I know, cecilt, the g35 is not on the road, it has no history. Who knows what it will be like in the long run. But, no, I've never owned a BMW. Never could get past the test drive. They're fine cars, I'm sure. But not for me. Seems the Europeans and Japanese have different ideas about the "ultimate driving machine." I just happen to like the Japanese versions better. And I'm not surprised that the BMW is quieter than the Intrepid. It's my impression from riding in all three that the g35 is quieter than the 3 series and the 5 series. It would be nice to test them side-by-side though.
35fan... How many great, classic high performance cars has Japan Inc. produced over the past 40 years? That rare late '60s Toyota GT (one that looked like the Jag E-type). Nissan 240Z (exterior styling by a great designer who used to design BMWs). Skyline GT-R (not sold in America). Miata (more fun than serious all out performance, but great in the old British roadster tradition).
Compare to Europe. Too many great European cars over the past 40 years to name. Probably more great cars from odd marques in the pre-emission control era (e.g., Iso, Jensen, Austin-Healy, Bristol, Monteverdi) or super-marques like Ferrari, let alone BMW, MB, etc. The Italians alone have made more great car models in past 40 years than all of Asia.
Has always seemed that the Asians think cars like LS400/430 or Q45 are their ultimate driving machines. And they then have drivers. Really more ultimate passenger machines.
Wonder how much of the difference can be traced back to the European love of auto racing? Titanic struggles between marques like Auto Union and MB in 1930s. All that was and is with F1 and other type racing. LeMans. Etc. Japan lacks tracks like Nurburgring (sp?). Great venues like Monte Carlo.
Holman in Maple Shade is the one that said they will put one on display 3/12. Also said they had no brochures, but hoped to have them by then.
I did find the options specs, and saw that seat assist is part of the premium package. There are some other item in the package that I would want (notably homelink), but would pass if the seat assist can't be disabled.
i don't think that is quite fair. first, europe has been producing quality cars longer than japan. that is true. but are you buying a 1920's car or a 2002 car? second, japan has some very high quality cars. but they tend to be either luxury cars or sports cars. not too much in between. unfortunately not many of them seem to make it over here.
seems to me the bottom line is how good a car is. not how good cars from the same country were 50 years ago.
The Japanese have been really big in auto racing also. Remember the SCCA Datsun 510's battling the BMW 2002's? What about the skip barber prepared 240Z's or the Paul Newman 280ZX or 300ZX's? Hasn't Honda been a staple in F1 since the Brabham cars in the mid 60's and the dominant McClaren cars through the mid '80's and early '90's? You also forgot Toyota's dominance in FIA rally in the late 80's and 90's. What about Nissan's dominance in prototypes in the early '90s with Geoff Brabham?
Plus you are forgetting many cars in your list of Japanese sports cars for the last 40 years: NSX, 300ZX, RX-7, Supra, Datsun 510(maybe not a sports car, but if you consider the 2002 you have to include this one), Datsun 1800 & 2000 Roadsters, etc...I know I'm forgetting some.
I haven't been reading this site, so it's possible someone has already posted this, but if you want a url that'll take you to everything you wanted to know and then some about the G35, pricing, options, specs, etc., try the one I'm pasting below. Also, I went to the Infiniti site and downloaded the G35 screensaver. As you can tell, I'm getting psyched up. My wife says the car looks like the VW Passat/Audi A4/A6 from the side, which is the ultimate compliment, actually, as I have a '99 Passat, and she had a '99 A6 before we returned to Japanese and bought an Acura TL-S.
The driver seat on the G35 will move back a fixed amount when you take out the key and will return to the last setting once the key is re-inserted. If you have someone behind you with long legs or big feet, you can simply flip the auto/cancel switch to cancel to disable this feature. It's the same setup they have in the I35, Q45 and QX4 equipped with the memory seats feature. Works really well for people with a larger waist line to get behind the steering wheel!
I just read an article on Nissan in the Mar. 4th issue of Business Week that stated that the Skyline sedan is "undershooting sales goals" in Japan. This may not be a good sign for the G35. I hope this is just due to the rotten economy in Japan and has nothing to do with the merits of the car itself.
Hi folks, I drove the G35 today. I live in Hawaii and since the Gs are built in Japan, we probably got ours before you, so I thought I'd post my impressions.
The car I drove was a base G35 with the leather package. No bose, roof, xenons, etc. Color was silver on black leather.
Exterior: B+. The rear end is still ugly, but overall the car looks very nice. Very Audi-ish, if you like that sort of thing, and I do. I particularly like the front end, which has lots of presence. The G was parked next to a QX4 sport ute and the G35 had more presence, which is hard for a car to do when parked next to a truck. If they fixed the rear it would be an A-. The BMW 3 series remains, however, the best looking car in its class, although everyone has one. Incidentally, BMW's titanium silver is nicer than the G's less metallic silver, but it could have been the lighting.
Engine bay: It has a prop rod. Lots of people were wondering. Still, the bay is nicely finished, battery is in a nice plastic compartment, color coded caps, etc.
