cmt1

OK.. I've had the G for two whole days... Here's my initial comparison. These are MY opinons & observations YMMV.

First the TL's good stuff.

Door locks - the G does not auto lock when you start driving (or if it does it requires more manual reading than I have done so far) advantage TL.

Gauges / Lighting - No doubt about it the TL's blue gauges were cooler, the G's guages / intramentation is nicely presentated, but the orange is kind of "80's ish". Kind of reminds when The Police, Madonna, Genesis, and Bon Jovi ruled the radio airwaves . Advantage TL

Now the G.

Seats / Interior - Gotta give this to the G. The fit, finish and seats (you actually believe that at some point in time the G's seats were walking around and mooing) seem much better. The TL seats have been belabored to death here so we won't belabor anymore. Additionlly, I find the G seats have better seat and side bolsters although the lumbar support is manual not power. Advantage G

Performance, not a fair comparison. The TL is FWD and mine was a 5 A/T. My G is RWD 6 M/T 298hp sedan. To say I'm happy with the performance is an understatement. I give the G the advantage but acknowledge it's not a fair comparison.

Ride, also not a fair comparison yet. The TL was A-Specd and had a CT RSB. I miss the tightness. The G has factory "sport suspension" 18"s and rides great, but the steering is not a "tight". The first mod will be hotchkis swaybar kit. At that point the comparision should be more even. For now even, TL was tighter, but the RWD really helps the G.

Audio, strickly a matter of opinion. Some of the G guys HATE the bose, some say it's fine. It's louder for sure, plays MP3's on CD's and has better bass (though an aftermarket sub is a common mod). It's not surround, and may not have quite the imaging. Personally I think I perfer the G, but the is definetly a "stuffing or potatoes" issue.

Some additional notes: TL has more "user customizeable" features, MID Settings, computer, has larger storage bins, possably a bigger trunk. G seems a little better put together, has more tourqe (again 6 sp helps), more power, nicer wheels and tires, and is more comfortable to me. The G also has a dipstick with about 5 bends and twists making it a challenge to "insert the dipstick in the hole". Also, on a sidenote my wife and I were treated much better by Infiniti than Acura (attempted to buy a 6 M/T TL), despite the fact that I was an Acura owner.

In short either is a great car, and both should probaly be driven before buying either one.

Chris

shodog

Good comparison and a couple of things to note.

The G doesn't have an auto lock feaature on the doors. Some people like it but I had it on my SHO and it caused a fight one time with my wife. She thought I locked her out on purpose.

On thing you give up with the 6MT is entry and exit assist where the steering pod and seat move back when you shut the car off.

The steering feels lighter on the G because those wheels don't have to double for steering and powering the car.

mickey3c

Yeah I would say it is a fair comparison since I have both cars. I hate auto lock and well I do not care to fiddle with the MID settings. And this was a comparison with an A spec which I do not have. I was amazed at the oil dip stick on the G... so many bends lol.

The dash colors I am amazed at as well since they can offer a feature much like ford has to offer, where you choose your own. But I bought the car to drive not to gaze at the dash all day. Turn the intensity down.

The G does have more more lower end torque where you want to have more.

crm_codder

Just self-proof that he get right car. It is understandable; I do the same when I am getting new TV or camera.
My self opinion G35 sedan - SUCK!!!
Performance turning to 3.5L engine eating more gas. RWD turning to the scary rides when roads are slippery or icy. 80% of car drivers is normal people not kids with 20 inch chrome rims!!!
The rest is ugly car with questionable quality build and very small inside. Also I saw this car after accident with slight back impact - SUCK!!!

I would better compare TL with Toyota Avalon for example... This is real competitor.

dgracer

I know I'll get flamed for this but what about road/wind noise at freeway speeds?

shodog

What is self proof? Are you talking about justification? I don’t think he is justifying anything, I think he is just so happy with his new G that he wants to rub it in your face.

Your right but I can’t understand why the automotive press doesn’t agree because they keep rating it better than the TL in every comparison. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t suck as bad as the TL?

Your right again, all that extra gas just blowing through the cylinders creating that useless 40 extra HP over the TL.

Not sure what your analogy is here but a FWD car is not the magical cure all in slippery icy conditions. I have seen many FWD cars end up in the ditch. Nothing can compare to a skilled driver with a good set of snow tires in slippery and icy conditions

Looks are subjective so I won’t touch that. As for build quality, sorry your comment just doesn’t hold water. I have never read on the G35 list where their headliners were falling or their leather was paper thin or that the dash plastic fades or that you need special mole skin so your tint doesn’t scratch. JD Power rates Infiniti much higher than Acura in Initial quality. In fact they even rate Lincoln and Hyundai better than Acura also.

