Hello, a newbie here.
I'm sure you've heard this before, but I'm pretty much down to 2 choices - G35 6MT or TL 6MT. I test drove the G35 yesterday and it was sublime. I've yet to test out the TL though. I'm sort of leaning towards the G, but the TL looks to be a solid alternative, especially with the nice interior and extra features.
Please feel free to post your honest opinions on these cars--biased views welcome! For me, here is the breakdown:
Engine and Performance - G35
Interior and features - TL
Exterior Appearance - Tie (depends on taste)
Reliability - Tie

 

You've basically nailed what it comes down to. RWD and performance, or interior goodies & features. That's a decision only you can make.

 

I would say you nailed it perfectly on the head. I would consider myself a car fanatic who is fairly unbiased and keeps up on all the latest cars that are worth considering.

I obviously own a 2004 6MT Sedan, but I also test drove the new TL 6MT. Both are excellent cars with their own strengths and weaknesses. The TL's interior is hands down better and the extra goodies are awesome. The 3-spoke steering wheel on the G35 is better in my opinion, but the 4 spone in the TL isn't that bad.

The part where the TL goes down terribly is in the driving dynamics. I will categorize this into 3 parts. Now this section really only applies if you are like most of us on this board who really like to DRIVE their cars. This means fully utilizing your cars potential.

Back to the TL's bad driving dynamics. I didn't like how the TL has a disconnected feeling from the road and at higher speeds 70mph+ you get a slightly 'bouncy' or floating feeling. You still can tell the car is fully connected to the road, but it kind of hovers and bounces around especially once you get into the 80mph and above range where for me I started to get sweaty palms. With the G35 even at those speeds the car feels fully connected to the road and though the ride is considered rough by panzies and wimps, my philosophy goes - the harder the better.

The other bad part of the driving dynamics are the steering. I didn't get enough of the feel I wanted from the road. Also the steering wheel was way too light. I like the heavier G35 steering that requires effort to turn and provides a lot more feedback from the road. This is really evident in the backhill twisties. Also I prefer the G35's heavier shifter than the lighter TL's. The clutch is better on the TL as it doesn't have a mile long travel but again like the shifter is too light and you can't really feel when the engine hooks up.

The final bad part of the TL's driving dynamics are the lack of RWD. If you have never driven a RWD vehicle then you have no idea what you've been missing. The ability to adjust the car's attitude in corners or fully oversteer through a corner is just so satisfying it is ridiculous. With the TL the FWD system is probably the best FWD system I've ever driven, but it just doesn't allow the same fun.

Again, all my driving dynamics complaints do not matter to the average driver, but for true driving enthusiasts, it matters.

Pick whatever you feel will best suite your style. For example, if I were to recommend a car in this category for my mother I would most definetly recommend the TL because it is more comfortable, less harsh, and 'easier' to drive mainly due to the lighter steering. For me, the G is what I'm talking about.

 

My wife and I drove a TL and a G35x within 30 minutes of each other. We were shopping for a new car for her and she is not what I would consider a "car person." The TL was driven first and it was very nice. We drove the G35x next - her exact quote - "This car is sweet." What she really felt was the difference between FWD and RWD.

We got the G35x. Oh, and the happy ending of the story is that it became my car... :-)

--
Tom L.

04 G35x - Twilight Blue/Willow + Premium/Splash/Trunk Mat

 

I think others have given good comments about the comparisons of the two cars. My comments have to do with experiences while shopping the Acura CL-S Type hot and heavy. I dealt with 3 seperate Acura dealerships.

Flow Acura of Winston Salem N.C. was the worst car dealership I have EVER had the misfortune of visiting. They were outright liars and crooks. It was like dealing with the slimiest most disreputable USED CAR DEALER you could ever imagine, only they are an Acura Dealership!! Even worse was the total lack of concern or involvement from Acura Consumer Affairs.Their response was "We are sorry about your luck, but the dealerships are privately owned and we have NO power to do anything to or about them." And I am talking about behavior that was criminal - attempted fraud.

My experience with Leith Acura in Cary, N.C. was almost as bad. My experience with Hendrix Acura in Charlotte N.C. was not as bad as the other two, but still left me dissatisfied. They seemed somewhat arrogant, though in a polite way. All in all, my sub-par experiences with 3 seperate Acura dealerships left me doubtful that I will EVER purchase an Acura or a Honda.

My dealings with two different Infiniti dealerships has been MUCH better! Others may have had completely the opposite of my experiences with Acura and Infiniti, but I wanted to weigh in with my two bits.

 

The service at Acura dealership is what really drives me way from the New TL. Afer my experience at the dealership with my CL Type-S' first 6 month of ownership. I told myself NO more Acuras.

~ GT-R the Ultimate Driving Machine ~
- 2004 G35 Ivory Pearl/Black Leather
- Auto/Nav/Premium/Sports/Aero
- 6 wire grounding kit