Acura TL vs Infiniti G35

bodble2 · January 2007

"Driving in this city can be tuff in any car."

Probably not any worse than any other big American city. But 4 bucks everytime you cross the Bay Bridge?!

:mad:

frisconick · January 2007

San Francisco was built before cars so you have a lot of narrow streets, and very steep hills.

"But 4 bucks everytime you cross the Bay Bridge?!"

Take Bart to the East bay

sigp226 · January 2007

San Francisco. The best and the most beautiful city in the world. Lucky you living there.

frisconick · January 2007

It is a great city, and can be fun to drive in when traffic is light. :P

bodble2 · January 2007

"...fun to drive in when traffic is light."

Would that be when hell freezes over? :P

frisconick · January 2007

LOL

Acturally on 3 day weekends traffic light because everyone leaves town. That's when I love to take out the TL for some cruising. :P

bodble2 · January 2007

Completely off-topic here...the Bay Bridge has these Express Lanes. I see these guys flying through at 100mph, and a read-out shows whether their pass is valid or not. The system is obviously scanning some sensor installed on the car. What is it, and where is it installed? How much $$ per year to buy these express passes? Thanks.

frisconick · February 2007

yes bod, you buy what's called a fast pass, but I don't know how much it costs because I take bart to go most places. It is a monthly charge.

starman98 · February 2007

LOL.....I just saw today coming to work a broken down G35 coupe on the side of the road abandoned. Its been there 3 days with red stickers on it to be towed by the state.

Pretty sad a G35 coupe is already left broken down and abandoned.

frisconick · February 2007

It was probably stolen.

I like the G35 coupe, almost bought one.

scottm123 · February 2007

Seeing a car on the side of the road means nothing.
It could be stolen, broken down, out of gas, or maybe the driver got beamed up by aliens, leaving the car behind.

Point it, you never know.

I saw a fairly new Honda accord on the side on I495, abandoned.

My assumption was it was out of gas.

frisconick · February 2007

I think he said the car was there for 2 or 3 days.

laurasdada · February 2007

Hopefully, there was nobody in the G for those three days...

If you really paid attention and committed to memory I'm sure throughout the course of a lifetime you will have seen one of every car by the side of the road. Not TLs, of course. But everything else.

Yeah, Scott. Thanks for reminding me about the Accord. I'll pick it up on my way to the Wrentham Outlets... :shades:

scottm123 · February 2007

I think he said the car was there for 2 or 3 days.

Most likely aliens then. :P

frisconick · February 2007

I have never seen a TL, of any generation, broken down on the road. I have seen a G35 sedan on the roadside.

pat · February 2007

Any car can end up on the side of the road for any of many reasons. I just hope it's not mine. :P

Seriously, seeing a car sitting on the side of the road for one day or for several weeks tells us nothing because we don't know the circumstances, and even if we DID know the circumstances, it is nothing more than an anecdote.

Let's just get back to comparing the features and attributes of the subject vehicles and not get distracted by anecdotal stuff that really doesn't help us, it's just designed to inflame.

bodble2 · February 2007

"Hopefully, there was nobody in the G for those three days..."

It's ironic that you said that. Just this morning I read in the local papers, that a couple of days ago a car in town here, left in a no-stopping zone, got ticketed and subsequently towed. The next morning, an employee of the towing company found an 85-year-old lady slumped in the driver's seat. Apparently she had suffered a stroke, and due to the cold weather, all the windows were frosted over so she was hidden from view from passerbys, and neither the ticketing officer nor the tow truck operator made any special effort to check if anyone, or anything, was inside the car. :surprise:

The sad news is she is not expected to survive past this weekend. Another twist is that, if it weren't for the near-zero temperature which served to preserve her system, she probably would have died in the car. :sick:

laurasdada · February 2007

Oy, truth continues to be stranger than fiction.

Hopefully, she didn't/is not suffering and had a wonderful 85 years. I also hope her family is now with her.

Now, back to the lovely, well rounded TL vs. the somewhat unrefined brute of a G35 discussions...

scottm123 · February 2007

I stopped by my dealer this weekend to take another look at the Type-S.
They know I'm about a month away from my purchase and I'm on the G35/TL fence.
Since I bought a fully loaded MDX Touring this past May, they have promised me incredible pricing on a Type-S.

So, in the showroom, they have what I want - minus the color.
Black Type S, with the Front/Back/Side lower body kit, and the 18" wheels.

Price - $42,000

Add the options to MSRP and it's only $41,524... so I call foul.

They come down to $39,999 and tell me I can have both the 18" wheels and the original Type-S wheels as well.

I think this is still a little too high, considering the "incredible deal" I was promised.

I'd like to see $38,500
That's $250 over invoice, and full price on the optional body kit and wheels.

Test driving the G on the 16th, and I'll make my decision then.

louiswei · February 2007

I wouldn't pay more than $37K for a TL-S.

pv2 · February 2007

Scott,

I bought my TL-S on Long Island on Dec. 29th for $36.5, about $2k under list. Drove the G35 also but felt the interior quality on the TL was a bit higher and FWD is an advantage here in the Northeast.

