17" wheel), it allows you to put on more rubber (as winter tires tend to have). Not too pretty, certainly, but from snow to spring my own preference is for traction.
But I'd do a search at TireRack.com first, to see if a correct wheel/tire combination is available before you assume it. I haven't looked.
You're right about the most performance cars being shipped to California, blueguy.... ANd believe me, the rest of the country resents it.
I just to remind those of you in the DFW area that I will have a 2003 G35 Coupe with 6speed on site all day Saturday if you wish to see one. Visit our website www.grubbs.com for direction. I also have over 60 available in all colors and equipment variations.
Hi All back from my 3rd (and hopefully last until my car arrives in mid-feb 2003) trip to my local infiniti dealership. Before I signed away my $500 deposit I brought my concerns to the dealership manager about the tires. Quite unexpectedly he said that he would refit the tires with high performace A/S Perelli's and even gave me a promise agreement for it! Now thats customer service. I checked around on the web and found out these tires go for about $220 a pop. He just saved me $900 bucks. Anyone else that share this tire concern and still want the 18' rims out to talk to there infiniti sales manager. Hope this helps someone .
many thanks for the info steve Also I have a question for you and for all here. Is it better to fiance or lease? This is my 1st brank spanking new car and after doing some reasearch I found out that even if I put down $10,000 (i don't have a trade in)I'll still be paying some where between $455 at 6% finance charge to $515 at 9.5% per moth for this car not including the estimated $320 per month for the max insurance coverage (incurance costs in Philadelphia or crazy) No one has any solid lease data yet since the car has not arrived in showrooms. In your experience is it significantly cheaper to lease the vehicle (a least a savings of $50-75 a month)? I would appricate a response from anyone familiar with leasing. As far as the finance charge goes I doubt my credit is storng enough to get anything below 7-9 %.
This is a complex subject, but unless the leasing is subsidized by mfg, it usually works out that buying is slightly cheaper. But you have to pencil it out and figure out what the total cost for a given period under either scheme.
Consumer Reports has done several articles comparing the two options. The general conclusion is that leasing is better for someone who drives their car a "normal" amount, doesn't modify or use their car in unusual ways, maintains the car at the dealer, uusally trades into a new car every 3-5 years, and is interested mainly in the lowest possible montly payment. Buying is better for someone who wants to put high miles on a car, likes to tinker, modify, and drive their car in unusual way, plans to keep their car a long time, and is interested in building equity so they can get out of the monthly car payment routine.
I'll add that you can usually drive a harder bargain when you are buying since there is only one number for the sales person to play with. In leasing, you there is a lot more to monkey with so you have to be more experienced to know the tradeoffs of different leases that might be offered by different dealers. (Since you're probably buying your G35c at MSRP, this may not be much of a factor, but you still should negotiate your lease terms.) I also don't like the "turn in" phase where you are at the mercy of the dealer not to nickle-dime you to death for wear and tear items.
If you have business use of a car, then leasing is much simpler as you can simply detect the lease payment rather than having to do depreciation computations.
All-in-all, I like the KISS approach so I buy. Just less to worry about and I have more control on driving, maintenance, etc. But leasing has its merits for some.
I want to share my G35 Coupe purchase experience from yesterday. I live in Dallas and wanted to puchase a new coupe with specific equipment. I visited both Dallas dealers trying to find the car I wanted. Those encounters were the worst of my life. Of course no one had a car in stock yet but neither one of them have the car I wanted on order. One of the dealers kept pressuring me to "Buy Now" a car I did not want and they would not charge over list for the car. I forgot to mention that if I wanterd to order from this dealer I would have to pay $1000 over list. The second dealer actually asked me to come back with my husband and they would "see what we can do about finding you a car." My last visit was to the dealer in Ft Worth last night, Grubbs Infiniti. I met the nicest saleman I have ever met, Ralph Kinchen. Not only did he have the exact car I wanted, he had four of them. We went through all of the vehicles he had coming in and I made my selection. My new coupe will be here in about 2 weeks. I paid list price which is what he asked for, no more. The most amazing thing was that while I was making my purchase he sold another coupe on the phone to someone in Colorado. I highly recommend these this salesman. If you need more information you can email me at aatravelgirl@aol.com.
tires: the Pirellis and the Pilots are slightly different in size from the tire listed as stock. Check it out if you want.
lease: there is an archived board here somewhere on "buying for cash" which is, of course, the cheapest way to buy. But in all the mathematics posters went through on that board, it was clear that in general leasing cost more than buying UNLESS you had the cash in the bank and could collect interest on it while you made payments on the car.