Interior: A-. I expected it to feel a bit cheap, but was pleasantly surprised. Buttons, stalks, etc had GREAT feel. Everything made good clicking sounds, very little cheap plastic. The moving gauge panel is very cool, but no telescoping steering wheel. Two glove boxes are great, and since mmine was the non navi it had some extra storage space. Leather is nice...higher quality than the junk BMW uses, but not as nice as the Sojourner leather in the I35 and Q45, which is I think some of the finest leather this side of Jaguar. The leather quality is a lot like that in the I30, if you've been in one of those. It is perforated, but unlike some perforated leathers, still looks classy. The driver's seat has that special hump in the middle which is supposdely functional but I didn't notice any benefits. Seats are decently bolstered, but far less so than a BMW with sport seats. I have a thin frame, and found the seats to be very comfy. YMMV. The power seat controls are located on the inboard side of the seats, which is unusual. It is a great idea, and the G uses two types of rocker switch for the seats (hard to explain, but it's a very nice ergonomic arrangement). The power seats move too slowly. The seatback reclines something like 190 degrees, which I love. Bends over backwards. My current car does only 150 or so and it annoys me. Rear seat has an awesome armrest and is quite roomy. Nice seat pockets on seaet backs covered in meshy stuff, looks great. The non-prem pack car rear headrests arent adjustable.
Controls are super. The non-bose stereo sounded fabulous, altho I am no audiophile. The aluminum-look trim looked very nice, not cheap like it does in the Altima. Auto climate control set and forget worked well.
The center console is not two-tiered, which is unfortunate, but there is lots of other storage space so it's not a big deal.
The yellow gauge lgihting didn't bug me as much as I expected it to. Still, I'd have preferred another color, and the font is not as nice as the font that Honda/Acura uses (yes, I'm picky).
I LOVE the radio controls on the steering wheel.
My fav interior part was the steering wheel...it's got a tiny diameter, a thick, well padded rim, and looks great (better than in the pix). It feels like a BMW M3 wheel.
The drive: Performance: A+: This engine is a monster. Makes a yummy growl, puts most cars to shame. At 80mph on the highway there was still TONS of power. very nice!
Handling: A- . I drove a non-sport pack car. Body roll was minimal-moderate on quick sweepers or on sharp left/right turns from a stop. Brake dive was well controlled. OVerall the handling would probably be an A with the sport pack.
Ride: A-. Bumps were very nicely damped, better than in a BMW 3 series.
Noise: Personally, I lov engine noise, and hate road noise. The G had more road noise than I'd have liked, but was still fairly quiet at 80 mph. The engine growled nicely, and I liked that.
Tranny: A. Very smooth shifts. I don't care much for the autostick, but it worked as advertised and downshifts were fairly rapid.
Fun to drive: B. This was the major disappointment. It's not that this car wasn't fun, but it still isn't at BMWs level. The main culprit is not the chassis or the engine, but the steering. The steering is three notches above a camry, one notch above a Maxima, but two notches below an IS300 or BMW 3 series. This was very unfortunate as, in an automatic car, a huge amount of sensory pleasure comes from the road feel. The G35 has road feel, but it's not all there, which is frustrating in such an otherwise well sorted car. Infiniti could have done better here. Still, the other parts of the caR (engine, chassis) compensate a lot.
OVerall: IT depends. First, for 27.9k, this is BY FAR the best car on the market. IT's an unbelievable value.
Second, it's quite roomy, so it doesn't directly compete with the 3 series. However, for those cross shopping w/ the 3er:
If you value fun-to-drive over all else, get the 3er. The BMW is still more fun, largely due to the road feel. I am a huge car enthusiast so I am having a hard time saying no to the 3er. On the other hand, I am still leaning towards the G. Why? B/c the value is so enormous. And the engine compensates a lot....a G35 is the same price as the 2.5L wimpy engine in a 325. More luxury features in the G too, and better warranty, etc.
So moral of the story: If one of the following apply: cost is no object, space is not an issue, or fun to drive is paramount, get the BMW.
Everyone else: get the G35.
Questions? Let me know. I've tried to be as unbiased as possible (I've never owned either an Infiniti or a BMW, but I've driven many, many cars).
We took delivery of our first G35 yesterday, called some people and sold 4 in 2 hours. This car is great! Was hoping to have one for a driver but we have sold out of our first months allocation. Very good competition for the BMW.
If he drove a car without the sports suspension, how can he claim that the G35 isn't up to snuff with a BMW 3 series for handling? That doesn't make sense. Drive it with the sports suspension and then decide if it can hang with a sport tuned BMW.
Nice review, you were way more objective than I was and provided alot more detail. I just fell in love with this car. I can't provide any comparison to the BMW as I am not a BMW fan> I guess part of the reason is that the 3 series is just to small for me and I am not interested in spending the $$ for a 5 series which I am told is truly amazing. I set out to get a car in the CAD $ 40k range and this is truly the one for me. I did look at the Audi A4 but the rear seat just did not have anough room for my needs. All I can say is thank god the G35 happened to released this past week or I would be driving an Acura 3.2 Type S and I know I would have killed myself once I got to see the G35. I ordered a premium model, Black on Black, I am told I will have it anywhere between Tuesday and Friday of this comming week. If anyone is interested the homelink buttons on on the rear view mirror and the BOSE sound systems is incredible. One thing, the outside mirror are pretty small. How did you like the visibility, I found it to be different from any other car I have driven, you really get a keen sense of what is around you. I only spent around 30 mins in the car so I am sure I will have alot more comments next week when I get it.
