Infiniti G35 Sedan 2006 and earlier

cybersax · July 2002

The closest thing I've seen to a G35 on the road was a billboard advertisement of one in the slums of northwest Indiana, while I was driving to Chicago.

Have they sold any of these cars outside the west coast? Only those used to seeing lowriding Honda Civics with coffee can tailpipes and four foot tall spoilers could see the beauty in this beast.

riez · July 2002

dancingdoctor... Ask the dealer how long you have to purchase Infiniti's extended warranty. When I bought a long time ago, thinking you had 1 year or 12,000 miles from initial purchase to buy. I did end up buying but then sold the car before the original warranty expired. (If I remember right, the warranty actually is for 100,000 miles and starts at time of purchase. So they prorate the unused time/mileage from way back during the initial warranty period. So I only got a small amount back even though I never used it. Live and learn. And the dealer I sold the car to didn't want to buy the extended warranty off of me. He smiled and said "He'd rather sell the next buyer a warranty." Of course, since he'd make a small fortune on that.)

I never had a single warranty repair on either of my Infiniti. And that was in about 79,000 miles of driving. Extremely reliable.

On whole, doubt it is worth it. And you'll know by end of 4yr/60K bumper-to-bumper and 6yr/70K powertrain warranty whether you have a problem car. If you do, probably better just to sell off before end of initial warranty period.

riez · July 2002

dancingdoctor... I rarely throw anything away. Found all my old records for the '96 G20t I bought with Infiniti Extended Protection Plan (EPP). Cost me $1,150. I sold the car at about 59,000 miles. I submitted the required notarized cancellation paperwork and then got 41 percent of the initial purchase price back (less the $35 cancellation fee), even though I never used the EPP once. As I found out to my chagrin, here is what the EPP said:

"The Service Agreement begins on the date the vehicle is delivered to the first retail buyer or is put into use ("in-service date"), whichever is earlier."

So the 7 yr/100,000 mile EPP coverage started on the day I bought the car (when she had 15 miles on it).

Get a copy of the current Infiniti EPP agreement and read over its fine print very, very carefully. You might also see if you can shop the EPP around, and might be able to buy from a different dealer. Maybe another dealer might sell it for less?

ivan_99 · July 2002

Heh...This is humorous to me.

I actually think the car looks like a beast. It looks mean and aggressive, like it's about to bite you.

It actually looks like a 4 door 911 to me (and almost drives like one)...chomp

robmarch · July 2002

I like the looks also, except I prefer the coupe taillights we've seen so far.

I think the Altima, G35 and the 350Z are doing a good job of reestablishing Nissan as a "performance first" manufacturer. the GTR could really build on this and provide a car that could hang with the Z06, 911, and M3. Should be a fun year or two for Nissan fans.

ps... cybersax, hope you're enjoying your "CTS"

stsurbrook · July 2002

Personally, I think that the Infiniti extended warranty is WAY over priced. Don't know how much more they can cover than "bumper-to-bumper", unless you include brakes or all maintenance, but doubt that is worth $2150. Better off putting the money in the bank an drawing interest. Also, the extended warranty my dealer tried to sell me had a $100 deductible, no way.

I have a Dodge Durango (a MUCH less reliable car) and got the extended warranty on it. Had to use it three times since the 3 years expired (still <36K miles, 1999 model) and it's extended warranty only has a $25 deductible.

I didn't buy the extended warranty with my G35 and have no regrets. Of course, your milage may vary...

Scott

stsurbrook · July 2002

Personally, I don't put too much stock in JD Power awards. I'll put my belief in Consumer Reports that bases its impressions on a survey of >2 million car owners and their reliability experiences. Cadillac (or any other GM brand) hasn't been doing well...

Of course, I would think/hope that GM WOULD improve since they are now part owners of Toyota and SHOULD learning SOMETHING from the NUMMI joint venture (with Toyota) plant in Van Nuys, CA. Probably will be the best thing that has happened to GM in quite some time. However, Cadillac still hasn't fared well with Consumer Reports. For that matter, neither has Mercedes Benz...

