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Old 08-13-2005, 07:25 AM   #1 (permalink)
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Audi A4 or Infiniti G35x: Which one?

Looking for a new car. Choice narrowed down to Audi A4 3.2 or Infiniti G35X. Any owners of these cars, or people with opinions they could share? Opinions on other cars in this class appreciated.

Drove Acura TL (upgraded honda accord, generic exterior, nice navigation system, instrument cluster ugly, smooth sweet powerful engine, boring overall driving experience), BMW 330i (steering too heavy at low speeds, bland interior, decent power - though not as smooth and powerful as the Acura, great driving car at speed, handles like a big go-kart). Also drove the Audi A6 which is absolutely sublime, but too $$$ for me. Best car interior EVER. Wimpy V6 though.

The Audi/Infiniti are both 4WD sedans with V6 engines. Are they reliable? Cost of maintenance? Gas mileage? Loud on the highway? How's living with them as daily drivers? Etc. thank you..
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Old 08-13-2005, 08:48 AM   #2 (permalink)
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My grandmother drives an A4 3.0 and I really enjoy driving it. She's had it for a few years now and hasn't had any trouble whatsoever. She's somewhat frugal, so I think I would have heard about it if the cost of maintanence was too high or it got poor gas mileage. As a daily driver and on the highway, the Audi is awesome - a perfect balance between sportiness and confort. I imagine that adding the larger-dispalcement V6 with FSI just made the vehicle that much better.

That said, the G35x has a wonderful reputation, as well, although I have no personal experience with them. I don't think you could go wrong with this pair.

Finally, I have another suggestion for you: Subaru Legacy GT. The new ones cost less than $35,000 fully loaded. Five-speed, leather, power moonroof, 0-60 in about 5.25. It would be faster and cheaper than the audi or the infinity whilst retaining most of the luxury items. I would highly, highly recommend that you try one out before you make your purchase. You will not be disappointed.
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Old 08-13-2005, 09:54 AM   #3 (permalink)
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I've known people that have both owned Audis and Infinitis.

The Audis are plagued with problems, both mechanical and technological. One man I knew had a '99 A6 that was in the shop more than on the road.

The Infinitis, however, hardly ever to have a major problem. In fact, Nissan is the only Japanese car company I would ever purchase a vehicle from. I drove the G35 (coupe) when it first came out, and the whole experience was amazing. I've also driven a friend's A4, and can't get the feeling of a Passat out of my head.

When you compare power, economy, safety, and value, then there's hadly any question. Go for the G35x - you won't be dissappointed.
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Old 08-13-2005, 12:49 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Thank you for the responses.

I am surprised to hear you grandma drives an A4, politicophile. I thought the elderly only drove Buicks LOL! Regarding the Legacy, I knew nothing about this car, so after reading your post I went over to Subarus website, and it looks extremely interesting indeed. Even has 4WD. I will be going in for a test drive this week.

TM875 I am alarmed to hear about Audi's poor reliability. That would be a deal-breaker for me, as a reliable car is a must. Especially at the prices that Audi is asking. I really enjoyed my drive in the G35x. I asked the guy if I could take the car for a drive by myself and he said yes. What a car. A superb engine. Very torquey, very smooth, very powerful. I had it up to 100mph on the highway, and the steering wheel vibrated literally about as much as when I was sitting in the parking lot holding it. Smooth as glass. The Audi is phenomenal at speed as well, maybe even more composed.

I've noticed that the Japanese cars in general have smoother engines and more fluid (automatic) transmissions. The G is also a limousine compared to the rather cramped Audi. The one beef I have with the G is the navigation system. The graphics are an eyesore, like they were done in MacPaint. The Audi's system looks nicer - the difference was akin to comparing vector graphics to bitmap graphics.
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Old 08-13-2005, 03:46 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Location: Ottawa...the greatest city in Canada...down the road from silentjay!
Audi....that is all.



Can't go wrong with German engineering.
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Old 08-13-2005, 04:34 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Location: California
go for the G35. They are so goddamn sexy, and a blast to drive and ride around in. Solid build, quick, its what your lookin for. How much are the new pontiac GTo's? Those are hot.
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Old 08-13-2005, 05:05 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Location: Toronto
I bought a G35x in April.

2005 in Lakeshore Slate with 14 km on the dial when I took possesion.

