2005 Infiniti G35x 30,000 mile review

Before you commit yourself to reading this review, I just want to warn you that it is not a very detailed or technical review. If you want more info there are plenty of good reviews around. These are really just my rambling thoughts after having the car for 2.5 years. If that’s what you’re looking for then you’re in the right place! On to the review…

Well, the G35 broke 30,000 the other day, although it doesn’t really feel like it. I’ve had it for about 2 and a half years now and it still gets me going. Overall, I’d have to say that it’s been one of the best cars I’ve ever owned. Good enough that my beloved ’93 Mazda RX-7 R1 is feeling pretty neglected.

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THE CAR

The 2005 G35x is a 4 door sports sedan, powered by a 3.5 liter V6 with 280hp and 270 ft/lbs of torque. The car is all wheel drive, but is usually in rear drive mode. I personally have never owned a front wheel drive car, but have rented many and they just don’t feel right to me. My previous daily driver was a 2003 Dodge Dakota that had a 4.7 liter V8 and was rear wheel drive. When I was shopping for something a little more “family ready” I had my eye on the Acura TL, but the fact that it was front wheel drive, with no option for all wheel drive pretty much nixed it for me. So G35x it was, and there have been no regrets, even after getting a 2007 model for a loaner once. It’s an automatic also… some people ask me why I didn’t get a 6-speed. I don’t think that they’ve ever had to drive in D.C. traffic before. I drove the RX-7 for a few months going from Maryland to Virginia during rush hour and I promised myself that I would NEVER do that again! Besides that, the 6-speed is rear wheel drive only and I was looking for a good winter car.

PERFORMANCE

I have nothing but good things to say about the performance of this car. 0-60 times range in the mid 6 second range which is pretty respectable for a car this size and weight. Acceleration is quick, smooth and to the point. It doesn’t quite have the giggle factor that the RX-7 has when it’s second turbo spools up, but then again the RX-7 has nowhere near the torque that the G35 has and I have to say, lots of torque is darned fun. There is also a valve in the muffler that opens wider the more you get in the throttle, the nice growl that’s produced by the V6 adds a lot to the experience, not quite like an old-school V-8 with a barely streetable cam, but still fun. The only downside is that I’ve become a little spoiled; when I travel and get stuck with a so-so rental I have to tone down my driving quite a bit. Some of the maneuvers that have become second nature in the G35 are simply impossible in normal sedans, especially the domestic jobbies that you usually find in the majority of rental fleets.

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HANDLING

Handling is as good as the performance, maybe a little stiffer than was you might expect of cars in this class, but not to the point where it is uncomfortable. Handling at 30,000 miles is still as it was when new. It inspires a lot of confidence, sometime a little too much. As I mentioned before, whenever I drive cars that aren’t up to the same capability as the G35 I find find myself having to pull back quite a bit. Not comparable to the RX-7, but close enough for government work. One thing that takes a little getting used to is when slippage is detected and power gets sent to the front wheels when driving in slick conditions, the car may feel like it’s pushing straight ahead and then the front is pulling you back into your turn. Even though it feels a little strange, I’m glad it’s there as it’s saved my butt on more than one occasion.

FIT AND FINISH

The G35 is put together well, I have no major complaints. The materials used are not the finest available, but are not cheap. The best description is that the materials match the price of the vehicle. Infiniti redesigned the interior and tweaked the exterior for the 2005 models. I loved the previous models, but there was a little too much plastic for my tastes. The aluminum trim simply looks great, wood trim was an option, but didn’t quite fit the car’s spirit in my opinion. The only complaint that I have is that the car has developed a few interior rattles that show themselves when the bass from the stereo gets to a certain level.

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MAINTENANCE

Prior to the 30,000 mile service, I didn’t have to do anything but the normal service intervals every 3,750 miles. I’ve done all of my service at local Infiniti dealers and while there’s a slight price premium, I felt like I got my money’s worth in terms of great customer service. I used to perform all maintenance myself, but living in a townhouse with no garage and a cranky Home Owners Association doesn’t quite lend itself to that. One expense that I would consider out of the ordinary was front rotor and pad replacement at 30,000. Pads I could understand, but rotors? I took a look at them and they were toast, I have a feeling that my driving style might be a bit too aggressive, the car makes me do it… really.

BELLS AND WHISTLES

I got the car fully loaded, Navigation, Bose stereo, etc.. The stereo is great, nice deep bass, good spatial imaging and nice crisp highs. It has a 6 CD in-dash changer that also plays MP3 discs which is kind of nice of you want a solid run of your own music with no interruptions on a long trip. I also opted for Sirius Satellite radio, which is also great for those long trips and has great programming (better than XM if you ask me). The nav system is hit and miss, I hate the fact that you have to input everything with a joystick, but love the 3-d, bird’s eye view it gives you. The routes it calculates are pretty good, as well as the voice directions, but the interface for doing things like saving addresses and other management features could use a decent amount of work. Probably my favorite feature though, heated seats, are a new thing for me and worth every penny in my opinion. Nothing like a warm bum on a cold day.

CONCLUSION

Overall I am extremely satisfied with this car and plan on keeping it for a good while longer. With the slightly redesigned models out I’m sure that used 2005-2006 models are available for pretty good prices. Don’t expect them to be dirt cheap, as these cars seem to hold their resale value well, but you’ll also be getting a good, fun car for your money.
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LINKS

http://www.infinitihelp.com/Infiniti/Models/2005/G35%20Sedan/Description.htm

http://www.internetautoguide.com/car-specifications/09-int/2005/infiniti/g35/index.html

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