I definitely don't get free gas from my dealer when I get a rental. They make you sign a form which shows the fuel level when you received the loaner car, and you have to return it with that same amount of fuel or more. If it's lower, they charge you like $6 per gallon to refill it back to that level.

Sucks too.. because those freakin G35X loaner cars get terrible fuel economy whether you drive it hard or light. I beat the snot out of the last one I had and used just under 10 gallons of fuel in the 110 miles that I drove on the thing while borrowing it. The previous one that I borrowed, I didn't drive that hard at all, and it still used up a bit more than 4.2 gallons of fuel in only 60-65 miles of mostly highway driving.

All in all, I would never buy a G35X.

I also found the G35X auto to feel pretty quick at low speeds... but I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that it's an auto tranny, and my car is a 6-speed. With the 6-speed, you know exactly when the car is going to push you back in the seat because the actions of you pushing on the gas harder or letting the clutch up are what causes it, so you expect it. In an auto tranny, you don't know exactly when it's going to shift, so it kinda catches you by surprise when you all of a sudden go into the next gear and get pushed back unexpectedly.

Have someone else drive your 6MT and do a hard 0-60 pull with you sitting in the passengers seat. I guarantee you that your car will feel faster to you than it does when you sit in the drivers seat.

 

What's even better is everyone is putting the cheapest gas they can find into their loaners and it still performs pretty well.

 

For people that live in climates where is snows or if they go the mountains, the G35X is an excellent choice. It also features one of the most advanced AWD systems available. The RWD bias is great feature for the sports car fans. But with it's higher final drive and it's added weight, performance in the 0-60 and 1/4 along with MPG will suffer.

 

I agree with you about the AWD being nice for sure, since I live in Massachusetts and definitely can appreciate the advantages of AWD and 4WD for inclement weather(I drive my 4x4 Tacoma in the winter). But if I could only afford one car and it had to be a sedan, I probably wouldn't choose the G35X given what I saw during my loaner experiences with it. From what I saw, the Subaru WRX STI and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution get the same fuel economy or better than the G35X, and they're both much faster(of course these are a different class of vehicles, etc... being mainly performance minded and also 4-cylinder vehicles with lighter bodies). I don't want to start a battle for supremecy between AWD cars here, but I just found the car's economy to be pretty terrible for the class of vehicle that it is.

 

Has anyone put a Stillen Stage 3 or 4 on an X? That would be pretty cool to get that kind of traction and instant power off the line and out of the curves. It would probably be a 10-12 MPG car, but fun anyway.

 

I see your point. I think a Legacy GT would compare a bit better. But G35x is not too bad when you consider the other cars in it's class. ie.. Audi, BMW, Mercedes etc..

For the STI or EVO. I bet if you get on the gas like I know you would, the MPG might not be anything close to what the EPA rating is. hehe

 

who cares if the 5at sedan feels faster the point is its not LOL....