Pls find out if the external temperature display is reprogrammable to read in Fahrenheit without having to replace the unit. And if other digital displays are reprogrammable. If purchasing a Canadian model for export to the US, I believe the analog KPH speedometer unit has to be replaced with a MPH unit to duplicate the appearance of a matching US model.
bobbyknight... I'm not saying the Japanese don't enjoy racing but they have to go to Europe or America to really do it. Neither Japan nor Asia are know for lots of great, historical racing venues. Nor did they or do they have lots of other specialty marques like the Europeans, many known for racing (e.g., Lotus). As regards what they view the automobile for doing and owning, different cultures, different geography, different history, different taxes & regulations. Did Japan ever have an autobahn?
Noticed your list of good Japanese cars included mainly 2 doors. Did they make any great sedans--high performance all around sport sedans? I can't think of any off top of my head.
Nor am I convinced that many of the cars mentioned on your list are truly stand outs. Not sure cars like NSX, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX, or later RX-7s & Supras wore well or will wear well over time. (I probably should have added the diminutive Honda S800 roadster to my list of great Japanese cars.) As current or potential classics, don't hold a candle to something like Jag XK120 or E-type. Or Aston Martin DB4-6. Jensen Interceptor w/ or w/out FF.
I have a 1981 English book, Classic Sports Cars--The Postwar Years. 188 pages in 3 major sections: The Grand Marques, Lesser Luminaries, and Minor Classics. NOT a single Asian company or car in the first two categories. Datsun Z and Honda S800 are the only two that make it, and only in the 3rd category. Author omits the very limited production Toyota 2000GT (his mistake).
Is just too bad Infiniti didn't maintain its more sporty angle and learn how to promote it effectively. A 1990 Q45 was a heck of a better performance sedan than a 1999 Q41 (oops Q45). They lost focus and decided to push luxury. The old I30 was a snoozer. The interesting J30 platform wasn't seriously developed; never really had a sport package. The G20 was always underpowered. Now the G35 comes along and there is no initial manual transmission nor serious sport package. Look at the tire sizes!
(I readily concede the Japanese make great motorcycles and micro-cars.)
I will check for you, I know seepdometer is in both kms and mph so the only thing u may have to change is the odometer, to calibrate in miles instead of kms. These are the two things that your epa & dot would be concerned with , the rest of it is up to you, if you can live with metric or not, mind you it may be a problem when you want to sale the car. I will get back t you next week. I plan to post confirmation when i get the car so if i happen to forget to get back to you , send me a message after I post confirmation, or you can email me.
Hi everyone, I am new to this site. But the item about the prop rod for the hood deserves some explanation. According to Nissan (Infiniti) engineers, the prop rod was used to save weight. They estimated that the struts, springs and hood reinforcement for such a system would cost about 10 pounds. So the decision was to save weight and money. Look at it this way, how many of you guys drive with the hood open so everyone can see your cool engine? About the only people who would do that are maybe Mr. McGoo, Stevie Wonder or Jose Feliciano. Ray Charles would be also in that category. He once wrote a story in the early 70s in a magazine called Professional Pilot about his airplane, a Vickers Viscount, where he said that if he had a dual pilot incapacitation, he could fly the airplane by breaking the glass on his instruments and literally fly it blind. True story. As for saving money on the G35 cost, this car will eat BMW six bangers (autos) for lunch and you will still have about ten grand left over for dinner. With respect to the steering, you should drive the new 2002 3 series Bimmer and will find the steering too easy with less road feel. It was bad enough where BMW has had to rethink the quality factor with respect to that issue and they are going to build some more resistance to create their former road feel.
baron58tc... Don't you love corporate excuse propaganda? Use of el cheapo prop rod is utterly and completely inexcuseable in this price range, for this target market, with its competition! Was just a cheap way for Nissan to cut corners and save a few bucks per unit.
Can't wait to see the horror on G35 owners' eyes when they go to show off their new car at office, in front yard, or elsewhere. Somebody will want to see the engine and bay. You'll have to open hood. Then that person will either howl with laughter or snicker as they enjoy watching you prop up the hood with a cheap rod. That'll impress 'em!!! NOT! But Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio owners won't feel jealous. Right?
How come I picture lots of new G35 owners holding up their own hoods using their bare hands the entire (SHORT) time they show off their engines and bays to friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers? And can you picture a row of G35s at car show, dealer's lot, or in service bays all lined up with their hoods fully open and their prop rods proudly glistening!?! What a grand sight that'll be!
Wow so much discussion over a prop rod. Come on now how much does this really matter? If the extra 5 seconds that it takes to prop open the hood will prevent someone from purchasing a g35 then I say good. All the more g35's for me to choose from.
