I am going to be buying a new care in a week or so and my 3 choices are the G, an Audi A4 3.0 CVT, or a BWM 330i. I had pretty much made up my mind to buy a 2003 G35 Sedan (5A, Premium, Sport, Aero) until I came across these forums and the edmunds.com forums. The reason I am reconsidering is the amount of problems people are having with the brakes, seats, and cd players. I am wondering how common these problems are among G owners. How many people out there have a decent number of miles on their G and are not having brake, seat, or CD player problems? If I do get the G35, how can I protect myself against these problems? Does anyone regret their purchase and are willing to admit it on a G35 fansite?

I would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks.

 

Ah the internet........ a couple of yrs. back when I was in the market shopping for a car I had M3 on my shortlist, I was regularly reading bimmer.org and came across this guy Amir Yazdan who had serious issues with his car, he even setup a website devoted to deter people to buy any BMW (I think it was www.donotbuyabmw.com or something, it doesn't exist anymore, but its archived somewhere, do a google search if interested). In short, people will always have problems with cars. Cars being produced today are highly complex machines and there are chances that some of them will have problems. I doubt that you can buy a performance machine today which no one had any problems with. Try reading www.bimmer.org and you'll get a picture about problems people have with BMWs.......... and I know a couple of people who swear never to touch an Audi/Volkswagen product with a 12 foot pole !.... and I'm sure there are forums full of Audi problems that people encountered... at the end though buy the product that you like the best ....

Good luck.......

====

 

Personally I will take out A43.0 cvt out of the chart. Maybe I am biased but I don't think its a worthy car for the price.

I have driven 325Xi, 325i, 330Ci, Z4 and all I can say is that BMW is not really that over priced. Their chassis is very stiff and the car feels very very solid without much noises (rattles through bumps). 330 claims to have 225hp but from what I feel, my frds manual 330ci SEEMS to pull faster than my 260hp auto sedan but maybe in reality its not that much difference. So the price difference between the G and the 330 probably gets u the solidity of the frame of the car, better stock suspension , maybe a better interior (that is if u prefer it).

So far, I don't have much regrets about the G except that I want a better dash and gauge, better trim, better stock suspension and better solidity. But overall, at the price, the G already gives you much more performance than its competitors. Despite the suspension and solidity, the interior preferences are just my taste. You can't do much about solidity unless you want to spend useless money trying to fix this small problem. You can always buy aftermarket suspensions that is better than the BMWs and still have change for other stuffs if you want. Eibach springs, Bilstein suspension, Tein suspension........ You name it, you got it.
Don't forget the JD Power ranking of #2 in quality and #1 in customer service for Infiniti.

So its mostly a matter of taste in your decision.

 

No problems with the G. Awesome car. I would take a 5 Series BMW over the G if money was not an issue, but never a 3 Series unless it was the convertible (M3 Convertible).

2003.5 BS, Prem, Navi, Sport

 

sideburns,

personally i'd prefer that you didn't get the g35, i see more and more of them on the road as time goes on.

all jokes aside, i'd have to agree with the others regarding the complaints. internet forums are great. they offer a place for people to share thought/opinions and complaints about their subject matter. if you read throught these boards you'll find all types of comments. lately you've seen more complaints than praise. it's usually the case when you look at the timing. most of us are coming up to the 1 yr marker on our cars, and are starting to notice normal/abnormal wear and tear. when the new model year gets released, you'll notice more and more raving reviews and praise from new g35 owners.

for me personally, my wife and i purchased a 2003 sedan 8/02 and we're getting close to 9500 miles. we've never had a problem w/ the cd player (knocking on wood), but we also make sure that my cdrs don't have lables on them. i've also never had a problem w/ the seats, but i'm also 5'8 and 160lbs. the brakes squeak in the morning when i put it in reverse, but that's the only time it squeaks. i'm going to ask the dealer to look at it at the next maint./tsb.

there are only a few things that are nuisances (sp?), brake dust and the console cover (the plastic) is starting to rattle when i hit bumps. i'm assuming it has just come loose, again, i'm going to mention this to the dealer. truth be told, these points are minor in the overall ownership experience.

my only regret was not holding out for all these new features being introduced in the newer models (how i envy all you new owners). but then again on the flipside of the coin, i don't think i would have been able to hold out on the excitement/enjoyment of owning a g35.

good luck with your decision

 

The only advice I feel I can give is, drive everthing, take notes if you have to, and buy what you like. If you change your mind later, buy something else. Damn those car payments.

