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I saw the choices on Tire Rack but I was wondering if there are any other alternatives.
Ask Connor at The Tire Rack
Tires, tires, tires
To continue the conversation about RWD vs. FWD etc., try joining this discussion:
FWD vs. RWD vs. AWD.
Now, with all of that said, could we get back to talking about the subject cars? Yeah, we are comparing a FWD to a RWD, but that doesn't mean we need to let the comparo focus solely on that one attribute.
Thanks.
http://www.falkentire.com/tires/512_infopg.htm
I was living in a co-operative apartment in NYC for many years, and let me tell you, with space as expensive as it is in NYC, I wasn't about to take up my space with 4 snow tires and a hydraulic jack.
As for FWD getting better traction in the snow in a straight line, well that's what it's all about. I don't do crazy turns in the snow, so cornering and balance just aren't that important.
I've had some bad exp. with RWD in snow not being able to get any traction and fishtailing. Also, when you lose control of a RWD car in snow, it tends to spin out a lot worse than a FWD car which causes tremendous accidents.
In any case, now that I live in sunny SoCal, where it barely rains and never snows, I can just slap on summer performance tires and not even have to worry about it.
This conversation needs to get back to its subject. Further off-topic posts will have to be removed.
Thanks for your understanding - feel free to email me if you have any questions.
I don't want to pay more for the 330i
the TL has everything standard...a breath of fresh air....but they were not willing to come down on price....all MSRP only...
325i are down about $1000
C230 down about $4000
how about the G35 ?
We like the looks of the TL ....
They are just informed as you and I-heck, maybe we are more update on information than they are.
- That is a shame. The AWD system from Infiniti is on of the AWD systems out today that actually enhances road grip. Maybe Inifiniti will offer the AWD system on their manual coupe? :-)
the A4 just plain sucked....I mean I like the outside....but when you step on the go baby go pedal....it just sits there...!!! and 1 sec later it kicks in and you go slowly... But the turbo engine one goes north of $40,000 again...
TL was great...did not feel all 270 hp, but enough... loved the interior....no question....very good....loved the safety features...all standard...
Problem is at dealership they were out....and ordering costs money....they wanted close to MSRP... !
Guess we will wait a little, since we are not in a hurry....
thanks for the info.... !!!
The Battle begins:
The first competitor (test drive) was the Acura TL. It impressed me with all the creature comforts (audio system, nav, a/c controls, interior design, and many extra small features). But the test drive route left a lot to be desired. I left the lot not getting a complete feel for the handling of the car. I did notice that the acceleration wasn’t close to my Z, but the other features kept the car alive for another day.
The second competitor (test drive) was the Audi A4. Despite a minimalistic appearance, it is attractive. It also out drove the Acura TL in handling and feel, but the Acura had a disadvantage in it’s road course. The Audi had lots of storage but in weird places. The cup-holders (a big deal to me) were abysmal. One thin, frail plastic holder popped out of the dash directly over the stereo and the others were under the center arm-rest (which I use religiously). The nav system wasn’t graphical like the Acura which for me also hurt it’s chances. The drivability alone kept this car on the list.
The third competitor (test drive) was the SAAB 93. I didn’t even have to start the engine. The cheap looking interior design, comfort factor (or lack of) and the enormous price tag for what I saw immediately got this car ELIMINATED!
The fourth competitor (test drive) was the BMW 330. I have never seen such a busy dealership in my life. I had to wait 20 minutes for a salesman to free up before anyone could help me. I then test drove the car while the salesman was spewing out info like, “people show up to the dealership with Edmunds.com pricing sheets like they plan on paying less than sticker.” He went on to say, “when you pay sticker for this car you are getting a great deal.” I wasn’t so sure about that when I was done. I asked several questions about features that the Acura had and whether the BMW came with them. I ended up learning that BMW’s come with very little and everything you want costs extra. In order for me to get even a 325 with all the options the Acura had it was going to run me around $41,000 – that’s a 325. The 330 (comparable engine to TL) was even more! Needless to say, by the time I left the lot, the BMW was ELIMINATED!
