Damn nice. I wish I had a better comparison to make buyt by owning a RWD I can't make meaningful comparisons. But here goes.

1) EXHAUST The damn thing sounds AWESOME. They had just delivered the first two 05's to the dealership Saturday while I was standing there asking to see one for the hell of it after some service. The sound is coming from the exhaust for sure and it rumbles VERY nicely at idle.

2) INTAKE The intake tube is now similar to the Z tube and sounds like it at WOT. THe exhaust get's drowned out by noises coming from in front of the firewall...sounds like my Z tube a bit but unique still.

3) SUSPENSION AND DRIVING Going into an X from a modded RWD - it seemed a bit heavier maybe but having sways I find the X is better at cornering - very little sway to speak of in the X. The feel overall with AWD is more european like.. Kudos to Infiniti for this baby. No wonder I can't sell my RWD right now. No need to woory about not gettting the sports suspnesion on the X - it's totally different.

4) INTERIOR Much more of a new feel than I thought it would have. Leather is softer out of the box than my car was and the dash is totally revised and - for the better I must admit. I was in a wood trimmed version and it was better than the 03 wood. I don't prefer wood but this was Audi-like a bit. The plasticness is way down with trim on the door handle being leather and the real brushed aluminum. I like the AL look and it makes a good progression out of an itnerior that always had more potential. Overall it looks like a different car now inside while being obviously what we know as our G-35. Well done again.

5. EXTERIOR The new healights are different more so than I anticipated. The accent lines on the front lip of the top headlight housing is a nice touch. The headlight housings are cut back now at an angle and it rounds and softens the overall look of the front - especially with the new unsplit intake openings and the rounder chrome trimmed grill. It seems to rake a tad more overall as well. The taillights look OK. I say this may be the only mediocre part of the newness equation. The radio sounds about the same and operated exactly like my bose 03.5.

Nice job keeping a fresh face on what is the argaublly best entry sports sedan south of 44K!

2003.5 DP 5AT Sedan
14.2 @ 97.18
Z-Tube
K&N Drop In & Airbox Mod
10 Wire Hyper-Ground
Crawford Plenum (V4)
UR Crank Pulley
Hotchkis Sways (M/M)
Polk EX-3500 Tweeters/Shock Sensor/H-Liner

 

Good report sixfive, I go along with your findings on the 05 X. I liked the new G so much I have a LS G35X on order.
Wayne

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by GEE35X on 11/14/04 11:18 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

So, if you can get a G35 now, you will prefer a 04 loaded with Nav, or the 05 with premium with sports package? and did you see the aero package?

 

sixfive,

what dealer did you drive it at? i have an 05 X on order at Passport Infiniti in Alexandria, VA and it should be here any day now....the wait is killing me!

 

I was at Ardmore Infiniti in Philly. I did not see the areo package. Looking at the new brochure - it seems like the spoiler is dealer installed option only. No pics of the G35 in the sedan brochure had a spoiler.

I can still hear that exhaust rumble - makes me want to go get a Y pipe and get the TS flash.

As for deciding between an 04 and 05. Money would matter the most and I can imagine the deal on the 04 would be better. These are the same cars for the most part so you aren't missing much in the older version. My preference is the lighter RWD 03.5-04.5 with mods to keep up with you 05 bastards! I think they added 150-200 pounds for some reason but the little issues of window rattles and grease and some other little items they have service bulletins for should be gone in 05. It's been a chore to fix a few of those little bitchy items but I wouldn't pay an extra 2-4k anyway. Depends on your take and what's important. I will say the sedan is not the killer residual vallue car like the coupe. The dealer said the X had a 54-56% after 3 years and the coupe has a 62%! However the X is the best thing to happen to the salespeople at the showroom in a long time and is bringing in customers in droves. It was way busy there Sat. What a platform for AWD! Subawho?

I do wonder what an 05 6speed with a plenum, wires and TS flash would do? 13.8 in the quart would put you in some high class company.

2003.5 DP 5AT Sedan
14.2 @ 97.18
Z-Tube
K&N Drop In & Airbox Mod
10 Wire Hyper-Ground
Crawford Plenum (V4)
UR Crank Pulley
Hotchkis Sways (M/M)
Polk EX-3500 Tweeters/Shock Sensor/H-Liner

 

well crap....if the 05 X is in Philly, my car should have hit Passport by now...

 

I agree with the comments made on between the previous G35 sedans and the 2005. I drove the X specifically so I will not assume that the RWDs are the same.

The new one seems quieter and the suspension seems smoother. The shifting is smoother too. I like the interior upgrades and the seats seem more comforting and supporting.
The new gauges are a real nice touch. The car feels sturdy (or heavy) but it feels good.

I think overall the 2005 G35X is well worth the money and I think Infiniti did a fabulous job on it

2004 Ivory Pearl Sports Coupe

 

Those little problems in the 04s are one of my major concerns. I really hate spending 30K with so much little things to be annoyed. (call me picky... but, hey, thats 30K! I have enough with my A4, and I don't want to have similar experience again)
And the Brembos also...

 

Well spend 70K on a Jag a 740 or a S class and you'll find ouit what real problems are. The A-8 has about 7 miles of fiber optic cable moving info through it. Works great until a gremlin gets in there and never comes out. I'll take a rattle or a window streak anyday over not starting sporadically or airbag fault lights coming on every month until lemoned. My passat was a nightmare starting at 3k miles - same thing as the A-4 really - people love em but they are not reliable. The G is very reliable with some minor problems that can be corrected. I've never heard of someone having a gremlin or a major mechanical issue with the FM platform. Long term ownership is possible here in a F without a warranty and is not on a VW product at all without major risk.

Dont get to caught up in these major concerns - they only seem major becasue everyone hammers on them repeatedly in one forum as they arise for each new owner that notices the issues and come here for info to resolve them. I'd rather have this baby than an accord for a quarter million miles...

2003.5 DP 5AT Sedan
14.2 @ 97.18
Z-Tube
K&N Drop In & Airbox Mod
10 Wire Hyper-Ground
Crawford Plenum (V4)
UR Crank Pulley
Hotchkis Sways (M/M)
Polk EX-3500 Tweeters/Shock Sensor/H-Liner

 

Good report! Thanks for taking the time and effort. Your remarks re the handling pretty much reflect my opinion of my 04 X. Love it!

04 G35X, Premium, Wood, DP