Lets just say both are the same price tag of 34k. i get this price from the fact most maximas on lots i see at 34k+ and you can get a base model g35 sedan for that price as well. I'm trying to compare stock vs stock also for the most part...


Looks/Appearance: g35 > 7th gen (it's close but i give it to the g35)

Performance: g35 > 7th gen (13.8 vs. 14.5 in the 1/4 also it's offered as a manual which is obviously huge. also stillen said no FI plans. it took 7 years for the 5.5s to get a bolt on Fi kit and with the cvt..i don't think companies will be flocking to develop FI kits for it again i'm trying to stay stock vs stock...)

Trunk and 'Living Space': g35 < 7th gen (7th gen wins hands down imo)

Interior: g35 > 7th gen (it's close i know but i tip my hat to the g35 and yes i'v sat and ridden in both cars and they both have VERY nice interiors imo.)

Luxury: g35 > 7th gen (it's a luxury car vs a sedan with luxury car dreams. maybe it's not fair to throw this in as they are sold in/to different parts of the market. then again who doesn't want something luxurious? and you can still have cloth seats and a price tag of 34k for the maxima, thats not a luxury car...)

Modability: g35 > 7th gen (i know it's new but compare any gen maxima to the g35's list of available mods. The 4th gen might come close but thats irrelevant)


My conclusion:
The 7th gen is very or ties in looks, and the quality of the interior. It easily wins in interior space. However if pales in comparison in the luxury category and falls on its face in relating to performance, modability.

I was just curious to what made, or would make you, want to buy a 7th gen over a g35, as i would assume a person would have considered both as viable options to buy. This is meant as a friendly discussion i'm not trying to say anyone who bought a 7th gen made a wrong choice. they seem to be great cars so far. again it's just not the choice i would make because mainly i'm really into performance and modifying my rides so that has alot to do with it.

Personally i'd buy a G35.


edit: also the fact fully loaded and decked out they retail for 43k is ridiculous imo. no one is going to pay 43k for an 09 maxima your almost at 50k after tax tag and title. when your in the 40k and above price point your options for a better ride are so huge the maxima can't compete. one might say that even in the 35k and above a 7th gen has trouble keeping up with the competition that starts at a baseline of 35k.

 

Why the Maxima > G35

maintenance
price
new style
I have 3 friends with the G35, 06, and 08, and 07 couple
there are too many G's out there

... but I did see a black/black/black 08 G35 sedan this morning, the thing was bad as hell

 

/THREAD

 

my mom has the 08 g35 with vq35hr motor in it....its a very fast car for a sedan. Almost unexpected......i would take the infinite over the max anyday....and i accually like the 7th gen max...

 

I have both! my wife drives the G35x and beats the hell out of it! a great car if you need 4x4. this thing goes threw snow like nothing. but over all i like the size of the maxima and handling. the x is a little soft to my liking. but i do love the exhaust sound. My if the G37xS would have been out that maybe would have changed my mind

 

I like the new maxima. They have done a great job making it look like a proper maxima.

But FWD vs RWD will lose everytime. And no one knows how much mods the CVT can handle. The 5 sp auto in teh HR powered G35 sedans are awesome.

but are you comparing new to new? As the G37 sedan is being released with the bigger motor and 7sp auto.

 

Price: is VERY similar notice how i started out this thread. what was your max's sticker price and what are all the options. again the price on the sticker? i'm not talking about how with you uber skillz you got it down 5k. i bet it was the same or VERY close to a g35's sticker price. note this is why i made the thread encase you missed that...similar price not similar in performance luxury style modability. nissan has made them too close!

Maintenance: sorry maintenance doesn't equal repair. just read below...sorry you're wrong.

New style: i'll give you that one. they are VERY comparable in terms of styling, as i said in my 1st post. and i respect wanting a 'new' style. it's nice to be semi-unique. however if i took jeff's suggestion and used the g37 your 'new style' argument would go out the door as it's slightly redesigned exterior wise and looks even more bad ***.


i didn't use the g37 sedan as it isn't out yet(i know it's close and will be out in 09...) it would only put the 7th gen father back in terms of performance/style/modability etc. The g35/g37 goes up against the BMW 3 series(great cars mind you) no one is going to compare the BMW 3 series to a 7th gens are they? i know this is off topic and i REALLY don't want the thread to go this way i just wanted to make that point.

