Hello guys,
I currently own 1998 M3. I like it a lot cause it handles very good and very fun to drive. But I am tired of little things going wrong with it. I used to have different Japanese cars and never had this many problems. My question is, are there previous BMW owners here? and how do you like G35 compare to your BMW ( I am talking mainly about handling or feel when you drive)?

 

I have not owned any BMW's but certain have driven plenty of em and know many ppl who own them as well.

Like you said if you go with a G, you will suffer slightly in the fun factor but as far as reliability, you will be much more happier w/ a G than your Bimmer. Especially now with your Bimmer being over 10 yrs old. Cost of maintenance is much easier on your pocket than a BMW which is a big plus.

All in all, if $$ is not a factor to you, I'd definitely go w/ another M3. However, if you are looking for a more practical reliable daily driver, I'd definitely go w/ the G.

GL.

 

Previous BMW owner, 2006 530i and an 03' 330i. I've owned my G for over 2 years now and I'm very satisfied with it. It has plenty of power, handles well, and plenty of gadgets.

The few things that I miss from BMW:
- Solid, heavy doors
- BMW uses better materials for the interior
- The image/prestige that comes with the BMW name

Overall I'm happy, but I'm looking forward to adding another German car to my garage.

 

I had a '00 528i and my mom currently has an '07 525i. Honestly the only thing I thought better about the Bemers is the quiet/smoothness. I'm a gearhead so I love hearing the car (I have an exhaust) and I don't mind a little harshness in return for great handling. I absolutely love the car, but if you're looking for more "refinement" and a quieter/smoother ride is very important to you then maybe look at another BMW.

As far as feel - I think my car drives BETTER than the '07 525i. Partially because its way underpowered, but the G35 feels/handles more like a sports car than the 5-series - I feel more connected to the car and I like the way it drives much better.

Honestly, just go test drive a G35(G37) and go drive a comparable BMW and see how they both feel. That's the only way you'll be able to finally decide

 

I'm not sure why people keep saying that "handling suffers" in the G, if you get the Sports it is right up there with the BMW's if not better with my experience in the previous years i have driven many bmw's, acura and infiniti's and i can confidently say that if you know your limits then you will not feel a difference in feel or handling in the G compared to a comparable bmw model.

However, you cant compare the G with the new M3 as its a seperate league with V8 and minor tuning to the 335 and you can outrun the G easy but handling wont suffer.

But once again this is MY opinion and experience.

 

Hey - My gf drives a 328xi coupe 07. I have driven it many many times. Handling is superb. Very neutral on turns. Great drive.

Now to my G. I find the steering feel of the G quite similar to the Beemer. Its the closest compared to all the other competitors. My gf's bmw has 230 hp. My G has 306 hp. Obvious power difference. Nonetheless, I would describe the bmw drive to feel solid. I would describe the drive of the G to be visceral. Not as gentleman like as the bmw; slightly rougher around the edges but boy is it ever fun to drive :P

Handling - I give it to the bmw. BUT!!! Its nothing a little drop and upgraded sway bars or even coilovers cant fix :P Lots of stuff out there for RWD versions of the G.

So there you are =) Good luck with what you decide. Either way. You'll be in a nice car =)

 

As has been said, your 11 year old car can't be compared to our new to 2 year old cars. So if you're wanting a new or late model car, I can tell you that a G35 Sport (Premium) runs rings around a 328i base for the same or less money.

 

I would "slightly" beg to differ. My '00 528i with 140,000 miles drove EXTREMELY well. The throttle feel was excellent, the brakes had amazing feel. Despite its weight and lack of power, it was a great driving machine. I think the G compares very well with that car. Some people who have driven my G says the brakes are a little touchy but I didn't have to adjust at all coming from the 528i to the G35S (except for having 113 more galloping ponies )

Go test drive (and purchase ) a G. You will be extremely satisfied!

 

I will go out on a limb to say that a 328 with the sport package will out handle the G sport. It won't be faster, but it'll out handle it.

 

infiniti is bottom line, best bang for the buck. it's less expensive from the get go and comes with a lot more punch than similar priced bmw's (that doesn't mean it's better). If you look at engine power, options, etc, you gotta go with the infiniti.
they're way cheaper to maintain and repair, from oil changes to major components. You can even service it at nissan if you find infiniti too expensive (I go to nissan for my oil changes and pay the same amount as someone with a versa).

the only thing i would give to bmw that infiniti lacks is handling (from stock perspective). Since I lower all my cars anyways, i didn't care for stock handling, but for someone leaving it stock, bmw wins that category. the infinti's handling isn't bad in relation, just not as good. Also, BMW's retarded idea of cupholders in the dash make me just want to laugh when someone tries to feed me some crap about german engineering or quality interior---come on, the dash?

And there you have it, bang for buck versus overpriced handling.

 

I came from an E36 M3 that was sightly modified and also drive a 2000 M-Roadster regularly. You will definitely not regret going with a G35 from a maintenance stand-point. I very reluctanty got rid of my M3 because it was in the shop for warranty work almost as much as I was able to drive it, literally... It went to the dealership 18 times in the first 18 months and 20K miles of ownership. Yes, the dealer was very nice and easy to deal with and I always got a nice loaner car, but it just wasn't worth the hassle.

That said, the G35 is definitely not in the same class at the M3 from a handling stand-point and just the way the car drives and rides. The M3 was also much more fun to drive than the G, but it was also a manual tranny and I, unfortnately, decided to do with an auto in the G... so I'm sure if I had a 6 spd, then the G would be much more entertaining. The M3 was also a great track car, but the G is a tad bit heavy and has WAY too much lean from the factory for track duty. One mod you can do to the G that definitely helps out in this department is the Hotchkis sway bars... these have got to be one of the best bang for the buck mods I had done to any car. The best thing about the G, though, is the cost of ownership and the cost of mods... Everything is much less expensive on the G, which makes it much more fun to mod IMO.