Rear Spoiler - Is it worth it?

[ragusg]

I just took delivery of my new G37S - It's a lot of fun, and I'm trying real hard to keep it within the recomended boundies of the break in.

I was wondering if it is worth spending the money to replace the existing crome spoiler with the aftermarket one the dealer wanted to sell me? should I spend the $550 or should I save my money for something else?

[RedG37SNC]

The stock chrome spoiler has a nice look and some folks prefer it. I like the infiniti sport spoilier, it fits the car perfectly replacing the chrome option. I'm betting your dealer is refering to the Infinit sport spoiler, it's not a 3rd party spoiler, just an option package. The 3rd party options I've seen all fit above the chrome spoiler and look tacky IMHO and just don't mesh with the car as nicely. Just do a search on ebay for G37 spoiler and you'll see two options. If you like the look I'd go with the infiniti spoiler, it's $550.


Modified by RedG37SNC at 7:08 PM 12/27/2007

[pippen99]

It depends on the colour of your car. Mine is IP and I think the chrome spoiler looks better on this colour.

[atlanta37]

I recently put my order in for a red 6MT and I did elect the spoiler for $550. Two reasons: (1) I really do think the car looks better that way (at first I thought the opposite, but the spoilers grew on me and they are seamless in appearance/fit), and (2) I have read in two different car rags that the spoiler does have a material affect on lift (decreasing it to zero or near-zero) at speed. The dealership I purchased from said the same thing, but I'm pretty sure they just wanted the $550. Personally, I would not go for an aftermarket glue-on.

[etschell]

personally, i like the g35 03-05 spoiler better. but if you must have one on the g37 i would go with the factory.

[ragusg]

I'm Sold, seing pictures of it - I've decided to order the factory spoiler.

[TESLAASTRO]

i've got black and think the chrome stock spoiler is magnificent....i have the sport pckge, and it really matches up nicely with the 19s....

[dmkozak]

There are, apparently, two ways of looking at this. One, by appearance only. Which is the way pretty much everyone (else) looks at it. And, the answer then depends on your point of view.

The second, being the aerodynamic effects. At highway speeds the rear spoiler will have an effect on the car's aerodynamics. According to Infiniti, the rear spoiler will reduce what little rear lift exists at above normal highway speeds. But, for me, the big reason NOT to have a rear spoiler is that the rear spoiler will add (even more) understeer to a car which understeers a bit too much for my tastes in the first place.

I am playing with tire pressures. But, I know, eventually, I will have to come up with new alignment specs. Right now, my front end hunts on certain road surfaces and has that intitial turn-in delay which is built into the FM platform by Nissan. So, for me, no thanks to any more understeer or turn-in delay.

[TESLAASTRO]

i'm skeptical that the optional spoiler will have any effect, good or bad, at highway speeds of 65-80 mph....

[RedG37SNC]

i'm skeptical that the optional spoiler will have any effect, good or bad, at highway speeds of 65-80 mph....

I have to agree, I'm not an areodynamics expert, but just look at the spoilers on race cars.. they are huge, down angled airfoils and elevated above the car's turbulance. Maybe if your going 150 or so their might be some minute difference. Maybe if it at least had an angle, but it's flat and follows the body of the car. This spoiler has none of the forementioned characteristics, it just provides a sportier look.
Modified by RedG37SNC at 7:27 PM 12/30/2007

[will52]

Has anyone had the factory spoiler added on by the dealer ???

A spoiler was one of my options originally, but when the car came in with everything else I wanted , ( including the color) , I passed on the spoiler. At the time my salesperson said that spoiler parts were not yet available , but eventually could be dealer installed.

Now that I've lived with that "silver eyebrow " a month, it's actually beginning to grow on me . But from a more objective perspective, I'm thinking there might me more to this switch than I originally thought. If the spoiler has the brake light string built in ( which I think it does), what do they do with the light housing unit already situated in the rear window area? What about the rear monitor? Is it relocated with a spoiler install...I think mine is in the crome piece now, so I'm thinking it would have to be moved...

WILL

[RedG37SNC]

Mine was already installed. Yes the light and the camera are in the sport spoiler. I imagine there's two spoiler options, or some type of removable plug for those with and without Nav systems and the Rear view camera. With a nav system the wiring's already there for the camera so that should be easy, as far as the tail light wiring I'm not sure if the tail light in the window is an easily removable item. I imagine they'll either tap off, or move the wiring to the trunk and remove the light in the window.

[RedG37SNC]

Came with the car here. Yes the light and the camera are in the sport spoiler. I imagine there's two spoiler options, or some type of removable plug for those with and without Nav systems and the Rear view camera. With a nav system the wiring's already there for the camera so that should be easy, as far as the tail light wiring I'm not sure if the tail light in the window is an easily removable item. I imagine they'll either tap off, or move the wiring to the trunk and remove the light in the window.

[dmkozak]

To both REDG37SNC and telasstro, I think I understand your skepticism. However, I am not sure either of you is qualified to comment on aerodynamic effectiveness. Neither of you has said you have any engineering experience with aerodynamics. And, basing it on viewing race cars, and stock cars at that, is a pretty short sighted view.

The rear spoiler on race cars (and I would look at Indy cars, not Nextel Cup cars, where the wickerbill is about one inch high) is designed to actually apply downforce to the rear end. The rear spoiler on the G37 is designed only to smooth out the air flow over the tail and remove what little lift exists at speed. Two different objectives.

Sorry, but, while you are entitled to your opinions, we are dealing with documented lift studies here, not what two inexperienced people might or might not believe is true.

P.S. Since you guys went with spoilers for appearance reasons, what does the aerodynamic effects have to do with your decisions? All I said is that there are two ways of looking at this. If appearance is your main issue, then go with what looks best to you. If aerodynamics is your main issue, then contact Infiniti for their test results, and decide based upon this information.

[RedG37SNC]

Lets just say I wouldn't want to bet a snickers bar then that this Spoiler would have a noticable affect on understeer.

[mranderson]

Well, to get back to the original question, I don't know whether the OP was asking if it was worth the $550 from a performance OR aerodynamics POV. For most of us it comes down to personal taste regarding how the optional spoiler enhances, or detracts from the car's appearance. If you like the look, then it's totally worth it.... I mean good grief, $550 on a $40,000 car? I wouldn't get caught up in the cost given that fact. Get the spoiler if you like how it looks.... don't if you don't.

[G37GPTX]

I think a spoiler is a matter of taste. I didn't care for the so called chrome spoiler on a black car. I think it looks better on a graphite car. I prefer the car with a spoiler and added the aftermarket spoiler. The difference is it isn't as sleek as the stock spoiler and it has a red brake light. The aftermarket spoiler has to cover the chrome Infiniti piece. I was told that if you get a car with a factory spoiler, you actually get a different trunk.

The sales manager at the dealership told me that one customer wouldn't buy the car with the chrome spoiler. So they tried to remove the chrome with acid and then paint it. I think that might have looked good, but it didn't work and they had to replace it.

I tried to insert a picture that I have hosted on another site, but can't get it to show here. It keeps changing it to nicko.com when I save it. So you if you want to see it, you can copy and paste the link below into your browser after the "http://" photos.freshalloy-com/gallery/d/32867-2/P1050585B.jpg and then change the -com to .com .
Modified by G37GPTX at 2:03 PM 1/5/2008

[santiagodraco]

I have a platinum graphite G37 with the sport spoiler (as shown earlier in the thread) and honestly I would not have bought the car without it. It really "completes" the car for me, giving it that final touch to really balance out the "sporty" agressive look. It's also very classy.

Well worth it imo.