On that note why doesn't the infiniti line use the CVTs? is it because infiniti buyers care less about MPG? as thats the only thing i can see where the CVT really shines(obviously there are other 'good' qualities to it).




Hey look it's metal saying something uninformed/ignorant again!

Metal, encase you have forgotten both are made by nissan and have great track records concerning maintenance(you meant repair but i'll keep using maintenance for you). yes infiniti parts cost more. so do lexus, bmw, audi, and any other luxury/performance brand. your not telling us anything everyone else doesn't already know. WE are having a discussion about new cars not when they are 8 or 10 years old. Go make your own thread based on assumptions regarding repair and wear and tear that if you want IF ANYTHING the maxima has a worse maintenance/repair history vs a g35. 6th gen auto trannies for instance, or say oil burning 5th gens...would you like me to go on?

Do you really think either of the cars in the 1st 6 years will have major maintenance(repair!) problems? and if people did think that, no one would buy em(*cough* GM *cough*) and if you do think this, why? if you know something the rest of the world doesn't let us hear it i'm sure nissan and the general public would be very interested. if anything the CVT is a huge unknown variable with the added HP. How it will hold up in 10-15 years NO ONE knows. It's all guesses and assumptions. and what happens when we assume things?

FACT: most new car buyers buy another new car before their loan is paid for, loans are usually for 5-6 years depending. i used to sell cars and this is very well known hence why dealerships came up with leasing option. people who are well off often change their cars every 2-3 years sometimes even MORE often. People who are buying a 35k sedan are well off. period. maintenance(repairs) is something people who buy older cars are worried about not new car buyers buying japanese cars. Also at the end of it all there is something called a FULL warranty which i assume you forgot about as well. which generally covers people as long as they have a loan on the car(hence why they basically coincide with oen another and run the same length of time), which is longer then most new car buyers keep their car. are you starting to see my point?

Your maintenance(repair) argument fails and i proved it. oh and what you really meant to say was repair costs. yes nissan parts are cheaper than infiniti parts. lolz maintenance for a maxima/infinti is the same buddy, or do you know something i dont? replace oil, check/fill fluids, replace tires, brakes, etc. maintenance is the same for ALL vehicles(minus electric but those arn't a factor yet) what you wanted to argue was repair costs. by your use of the wrong terminology which mean completely two different things your argument fails and there is no reason to close the thread.

next?

edit: i really love the 7th gen too. i just wish it had another tranny option. i think i'm going to be in a G37 for my next ride unfortunately, it's only unfortunate(kinda) because all i'v ever owned is maximas(i'm 25). but i'm looking forward to RWD and a VQ37. Shift_orgasm

edit #2: Lets try to keep this thread on track as i intended. throwing out bogus things is only going to derail it. thanks guys!

edit #3: this might be redundant but no one buys a new car worrying about reliability now a days. and certainly not a car from the big 3 in japan. no one buys an infiniti worrying about reliability and maintenance lolz. try again and this time don't fail.

 

I don't think the CVT is supposed to be a performance based automatic.

I recently drove a 07 G35 HR with the 5sp auto. It's fast, handles well and the tranny logic is really crisp/firm. Styling aside, those things by themselves would take the maxima out of the picture. Unless you really needed the extra room the maxima has and can't afford the M35

 

well said.

i really need to drive one of those and the new G37 when it comes out.

my gf doesn't understand why i like to randomly stop at car dealerships when we are out shopping to test drive cars. IT'S FUN DAMMIT!

 

I probably should test drive a maxima just for kicks. But man, having to hear the salesman BS is ugh.

But you should REALLY test drive even a HR35 G35. It has GUTS. Puts my early 03 G sedan to shame.

 

:ORLY:

That's funny. The G35 has be well documented as a rabid consumer of brakes and tires. Not by virtue of a poor build, but by virtue of the fact it's a heavy sports car. Maintenance doesn't mean just fixing what's broke - it also means keeping regular wear items maintained.

On another note, I am asking that you please cease the personal attacks against me and other members. I am only going to ask once.

