Anyone heard anything about the Infiniti G35? I'm trying to decide between it and the BMW 330xi. My early impression is that nothing will ever drive like the BMW, but the G35 seems like a lot better deal and its roomier and more comfortable inside.
The G35 is one bad ass vehicle... it's moved up to #1 on my "next car" wish list. Go buy the latest issue of Road & Track; there's an 11 car comparo in there. They're all sports sedans. The G35 wins the overall comparison. The kicker is that it costs less than the rest of the cars in the comparo. Its base price is about $29-$30k. Incidentally, a BMW 330 (can't remember which variant) came in 2nd. To get you started, it's basically a rear-wheel drive, 260 hp/260 ft. lbs. torque sports sedan made by Infiniti (the sports coupe version that was just released is supposed to have over 275 hp). It uses the same VQ-series engine you'll find in the new 350Z. Currently I believe it's only offered in the 5-speed automatic (some type of Tiptronic-type shifter), but sometime by the end of this year a 6-speed version is to come out. The only negative I see is that I don't like the exterior styling as much as a BMW, but then it also doesn't come with the over-inflated price of BMW, either. There's a sedan version and a new sports coupe version that was just unveiled. I like the sports coupe's looks a bit better. If you want some more info on the car, check out www.infiniti.com or www.freshalloy.com.
Thanks DoD. It'll be hard to switch from BMW, but I'm open minded I'm going to find that Road and Track issue today.
Remember that a G35 is build on the 2002 Altima platform. You'll be getting a lot more car for your buck on it than on a 330xi, which will run near $38-$40K nicely equipped. Supposedly the G35 can reach 0-60 in like 6.2 secs- 0.5 secs slower than a Trans AM. But the 330xi will come with the prestige of having a Beamer.
I looked at both those cars and decided to go with a Lexus IS300. A little less power, but more comfortable ride, and Lexus NEVER break. My parents had one going good to 180,000 miles and still got a good deal when they sold it. As for overall drive, you're right, nothing can beat a BMW. But their cars break down in little annoying ways. No, the engine never screws up or anything, but your door won't shut properly unless you slam it, they'll fix it and then it will break again in a few weeks. In all honesty, given the price and what I just said, I'd narrow it down to the Infiniti (sweet car too and littel more power) and the Lexus IS.
Cohen- My dad is looking for new cars right now and he actually test drove the G35. He said that it was "a firecracker" with the 260 HP engine and smooth smooth ride. Unfortunately, he drives an Acura 3.5 RL and says the G35 is considerably smaller than his car. If room is one of your concerns, I would go with the Beemer.
Keep in mind most reviews are reviewing the 5-speed automatic. The reviews I've read range anywhere from 5.9 - 6.2 on those figures. I'm guessing the 6-speed sports coupe will be faster when it comes out later this year. Dammit, I want this car. I just thought about another thing that I didn't like about this car, though : fuel economy. It's not that great. But then I guess that's the price you pay for performance + semi-luxury.
Is this for sure? I've been looking all over the net for this info, but couldn't find anything. (Do you have a link? Thanks.) Supposedly, it's built on the skyline platform (like the 350z), which has a longer wheelbase. It also has a more centered engine placement than the Altima (not to mention it's rear wheel drive compared to the Alt's FWD) so it's more balanced. You can see this not only in the performance reviews, but also in the balanced tire pressure in all four wheels. (The altima has a tire pressure difference from front to back) In descriptions of the G35, they never talk about the Altima, but when one reads about the I35, they always reference the Maxima. One more positive for the G35, no snooty BMW salespeople. (yuck)
Infiniti built the I30/I35 on the Maxima platform. I think the only thing that the Altima and G35 share is the body shell. You're correct that the G35 is rear wheel drive, while the Altima is FWD. Oh, and Infiniti dealerships are #1 in customer satisfaction.
I think Nissan or some other source that said Nissan was finally going to import the Skyline, but put it under its luxury brand as te G35. I think I read that in a car magazine. I can't remember which one.
I drive a G35, Blue with sport pkg and aero pkg. Great car, the performance stands out the most. Its not a beamer but, but it cost alot less. Beamers do get you more luxury and prestige. So far it has held up well, and the performance still blows me away. Don't worry its not like an Altima, the only similarities are, they have the front midship platform ( the bulk of the engine is located behind the front wheels)and some of the rear qtr looks similar. The G35's wheelbase is alot longer and Nissan made many changes to the body to distinguish the two. The G35 performance and handling is much more refined. Five speed autos have really impressed me. The knocks on it are: Interior isn't as nice as the rest of the car. Race car like brakes takes getting used to. Infiniti dealers aren't offering much of a discount right now. Its a shame you can only drive 55mph in this thing. Its not a Skyline, but damn close (I think they tone down everything for the US) If you can live with a good but not great interior, than in my experience its the closest thing to a BMW/Benz you can get as far as drive experience and performance goes. Hope this helps
Oh, I forgot to mention: The FM platform is gonna be used on most future Nissan cars. 350z, G35 coupe, Skyline, M45, Altima..... Its not an Altima platform, its a platform for Nissan/Infiniti vehicles. The 6 speed is gonna be nice, but for my needs 5 speed auto is more than sufficient, though i don't like the manual mode. The G35 is alot smaller than a 3.5 RL but they are in different classes. The G is roomier than the BMW 330, Lexus IS300, but about the same as a AC 3.2 TL. ( I think all the cars in this class are great) One last thing, if you plan on getting an after market stereo, its gonna cost alot of cash to replace the console since the radio is apart of the console. I've checked out a few shops and the quotes have been sky high.
Great info all. Thanks. I'm still undecided. The G35 is much roomier inside and with the premium package, those reclining back seats are great for adult number 3 and 4. I admit that I like the prestige of the BMW, but the 'drive' is what will be hard to get over. The G35 drives great, but the BMW is so tight. I also like change. The BMW is way fun, but the G35 is very different. I think that many of the concerns about BMW repairs may be outdated. After I left the dealer, my car was back in the shop 3 times in 3 years. The first time was to program the car after I got it, #2 was because I left the car parled for 3 months and the battery died, and #3 was the OIL CHANGE. That's it. I don't know how you can beat that.
I just got it through my subscription about 4 or 5 days ago I guess. It's the July 2002 issue. It may not be on the newstands yet.
Thanks again to all for their help. The G35 is a great car. We drove from Austin to Dallas to Houston and back last weekend, and it was sweet. The navigation unit is a blast. The wildest thing about it is a birds-eye view map with a little arrow that's the car. It is strange to zoom-in and out on that map a see all that is around you and where you are headed. There are also little icons for restaurants, gas, ATMs, etc. so you can 'see' whats of the road to your left and right...way cool. DoD, you really need one of these.
So you bought the car or was it one hell of a test drive?! And yes, I know I really need the car... but I've promised to drive every car I own into the ground before buying a new one. I took 2 of my co-workers to an Infiniti dealership and checked the car out. They were hooked almost instantly and want one, too.
Hey Cohen, just out of curiosity, what model and pkgs did you buy, and where? I heard that the G35's Navi is really good, but I passed on it, now I'm gonna get bent over for a aftermarket system. Do you think the brakes act little funny? I've only been able to drive to work and home @ 55mph