I have seen quite a few banged up TL’s on this list and they didn’t fare any better. All cars made today are designed to crumple in an accident. I would trade a banged up car any day to receiving physical injury in an accident. If you don’t want a car that crumples then sell your TL and buy a 1974 Ford LTD.

Maybe in type of car but Acura could only dream of reaching Toyota’s quality of design and build. Really Toyota is the benchmark in the industry that many car manufacturers strive for.

SebringSilver

Toyota has nothing over Honda. They're two different companies with different marketing objectives. The only reason Lexus trumps Acura in terms of quality is because Honda and Toyota are going after different segments of the market, and Toyota is willing to take the risk of pricing its Lexus products higher in return for a marginally better product. That price difference determines everything, and it applies to cars as well as to watches, to electronics, to clothing, and everything else we buy. These comparisons are just so pointless.

cmt1

Hi.. thought you might want some replies...

Shodog... That's reason enough for me to want the locks..jk

Mickey... I to am amazed at the dipstick. Perhaps the Jap engineer who designed this had little to no experiance of "sticking the dipstick in the hole".

Crm_codder... As far as the 3.5 goes it does appear to be a little more thirsty, can't really tell cuase I've only put 200 miles on the car. As for the RWD, this is what I wanted (RWD & 6 M/T), however I live in phoenix (grew up in Jersey though LONG LIVE BRUCE !!!), no one really knows the last time snow or slippery conditions prevailed in the valley. As far as the asthetics, I like it my wife loves it. I must admit that it does not have the agressive stance of the TL. As far as the quality goes (and I am not trying to start an argument here) both cars seem to rate very well. My TL rattled excessively (d*mn thing made more noise on a cold morning than a hollywood ho on a Saturday night). I can't count the number times they tried to fix it. I can say that most times they were sucessful but the rattle would eventuly return or another one would pop up. I had memory seats that suffered from memory loss, and a recall on the tranny. Many people including myself feel this is not acceptable from ANY 30,000 car. I'm leaning to Nissan on the build issue as of now, with hopes that it is as reliable as my 92 Maxima SE and my 95 Altima SE.

I will update these issues from time to time. I gotta give the point on the 20" chrome, I'm not a kid anymore and I see alot of them driving the G (especially the coupe). My primary motivation was dollars, cents, value & overall driving pleasure.

Dgracer... Not completly sure.. it seems quieter to me. especially with the sunroof open. Lit it up on the way home yesterday with the roof open and it was acceptable to about 80. Once I shut the roof it was wisper quiet to 100 (did not want to push it any harder.

Must go, I'm heading out to buy the parts to build a new PC.

Take Care..

EZZ

Toyota is the most powerful, richest auto company in the world. I'm a fan of Honda and Nissan but even I admit to Toyota's dominance. Toyota is by far the biggest auto company in Japan...twice as big as Honda or Nissan (almost half the total auto sales in Japan). In a year or two, Toyota will be the BIGGEST auto company in the world eclipsing GM. In a strict business sense, Toyota dominates all in the industry.

SebringSilver

Agreed. Toyota is an automotive behemoth and its size is unquestioned. I'm referring only to those arguments that continue to pit specific Acura models to specific Lexus models. Those arguments are flawed. But now that you've brought up the point about corporate dominance within the automotive industry, it's interesting to note that Honda remains just about the only large-scale independent mainstream automaker while countless others have succumbed to the Toyotas, GMs, and Volkswagens of the world.

mickey3c

My G is not as good on the gas as my TL but it is not far off either. The suck comments are funny. I have driven RWD and FWD and tires make all the difference. The G is a better balanced car than the TL... Overall I am happy with my purchases and from what I have seen since they both have about 17,000 miles on them, the G has required fewer trips to the dealer.

The useless 40 extra hp comment is funny as hell since if the acura had that extra useless power, people would be touting that aspect over the G. The VQ engine is better than the 3.2. I am not saying the 3.2 is a bad engine, but the VQ is not on the 10 best list for 11 years running for nothing.

I did drive the ES330 and was shocked that the extra torque (at a lower RPM too) it had over the TL was not felt at all. It was a well made car though. I almost bought one but thought that was giving into old age. But I knew that it would last and less likely to make frequent trips to the dealer.

Both models are getting older and need to address the lastest offerings from lexus (IS)... As you all know the BMW and IS were rated over the g and TL.. yeah I know they cost more ... but.. its not always about the price. If you got the cake go out and get the M...