 

edit: Jeff, one post below me, saved me from needing to type this post but he got to it before me and as i typed it all why delete it right? feel free to skip as it's just me calling out metal(again) on being ignorant and yet again derailing this thread with irrelevant arguments and going off topic.
Furthermore Can we please get back on topic now? and metal just stay out of here unless you have something to add to the discussion, which so far every point you've made has been discredited and or have been proven moot.


you make me Lols metal!

let me begin:

Maintenance has NEVER meant fixing broken things. Thats called repairs. maintenance is every day things which wear out as expected and need to be replaced. do you understand this yet? it's very easy to understand. did you not read the post above where i already corrected you on this once? fail.

OK so show me how it's been well documented then! really. you know go get some facts to back up your accusations. i'll be waiting! oh and the g35/7th gen are VERY close to the same weight. the reason the g35s had problems with the brakes was their size which was fixed in 2006+. you must have not known that huh? what makes you think that the 7th gen will not go through brakes and tires just as fast? maybe because they used correctly sized brakes? again please post something factual. weight isn't the reason which you claimed it was. One last thing if anyone spends 35k+ on a luxury semi sport sedan(or maxima mind you) and starts to complain about going through brakes and tires(what sports car doesn't?), which cost next to nothing in comparison to things, they should go buy a kia and or diaf.

oh and hey noobixcube when did i personally attack you or anyone else? run along little one and go back it up now with quotes or you failz, yet again. and why are you doing to say it only once? you're not a mod you have no uber powers. what are you going to do? huh? are you trying to threaten me or something? lol.

go home boi.

you are mucking up my thread that i made where i tried to have a civilized discussion in based on facts. If maintenance is scaring you away and making you buy a maxima over a g35/37 when you're spending 35k+ you have issues of your own that you need to deal with. EOD.

get back on topic of get out. <-- seriously.

thanks for coming in today!(not)

 

The early Gs 03-05 have small brake rotors. yet they yielded world class performance. They had to go to a very aggressive brake pad to do this. In 05, they went to a larger 12.6" rotor and 2 piston calipers. All teh world class performance as before but none of the pad/rotor issues.

Tires is a function of the world class suspension it features. Acura NSX owners are replacing tires at 10k intervals. Gotta pay to play. With that, I've gotten well over 20k on my used coupe 19s and lowered suspension. But it is time to replace. But the RE050s aren't known for their long tire life in the 1st place.

The reliability inbetween two brands that are owned by the same company is a moot point. The Z is essentially a mechanical twin of the G.

 

So essentially the brake reliability issue in the scope of this particular discussion doens't apply. As the "problem" (if you can really call it that) has been addressed and fixed on all models starting from 2006'.

The problem isn't technically the weight, it was trying to use too small of brake rotors/calipers to get the car to stop in a world class time of 110 ft (60-0).

 

I think you did a great job of writing this up and it is totally fair and unbiased.

As far as the looks and uniqueness of the Maxima-to our credit there isn't anything else quite like it on the road and that is where it differs mostly from the outside from an Infiniti.

Please do us a favor and post some pics when you do finally get the new G37 (that thing is a beast and a B@d@$$), I might even think of trading up when it does land at the Infinit Dealerships.

 

G35/Maxima same thing same company close in price. How's this for a decision maker...I went with the nicest dealership in the best town that was close by that treated me right. I would have bought an infiniti if it was an infiniti dealer or the max if it was a nissan dealer. To me location of dealership, how they treat you/rep, and price to SOME extent...as long as they are competitive.

The G and the Max are essentially similar. I don't think there is any debate.

 

The G being RWD and the Max being FWD makes them very DISSIMILAR.

 

Thank you i tried to be unbiased, sometimes it's hard. i have alot of respect for both models.

+1 on the maxima being unique to a degree in it's market place, i agree, and that's why i like them so much.

The g37 will come in a few years when i'm done with my 5th gen(weekend warrior can anyone say boost?) the g37 will be my DD...no more 3rg gen.


-1 the G and Maxima are not very similar AT ALL or the same. i think you need to take a MUCH closer look at them. if you disagree please explain how they are so similar...different chassis, different transmissions, different suspensions, different brakes, different interiors, different headlights...just because they use the same engine and are both 'technically' made by nissan doesn't mean they are similar.

i'd buy the best car for the money. period. how can anyone argue this...at the end of the day thats what matters right? how i get treated for 3 hours in a dealership vs. me living with my vehicle of choice i drive daily and paying for it are MUCH more important. again thats just me. when i leave a stealership it only goes back under warranty repairs. but then again i'v worked in multiple stealerships and don't like em at all. the g37 i most likely will buy will be from a private party as i can inspect a car just fine and don't have trouble regarding credit issues, which in my mind is why people shop at a dealership bad credit/know nothing about cars.

btw a infiniti dealership is MUCH nicer then a nissan dealership as how they treat customers. i know i'v worked at both in sales. again this is only from my experience. i'm sure others will chime in...