I love the car. I also considered the A4, but passed because I felt that the G35 was a superior car. I like the looks more, the engine, the feel, etc. etc. The G35 has 280 hp, and 270 ft.lbs of torque. It's much faster than the Audi. Also, Audi has a terrible reputation for quality. Close to the bottom of the heap actually. And don't get me wrong, I love Audi, especially looks wise.

I was worried when I got the car that "the thrill" would be gone. Sometimes the wanting is better than the having. Not so. I love driving this car. It's remarkably powerful, agile, road feel, etc.

There was no doubt that I wanted the x as well since living in Toronto, the winters can be a bitch. There is no way I would want a rear wheel drive car.

I am at about 9,500 km to date and the only problem was a creak in the centre consol which Infiniti naturally corrected. That being said, the Infiniti is warranteed for 4 years 100,000 km bumper to bumper and 5 or 6 years 110 on the powertrain (can't recall)

Now for areas that the G-35 could improve.

1. Transmission. The ratios are such that in 5'th gear (5 speed auto) at about 120 km/hr, the engine is reving at about 2800 RPMs. I find this high. The car could really use a 6'th gear. The transmission is a close ratio tranmission which only helps it be even quicker, however, she revs high at highway speeds. A 6'th gear would solve this.

Also, interestingly, when I first took possesion of the car, I complained to the dealer that it was shifting like "a grand pa car" at "normal" acceleration. He told me not to worry that the car has to "learn" my style of driving and the transmission will adjust. I thought he was full of shit and was convinced that the car need a new transmission. It was really bugging me. Then one day at about 6,000 or so km, the transmission completely morphed into something incredible. A completely different machine. It now shifts crisp and even holds onto the gears when you are backing off the gas. I wouldn't have believed it if it didn't happen to me.

2. I am 6-2 and another inch of head room would be nice. What's left of my hair sometimes grazes the headliner.

3. I would love an oil pressure gage.

4. I would love a fuel economy gage.

5. I would love it if the trunk lid sprang open full open instead of just unlatching.

6. I would love doors that automatically locked when I put it in drive (No japanese does this for some reason)

7. I would love rear seats that folded down. They used to do this, now they just recline. Strange.

Also, the car loves gas, but that probably has something to do with me driving the crap out of it.

What I love about the car

1. Looks. It is a beautiful car. Very European in its looks. I see a bit of E type, a bit of Audi, a bit of BMW in it's styling.

2. Engine. Absolutely incredibly smooth and powerful.

3. AWD Normally its RWD, however, if you need it, it will switch to 75/25 or 50/50 automatically, or you can lock it in "snow mode" for full time AWD.

4. Seats. Very soft comfortable leather.

5. Intelligent key. Love not having to fumble for my keys. Just keep your key in your pocket and there is a transponder in the fob that tells the car that you have the key. You can open doors, trunk and start the car without using the key or the remote keyless entry.

6. Redesigned dash. New for 2005, completely redesigned and looks great.

If you buy the G, you won't be disappointed.

PS, I passed on the navigation system. I have been driving for 24 years and have never been lost, so I didn't see the point. Did opt for the premium package however. Dealer told me that most people do not want the navigation package at $3,200 extra.

Last edited by james t kirk; 08-13-2005 at 05:10 PM..
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Old 08-13-2005, 06:17 PM   #8 (permalink)
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I'm all for German engineering, but issues of reliability are troubling. You NEVER hear about reliability issues with Japanese cars. And I can't be troubled with a tempermental prima-donna car...I need a workhorse not a princess. I think the GTO's are around $33k or so. A good price for 400 hp, but alas, it only comes as a coupe. Need 4 doors.

JTK, sounds like your happy with the G. A low maintenance car too, which I like. The dealer here had a Lakeshore Blue G with the Stone interior on the showroom floor that looked really sharp. I also love the exterior styling -- to me it's one of the best things about the car. The new wheels are sweet -- I like them better than previous G wheels.

