I agree with everything said above. But one point I didn't see mentioned which may or may not be an issue is gas mileage. I'm not sure if mpg is important to you, but I am quite dissapointed in my mileage (17 combined). I'm not sure what the TL gets for mileage, but I think it is better than the G's. Something to think about considering gas prices will only continue to go higher. I know the next car I get in a year or two will either be a hybrid or a Lexus IS250 AWD (27-29 mpg combined).

 

Wow. Searching pays off! Exactly the info I needed. I too am researching the TL vs G35 sedan. Thanks so much for everone's input. I can always count on Dave B to come though. hehe.

I have an old modded 92 maxima 5-sp. Wife thinks I need a "newer" car. Okay! I've driven fwd for long enough and want a RWD again (last one was a modded Datsun 510 and a Merker (eek) ) Maxima is actually a nice ride. TONS of rear room so I'm sorta spoiled on the rear space. But I don't want another "larger" sedan again. I got the rest of my life to drive boats if I want to. heh.

I too have a 9 month old baby girl. She will need a rear facing car seat for another 3 months min I think. So making sure the seat fits in that config is important to know. (Britex to be specific) And making sure there's enough rear seat room for others is also important. I sat in one briefly yesterday. Liked it alot. I'm not really a gizmo person so performance/handling is more important than gizmos and ultimate interior quality. Hell I'm used to an old Maxima anyway.

Anyway, thanks for the info!

 

For us it has been a great compromise between the family car with the options and the fun to drive factor for what our budget allows.

Get the G - great family car - get two! We did

 

I have no family on the way but I am trying to decide between the 2005 G35, 2005 TL and the soon to come 2006 Lexus Is350 for my wife. So far, I have only test drove the TL but will be test driving the G soon. The TL seems to have more goodies available but the G just looks awesome. Great forum and some great info here. Thanks.

 

I got both... I prefer the G and I have driven a TL since 99.. The TL has a few mroe features for the price... but I prefer the G over the TL ... I really missed the RWD...

 

I have to disagree, with the road noise I don't think you can truely enjoy the 5.1 and not to mention to notice the seperation. The only time I enjoy listening to music is when I'm at home.

 

Regardless of the 5.1 sound, the TL's sound system is leagues above the G35's. I like everything about the G35 better except that.

 

Only if you play DVD Audio CD's which are rare. Radio, regular CDs sound awful in that stereo. The G35 actually sounds better there.

 

I have to agree on this, but this TL sounds better with classical.

 

I'm surprised you guys can hear anything in the G35 with all that road and tire noise

 

I disagree 100%, but it's largely subjective so we will have to agree to disagree on that front. From an objective standpoint the TL has a much, much better curve from 15-150+Hz, the G35 is far too boomy below 50Hz and has a 10db drop in the midrange. It's typical Bose, really. If you guys like it that's cool, but generally the flatter the response curve the more like the source audio the music will sound, and the TL has a much flatter curve than the G35. Bose uses a few tricks that tend to make poor recordings sound better than they really should (their "Bass Module" producing midrange, etc...), which is good or bad depending on how you feel about that. It's just the overall quality of materials and the tuning - Bose has never been known for their strengths in either.

That's because generally classical CDs are re-mastered much better than a lot of current rock/pop/indie/alternative/metal, you get the idea. They also have much more accurate bass (stand up bass as opposed to kick drums and the like), and a much clearer high end, so the quality of the TL really shines in those instances. It's the same reason an SACD (even in 2.1) or a DVD-A sounds so much better in the TL - more money spent re-mastering them = more accurate a better source material.

I do admit I don't mind the stereo in my G35, but the audio engineer in me shutters to think of the tricks Bose is playing on my ears.

 

Yofool. Get the TL and don't look back.

 

That's if you are talking about the new model 04+ TL. The old TL has quite a bit of issues.

 

Bose = crap no matter how you look at it, they just try to hard to fix stuff instead of simply have efficient woofers. I took my fair share of audio eng class and learned all about the tunnel stuff and their stance. Personally I'd like to see Klipsch move into car audio I think they are the best for the price (for entry higher end).

I was in the same boat for TL vs G35 vs S60. G35 won for me simply for many reasons said above, plus I think the G has more DIY mods which look good on it, and the TL really isn't a "sports" car IMO, its more of a lexus competitor. I think the curves of the G are closer to german styling which I like, but would never get a german car (don't want a 2nd japenese car anyways).

You know you want the G!

 

Perhaps I am old-fashioned, but I have always thought that a car was much, much more than its sound system. If I just want to listen to impressive stereo, I`d stay at home. How can you think about a sound system when you are slicing and dicing in the twisties?
As for the TL vs G35 discussion, I think my wife summed it up best, when we traded our 03 TL on the 04 G35X. "The TL is a great ride, but the G is a great Drive!" (My wife and I are buth 67 YO, and have driven many cars in our nearly 59 years together.)
BTW, the TL does get better gas mileage, but who cares?