+1

 

dude, calm down, lol, it's the internet, I thought you asked for our opinions on why we bought the maxima over the g, and that is what I did, i stated my opinion on why I purchased the maxima... it's our answer like you wanted and our opinion.

 

My Maxima S was 28k and change out the door. It has a few options but nothing expensive obviously. The car is equipped very well in base form.

I don't think I can touch a G35 for close to that price. I also prefer the looks of the Maxima and think it looks more substantial than the G35 though I never really considered any other car after seeing and driving the Maxima. The last car I owned that was close to being as fast was a 1968 Nova with a 327 manual trans. That gives away my age doesn't it?

So, those are reasons I chose the Maxima...didn't even consider the G35 until you asked.

 

Both the wife and I test drove the 2008 G35x and the 2009 SV Maxima. We chose the Maxima in the end. Not only did we like the looks of the new Maxima better, we both liked the ride of the Maxima better. Both were about the same price for us so price want really an issue (34.5 for a loaded g35x and 35.2 for the SV prem tech Max). These prices were our "no hassle" prices before we even stepped into the dealership.

In the end though it all comes down to personal choice, some will choose the G35x and some will choose the Maxima. Both are good cars and have both advantages and disadvatages.

 

well put. I see so many G35s and when I saw the redesigned Max I figured it was "fun" to buy. I test drove it and thought it looked great, drove great, and I really liked the look with the Sport Package. I wasn't looking for a "luxury" car. If I was I would have gone to BMW. I wanted a "fun" new car and the Maxima is pretty cool.

 

G

 

I saw both cars on the lot and immediately fell in love with the MAXIMA.......I did not test drive the G35 but I did sit in it, I looked at both sticker prices and I was able to get a lot more with my Max at the same price of the entry level G......so I did the math and thought why not get more bang for the buck and I went with the MAX and have not looked back ever since I LOVE MY RIDE!!!!!

 

I test drove both the 2008 G35x and the 2009 Maxima SV. The big difference for me was the size of the car. In the G35x, I felt like I was being squeezed. I was coming from a 2001 Bonneville SSEI so I was use to a little breathing room. I liked the G35x but the dealer is 30 minutes away and would never give me a deal. I was there on two different occasions.

The 2009 Maxima SV (Sport + Technology) felt great sitting in it. I loved all the tech and sound system was great. The dealer was in my town and treated me very well. I never felt good about the Infiniti dealer. So in the end, the size of the car, the dealership being local and the great sales staff lead to me purchasing the 2009 Maxima (Silver on Black).

I've been driving it all week and can't wait for lunch so I can drive it some more and I can't wait to get off work to drive it again. I didn't need anything super fast but something that could handle bad weather (front wheel drive) and had enough speed to get on the highway and merge into traffic. This is my first foreign car and so far I'm loving every minute of it.

 

G35 pretty much dominates in almost every catagory.

Same price, Better performance in every sense of the word, same gas mileage, generally speaking better service dealing with Infiniti dealers compared to Nissan, longer warranty.

Maxima is just a bigger car.. so has more space.. might ride a little softer/less engine noise, but chances are the G35 actually has less tire/wind noise.

 

I did an early term on my leases of both a 2007 G35S Sedan and a 2008 G37S Coupe 6spd... I did it due to necessity, and practicality... basically I'm getting divorced, and I needed to be able to seat 5... The G37S was "mine", and the G35S was my ex's. I've also owned various Nissans through the years ('85 300ZX Turbo, '02 Maxima SE, '91 300ZX TT, '97 Maxima SE, '06 Maxima SE, '03 350Z).

