The right G37 or car

[Gnoob17]

Greetings NICO members,

Sorry if this is a re-post, but I need some straight forward advice from people who have experience and knowledge of the topic. I don't mean to trouble anyone for their time, but after reading several articles and forums, I am still unsure what to believe and I am getting weary searching site to site for more information.

Anyway, I am looking to purchase a used car that is fun and reliable. I miss driving something fast and sporty, but have had my experience with an undependable car. Maybe I'm not giving enough consideration to other makes and models, but I have narrowed my choices to the BMW 335i and the G37s, and am leaning more towards the G37s. What it all comes down to is the reliability, and if experience shows that even the G37s is costly then I may reconsider it.

From what I read, BMW is expensive to repair and has fuel pump/turbo issues and the interior, including the tech options, just doesn't stand out to me like the G37s. What I am finding about the G37s is that there are issues with the transmission, ipod functionality, ignition response, and gas mileage. Again, my information may not be correct, but I am hoping some of you can clarify.

I really love the style of the G37s and the power. I want to keep the car for a while and I look to buy a used one. If these "issues" I've heard are true, is there a specific year that is the best bang for my buck? I hear the 7 Speed AT started in 09 and have been causing a lot of consumers to be dissatisfied , but is likely to save on gas. Does that mean the 08 is a better option? Is the transmission issues THAT bad? Any current solutions out there now?

Sorry for the lengthy post, but again...ANY information is appreciated. Just looking to avoid spending excessive cash on a car after the initial purchase.

[370Z/28]

Welcome...No need to appologize! We are all friends here.

Do you have to have 4 seats? Had my Z for almost a year and it has never skipped a beat.

Loved my G, but I did have it in the shop quite a few times for things you would never expect in a car that expensive. Windshield had to be replaced because it made a popping noise, something was wrong with the gas tank and you couldn't fill it all the way up and I never cared for the way the transmission (auto) would jerk when downshifting and sometimes it would bog the engine. (I had an '08 Coupe) I would still buy it over a BMW. Never owned a BMW but I never really wanted one either.

[Mudgen]

I have 12K miles on my 2011 G37x, and just love it. No problems to date. The 7 speed auto takes a bit of getting used to, but I love its aggressiveness in DS mode. I'm sure some of the others around here will weigh in on reliability of the various years, but my overall impression from general reading is that the G is significantly more reliable and less expensive to maintain out of warranty than the 335i.

[Gnoob17]

Haha actually it doesn't have to be, but personally I feel the G is sexier then the Z, which is why I removed the Z as an option. But hearing all these issues isn't making the G too appealing. How many miles did you have on the car during these repairs? The Z have any of these issues, including the ones on the later G37?

[Gnoob17]

Mudgen - I've read that drivers should go hard on the car to allow the car to adapt to your driving and to potentially reduce the poor shifting. Have you done something similar to allow the car to adjust or did you just get use to it?

[Mudgen]

With a new one, you really should observe the break in period, which is hard to do with a car this responsive. In your case, you'll be buying one past the break-in, so you should drive it toward the aggressive end of your normal driving habits to get it to adapt to your style. If it doesn't seem to be adapting, you can do a hard reset on the ECU to get it back to "naive" state. You can probably find more about that in the how-to and tech sections here.

[telcoman]

Greetings NICO members,

Sorry if this is a re-post, but I need some straight forward advice from people who have experience and knowledge of the topic. I don't mean to trouble anyone for their time, but after reading several articles and forums, I am still unsure what to believe and I am getting weary searching site to site for more information.

Anyway, I am looking to purchase a used car that is fun and reliable. I miss driving something fast and sporty, but have had my experience with an undependable car. Maybe I'm not giving enough consideration to other makes and models, but I have narrowed my choices to the BMW 335i and the G37s, and am leaning more towards the G37s. What it all comes down to is the reliability, and if experience shows that even the G37s is costly then I may reconsider it.

From what I read, BMW is expensive to repair and has fuel pump/turbo issues and the interior, including the tech options, just doesn't stand out to me like the G37s. What I am finding about the G37s is that there are issues with the transmission, ipod functionality, ignition response, and gas mileage. Again, my information may not be correct, but I am hoping some of you can clarify.

I really love the style of the G37s and the power. I want to keep the car for a while and I look to buy a used one. If these "issues" I've heard are true, is there a specific year that is the best bang for my buck? I hear the 7 Speed AT started in 09 and have been causing a lot of consumers to be dissatisfied , but is likely to save on gas. Does that mean the 08 is a better option? Is the transmission issues THAT bad? Any current solutions out there now?

