Hi, first time posting here. I've been lurking around on this forum ever since I ordered my 6mt 04 coupe (my 1st new car) back in June. At that time, the dealer said it should arrive in early Sept. but since that they're a top sales dealer, its possible that they might receive the car a few weeks early.

Anyways, I received a call from the dealer (in the San Francisco Bay Area) saying that my car is already on the lot and I plan to pick it up tomorrow. Being that its only mid August and not early September, I'm a little cautious whether the car is actually an '04 or '03. Since there are only a few changes between the '04 and the '03, it seems like the only way to tell the two apart is to check if my car has the tire pressure monitor. Are there any other visible differences or documention with the car that I should be aware of to make sure that I'm getting an '04?

Also, I plan to pay in full for the car and they've told me that they accept cash and personal checks but they do not accept credit card for purchases. Is this the typical practice?

Thanks in advance.

-sfgiants

 

Sweet.

No, they don't like to take credit cards once the dollar amount gets large. The credit card bank charges merchants 2-3% of the value charged to the card as a service fee... and on $30k, that's 600-900 bucks.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

Very simple: look at the VIN on the car itself and locate the "04" numbers - somewhere in the middle of the VIN.

Good luck.

 

look at the VIN
M3 = 04
M2 = 03

 

Besides the fact that if the sticker says 2004 and it's not, it's fraud-- there is a new center console with 2 cup holders, but I have not seen a picture of it yet.

 

although they dont' like taking credit cards, you can usually get away with some on credit card.

 

yes, the window sticker will say what year it is. If its an 04 please take a picture of your center console, we would like to see the change.

6MT coupe, red/willow, premium, aero

 

I don't think the center console is going to be any different.
I think they are officially re-introducing the console that was already changed for the 03.5 models.
(although I'm all for a change, after all, I have one on order as well....)

 

yes, i believe that your right, its the same "new" console that the later build coupes have now.... i'd still like to see 1 to be sure though.

6MT coupe, red/willow, premium, aero

 

I got more creative. The dealer told me that there was a $2k limiton credit card, so I did that on my discover. I also used a "balance transfer" check that they give me in the mail all the time. the dealer took it as a check. I was able to max out my credit card this way (although the transfer checks are only good for the amount of my cash advance credit limit). The best part is Discover card gave me a good amount of cash back on the purchases...

Of course I did this all right after paying the balance on my card in full. This gave me a whole month of driving my G and never paying a penny on it. Of course a month isn't a big deal, but I did get interest on the money sitting in the bank for that month instead of paying it off...call me a cheap penny-pincher if you must

Danation.com - G35C CB/GR/NAV/PREM

 

post pics please

 

sfgaints,

congrats, as part of the initiation process. you will have to provide a round of free drinks for all of us...hehehhe...

g35mt

 

Thanks for all the feed back. Turns out my car's VIN was an M3 and the first thing that the dealer showed me was the much talked about tire pressure indicator. Turns out, as you might already know, its nothing more than a light on the dash. The indicator is shaped like a tire w/ an exclaimation in the middle of it and the sales guy told me its supposed to go on only when the tire pressure is around 26 psi or so (I have the 18 inch alloy).

Hehe, the dealer told me that I was the 1st one at the dealership w/ an '04 G35 coupe and they took a polaroid of the car and myself to keep at the dealership.

Another update, I didn't notice any changes to the center console from the '03, perhaps I'm just not detailed oriented enough to notice. In any case, I can post the pic of the center console tomorrow if you guys want (got to sleep).

 

PS to my last post, they took $2000 in credit.