okay so this is my first post and We all have to start somewhere...I have been in a debate between a 03 accord or a 03 G35. and well, The G35 is just too good to pass up... I was looking around and I found this Awesome Deal on one.. but It one of those things where you think something must be up because the deal sounds pretty good...Here is what I know about the car, and tell me IF Im getting over excited... and keep looking...
anyways here is goes:
Price $16,990
Body Style CoupeMileage 69,846Exterior Color GrayInterior Color BlackEngine 6 Cylinder GasolineTransmission AutomaticDrive Type 2 wheel drive - rearFuel Type GasolineStereo Compact Disc ChangerDoors Two Door
---------------The CarFax-----------------------
Year purchased 2002 2003 Type of owner Personal CommercialEstimated length of ownership 3 months 4 yrs. 1 mo. Owned in the states/provinces Florida FloridaEstimated miles driven per year --- 15,695/yrLast reported odometer reading 15 69,846
It was Registered as commercial vehicle/lease vehicle which makes me a bit nervous. Im not good at detecting any problems by just looking/ hearing... http://images.autotrader.com/i...1.jpgthats the Car pic, it looks very clean...
what are your professional look on this?
(sorry if this seems like a gay post, but I have been literally Dreaming of being behind a wheel of one of these cars and I don't wanna have a let down on me)
thank for all your help in Advance
-Prince
Found my G35... But too good to be True??
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darkprince101
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:08 pm
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BOOMSHAKALAKA
- Posts: 5609
- Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 5:18 am
Re: Found my G35... But too good to be True?? (darkprince101)
I think 2003 was the worst year for G35s...lots of issues and what not. Somebody will have to verify this for me though.
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Onslaught31
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 12:49 pm
- Car: '03 G35 Sedan
Re: Found my G35... But too good to be True?? (darkprince101)
First thing is, the price is definitely not too good to be true. Actually it seems possibly a tad bit high for the mileage (but that's comparing it to Florida prices, which might be different). That's no big deal. As for the title/registration/whatever being commercial, shouldn't be much of a problem since the carfax says it was only driven 15k a year on average.
As for quality, yes, the '03 was the worst year by comparison, but that doesn't mean the car will evaporate or the engine will fall out or anything. It just means it isn't as refined, they launched it that year, and then fixed the bugs with the next model. That's how all car models work. And the "bugs" are nothing more than little annoyances. I've never heard of engine, transmission, or other heavy duty mechanical work needing to be done on any '03 with decent mileage (under 150k). I make it a point to never buy a used car without taking it to a mechanic I can trust to have them check it out. The problem though, if you're buying from a dealership they probably won't let you.
Here's a rundown of things you can check yourself when test driving the car:
1. Test all electronics. Blinkers, horn, CD player, Navigation (if included), power seats, power windows, A/C, etc.2. While car is on, open hood and listen from the outside. Should be no clicking, hard humming, etc. Should sound like an engine, smooth and even. A rule of thumb I use is that in a performance car, you should be able to listen closely and hear the pistons fire individually, making a rythym. If you aren't hearing a steady rythym, something's wrong. If you can't hear at the engine, listen at the exhaust.3. Take it on the road. Little things will tell you about the cars history. For instance, how good are the brakes? If brakes are shot, who knows how the car must have been driven? Same thing with alignment, if it's off, that's something to note too.4. Keep an eye on the transmission. Press the gas pedal to a certain point and leave it exactly in that spot for a few seconds. If you don't change amount of pressure on the pedal, then the transmission should shift nearly flawlessly through the gears since you're accelerating at a constant rate. Any jolts, slips, lagging, or over-revving is a bad sign for the transmission. Also test transmission when parked, press brake pedal firmly, and put it in drive, then reverse, then park, then neutral (for example), and see if the car jolts or makes any noises. Shouldn't be able to feel a thing if the brake pedal is pressed hard.
If the car feels good after all that, it's probably a safe bet. Still have a mechanic check it out, some dealers even offer a 3 day return policy for example, plenty of time to have a mechanic check it out and return it if something is wrong.
G35 is much more fun than a Honda, but keep in mind, performance cars are moody: they will require more maintenance and upkeep.
Good luck!