03TL-S

Im sorry, but your comments are just dumb. You think the avalon and TL are a better comparison? Thats already saying that the TL is a big step below the G35. Infiniti has better build quality than acura period.

crm_codder

What is self proof?

Exactly what I mean ... Proof of good purchase to him since who cares about.


Maybe it’s because it doesn’t suck as bad as the TL?


First car I was trying before TL is G35 sedan. This car is SUCK!!! I have a lot of friends complaining a lot on this car in any aspects.


Your right again, all that extra gas just blowing through the cylinders creating that useless 40 extra HP over the TL.


Well some people driving Prius with 80HP and saving money staying near to you in heavy traffic and doesn't care much about HP. Everything is relative in this world.


Not sure what your analogy is here but a FWD car is not the magical cure all in slippery icy conditions.

O really!!! FWD is much safer then RWD this is known as 2+2=4.


I have seen quite a few banged up TL’s on this list and they didn’t fare any better. All cars made today are designed to crumple in an accident.


You should search this forum better and see TL's saving lives to the people.

Really Toyota is the benchmark in the industry that many car manufacturers strive for.

I was talking about Avalon. And you crappy Nissan/G35 could kiss ass of this car as well as any Lexus around.

crm_codder

Are you are Nissan fan what are you doing here?
I would say I never saw worse quality of sedans then Nissan Altima. Same complains about Quest for example and new Armada suv as well. All of them I had before or one of my family members does.
A little bit thirsty this is not what we are looking for too!!! Plus we don't need different looking cars having same 3.5 engines for any models including Infinity's.

crm_codder

Moron, I was talking about new Avalon. Pretty nice sedan with 270 real HP's and perfect people responses about quality.
G35 sedan - boring 3 years old Nissan made crap. Coupe possibly better car, but not sedan.

crm_codder

Same automotive behemoth as Nissan. Toyota making overall best luxury cars with name Lexus as you know. I am not saying that Avalon better then TL, but I think time to talk about this car but not about G35 sedan model.
We could see this car for more then 3 years on the roads around (as well as any other boring Nissan brothers with the same 3.5 engine)

mickey3c

man calm down...LOL all bothered.. If you own an acura long enough maybe you will see all the issues... All TLs come with a 3.2 so why does it bother you that there are lots of 3.5s out there. JD power rates acura as 13th...

relax and have a few its new years...

Ka0tik

well your acting like a kid......

great choice of vocabulary for a 40 year old

Ka0tik

ok, now for a real question:

what are the average problems with g35 coupe's?
(ie: the tl has average problems such as rattles, dash ware)

and what are the aspects that are disliked about the g35 coupe?
(ie: on the tl, its annoying to open the trunk because you have to go into the car and open the trunk instead of just walking to the trunk and opening it)

trancemission

^^^ Im willing to bet that if you so a search, you will see that this horse has been beatin to death.

Champcar1

Thank you.

Ka0tik

i am very lazy dont you see

03TL-S

How about you learn some proper english before you start arguing? Wow, a 40 year old who acts like a 5 year old. You're obviously biased towards acura so there is no point in arguing with you. You may think infiniti is crap, but obviously, most of the world doesnt agree with you. Before making yourself seem more like an idiot, you should look up the facts for who has better reliability, customer service and build quality. Try looking outside of your box for a second

NoRespect

I have an 04 TL with some of the issues that have been described in excrutiating detail on this site. Do I love my TL? Yup! Now if I were to go out and buy a car today, would I go look at the g35, IS250/350 ? Absolutely. I might just get a g35 when I make the decision to get a new car. I am not wedded to any manufacturer, Honda, Acura, Infiniti, Toyota, and Lexus. There are trade-offs that must be considered to each. Price, performance, features, quality all get weighed. You make your choice and take your chances. Comparisons of the features and measurable performance differences can be valuable to people considering a new car. "This car sucks" doesn't help, or make someone an expert, and is getting very old.

If there is one thing that does get tiresome here is that slaming somebody else's car to make you feel good just shows that you are insecure about your purchase of "fill in the the blank". I really don't care if the car being slamed is.

trancemission

Lets try to keep the arguing down to a minimum here........if thats even possible.

NoRespect has made a good point. You make your choice and you take your chances.


Personally, I hate these threads. They always turn into these back and forth debates that go on for pages. Eventually they turn into this.

