Infiniti G35 Ratings
Getting firsthand information from an actual car owner is one sure way to get an idea of car performance once it leaves the lot. Autobytel features real consumer reviews that give the unbiased experience of a car.
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2003 Infiniti G35
Great car, but some quality, refinement and dealer
Pros: Car still looks great, mostly reliable, great engine/transmission synergy, good power, decent fuel economy
Cons: Some refinement, poor OEM brakes, questionable radio reliability (battery draw), early poor experience with dealer (new dealer resolved this issue)
I have the G35 Sport with all options (Nav, Bose, leather). Garnet fire with black interior. Specifically chose the 1st gen (for the external trunk release.) At 75K miles now. From the driver's point of view, the car is great. From the passenger's point of view, the ride is very stiff--you'll feel everything on the road. No doubt this is from the sport suspension. Engine and transmission mate together very well--very seamless. I felt the steering isn't as linear--heavier than it should be. Most people have already mentioned about the cheap interior--the 'plastic' aluminum center console, etc. But it all held up very well over the past 8 years. Some vinyl came loose from the doors--glued them back, and nobody would know. Dash door (where the navigation DVD goes) is a bit warped from summers in the sun, but the leather still looks great. There's also a few refinement issues. Leave a door open with the interior lights on, and the auto-shut off kicks in so the battery doesn't die. But if you accidentally press the key fob to open the trunk, it is barely noticeable open, and leave the trunk light on enough, the battery will die. Some navigation warning messages (say if the fuel is low) is poorly translated in English--an obvious afterthought. There are sharp edges on the bottom of the driver and passenger seat--my wife's dress has gotten caught on it (the leather doesn't quite tuck neatly along the bottom of the seats). A/C fan can also be very loud at its highest setting. The paint is somewhat fragile, but using clay and bi-annual waxing has restored the finish. The headlights turn yellow quickly from UV, but using headlight polish restores them to new--if done early enough. The car's worst issue is the OEM brakes. Never got more than 15K miles on the pads--even with freeway driving. And the brake dust was terrible! The rears wear out much worse than the fronts (due to the traction, anti-slip, ABS, controls. After the free replacements ran out I chose aftermarket--Powerslot rotors and Hawk pads. Night and day difference. Wheels are mostly clean from brake dust for weeks, and after 30K miles on the aftermarket pads/rotors, I'm still at 80% brake life on the pads. Car has been mostly reliable, but in 2008 I had the worst electrical problem--couldn't figure it out for most of the year. Car would not restart after 3 days of non-use. Didn't notice the slight electrical drain, as the car was mostly driven every day. Replaced the battery--and replaced it again under warranty. Kept blaming the battery. Truly frustrating as we had no idea why the car won't start after 3 days. The drain was so little that only another dealer's more sophisticated equipment found out the draw was from the radio! A capacitor on the motherboard on the radio would short, causing the open circuit and draw. Would have loved to ashcan the radio with a newer radio (and get at least CD-RW readability or iPod integration), but I would have to mutilate the clean dash, plus the radio is tied too closely to navigation and HVAC controls. So I chose the OEM replacement option. The swapout on the motherboard isnt cheap. Ah the dealer. Several bad dealer service experiences (and the radio incident) were enough to make me want to sell the car. But after I switched from the Stevens Creek dealer to the one in East San Jose (withholding names of dealers), it was a world of difference. Restored my faith with Infiniti--this was the way it should have been. Service pricing is fairly reasonable (just learn to say no to extras).- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? Yes
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 5 years
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2005 Infiniti G35
Great car for the $
Pros: The engine
Cons: the rear seating
I bought this car used in 2009 for around 17K with 47,000 miles and man it has been a blast to drive. The car runs perfectly and when I did a 60 K service last week I only had to change the serpentine belts. This vehicle is manual with the sports tuned suspension that sticks! For the price of a new Fit you get the performance of BMW. Excellent deal.- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? Yes
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 2 years
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2007 Infiniti G35
My G35
Pros: The engine
Cons: the color
Love the car. Great value for the money. Quick and handles well. Going on 3 years and no problems whatsoever. My only regret is not getting a different color.- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? Yes
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 2 years
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2007 Infiniti G35
A weonderful ride.
Pros: Power ,handling ,and sound system.
Cons: gas mileage
In the past I have always owned BMWs ,but when I began shopping for a new car in Jan. 2007 I compared the g35 with the BMW 335i.With a price difference of about $8000.00 I decided to for a g35s with a six speed manual. I can take four cruises with the 8 grand difference. The car is everything I hoped for. It has plenty of power, excellent handling,room in the back seat and a decent sized trunk. The only minor complaint I have is the less than stellar mpg. However, when you realize you have 306 HP at your disposal you should not complain too loudly. We liked it so well that when it came time to replace my wife's Lexus GS 400 she chose an Infiniti 2008 EX 35. This was after she test drove assorted BMW and Lexus models. She loves her car. In addition to the fine driving experience the service at the dealer has been superb.In short if you are in the market for a new auto priced right go buy an Infiniti. Tell them George sent you.- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? Yes
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 4 years
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2003 Infiniti G35
Good car but expensive to service at dealer
Pros: Performance, lots of features, good price compared to German competitors
Cons: Maintenance costs
I bought this car new and still own it. At the time, it had a lot of bang for the buck: great performance, fully featured (power seats, nav, CD-changer, rear A/C, etc.), especially compared to the cars I cross-shopped (Lexus IS, BMW 3/5 series, Audi A4). Over time, however, it has proven expensive to maintain. It seems like every routine visit to the dealer costs $1000-1500. Over the 7+ years I've owned the car, that has really added up. Probably cheaper than its German counterparts, but certainly not in Toyota/Honda territory either. BTW, Infiniti used to give loaner cars when you got service, but now those have to be scheduled well in advance (2-3 weeks). Since you don't know when your car is going to break, that's not always easy. So, I like the car, but not the expense.- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? No
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 5 years
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2005 Infiniti G35
Best bang for the buck
Pros: performance and exhaust note.
Cons: hard plastic door pockets
I was first attracted to the G 35 Coupe by it's looks. After driving the 6 speed, I was sold. This car delivers all the acceleration you need ( with the traction control off), handles beautifully and stops on a dime. It is now closing on 5 yrs. old with 48k miles and has been 100% trouble free.- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? Yes
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 4 years
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2008 Infiniti G35
Nice combo: style, power and quality
Pros: The power
Cons: Gas filled on passinger side
Lots of features. Lots of quality and really gets up and goes without the BMW, Mercedes, Accura or Lexus price tag.- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? Yes
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 1 year