The fifth and final competitor (test drive) was the Infiniti G35 Coupe. The big question going in was would the child seat fit in the back, and how difficult would it be for me to get her in and out on a regular basis. I had high hopes going in for the test drive. I really wanted this car to win. The car was everything I had hoped for while test driving it. It made me smile after each corner. It felt like it was riding on rails – similar if not better than my Z. The test track was very conducive to the car’s ability, so again I felt like the Acura was again at a disadvantage. Asking about the features is where this car took a nose dive. No seat memory - I couldn’t believe it. And the power seat controls – what were they thinking placing them directly under the cup holders. The first thing that’s going to happen when just a small amount of liquid is spilled is a shorted-out seat. That wasn’t smart. The Nav system was nice – 2 views and hides away when not in use – but it wasn’t voice activated and the control joystick was difficult to maneuver. The stereo was OK, but I noticed I could have whichever satellite company I wanted as my provider. Acura forced you to have XM. That gave at least one more mark for the G35 Coupe, since Sirius signed on to broadcast all NFL games for the next several seasons. The child seat barely fit in the back seat. It made the back seat very small for whoever sat back there – and it wouldn’t fit behind the drivers seat. My comfort position wouldn’t allow it. So passenger side it was. Once it’s forward facing that won’t matter. I’m not planning on having everyone at work ride in my car to lunch everyday so I think that will work for me.
When I left the dealer, I was confused. The Acura had tons of personal features (in all the right places), but the G35 Coupe was the closest car to my ZX in handling/acceleration and looks. I felt like I needed to give the Acura another driving chance. There was one thing I was sure of however. The G35 Coupe out drove the A4 by a mile, and the Acura beat the A4 in every other category, so the Audi A4 was ELIMINATED!
The Acura got it’s second chance at a test drive (at another dealer) and to my disappointment, didn’t come close to the G35 Coupe in handling/acceleration and looks. It had too much lean for my liking in corners, but it does have a ton of cool features that the G35 Coupe can’t touch. So do I give up my “Z fever” and go for a Knight Rider Car like the Acura TL, or do I stay with what I’m used to and get a G35 Coupe when it has so many discrepancies that a car for $35K+ shouldn’t have? I’ll be deciding who is “America’s Next Top Model” in the next week or two, so if someone has any info or news of how these cars are holding up or any future news of what REALLY is supposed to be coming out in the 2005 G35, I would certainly appreciate it.
Sorry this was so long, but after reading this message board i got inspired to tell my story. Keep up the good work here guys!!!
If I can be so bold, my impression from your post makes me think that you would never successfully give up your "Z fever". I know I couldn't.
One last thought. It's 99% certain that the G35 is getting an interior redo for 2005, and within a couple of months you should be able to see what it's going to be like. Might be worth the wait.
Best of luck on your decision!
Generally, the headroom is good for people shorter than 5'7" in the coupe's backseat. Any taller, and they will be uncomfortable.
You may be thinking that you have another car as the family mobile. I used to think that way too. But you know what? By having a 2-door for my car, I ended up just driving it primarily to and from the office. We couldn't take it on vacation 'cause the kids didn't want to cramp into the back. Oftentimes they didn't even want to ride in it just to go out for dinner, or to the beach, etc. So I had a nice powerful, fun car but nowhere and no opportunity to drive it!
You don't need to make the same mistake. There are plenty of good-looking, fun to drive 4-door vehicles to choose from.
Sedan up to 277 hp and 270 pd of torque
Sedan has small restyling of bumbers and grill
Coupe up to 295 HP !!!
Small interior redesign.
Man that is making it might tempting. That is going to be a fast car.
Looking very good!
1089 by seltz: Although the sedan does have a lot of the same performance parts as the coupe, I can’t get past the physical appearance difference in the two. Driving down the street, I regularly mistake the G35 Coupe for a Nissan 350Z (both which excite me), but I rarely notice the G35 Sedan over other 4-door sedans. The physical difference for me is enough to favor the coupe. I’m drawn to the low-riding, wide sports cars. The sedan is taller than the coupe (by about 3 inches) and narrower (by almost 3 inches). Plus I originally began this trek in search of a backseat not necessarily 4-doors.
1090 by mbednorz: It sounds like our car search was similar. You are right on when you say I won’t be able to ever give up my “Z fever”. I have learned over the years, that “that’s who I am”. Even if I decide on another car this go-round, I will be back to the Z / G35 for the next one. As for the interior redo on the 2005’s, I’m not sure I will be able to wait that long. That’s what is killing me. If I knew what I was missing it would be one thing, but to pay 35k+ for something that I know will be obsolete in 3 months is no fun - kinda like the guy in the commercial riding home in his convertible with his new Pentium 3 computer to see billboards advertising the Pentium 4.