We can compare these cars till the end of time. These types of threads always derail simply because somebody gets to emotional and starts going off on Acura build quality or Lexus whatever and before you know it the insults start flying. If you guys cant play nice then we will just have to start locking every single comparison thread the pops up...


and for everything thats sacred and holy, stop correcting grammer and spelling!!!!!. you're not being graded on your posts....

cmt1

Wow, if I knew what a pail this thread would open I might not have posted it. It seems that everyone except 1 individual seems open minded about the automotive industry. If CRM_Codder doesn't understand the benefit of 40 hp, he shuold state so in the perfomance forum. Tell the guys who buy the cat-backs, CAI's pulleys, etc that they don't need or should not want any more power. Attitionally he might want to address the posts about the hubbub when acura had to lower the TL's hp rating from 270 to 258. It seems many made a fuss over the hp restating. Personally I did not have much interest in the Avlon, it did not seem as sporty as the TL or G, and I do not know if it come with a manual. I've had Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans, Fords and VW's, my Nissans were some of the most problem free auto I've owned. I'm NOT saying thier better, I am saying mine were problem free.

I did not set out to determine which car is better, at best that the job of Car & Driver, and thier opinion only matter if there's no shortage of toilet paper. Mine was to highlight some of the differences (GOOD & BAD) that I have noticed in the week since I had my G.

Stolen from an earlier post I had decided to replace my 04 A/T with a M/T. The dealer (Bell Acura in north Phoenix) where I had bought the 04 had a 6M/T in WDP. I discussed the situtation with the sales manager (Mack) and he said we were about 6k difference, so I decided to look. When I got there he comes back with 9500, then 9K and finally lowers this to 8k. So, I state that any deal would be subject to them swapping the A-Spec suspension from my 04 to the 05. He says he'll look into it, and says 1200 more. I explained that this is 3-4 hours of work and there charging me 400.00 per hour of shop time, and he says he'll look in to it some more. I should add that all this time this guy acts like he couldn't care less if I was a prevoius customer and that he's doing me a favor by talking to me. Well this is great (and you may be wondering why). Down the road the Infiniti dealer "fully understands the meaning of YEAR-END CLEARANCE", and thanks to Mack's unwilling to deal and treatment of a previous customer, I am now the owner of a G35 6M/T sedan w/ the premium, sport and areo package 298hp 18" wheels, BOSE audio, RWD. Infinititi got this "out the door - all fees etc, w/ LEX clear bra, and put 1k cash in my pocket (I'd like some HP Summer Tires) for the TL (which was paid off) and 9K financed @ 1.9%. My gain, Acura's loss.

The reason the G is in my garage has a lot to with the deals Infiniti was making last week. Both are good cars, Acura wanted top dollar for for their 6sp, Infiniti was willing to deal and give me more for the TL.

Happy New Years

NoRespect

cmt1: I understand completely. After I purchased the TL I wrote a long letter to Ford about my experience with their dealership here in Houston and why they weren't getting my business. They actually called me and I had a long conversation with some nice woman in Dearborn MI. The jist was that they (ford) had no control over the dealership and that outright fraud was being done with their name. It was my position that Ford needed to become more involved with how the customer was being dealt with and "correct" the problem dealerships.

My experience with the Acura dealership has actually been excellent. With the problems that I have had with my car they have worked with me and corrected the issues. I can't complain. I have heard good things about the infiniti dealership as well from people at work as well. We have an even split between TLs and G35s at work (a bunch of engineers).

I hope you enjoy your new car and after you have a few miles on it let us know how you feel about it. hmmm... maybe not a good idea, someone will take umbridge for sure.

Ka0tik

i test drove an 06 g35 coupe today, just to make sure i wasnt missing out on anything

i felt that the car was better than the tl in these aspects: faster (duh), more solid feeling, smaller turning radius, nicer key

i felt that the car was worse than the tl in these aspects: less space, worse steering wheel, less organized interior arrangement, the interior of the g35 felt "cheap", and had horrible sound

psteng19

A very good comparison.

I too agree the leather in the G35 was nicer than the TL's. That plus the roominess of the G35 made it feel more luxurious and a tier above the TL.
The reclining rear seats, although they only recline a few degrees, was totally pimp

However, the dash is not as nice as the TL's.
It's not as high tech and modern looking as the TL's, and the wood trim was already peeling on the floor model.
Also, if you browse the G35 forums, you'll see there's quality and rattle issues, just like ANY other car out there.

Overall, I'd have to give the edge to the G35

F23A4

The VQ35DE is about the best attribute of Nissan's product line. Having the VQ as the engine for the every V6 model makes total sense particularly when it's appeared on Ward's Top Ten each year of its existence. And it looks like Toyota is taking that same cue by applying the GR-FE motors to every V6 model they carry (or will carry), with the RAV4, 07 Camry V6, Avalon and IS now incorporating this motor and the GS350 soon after.

