Guys,
I posted my question to a 5 series forum regarding 540i Vs. G35c (see threads below), and I am surpirsed to see that people there are actually calling it a tough call! G35 definitely gets its respect...
http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums...3329956&page=1

 

I'm not surprised. The 540i has been around since '98 in this design; I won't even talk about the new 5 series design. The 540i is a very competent car, but it's a little boring. I don't think you'd call either the G Coupe or Sedan boring in its looks. Plus the 540i is about $10K more +/- the G. It's a lota car, the 540i, but it's a lot of dough, too.

BONDg35c

 

you can't compare the two cars - another apples and oranges comparison.

who are you kidding?

 

I have both a BMW 540 and G35 coupe. I saw your other post on this board and the post on the BMW board. I too was surprised that the BMW owners already had so much respect for the G35!
Since I familiar with both here is my 2 Cents:
BMW 540 = V8, V8, V8, 4 doors, refined, quite, rock solid, smooth supple ride, luxurious, but a sports car when you push it.
G35 - sports car 100% of the time, 2 doors, noisey, somewhat rough ride, fun to drive, power on par with the V8.
(and $20k less than a new 540).

But they are really different cars so it is hard to compare.

So what did you decide???

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by gsedanman on 06/03/03 04:37 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

I agree with the eFanatic, apples and oranges. Big price difference, hp difference, 4 doors, 2 doors, and on and on and on... Kinda like Bon Jovi doing an opening for a Chris Rock Comedy Show on Black Entertainment Television (BET)...

I would love to have a 540... but I'm happy with my coupe now... maybe in the future I'll go back to BMW. As of right now Im too focused on having fun and keeping up with my car payments...lol

--2003 G35 Sports Coupe V6 3.5
---1995 BMW M3 I6 3.0

 

I have a friend who owns a 540i which is really souped up. It has rims, nice european plates, intake, basically the whole nine yards. When he saw my car, he was awestruck. He loved my G35 and said he would trade his in for mine. I would probably decline the offer because he is really abusive to the 540 sometimes.

 

Do the trade, sell the 540, buy an '04 G-coupe and mod it with the extra cash then beat him in a race !!

Seattle 'Eastside' area
'R' Order - IP/Graphite 6MT Coupe; Prem., Nav. & XM [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

 

GSG, G35 noisy? Must be a difference in tires on cement highways, since R&T noise measurement shows them to be within a dB of each other at various speeds. Aeros are much more sorted on the G but the Pilots do have a rep for growling on some road surfaces.
Folks, do some easy math- power to weight ratio on the 540 and G coupe are near identical, and the aeros are superior on the G. At serious speeds (in excess of 70 mph) the 540 gets spanked. While I don't go looking for this stuff, two 540s, including one with the new M performance package (not to be confused with the M5- different car) have tried to give me a run on the highway within the last month. The game begins therefore at between 65 and 70 mph, not a kiddlywink standstill. By the time that I was going thru 100 in both cases, the 540 had lost over a car length and it proceeded to get worse for them from there. By 115, they weren't interested in playing anymore. Luxury- 540, 4 doors 540, german expensive- 540, exclusivity- not sure really, power to weight- apples to apples (no oranges in that contest), performance handling-gee coupe, warrantee- gee. TOE roadside- gee. fun-gee.
Thank you gsg for explaining to the others that it ain't 10k between em- it's 20!


DB

 

might was well compare the g35c to the hummer while you're at it. this is lame

 

The target market for both cars is excessively different, no comparison. It's starting to look to me like G35 owners are beginning to mirror forum members of other expensive cars(my so-so is better than anyone elses car), guys give it a break. I've been lurking on four G35 wbesites for over six months now and will probably order a 2K4 this Fall but, don't be fooled, what's next? "My G35 Coupe killed a 2K3 4SC 911". Come on guys it's a great car but, get a life. Oh by the way, I killed an Accord with my 2K SE Max today, ha ha.

 

Yes derek, my G35 is very noisey inside (and my BMW library quiet). . Actually the tire noise from the 18" Pilot Sports is OK. What I am talking about is general wind/road noise seemingly from the back of the car that starts at about >30 mph. It has been there since day one and has not changed. If I leave a door ajar on my BMW 540, it makes noise like the G35 does normally. Infiniti Dealer so far says, "no problem found."

As others have pointed out it is really an apples and oragnes comparison of the Coupe to a BMW 540. The comparison that should be made is a G35 Sedan to BMW 325, 330. 525, 530.

The fact that the G35 Coupe can run in the company of a 540 which is a V8 is really the key point that can be learned from this discussion. If the Coupe didn't have the power, I wouldn't have been happy driving it after having a 540.