 

Sideburns,

I have had mine 2003.5 for 8 months. Bought it on Christmas eve for my present Currently have about 6000 miles on it and have had no problems at all.. Oh yes the front wheels brake dust is a hassel so I am getting new brake pads (Green Stuff). Did I tell you I still love the car as much as the day I drove off the lot. The only regret is that I should have just gone with NAV option but then I would have to wait. Current options is everything but cold weather (I am in the SF Bay area) and aero package..

Good luck on your decision.
-PratG35

 

I have a 2003 Sedan (5AT), and love this car! I still think it's the best bang for the buck out there. I have several friends who drive BMW's and Audi, and while they may have slighty better fit and finish in the interior department, I'll take the styling and performance of the G35 any day.

The car currently has 20 K miles on it, and I have had no problems with the Brakes, or CD player (I play CD-Rs w/ no lables) and think the seats are great. Your G35 comes with a great Warranty, so if something breaks, take it to the dealer.

No car is bullet proof, but as earlier posts mentioned, you hear more from the complainers, and less from the thousands of satisifed owners out there.

Twilight Blue/ Willow/ 5AT Sedan

 

I have eleven thousand miles and I have not had one problem yet. Its funny you say BMW, if you go on their forums or if you talk to people who own one you will find out they have more problems then the G35 have. My roomate owns a 330i and he has been to the dealership 4 times in the last 6 months, me not once. So I guess it all differs who you talk to, good luck.

 

16,000 miles 2.5 months ownership 1 problem (bad tranny). There are a few bad manny tranny's out there. Was replaced in two day with a complimentary loaner.

My brakes are fine, I just pulled my wheels for the second rotation last week. i furiously beat on my car and my brakes are maybe 1/2 gone so figure 30,000 miles on the stock pads. Some people are losing there pads at 15,000 miles but they have got to be riding the brake or in stop and go for hours every day.

It is up to you I recommend the G to you although a BMW is a fun car to drive as well. (I didn't shop the Audi's although my cousin has a 1.8 (A4 I think) and he likes his car as well) For 30-40 grand you will almost certainly come away with a car that makes you smile.

But just remember for 26,000 you can have a G35 that will make you smile just as much

BTW, I am 6'4" tall, 260# and have no issues with the seats. I have sat in the drivers seat for 24 or more hours straight 3 times and it is really comfortable, though I would like more side restraint. Mine does rock slightly though there is a little trick I do with my seatback adjust that makes it go away

Better Life thru Chemistry

 

Take a look at a willow leather interior on a titaniuam upgrade and tell me that it doesn't look as classy as the audi a-4...a-6 is really nice.

 

Had my sedan 6MT sedan for three months now. My BF has a couple BMWs so we are always comparing. 4800 miles on the G. Love the car. No rattles, hums, or other quirks. My BF commented several times that the quiet solid feel of the car was nicer than he had expected because little rattles in doors or dash of a new car are common and his M Roadster had a few. He is an electrical engineer; looked the G through and through, over and under, and was impressed with the attention paid to fine details. He thought some of the details were even nicer than his Bimmer--especially commenting around the door seals and undercarriage.

Of course, G sport-tuned suspension isn't as stiff as his Bimmer and brakes aren't quite as good. However, he was so impressed with the G and the bang for the buck, he was joking about what fun it would be to sell them--which for a hard core Bimmer guy and all round car freak is quite an endorsement.

I am having my brakes looked at this week. I'm a city dweller and also did 2 days at a BMW drivers school at Watkins Glen track recently, so I want to see how worn the brakes are. They felt a little grabby to me after coming back from the track, though the BF thinks they are still fine. A few BMW guys drove my car at the track also and were surprised at how great it handled and the throttle response for a stock car with no mods.

Since the G has been out for nearly 15 months now, seems they've worked out some of the quirks and tweaked things that folks were complaining about in the earliest editions. As for the interior, the leather and titanium finish are pretty nice. My only complaint is the location of the seat heaters. It is really easy to accidentally activate them and in summer you are cooking before you realize it.

I totally love this car and its handling. Good luck whatever you decide.


Dreams garnet fire/graphite leather 6MT 2003.5 premium/aero/winter

 

The problem with brakes is the rule rather than the exception. My service manager said they have had to replace pads on all G's by 18K miles. It is a great car, with this one weakness. The frustration is in dealing with the company who won't accept responsibility for an inferior component. Having said that, factor $500 per year for brake work into your decision for comparison purposes with your other options.

 

If that's true, and Infiniti has not been adequately responsive, then some letters to the editors of the car magazines (Motortrend, Autoweek, and Car and Driver) that continue to follow up on and rave about the G are in order to encourage them to look into and report on this. And the gist of the letters should be how much we love our Gs, but brake pads and rotors seem to wear much earlier than they should (with specific examples).

Dreams garnet fire/graphite leather 6MT 2003.5 premium/aero/winter