Scott

stsurbrook · July 2002

Just got back from my in-laws and with a relatively sedate highway drive and ~80 on the freeway we got about 26 mpg's this trip. First time I've broken the 26 mpg "barrier". Car has ~7200 miles.

Scott

stsurbrook · July 2002

Oh, I forgot to mention that the Durango's extended warranty was $795 for 7/100K w/$25 deductible. Basically the same warranty as the 36/36K original warranty. However, it is not with Dodge, but another company.

The offer from the Infiniti dealership was ~$1295 from a 3rd party also w/$100 deductible. The Infiniti offer was what you were quoted.

Scott

jrct9454 · July 2002

...it wasn't in Van Nuys - NUMMI is 350 miles north, in the SF Bay area, Fremont, to be precise.

And if the NUMMI experience has had any ruboff effect on GM, it sure has taken a long time to have any consequence - believe it or not, the partnership is now going on 20 years old.

The Fremont plant was shut by GM after making some of the worst products in the history of the company [and that was saying something in the awful '60s and'70s]; the workforce was UAW, and famous for being some of the most belligerent and militant people in the national union. Since Toyota took over running the plant, quality and productivity are up to worldwide Toyota standards, there hasn't been a work stoppage of consequence, new contracts are negotiated mostly in silence and civility, and there couldn't be a more dramatic demonstration of the importance of smart management to corporate success.

Our family has owned a total of 6 NUMMI-produced cars and trucks since the mid '80s - all have been trouble-free and typically Toyota bullet-proof. If GM in general, and Cadillac in particular, has somehow made any progress in its own plants from this partnership, it is looking pretty subtle to me. They still have so far to go...

mawg · July 2002

Mr.stsurbrook, and other G35 owners: How does the G do on long highway trips (300 plus miles)
I am anxious to know how the car does when you spend the whole day in it.

IMO, you get to a point in a long drive that you dont care about acceleration or handling, you just want to get to your desitination. Specificaly I am wondering if the ride gets harsh and irritating after a long day.

Thanks in advance for your response...

stsurbrook · July 2002

jrct9454 - Thanks for the correction on the location of the NUMMI plant. I had read an article recently where the author had mis-identified the location and, for some reason, it had stuck with me.

I think that the most impressive fact about NUMMI, in addition to the raw turnabout in both productivity and labor relations, was that the vast majority of the improvements were accomplished with no capital improvements, primarily process/policy changes. At least it is one of the most impressive to me...

You are correct that the benefits of the joint venture are very slow in coming to the rest of the GM family. I was/am hoping that GM's recent improvement in initial quality may be a precursor to long-term reliability. However, if there have been any long-term improvements they, generally, haven't made it into Consumer Reports reliability surveys.

mawg - I think that the G35 does VERY well in long trips. It is one of the most comfortable cars I've driven in (for its size). I'm rather wide in the hips (the legacy of a past life as a weight lifter) and, while I'm generally numb to the location of the seat controls, my hips can get a bit tired after a few hours. If you have narrower hips, then you will find the seats to be VERY comfortable.

As for the highway ride, it isn't quite in the 2001+ Lexus ES300's class, but it is relatively close for a sport sedan with its performance characteristics. I would have expected a harsher ride with more road noise, but is very smooth (non-sport) and quiet. It was so quiet on our last trip that my wife and I were almost whispering (VERY soft voices) to keep from waking our daughter... and this was at 75+mph.

Hope this helps.

Scott

ivan_99 · July 2002

I find the highway ride to be excellent. One of my previous cars, A6, did resist cross-winds better (it's much heavier than the G35). I've just completed a 400 mi trip (one way) and the car was more composed and balanced better than my A6. The A6 did have more comfortable seats (a little), but it seemed as if the G35 handled the dips and waves better. This is probably because the longer wheelbase and better weight distribution. I actually found the A6 to be more comfortable around town, but WAY less sporty and composed through the turns (relatively speaking of course).

I found the G35 to be quieter once at highway speeds (70ish) than many others. The cruise works really well and since the engine is very powerful, it doesn't have to down shift as often. An A4 (97) which I sold recently had to down shift often when going up an inclinethe G35 has almost 100hp more.

The G highway ride was better than I thought, but if I just looking for a highway cruiser I probably wouldn't get anything in the sport category. I'd get a mushier Lexus or something like that.