Hey Gang! May I introduce baron58tc. Remember my post about Larry at the Mountain Democrat? Well, Larry AKA baron58tc has chimed in. Thanks Larry. It's going to be fun to pick your brain. Now, about this prop rod business. Prop rod schmop rod! I could care less. My G35 is not going to be sitting in some parking lot with the hood popped open. That hood is going to be bottoned down and cuttin' through the wind!
aren't you clamoring for manual crank roll-up windows, deletion of cruise control & AC, bias ply tires, 4-wheel drum brakes, worm & roller steering, AM-only 2-speaker radios with optional 8-track player, fixed whip antenna, and a host of other retro goodies that might seem a bit out of this price, target market, and competition range?
There is no defense for a prop rod on a MY 2003 $30,000 sports sedan from INFINITI. Kia, yes. Hyundai, maybe. But Infiniti???
Just got back from there....said they will have 13 unsold G35s on their lot on Tuesday 3/12. A bunch of others already sold (I think he said they were getting 48 total, does that mean 35 are sold already??)
No full brochures, the rep. said he'd have them next week "a week before the car arrives" He took my info said he'd call me and drop one in the mail.
I got the "Future Think" brochure with the tech stuff.
Not exactly sure where your coming from with the comments as it almost seems like you're trying to bait people on this board into an argument. I'm actually of the opinion that Infiniti/Nissan made the right call on saving weight and cost by going with the prop rod for the hood. While it might only amount to a five or ten pound weight savings and a few dollars on the wallet, these things add up. Overall it looks like the G35 is bucking the trend of adding pounds with new vehicles. Bringing a mid-size entry level luxury vehicle in at 3335 lbs (close to 330i or IS300 weight) while offering more exterior size and interior space is to be commended.
The new 2002 A4 actually added a couple hundred pounds even though they switched from an iron to an aluminum block for the engine. While a lot of the weight gain clearly went into the body structure and rigidity of the chassis, it does mute some of the hp gains from the new 3.0 engine.
While struts do simplify raising the hood (especially at night when you need to jump a car at 30 below), it doesn't add to the driving experience. Also, most people I know that want to look under the hood could give a %#$@ about whether the hood is held up by struts, prop rod, or hot air. There more interested in looking at what's underneath and how easy is it to do maintenance (plugs, oil change, check fluids, etc). If the neighbors are embarrassed by prop rods, I'm probably not inviting them over to check out my car.
It sounds like the G35 will only make this segment more competitive, forcing all manufacturers to improve their offerings. Infiniti needs a volume builder for their franchises and it looks like they may have it (if you can get over the rear end). Its just too bad they didn't bring it out with a manual or I might have waited another couple of months to purchase. Such is life.
It sounds like you have no interest in this car at all so if it does not fit your needs or likes why bother posting anything. We have known it had a prop rod for months, it doesn't seem to have hurt any preorders and I doubt final sales will be based on the fact it has a prop or not. If this car is the Japanese Bmw I think it will be I'll be happy as hell and I have no urge to rally with it so it does not have to be a 330i, plus the price is about right what it offers.
Well I do know this that Z have a strong following and alot of enthusiast collec them. In Cali you see tons of them including the older ones in great shape. The G35 will probably appeal to some of the Z crowd who have small families now and I think/know that alot of the Maxima/I35 crowd will cross shop them despite that Infiniti doesnt think so.
.........about prop rods (I was on a carrier with propeller planes) whets one's appetite for the G35 coupe. Question: will it measure 186 inches like its 4-dr bro? ez
So if a Ferrari had a prop rod you would not buy it??. Sorry, but us car enthusiasts buy cars because of they make us feel when driving, we couldn't give a hoot of what holds up the hood.
A prop rod implies cheap, not sporty. When Toyota de-contented the last generation Camry, they used a prop rod. Competition from Accords, etc. forced them to change over. I don't believe that Nissan did it to save weight.
You can build and buy a G on carsdirect.com. It does list the invoice on the base MSRP. Now of course it is of the "Limited Availability" class. Order this week and they throw in a free prop rod at no additional charge.