Not in your scenario, arii001, but I do have a suggestion. You won't like it, but you can always just move on.
Taking your $10,000 downpayment,w hich is substantial in my book, and your willingness to pay $425/month on a lease (if I understood you), here is how to get away with no interest.
1) Buy a 96 or 97 Acura CL or Accord or whatever with the $10,000 and drive that for three years. You'll be driving a "nice" though uninspired coupe.
2) Put the $425/month in a short term bond fund (currently gaining about 3.5% interest). At the end of three years you'll have something like $15700(not exact) in the bond fund.
3) At the end of the three years buy a used '03 off-lease G with a 100k warranty using your trade, probably about $6000-$7000, and the $15700 from the fund.
4) Continue to make the payments to yourself and, because you'll love the car so much, you'll drive it for 6 or 7 years and have plenty to buy whatever you want at the end.
Just a suggestion. Some of us actually do that, by the way. By the way, if money market interest rates come back, move it into there for safety.
Buying would be the best bet but it depends on your situation. Many people like leasing because after 3 years they can get another new car but they way I look at it they just paid over $20K for a $40K car and now they own nothing.
Leasing is an excellent option for people: 1. who drive less than 25,000 miles/year and, 2. like to get a new car every 3 to 4 years, 3. can use leasing as a tax advantage.
Leasing is not for people who drive more than 25,000 miles/year and like to keep their car for many years. The lease for three years than buy scenario is always more expensive, than buying outright.
As one who has been leasing/buying for the last 10 years, leasing works to my advantage because: 1. typically I drive less than 45,000 every three years, 2. I can leverage the tax deduction, 3. I like getting a new car every three years.
The scenario where you buy a car then sell it after three years is much more expensive then leasing it outright for three years, unless the parameters of your particular situation doesn't work out for leasing.
Living in Plano, I've visited both S and C dealerships when I was shopping for a G35. I would be interested which dealership tried to pressure you into a purchase, and which one "recommended" that you come back with your husband. I don't want to give business to people who are idiots and downright rude. If I wanted that attitude, I'd go to BMW on 75, or Acura on Plano Pkwy.
I've read a good deal of the 300+ postings; including the voluminous opinions, data and other bits that make 'dream car surfing' a major priority here in America. This is how I see it and I'll keep it simple... NO ONE has shown an interest in the automatic version of the G35c, which is kind of surprising. I have put in about ten years driving stick and my clutch foot is ready to let that badboy V6 purrr me down the road in luxury. All you posters crunching 0-60 numbers...how much power do you guys need? I don't mind losing about 35% with the automatic because I'm at a point in my life now where comfort outweighs rocket-power. But wait, I think the A version of the G35 accomplishes both at a modest price. Power, sleekness, comfort and the sexiest posture while waiting for a green light...what more could you ask? Skid pad, slalom, stroke>bore...forgetit! And who cares if you can't rotate the tires? Tire rotation exists merely for the life of the tires, not the car. Slap some new babies on there when itz time, case closed. And yes, I agree that it iz kind of cheap that the hood utilizes a prop rod instead of hydraulics. INFINITI certainly could have gone the extra tenth-of-an-inch to make that a non-issue. And the interior? Well, I guess you just have to get in and ask your taste if itz right for you. Whenever I see wood I expect a cigar smell to come with it...stuffy, y'know? But what I want most from you experts is to tell me if my high heels will get caught in those darn drilled aluminum pedals!!! c.
"[T]hose who express an interest are shoo'ed away." I do not remember that ever happening. Could you please point out an example of such treatment so I will not be so ignorant?
The main reason the MTX is so talked about is that there are so darn few car manufacturers willing to make one. Unless you're a BMW fan (I'm not, too expensive for what you get) the only other options are, basically, econoboxes. Now that there is a viable and affordable alternative to the 330ci WE ARE EXCITED!
This is not intended to start a war over which is better.
But, before commenting upon how much better of a deal an Infiniti is than a BMW, do the same price comparison I would if I were in the market for a sedan right now. Look up European Delivery invoice Pricing (wholesale, NOT retail) at www.eurobuyers.com; add your options, add $1,200 to $1,500 for dealer profit and add $1,000 +/- for a trip to Stuttgart. Compare to the best deal you can get on a comparable Infiniti. The difference between a 330ci and G35 coupe isn't going to be much different. Especially since the G35 will be selling near MSRP for awhile.