Good luck!

Jack

scottm123 · February 2007

$36,500 is a great price.
Keep in mind, I was adding $2,200 in wheels and $999 in lower body spoilers.
That's $3,200 more.

That's $39,700 for your deal...if I pay full price on the optional stuff.
And that doesn't even include Dest.

They're getting close, but not quite there yet.

I'm also in the Northeast.
I'm leaning toward the G35x.

I'm liking the Nav w/ Hard drive, Keyless Ignition, AWD, and 306hp.
I haven't seen the interior in person yet.
Haven't driven it yet, so I remain up in the air.

All depends on the deals I get.

pv2 · February 2007

Scott,

Good luck. What I like about the TL is the Nav with real time traffic input from XM, the paddle shifters on the steering column (only available with the sport package on the G and not at all on the Gx) & Brembo front brakes. The G will run a bit faster. Personal decision, but be sure you drive both cars.

Jack

scottm123 · February 2007

Paddles don't do anything for me.
If I go with the TL, I'm going with the 6-Speed.

If I go with the G, as you said, the G(x) doesn't have the paddles, which is just fine by me.
I'll have to settle for the 5 Speed auto.
I wish a 6 was available, as it would most likely help with the MPG stats.
Though, that's the price you pay for all that go.

The G also has the XM w/ live traffic on the Navi.
I'm cautious about this, in either car.
I had XM in the MDX and XM's traffic is lousy in my area.
(West of Boston)
Sirius is more acurate for me, but only slightly.

As for brakes, the TL-S does sport the Brembo name.
Ventilated 12.2" x 0.98" in front.
Solid 11.1" x 0.35" in the rear.

The G sports 12.6" x 1.1" ventilated discs in front.
12.1" x 0.6" ventilated discs in the rear.

Looks like the G has the TL Type-S covered both on takeoff and on landing.
Can't wait to drive it and compare.

pv2 · February 2007

Sounds like you know the pros and cons for both cars so the driving experience will be decisive.
However, beware of specs alone; not always a good guide to real world performance. Per R&T's road test of the TL vs. G35 Sport and IS350 in the Feb. 2007 issue, total swept area in the TL is 273 sq. in. vs. G35S 264 in. Also, stopping distances from 60 were 117 ft. for the TL and 120 for the G; however, from 80, the TL did 214 ft. vs. 208 for the G. Same ballpark, though the Gx will be a little heavier due to the 4wd setup.

Good luck and let me know what you get.
Jack

kring5 · February 2007

Keep in mind Sirius is not available on either car if you get the Navigation.

ggesq · February 2007

Yep- I agree with you. No one should pay over 37k for a STOCK TL-S. scottm123 however, is looking at the TL-S with the A-SPEC body kit and 18" A-SPEC rims. That changes things as far as price is concerned.

ggesq · February 2007

scott,

Try and get the TL-S as close to invoice as you can without adding anything. After the purchase- you can contact Tim at hondaacuraworld in NY and he will cut you a great deal on the A-SPEC package. You won't pay anywhere near retail when you buy from Tim.

niceguy4330 · February 2007

the Acura Tl Type-S is the best thing on the market and is worth every penny. It may not come with Sirius but it does have XM radio and it only comes with a navi. the navi comes with real time traffic and if any one commutes knows that time is money and that can help you get around the traffic..

jdelabre · February 2007

Then go buy the uncomfortable G and get off the TL Forum. Tired of TL Bashers! I think Infiniti is subpar in quality. IMHO.

jdelabre · February 2007

I agree 1,000% I have a new 07 Silver TL-S and LOVE it!!! Never driven a car so awssome. And the interior is top notch. The most comfy drivers seat I have ever been in. The car is a dream in every way!!! :shades:

gooddeal2 · February 2007

"Then go buy the uncomfortable G and get off the TL Forum. Tired of TL Bashers! I think Infiniti is subpar in quality. IMHO."

...and what are those words in "BOLD"?...please...not everyone wants the same thing. :confuse:

frisconick · February 2007

You are correct the driver seat is the best, but I was a little disappointed in the passenger seat. My TL is an 05 so the 07 passenger seat my be improved.

laurasdada · February 2007

Harsh, dude. Scott's been here a bit comparing/contrasting the G & TL. I did the same thing, TL was best for me. G may be best for him. Hopefully he'll post his ultimate decision and the how's and why's of said decision. How does his opinion affect your life or opinion of the TL?

sprinkler13 · February 2007

Hate to break it to you, but this is not just a TL forum. and comfort is all relative. Personally, I didn't find the TL-S seats to be comfortable. I preferred the G's Sport seats in which I feel more secure when taking turns quickly. But that's my preference. If all I did was drive straight roads all the time then I might like the other seats better. But it's all personal.

py777 · February 2007

Completely agree. When can people understand what they feel about their cars are very personal? Some like sport seats with more of a bucket feel cause they are performance drivers. Some like a more flat, sofa type seats cause they are easy going. (Or have wide rear ends :P, sorry, still took a shot there! )

ggesq · February 2007

"Some like a more flat, sofa type seats cause they are easy going"

You won't find this in either the TL or G.

pat · February 2007

This is not a "TL Forum", it's a comparison discussion between the TL and the G35. Since scottm123 is deciding between the two vehicles, this is the right place for him.