Norcalmike2, you found me out. Reiz, think about your analogy with respect to prop rods. Most drivers use the windows, cruise, AC, tires, brakes, steering and radio every day while enjoying their car. If you needed to open the hood to make the car work two or three times a day, you would have a point, but fortunately cars are so good these days that some people (make that many people, remember half the drivers are women, NEVER open the hood to look at the engine for any reason and that is OK. what for? Even batteries are located places other than the engine bay. Mercedes doesn't even have a dip stick any more in many of their cars and have replaced it with an electronic readout on the instrument panel. Prop rods are reliable and simple. $100,000 Winston Cup cars use them as engine access is very important. If any of you remember the hoods on 1973-1988 Chevy pickups which had a self opening and supporting hoods and you will remember Chevys with bent hoods because the system couldn't support the weight of the hood. I could live with a prop rod without any qualms with respect to this automobile. The tire choice for this car, 215/55X17s seem to produce prodigious grip. The standard tire (16 inch) doesn't have the same cornering power as the 17s. It will be the best $425 ever spent. No loss in ride quality. They sound narrow, but put plenty of sticky rubber on the road. As to demographics, Infiniti figures 65% of the buyers/drivers to be male (so 35% will never opent the hood, unless one happens to be Shawna Robinson or Shirley Muldowney). Psychographics are people who are image conscious (there goes that prop rod again), trend setters (guys who wouldn't care about a prop rod with a car this good) and car enthusiasts, guys who would rather drive than look. As some of you said, this may be the best car for the money by a long ways. Think about it, great styling, some of the best seats in any automobile, rear wheel drive, perfect balance, nicely weighted steering and it eats bumps like a cop in a donut shop (no offense) and then you have to suffer with 260 hp thru a five speed auto or a notchy six speeder. I haven't driven behind the new tranny yet, but the first Maxima six speeder was pretty notchy (but that is a transverse unit), although the Altima cog swapper is pretty quick (0-60 in 6.06 with an electronic timer backed up by a 6.09, a perfect hook up should break six flat). The G35 should do 6 flat easier than breathing. In a conversation with some guys at Infiniti, it should be in dealer showrooms in 7 to 10 days. About the only thing that could make it better would be a 4.0L V-8 with about 320 hp and a six speeder although the V-6 does make some pretty nice sounds. Infiniti worked long and hard on that issue. This could be the perfect sedan. And no I don't have anything to do with Nissan or Infiniti other than being lucky enough to spend 300 miles behind the wheel on some really great roads. The G coupe data isn't out yet, but it is rumored to have more power, maybe 280 plus. Excuse me while I wipe the drool from the side of my mouth. These guys can make one salivate almost at will.
if one were to buy a sports car made 50 years ago one would not want to buy a japanese one. what that has to do with the quality (or lack of quality) of a g35 i for one do not understand.
All the G35 equipped with leather (at least 95% of production) will have 215/55-17 tires. The extra $425 for the sport tuned suspension pkg. gets you w-rated 215/55-17 performance summer tires unless you also picked the "winter-sport" pkg. If you get the "winter-sport pkg." you still get the stiffer suspension but with regular v-rated 215/55-17 tires. You do however get a full size spare (good idea... driven on a donut in snow? snow chain for a donut spare?)The 16 inch wheels are only on the cars with the cloth seats.
gabman... No, I do have a '98 540i 6-speed and a '00 323iA in my driveway. Both are wonderful cars but neither is perfect. Like ALL cars, they certainly do have their flaws which can and should be addressed by BMW. For example, mediocre sound systems. The terrible cupholders in 5 Series. Odd way the automatic climate control systems turn on & off. Guess that is why I'm always thinking about the next vehicle and why I'm looking forward to G35 6-speed. Too bad it isn't here yet. I'm still expectently waiting for full road tests of any G35 in automotive press as well as actual post-buying ownership comments from people here.
Your a good sport, everyone around here got to serious about your post so I thought I would add some humour, I will have my G35 this week, dealer advises between Tuesday and Friday, so I will post my comments once I get to drive it without some salesman sitting in the back seat talking my ear off.
the g35 will nto have the same manual tranny found in ANY of todays Nissan vehicles. its all new, no one has driven it. it will debut in the Z. Not even Nissan has finalized it.
You are correct tco99. the leather G comes with 17 inch wheels and 215/55V17s, and the sport pac gives you the w rated and superior road holding tires plus the better suspension, but here is the delimma. To get heated seats, it is only available in the winter packages which means that you give up the W tires. They should offer heated seats and mirrors separately (maybe they are afaird people will drive to hard in winter climates?) with the sport pac. Maybe you could get a dealer to put the W tires back on the car, but you shouldn't have to do that. The other item that should be offered as standard equipment which costs the manufacturer about $20 is the homelink system which can only be had with the $2,200 premium pac. At least offer it as an inexpensive option. How many of you have automatic garage doors?
You are correct tco99. the leather G comes with 17 inch wheels and 215/55V17s, and the sport pac gives you the w rated and superior road holding tires plus the better suspension, but here is the dilemma. To get heated seats, it is only available in the winter packages which means that you give up the W tires. They should offer heated seats and mirrors separately (maybe they are afraid people will drive to hard in winter climates?) with the sport pac. Maybe you could get a dealer to put the W tires back on the car, but you shouldn't have to do that. The other item that should be offered as standard equipment which costs the manufacturer about $20 is the homelink system which can only be had with the $2,200 premium pac. At least offer it as an inexpensive option. How many of you have automatic garage doors?
Does anyone know if chrome wheels will be an option? Infiniti does offer it on the sport package for the I-35. I also hope the folks at "Clear Bra" will have the product to protect the hood, bumpers and mirrors out soon.
I was leaning to buying the ES 300 but as gorgeous as it is, it was not a fun car to drive. I was one of the first buyers of a 1972 240Z (2nd year of the Z)but have not owned a Japanese product since although I loved that Z. Like us all, I too am anxious to test drive the G-35 and if it is all those on this forum indicate, I will not hesistate to buy one.
I think we are all looking forward to gabman's experience.
