Ok, picked up my new ride yesterday in San Jose and did a quick drive back to Sacramento. It gave me a good opportunity to get a good feel for the car. All in all I'm a happy man... except for a few things. I'm sure some of this has been asked and answered before, but I couldn't find it with the search feature. I also have some questions regarding some mods I want to put on the car... and I'm looking for some feedback on an audio/NAV install quote I got.

The specs:
2004 Desert Platinum 5AT with tan leather interior. 13k miles. Premium Package, 18" Wheels, no NAV, no Aero. Purchase price = $28,500, Private Party. Good deal, yeah?

BTW: I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color. I posted earlier about an opportunity I had to get a great deal on a red coupe... glad I held off for this. Its PERFECT. Sporty, but not too flashy. I love it.


First off, a pretty serious complaint that is really bugging me:
When I wear my Maui Jim polarized glasses around town... there are windows and glass that I look at that have this spotted effect on them. I take my glasses off, and it looks like a normal, tinted window. I put them back on and the dots reappear. I picked up my G35 yesterday and the first thing I notice is that even WITHOUT MY POLARIZED GLASSES ON, I see the same type of spotted affect on the back three windows! Totally unacceptable. It looks like a crappy tint job or something, but these are the stock windows. Whats up with that? What can I do to fix it? It is a real bummer for me to be driving this $30k sports car with ugly spotted windows. Do all G35's have this? I never noticed it before... Please help!

Next, I'd love some feedback on a quote I got for an audio/NAV install I want to do:
My goal is to have a NAV system, a modded XBOX in the trunk, and a good sound system... not a neighborhood window rattler system, but a good solid system with a kick. I was quoted the following on a special sale day at a place called ACME TOPS AND TUNES here in Sacramento (anybody used them before??). They had all sorts of manufacturer reps in there and supposedly had great price offerings. I couldn't spend much time researching it all, but told them what I was aiming for and they came up with this system. Question #1, Is it a good deal? Question #2, is it overkill or not enough or???


Third question is regarding Child Seats:
Part of the reason I got the G35 was so that when I wanted to I could tote my two kids around (3yr and 1yr). I was told that the car seats do fit in the back and indeed they do. However, yesterday I went to put my little 3yr old in and it seemed that the edges of the car seat were putting MAJOR pressure on the leather... that it would tear it if he sat on it for too long or if the leather was hot or something. Anybody have the leather tear on them from this? I don't want to puncture it... What is the solution? Put a towel down under the car seat is the best thing my wife and I have come up with, but haven't tried it yet.

Fourth Question is regarding Grounding Kit / Mods in general:
I've read all sorts of great things about the grounding kits available and the enhancements on the 5AT. I'd like to get one but I'm curious if it voids out the manufacturers warranty on the transmition or engine or anything like that. If so, is it worth it still? Do all mods void the warranty on whatever system is modified? Obvioiusly, the dealer isn't going to cover the mod itself, but what about the affected system (engine, electrical, tranny, etc.).

Fifth Question is regarding GASOLINE:
What does everybody put in their G35's? Premium or?? How important is that? Gas prices are at $3.00 per gallon on Premium out here in CALI!!

and here she is.... :

 

first of all congrats, im a new owner of a black g coupe 6mt

1. usually with polarized you will see these dots, but if you can see it w/o ur polarized lenses, i would get the tint job redone

2. i have no idea

3. ya, they have some special thing to fit child seats back there, i would suggest toweles or some styrofoam on bottom.

4. as long as you dont drill the body kit into the engine or tranny, it wont affect it. so all in all.... it wont void the warranty as far as i know

5. premiums important, will enhance the life of the G and will stop teh knocking

have fun, BE SAFE, enjoy

 

get the tint job redone? Its the factory windows that have the dots!

 

I have been putting my son in there since day 1 when I got the car which was 7 months ago and my leather has held up fine. As for gas, nothing but the best.

 

I think even the factory windows have a tint on them...and I think you can get them redone...take it back to the dealer, if they see the dots, they should do something about them...gotta love the G35 and Maui Jims...

 

I wouldn't worry about the child seats. I've had my coupe since January of '03 and my son's been around since Feb of '03. We've never had any problems with the leather, and we have had 3 different kinds of car seats back there.

Gasoline: I believe it states on the car that you should only use premium.

As long as you go to the right dealer, it's kinda hard to void the warranty. I had my transmission replaced just before my warranty was over and I had had a after market flywheel installed for quite a while. I've also installed grounding kit, Cold Air Intake and Plenum, Headers, high flow cats and dual exhaust. Oh. and light weight pullies. They never gave me a hassle over the warranty. Of coourse that could've been due to my warranty work usually didn't have anything to do with the modifications.

As far as the windows, maybe since you've had those sunglasses for awhile, they've burned the spots into your eyes! Seriously though, I don't know what to say about that. I never noticed it myself, and now my coupe is tinted all the way around.

Hope some of this helps and good luck on the sound system.

Later,

Ray

 

thanks for the input so far...

The spots don't seem to be as noticable today. I read somewhere that the HEAT can cause this type of stuff to stand out more. Living in Sacramento (where it gets over 110 in the summer), that could be part of the reason it looked so bad yesterday. I had been driving the car in the sun all day and noticed it just before evening. This morning, its not so bad. I'll have to keep checking it to see if it is heat related.

Anybody have any input on the audio?

 

I had my car for about two weeks already and after I washed it yesterday i noticed the same light spots on the windows too. Is this a regular thing for the G's? I have absolutely done nothing to the G yet so this is how I got it from the dealer. Oh and I don't need any shades of any type to see this either. I don't think i'm going delusional...

 

As far as your sound system, take the print out with you to maybe a couple of smaller sound system shops, see if they can do better on the price, shouldn't hurt.

 

Or if you wanted to keep it looking stock, you could get the new Clean Sweep from JL. Makes it so you can keep the stock head unit and replace the amps and speakers. I'm looking into this right now aswell.

Later,

Ray

 

Dude, you are fretting over window dots? Most new cars have them when you look through polarized glasses. Who really cares? No one can see them. Chill, enjoy the car for what it is. It is the sexiests, most bang for the buck luxury sport coupe (gt) on the market.

 

ok ok... the window dots are not that big of a deal... as a matter of fact, they have been MIA since that first day when it was EXTREMELY hot here in Sacto.

I am still very anxious to get input on the stereo system... anybody?

 

Windows - Dude, it's not something wrong with the glass, it's simply that the shades allow you to see it. You'll start noticing them on almost every newer car you see while wearing your shades. I had the same thing happen a few years back but I understood it was the glasses allowing me to see what is otherwise not noticeable.

Child Seat - I'd definately put a towel down to protect the leather. Helped in past cars and I wouldn't do without one in my G.

Fuel - "She takes PREMIUM, Dude" (<- shameless Simpson's reference) Keep in mind our Premium is like Japan's pissy, bottom-of-the-barrel fuel. The G requires premium (look at your fuel door for the reminder). The few bucks saved by getting a lower grade isn't the best investment for you ride.

 

I use a towel for the child seat but it still leaves an indentation. The good thing is that after removing the seat it goes back to normal after a week or two. I am going to try a bed comforter.....going to cut up an old one or maybe use a few towels.

 

well i was told by my brother who is in the plastics business that cars get that often from the plastic on the car. Plastic releases it into the air an leaves a residue on the windows. More and more cars have it today with more interiors being done in plastic...