It's actually not hers yet, she's prolly gonna buy it today. She took it home for a test drive for the night and I got to drive it. She was gonna trade in her Lexus SUV on a new GS300 but thanks to some persuading from me, I got her to go try out the G35. There are some things better about the Lexus, but she's spending less money, and getting just as much, or more of a car, plus the yummy VQ that we all love so much, and 40 more ponies. She's gonna get every option on, with the premium package, only thing she isn't getting is the navigation system. It's a nice car, and from driving it, I definitely like it, but I agree with car and driver when they say this car lacks one major thing... a manual transmission. It would be so much more fun to drive as a stick. The dash is pretty cool how the guages move with the steering wheel, so you can always see them. But I think they could have made that a power option, cuz moving it manually just seems odd. Another odd thing is the placement of the power seat controls, but in a way I kind of like them there better. The manually reclining rear seats is a neat option to have. My friends mom was worried about the car not having as much room as the Lexus, but we looked up the specs and compared, and the Lexus only has like one more inch of leg room, and less head room than the Infiniti. The LSD is cool to have on wet roads... they said the salesman even did a doughnut with them in the car at like 50mph. At least that's what my friend tells me. But you can definitely feel the car taking control. Overall, I'm very impressed with the car, and the manumatic or whatever you call it, option is ok, but it still needs to come as a manual. It'll be cool when she buys it, I'll get to drive the car more! I won't mind being the designated driver so much when we go out now, if we're taking the G35. I'll be able to get my friend to come to some Maxima meets now too, since he'll have a Nissan in the fam now.

 

It does 0-60 in 5.9 seconds

Talk about a family sedan that can whip up on muscle cars and pretty much 100% of the rice boys, manual tranny or not.

 

I did an overnight test-drive on a new G35, too. The roads were wet that night from an isolated shower, and I was driving too fast on a curvy off-ramp when the back-end started to step out. My 1st thought was that I was going to back the car off the ramp and into the grass at 50-mph. Before I could say "Oh ****" the G35's Vehicle Dynamic Control kicked-in, and brought the car right back in-line. The car just plain took over, and saved my @ss. Shock and fear were instantly replaced with relief and laughter. I was amazed.

The manual mode on that car felt quite different than an automatic transmission being shifted manually. The gears seemed to come and go very crisply, and I didn't have to worry about getting too excited and shifting all the way up to "N". One push/pull, one gear. The brakes were terrific. The car cornered flat and handled like a dream. It accelerated like a bat out of h&ll. I loved it.

 

Yeah, it feels different than maunually shifting most automatics, but to me, I dunno, it felt like I was shifting a video game though. I guess it's just cuz I'm used to my max, but oh well. The car still kicks a$$, manual or not.

 

I like to shift. My Maxima is a 5-spd, and I have owned manual tranny cars ever since I learned how to drive. But when I am stuck in twice daily stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper traffic, having to push in on the clutch really gives my left leg a workout. It's a pain in the @ss, to say the least.

When I'm attacking curves, the last thing I want to drive is a car with an autotragic transmission. The torque converter induced delays, unexpected shifts, no engine braking, and the related distractions detract from a good driving experience.

The tranny on the G35 provides the best of both worlds. Stuck in traffic? Let it shift automatically. Approaching a stretch of twisty road? Smack the lever over into manual mode and enjoy quick, crisp shifts. Is it the same feel as a true manual? No, but coupled with the performance and handling of this car... it still satisfies.

With regard to the G35, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: A 6-spd? I don't need no stinking 6-spd!

 

From the few minutes I got to spend in one the shifting was nothing short of amazing, so long as during manual upshifts the accelerator was pressed hard. Too little throttle really slowed its response time. Although to be honest I really only got to do about a dozen or so manual shifts, hardly enough to really validate any claims.

I've been considering the G35 for some time now, but I've only had my Maxima for a few months now. When the the stick comes out thats a whole different story, and I can easily see myself in one!

 

I've seen lots of them on the road now. I think they look nice from the front, so-so from the side, and here we go again, why Nissan? UGLY from the rear. Those tail lamps don't help. Prop rod to hold up the hood is a cheesy move on a car that costly.

Lexus owners, IMHO should stick to the top-tier cars despite less ponies. They're used to a certain satisfaction level in the ownership experience that I think they would not get with a Nissan product. Look at the new ES300, it's a hit. And it has about the same HP as a 2000 Maxima. But very few car mags would coose a I35 over it.

The car that I think looks the sweetest of them all is the 745Li, saw one yesterday. I'd still like to know where the gearshift is, I don't think that car has one. I think it has a **** in the center console that gets twisted. BMW is always ahead of its time whenever a new model comes out. 19" from the factory, how SWEET

 

Out of 11 sports sedans that having starting prices under $40k, like the 330i, IS300, C320, X-type, Road & Track chose the G35 as the overall winner. Check it out in this month's current issue.

 

Yeah but keep in mind it lost to the 330i in the performance and subjective categories. It only beat out the bimmer because it received a perfect 200 score in the price/value category (about $7K less than the 330i I believe). The G35 is a great car but is still falls slightly short in the performance arena when compared to the 330i. Not bad considering this is its first year out!!

 

Not too bad considering they got the exact same quarter mile out of those two cars, with the 330i being a manual and the G35 autostick.
It'd be interesting to see if it could edge out the 330i in acceleration with the 6-speed & a good driver. A sedan that does 14.5 from the showroom floor? Where do I sign?

It lost a little to the 330i in the twisties, but what doesnt? For the price, if you're big on performance, I don't think you can beat it.

 

Agreed but I just think the back of the G35 looks fugly!! The G35 coupe's tail end looks sweet and is a vast improvement over the sedan. This was one of the main reasons I chose the 330i. It looks great from every angle.

 

I got one of those....

 

The G35 may be a auto but u gotta put it in perspective, don't forget it has almost 35hp on the BMW.!!

G35 is a very nice car though.

 

yup been seeing the G35 everywhere here in socal. it's nice and all, but it sure does look like the acura NSX.

 

There must have been some cost savings or else I can't see why it looks like that. They saved mucho denero on the prop rod for the hood though.

The G35 is SSDD if you ask me. The Nissan mentality is always more HP is better. Nothing else matters!

Let's be real, ok? 330i, A4, not only do they cost more, they are higher performance vehicles. Only newbies would compare the two, you know, just turned 22 and got my first 65k job. IMHO a 3-Series owner who's had more than 1 BMW doesn't look at Infinity. My prediction is the G35 is for the over 50 crowd who has some money, wants a luxury car at the expensive of performance, and doesn't want to spend too much.

 

I bought a G35 today, Garnet Fire (red) with a Willow (light tan) interior. I will pick it up from the dealership tomorrow afternoon. I'm ordering a set of 19" x 8.5" SSR GT-3 wheels and 245/35/19 YR Bridgestone S-03 Pole Position tires this evening, which I will have delivered to the Infiniti dealership to install for me @ no charge.

You guys worried about miniscule variations of performance between the 330i and the G35? I am hearing rumors that just a tweak of the stock ECU and/or an air intake swap for that of the G35 coupe will boost output on the 4-dr. sedan to 275-HP+... I'll let y'all know.

 

Congratulations on the job!! At a young age too :-).

Yeah the $5-7 grand difference is quite a bit. If the prices are the same then things will be different. Likewise, the TLS was $4k more than the Maxima here in Canada.