Funny you should mention the low gearing -- it was the first thing I noticed when I took it on the highway. At 80mph, the G I drove was at just over 3000rpm, while the car I drive now (Honda) is at 2500 rpm, the higher rpm translating into more engine/cabin noise. It's not a huge thing, but I place a lot of value on a quiet car when traveling long distances, which I do often. The days of having to drive 4-cylinder econoboxes, screaming away at 4500 rpm all day on 600 mile road trips, are long gone for me. The G35 I drove used the electronic key fob, which was very cool. Sounds like it is practical as well. I also loved the seats -- like sitting in a barcalounger.
Quote:
I have been driving for 24 years and have never been lost, so I didn't see the point.
I hear you on this one. I've also always been fine with a good map, and before I drove a car with a navigation system I thought paying extra for it was a waste of money. Maybe it still is. But there is something about having it -- I'm still not sure what it is exactly. There is something psychologically comforting about watching the icon in the center of the screen (you) scrolling through the environment in real time, with the exact coordinates and degrees plotted out, locations of points of interest such as gas stations and ATMs, street names, the ability to scroll around, zoom in/out, etc. Plus, the thing can talk to you for christ sake! How cool is that? It's a completely new dimension to driving that I enjoy immensely.

Last edited by Salomon; 08-13-2005 at 09:10 PM..
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Old 08-13-2005, 07:01 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Before you buy anything, you really should look into a new Volvo S40. You can get a T5 (turbocharged inline-5), AWD in the same price range as the G35x and A4. I've had mine since November and don't have a single complaint. It's an incredibly sexy car with plenty of power and very smart engineering. The engine is built like a tank, it has the most comfortable seats I've ever sat in and has averaged 25 mpg since I got it.
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Old 08-14-2005, 09:11 AM   #10 (permalink)
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Yes, the transmission ratios make for high revs on the highway. To me, that means more noise and higher fuel consumption. You just feel like the car needs to shift, but it has nowhere to shift to.

I would have opted for the 6 speed manual but this is NOT available in the X. Why, I don't know.

Nevertheless, if the choice is between the X or the 6 speed, I would go for the X.

As far as the Pontiac goes. I hate GM. I hate GM with a passion. Why?

Because I used to have a Buick Park Avenue (97) which had the 3800 V-6 with the infamous plastic intake manifold that cracked and destroyed my engine at 122,000 km. GM were a complete bunch of pricks to me. Full denial mode and treated me like a fool.

I have been laying under cars since I was 8 years old and can take an engine apart blind folded. They told me that I wasn't a mechanic, blah blah blah. Finally ended up suing them in small claims court to pry some money out of them. Strangely enough the GM lawyer seemed concerned that I would not consider ever buying another GM again. (Though I do love the corvette, can't help myself there.)

And I used to be the Number 1 GM fan in the world. I would always defend them. Not any more.

Here's a link to a rant about my former GM.

(Which the infiniti dealer offered me all of $800.00 for. Something else to keep in mind when buying GM. In 8 years, it will be worthless.)

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...ighlight=buick

Last edited by james t kirk; 08-14-2005 at 09:14 AM..
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Old 08-15-2005, 02:11 PM   #11 (permalink)
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Drove a lot of cars today. First was the Subaru...didn't care for it. Reminds me too much of my old honda crx, with its paper-thin doors, loud and cheap looking interior. On the other hand, it is quite roomy indeed, and the engine is smooth and peppy. I'd have bought it 10 years ago in a heartbeat. Now, I wouldn't buy it unless someone gave it to me.

Drove the Volvo S40 T5 AWD. The exterior is very, very nice. I was expecting good things from the Volvo. Very sexy. But I have to say, the interior is very plain and cheap looking. Very dull, generic and uninspiring. A nice place to take a nap. It immediately put a damper on my enthusiasm to drive it. I managed to start it up and go, and it was decent. Not very exciting, but decent. Pretty smooth, pretty loud. Not my cup of tea though -- the interior is abominable.

Went back to the Infiniti dealer and drove the G again, as well as the M35x. The G is one badass car. I had the thing up to 120mph with zero drama, and amazing poise. What a ferocious engine! Road feel is typical Japanese though, which is to say, lacking, in comparison with the Audi and BMW anyway. No road feel, no feedback. It goes where you point it, but you don't feel it doing so as much as watch it happen. The M35x was a real disapointment. Nice interior, snazzy gauges, very luxurious and quiet. But this is a 2 ton car with a V6, and it feels it. It needs a V8, but then your into the M45 for $15k more. The M35 also had the same low gearing as on the G. At speed, it floats and leans much, much more than the G, which I hate.

Finally went to the Acura dealer next. The only reason I did was because the dealer had just emailed me a ridiculously good deal on a 2005 Acura RL (MSRP: $49k!!!) The lease he offered was about the same as for the $35k G35x. So, I bolted to the dealer, and asked the guy if I could test drive the car by myself one last time before a final decision. He said no -- take it home for the night instead. Whoa.