ED certainly isn't for everybody, but living in DC, I know of many non-rocket scientists who have saved several thousand. BMW is the ONLY manufacturer that really gives you a deal if you are willing to travel. Mercedes doesn't and the bums at Porsche charge you extra. By the way, M Type X, try reading through a Porsche option list and then BMW will be much easier to figure out.
I own a Honda S2000 and Nissan Maxima, so I'm not a BMW loyalist (yet). I just feel inclined to point out that an MSRP to MSRP comparison isn't what I will be doing if and when my Maxima bites the dust.
Comments
But I guess we're at the point in the conversation, where we need to be talking about hypothetically going 120 or more to have to G have any real edge. Like on the Autobahn.
67.7mph slalom numbers are much more impressive IMO.
I hear enough of this bickering on the comparison threads. I do not want to hear it on the car specific thread. I visit the BMW threads to follow BMW specific topics. Likewise, I visit the G35 sedan and coupe threads to follow G35 topics.
If G35 interested buyers and owners want to talk freely about an Automag result, then they should be able to without having to defend their views and opinions from a BMW "fan".
Kdshapiro, have enough respect to let people talk on this thread without having no recourse to respond to your counterpoint comments on THIS thread. I'm sure that the BMW fans would expect the same respect from G35 fans that visited the BMW threads.
Fortunately for all of us that have different opinions, Edmund's provides us with two very active and heated G35 vs. BMW threads. See you there!
Cheers!
Mark
June '03 - G35 Coupe for me
You may notice in the BMW thread comparisions are few and far in-between. Those are left to the appropriate comparision thread.
So let's be fair and let's be consistent.
Cheers!
Mark
June '03 - G35 Coupe for me
It was in a huge parking lot, and nearly 200 yards away, bright red and sparkling, and I could see it from the front 1/4. Well, the sane part of me knew they weren't here yet, not really, but I couldn't think of a similar looking car, from any angle.
As I got even closer it gradually transformed into a Solara. Of all things.
Well, I guess it has to look like something ... but what do you think? Am I a)nuts b)ignorant c)recognizing pretty similar lines? (I put in a and b for you. Flame on.)
Joe W.
Maybe from a long distance (i.e. the old "good from far but far from good" deal).....but when you see more of the G35c you'll understand what I'm talking about. I find the G35c to be a real hot looking car but if you need a practical (read you have wife, kids, etc.) vehicle it probably won't do. I'm still moderately considering the coupe for my next vehicle but will probably end up with the sedan. If I get the coupe it will be because I keep my 96 Grand Cherokee as a secondary vehicle for my "family" needs and the G35c will be my play car during the week.
Cheers!
I wonder if my son can fit in the back comfortable? Thats not gonna stop me.
86
what did you think?
I had to do that. Just wanted to see if anyone was still alive. Let me preface by saying that the coupe I drove had the sedan engine in it (260hp). If I understood the rep, the actual production coupe will spec out at 280 hp, I can't remember what he said for torque. First my nit picking complaints- 1. Anyone 6' or taller will hit the rear glass. 2. Not happy that there is no such thing as a 18" tire that is all season rated. 3. Controls especially the climate could have been better thought out. That's it from the complaint Dept. Now to the good stuff. If you have seen the recent articles, you know the the red coupe looks great, but it looks killer in person. Other than the height issue in the back, there is plenty of room in the back, hell if they are over 6', letum drive their own car. The charcoal interior with the brushed aluminum looked very classy. The fronts seat bottoms were longer than in the sedan and more comfortable, one of the best sport bucket seats I have sat in. The car out goes like a bat out of hell with the 6 speed and handles very well. With the increased torque and HP, it is going to scary. Is it Saab that says" people who test drive a Saab usually buy one"? When the dealers get their first demo coupe in, this will be the case. When I came back from my test drive it was all over for me. There was one red/6 speed with premium due in around mid December that was unaccounted for before my test drive. It now has my name on it. What else can I tell you?
Thanks for your patience.
Joe W.
Went to 3 dealerships in New Jersey area 2 would not go below MSRP and 1 knocked a few dollars off.
How about you "Jaydoll", did you get a good deal?