Handling and acceleration does help a lot on the highway, especially when it's a 2 lane and someone is going 15mph Under the limit; or a deer pops out.

verozahl · July 2002

Saw a G35 here in northern Michigan today (my vacation home is in the Mackinac Straits area). These things shouldn't leave the cities, they civilize the backcountry way too much when they pass by...

Wouldn't want to take the G35 on a road trip in the summer in northern Michigan... would want someplace with lots of curves. Like Vermont, maybe.

Okay, so we've seen the CTS and 3-Series people in here. Any renegade Lincoln LS people hanging about?! Cmon, you hate the G35 too. You know you do. Tell us alllllllll about it.

keyrow · July 2002

"Any renegade Lincoln LS people hanging about?! Cmon, you hate the G35 too. You know you do. Tell us alllllllll about it."

You obviously must not be paying attention. In just the past 100 posts I found 3 LSers who regularly post here: stanny1, cdnpinhead and myself. There have been others as well, just not as recent. As far as I can tell NONE of us have "dissed" the G35 in any way. Actually we think it is a GREAT car and if Lincoln does not significantly upgrade the LS several of us would purchase the G when our leases/loans mature. So I am bewildered by your post. Can you point us to any post(s) that would have induced such vitriol in you? Or do you simply assume that those of us who truly believe the car he presently owns was the best one for HIM at the time of purchase is automatically against the G35?

I do agree that some posters are WAY too fanatical about one particular manufacturer or model, but to lump us in with those few is insulting. Especially when you offer no proof/examples that we truly belong in that category!

kbailey24 · July 2002

I have a question about the options you can purchase for the G35. At infiniti.com, when you build your own G35, it won't let you choose the Xenon headlights without the premium package. Edmunds.com and carsdirect.com will allow you to choose the Xenon lights without the premium package. I test drove a G35 last week. It had the Xenon lights, and I don't think it had the premium package, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm wondering if the dealership has added the Xenon lights themselves. So my question is: Can you get a G35 with Xenon headlights without the premium package?

stsurbrook · July 2002

Chill, dude! He was just joking around, fishing for a response, though I'll bet not one as "fanatical" as that...

Scott

stsurbrook · July 2002

So far as I know, you cannot get the Xenon's without the premium package as a factory option. However, it may be that things have changed.

I think that you will be able to get all options "a la carte" sometime in the future, but probably not until supply loosens up. It appears to still be pretty tight in some areas of the country, although in others there seems to be an abundance of cars.

I would believe what the manufacturer's web site has to say. Edmunds.com doesn't always price things correctly, they appear to require that you know what you can/cannot order. For example, Edmunds.com will let you order the premium package AND the sound system upgrade (the premium package includes the sound system upgrade).

Scott

cdnpinhead · July 2002

several of the LS folks are serious performance sedan fans, without regard to what company provides the car.

The G35 is a great car, and will probably be provided with more options in the future that will make it even more attractive to me -- manual & a more luxurious interior (Stan wants to to go the other way -- toward lower weight).

Point being, you've got a great car already. It'll probably get better. Those of us who bought the LS for its performance/handling are dialed in and waiting. I don't think most of us are that faithful to the Lincoln badge, given that the '00 manual was the first one Lincoln produced in 50 years.

G35, better LS, Audi A6 with proven reliability, who knows? Each of us (TBD willing) will buy something next. . .eventually. The G35's right in there, at least for me.

verozahl · July 2002

Note to self: Separate "CTS fanatics" and "everyone else, including Lincoln LS people" on "registry of sport sedan owners."

gotcha, keyrow.

No matter what car you speak of: No auto-levelling Xenon headlights and power leather heated sport seats => it's obviously not a luxosport sedan!

pat · July 2002

Ahem - let's just stick to the cars and not try to stir up arguments. Thanks.

Pat
Sedans Host

morgan1112 · July 2002

Just got back from a 3+ hour trip (each way) over the holiday weekend. I have to say that the comfort and performance were exactly what I expected. The gas mileage was a pleasant surprise as well as up to this point i have been doing about 90% city driving. I found the seats comfortable as did my passenger who commented that her butt hadn't fallen asleep once.

