As many people have pointed out, a number of controls in the car are either illogical or non-intuitive. The manual is not very helpful either. I am still not very comfortable with the memory setting process! BUT, as everyone else has pointed out, the car is a sheer delight -- particularly when used in moderate doses to destress (i.e., bonzai runs on the back roads). It is not too shabby when rapidly devouring miles on the turnpike either; providing a serene, secure, and stable ride.
BTW, like some of you, I considered buying/leasing a VW Passat W8 wagon with the 6-speed manual (because I love AWD) but gave up because I could not wait indefinitely. The W8 sedan with the MT was not in contention because the trunk space was severely compromised by AWD (10 cft vs 15 cft for regular Passats). Of course, the G35 is a MUCH better value. So I don't for a moment regret ny choice!

2003.5 G35 Obsidion/Black Leather Luxury Sedan 6MT with Premium, Winter, and Aero Packages