Whats up guys,

I recently sold my 94 RX7 FD3S. FD3S just means you converted it to the Japanese 99+ Spec (http://susanwp.hp.infoseek.co.jp/wp1/fd3s.jpg). The car was very fast and also not very practical. The car was in the low 12's high 11's with minimal mods. I decided to tone it down and fell in love with the practicality and luxury of the 2007 G35 Sedan. I will be purchasing one within the next month. Here are my concerns which rely mainly on the drivetrain.

1. I am used to having a car that outcorners the new Skyline and many other cars above the $60,000 mark.

2. I still love the dynamic and feel of MR/RW drive car.

With these things stated do you owners think I will be best suited to drive in an X, or the rear wheel sedan? I understand the X has an option that offers MORE but not all power to the rear wheels and more of a sporty feel. I also have knowledge of AWD slowing down the car during top end and sometime tampering with the feel on cornering. I'm curious as to how handling varies between the X with that "button off" and the rear wheel version. Excuse me if I sound inexperienced I dont have nearly as much knowledge on the car as you guys do, seeing as I dont currently own one it makes sense. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

I have a 08 X and love it. Infiniti's AWD is a rear biased all wheel drive meaning that if the snow switch is not in the snow mode or wheel slip is not detected by the AWD system all the power is routed to the rear wheels. I do not have a Xs, so I can not comment on the handling of the sports packages on either the Xs or the Journey Sport. My cornering is as good as a friends 2005 G coupe. I have a couple of questions for you.

Where in the country do you live?
Do you plan on using the car as a daily driver, and if so will it be in winter weather?



TIM

 

well like Timpiroli said when there is no traction loss the AWD is 0/100 so it's basically a RWD until it loses grip then it can send as much as 50% to the front.
The most important thing is where you live and the weather there. If you got around with a RX7 as a daily driver I'm sure you'll be fine with the RWD, the AWD is also quite a bit heavier. If weather permits go with the RWD.

Funny thing, I want to get a RX7 later hahahaha.

 

I have an 08 Xs and overall I'm very happy with the performance and the handling. My former car was an 02 5 speed WRX Wagon.

 

The weight of the X really isn't a factor. The curb weight on the 2009 G35S is 3,615 lbs and the 2009 X is 3,791 lbs for a difference of 176 lbs or about 5% more in weight. I can't find the curb weights on the 2008 but I don't think that it is really much different that the 09.

TIM

 

As a former 94' Rx-7 owner I beg you to get the RWD G35S, its an overster
king almost like the RX7

Seriously, I had a chance to drive the G35XS for a week and could not wait to
go back to my 'S'.

 

Even though I haven't bitten the bullet and bought my G35 yet, the one things that worries me about AWD is that, from what I have heard, AWD vehicles have more parts and thus more opportunities for more parts to break down.

 

If you're planning to upgrade the suspension, keep in mind that some parts (e.g. swaybars) aren't available for the X. That could change though.

 

Well you can get us argue here for a long time but after all you should go and drive both see which one you prefer. Just my .02 But if you go with the RWD version go with the S since the Journey does not have the LSD. To me either have the AWD or the LSD.

 

I have the 2008 X s model. I took it to the track recently just to see how it drives under abnormal conditions. I was very impressed with the car, two things that i noticed is the body roll at high speeds when cornering and also brakes fading after couple of runs. But then again the car is not made for track driving. For normal street driving its a great balance between power and sportiness. The AWD s model does not have a sport suspension, only the RWD model does. So the only difference is the wheel size and styling. Overall I love the car and I would recommend it to anyone that is considering to buy one.

 

^WHS
& coilovers!!

 

if you plan on taking the G to the strip, track or not see any snow get the S. The XS loses a lot of the sport stuff like brakes and springs compared to the S. The XS is mostly just the show bits like body molding, bolstered seats, paddle shifters,.....

I got the XS cause all the snow up here, and had AWD b4 (STi). I am happy with the handling, but S would be even better. If I was planning on more than just spirited driving I woulda went for the S.
G'luck!

 

Also, if you're looking into doing suspension mods like coilovers the X's are you usually left out, so if you're planning to mod a lot, I'd go for the RWD

 

Where do you live? If you live in an area where heavy snow isn't a concern and you are focused on handling, definitely go with the S. The G35X has softer suspension which is a noticeable difference. Also, if you are looking at a 07 models the S comes with stock 18" sport tires while the X comes with 17" all seasons.

I got the X because I live in the Northeast. With snow tires the car is a tank, but it doesn't handle as well as some of my past cars.

 

Man, you guys are extremely informative! Thanks for the feedback. I live in the Virginia area. I think I may be best suited to an S or rear wheel. Are there interior or technological differences from the X and a regular rear wheel?