So its about 5 hours later, and I'm puzzled. This Acura is definitely a sweet ride. 300hp, AWD, leather everything, woodgrain trim, satellite radio, navigation, very roomy, very, very comfortable. And very boring to drive. Completely uninvolving, dead feel to the steering. Like driving an old Lincoln. BUT. For the price, it is an unbelievable deal. I might regret passing it up.
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Old 08-15-2005, 02:33 PM   #12 (permalink)
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Just to toss another idea into the mix to confuse you...

Dirtyrascal - good call with the Volvo. That led me to thinking...Saloman, maybe you should try to find a dealer that carries the Volvo S60R. This car has all the pluses of the G35 - powerful engine, AWD, sporty good looks, four doors - but is a little more luxurious and certainly much safer. Best of all, it comes with a six speed manual tranny. They're a little difficult to find, but that might be something worth looking for. I know that if I was in the market for a car like that, I'd go with the Volvo, hands down.

Edit: The Volvo also has about TWICE the cargo room as the Infiniti. You said that you "needed" four doors, so I assume you have a family and/or are carrying stuff?
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Last edited by TM875; 08-15-2005 at 02:42 PM..
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Old 08-15-2005, 03:44 PM   #13 (permalink)
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My wife and I were seriously considering the A4, until we test drove it. My wife had been eyeing them for a few years and was very disappointed in the performance of it. It seemed too heavy and somewhat unresponsive. Also, while the steering was tight, it seemed a little too tight.

On the plus side, Consumer Reports has decided that the '05 A4 has improved their reliability enough to actually recommend it. I'd link to the article, but you have to be a subscriber to view any of their details.

Actually, did find this for the A4 and this for the G35.
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Old 08-15-2005, 05:13 PM   #14 (permalink)
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Location: Toronto
My boss just bought an M35x (after i bought my G)

It's the exact same power train as the G, only a lot heavier.

The G is a sportier ride, better looking IMHO, not as many toys though. (Not my cup of tea anyway.)

They don't make an M45x. Don't know why.

They also don't make a G35x coupe, again, don't know why, but have read on the net that one is on it's way. That would be a very nice car.
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Old 08-15-2005, 07:16 PM   #15 (permalink)
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TM875, I went and looked at the S60R based on your recommendation. Very cool car, 300 hp, awd, and a quite luxurious interior. Unfortunately, the car comes standard with high performance, extremely low-profile tires that render the car undriveable in the sleet and snow of the winters here. There is a sticker in the window from Volvo saying as much. The salesman himself confirmed that the car is completely undriveable in snow with the stock tires, even with AWD. I don't find it practical to have to 1) shell out additional money for tires for a brand new car, and 2) having to pay every winter to have them mounted, and 3) having to find somewhere to store them when not in use. Oh and yes, I have a family, so thats why I need a 4 door car. I appreciate the suggestion though, I didn't know anything about this car and if I lived in Florida I would seriously consider it.

JumpinJesus, I wonder what model year A4 you and your wife drove. New for 2005 on the A4's is a feature referred to as "servotronic steering assist", which is supposed to adjust the required steering effort based on the speed of the vehicle. In practice, I found it superb...the best steering feel of all the cars I drove. When I first drove it off the lot, the steering was as light as a feather -- you could turn the wheel with 1 finger. I was a bit disappointed at first, because I don't like light steering at highway speed. But once I hit the circular highway on-ramp, something almost magical happened: the steering got progressively firmer as I accelerated, and once I got up to speed, the steering feel was like nothing Ive ever experienced. You could literally feel the road surface through the steering wheel. It's hard to put into words, but it blew me away. You move the steering wheel .00005mm in any direction, and the car responds accordingly. In short, it is as light and pleasant as can be around town, and on the highway it firms up perfectly, imparting a sense of total control of the car while traveling at high speed. A wonderful feature. Ever car should have this steering system. (Thanks for the links, btw. I will check them out tonight. Have fun with your BMW!)

jtk, if your boss says his M is fast and fun to drive, I'll bet he's never driven the G. I too think the G looks much nicer. They call the M a 'luxury sports sedan', but having driven it, I don't see where the 'sport' part applies. Maybe in the price he paid for it???

