Hey guys,
I'm looking to buy a G35 coupe but I have a few concerns:
1). Based on my budget I've found several of them available but some have high mileage (170,000km and >). How reliable are g35's that have high mileage? Are there any transmission or engine issues once they hit 200,000km and higher? Are they as reliable as Hondas?

2) I have a baby that I would need to transport in her car seat maybe once a month or so. Does a rear-facing seat fit in the back of a g35?

3) Do any of you drive your g35 in the winter? People are telling me that it's horrible in the snow because it's a rear wheel drive.

4) what's your overall impression with the g35? Are you all glad you got one? I'm deciding between a g35 and and RSX.

Thanks for your help!

 

Are you looking for a Sedan? If so this is much more reasonable. Be aware first - this is a "luxury" car and the replacement parts show the value. They have electrics sensors problems, and may burn oil. There are a few threads about the quirks, but they can be pretty reliable. Many also require premium fuel for max fuel mileage.

I'm sure more people will chime in soon.

 

Here's my .02. Urban is correct, parts for the G aren't the cheapest and with almost any high mileage car there is going to be a significant amount of maintenance needed.
--Do you have the skill and tools to do a lot of this on your own? If not the costs will pile up quickly even if you have a good local mechanic that's cheaper than the Infiniti/Nissan dealerships.
--Depending on your age/driving record insurance can be costly, more so for a coupe than a sedan
--Gas mileage compared to what's out there is pretty lame and will cut into your budget
--Do you have money in the bank for emergency repairs, car payments, gas, insurance and routine maintenance among other costs? If you live paycheck to paycheck these costs can sink you quickly.

These are just a few financial things to consider as well as a lot of the quirks our cars bring with them that Urban mentioned. Spend a good amount of time here reading, reading and more reading. This is THE premiere forum forall things G on the internet. The G's bring a lot of positive things to the table but have their issues as well. IMHO they are one of the best bang for the buck used car values out there if you can find a well maintained and clean car. Obviously look for one with as few miles as possible that fits into your budget range. Mine has 137K miles and other than replacing the front lower control arms, radiator and thermostat she has needed nothing else outside routine maintenance in the 9 years I've owned her.

 

Don't buy this car with a baby

True. Use a front wheel drive vehicle in the snow



Unable to make the incline of the driveway in 8" of snow

I'm on my second G! Both sedans. Two car seats for the grand-kids fit in the back seat

Very satisfied with both my present 2012 G37S and my previous 06 G35 6 speed that was traded in with 171796 miles in August 2012

Telcoman

 

Come to this forum and naturally you'll hear a lot of love from Infiniti owners. Oddly enough, these are two cars I own, and drive frequently.

Apples and oranges, of course. But, If I had to choose one? G35, no doubt.

Feel...
The rsx(base - 160hp, 5spd) feels like it's got a hamster in a running wheel under the hood by comparison. On the other hand, it handles like a go-kart and 20-25 bucks will fill up a tank that lasts over 350 miles. RSX is a great commuter.
-- draw --

Maintenance
Both cars exhibit typical problems of high mileage, decade and half old cars. But nothing that would change my vote.
-- draw --

Kids?
I have 3 kids. 2 car seats fit just fine in the back of a coupe. I'd guess the back seats of a G are slightly larger than the RSX.
-- draw --

Yes, front wheel cars are much safer in the snow and slippery conditions.
-- +1 RSX in wet --

After a few years the rsx feels like an old reliable civic,while the G is more like a classic car that demands your attention.

My .02cents, worth price charged.

 

Owner of an 06 coupe with 220,000 miles on it and counting. My only concern is that if only high mileage cars fit in your budget, then you may not have to budget to maintain a high mileage car, if that makes sense. That said, my experience in regards to your questions has been:

1) This is my second Infiniti (and fourth Nissan) to reach over 200K miles. All of them have shown suspension bushings to be the weak spot at this many miles. Plan on a suspension overhaul at some point, I think I commented on a thread with my shopping list. The engine started burning oil around the 180k mark and the factory clutch just started slipping recently (220k on a factory clutch!). I'm pretty on top of the preventative maintenance; fluids, sensors, etc. The coupe shares most suspension components with a Nissan 350Z, which I think helps keep the cost down.

2) I have 3 kids. Found out wife was having third one two weeks after I bought the coupe. Rear facing is kind of a PITA. When they're small and in the carrier, those are easy to buckle in, a rear facing seat not so much. Once they're big enough for forward facing, then zero problems, other than hunkering down to buckle the little on it a coupe.