1091 by fastlyf: I know exactly what you’re saying about the G35 calling you in your sleep. I too hear the G35 calling me – dreaming of it more lately (but maybe that’s because I spend most of my daylight hours doing car research :-). As for the SUV and Mini-van thing I refuse to go there as ALL my friends have. None of them are car enthusiasts as I am. None get a thrill from driving. They see their cars as transportation. I see my car as part of who I am. As for the backseat issue – it should only be a concern as long as the babyseat faces the rear. Once it can be turned around, it fits much better. As kevin111 suggested, I took my car seat to the dealer when I test drove it and placed it in the back seat. In my comfortable driving position, it just barely didn’t fit behind the driver seat while facing the rear, but it did fit forward facing – or – rear facing behind the passenger seat. Once our kids can climb in by themselves instead of being hauled in and out, it also shouldn’t be a factor.
I’ll keep you all posted. Thanks for all your feedback and support.
This decision was difficult also because i expect either of these cars to last well beyond 100K miles and probably 7-8 years. And (not to mention) it's a big investment for me personally ($36K+).
Anyway, thanks to all who gave me feedback and support. I guess the next time you'll hear from me will be when i post a message that asks, "Do You Think I Got A Good Deal???"
One more thing - as I posted on the "2005 G35" board, I went to my dealer yesterday and talked to them about ordering an '04 G35 Coupe and they told me that they will not be allowed to order any more '04's during July's order window. June was the last window for '04's. Looks like if I want a new G35 Coupe (with the options I want) I will be getting an '05.
Thanks again everyone !!!
This is always a risky question to ask. Nothing will spoil the pleasure of a new purchase quicker than someone telling you you paid too much. If you are satisfied with the deal, don't ask, just enjoy the car.
August build
late September ---> through October delivery (this is the October Infiniti quotes)
6MTs are not supposed to be out until Dec. for whatever reasopn so my guess is you can't order one of those until Sept.??
I was just joking...I have read the previous posts where people were asking if they got a good deal only to find out (comparatively) they didn't :-) . I will not be doing any such thing ;-).
I will be moving to Portland, OR and purchasing a new car in about 1.5-2 months. I had a few questions and would appreciate any pointers or suggestions. Currently I am a resident of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia).
My choice is between the TL & G35 w/ premium pkg.(An '04 I35 w/ Nav. and cold weather pkg. for < $28k would be a third choice).
Questions:
(i) What are typical "additional" fees dealers charge in Oregon, or to Oregon residents (buying in WA, or CA, for instance)?
(ii) There is no sales tax on cars, right, for OR residents?
(iii) What is a good time to buy a new car- August, September, October (due to '05 models and inventory reduction etc.)?
(iv) Would it be unreasonable to expect to get an '04 non- navi. TL or '04 G35 w/ prem. pkg. for $32k, all inclusive?
(v) How well does the argument of an '04 car being "a year old" (and so it should be offered for lesser) usually work in Aug/ Sept/ Oct, if the dealer has some '04 models on-site?
Thanks again.
Good luck!!
I'd have a better argument if you were thinking about the G35 sedan. I assume you want the coupe b/c it's faster? If so, then speed outweighs the convenience and utility of 4 doors, and you're probably making the right choice.
When you choose a G over a TL, you're getting speed, and some might argue handling, though my TL handles great and its done very well in slalom tests. What you give up are certain amenities - the TL uses nicer interior materials and gives more options for less money. The manual tranny on a TL is fantastic - I can't compare it to a G b/c none of my local infiniti dealers had one. If you're thinking about a nav system, the TLs was better that the G's. The M's is really good, so if they now use the same system (M & G), it's a "push."
Well...I think you have seen many of my posts over the past month. One that you might have seen is that I had a G35 as a courtesy car with the performance package for a few days. Ran it hard and fast...and it was a good car. However I personally found the TL still to out-do the G35 overall.
Guess it all depends on what you want and your budget spend. Perhaps consider a new BMW 3? Or a Lexus GS (my choice)? Or maybe wait for that Lexus IS 350 to come out? [right now my wife and I have our 2005 TL, a 2005 TXS as a commuter banger, and a BMW 750Li. We might be getting a Mercedes SLK 350 or Lexus GS as the thrill car...or still might get the G35 ]
Funny thing is that I still enjoy reaching for the TL keys the most. Great car.
Thinking out of the box....how about an Acura RL? You should be able to get one for about $100 below invoice.
Good luck with your decision making process and choice. Either way...you have a few weeks until end of month.
If you are being facetious it's not appreciated. I buy what I like, regardless of price or badge reputation. :P