Steve
I seriously think this paint is as thin as the allowance my wife gives me. Good grief! Just 3 months old, has 7000 miles on it and I have little gray dots all over the front hood and fenders ..even one on the passengers door pillar. Geeez. I don’t tailgate as a habit and I go to great lengths to stay out of the path of trucks spraying up road debris and dirt but nonetheless I have dots all over the front of my pretty red car.
Is it just the red paint or is this common with all the colors? (Silver wouldn’t show if the primer is the same color as my car.)
So what’s up with that?
Roll with 9 visible-to-the-eye primer dots and counting.....
PS Nine doesn't sound like much but it's all I see when I wash the car or walk around the car to admire the fine lines of a well designed machine.
Again, I'm repeating what I've read. None of this is first hand.
I'm thinking it would make sense to simply buy a set of cheap rims in a 17" size and snows, keep them in the garage (if you have a garage) and change them on/off at Thanksgiving or Easter.
Sorry, no other suggestion. But I sure wouldn't want to take delivery of a new sports coupe in February, not even in Philly which is a good 500 miles south of me.
Take care.
Joe W.
First off let me tell you that I completely concur with your thoughts about the coupe coming with summer tread only. Audi was listening to all of the complaints last year regarding the A4/A6s sport package equipped cars that offered a summer tread HP tire. In 03, they now offer a 17" all season high performance tire option. IMHO, for 99% of your driving, a 17" all season HP tire is better for wet traction, will give you a better ride, and will only sacrifice handling at speeds and cornering that most of us shouldn't be attempting. That being said, compared to the sedan, I felt the ride was a bit more stiff but not harsh. S wheel feedback felt good to me, not to light. Keep in mind that I didn't get to take the car on the highway so my impression is based on 60mph and under speeds. Shifter through felt a bit long and clunky 1st to 2nd but I was told that the shifter in the car was not the same one that is going into the production car. I am a big fan of the Nissan 3.5 motor and I feel that this tuning of it works. Get on it in second and third gear and it you plant your head into the headrest. Again as I mentioned in my last post the engine in the prototype I drove was the sedan version (260 hp) not the 280 version that the production models will have.
Hope this answers you questions.
Regarding price, all of the dealers I called are standing by MSRP. So if you are looking for a discount, you picked the wrong car at the wrong time. Furthermore, by the end of this year, expect some major kodos from one of the big player mags which will only serve to increase demand.
Where are most Infiniti's sold though? I'm guessing the snowbelt is not the most popular destination for sports cars/coupes considering porsche and BMW send a disproportionate amount of their cars to CA. I believe the last thing I read of porsche had them sending 50% of the US batch to CA each year. BMW's not quite that high but it's markedly higher than other states per capita.
In any case, you are free to go down (or up) - or + 1" at any time. It only needs rubber to compensate. Most people are interested in performance packages, so they are +1 and that means that they have to put on a tire of nearly equivalent rubber (with a lower aspect) so that the speedometer isn't thrown off too much or, more important, the wheel doesn't rub on the wheel well.
When you go down (in th is case to the 17" wheel), it allows you to put on more rubber (as winter tires tend to have). Not too pretty, certainly, but from snow to spring my own preference is for traction.
But I'd do a search at TireRack.com first, to see if a correct wheel/tire combination is available before you assume it. I haven't looked.
You're right about the most performance cars being shipped to California, blueguy.... ANd believe me, the rest of the country resents it.
Go Bluejays.
Joe W.
They are about the same price with good tread wear and snow traction.
"arii001" if you got the Perilli P7000 supersports, they are about $100 cheaper per tire than Pilot Sports and not as comparable.
Checkout this site: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/uhpas.jsp
Steve
Consumer Reports has done several articles comparing the two options. The general conclusion is that leasing is better for someone who drives their car a "normal" amount, doesn't modify or use their car in unusual ways, maintains the car at the dealer, uusally trades into a new car every 3-5 years, and is interested mainly in the lowest possible montly payment. Buying is better for someone who wants to put high miles on a car, likes to tinker, modify, and drive their car in unusual way, plans to keep their car a long time, and is interested in building equity so they can get out of the monthly car payment routine.
I'll add that you can usually drive a harder bargain when you are buying since there is only one number for the sales person to play with. In leasing, you there is a lot more to monkey with so you have to be more experienced to know the tradeoffs of different leases that might be offered by different dealers. (Since you're probably buying your G35c at MSRP, this may not be much of a factor, but you still should negotiate your lease terms.) I also don't like the "turn in" phase where you are at the mercy of the dealer not to nickle-dime you to death for wear and tear items.