Spent the evening driving the RL around. Dammit, this is a nice car.










Satellite radio: the cable TV of radio. Awesome. I couldn't believe my ears when, for the first time in my life, I heard someone say "Fuck" loud and clear on a radio talk show.






BMW 330i (How did BMW's get such a bad rap as materialistic status symbols? Damn yuppies. Nevertheless, a Seriously Fun car to drive.)












It's all about the details:






Cup holders that work like this??!?! What was the design team smoking?






Audi A4 3.2











Bathroom in the Audi dealership. Are neon lights really necessary? lol


Last edited by Salomon; 08-15-2005 at 10:17 PM..
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Old 08-15-2005, 10:01 PM   #16 (permalink)
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I find the Audi the most visually attractive car out of those sets. The Acura just looks too much like a Honda for my taste (and I'm sure the A4 looks too much like a Volkswagen to others).
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Old 08-15-2005, 10:30 PM   #17 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisJericho
I find the Audi the most visually attractive car out of those sets. The Acura just looks too much like a Honda for my taste (and I'm sure the A4 looks too much like a Volkswagen to others).
Hehe...funny you should say that. Went to put some gas in the Acura this evening, popped open the fuel door, and what do we have here molded into the fuel cap? The good, old Honda "H" logo.

I totally agree with you about it looking like a Honda. I see it as a Super-Accord. Looks like an Accord on steroids. Drives like one, too. It's not flashy at all, which I like. And it has more room, luxury and toys in it compared to most of the other cars I drove. I'm slowly falling under its spell.

For the record, the RL @ 80mph is turning just over 2000rpm. At 100mph, just over 3000rpm. Nice. It's a quiet car, and seems ideal for long-distance driving. Transmission is opposite the G in that it is geared on the high side. Not much torque, you gotta rev it for good acceleration. Brakes seem good, though pedal feel is on the soft side compared to the Audi & G35x. Steering feel is typically Japanese...fairly numb with little road feel. Suspension nowhere near as firm and sporty as the G. Give it the G35's engine and suspension, the Audi's steering, the BMW's brakes, the 300C's trunk space, the Honda Accord Hybrid's fuel economy, and the final decision would be simple...

Last edited by Salomon; 08-15-2005 at 11:52 PM..
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Old 08-16-2005, 12:03 AM   #18 (permalink)
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Salomon,

We test drove the '04. For some reason, we hadn't considered an '05 until we got to the BMW.

I have to admit, though, the RL does look pretty nice. Even if it does resemble an Accord a little, it's different enough and sharp enough to stand out. Its style is modern yet classic enough that won't seem outdated in a few years.
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Old 08-17-2005, 11:25 AM   #19 (permalink)
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Went with the G. End of the month, dealer looking to move the 05's, and subsequently a sweet lease offer were the deciding factors, aside from the car itself. A well-equipped, comfortable sports sedan, with more of an emphasis on 'sport' in comparison to other cars in the class, which suits my taste. In the end, I decided the Audi -- while a phenomenal car -- was too small for my needs. It lacks the roominess of the G, and, having a family to shuttle around now, I prefer a larger car. While the RL is undoubtedly the nicer car in my eyes (bigger, more luxurious, more features, cooler stuff to play with), common sense got the better of me and I went with the more affordable car.

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions -- much appreciated.





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Old 08-17-2005, 06:58 PM   #20 (permalink)
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You made a good choice. With the Audi you'd have ended up with an expensive Volkswagen overrun by trained-chimp wiring jobs.
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Old 08-18-2005, 05:14 PM   #21 (permalink)
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Congrats on your choice. I think you made the right decision considering all of your qualifications (forgot about you living in the tundra...heh...). Enjoy your new baby, and drive her like you mean it!

Edit: Are my eyes deceiving me, or is that a gauge on the BMW that tells you your miles to the gallon? See, it's simple little cool things like that that make me want a car. Hmm...

