true that. even if it's 4 or 5 months on the remaining balance of the manufacturer's warranty.. you can at least get some of the interior trim pieces replaced if they're scratched up and u get a little time to see if the car has any strange kinks that don't show up during the test drive like mine did..

fwiw, i got an '08 sedan, premium pkg, 43k miles, $22K.

 

I'd go w/ the 08, you'll have the newest model w/ the 5AT and the 3.7 seems to be more critical of it's oil. The VVELs tight tolerances seem to be a contributing factor but not really sure. My 09s just a hair quicker than my 07 and gets about 8-10% better mileage, but the 5AT didn't have any issues, and although the issues on the 7AT seem to be getting addressed one TSB at a time, it's still not as dialed-in as the 5AT. Both are great cars, but I'd recommend the 08 and you'll also have more warranty available.

 

Just the kind of stuff I"m looking for, thanks! Awesome feedback everyone.

 

It's a known issue, covered by warranty. Mine didn't have the noise, but eventually developed. It was then replaced under warranty, been over 40k without issue.

 

Is it only the Sport model, on both the 07 and 08, that gets this 'frown-esque' front fascia?

 

Yes, only the sport models.

My car was CPO. Wasn't able to find any fully loaded sedans (5AT or 6MT) w/ lower miles and black interior private party. I bought my car in CO, but saw similar deals in IL, TX, CA and GA.

 

Had mine replaced as well after a month into the car... was kinda disappointed that the compressor would suck like that, but replaced it under warranty and all was well

 

If the compressor is growling what should you do? I already own it....

 

replace it under warranty ASAP if you have it... if you dont, ummm.... i dunno. replacing it is expensive, i would say just use it as long as you can till it finally goes, then replace it(?)

hey JOYRIDER, make sure you check the side panels as well. on the '08s, they used some whacky glue that was weak so the side panels would often peel off. I had my wood trims replaced under warranty. I dont know if its only wood trims or all side panels (default is aluminum) though.

 

Thx RedBaron, I prefer the aluminum myself but have heard that same complaint about weak panels. Good to know you got it replaced under warranty.

FYI all, done some searching around and CPO prices w/in 300 miles of Phoenix range from 07s for 22k to 08s to 26k. Do dealers negotiate differently on CPO's compared to brand new cars? I only ask because I've bought private party only for the past 12 years - avoided the dealer altogether. Tougher or easier to get them to come down on price?

 

Just to clarify jessefrank's response, it was only on sport model and journey model with the sport package, and was available from '07-'09.

 

I have a black on black '08 G35 Sedan Journey, which now has roughly 39k miles. I bought it used in January '09 in Dallas with 22k miles for $24k, which was a steal and happened to be the best time to buy. My car actually appreciated in the first year of ownership. The modification I have done is to add Ray's 19" wheels that i bought used from a guy who owned a '05 coupe. I absolutely love the car, get countless complements on it. The only non-maintenence oriented things i did to the car were to machine the break rotors (there was some vibration while highway breaking) and tighten a couple internal parts in the doors that rattled when the speakers were blaring. All of this was covered under warrantee and I simply attributed it to buying a used car.

The 5AT shifts incredibly sharply and quickly, even in normal D, and the car is amazingly fast and responsive, especially when you leave it above 3-4k rpm.

Long story short (and granted i'm a little biased), I would go with an '08 Journey. By '08 they had all the minor kinks worked out from the '07 model (not that there really were any) and perfected engine and transmission. The '09 is the first year of the 3.7L and the 7AT, so I'd always avoid this. The '10 would obviously be the best choice, but for the cost, there's no point. The minor improvement in horsepower for the 3.7L (328hp) vs 3.5L (306hp) is offset by the increased weight of both the engine and 7AT.

If you can find an '08 sport model, you might as well grab it because of the bigger breaks and slightly stiffer suspension. However, these differences are both only claimed on paper, as I don't feel any difference over the Journey. Plus the Journey model is the lightest model of them all.

 

Thanks wetibbs. I would agree completely, but Sport also has the limited slip differential, bucket seats and paddle shifters. The latter is the must have for me if I'm not getting a 6MT, which I'm not.

So looks like the car I'm looking for is an 08 Sport Sedan! Found 2 in the area, both with 45k miles for $23k. They are not CPO unfortunately. Thanks for all the feedback guys!

 

Motor is the same, just more displacement (via bore &/or stroke) so the weight won't change much at all, tranny should also be very similar in weight. I'd like to see a 3.7 w/ the 5AT, then we'd really know how they compare. I know my 37 is a bit quicker than my 35, but very, very minimal difference. The indecisive nature of the 7 spd and the increased shifting probably has more to do with the acceleration times being so close rather than any weight issues IMO.

 

The 3.7L with the 5AT would be a great comparison. I think it's also important to note that the G37 with the 7AT is roughly the same to 60mph because it requires 2 shifts (it will be in 3rd gear) rather than the G35's one shift (hits 60mph in 2nd gear). But now we're going a little overboard.

All things considered, my vote would be for you to try and find an '08 G35S sedan. It might be harder to find and be slightly more expensive than a Journey, but you'll be very happy. You'll also get those nice 18" rims with the S, which are harder to find as an option on the Journey. The 17" journey rims just don't do the car justice...had to get rid of 'em.

Plus, the money you save by not springing for the G37 can be used to buy a cat-back exhaust system (Stillen gen 2) for the G35 which should probably get you pretty close to the 328 flywheel hp of the G37...