My G35S was fully loaded... Premium, Sport, and Tech (Nav & ICC). My G37S was similar, but not as loaded... Premium & Sport. The Maxima IS the G35S, just FWD... and I actually think the Maxima is a "nicer" car... Granted, they just upgraded the G to the G37, so I haven't sampled that yet... The only "real" difference between the two, is that the G is RWD, the Maxima is FWD, and the Maxima is "larger" on the inside... being 6'2" and 200lbs, I prefer the Maxima to the G35S. The guages are easier to read, the Nav is actually a touch nicer (granted its plucked straight from Infiniti, but its upgraded from what I had in my '07). The seats aren't "quite" as sporty, the bolsters on the G seats are MUCH more supportive, but the Maxima seats seem to be better for longer trips. The back seat in the Maxima is also MUCH MUCH nicer than the G35S believe is or not! Much more room and better cushioning in the seats.

The two things I do miss, are the 6spd out of my G37S (I'm a purist, but I have to say, the smoothness, and instant torque response of the CVT are growing on me more and more), and the "Driver's Sound Stage" from the G37S... the G35S didn't have the driver's staging, and the overall "quality" of the sound in the Maxima isn't as clear as the G37S, or the G35S with the Premium Stereo, but it does have more of a "concert studio" sound, as more of the vocals come from the center of the dash (well it "sounds" that way) compared to the G's producing sound more from the right and left, with the center "filling" in...

If I had no limiting issues... I'd probably have kept my G37S... but it wasn't an option... if I had to chose between the G35S and the Maxima I have now, I'd chose the Maxima... but thats just me.

The Maxima does perform "close" to the levels I had experience in the Gs (talking about corner speed/stability on long highway sweepers, but I have track experience driving my '91 TT, '03 350Z, and the '08 G37S, so its not like I don't "know" what I'm doing when I drive), and the Maxima does start to hang the tail out a little sooner than the Gs would... I could easily take a specific highway onramp at 80+ in the Gs... where my Maxima starts to feel like the rear is about to step loose if I attempt to accelerate beyond 80mph on that curve; all three cars had the exact same tires, granted in different sizing... I'm sure its the basic limitations of RWD vs FWD stability at speed. The Maxima actually weighs less than either of my Gs did... So its definitely not that the Max is a pig in any sense of the word.

Just my $0.02.

Also to add additional information... Both Gs got worse gas mileage than my Maxima does. I'm averaging almost 21mpg in the Maxima, versus ~18-19mpg in either G. The Maxima is also quicker on the inside than either of my Gs. It may have simply been that the tires are newer on the Max than the Gs (G35S had 26k miles, G37S had 15k miles) but the wind noise is definitely less in the Maxima, though it does get blown "around" more noticeably than either of the Gs.

Infinitis due have a longer warranty... so if you're going to "keep" it, you might want to seriously consider that.

The other major difference is, you can buy a Maxima at Invoice! Good luck trying to do that with an Infiniti! You "might" get $1k off an Infiniti... you won't get it for Invoice, but in this economy you might get close. So MSRP's for fully loaded Maxima vs G, you would be close, but actual purchase price, you're still talking a few thousand difference in price.

What it really boils down to is do you want a tighter "sporty" interior and RWD, or do you want a nicer "sporty" interior and can deal with FWD, and don't mind saving a few thousand in the process.

 

And this is where everyone stopped reading/caring about your post...


When will people ever learn.

 

Should I have said it later in my post? Are you hitting me with the chair or everyone else? I mean I'm aware they are nothing alike (different chassis, drivertrain, etc) but for the basis of this comparison, that's pretty much what it boils down to... Which styling do you prefer and which drivetrain layout do you want... Everything else is fairly similar if not equal.

 

I am hitting you with the chair because they are very different cars.

They shouldent even really be compared.

 

While I understand the basis of your statement, let me ask you this... Have you actually driven both cars? I'm just curious. The issue is, people are going to compare them as long as they're both available and driveable (meaning new and used). I've owned both cars... I've driven both cars... While fundamentally they can't be apples to apples compared, they can be compared none the less and they will be. And from having owned both, the maxima drives, handles and performs like a FWD G35... But it's newer, a little more refined, and has fresher styling... To each his own.

I also think you're missing the point of this thread... The thread was intended to compare the two... Simply telling everyone their stupid for doing so does not contribute in anyway shape or form... If you don't have a constructive comment to add to the discussion, please refrain from posting...

 

Some have said that the anonymity is the cause of the perverse negativity I see on this tread. We're only talking about cars, not the drama of life and death.