3) I run all season tires in the winter. Makes a world of difference. However if there's more than 2-3" on the ground, I take the Armada to work. Side note, my wife has had a 4x4 SUV the entire time I've owned the G, so I take that car on really bad snow days. The G just doesn't like deep snow, an inch of slush with good tires is okay though.

4) Yes I love this car. Even though I've had it so long that it's getting a little long in the tooth. My wife had an Integra before we had kids (I know, not a great comparison) and I don't see it holding up this well after so many miles. The G is such a better all around car. It was once a $40k car and it shows, even with a crap-ton of miles and used prices in the sub-$10k range.

 

Nice to hear someone else besides me can obtain over 200k miles on an OEM clutch

So many complaints from some replacing clutches under 50k miles. Sad
that so many never learned how to properly drive a MT

Telcoman

 

I don't get it either. I've been driving MT cars since I had my learner's permit, even took my driving test in a MT. I replaced the clutch on my last Infiniti at 180k miles, and when I got the car apart, the clutch was fine, it was just a stuck throw out bearing. Replacing everything anyway since car was taken apart, but could've gotten over 200k on that one easily.

The clutch on my G35 didn't start slipping until I added UpRev's new ARC features and did a bunch of launch control launches and no-lift shifting. I guess driving like a moron destroys clutches, lol.

 

The G would have higher cost of ownership because it is a luxury car (yes Acura is also "luxury" too) and the G takes premium fuel. The base RSX takes regular gas IIRC and is basically a Honda so maintenance and overall coast should be reasonable.

You could opt for the G sedan to make life easier with a child; it is doable on the coupe if you only need to transport a child occasionally.

Overall impression of the G35 is positive except for the higher cost of ownership. It has more hp/torque which makes driving more fun and the luxury features are nice to have. If you can afford the G, I would go with that, granted you have a second vehicle that's better for commuting and snow.

edit: Kids are expensive so the RSX may be a smarter buy in your case. Get the Type-S with the 6-speed. They are great cars and still look great for their age.

 

I bought my 04 'G coupe with 102k miles. She now has about 117k and the only thing that has gone bad is the Clutch. I'm getting some noise in the front right tire area, so I'm assuming my control arm or bushing is going bad, $100 for a new arm and $40 for the bushing. I'm kind of the type to delay repairs until the last second, bad idea I know, but the only issue I can see is loud creaking noises when turning sometimes and my outer tread depth is -1 lower than the middle and inner. I'll get around to it though.

I took a really long time to replace my clutch as well, I waited until I had to really over rev to get into gear.

But other than that, no other major problems.


The Coupe's have a decent amount of space in the back if you're under 5'9". It's not like Mustangs or, god forbid, Camaro's that probably should just be sold as 2-seaters. You also have a respectable amount of trunk space, there's even a little sticker telling you how to properly fit your golf bags and luggage.


I live in AZ, so I pretty much never get snow! I do watch my coolant levels in the summer though. I'm pretty sure anyone should in 100+ degree heat.

I love my G, I was planning on getting a C7 'Vette or a 2nd gen CTS-V Coupe when they drop at around $30k and then just keeping my G. As far as costs go, these cars are not expensive to maintain in my opinion. Especially compared to those gran tours/muscle cars I just listed. But you have a kid so your financial situation is different than mine.

Just remember that G's share a lot of parts from the 350z and other various Nissan cars. G's also require premium fuel, if you drive a lot, this adds up really fast. Another thing I like is how many DIY's there are for it and the huge aftermarket selection, it is a Skyline after all.

I have a financial plan for the 'G, I save up about $95 a month for repairs and I doubled the original figure in case of an emergency. This does not reflect money used for gas! So in a perfect world the 'G would cost me about $48/mo in saving for repairs. You can never calculate a blown tire though. I also bought my new Clutch on money I had saved up in that time. If this is expensive for you, then I would not recommend a 'G/Z.

So all in all, the G has been very reliable for me. The most expensive cost is Gas in my opinion. I don't drive a whole lot(less than 10k a year), but I probably spend about $60 a month on gas alone. It also ages really well. It was released during a time when cars were somewhat old but getting somewhat modern. I would be very keen on getting a G that has been well maintained, you really don't want to deal with repairs in the beginning because sometimes issues can be one thing and you replace another...

 

For questions 3 and 4 honestly I live in Kansas and as of right now we are having an ice storm I'm able to drive around just fine on the snow and ice; that being said my PT cruiser handles way better.

Having my 2003 coupe has gotten me much more familiar with workING on cars and I have bought a lot of new tools the best I advice I can give you i's to have the car checked out by a mechanic and get the dealer to fix everything before that warranty runs out trust me replacing a radiator in 20 degree F weather is not nearly as fun as you would think.