I'm pretty much in love with the G35, esp when the 6sp man. comes out. (Which it better).
But HWY fuel economy has me worried. I expect to get at least 27-28 mpg with cruise on at 70-75mph.
If people have to go 60 with A/C off to break 25 I will be VERY disappointed. To the point of not buying it. I'll wait till engine is broken in about 10k miles for VQ with synth oil.
I understand this is not an economy car, BUT I consider decent fuel economy a performance criteria.
The automatic has somewhat low enough final drive ratio. They should've done what Acura did and put a real steep 5th gear. That's the point of 5 gears is having the best of both worlds.
With 6 spd manual even more so. 6th gear should a pure highway economy gear. NOT a click over 2000 rpms @70. Maybe even a little taller 2000@75. They can make 5th a little shorter, as down shift from from 6 to 5 would be very easy.
I have 2001 Pathfinder 5spd and it turns about 3000 rpms @76mph. It has plenty of power there and rarely downshift to pass.
Considering the weight and drag of G35, 2000rpms@75 will actually not have bad power.
They have to get rpms down to minimze valve-train friction which kills efficiency of DOHC v6 engines.
Actually that is a fundamental problem with DOHC v6 engines is they have coefficient of highest valve train friction, compared to any other layout.
This is one reason why GM hasn't widely adopted it. GM's old 3.8 V6 gets 30 mpg HWY...
Comments
But, no, I've never owned a BMW. Never could get past the test drive. They're fine cars, I'm sure. But not for me. Seems the Europeans and Japanese have different ideas about the "ultimate driving machine." I just happen to like the Japanese versions better. And I'm not surprised that the BMW is quieter than the Intrepid. It's my impression from riding in all three that the g35 is quieter than the 3 series and the 5 series. It would be nice to test them side-by-side though.
Compare to Europe. Too many great European cars over the past 40 years to name. Probably more great cars from odd marques in the pre-emission control era (e.g., Iso, Jensen, Austin-Healy, Bristol, Monteverdi) or super-marques like Ferrari, let alone BMW, MB, etc. The Italians alone have made more great car models in past 40 years than all of Asia.
Has always seemed that the Asians think cars like LS400/430 or Q45 are their ultimate driving machines. And they then have drivers. Really more ultimate passenger machines.
Wonder how much of the difference can be traced back to the European love of auto racing? Titanic struggles between marques like Auto Union and MB in 1930s. All that was and is with F1 and other type racing. LeMans. Etc. Japan lacks tracks like Nurburgring (sp?). Great venues like Monte Carlo.
I did find the options specs, and saw that seat assist is part of the premium package. There are some other item in the package that I would want (notably homelink), but would pass if the seat assist can't be disabled.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
first, europe has been producing quality cars longer than japan. that is true. but are you buying a 1920's car or a 2002 car?
second, japan has some very high quality cars. but they tend to be either luxury cars or sports cars. not too much in between. unfortunately not many of them seem to make it over here.
seems to me the bottom line is how good a car is. not how good cars from the same country were 50 years ago.
Plus you are forgetting many cars in your list of Japanese sports cars for the last 40 years: NSX, 300ZX, RX-7, Supra, Datsun 510(maybe not a sports car, but if you consider the 2002 you have to include this one), Datsun 1800 & 2000 Roadsters, etc...I know I'm forgetting some.
The late 60's Toyota was called the 2000GT
http://www.carseverything.com/content/image/10371/
I drove the G35 today. I live in Hawaii and since the Gs are built in Japan, we probably got ours before you, so I thought I'd post my impressions.
The car I drove was a base G35 with the leather package. No bose, roof, xenons, etc. Color was silver on black leather.
Exterior: B+. The rear end is still ugly, but overall the car looks very nice. Very Audi-ish, if you like that sort of thing, and I do. I particularly like the front end, which has lots of presence. The G was parked next to a QX4 sport ute and the G35 had more presence, which is hard for a car to do when parked next to a truck. If they fixed the rear it would be an A-. The BMW 3 series remains, however, the best looking car in its class, although everyone has one. Incidentally, BMW's titanium silver is nicer than the G's less metallic silver, but it could have been the lighting.
Engine bay: It has a prop rod. Lots of people were wondering. Still, the bay is nicely finished, battery is in a nice plastic compartment, color coded caps, etc.
Interior: A-. I expected it to feel a bit cheap, but was pleasantly surprised. Buttons, stalks, etc had GREAT feel. Everything made good clicking sounds, very little cheap plastic. The moving gauge panel is very cool, but no telescoping steering wheel. Two glove boxes are great, and since mmine was the non navi it had some extra storage space. Leather is nice...higher quality than the junk BMW uses, but not as nice as the Sojourner leather in the I35 and Q45, which is I think some of the finest leather this side of Jaguar. The leather quality is a lot like that in the I30, if you've been in one of those. It is perforated, but unlike some perforated leathers, still looks classy. The driver's seat has that special hump in the middle which is supposdely functional but I didn't notice any benefits. Seats are decently bolstered, but far less so than a BMW with sport seats. I have a thin frame, and found the seats to be very comfy. YMMV. The power seat controls are located on the inboard side of the seats, which is unusual. It is a great idea, and the G uses two types of rocker switch for the seats (hard to explain, but it's a very nice ergonomic arrangement). The power seats move too slowly. The seatback reclines something like 190 degrees, which I love. Bends over backwards. My current car does only 150 or so and it annoys me. Rear seat has an awesome armrest and is quite roomy. Nice seat pockets on seaet backs covered in meshy stuff, looks great. The non-prem pack car rear headrests arent adjustable.