I have driven both the Maxima and the G35. These credentials are not as good as staying at a Holiday Inn Express, but they're very close.

The G35 is smaller, rides tighter, has better acceleration and a smaller trunk. The new Max is worthy and a few k cheaper. I suspect some will like the G35 and others will like the Max. Both are good and are a lot better than the American pig iron found at GM, Chrysler, and Ford.

 

Excellent post! Loved the light hearted comments!

 

Up to date - MAXIMA ALL OVER the G35, which is now an old design being replaced by the G37, and you are NOT going to get a G37 for the price of a Maxima.

Styling - MAXIMA ALL OVER THE G35. The G35 is not bad, and was very nice when it first came out. But it is now long in the tooth, and I absolutely love the new aggressive, wide, coke-bottle shape and double panel roof of the '09 Maxima.

Drive train - MAXIMA ALL OVER the G35. I drove RWD cars for over thirty five years, and will NEVER own another RWD. First sign of inclimate weather and the wimpy RWD looks for a place to hide. Usually the nearest ditch.

MPG - MAXIMA OVER THE G35. I don't know what the official numbers are, but I know two people with G35s, and you should hear them moan about 18 MPG in town, and 25 on the freeway. Several folks here on the ORG are already getting 30 MPG on freeway trips on the '09 Maxima.

Dealers - MAXIMA OVER THE G35. This will be different in different areas, but I love the service at my Nissan dealer, and know every person there. I have been to my Infiniti dealer several times looking at cars (especially when the G35 first came out), and although I can overlook their snootiness, I could not overlook the fact they NEVER showed the slightest interest in giving me a good deal for an Infiniti.

Room - MAXIMA ALL OVER the G35. I don't care what the 'official' measurements are; I have sat in both, and the G35 driver's seat seems constricted to me, while the Maxima's does not. The Maxima rear seat seems roomier than the G35 also. Even the Maxima trunk seems larger and more usable than the G35. When you have a wife, two children and three grandchildren, room is very important.

Convenience - MAXIMA ALL OVER the G35. Around my part of the country, I see Nissan dealers in almost every city (23 Nissan dealers within a 90 minute drive of my home), while many cities do not have an Infiniti dealer. Some Nissan dealers can work on some Infinitis, but don't count on their expertise in working on Infinitis.

Attitude - MAXIMA ALL OVER THE G35. Many folks drive Infinitis, Mercedes, Lexus, BMWs, etc, because those cars are meant to exude a certain 'look at me; I can afford more car than you' attitude, or at least express a little 'one-upsmanship'. Many drivers deny this, but whether they believe this or not, it is taken that way by many other drivers. That is one reason I try to stick to a make that is non-pretensious. Nissan is to those brands I named as Ford is to Cadillac. I'll take the Ford over the Caddy, thank you.

Do not misunderstand; the G35 is an excellent vehicle, and one that tempted me when it first came out. But when I looked at every detail that was really important to me, the Maxima was the better car for me on every point.

To each his own.

 

I mean... we're talking about cars here...... not life..... but cars man..... cars.... we ain't talking about life, we talking about cars here..... cars...

lol i hope some of you guys get this...

 

LOL I got it!

 

Guys let's not forget which car we owe thanks to for pretty much everything nissan stands for in this world - in this whole forum, the Nissan Maxima. This is the car that revolutionized the VQ engine that gave - and still gives infiniti and other popular nissan products(350Z, G35, G37, M, EX, FX, 370Z, Pathfinder, Frontier, Murano, even the Quest for crying out loud!) the right to say that those motors were put on wards 10 best engines for every year since it came out! This was the 4DSC! This was the car that suffered an identity crisis to the altima, and was even less powerful that it! So everytime somebody tries to say the G35 performs better than the Maxima, remember that is was the maxima the made G35s, as well as other nissan products, popular today.

 

If the Maxima had a manual option I would take it over the G.

 

I think the G and Z owe more to the Datsun 510s/240z/300z and the 300zx then to the maximas. If we are talking chassis and drive configurations. yes the datsun 810 was RWD and is probably the 1st maxima, but that model owed almost everything to the Z.

The maxima did debut the mightly VQ engine. Can't argue that.

 

lets just put a small block in the max.. and see wat happens..lol j/k