I purchased a 2004 g35 coupe 6MT a few months ago, so I haven't had a chance to get it out to the track yet. I've heard that the suspension could use upgrades for the track. I'd like to get coilover's, but those get expensive...any one have experience on the track with the G? Also, not sure about the OEM brake pads with Brembo's...they fell pretty solid, but I'd imagine that they'd fade pretty quickly on the track. Any one have any suggestions on pads?

Oh, and for those who have tracked the G, anyone have difficulty with head room with a helmet on? I'm trying to get a little more headroom out of this car, but not sure where to start.

 

Good starter track car. Drive to track. Drive on track. Drive home from track. All with AC and Stereo. The pads will wear out quickly but will not fade too bad since they are brembos and have been designed to take some heat. I tracked mine and had very little fade during 20-30 minutes on track during HPDE runs with lots of time in between. I spent about 1 hour on Putnam last year and never had any real fade until the end of the session.

If you are going to race or Time Trial then you would want different pads, wheels, tires, sways, springs, shocks, 3.9 LSD rear end, TT or SC, Roll Bars, etc. If you just want to spend a few days doing HPDE's its a great car out of the box. Just be prepared with an extra set of pads just in case they wear all the way out and you still want to drive home.

As far as headroom with a helmet it is a tight fit. I am 5' 11" and can barely fit in my driving position: all the way down and as far forward as I can get and still release the clutch without banging my knee.

 

you should get new tires if yours are low.

take it to the track in stock form first.

 

I took my WRX to the track last year and had a blast with it. I did change pads and brake fluid, but that was it...and it was an HPDE event. That's probably all I'll do for a while, until I'm comfortable on the track. But I can tell, already, that the G will need some suspension work if I'm going to push the car to it's limits. There was a Z out on the track last year that went through brake pads (rear) within one track day and a drive to the track.

I'm about 5'11'' as well, and in the same boat.

 

Best advice. If it's your first time, don't push the car to the extreme limit. You should be able to safely find the limits of this car. This will allow you to more accurately make an assessment on what upgrades you want to look for based on your driving style. You can't go based on what others have done and how their brakes hold up. Some ride the brake approaching a turn like no tomorrow and some are late brakers who stomp on it at the last second. Just make sure you have a good amount of pad still left and see what suits you best.

I personally can't stand people that ride the brake on the track. I mildly upgraded my brakes before anything else since I love to brake late right before an entry into a turn.

 

I also have a 2004 coupe 6mt.

I've done a few autocross events, and I am taking it to this track in April:
http://www.istrackday.com/

During autocross races, you'll notice the car pushing or understeering quite a bit. The G is a heavy car, so you'll feel it pushing and leaning.
I put on a set of Stillen Sway bars recently, and they make a HUGE difference. I've haven't autocrossed with the new sways yet, but its no question that the handling has improved. The car corners much flatter now.

I always leave my sunroof open while I'm wearing a helmet, I don't have any serious issues with headroom. Yeah, its tight up there, but its not really a major issue. (I'm 5'11")

Brembo brakes hold up very well against brake fade, more so than the non-Brembos. I've heard they both bite and stop about the same, but the Brembos are better against fade.

Since my G is 2.5 years old with a few autocrosses, I'm replacing the rotors, pads, and brake lines before the trackday with StopTech 2-piece slotted rotors, project-Mu Titan-KAI brake pads (almost race pads), StopTech stainless steel brake lines, and new Motul DOT4 fluid. Everything is here, I just have to install everything.
I'm also getting new front tires (OEM Michelin Pilot Sports p225/45/18)(I replaced the rears 6 months ago).

Don't forget to turn VDC off, assume proper driving (racing) position, and strap yourself in really tight by tugging on the seatbelt until it locks. You want to be tight in the seat so you have a good feel for what the car is doing, and so you don't get tossed around during aggressive maneuvers.
...and have fun.