Also, you're absolutely right about the adaptive steering thing. One of my first cars ('97 Grand Marquis) had a very, very early version of it. Pretty cool, didn't notice much. I drove a BMW 745i when they first came out - it had a certainly better version, but still not great. I'm glad that Audi has perfected it, finally. Hope more cars get a good (most have a rudimentary) version soon.
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Last edited by TM875; 08-18-2005 at 05:21 PM..
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Old 09-13-2005, 11:08 AM   #22 (permalink)
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Location: Miami, FL
Great choice of car, I bought an '05 G35 coupe and I couldn't be happier. What a kick ass machine.
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Old 09-13-2005, 06:06 PM   #23 (permalink)
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Location: Rainy Washington
You will never have the peace of mind in terms of reliability with the Audi that you will from the Infiniti. The Japanese car is simply better engineered and better put together.
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Old 09-13-2005, 06:58 PM   #24 (permalink)
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Location: Wisconsin
Glad to see you got the sedan. Much better looking than the coupe, in my opinion. Good luck with it...glad you didn't get the Audi.
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Old 09-15-2005, 06:18 AM   #25 (permalink)
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Yeah, glad you went with the Infiniti. Audi has the german engineering and are beautifully crafted, but they tend to have so many problems. I would only go Lexux, Acura, or Infiniti for high end models.
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Old 09-15-2005, 09:30 AM   #26 (permalink)
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Thanks guys. I've put about 800 miles on the car so far.

LIKES:
-Comfort. Great seats, very comfortable. A good balance between plush and sporty. Nice, fat (ugly) leather steering wheel. Big and roomy interior.
-Performance. Plenty fast, plus I like not having to rev it to the moon for it to go. A nice, aggressive exhaust growl.
-Handling. Tight, responsive and direct, with little body roll. Very nice for a large sedan, no complaints.
-Brakes. Awesome brakes. Strong, with a hard brake pedal feel which I like.
-Exterior Appearance. Great looking car; the rear 3/4 curves in particular. I really like the Silver color, too. Wheels look cool.
-Cup holders are nice, big and well-placed. Big thing for me.
-Keyless operation. Although I sometimes like to hear the alarm chirp when I lock the doors, which it doesn't if you lock them manually with the fob in your pocket.
-Navigation System. Not thrilled with the graphics compared to the Audi & Acura, but I like it. I would have liked for the radio to be controlled through the system as well, like the others. Birds-Eye view option is cool.
-No reliability problems thus far.
-New car smell!

DISLIKES:
-Fuel Economy. Average at best. Getting around 16-17 city.
-Orange colored instrumentation. Ugly. White would have been fine, thanks. They should take a page from Ford and allow you to adjust it in over 100 different colors.
-Road Feel. Doesn't have much. Numb and isolated feel, as opposed to Audi's superb 'organic' feel; the saving grace being that it is at least tight and direct.
-ManuMatic: I leave it in Auto mostly. Shifts are soft as cotton. I like how it revs the engine to match downshifts though.
-Highway Noise. Relatively noisy at speed due to its ridiculously low gearing. It is very quiet at less than highway speeds.
-Center console. Has a drab, meh look to it. Too much Nissan, not enough Infiniti. (see: M35/45)
-TINY glovebox. Room for the manual (barely) and thats it.
-No Digital Clock (except a small one on the Nav screen). The fancy analog clock sucks. Unintelligible markings.
-Brake Dust. A LOT of front brake dust = constantly blackened wheels.

Overall, I give it an 8.5 out of 10 so far. I always look forward to driving it.

Last edited by Salomon; 09-15-2005 at 01:38 PM..
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Old 09-26-2005, 03:47 PM   #27 (permalink)
Junkie
 
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Location: Toronto
[QUOTE=Salomon]Thanks guys. I've put about 800 miles on the car so far.


DISLIKES:


Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-Fuel Economy. Average at best. Getting around 16-17 city.
Yes, thirsty car. But those horsepower have to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is gasoline. 4 valves per cylinder, double overhead cams, etc. And I drive the hell out of mine, you probably do too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-Orange colored instrumentation. Ugly. White would have been fine, thanks. They should take a page from Ford and allow you to adjust it in over 100 different colors.
Haven't seen the ford stuff, but I like my gages and get plenty of compliments on them too.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-Road Feel. Doesn't have much. Numb and isolated feel, as opposed to Audi's superb 'organic' feel; the saving grace being that it is at least tight and direct.
No comment on this really.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
ManuMatic: I leave it in Auto mostly. Shifts are soft as cotton. I like how it revs the engine to match downshifts though.
"Cotton shifts". That's what mine was originally doing and it DROVE ME NUTS. I called it "grandpa transmission" The sales rep assured me that the transmission would adjust to my driving style. I thought he was full of shit.