As for quality, yes, the '03 was the worst year by comparison, but that doesn't mean the car will evaporate or the engine will fall out or anything. It just means it isn't as refined, they launched it that year, and then fixed the bugs with the next model. That's how all car models work. And the "bugs" are nothing more than little annoyances. I've never heard of engine, transmission, or other heavy duty mechanical work needing to be done on any '03 with decent mileage (under 150k). I make it a point to never buy a used car without taking it to a mechanic I can trust to have them check it out. The problem though, if you're buying from a dealership they probably won't let you.
Here's a rundown of things you can check yourself when test driving the car:
1. Test all electronics. Blinkers, horn, CD player, Navigation (if included), power seats, power windows, A/C, etc.2. While car is on, open hood and listen from the outside. Should be no clicking, hard humming, etc. Should sound like an engine, smooth and even. A rule of thumb I use is that in a performance car, you should be able to listen closely and hear the pistons fire individually, making a rythym. If you aren't hearing a steady rythym, something's wrong. If you can't hear at the engine, listen at the exhaust.3. Take it on the road. Little things will tell you about the cars history. For instance, how good are the brakes? If brakes are shot, who knows how the car must have been driven? Same thing with alignment, if it's off, that's something to note too.4. Keep an eye on the transmission. Press the gas pedal to a certain point and leave it exactly in that spot for a few seconds. If you don't change amount of pressure on the pedal, then the transmission should shift nearly flawlessly through the gears since you're accelerating at a constant rate. Any jolts, slips, lagging, or over-revving is a bad sign for the transmission. Also test transmission when parked, press brake pedal firmly, and put it in drive, then reverse, then park, then neutral (for example), and see if the car jolts or makes any noises. Shouldn't be able to feel a thing if the brake pedal is pressed hard.
If the car feels good after all that, it's probably a safe bet. Still have a mechanic check it out, some dealers even offer a 3 day return policy for example, plenty of time to have a mechanic check it out and return it if something is wrong.
G35 is much more fun than a Honda, but keep in mind, performance cars are moody: they will require more maintenance and upkeep.
Good luck!
Re: Found my G35... But too good to be True?? (Onslaught31)
good advice Onslaught31!!
If you can afford the insurance and upkeep (tires will kill ya!) get the G35. Just ask if you have any questions. Like I tell everyone else, get the newest model year you can afford.
There isn't a comparison between and accord and the G35. An Acura TL...maybe, if you don't mind FWD.
If you can afford the insurance and upkeep (tires will kill ya!) get the G35. Just ask if you have any questions. Like I tell everyone else, get the newest model year you can afford.
There isn't a comparison between and accord and the G35. An Acura TL...maybe, if you don't mind FWD.
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darkprince101
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:08 pm
Re: Found my G35... But too good to be True?? (Onslaught31)
thank you so much for your input onslaught! It helped greatly... haha.. how much would the upkeep and maintenance set me back yearly you guys have any idea?(I know the Gas will own me)
Yup, gas can be expensive. I get around 21mpg, but the large tank makes it hard to swallow the pump shock!
Tires will be around 800-1200 depending on what you get.
The main thing is to make sure that everything works before you buy if you don't have a warranty. The stereo deck is known to fail. For me, my switch for the drivers seat controls needed to be replaced.
There really isn't a lot of "maintenance" cost with this car. Just the typical oil, filters, fluids change at regular intervals. It's a great engine, provided that it doesn't have the oil consumption problem that is present in a small percentage of the cars in all model years.
Tires will be around 800-1200 depending on what you get.
The main thing is to make sure that everything works before you buy if you don't have a warranty. The stereo deck is known to fail. For me, my switch for the drivers seat controls needed to be replaced.
There really isn't a lot of "maintenance" cost with this car. Just the typical oil, filters, fluids change at regular intervals. It's a great engine, provided that it doesn't have the oil consumption problem that is present in a small percentage of the cars in all model years.
Re: Found my G35... But too good to be True?? (Onslaught31)
Nice work Onslaught!!
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Onslaught31
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 12:49 pm
- Car: '03 G35 Sedan
Re: Found my G35... But too good to be True?? (darkprince101)
Maintenance isn't that bad. Only things that need to be done are oil, filters, brakes, tires, and fluids. Depending on how hard you drive it, going through (on average) one set of brakes and tires every 20-30k miles (high hopes for the brakes lol), probably about $1200-1500 a year. Definitely not a deal breaker in my mind