exunaja

here is the thing that bothering me between 2 model and correct me if I am wrong

1: 5Hp more on G35 of course you need to pay more for this powerful
machine
2: Rear wheel drive on G35 and y2k2 is still front wheel drive

Please verify this, because I keep on hearing in from the radio commercial and, it is annoying for me as a maxima owner.
Later

EU

jjs

Those differences would be correct...

AND

no manual transmission on the G35!!!!

exunaja

ahh what a wonderful world....
I am so mad.. why can they make our rear whel drive?

2kseman

or you can wait till next year, the g35 might have a manual...kind of like how lexus waited a model year to put the manual in the is300......i say get the 2k2 max, add an air intake of sorts and that would sovle your 5hp diff., the rear wheel front wheel thing, well, it's a rear wheel front wheel thing! pc

2K255HP

1: 5Hp more on G35 of course you need to pay more for this powerful
machine

It also is rated for 260 lbs ft torque

2: Rear wheel drive on G35 and y2k2 is still front wheel drive

Rear wheel drive with an independent rear suspension
48/52 weight distribution

and a few more of infinti goodies such as VSC (pretty sure thats what its called vehicle stability control) also comfort goodies blah blah blah

Plum88

G35 is tight!
Can't beat real wheel drive.
I did hear that there is a good possibility that it will be offered in a stick later on. Not sure if that's nine months or next year.

Vadim

iTrader: (8)

I talked to the Infiniti guy at the auto show and he told me G35 will be available with a manual tranny this fall

EZ

Do yourself a favor and test drive both. You will see that the G35 is superior in every way. If you want a stick then I say wait 6 months for the 6 speed to come out. If you are willing to settle for a coupe, it will have 280hp and 6 speed. If you need a 6 speed now, then the Max is your only choice.

Albertt

...load up the Quicktime demo about the G35 and your choice will soon become clear to you.

Jief

You forgot one important thing....: SERVICE (Nissan vs Infiniti)

FastCougar

I was VERY supprised to see the pricing on KBB ... sticker for under $32K VERY nicely equiped ... after all the hoopla dies down around the car (8-12 months), dealers will be willing to sell at or around invoice, so you will end up paying around $28K for a brand new 2004 G35 ... about the MSRP of a nicely equiped Maxima, but you don't get better handling (G35 has better weight dist., more torque, more hp, IRS, etc.).

e28fixer

Infiniti service...

is SUPERB. But that's just been my experience with a G20 I owned previously. Just getting a loaner car is worth the price of admission. That doesn't count the wash job, interior vacuum, etc., etc. I feel certain I'm gonna be looking at a 6spd G35 in the future. I don't even know HOW to drive an automatic. What a pitty it is to equip such an enthusiast's car with such a non-enthusiastic transmission!

Scott Buchanan
2K SE (manual)

Sopdadope

Well I own a Q45 and during my last visit, the sales people were generous enough to let me test drive the car without a scheduled appointment. My first impression was that car is quite spacious when compared to it's competitors, the Audi A4 and IS300. The leather is superior to any luxury car I've been in, which is saying a lot since I've ridden in Bimmers, MB's, you name it. You have to drive this thing to really appreciate this car.

The engine is basically the same as the Max but has a much fatter torque curve and the powerband feels more "musclely" throughout. The car I'd driven it hadn't even been broken in yet but the engine was verrrry nice, I'd say this car is probably .3-.4 seconds faster than the Max in the 1/4. The suspension is nice too, all in all, this is a far superior car than the Max and the price difference is so minimal that I think the G35 is a steal. The only one complaint I had was the car didn't feel as "tossable" as the Max SE. But that's probably because of the small wheels and weak rubber they have on it, if I were to get this car I'd get the sport package and slap on some nice 17" for better handling. All you people who are considering this car, do yourself a favor and test-drive it!

Sopdadope

So true! I was offered a loaner car once when they found out I needed to have my calipers rebuilt. The service tech recommended I not drive back home in the car so he set me up with a nice I35 for 2 days.

carguyrob

I am dealing with the same dilema. I have seen and sat in the car, but have yet to drive it. I also wouldn't buy it without a 6-speed manual.

I think the price issue is bigger than suggested though. You can get a loaded Max SE at invoice or close to it. The G35 will go for sticker for a long time, especially when the 6-speed comes out. That makes for about a $5K+ difference in the cars. I am still trying to decide if it is worth the extra cash.

As for RWD vs. FWD... I agree that RWD is far superior in handling, but am trying to decide if it is worth the extra headache with Chicago winters. A set of snow tires would be manditory for sure.

Tire wise, the sport package comes with 17" tires standard, although they are slightly narrower than the Max SE's (215 vs. 225). When the coupe comes out this fall, it will come standard with 17" rims and the sport package will get 18" ones! I just read that in this week's Autoweek magazine. They also mentioned the extra 15hp and the manual trans the coupe will get (bringing it up to 275hp).