It's called "Adaptive Transmission"

Then one day, around 6,000 km or so, it did. I was shocked, it was like, "hey, that shifted pretty nice" Then it did it again.

Now the thing shifts like a dream. I love it. If anything, sometimes it holds the gear and won't let go. It's like a completely different car. It was programmed into grandpa mode to start with, then adapted to crazy mode for me.

Give it a while, if you drive like I do, you will see. If I didn't see it for myself, I wouldna believed it.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-Highway Noise. Relatively noisy at speed due to its ridiculously low gearing. It is very quiet at less than highway speeds.
Agree, it needs a 6'th gear at a ratio of about 0.67:1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-Center console. Has a drab, meh look to it. Too much Nissan, not enough Infiniti. (see: M35/45)
I see your point. My beef is with the layout of where the "snow mode" switch is. Stooo-pid. And the VDC / Trunk / Dash light switches.

To me, the Snow switch should be where the hazard switch is.

The two buttons for the radio are basically useless - Disp, and whatever else. I never use them.

The CD / Radio switches should be part of the radio and the space they currently occupy should be where they put the hazard / VDC / Trunk switches IMHO.

Also, the location of the side mirror adjust switch is STOOPID. Just put it on the driver's arm rest like every other car in the world.

My big beef though is the snow mode switch location. DUMB


Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-TINY glovebox. Room for the manual (barely) and thats it.
You do realize that there are two glove boxes right? One almost invisible one right on top of the main one blending into the radius of the dash. I cram my owners manual in the invisible one and use the other one for other stuff.

I know this because for the first couple of weeks, I didn't realize that there were 2 glove boxes, then i was poking arouund the passanger side and I was like, "what the hell is that". Push the button and low and behold it's a second glove box. Who knew?



Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-No Digital Clock (except a small one on the Nav screen). The fancy analog clock sucks. Unintelligible markings.

Here we disagree, I love the analog clock.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
-Brake Dust. A LOT of front brake dust = constantly blackened wheels.
Yes, soft pads = great braking = lots of dust. Expect lots of brake jobs. Fortunately, I can fix that myself.

Last edited by james t kirk; 09-26-2005 at 03:59 PM..
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Old 09-26-2005, 06:32 PM   #28 (permalink)
Loser
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by james t kirk
...And I drive the hell out of mine, you probably do too.
I got on it hard in manumatic mode a few days ago, for the first time, basically redlining it in the first 2-3 gears before looking out for cops. Very, very impressive engine. Was raining out as well - couldn't get the wheels to slip off the line. Car just flies, don't it? Interesting about the experience you had with your transmission. I'm wondering if you were doing anything out of the ordinary while shifting, for it to improve so drastically...
Quote:
...To me, the Snow switch should be where the hazard switch is...Also, the location of the side mirror adjust switch is STOOPID. Just put it on the driver's arm rest like every other car in the world.
I agree about the snow switch/trunk/vdc & mirror controls. Too far away. Seems like the buttons are closer to your ankles than your hands. The mirror control isn't so bad once you find it...the problem is finding it lol. The circular radio buttons are a joke. There out of place with all the square buttons, plus they aren't even centered in the dash. I understand that the DSP/CTY buttons are supposed to show additional, scrolling display/category info on FM and satellite stations. I just ordered a Sirius factory satellite receiver that I plan to install myself, so hopefully some of these odd buttons will work with Sirius.
Quote:
You do realize that there are two glove boxes right?
Yes, unfortunately they chose to put the navigation DVD system in the upper box, rendering it useless for storage. If necessary, I can always move the manual to the storage bin in the door, to free up the glovebox. Overall, there needs to be more/bigger storage up front imo.
Quote:
Yes, soft pads = great braking = lots of dust. Expect lots of brake jobs. Fortunately, I can fix that myself.
Love the brakes on this car. Not too concerned about replacing pads if I have to...I'd probably take it to the dealer though. Luckily, I've found a good, inexpensive wheel cleaner/scrub brush at the local AutoZone, dust comes off in 5 minutes.

Looking forward to winter, and driving in the snow.
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Old 09-26-2005, 10:35 PM   #29 (permalink)
Insane
 
for your break dust problem, you should get some ceramic pads. i got a set of Akebono's on my TL and love em. no dust and some fine breaking. plus their decently priced.
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Old 09-27-2005, 08:12 AM   #30 (permalink)
Loser
 
NO dust? That would defintely be a welcomed change...I'm wondering what happens when I get lazy and stop cleaning the wheels, especially throughout the winter time. I understand that brake dust can set into the clearcoat on the wheels if left for long periods.