If you have business use of a car, then leasing is much simpler as you can simply detect the lease payment rather than having to do depreciation computations.
All-in-all, I like the KISS approach so I buy. Just less to worry about and I have more control on driving, maintenance, etc. But leasing has its merits for some.
- Mark
lease: there is an archived board here somewhere on "buying for cash" which is, of course, the cheapest way to buy. But in all the mathematics posters went through on that board, it was clear that in general leasing cost more than buying UNLESS you had the cash in the bank and could collect interest on it while you made payments on the car.
Not in your scenario, arii001, but I do have a suggestion. You won't like it, but you can always just move on.
Taking your $10,000 downpayment,w hich is substantial in my book, and your willingness to pay $425/month on a lease (if I understood you), here is how to get away with no interest.
1) Buy a 96 or 97 Acura CL or Accord or whatever with the $10,000 and drive that for three years. You'll be driving a "nice" though uninspired coupe.
2) Put the $425/month in a short term bond fund (currently gaining about 3.5% interest). At the end of three years you'll have something like $15700(not exact) in the bond fund.
3) At the end of the three years buy a used '03 off-lease G with a 100k warranty using your trade, probably about $6000-$7000, and the $15700 from the fund.
4) Continue to make the payments to yourself and, because you'll love the car so much, you'll drive it for 6 or 7 years and have plenty to buy whatever you want at the end.
Just a suggestion. Some of us actually do that, by the way. By the way, if money market interest rates come back, move it into there for safety.
Take care.
Joe W.
Checkout these sites for more info. between the 2
http://www.consumerreports.org/main/detailv2.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=113265&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=113261&bmUID=1035055532966
http://www.consumerreports.org/main/detailv2.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=113337&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=113261&bmUID=1035055532967
Always remember, live within your budget and not over it.
Steve
1. who drive less than 25,000 miles/year and,
2. like to get a new car every 3 to 4 years,
3. can use leasing as a tax advantage.
Leasing is not for people who drive more than 25,000 miles/year and like to keep their car for many years. The lease for three years than buy scenario is always more expensive, than buying outright.
As one who has been leasing/buying for the last 10 years, leasing works to my advantage because:
1. typically I drive less than 45,000 every three years,
2. I can leverage the tax deduction,
3. I like getting a new car every three years.
The scenario where you buy a car then sell it after three years is much more expensive then leasing it outright for three years, unless the parameters of your particular situation doesn't work out for leasing.
Living in Plano, I've visited both S and C dealerships when I was shopping for a G35. I would be interested which dealership tried to pressure you into a purchase, and which one "recommended" that you come back with your husband. I don't want to give business to people who are idiots and downright rude. If I wanted that attitude, I'd go to BMW on 75, or Acura on Plano Pkwy.
c.
The main reason the MTX is so talked about is that there are so darn few car manufacturers willing to make one. Unless you're a BMW fan (I'm not, too expensive for what you get) the only other options are, basically, econoboxes. Now that there is a viable and affordable alternative to the 330ci WE ARE EXCITED!
Check out Honda's lineup - they have long had MT vehicles for enthusiasts, and not all are econoboxes.
Um, too bad Honda doesn't make any sport coupes or sport sedans. They've got a bunch of FWD Accord-based cars.
But, before commenting upon how much better of a deal an Infiniti is than a BMW, do the same price comparison I would if I were in the market for a sedan right now. Look up European Delivery invoice Pricing (wholesale, NOT retail) at www.eurobuyers.com; add your options, add $1,200 to $1,500 for dealer profit and add $1,000 +/- for a trip to Stuttgart. Compare to the best deal you can get on a comparable Infiniti. The difference between a 330ci and G35 coupe isn't going to be much different. Especially since the G35 will be selling near MSRP for awhile.
ED certainly isn't for everybody, but living in DC, I know of many non-rocket scientists who have saved several thousand. BMW is the ONLY manufacturer that really gives you a deal if you are willing to travel. Mercedes doesn't and the bums at Porsche charge you extra. By the way, M Type X, try reading through a Porsche option list and then BMW will be much easier to figure out.
I own a Honda S2000 and Nissan Maxima, so I'm not a BMW loyalist (yet). I just feel inclined to point out that an MSRP to MSRP comparison isn't what I will be doing if and when my Maxima bites the dust.