What an exciting time to be in the market for a car. I just wish my lease didn't expire in August. I could use about 3-4 extra months...

Sopdadope

carguyrob,

I'm wondering why you said that G35's will go for sticker? The dealership I went to had the 2k2 Q45's for a grand less than MSRP because of Infiniti's recent "markdown" and dealer incentive plan.

About the FWD vs. RWD in the snow, it is true that RWD's are somewhat harder to drive but I have two RWD cars (Q45 and 240z) that I drive often in the snow. They are SO much easier to get under control than a FWD is. See if I were to spin out I could easily correct with either cars. I drove my sister's Camry once and did a 360 so I really think it has more to do with balance and the VSLD's. For snow tires, try Guardex 600, the best snow tires IMO.

e28fixer

The G35 will likely be my next 2-3 year old "new" car. That's how I bought my Max a few months ago and how I expect to buy cars from now on. To me, it just isn't worth the hit you take when a new car is driven off the lot. Somebody has to buy/lease them when they're new though. That's who I buy mine from. Better for me to pick up a great deal on the car everyone lusted over 2-3 years ago. Prior to the Max, my daily driver was a restored '87 BMW 5-series that I drove for 5 years. Having the latest toy in the auto world is expensive and maddening if you really try to keep up. Trust me, they can modify them and tweak them and change them faster than any of us can make money to buy them.

Scott Buchanan
2K SE (manual)

carguyrob

I expect that the G35 will go for sticker because they have been accepting pre-orders on the cars for months now...at MSRP. As for comparing the Q45 to the G35, no contest. The Q45 is a redo of an existing model. The new one has only received OK reviews by the mags (which tends to affect car sales) as they expected more considering the HP under the hood. The G35 is already getting a lot of publicity (although no full reviews yet) and is at a different price point. People can justify a $31K car in a weak economy. You generally have to incent people to spend $50K on a car in a weak economy unless the car is steller.

To compound that, the 6-speed will be harder to get just like with the Max. As a comparison, the IS300 with a manual trans tend to sell for a lesser discount than a comparable auto trans. If you decide to lease, they will usually charge you a bit MORE per month for a 6-speed since it tends to have a smaller resale market. This is especially true now that companies offer an auto or 6-speed for the same price (the 5-speeds used to be about a grand less).

As for RWD and FWD, I agree with you what you said to some extent. It is easier to recover a RWD once it gets out of control...and that is a good thing because it happens all the time. If you get a FWD car out of control, you are most likely driving way too fast for conditions or doing something bone-headed. I have been there...I admit it. I just know with previous RWD cars, you are catching the back end of the car around virtually every turn you make. It gets tiring after a while.

e28fixer

I've found the massive torque steer inherent in powerful FWD cars like the Max to be much more tiring than any annoying tendency RWD cars may exhibit. Throttle-induced oversteer is my idea of fun.

exunaja

I was surprised with the forum respond.. I thought nobody really care about this differences..
I wish I had $30K lying around somewhere to upgrade my y2k se.
Guys I am jealous with infiniti..


Thank you all
EU

VVDA

Why not wait for the 350Z???

SVTTODAMAX

Wait for the G-35R coupe!!muahahahahaha

maximawanabee

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but it looks like the G35 coupe is just a rebadged 350Z.

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=01714734

VVDA

oh gee, they do look alike!!! However, I wonder if the weight distribution on the G35 coupe is also 50/50 as in the 350Z???

Y2KMaxGXE-R

iTrader: (4)

the coupe will be offered with 6spd tranny

ssiperko

All valid points but the biggest for me is control factor when it does snow here in N. IL. I can't have my wife driving a car with this much hp and it not be fwd so I can live with this minor flaw.

SS

Albertt

My first time ever in an Infiniti showroom.

Impressions:

Front end looks great. I love the upwards bulged fenders and the stacked headlamp look. THe side view of the car is a smooth, wedge-like shape...makes the car look fast, just standing still. The tails, a bit large, but the LED units more than make up for that.

Moving on to the interior, I love the fact that the guage pod pivots with the steering wheel column. The center console buttons are well placed, though I wish the hazard flasher button had an idiot lamp. The yellow lighting is something I could get used to (but the red in Audis is still my favorite). Now, this may seem petty, but if there is one thing about the car that would keep me from buying this car, is the fact that the parking brake is not located by the shifter on the center console, but is a foot actuated pedal. Rear seating is comfortable, though we couldn't figure out how to recline the rear seats. Headroom, hiproom and leg room seem o be comparable to the BMW 330i, but it does feel a bit smaller than an Audi A4-3.0.

Finally, my GF commented on how the whole car felt cheap, in comparison to Audis and BMWs. Of course, one should realize that a decently equipped G35 can be and for less than $32K, while you couldn't possibly get an A4-3.0 or 330i for less than $36K.