daveo
I agree with you completely. I never felt the G35 coupe was comparable to the BMW 3 series. The G35 sedan, yes. But not the coupe. Even the 2 door 330i really is more like a 2 door sedan in appearance, not a sports car. The G coupe to me is comparable to 350Z (obviously) and Boxter, etc....

I have also owned several BMW's and I agree with those who say 325/328/330 are slow, because they are. I currently also own a BMW 540 (which is a V8) and I feel the G has power on par with the V8. Nobody on a BMW forum would claim a stock 330 could match a 540 in acceleration, but a G coupe can!!!
So G coupe vs. BMW 3 series = no comparison.

 

My frd who owns the 330 said he had similar if not better acceleration than another 540i that he raced before however, 540 beat him in the top end.

And I really don't think 3 series are slow at all especially 330. In fact, they have a more BALANCED overall feel because IMHO, G35sedan/coupe 's suspension does not match its engine. Thats why everyone on this board who owns one will change their suspension one way or the other to Tein, Z suspension, sport suspension(if don't coem with car), Eibach.........

In numbers, the car seems balanced enough but in reality there are some weight shifting during cornering that should be cured by a stiffer suspension. I own a premium G and I got a sport G as loaner before and I can tell you its way better than my car. There are even less rattles becoz my car suffers from bounce over bumps and ditches.

 

A stock 330i PP is a true 14 second car. Non PP versions are low 14 second cars with a manual. That compares quite well against a 6MT. And BMWs really shine in the area where the G35 is weakest....the suspension and brakes. But the G35 is superior is terms of cost...interior room (BUT...the rear seats DON'T FOLD)....and MAYBE reliability. You pay your money and take your pick.

'04 6MT Sedan | '95 E36 M3 | '91 Miata

 

They don't fold, but they recline. My last two cars had a folding rear seat, and I think I used it maybe a half-dozen times in 10 years. I can just swap with the wife for the SUV on those days now. Note: folding rear seats is actually an option on the 3-series, not standard. Wierd.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

I'm not gonna argue over a few tenths, but there are guys with stock PPs breaking into the 13s at the track. Regardless, a G35 and a 330 are kindred spirits..they have many similarities..it is really hard to rationalize why someone would like one and hate the other. They each have strengths and weaknesses. When someone says something like a G35 is clearly a better choice than a 330...well, that's just simple personal bias. Like a Ford guy bashing Chevys.

'04 6MT Sedan | '95 E36 M3 | '91 Miata

 

I totally agree with you. BMW is a worthy competition. The engine and the transmission work flewlessly. You can just rev the car steadily up without any jerking sensation that the G tends to exhibit. Yet, G does feel a little bit stronger off the line. Like you said, they share many similarities and it all comes down to personal preference.

 

Don't forget folks, the BMW was the target everyone was shooting for.

And if Infiniti's built a better car for less $$, then more power to them, right?

But if there never were BMWs, then there might never have been a G35 either...

If you're in control, you're not driving fast enough -- Parnelli Jones

 

The G is an awesome car, but the straight 6 and those BMW manual trannys are to die for! The I6 is simply smoother due to design parameters of engines, so no matter what, an I6 will always be smoother than a V6.

When BMW comes out with their new 3er, it will be clear which sports sedan is best which I know will be hard to swallow (at least for me) after recently buying my G, but like computers, you just have to hunker down and buy at some point otherwise you get into an infinite loop where you get the next G which is better than the 3, then the 3, then the G, etc.

 

MRMAN is totally right.

When BMW comes out with the new 3 series and the coupe 4 series it will be better than the G. Then Infiniti is going to come out with the NEXT "G" and it probably will be better than the 3/4 series.

Now on another note my dad has a Z4 and my mom has a 325i. Both of them are new and my mom couldnt be happier with the 3 and same with my dad and his Z4. My mom likes the her 3 more than my G. Go figure. That just goes to show that it comes down to whatever you like. Cars today are so closely matched that you as a consumer cant lose. I love my G and the only 3 series I would trade it for is an M3.

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2003 CB Coupe 6MT
Z-tube
Stillen Hi-flow

 

I am really not optimistic about BMW's next 3. I fear that BMW has lost their way...they are now more concerned with crap like i-Drive than puttting in decent instrumentation. "Styling" is taken over functional design. No limited-slip on the 330PP is an insult. BMW's hard-core loyal owners are being left out. IMO, BMW has made the best sport sedans on the market...but I'm not sure they will be continuing down that path with the present management and design teams. It's a pity, and I hope I'm wrong. The next 3 could be make-or-break for BMW. I prey they don't screw it up, but I don't have a good feeling.....

'04 6MT Sedan | '95 E36 M3 | '91 Miata

 

Absolutely Rog.

The only thing that worries me is that there are an awful lot of 3-series owners out there that a limited-slip means nothing to. They'll just buy the next 3-series because it's a BMW and is new. If the "great masses" buy the new 3-series in great numbers, then BMW will have no problem giving the enthusiast driver the shaft, since they're in the minority.

Hopefully neither the 3-series or 1-series (and the rumored 240-hp 4-cyl M2) will suffer the same "dumbing down" that the 5-series ("active" steering? Please).

But if BMW strays too far... that's not all bad.

That will give Infiniti a good shot in the arm as the G35 will then be the only *true* rear-drive enthusiast sports sedan available. (no "nanny" steering, a strong motor and a quality manual transmission)

That will actually help make the choice easier for anyone on the fence.

The true enthusiast will go for the G35.

If you're in control, you're not driving fast enough -- Parnelli Jones

 

From my experience, you are right, a lot of people buy the 3 series just because it is a BMW, I have seen that for some time now, where I used to work, (when I worked) one of the salesmen bought/leased a new 3 series every 3 years, always the same car, just a different color, and he had no idea what the "performance" was! Oh, what is "active" steering? Does it steer itself? [img]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/img]


Brilliant Silver/Graphite '04 Sedan/5AT

 

Active steering... yes, to an extent it does steer itself.

In a tight corner, one where you'd normally have to shuffle steer or rotate the wheel more than 90-degrees, with "Active Steering" you don't have to turn the wheel more than 90 degrees to get the same effect. The "Active" part turns the steering the rest of the way for you. Also, according to a Car and Driver review, Active Steering will "countersteer" for you, either in a cross-wind situation or when you need to countersteer in the event of oversteer. The January Car and Driver talks about it in more detail.

If you're in control, you're not driving fast enough -- Parnelli Jones

 

BMW's market has expanded wildly into the non-enthusiast community....and that's OK, as long as it produces revenue. (You've got to remember that BMW is a small independent manufacturer up against the mega-corportations). But my problem is that BMW is forgetting their core audience...the BMWCCA members...the racers...the dedicated enthusiasts that like to work on their own cars...the people that gave BMW the reputation that it enjoys today. So it's OK if they go off and sell X5s...but please, where are the enthusiast cars in the 35K range?? Yes, they are leaving the door open for worthy cars like the G35 at the low end...and Mercedes AMGs at the high end.....meanwhile Chris Bangle is trying to convince us BMWCCAers that what we *really* want are butt-ugly truck lids and i-Drive.

'04 6MT Sedan | '95 E36 M3 | '91 Miata

 

That sounds like it would be very hard to get used to after driving "non-active" steering for so many years. I had no idea that existed!


Brilliant Silver/Graphite '04 Sedan/5AT