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Infiniti G35 vs Lexus IS 350
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Comments
A friend has an S2000, and although a nifty fun car, they just never did it for me.
I'll stick with my 50% fun / 50% transport G, at least until the lottery commission calls. (which should be any day now) :P
Interesting comment. Have you ever driven one?
It's apparent that many who possess cars look at them far differently than I do and, stranger still (if you're me), care more what other people think of what they're driving than they do themselves.
A friend at work (a co-worker) has a Miata MX5.
Now, this is just my opinion, but that is such a chicks car.
Again, just my opinion.
I know that a car is looked at in different ways by different people and yes, I'm one of those who require a car's look to appeal to me as much as it's driving dynamics.
Judge me if you may, but the Miata is not a masculine vehicle and I don't want one.
I don't care what anyone else thinks of it... I just dont like it.
yeah, that's me.
I'm was looking at either a new ‘07 G35x or a used ‘06 IS350 myself ..... took a G35x out, pretty sweet I must say, even in snow took out the IS350 a few days later and liked it as well.
The G35x was a little harsher ride than my former ride, an ‘01 IS300 and the newer IS350 but I think that’s a good thing. Ride quality is such a subjective thing it will be hard for anyone to convince you for sure one way or the other. Zero to sixty for both these cars is about even.
I went with the IS350 . got a better deal, and liked the dealer better .
Enjoy the G!!!
Let me suggest that you not post in all caps. That makes your posts difficult to read and it looks like you are shouting at us.
To boot, while I don't have a child, I often transport my 4-year-old niece, who uses a rather large Eddie Bauer car seat. Once again, no issue there in terms of tightness.
I also play a ton of sports and I'm frequently traveling with four adults. So far, there haven't been any complaints about the comfort of the back seat--and they're certainly not referring to it as ridiculous.
Don't get me wrong, the G35 is a great ride, but there really aren't very many significant drawbacks to the gorgeous IS, let alone those in the manner in which you describe.
On the other hand, the G does offer more room and comes at a discount to the IS350.
I think only the buyer can determine the winner here. I chose the G, but the IS350 could have been my chosen car as well. Cos I have a child and I wanted to spend less as well as need an AWD, I chose the G.
To those with the IS350, congrats, thats a great car and comes at a discount to the 335i with almost similar perfomace:)
I really think what it boils down to for many buyers is aesthetics.
Congrats on your G!!!
The way I look at it, you have
1-335i
2-G/IS350
3- Dont really care
I have my problems with the 335i, but you cant argue with its perfomance, thats why its 1st.
The 335 with the same options is just WAY too overpriced for what you are geting. It's only a viable option for those who can lease and I do way too many miles for that.
The IS doesn't offer a 6-speed in the 350 for those who demand a manual transmission and it also doesn't offer AWD for those who live in changing climate conditions.
For that reason, the G is on the top of the list and not a close second.
It depends on the individual buyer's needs and priorities.
What are your problems with the 335? I was looking at one a few days ago and find the price quite high (more than a loaded Lexus GS after discounts), but the performance is awesome !!!
Exterior (sedan only) - really not the best looking car in the segment, IMO it is probably the worst looking among the IS, G35, CTS, A4 and C-class.
Interior - awful looking. Although it has high quality materials but the design just plain sucks.
Engine - with roughly the same performance I would always go with NA before FI. I just simply don't like the idea of having unnecessarily extra moving parts inside the engine bay. Yeah sure, BMW has almost eliminated the turbo lag but if one really pays attention, it is still there.
Price - Yeah sure it has the best performance but an IS350 with the OEM F-sport springs and sway bars would handle better than a stock sport 335i (granted the Bimmer still has better road feel) and still undercut the price.
I know that I am nit picking here but since all cars in this segment are all pretty good choices the difference is really down to nit picking.
Agree w/ most of your post, but PLEASE, don't dis the Bimmer by saying it looks worse than a CTS, no entry level lux sport looks worse than a CTS
1. Quietness of the ride. The Infiniti is VERY noisy. The IS is a very quiet ride, you can tell the difference right as you get into the car
2. Service after the sale. This is Lexus' hallmark and why they have had the meteoric rise in the sales area over established brands like Mercedes and BMW. The service Lexus gives is second to none!