Controls are super. The non-bose stereo sounded fabulous, altho I am no audiophile. The aluminum-look trim looked very nice, not cheap like it does in the Altima. Auto climate control set and forget worked well.
The center console is not two-tiered, which is unfortunate, but there is lots of other storage space so it's not a big deal.
The yellow gauge lgihting didn't bug me as much as I expected it to. Still, I'd have preferred another color, and the font is not as nice as the font that Honda/Acura uses (yes, I'm picky).
I LOVE the radio controls on the steering wheel.
My fav interior part was the steering wheel...it's got a tiny diameter, a thick, well padded rim, and looks great (better than in the pix). It feels like a BMW M3 wheel.
The drive:
Performance: A+: This engine is a monster. Makes a yummy growl, puts most cars to shame. At 80mph on the highway there was still TONS of power. very nice!
Handling: A- . I drove a non-sport pack car. Body roll was minimal-moderate on quick sweepers or on sharp left/right turns from a stop. Brake dive was well controlled. OVerall the handling would probably be an A with the sport pack.
Ride: A-. Bumps were very nicely damped, better than in a BMW 3 series.
Noise: Personally, I lov engine noise, and hate road noise. The G had more road noise than I'd have liked, but was still fairly quiet at 80 mph. The engine growled nicely, and I liked that.
Tranny: A. Very smooth shifts. I don't care much for the autostick, but it worked as advertised and downshifts were fairly rapid.
Fun to drive: B. This was the major disappointment. It's not that this car wasn't fun, but it still isn't at BMWs level. The main culprit is not the chassis or the engine, but the steering. The steering is three notches above a camry, one notch above a Maxima, but two notches below an IS300 or BMW 3 series. This was very unfortunate as, in an automatic car, a huge amount of sensory pleasure comes from the road feel. The G35 has road feel, but it's not all there, which is frustrating in such an otherwise well sorted car. Infiniti could have done better here. Still, the other parts of the caR (engine, chassis) compensate a lot.
OVerall: IT depends. First, for 27.9k, this is BY FAR the best car on the market. IT's an unbelievable value.
Second, it's quite roomy, so it doesn't directly compete with the 3 series. However, for those cross shopping w/ the 3er:
If you value fun-to-drive over all else, get the 3er. The BMW is still more fun, largely due to the road feel. I am a huge car enthusiast so I am having a hard time saying no to the 3er. On the other hand, I am still leaning towards the G. Why? B/c the value is so enormous. And the engine compensates a lot....a G35 is the same price as the 2.5L wimpy engine in a 325. More luxury features in the G too, and better warranty, etc.
So moral of the story:
If one of the following apply: cost is no object, space is not an issue, or fun to drive is paramount, get the BMW.
Everyone else: get the G35.
Questions? Let me know. I've tried to be as unbiased as possible (I've never owned either an Infiniti or a BMW, but I've driven many, many cars).
Very good competition for the BMW.
If anyone is interested the homelink buttons on on the rear view mirror and the BOSE sound systems is incredible. One thing, the outside mirror are pretty small. How did you like the visibility, I found it to be different from any other car I have driven, you really get a keen sense of what is around you. I only spent around 30 mins in the car so I am sure I will have alot more comments next week when I get it.
If purchasing a Canadian model for export to the US, I believe the analog KPH speedometer unit has to be replaced with a MPH unit to duplicate the appearance of a matching US model.
Noticed your list of good Japanese cars included mainly 2 doors. Did they make any great sedans--high performance all around sport sedans? I can't think of any off top of my head.
Nor am I convinced that many of the cars mentioned on your list are truly stand outs. Not sure cars like NSX, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX, or later RX-7s & Supras wore well or will wear well over time. (I probably should have added the diminutive Honda S800 roadster to my list of great Japanese cars.) As current or potential classics, don't hold a candle to something like Jag XK120 or E-type. Or Aston Martin DB4-6. Jensen Interceptor w/ or w/out FF.
I have a 1981 English book, Classic Sports Cars--The Postwar Years. 188 pages in 3 major sections: The Grand Marques, Lesser Luminaries, and Minor Classics. NOT a single Asian company or car in the first two categories. Datsun Z and Honda S800 are the only two that make it, and only in the 3rd category. Author omits the very limited production Toyota 2000GT (his mistake).
Is just too bad Infiniti didn't maintain its more sporty angle and learn how to promote it effectively. A 1990 Q45 was a heck of a better performance sedan than a 1999 Q41 (oops Q45). They lost focus and decided to push luxury. The old I30 was a snoozer. The interesting J30 platform wasn't seriously developed; never really had a sport package. The G20 was always underpowered. Now the G35 comes along and there is no initial manual transmission nor serious sport package. Look at the tire sizes!