Please don't tell people to leave, everyone is welcome here.

luhario · February 2007

Hi All,

Just figured I'd toss my impressions in. I'm in the market for a new car, and I'm all over the place. SUV? Luxury Sedan? "Sport" Near Luxury? Basic transportation (currently have a 9mo old who will likely become more messy

+ used "fun" roadster.

As you can see, I have not narrowed my options down to the G35 & TL. However, My wife had this tough decision in Sept 2002 and chose the G35 back then. At that point the TL was the older body style and just didn't grab her. The G35 was fresh and new. The rear wheel drive was also a plus from the driving point of view. If we had known then that there would be brake problems we might have reconsidered. The dealer did replace the pads for free for the first 36k, but now they're not doing that anymore.

Now as I look at my choices, there's definite competition between the G35 and TL-S. In my case I'd get the G35x as we don't want two rear wheel drive cars, even though there are only a few days of the year where that's really important.

Things that weigh in favor of the Acura for me are:

Not "another" G35. I'm the guy who won't order what someone else in my party orders at the restaurant. I believe variety is the spice of life!

Acura reliability. I currently have a well aging '97 CL. It's too small for a family with an infant so that's the main reason I want a new car. I've been happy with Acura service and relaibility. Infinity has been fine, but there's that pesky brake issue. (Of course I've spent about $1700 in the past few months on a new starter motor and an exhaust valve replacement)

Acura's pricing. I like the few options approach. I hate feeling like I'm being nickled and dimed when I'm out to buy a "luxury" car. I want luxury, give it to me without asking if I want fries with that.

On the Infiniti side:

Four wheel drive. Hopefully this will have more of the handling characteristics of rear wheel drive with the sure footedness of four wheel drive when necessary.

Styling. I do like the TL styling, but I thin I like the new G35 styling better. Maybe I just like what's new...

Hard drive + CF card. This may be low down in the real world usefullness, but is high in my eyes in terms of coolness. I have tons of CF cards lying around the house and could load a bunch of CDs to keep in my car. Ripping to the HD is also cool. These two togeter mean I don't have to keep my ipod and/or CDs in the ever changing climate of my car.

In the end, I'm sure I'll have to make a decision based on gut driving feel. Both cars have drawbacks for me, especially in cargo. When you have to toss a stroller, pack 'n play, and various other baby related items in a car, I wouldn't mind fold down seats to expand cargo space.

This probably helps no one, but it helped me lay out my own pros and cons!

Rahul

frisconick · February 2007

I had the problem 2 years ago because I though the TL seats were more comfortable, got better mileage, and I preferred the TL exterior styling better. It's a tuff choice.

frisconick · February 2007

I just discovered that the TL base is bigger and heavier than the g35 sedan. The TL is a deceptive looking car, it does not look that big. :surprise:

taxesquire · February 2007

It feels big when I try to park it in the "compact car only" parking spots at work!!! :surprise: Usually I'm trying to squeeze in between an SUV and a minivan!!! :mad:

Seriously though, I have noticed that it's a wide car - I think that may help with handling.

laurasdada · February 2007

My prior ride was a Chrysler 300m. The TL is about eight inches shorter and two inches thinner, so it does not seem like a big car to me! Except for the turning radius, oy!

And more important than its size is, of course, the TL's ruggedly handsome exterior...

fighter1 · February 2007

I preferred the G's seats too. TL-S seats has no proper support for autobahn style driving:-) G is real sport-sedan, TL-S good family sedan because of FWD and heavy front.

frisconick · February 2007

I agree the TL has a great looking exterior. I have heard one person describe the G sedan as sort slab-sided, that's a bit harsh, but I undertood what he was talking about.

laurasdada · February 2007

I doubt that you meant "autobahn style driving" as that style is basically going very fast in a straight line. And employing proper lane etiquette... Now, "autocross style driving" maybe...

bodble2 · February 2007

"And employing proper lane etiquette..."

Does that exist in Europe? :confuse: :P

bodble2 · February 2007

with the push-button ignition system on the new G, what happens if you leave the engine running, but walk away with the key fob in your pocket? Does the engine shut off when you're out of range?

sprinkler13 · February 2007

Nope...it will stay running. I often do that in my building garage while I run in and check my mailbox before I park.

laurasdada · February 2007

Never having driven the 'bahn, don't know firsthand. But from what I understand yes and those that do not execute the proper lane etiquette are usually not from Europe.

I have driven I95 from Connecticut to Southern Florida and I80 from Ct. to Jackson, Wyoming (in a Renault LeCar w/2 passengers and enough ski equipment for 10 days!!!) so that's probably just like the 'bahn, no?

Acura TL vs Infiniti G35

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles