Decisions, Decisions!

[infinitinut2]

I have posted the following on the G35 board, and thought I would post it here, also, on the off chance that one of the members, here, has the good fortune of owning both the early Q-ship, and the G35 sedan. I would especially value such opinions (which might help me save serious $$$$!

OK, folks! I have just returned from nearly 3000 mile trip to/from central Texas in a G35 sedan loaner from the dealer who needed to keep my classic M30 convertible to correct some issues they caused when they backed into something!

Anyway, I greatly enjoyed the trip, averaging nearly 73 mph and getting nearly 24 mpg. And, I stayed on it whenever I could!

I fell in love with the car! I was constantly comparing it with my 92 Q45. The G seemed more like a knife fighter, than a broad sword warrior! Hard to reduce to words! Extremely competent in all respects!

HOWEVER, the service manager at the dealer cautioned me that the 2007 sedans were far superior! So, when picking up the M30 today, I made the possibly expensive mistake of taking a new G35 sport pkg for a test drive! WOW! I could not believe the difference! Really loved those paddle wheel shifters!

I just know that the sales guy is going to come at me with an offer on a deal on one of the 06s that they have left over! I rather liked the rather slab sided style of the 06, something pinged on by some reviews!

Any thoughts from you folks? It would be a TOTALLY discretionary buy in that I need a 6th vehicle like I need that proverbial hole in the head!

Thanks!

[maxnix]

Heath (1990Q45) has his V35 sedan for sale so he can get a 2007 model.

While the chassis is superior and lighter weight, I found the original VQ35DE to be a little strained and harsh at higher rpm, and the fit and finish not up to G50 standards. Drove some automatic courtesy cars, and all I can say is blah, it's a better Camry or Altima commuter car.

It would definitely have to be the 6MT to even get me interested.

By the way, the V35 brakes seem to be as problematic or even more so than the G50 stocks.

[bruce.weiland]

John,

I have an '05 sport package G35 sedan, with about 9k miles on it and I recently picked up a '94 Q45a. However, I drove active Q's for 11 years.

You can see from my in my id that I have 6 vehicles. We also had a '96 Burb for about 7 years.

I may be able to give you some insite. I will email you privately, rather than bore the guys with my missives.

Bruce

[elwesso]

Bruce I'd really like to hear what you have to say....

Anyway, Ive only driven an 07 G Sedan and an 03 G35 coupe. The 07 was nice, the VQ-HR is nice compared to the DE, however it still doesnt compare to the VH45.... It just doesnt, thats what does it for me.

Does your Q have brand new suspension and everything like that so you're comparing apples and apples (and not brand new to 15 year old worn out?)

[bruce.weiland]

Wes,

OK. Your wish is my command, plus John's address bounced back.

This is long. Oh, and by the way, when will I see my active ECU?

John,



Hi! I am a young pup compared to you. Well not exactly, I will be 60 in a month.



Let me give you a little history to help you get a sense of my driving preferences. I think that will help you decipher my opinions. I am an “audiophile” and have a rather amazing 2 channel system. A very good audio friend and I read a lot of “underground” magazines with reviews of expensive and esoteric audio equipment. We have found that when we go and listen in person to some of the reviewed equipment we don’t always agree with the reviewer. However, when we find a reviewer who has review several items that we agree with his opinion, then we know we can generally get a sense of what we are going to hear with any particular piece of equipment that HE reviews when we go to listen to it.



It gives us an idea of whether is it worth our time to check it out.



While I started with a 327 in a 58 Chevy in ’64. I learned to drive in an Austin A40 somerset sedan, (4 on the column, ’52 I believe). I was comfortable with small, under powered cars. I have owned a Triumph TR2, TR4a, Porsche 356, 914 2.0, 944 Turbo. Some of the other cars have been, SAAB 4 door turbo, Plymouth Turbo Van, modified Fiero GT, etc.



In ’91 our family was getting larger and my wife said the 944 Turbo had to go. I drove everything that come close to interesting me, whether I could afford it or not. The 7 series was out of my reach, but I liked it a lot. The Q came in second, until the active made our shores. Then it was just a matter of the right deal. I drove the ’91 for almost 7 years. Then I picked up a ’95 active in 97, with 24k on the clock and drove that until 2001. I drove my ’87 Fiero, almost exclusively for about a year, then I picked up a ’96 XJ12.



I had both of those until about 18 months ago. My wife has an X5, two of our daughter are away at school and with all the schlepping we thought we might get another SUV. I had driven the FX several times and thought that might be a good choice. I drove it again. As good as it was, it was not an X5 and I clearly saw I was not an SUV kind of guy.



While at the dealership I decided to drive a G35 sedan, again. I has drive just about all the two doors around RX8, Lexus 430, Z350, G35 coupe, etc. Without a double the coupe “floated my boat”, but my wife likes 4 doors, even though she is seldom in my car.



As soon as I drove off the lot I thought, “what the hell did they do to this car?” It had become a pocket rocket. The 5 speed auto combined with the way the torque converted worked made it seem like a turbo. I had to go back and drive a sport suspension. The difference in handling was not subtle. For about $600 worth of option (18 instead of 17 wheels, better tires, stiffer spring, shocks, - not sure about sway bars) it was a steal.



There were a number of options I would have preferred to have. However, all option packages came with a sunroof which I did not desire. So, I got a stripped down version. That of course means, leather, in dash 6 CD player, single zone air-conditioning, et cetera. Essentially the only option I purchased was a sport suspension.



Because this car is lighter than most G's, it is much faster zero to 60. After several tests but without a stopwatch four friends and I conclude that it is quicker then 5.5.



As fun as this car is to drive hard, I've learned a number of things over the past year and a half. It is no Porsche. I spent quite a bit of time driving a Cayman S in different iterations. Having done that and pushed the G35 through the same turns, I would say that the G35 is capable of about 60% of what the Cayman can accomplish. Having said that, one would never use all of what's available from the Cayman on city streets more than 1% of the time.



Although I lusted for the Cayman for several months, I eventually came to my senses and bought a Pontiac Solstice GXP at less than half the price (zero to 60 5.2).



Even though we have a very mild weather here in Southern California our streets can be quite lumpy. I found the sport suspension to be tiresome when cruising. When I bought the G35 my purpose was to combine the small Fiero and big XJ12 into one car. In fact my agreement with my wife was to get rid of the other two cars.



However, I found that on the days when I didn't really want to push the car I missed the luxury ride. Along the way I eventually realized that one car could not serve the two diametrically opposed purposes I desired. Plus I now own a small sports car, roadster and the most desirable luxury car, for me, that has been made to date.



I recently drove the 2007 G35. While it is a refinement from the earlier model the differences are not great enough, were the G35 my only car, to make me change cars. I love the dash. The lights are wonderful. The paddle shifter quite nice. But beyond that the differences are so small as to certainly not be worth the difference in price, for me.



Around town that G is absolutely amazing from stoplight to stop light and around corners. However, at freeway speeds that G35 does not get up and pass with the same aplomb that it does around town.



While I occasionally still drive my G35 and even my wife X5, the Solstice GXP and the Q45a are my loves. The G35 will eventually go to my middle daughter who turns 19 this summer and her I30 will go to my youngest who turns 16 this summer.



To sum up, as much fun as a sport suspension is, if I were purchasing today I would probably buy the 06 with regular suspension. It would take quite a deal to get me to step up to an 07.



John I hope this help you with your decision.



Regards,

Bruce

[elwesso]

Bruce... Great writeup! Email me about the ECU.

Im intersted you thought the sport suspension was a little tiresome... I actually thought the suspension was more supple than I expected. Then again my Q is different like that.. For me, the only thing that bothers me is a ride that is not properly damped.. IF it is bouncy because the springs are too strong for the shocks, thats bad. If the shocks are way too stiff and its like riding on no suspension, thats bad news too. Harshness due to solid suspension and tires do not bother me because thats easy to toy with. I even thought the newer BMWs ive driven were a bit passive for my taste...

IMO the sport package is worth it simply because you get better tires. Everything else is a bonus IMO.

[Q45tech]

No matter how they try to confuse you a G is just a G, the bottom of the barrel in the brand.....an introductory car with lots of short cuts to save money and make a good profit. When you look at the underside on a lift you will see things that give you heartburn.

Now compared to Nissan/Infiniti as a whole it ranks pretty well in the middle.

[bruce.weiland]

No matter how they try to confuse you a G is just a G, the bottom of the barrel in the brand.....an introductory car with lots of short cuts to save money and make a good profit. When you look at the underside on a lift you will see things that give you heartburn.

Now compared to Nissan/Infiniti as a whole it ranks pretty well in the middle.

Yea, what he said. Just take a wheel off and look at the suspension. You will get the idea.

For the price you can get an '06, I believe it is worth it since you already have a 1st generation Q. But I say again,

Yea, what he said.

[maxnix]

When you look at the underside on a lift you will see things that give you heartburn.

This is the way one should shop for new cars. If you want to see a salesman freak out, tell him to put it up on a rack so you can look at it. To salesmen (including saleswomen here also), they're just units.

[infinitinut2]

Thanks to all who responded, especially Bruce! Truely one of the longest posts I have ever read, and chock full of good knowledge!

Also, always good to hear Q45tech/Dennis, way in. He was at T3 when I took my Q in for the guides, etc., back in 2000, saying then that he and Byron felt my Q was one of the best original ones that they had ever seen there! And, coming from these guys, that is high compliment to say the least! I will always remember the dash to an auto store in Dennis' Q to buy Mobile 1 ATF for my trans flush! We seemed to stay at WOT all the way!

Also, Heath brought me my 93 TCU some years back, him combining a beach visit with bringing it down to me from Columbia, SC.

I will wait until I get back out to New Mexico in June, and pull the cover off the Q-ship, top off its tank, and do one of the high speed 750 mile runs over to San Antonio area that it loves to make! I will then, as always, marvel at this vehicle's road worthiness and awesome capabilities! (Last year, I got hit with a ticket when I was travelling in excess of 100 mph. where speed limit is 80 mph. Open road with no traffic, but, such logic was lost on trooper. I subsequently demanded a jury trial and, again, those in charge, came to their senses and did not push the issue! I retain my point free, 52 year, driving record!)

Again, thanks for all of the thoughts!

Truely an InfinitiNut!

[maxnix]

Gotta love the right to a trial by a jury of one's peers.

[Q451990]

John,

Good to see you here again! As Wes mentioned, we have both. My wife was driving "Q1" (the one you saw when we made the TCU exchange years ago) until we got hit by a guy in a jeep. The G is absolutely a fun car... you drove one enough to get a feel for it. I personally feel like there's enough of a difference between the first and second generations that we would upgrade given a good offer on our '05.

We test drove the '07 and it seems a bit more solid, and there are a lot of nice extras (like easily accessable air filters and hood struts) that impressed me on the revised version. As far as cars in that class - I think it's the best value going. Dennis makes a point that it's no Q - but vs. a BMW 3-series or Lexus RS/GS3*** it's a great value - and Infiniti/Nissan has built a lot of loyalty from me over the years.

As far as my driving thoughts - the G is a lot of fun around town... great throttle response off the line, easy to manuver. As a long distance car, I'm not as happy... the transmission gearing is too low - making it run at 3100 RPM at 80. I also start getting cramps in my right leg after a couple of hours from the seat controls... but that will depend on your stature. I could cure a lot of that with a couple of years in the gym and a little less table time.

Obviously the Q is pretty much the opposite... good around town... but I have always felt like she's really at home on the interstate above 75 MPH.

So with that in mind I guess the decision is based on what you'll be doing with a G if you buy it. Or if you just want one and it won't overly burden the wallet - go for it!

Heath

[bruce.weiland]

Wes,

Thanks. Yes the sport suspension was quit a bargain at just over $600. The replacement OEM sport sus tires from tire rack are $876 without shipping. The 18x7.5 rims, to my eyes, are some of the most attratvie around. And then there are the spring and shock differences. A real bargain.

The suspension can "feel" supple over less abrupt, bigger road irregularities. However, over lumpy surface streets at zero to 40 speeds the car tends to "pogo", especially in the rear.

On the right surfaces the G with sport suspension feels like a race car.

I love the weight of the steering response and the size of the steering wheel.

As Heath said above, it is a worthy opponent to the 3 series and others that aspire to the nitch.

Bruce

[elwesso]

You know, thats what really pissed me off about the 07 G.

http://www.nicoclub.com/review...shtml

For those of you who didnt know, I drove a brand new BMW 335 and 07 G35 and compared the 2 back to back....

The G could have EASILY been a better car than the 335 for 10 grand less, but it was stupid little things that made the 335 a better car not assuming price... The 335 started in 2nd gear so that it wasnt neck snapping at take off, it would automatically shift at the redline, and so on...

[bruce.weiland]

Wes,

Nice review and comparison of models.

Bruce
Modified by bruce.weiland at 7:12 AM 3/1/2007

[maxnix]

With automatics, these cars are commuter boulavardiers. It takes a manual or SMG to wake them up.