Hi All:

I've been test driving G35s for the past few week to get an idea of what options I want. I have 2 co-workers that have G35s. I was able to drive the cars back-to-back today:

Car #1:
2006 G35 Sedan 6MT with 35k miles and 245/18's (factory rim) all the way around. STOCK.

Car #2:
2004 G35 Sedan 5AT with 67k miles and 225/17's (factory rim) all the way around. STOCK.

I was floored by the acceleration of the 2004 5AT car. The earlier non "rev-up" engine seems to be a good match for the AT. This car simply hauled a$$! I ended up taking it out of automanual mode so that I could keep my eye on the road. Got out of it with a perma-grin on my face.

The 2006 6MT car seemed to have a little more power from 5000-7000 rpm and less power from 3000-5000 rpm. Overall, did not feel as fast as the 2004 5AT car.

Was it my imagination? I'm sure the heavier wheels on the '06 MT contributed a little, but on paper, the '06 should have smoked the '04 no problem. The MT should have less drivetrain loss and the '06 engine mated to the MT should have a big HP advantage. It certainly didn't feel that way to me.

This is good news for me since an '04 AT Coupe will be significantly cheaper vs an '05 or '06 MT.

Thanks,
SVH

 

Thank you for the response, but no, I have no issues with driving an MT. My last "performance" car was a 315 rwhp '93 RX-7 that pulled 12.6's in the 1/4 mile (with me piloting it). Fast enough?

These cars were not my cars and I chose not to repeatedly bang them off of the rev limiter, but i did take them both to the redline. The "seat of the pants" feeling was that the '04 AT felt faster.

Maybe my mind IS playing tricks on me, but that's how it felt.

SVH

 

i know that the AT has more torque than a MT, at least in the late models(05-06) so the extra torque is what made you feel that harder pull, thats why the MT rev-up guys, moi, get the MREV2, to replenish that great midrange torque.

 

I'll have to line them up for a race. I'll watch from the sidelines in case one of them loses it, I can make a run for it.

SVH

 

Bingo...you hit the nail on the head.
I may have 18 more hp, but I have less torque than the 280hp VQ.

 

That certainly feels like the case. The '04 AT felt tremendously strong in the mid-range. The '06 MT felt strong near the rev limiter, but noticeably weaker in the mid-range. Overall, I'm sure the MT is faster if you're not afraid to hang out near the redline.

So far, I've driven an '05 MT, '06 MT (2 times), and an '04 AT.

I think it is time to drive an '05-'06 AT. I think that might be the right combination for me.

SVH

 

I noticed the same thing with the 6MT 03/04 sedans I drove compared to the 5AT sedans. Around town, the 5AT felt a lot faster. It always seemed ready to pounce, but the 6MT felt a bit more docile. It's hard to describe. I'm sure the 05/06 RevUp feels even more docile because of it's reduced low/midrange power. I passed on the 6MT simply because of the driveability and reliability issues associated with that tranny. It vibrated too much and was too noisy. The 5MT in my old Maxima was the same way and it got old after nearly 6 years. I could accept it in a 350Z, but not in the G.

As for performance stats, if you race the 5AT the correct way, the difference between the two trannies is within a couple tenths and the traps about 1mph, but this is assuming the 6MT is decent and if you look at the 1/4 section, you'll see most absolutely suck at driving. They think they can drive, but most can't and are stuck in the 14.4-14.6 range. I got a low 14.3 in my stock 5AT 03 and there have been a few others that have done 14.1-14.2 in stock 5ATs. The 5AT cars are far easier to launch and often times, post some of the better ET/MPHs.

 

DaveB:

Thanks for the info.

I drove a 2006 AT Coupe. Nav package, Sport package, and Premium package. Man, what a nice car! Totally impressed with it. The AT + the rev-up engine seems to be a good match. You get the torquey feeling down low (from the torque converter) and then it pulls real nice up high. I think this setup + the MREV2 would be bitchin.

I like the less busy look of the 03-04 interior. There are some great deals on loaded 03-04 cars, but main concern is the warranty. For those cars, the bumper to bumper warranty is basically over or about to be over.

SVH

 

BTW: This is the car I drove:

http://metal-matrix.com/g35-campbell

They wanted $28,500 for it. Excellent deal by KBB standards and by far the cheapest price I've found for an '06 with that many options. It had 21k miles. I passed on it though. Still need to sell a few things and I'm hoping that if I wait a few more months, the G37's will start selling near invoice cost vs MSRP cost and that will push the used G35 market down a little more. We'll see.

SVH

 

SVH, I don't know who misinformed you, but the AT doesn't have the rev-up engine, and you won't need the MREV2, or you'll be running lean,