Besides Acura who makes it painfully easy (no options except nav), the Infiniti's are next best.

I cross shopped the BMW and Lexus IS and that's a whole other world of confusion, high priced options, and difficulty in finding the right configuration.

 

The same options in the premium package would cost BMW owners much more. Here's a cost comparison between a 335i sedan and a comparably equipped G35S 6MT

BMW 335i base...$38,900
Sport package...$1,700
Premium package...$2,550
Comfort access...$500 (keyless entry with start/stop button)
Active cruise control...$2,400
Navigation...$2,100
Heated front seats...$500
Sirius...$595
Double Spoke rims...$3,550 (18" rims)
Alum pedals...$85
Floor mats...$125
6 disc cd changer...$635
Destination charges...$775

TOTAL...$54,255
doesn't include a rearview camera, adaptive headlights, etc

My G35S 6MT with all these options cost $38,500.
that's $15,755 cheaper and my car still looks better and goes faster!!!

 

I love both the Premium and Nav packages, and use every single feature included in them (except the heated seats so far, but I intend to use them a lot next winter). The Premium is just a steal, considering the amount of things you get for it. And the Nav? I didn't have nav on any of my previous cars, but now that I've had a taste of it (especially coupled with the voice control and voice guidance), I can't imagine going without it.

 

Yeah this premium package gives a lot compared to the competition. $2k basically gets you a sunroof ($1000), heated seats + mirros ($500), Homelink ($250), Memory Seats ($250), Premium Stereo ($1000-1200), Bluetooth ($600), Power Steering Wheel ($500+), Power lumbar ($200), One-touch rear windows ($200).

The prices in parenthesis are my estimates compared to what competitors charge for ala carte features. Thus for just over $2000 you're getting a lot of bang for your buck, and all of those features are extremely usable.

The Nav is much the same way. Most companies just charge $2k, but here you get Musicbox which is proving to be one of my favorite features. Although, the LCD screen is there regardless of whether you get NAV or not (one less component required that BMW's Nav system). That said, at $2k the nav isn't a super great deal, but for one of the best navs I've seen and musicbox, it's totally worth it.

 

Looks better...subjective. But I agree. =)

Goes faster...Considering equal drivers, I don't think so. =(

 

Yeah, you're right - I just like to think it goes faster!

 

Just get all the options... EASY!!

 

Except that our screens are baller looking, easy to read, a touchscreen (with Nav) and well sized. The nav screens in the V35 might have popped up at the touch of a button but that's about where the "cool factor" ends. The screens in the V36 simply spank other OEM nav/info screens on the market. Good thing the '08 Ms are getting the musicbox/touchscreen. I thought those and the ones in the FX were cool when they came out and then I sampled the one in the '07 G sedan.

 

I agree completely.

I wanted one with no options in addition to not being test driven. They found one a couple states over which turned out to be a dealer demo.

The next closest one had just a premium package, splash guards, and cargo net. It was even further away. I'm in MA, and the car is in Delaware. Now I gotta wait for it.

 

we have G35x w/ only a sunroof and rear cargo net... most people wnat the upgraded features but there are the rare cars out there

 

Well said. I did my research and to me bluetooth was a must. In order to get Bluetooth in a Lexus you are forced to spend like $4,000 for the Nav (which I didn't need because I have a Nuvi 360). I eliminated Lexus off my list based on that. Then there was BMW, which nickels and dimes every single thing. Acura has it right, and Infiniti for $2300 is well worth it considering you get Sunroof, Bluetooth, Heated Seats, Memory Seats and Bose system. Acura and Infiniti clearly have an edge in options and pricing compared to BMW and Lexus.

 

Number 6,

Are you sure what kind of car you want to buy? You said you have GTO right? Well I am not here to bash any other car company. You can't compare GTO to G35. Even though GTO might be pushing out more horse power, but it is not in the same class. Most people compare Infinity with BMW. For example the G35 Sedan is compared to the BMW 3 Serious. If you where going to buy BMW you would not say anything bad about infinity. I think for the money you pay you will get a lot of goodies. I have the premium package with XM and it is worth every penny. I love the bluetooh and never had single problem with the bluetooh. There are so many standard with infinity. You need to compare Infinity with other cars. Well I wish you best of luck .

 

And Auto light off...

 

That's part of my problem, I've never really considered a "luxury" car before. The GTO has basically no options, besides transmission choice and color. My previous cars were a 2000 Z28 and before that a 1995 Z28, both relatively "stripped" optionwise. All my new car buying decisions up until this point in my life have been based largely on the most power & torque I could get per dollar. But now, I'm starting to realize that in the driving I do (mostly urban) a G35 or G37 is plenty quick, and those cars come with a nice helping of luxury on the side. Plus Infiniti service must be a hell of a lot better than say Pontiac or Chevy. (I think the dealer/service experience is actually the worst thing about domestics at this point.)

Since I'm used to cars that are not loaded with options, I find it hard to pay much for "frills" like a power steering wheel, heated/memory seats, bluetooth, etc. I'm not a gadget person. For example, I just got my first cell phone three months ago, and I use it rarely, and never when driving. I don't own an Ipod. I'm stupified by people who are paying $600 for an iPhone. If I sold my house I'd be lucky to get $130k for it.

For my purposes, the no-option base model has most of the luxury features I want anyway, other than premium sound, and nav. As I think about it more the Infiniti options packages are not a bad value if you want those features. But I have a mental block where I have no problem with a "low 30s" priced car, but "high 30s" seems kind of extravagant for my salary and lifestyle. I can happily live with a G35 sport with no options since it'd still be more plush than what I'm used to.

In any case I'm not buying anytime real soon...at least a year I think, maybe two. And I don't really know what I want...G35/37 will be a contender, but so will the G8, the BMW 135i, new Camaro. (I know those cars are hugely different in mission and design, but I'm interested in all of them.)

As to the GTO not being in the G35s "class", well, maybe not in terms of gadgets and gee-whiz factor...but Motor Trend seemed to think it matched up pretty well to the 70k Mercedes CLK55.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...upe_comparison

 

I definitely agree with you... if anything, the G35 should be only ONE model with all options installed hehe, that'd be one way of moving upscale..