Also, got the oil changed at Sewell in Dallas last week prior to the trip. They have moved into a really nice new building. Even have a guy who brings you coffee and muffins when you pull into the service bay. They just reinforced my decision to buy from them with their stellar service. Quick, painless and very professional.

cybersax · July 2002

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/dai/2002/july/20020708_dai_nissan.xml

"Nissan is recalling 161,000 1997 Infiniti I30, Q45 and Nissan Maxima sedans to check for an electrical problem that could start a fire under the hood, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration."

Ouch! Let's start a pool on when Nissan will start recalling the G35. I say September.

I guess that's the risk you take when you buy from the automaker that's dead last in product quality and reliability.

joeandcarol2 · July 2002

dancing doctor: Don't get the extended warrenty. For a Japanese car they are a rip off. I have owned four Japanese cars and would never have used the warrenty. These things are way over priced and are used as a tool to increase dealer profit when dealing with unknowlegable customers. The last time I bought a new car the person trying to sell the warrenty admitted it was essentially extra profit. Its like insurance on rental cars. Your insurance company covers you when you rent a rental car. Wake UP consumers!

joeandcarol2 · July 2002

What kind of highway mileage did you get?

stsurbrook · July 2002

Yeah, yeah. EVERY manufacturer has recalls on their vehicles. Take a look at Cadillac's, if you want some recalls that apply to you.

Thanks for pointing out the recalls, I'm sure the I30, Maxima, and Q45 owners will appreciate it... Oh, this isn't their board. Hmmm, well, maybe you should go over there to post.

Don't you have anything better to do than try to bait people here in the G35 forums? Or are you SO desperate to justify your CTS purchase, when you could have had a G35, that it makes you feel better to try to pick arguments here? Or has another G35 blown your car off the road...

Scott

pat · July 2002

I think that we all fully appreciate your feelings about the G35 and about Infiniti/Nissan.

There really isn't any reason for to keep answering questions here that are not being asked. Let's move on to something that hasn't been beaten into the ground yet.

Pat
Sedans Host

pat · July 2002

haven't you heard the expression "don't feed the trolls"?? It really works!!

dane4 · July 2002

I'm offended by your red and blue text! you are obviously trolling the board because you know only YOU can have blue and red text in your name! LoL!

Hey, you never told us what kind of car you drive!

Faenor/Dane4

oman9 · July 2002

I'm a very happy owner of a '98 I30t. I plan on keeping it for a few more years but can't help but take a hard look at the G35 as a successor. I do question whether I should also be looking at an I35 as well as the G. The G seems much sportier, but the I35 looks nice too. Has anyone else pondered the I vs. the G? What do you all think?

tonyg35 · July 2002

I did not personally cross shop between the I35 and G35. I wanted a rear wheel drive sport sedan.

I think both of these cars caters to different group of buyers. One who has luxury as first priority would buy an I35, on the other hand the G35 will appeal to people see performance/sportiness as priority.

I think the Infiniti exec. summed it up best.
"I35 is a Luxury /sport sedan, where as the G35 is a Sport /Luxury sedan" anyway it's not the exact quote but the message is correct.

I'm hearing rumor that Infiniti will discontinue the I35 after 2003. ?
So that is also something to think about.

Tony

pat · July 2002

Heh, faenor, if I could lose that red, I'd be happy to do so! T'weren't my idea!! ;->

And you are correct, I never have told you what I drive.

v70h96i03 · July 2002

Just returned from 2 weeks holiday seeing friends and family scattered over the mid west. Coming from the East Coast, this ended up putting over 2,700 miles on the G35. Of course it was too much Interstate and not enough side roads but when you have to get from A to B.... The weather was really hot but really comfortable in the G35 even on 97 deg days. In response to mawg's questions about highway comfort, the car was a pleasure to drive, even after 10 hours at the wheel. Probably due to several factors but for me the quietness was really noticeable even at high speed.

Got to sample the active safety aspects a few more times than I would have liked (with success thank goodness). Let's just say that the high speed lane change (aka the Swedish Moose avoidance test) at 80+, while scary was controllable. (It wasn't a Moose but someone who change lanes without looking).