3. Quality of materials. Feel the leather used in the Lexus' seats totally different. As far as price goes you are going to see that Lexus is not trying to compete with anyone. The craftsmanship in the IS 350 is unparralleled in this segment at this price. The Infiniti is a good car and is a much less expensive car, but Infiniti like Nissan sells ALOT of cars to rental agencies, thus the auctions are always loaded with G35's for dealers to buy cheaply thus killing the trade value
1-Lexus is a quite ride, of all the ELLPS I do believe they make the quitest cars. I had an IS250 and I can testify to this. However saying the G is VERY noisy is untrue. Yes its not as quiet but in no way is it VERY noisy. Look at the C/D comparisions involving a G, I believe they measure db at various speeds. The sound levels were not that different from a 328i. If you want to argue with this, get evidence of your db measurement confirming otherwise. This is a very objective measure of sound levels, better than me telling you its not a noisy ride. C/D articles are available for all to see on their website. Coming from an IS250, I did notice the deeper sound of the G, but its in now way inhibitive or unpleasant. In fact, others love the deeper sound the G makes.
2-Agreed.
3. quality of materials. Agreed, anyone who disagrees with this not being objective.
4.Craftsmanship, am on the fence on this one.
5.Resale value, disagreed. Infiniti holds value very well. This is a 300hp car with lots of bells and whistles. Very good attributes in the second hand market. Also, consider that the IS350 sells a fraction of what the G sales. Naturally resale value for the IS is going to be higher due to fewer units, not necessarily due to a better product.
again, I am still torn on which is the better car here.
While the TL is def loud on road noise (I can attest to that having leased one), the G's noise is all engine...and only when you are accelerating hard. This is the S model...and the test shows tied, then handily beating the IS at high speed cruising. TL-S has active noise canceling and still gets beat here.
IS is very small....just like the 3 series. To me the G is the best car for the $...without even a close second place. Size / space wise, the G is closer to a 5 series and the GS than the 3 series and the IS. The prices of the 3 and the IS are too high for a car of that size. These are sedans, after all. G gas mileage is HORRIBLE, hopefully 7 speed trans will fix that.
I've currently got an Audi A4 Quattro. The cool thing about Audi is that you don't have to get Quattro because the standard model is FWD.
I'll be test driving the 2009 A4 and IS250/350 this weekend. There's always been something about Audi's that I've been attracted to, but the upkeep is a bit much, and the resale on them isn't the greatest.
However, first I'll have to drive both and then take it from there - but reliability goes a long way in my book.
Per the latest JD Powers, "Aug 2008"
Top Industry Nameplates in Initial Quality:
1-Porsche
2-Infiniti
6-Mercury
8-Ford
10- Audi
JD Powers Initial Quality Ranking-Entry Premium (August 2008)
1-EX35
2-G35/G37
6 A4
For long term relaibility, consumer report has Infiniti G in the top tier and Audi in a lower tier.
Be careful about using information that is outdated, stay in tune with the times
I can only comment on my A4 which runs great, but seems to have a unrepairable issue that is engine noise - it kinda sounds like a diesel engine and I've had them replace the camshaft and other things, but the issue remains. I also had a faulty brake light switch replaced (which caused dead batteris for days) and some seals on the radiator. All of this was under warranty, but since it has only 36k miles on it, I kinda worry about what else will go once the warranty expires. This Audi of mine has already been in the ship longer than any Ford I've ever owned, and a few of those I put on over 100k miiles.
But, I should report that I test drove the IS250 AWD and was completely taken aback at how pedestrian of a ride it is. I hope I do not offend anybody, but this vehicle should not be classified as luxury/sport. Why would anybody in their right mind spend 36k for a vehicle that drives and acts like a Toyota sedan??? My A4 copmletely blows the IS250 outta the water in every category I consider important except for seating position, which I prefer to the A4.
After having driven that, I wonder how any reasonable person can conclude that the IS250 is even close to the A4? I was going to test drive the Infinit G35x, but that's too bulky looking and seems like something and old fart should be driving - and if it drives anything like the IS250, it isn't worth the time.