Off to Google...thank you
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Old 09-27-2005, 10:26 AM   #31 (permalink)
Insane
 
ok, maybe i exagerated a little bit. i suppose i can't say "NO" dust. but from the way you describe your problem with brake dust, a set of these Akebono ceramics would almost make it seem like there's no dust for you, heh. i mean, i like to keep my wheels very clean, can't stand to see them dirty with brake dust. i'm almost anal about it and i hardly have to clean my wheels at all now. it's a HUGE improvement over your standard pads from the dealer. and i mean HUGE!
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Old 10-02-2005, 10:46 AM   #32 (permalink)
Junkie
 
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Location: Toronto
Quote:
Originally Posted by Salomon
I got on it hard in manumatic mode a few days ago, for the first time, basically redlining it in the first 2-3 gears before looking out for cops. Very, very impressive engine. Was raining out as well - couldn't get the wheels to slip off the line. Car just flies, don't it? Interesting about the experience you had with your transmission. I'm wondering if you were doing anything out of the ordinary while shifting, for it to improve so drastically
99.9% of the time, I just keep in drive.

For the first 6,000 km or so, it was grandpa shifting, then one day, it morphed into something very nice.

I drive the car ranging from normal to moderately aggressive most of the time. The odd time, I go nuts.

You'll know when the transmission finds its groove because it will shift so incredbly different. It will drop very quickly into the next gear when it does shift and, it will hang on to the previous gear if you come off the gas rather than upshift.
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Old 10-02-2005, 12:29 PM   #33 (permalink)
Une petite chou
 
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Location: With All Your Base
My friend just got an '03 g35. After I'd wiped up the drool, I almost threw him in the backseat and jumped him. What a beautiful car! Bonus to him, that he pulled up, got out, and tossed me the keys. Yeah. So quiet inside! I got it up to 55 with zero issues (small, very dark neighborhood)... he got it to 80 in no time at all. Of course, in the last three days, I think he got it to 150 or so on the interstate. Okay, he went from an Elantra to an Infiniti and his 'busa blew up. He drives fast and I don't begrudge him anything. I used to be the DD and we'd have to turn off the air in te Elantra to punch it enough to make a left across traffic.
What a gorgeous, sexy beast of an automobile! I actually like the look of the '03 better than the '05.
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Old 10-02-2005, 06:18 PM   #34 (permalink)
Loser
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by james t kirk
99.9% of the time, I just keep in drive.

For the first 6,000 km or so, it was grandpa shifting, then one day, it morphed into something very nice.

I drive the car ranging from normal to moderately aggressive most of the time. The odd time, I go nuts.

You'll know when the transmission finds its groove because it will shift so incredbly different. It will drop very quickly into the next gear when it does shift and, it will hang on to the previous gear if you come off the gas rather than upshift.
Nice. That last sentence sounds particularly exciting.

Over the weekend I installed a Sirius satellite radio into the car. I'm lovin' this thing. Saved $600 from what the dealer wanted for cost/labor. I took a ton of pics of the install, but Im hesitant to post them due to the amount already in this thread. One problem: while there are over 200 channels to choose from, the factory radio only has 12 radio presets. Add another DISLIKE to the list. Some aftermarket Sirius radios have 30-50 presets, so this is ridiculous. Thinking I might print out and laminate the channel guide to keep in the car for quick reference.
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Old 10-02-2005, 06:23 PM   #35 (permalink)
Loser
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredweena
I got it up to 55 with zero issues (small, very dark neighborhood)... he got it to 80 in no time at all. Of course, in the last three days, I think he got it to 150 or so on the interstate.
I hope your friend has a good attorney, a good radar detector, and the luck of the Irish!

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Old 10-04-2005, 09:16 AM   #36 (permalink)
Fuckin' A
 
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Location: Lex Vegas
Great choice. The G is a superior sports-luxury car thing. Think of the legend that you're buying into (as in the longest lived Japanese sports car lineage). I also believe that this is one of the most popular sport-sedans in the past 2 years for a combination of reasons.

The gear ratio sounds like the big problem, but that can be solved by getting a good chip and tuning the shift points into the 4k range for normal throttle. The engine can definitely handle pushing the car enough.
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