I'll second the "there's not perfect car" sentiment. I looked at nearly 200 cars before I "settled" on the G35.

05 Mustang...first year complete redesign and ford build quality is hit or miss...I might get Infiniti quality or I might have to invoke the lemon law.

05 330CI...terrible interior erognomics for me.

05 X-type...radio, nav, enivronmental controls overly complicated. Seriously, to the point that I couldn't tell if I was turning up the radio or the heat.

05 Evo8.. (this was the car I REALLY wanted) "ricer boy" image/styling attracts too much of the wrong attention, $10K dealer mark ups, insurance costs

I could go on, but you basically have to decide which things annoy you the least and then live with them. For the record, I like the radio controls.

 

You settled? that sucks...i wouldn't just settle for a $35,000+ car, get what you want!

 

Yea, I settled. Though I don't really look at it that way. (thus the quotation marks) I'm 6'3" and 200 pounds. More than half of the cars I looked at I didn't fit inside well enough to be able to drive them comfortably.

E.g. Every Porsche 911 variant, my knees hit the steeringwheel, as they did in the Sentra SER, Corolla, Supra, and 300Z.

E.g I hit my head on the roof inside the Corvette, RX8, 350Z, S2000, Miata, NSX...forget about the exotics like Ferrari and Lotus.

E.g. The "no B-pillar" cars, like the new saturn Ion have plenty of headroom but a very low entry height...whacking my head getting into or out of the car isn't my idea of fun.

When your not "average" in your physical characteristics, you choices get narrowed for you...in cars or anything else, clothes, shoes, couches, beds, whatever. I'm sure the other large/tall men on the board will back me up. I'm not complaining, btw. I'm HAPPY to be driving a G35...i'm HAPPY to be able to afford a good car for the first time in my life...I'm HAPPY that I'm in a position to even be able to have a CHOICE.

So I didn't "settle" in the sense you mean, getting something less than I wanted.

 

dude it just takes some time getting used to the controls. Coming from a 02 Accord I was frustrated for the first month....once you get used to them you'll forget all about them and instead Bltch about how's theres nothing good on the radio

 

The controls on my 2003 Maxima were a little more "modern", but the fact that the controls on my G are illuminated outweighs the difference in looks. I personally like them as well. Also, the same controls are on my 2004 Armada which makes it easy to remember what button does what.

 

Ok someone asked what I consider perfect controls.

Aside from the "80's" look I think the switches have... Part of the "problem" is due to the fact that only the left half of the steering wheel is available. The right half is for cruise control. For me cruise is useless as I do 90% city driving - and the 10% highway are typically shot distances. I will accept that others use cruise a lot - but frankly most of the people I know rarely use it. (E.g, for us it doesn't warrant it being so prominent)

So fitting another button for mute would be impossible really in the current config. Although I contend mute is more valuable than power. (I turn on stereo typically before the car starts moving - so mute would be more benficial to me on the steering wheel)

If you look at how other cars have buttons (not switches) cleanly manufactured into the supports that attach the wheel to the hub (spokes?)... I just think there are much better designs out there.

Yes I know I will get use to it. There are other things I don't care for in the car - like the entire "console" for the most part especially the climate control area... Or even smaller details - like how my 11 year old non-luxury GM car has lighted door markers to illuminate your open door to traffic approaching from the rear... I'm surprised not even a reflector in the Infiniti...

I know there is no perfect car - and I don't expect perfection in this car. We're always going to find things we don't care for in a car.

 

Go buy another car then, geez, you must work in management!!!! This is

 

I only wanted other people's thoughts - I don't believe I insulted anyone. Not sure why people feel the need to insult me. Please just move on.

 

Well, I only posted that because you seemed very negative about everything about the G35.

 

I have had no issue with the controls either. As far as 80's era styling, I love it. Would be driving an '87 Lotus if I could...

 

Fair enough - but others were kind of negative on me too - a bit well, unfairly.

I am not an Accura TL fanboy or something - just looking to put down the competition. I am extremely detail oriented - and it just irks me a little when you have this beautiful luxury car, perfect in so many ways... And then Infiniti screws up some of the very small details. (Like requiring a rod to hold up the hood - although they might have a good engineering reason for it)

Do all these little details add up to me not buying the car? Heck no - even though I don't really care for the console very much... The car is beautiful - absolutely beautiful from the outside - especially the front. And the style means a lot to me. Plus AWD - for substantially less than Audi? I'd be crazy not to buy / lease the car if I can deal with the gas mileage.

The original point of my post was to find out if I was on crack wrt the steering wheel controls. Seems everyone is ok with them - but many seem to agree they aren't exactly beautiful in design.

 

different strokes for different folks. I like having the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel. it allows me to accelerate and slow the car with my hand insted of using my foot. this is nice on long trips. several other cars are configured this way so it's really the norm.

as for the console I like the fact that it is plainly laid out. everything is in a grid and easy to find. I never have to hunt for a button and take my eyes off the road too long.

reflectors on the door? give me a brake. GM puts thos on there so when some 75 year old codger throws his door open into traffic, passing cars will see the light and be able to swerve out of the way in time.

For your negativity, your coming onto a site where people love their cars. Of course they will take offense to such nit picky whining about insignificant items. Bottom line, I would recomend you buy a different car. the issues you have raised will never be resolved in your head and it will grate upon you for as long as you own the car.

 

Well thanks - but I wasn't really asking for your opinion on what car I should buy.

"all the negativity"? When you think about how much there is to a car - if I can only come up with a handful of things - perhaps it isn't that bad?

wrt reflectors - Audi's have them. I was just giving an example of a "detail" that I felt was missing.

 

Ahahhahahahhahhaa

 

My '05 has old codger reflectors