We were in upper lower Michigan (and yes verozahl there are interesting roads without Fudgies in Michigan around Traverse Bay if you know where to go) Also, let's say that the G35 makes getting around those RV's on a 2 lane road possible where you might think twice in another car (at least the cars I have owned).

Gas mileage is always a topic on this board and I got from 22.3 to 25.8 mpg. Yes the high number was all interstate on cruise at 70. When you get you foot into it, the mileage goes down as mostly local driving usually gets me around 20.

faenor · July 2002

You have us over a barrel now! But I am patient, exceedingly so, and little by little you will tip your hand with slight clues and inadventant hints until NABBO! we NAB what kind of car you drive... *twirling handlebar moustache in Hercule Poirot style*

Faenor/Dane4

mike1650 · July 2002

rfhou · July 2002

Does anyone know what the max payload of the G35 is? I'm assuming it is 800-1,000 lbs. like most cars??? Just want to make sure that four adults and their luggage won't overload the car.

willjam · July 2002

Good looking! I noticed that you have Firestone Tires, I have Bridgestone Turanza EL42s. Mine has the standard suspension.

lenscap · July 2002

Whether or not you get an extended warranty depends on how long after the initial warranty you'll keep the car. If you'll keep it, say, seven years, the warranty is a good idea because...

1. A simple item like a power window switch going out could be around $500.

2. A major item like a nav system breaking could be thousands.

3. The warranty extends the roadside assistance, which I believe ends after four years.

4. If you get rid of the car sooner, you get value back (dealers will prorate the difference and if you sell on your own it will be valuable to the new owner).

As long as you can negotiate the price down to about $1200 I think the extended warranties are good, especially on today's technical cars where one little thing can be expensive. Again, this is only if you plan to keep the car a while.

To say only unknowledgable people buy them is simply not true.

Also, it's not like insurance on rental cars. I agree, with rental cars most (not all) people are covered anyway so the rental insurance is unecessary. But if you are out of warranty on a car you have nothing if something breaks. There is a difference.

mike1650 · July 2002

Mine is std. suspension too but it has the winter package even though I'm in sunny Calif.

kiiwii · July 2002

Mike, that's pretty sleek looking. Did you paint the calipers by yourself or did you take your car to a shop? I saw some special caliper paints on the internet, but kindda worry I will mess up the color.

mike1650 · July 2002

It took 3-4 hrs. but was easy to do. Just remember to dab it on thick then brush it out.

stsurbrook · July 2002

Hey, where have you been hiding? What's up with your PIAA Superwhites highbeam upgrade?

Scott

willjam · July 2002

Opps, sorry about that -- old eyes. I have the winter package as well. I guess the parts bins includes a couple of tire brands.

kiiwii · July 2002

well, I gotta say... you did a GREAT job

bjbird2 · July 2002

Actually Infiniti displaced Lexus in the J. D. Powers customer satisfaction index.
Saturn is number 1, Infiniti number 2, Lexus number 3.
Interesting that Mercedes was not among the top 20 this time.

grapester · July 2002

I respectfully disagree. The front-end styling of the G35 integrates design elements from a number of classically styled cars, and the headlight treatment unifies these elements and brings them into the 21st century.

acer34t · July 2002

any news on a six speed yet?

cheerioboy26 · July 2002

Infiniti announced this week that the maunal for the sedan will be available in February.

http://www.infinitinews.com/infiniti/news/products/reljanel2002079142353.shtml

tlrhlr · July 2002

I haven't had my G out on a long road trip yet and was curious if anyone has gotten as much as 450 miles out of a tank full of gas. I'm averaging about 18.5 mpg, (approx. 80% city/20% highway) Seems like its more fuel efficient at 80 mph than my previous rig.

pat · July 2002

Sorry, no quoting of copyrighted sources here. It tends to leave us liable for copyright infringement.

Feel free to link to any material on the web, though -- as long as the host site has no contrary TOU.

Thanks!

Edit: Now that I have deleted four more of those identical messages (for a total of 5 in five different discussions), let me point out that spamming in that manner is also a bad idea. Please send me an email if you have any questions.

Pat
Sedans Host

Infiniti G35 Sedan 2006 and earlier

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