A few things you left out:
1) the buttons on the steering wheel light up at night so you can actually see what they are.
2) clock is lit so you can actually see what time it is at night.
3) can tilt AND telescope the steering wheel.
4) MP3 player (love having 150+ songs per CD)
5) intelligent key, love not having to pull out my keys!
6) almost forgot, leather boot on the shifter even for 5AT was a NICE touch.

Again, i think everyone, whether 03, 04, or 05 G owners all got the best car available. And I don't think the 05 would have been worth a trade in, but if you had a choice between an 04 and 05 like I did, who would still have picked an 04?

For example, if were buying a G now, I would get the 06 coupe with all the improvements (bluetooth, intelligent key, memory seats, bi-xenon lights, rear active steering, entry/exit assist) even though an 05 would be cheaper. There's nothing wrong to admit the 06's sound like they will be better. But is it worth a trade in? not to me. I just don't get why 03/04 owners can't admit Infiniti IMPROVED the 05s for the better. Just like they have significantly improved the 06 coupes.

 

Ditto. Drove an '05 6MT while my '04 6MT was in for service - not impressed. It's a "G" all right, handled great, ran strong but noticeable lack of low end grunt compared to my '04. Was surprised at how it came out of the hole on takeoff's - had to rev a little higher and slip the clutch a little more than I'm used to if I wanted to leave hard. I'd probably get used to it and adapt after awhile, but it's a noticeable difference. Probably will run a little better when broken in (it had 1,600+ miles on it), but I can see/feel the fact that the advertised 298 HP doesn't appear until late in the game (last 1,000 RPM's or so), so you've gotta rev it a little harder to get it to pull as strong as my '04, which definitely achieves it's power peak (whatever it is) earlier in the powerband, then seems to flatten out and pull steady there for a longer period of time. Again, the '05 seemed more "peaky" and surged at the top of each gear as compared to the '04 (more like an S2000 Honda type deal). Not saying it doesn't pull as hard as an '04, just that the power is less linear and more peaky - just two of many ways to skin this particular cat.

I think the average "around town" driver and stoplight "racer" ( ) will appreciate the lower end torque in an '04 or earlier more, while a full-on "racer" or someone coming out of a true sports car, like an S2000 Honda, a Porsche, or even a Mitsubishi Eclipse, will rather hear the motor sing (and the '05 does sing - exhaust sounded great) and keep the RPM's up to stay in his power band.

Same basic engine, different tuning, different means to the same end (small block Chevrolet, anyone??).

Just my $0.02

 

I just took a good look at the IS350 and IMO the interior looks similar to that of a mini-van... the interior of the G is much more sytlish.

 

True, but visually speaking, there's not a whole lot of difference. The overall interior design has not changed much.

 

best post in this thread... LMAO!

 

Actually the dash and plastics are no longer hard and plastic cheap feeling ones. They are now covered in a vinyl and padded. So the interior plastics like DaveB said aren't changed really are. I do have detailed pictures of all these changes as well if anyone wants me to post them.

 

 

After driving my '05 for a couple of months now, then getting into an '04, the differences really do stand out, surprised me just how much to tell you the truth!

 

The dealer gives 6mt loaners??????????????????

 

Not as a rule, at least not at my local dealer. I bought the car there, so when I said I wanted to take a spin in an '05 while I waited for service, they handed me the keys .......I didn't keep the '05 all day, just took a 20 minute ride, with freeway, stoplight, and some twisty backroad action all on the route.