Hey Guys,

I am helping a friend pick out her next car and we test drove a 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe w/ Touring Suspension Package yesterday. Both of us a BMW drivers currently; I own a 2002 325i Sports Package MT and she owns a 2001 325i Luxury Package AT. So needless to say the G35 we drove was of the automatic transmission variety.

To sum it up we were both very impressed with the car, and I think that in the price category it may be a better buy than the BMW 330i for her.

I have some concerns based on some feedback I received on the BMW forums regarding rattling. I did an initial search and wasn't able to find much detailed information about rattles, how bad they are, and how quickly they will manifest temselves. I would very much appreciate feedback in regards to this issue.

My friend is very picky about things like rattling and solutions like turning the music up really won't cut it for her. But if the rattles are really very minor and/or easy to DIY fix then I don't think it will be much of a concern.

Thanks for reading.

 

Hey, welcome to the forums!

I've got an 03 AT coupe w/40K miles and so far I've been lucky. I haven't had any of the rattles that people have been mentioning, but do hear occasional interior squeaks. I'm not sure if they qualify, but as far as I know the dealer will fix any rattles and squeaks that bother you. I think it's a pretty easy thing to handle.

Hope you guys end up finding the right G!

 

You will love the car! However coming from a BMW you might be downgrading as far as interior quality and such but you will be blown away by the performance value for the dollar. My friend has an 03? BMW 330. The thing is built like a tank! The materials feel very nice compared to my 03 g35Coupe (the 06 G35 is much improved in quality!). The BMW is great as far quality and the feel/balance of a BMW is a benchmark but the G35 duplicates this feel better then most cars out there and will outperform a 330i no problem.

I have daily driven and tracked my car and now I have 60k+ and just recently developed my first squeak. I think it might be a bushing that has worn out due to track days other then that the car has had minimal problems.

If your friend is concerned about comfort tell her to get the non sport suspension and 17inch wheels.

 

Since you two are already BMW owners i would stick with BMW... just get the e90 330... i driven that car before and its a great car... if she dosent like rattles i highly suggest not getting a G... some of us have rattles some of us dont have rattles... the inside of the e90 is a lot quiter than our G's..hope this help... and guys im not dissing our G's i love my car but i have driven many BMW's and if you drive a BMW now i feel like your downgrading if you get a G

 

Hmmmm.....I cant tell if my **** rattles or not (always got the stereo jamming)

(also own a BMW....2001 330ci)

 

I agree BMWs are built solid but for the money.....you get so much more with the Infiniti. I would bet the 06 cars have the little quirks figured out. However in the power category the BMW is trumped. If money is a factor you will be more then happy with a G35 and blown away by the performance and value.

I would also suggest the new Lexus IS350. I got to drive this car at a Lexus performance event. The interior was amazing and solid feeling. The car was very quiet with little noise intrusion and while it had tons of power and handled very well on the auto-x course they setup it had no feel it was like it was driving itself and I was along for the ride. Some people would like this hell even I would some days but the car felt boring even though it had alot of power.

The biggest suprise of that event was the pontiac GTO!! That car was amazing tons of power! lots of room inside with nice materials!! I was more impressed with the pontiac overall then the new c6 vette!! Too bad about the looks

 

I have a 2005 MT Coupe and I have a lot of interior rattles. At first the only rattling noise I found was from the sunroof which was fixed under warranty at the dealership. Now that the weather's getting colder, I get squeaks from the armrest (the hinge) as well as slight rattles/squeaks from the AC vents and the door panels. I know that BMWs don't have these problems as they are built much better as far as interior goes. Good luck.

 

Thanks for all the feedback, I will forward the information to my friend to help her in her decision making process.

We may also try out the suggested Lexus IS350 to get some more options.

I must say, though, that we both really fell in love with the G35 as far as initial experience goes. It was a fantastic ride and loads of fun. The salesman we talked to was also the best I have ever encountered at any dealership, period. He knew everything about the car, inside and out, and he gave us an excellent performance demo before either of us drove it ourself. Very friendly attititude with no pressure to fill out paperwork and buy today.

On a final note... has the 2006 G35 been out long enough to indicate if the interior rattling is still a problem?

The G35 is just such a great bang for the buck as far as features, fun, and looks go. Of course lingering rattle problems may push my friend towards Lexus or another BMW. I'll let you guys know what she ends up with