Sorry for the lengthy post, but again...ANY information is appreciated. Just looking to avoid spending excessive cash on a car after the initial purchase.

Welcome to NICO

Here is my $.02

Save for a new one and get the 6 speed manual. It should be good for 200k miles if you treat it right

Telcoman

[Kendahl]

Remember that Infiniti is based on Nissan. Therefore, it should be reasonably reliable. The only problem I have had in four years with my G37S is a rattle in the instrument cluster. By comparison, modern BMWs are troublesome during the warranty and money pits thereafter.

[joe603]

I have a 2009 G37S Sedan with the 7-speed AUTO. I love my car, but it's a sedan. The only issue I had with mine was the Bose amp had a rear speaker output problem from the factory. Replaced under warranty. Other than that, no maintenance issues at all.

My AUTO is 95% perfect...some weird gear changes occasionally. It's much better than the 6MT...I had that in my 05 coupe and it was terrible. Clutch engagement was really bad, hard launches caused it to go into a fail-safe mode, and it chatters. I replaced the flywheel with a light-weight one using a heavy clutch...not cool. The car sounded like a dump truck. (got rid of the hard launch problem though).

Here are some observations:

1. Hate the NAV lock out when you're moving. My first mod was a NAV by-pass. LOVE IT NOW!!
2. Car is way too quiet for me...added a R2C Intake and love the results! Nice intake growl when you stomp on it...and some MPG increase when I don't drive hard.
3. Hate Infiniti tires...OEM sneakers have always sucked for me (my 05 coupe was worse). I need to replace at 15k miles.
4. Sport seats take some getting used too. The suspension and brakes are worth the pain (which goes away after time) from the thigh bolsters.
5. MPG is OK...not great, but I don't do a lot HWY driving. I get around 19-20.
6. Stereo needed more bass...but that's my preference. I added an aftermarket subwoofer and now it's great!
7. Get an older iPod...there's certain generations that work best with the Infiniti deck.
8. LOVE the music HD!!!!!

[370Z/28]

Haha actually it doesn't have to be, but personally I feel the G is sexier then the Z, which is why I removed the Z as an option. But hearing all these issues isn't making the G too appealing. How many miles did you have on the car during these repairs? The Z have any of these issues, including the ones on the later G37?

When I traded my G, it had 31k miles on it. I don't keep a car long. Don't get me wrong, it was a super car. Infiniti always gave me a loaner to fix problems so it really wasn't too much of an inconvenience. It was a little too luxurious for me. I know that sounds silly, but I like to bump my butt on the pavement and feel every groove of the road. My first Z was a '77 and it didn't even have power steering. Now THAT is driving!

[Tim30250]

I know that sounds silly, but I like to bump my butt on the pavement and feel every groove of the road. My first Z was a '77 and it didn't even have power steering. Now THAT is driving!

I must say that this statement makes me surprised that you never owned a BMW. I've had a total of 3 (including my current one) and they provide BY FAR the best pure driving experience of any car on the road outside of a dedicated sports car (Porsche, Lotus, Ferrari, et al.)

Anyway, as for reliability, neither a BMW or an Infiniti is going to be particularly cheap to maintain out of warranty if something serious goes wrong. You can only hope that you don't encounter any major issues. If you're buying used, make sure that you take the time to find a car with a meticulous service history and no documentation of any "pre-existing conditions." Either brand should be fine if they are properly maintained. I've bought all my BMWs new and never had one with over 50K miles so I can't speak to long term reliability from personal experience; however, my dad bought an '05 G35 7 yrs ago and has racked up over 90K miles without having to spend a penny on anything other than scheduled maintenance. Pretty impressive!

[Mudgen]

You can make a G pretty road-communicative with a few mods, fairly inexpensively. The Z and most BMWs are pretty much like that out of the box. I wanted a good-handling ride that had a bit of luxury softness for my 58 year old bones, and that's what I got.

While neither BMWs or Infinitis are cheap to do major out-of-warranty repairs on, I think the Infinitis are less prone to need them. But you can compare for yourself at http://www.truedelta.com/

[audtatious]

The only problem I have had in four years with my G37S is a rattle in the instrument cluster.

Are you sure this is not the outside plastic valence rubbing the windshield glass?