I read all these reveiws about how great these Japanese luxury cars are, especially the IS250, but are these authors on drugs???
So, I guess that leaves me in a situation of having to put up with the quality concerns of a German car. Ya know, with as long as the Germans have been making fine automobiles, it's disappointing that they seem to disregard quality. Maybe they feel that if you can afford a German car that you probably don't care about spending additional money on repairs after the warranty expires. Also, it must cost these manufacturers a lot of money for this "warranty" repair work - I guess I just don't understand it.
Anyhow, that's why test driving is so important!
I have a leased 330xi and the G will dust it very easily...the steering feel is where the BMW blows away the G. The 330 fells like an extension of your brain while the G is good but a few notches down.
Regards,
OW
Again, I love the smaller size of the IS250 and the sitting position, but there are too many other things that scream "family sedan" from that vehicle. With barely a press of the throttle, my A4 whisks away briskly - it just feels quicker even though it may not be much quicker. The IS250 labors when you hammer on it, and it doesn't end up doing much for all that laboring.
But, we all have our specific needs and tastes. I mean, I would love the reliability of the IS250, but I'm not gonna spend 36k for a vehicle that drives and handles and reacts no better than my old Ford Focus ZX3. I want to be impressed when I'm spending that kinda coin for a car.
I think this weekend I will give the G35x a test drive, but again, I'm not crazy about Japanese styling, and especially the G35X - it seems too much like a Crown Vic to me - to bulky. I love the IS250 and the A4 in terms of the sleekness. And, 300 horsepower is a bit much when gas is 4 bucks a pop. But, never say never, I guess.
But, I will say again that for a guy like me that doesn't have much experience with luxury/sport sedans, the A4 fits into the cateogry I've always thought of in terms of this genre of cars, whereas the IS250 seems not unlike a Toyota family sedan with a nicer interior. Who knows? Maybe I expect too much out of a car for that price???
That's why they have the IS350...
Am I missing something here?
:confuse:
First, the IS250 doesn't deserve to be in the same class. The engine and performance was surprisingly terrible. I expected a little get up and go, but it labored onto the freeway entrance ramp like my wife's old 4-cylinder Pontiac Grand Am. Yes, it was well appointed, but not worth the money for that performance.
Now the IS350 was another car entirely, it was luxurious, quiet, but had suitable pop to the engine. As someone who grew up driving American muscle, I needed some performance and the IS350 met my needs. We actually made an offer on one they had on the lot, but they balked so we walked.
Next we test drove the A4 2.0 and I was expecting similar performance to the IS250 since Audi makes a larger, more powerful 3.2 for the A4. I was suprised, however, to find that the A4 was quick, fast, and stuck to corners like glue with the quattro AWD. I was extremely impressed by the vehicle, but was turned off by the higher asking price for a well appointed car. It just didn't feel as refined on the interior as the Lexus, a little bit of the German "blah" interior I think.
My wife and I next test drove the G37 sedan. At first, I wasn't really considering Infiniti, but their lot was in between the Audi and Lexus dealership so we gave it a go. I was completely blown away by the car. Not only was the G37 330 HP engine extremely powerful and fast, but the car was well appointed and loaded down with fine options for $4,000-$6,000 less than the Lexus/Audi similarly equipped. I was suprised to find out that the average age of an Infiniti owner is 7 years younger than a Lexus owner and the G37 really felt like a nice strong car. I went home and did some research on the car, made some offers through email, found someone willing to deal, printed the email and went in and drove a G37 off the lot.
I found the G37 had stronger performance, felt younger, and had better options for the price than the Lexus IS350 (let alone the IS250) in my opinion and I'm really enjoying the sports car feel.
My car is a 2009 G37 with premium, Nav, and sports packages.
Among your candidates, it was the best overall choice.
G37 is actually closest competitor to BMW 330i. As you said, IS250 is not even
in the same ballpark. G37's performance is very close to 330i and more reliable
especially if you plan to keep it after warranty runs out. On top of that you save
at least $8k if equipped similiar.
Do you feel younger driving G37?
Well that's something more precious than almost anythingelse.
Enjoy your new ride!