(I readily concede the Japanese make great motorcycles and micro-cars.)
Can't wait to see the horror on G35 owners' eyes when they go to show off their new car at office, in front yard, or elsewhere. Somebody will want to see the engine and bay. You'll have to open hood. Then that person will either howl with laughter or snicker as they enjoy watching you prop up the hood with a cheap rod. That'll impress 'em!!! NOT! But Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio owners won't feel jealous. Right?
How come I picture lots of new G35 owners holding up their own hoods using their bare hands the entire (SHORT) time they show off their engines and bays to friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers? And can you picture a row of G35s at car show, dealer's lot, or in service bays all lined up with their hoods fully open and their prop rods proudly glistening!?! What a grand sight that'll be!
2) The hood has a prop rod?!?!
Guess I'll have to take a look at CTS or CLS (LOL!)
There is no defense for a prop rod on a MY 2003 $30,000 sports sedan from INFINITI. Kia, yes. Hyundai, maybe. But Infiniti???
No full brochures, the rep. said he'd have them next week "a week before the car arrives" He took my info said he'd call me and drop one in the mail.
I got the "Future Think" brochure with the tech stuff.
He said 6 months for the manual.
Not exactly sure where your coming from with the comments as it almost seems like you're trying to bait people on this board into an argument. I'm actually of the opinion that Infiniti/Nissan made the right call on saving weight and cost by going with the prop rod for the hood. While it might only amount to a five or ten pound weight savings and a few dollars on the wallet, these things add up. Overall it looks like the G35 is bucking the trend of adding pounds with new vehicles. Bringing a mid-size entry level luxury vehicle in at 3335 lbs (close to 330i or IS300 weight) while offering more exterior size and interior space is to be commended.
The new 2002 A4 actually added a couple hundred pounds even though they switched from an iron to an aluminum block for the engine. While a lot of the weight gain clearly went into the body structure and rigidity of the chassis, it does mute some of the hp gains from the new 3.0 engine.
While struts do simplify raising the hood (especially at night when you need to jump a car at 30 below), it doesn't add to the driving experience. Also, most people I know that want to look under the hood could give a %#$@ about whether the hood is held up by struts, prop rod, or hot air. There more interested in looking at what's underneath and how easy is it to do maintenance (plugs, oil change, check fluids, etc). If the neighbors are embarrassed by prop rods, I'm probably not inviting them over to check out my car.
It sounds like the G35 will only make this segment more competitive, forcing all manufacturers to improve their offerings. Infiniti needs a volume builder for their franchises and it looks like they may have it (if you can get over the rear end). Its just too bad they didn't bring it out with a manual or I might have waited another couple of months to purchase. Such is life.
If this car is the Japanese Bmw I think it will be I'll be happy as hell and I have no urge to rally with it so it does not have to be a 330i, plus the price is about right what it offers.
My Mercedes definitely needed hood struts, since it spent at least 45 days in the shop, at the dealer within the first 11 months of ownership.
http://www.carsdirect.com/home
what that has to do with the quality (or lack of quality) of a g35 i for one do not understand.
http://www.carseverything.com/content/image/10367
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Which explains delay between the intro of the auto G35 and the manual version.
Thanks,
Jim J.
I was leaning to buying the ES 300 but as gorgeous as it is, it was not a fun car to drive. I was one of the first buyers of a 1972 240Z (2nd year of the Z)but have not owned a Japanese product since although I loved that Z. Like us all, I too am anxious to test drive the G-35 and if it is all those on this forum indicate, I will not hesistate to buy one.
I think we are all looking forward to gabman's experience.
I'm pretty much in love with the G35, esp when the 6sp man. comes out. (Which it better).
But HWY fuel economy has me worried. I expect to get at least 27-28 mpg with cruise on at 70-75mph.
If people have to go 60 with A/C off to break 25 I will be VERY disappointed. To the point of not buying it. I'll wait till engine is broken in about 10k miles for VQ with synth oil.
I understand this is not an economy car, BUT I consider decent fuel economy a performance criteria.
The automatic has somewhat low enough final drive ratio. They should've done what Acura did and put a real steep 5th gear. That's the point of 5 gears is having the best of both worlds.
With 6 spd manual even more so. 6th gear should a pure highway economy gear. NOT a click over 2000 rpms @70. Maybe even a little taller 2000@75. They can make 5th a little shorter, as down shift from from 6 to 5 would be very easy.
I have 2001 Pathfinder 5spd and it turns about 3000 rpms @76mph. It has plenty of power there and rarely downshift to pass.
Considering the weight and drag of G35, 2000rpms@75 will actually not have bad power.
They have to get rpms down to minimze valve-train friction which kills efficiency of DOHC v6 engines.
Actually that is a fundamental problem with DOHC v6 engines is they have coefficient of highest valve train friction, compared to any other layout.
This is one reason why GM hasn't widely adopted it. GM's old 3.8 V6 gets 30 mpg HWY...
Please listen Infinity,
Exzave