[R/T Hemi]

My G was released for family duty on 12/10/2011. I have to say that I loved that car. It was a mechanical jewel. My only complaint was the mileage. Since my wife drove it, mostly in town, it averaged 17.6 to 18.0 mpg. When I read of what's ahead by mid spring for gas prices, I'd finally had enough. It was time for something more fuel efficient for her. She's averaging a little over 22 now.

Other than the MPG, the G is one of the finest cars available. It's solid and smooth. I'd certainly take the G over the BMW if that's your decision.

[Tim30250]

I have always placed a premium on performance over economy so my G has been perfect for me. I actually average about 20-21 mpg with enthusiastic mixed hwy/city driving. Also, a 4 mpg difference, driving 200 miles a week is about 2 gallons of gas, or about 7 dollars at today's prices. Even at $5/gal, it's only an extra $10 a week. I'll gladly pay that premium to continue to enjoy my 328HP performance sedan; but hey, to each his own..

[R/T Hemi]

I know what you mean about wanting performance. It's addictive. That's why I drive a car that averages 14.8 mpg. My wife could care less about performance as long as it has a seat heater.

My point was that the G35/7 is a great car with a single fault. It should pull a consistent 30 mpg on the freeway (IMHO). And I never saw that with my G. Ironically, I did see that with my Maxima that preceded the G. Blame rear wheel drive and a low rear end ratio for the fuel consumption. If you love it, I totally understand why.

[joe603]

Another option would be the G25. If she doesn't care about losing some HP, it's basically the same car with a smaller engine with better fuel efficiency.

[kmckis1029]

put 55k miles on my old 2005 g35x, including many track days in two years, only problems was a dead battery once and a replaced throttle body/valve under warranty.

now im at about 55k, inlcuding track days, on my 2010 g37x after about 1.75 years, only problem ive had was cracking leather on the driver side arm rest twice fixed for free under warranty.

I do not believe in babing cars, if its a sports car it will be driven that way. Both my Infinitis have stood up to my abuse like champs with zero mechanical problems. with that said i am anal about scheduled maintence on my cars. Infiniti will be my first choice next time im in the market for a car.

all the fuel pump/turbo issues scared me away from the 2010 BMW 335ix, plus it was about $12k more with the same options as my G37x and had less horse power. Then like you or someone else stated, BMW doesnt stand out any more... they are a dime a dozen now... you should see my parking lot at work smh... probably 3-4 infinitis... like 15 BMWs. But i do like the way BMWs look on the outside, hate the inside though. That was another selling point for infiniti for me, the interior on the g37 is just way nicer in my opinon than the BMW 3 series or a Benz C350 for less money if i may add that again lol

[370Z/28]

I know that sounds silly, but I like to bump my butt on the pavement and feel every groove of the road. My first Z was a '77 and it didn't even have power steering. Now THAT is driving!

I must say that this statement makes me surprised that you never owned a BMW. I've had a total of 3 (including my current one) and they provide BY FAR the best pure driving experience of any car on the road outside of a dedicated sports car (Porsche, Lotus, Ferrari, et al.)

Why don't you let me borrow yours?

I have a sister, that to say the least is a ba-zillionaire. She and her husband have had all kinds of Porsches, Benz's, Jags etc. The had to get rid of their Cayenne and one of the Benz's because of such bad electrical issues that never could be solved. They never had much luck with any of their German cars. When I was thinking about my G, I had called my sister to get her opinion since she had a G sedan at the time. She told me that of all the cars she has owned in her life, her Nissan's were her favorites and most trouble free.

One day I might give a BMW a test drive. I really doubt it though.

[ljpzap]

I know what you mean about wanting performance. It's addictive. That's why I drive a car that averages 14.8 mpg. My wife could care less about performance as long as it has a seat heater.

My point was that the G35/7 is a great car with a single fault. It should pull a consistent 30 mpg on the freeway (IMHO). And I never saw that with my G. Ironically, I did see that with my Maxima that preceded the G. Blame rear wheel drive and a low rear end ratio for the fuel consumption. If you love it, I totally understand why.

Not sure what year Maxima you are talking about, but you can't be talking about the current generation (starting 2009). I just got rid of my 09 Maxima and I neverr got over 26.5 on the highway drving flat roads at 6o to 65. My G is averaging about the same overall, a little worse than the Max around town, but a little better on the highway.

[audtatious]

I was able to get 30mpg in my 2k2 Maxima if I were on a flat road and doing 55mph.....otherwise I have not noticed mpg any better than my G. On a flat road going 55mph in my G the mpg goes up quite a bit....but I don't how much since I usually only see 55 when going past it.