That said, Honda's J-series makes an appearance in each Honda V6 application (exc. NSX).

With regard to the Quest's quality, you're quick to point out its quality issues but you've omitted that fact that: a) it was the 04 model (1st model year) that had its share of problems (same deal with the QX56/Armada) and b) it was rated as the most improved vehicle for 2005:

The most improved model in 2005 was the Nissan Quest with an impressive 104 PP100 improvement.

^^^ Shows that Nissan is S E R I O U S in addressing quality concerns.

F23A4, a fellow Somerset resident.

ttliang

having the same V6 for all product lines make sense. ezier to maintain + cost reduction etc. from manuf. stand point. i think Nissan did a good job by applying power to the rear wheels on G35 with available G35x version (and i don't like that car at all due to some reasons). altima V6 and maxima tq steering is just lil too much IMO. i think toyota with G and IS rwd will benifit from better power new V6 line as well with available AWD. i still dig Honda and BMW's engines with bigger HP w/ smaller displacement with better gas mileages. Honda's still the king in that department i think. that shows their engineering to me.

F23A4

Gas mileage-wise, most mag comparisons show that the TL has about a 1 mpg avg advantage over the G35 during road tests covering several hundred miles. (read: negligible advantage) IMHO, debating gas mileage between the both is pretty moot.

ttliang

yeah definitely not a debate. just an observation. few $$$ is all we are talking about anyway. i am sure owners who like their cars don't care that much. i can tell u my real life comparisons were more than just 1mpg. it's like 3~4 / fill-up. but i really don't want to start a "debate" on this pretty moot point.

mickey3c

My g gets 2 mpg less than the acura.

As for more HP/liter the acura 3.5 was on wards 10 best last year for the 300 ponies for a 3.5 liter engine. One reason it was using an 11:1 compression ratio compared to the VQ's 10.3:1 which was 2 ponies shy of that, but was there for how refined it was. The 3.5 rl engine is not there for 06.

Having a single engine platform allows some economies of scale. Just like acura using an global platform for the accord and TL. The sharing of parts makes good sense.

Acura has never been big on torque, where the VQ has been. However, the 3.5 acura has about 256 ftlbs which is not bad and at 290 ponies under the new rating system. Toyota does not put out quite as much.

Power delivery is important though and I agree with people that a few ponies you will not notice too much. But a 10% or more hp and torque difference is usually felt... Today an ECU can make all the difference...

enjoy...

F23A4

That said, it'd be nice to see how the TL would perform with that 3.5L under the hood.

picus

Interesting thread. Good to see it's remained fairly civil. The only thing I want to add is that the interior size on the TL and G35 sedan are almost identical, except the G35 has slightly more head and leg room while the TL has more shoulder and hip room, but the difference in each are literally fractions of an inch. The G35 does have a slightly larger trunk.

Not sure where the misconception that the G35 has a smaller interior and less trunk space came from.

Only other thing I will add is that they're both excellent cars and seem to suit individual needs a little differently, which is why each has so many owners/fans.

Cheers.

TCMS

My two opinions:

1.) The Bose sucks, period. That doesnt mean I believe the TL's audio is a godsend, but the fact is Bose in the G is absolute garbage.
2.) The seats in the G are uncomfortable so much that they are the main reason I did not buy one. 15 minutes and Im in pain, doesnt matter if it's the sedan or the coupe, they both are uncomfortable beyond belief.

TCMS

You're right it's not a debate when real world numbers show the G much lower.

Frankly it doesnt matter either way in my mind, but the numbers in reality are not what the mags are suggesting.

ttliang

in my earlier post, i did not elaborate on "some reasons (why i hate G)" your 2 listed here were on the list. i got a few more but we are talking about individual preferences + practical reasons now. for example, G sedan is very ugly and coupe don't fit my golf clubs etc..one could care less.

mkaresh

I'm thinking even more torque steer

A few other responses:

I think people perceive the G35 as more cramped because it's cabin is narrower. I don't have the specs in front of me, but this was certainly my perception.

Someone mentioned that tires make the biggest difference on slick roads. I recently bought winter tires for the first time, some Michelin PA2s, and the difference they make over all-seasons is amazing.

One thing no one has pointed out about the G35 is that the coupe gets front seats that, to me at least, feel more comfortable as well as being better bolstered. IMHO the coupe's seats should at least be part of the Sport Package with the sedan.

I'm working on much better reliability data. I currently have 52 TL owners in the panel, 26 of them 2005s. If you're among them, thanks. I eventually want a sample size of at least 200 per model/model year, but this was enough to get started.

Just 10 2005 G35s so far, so I haven't started collecting data on that car yet.