Please help! I have had some second thoughts about a TL 6 speed that I ordered, namely the Infiniti G35 Sedan. I have a good 2 weeks before I have to sign papers... does anyone have pluses or minuses to the 35 or TL that could help me out?

Thanks!!!!

 

If you don't care about RWD in bad weather, or if the interior of the G35 is even remotely "adequate" for you, go with the G35. Otherwise, TL would be the correct option. Similar 0-60, similar 1/4, and you sacrifice a little handling for a lot of nice interior.

 

mikejulie,

go test drive both vehicles. Not just a 10 minute test, but a good 30 minute test and do it on some curvy roads. I have had both RWD and FWD cars. They are very different in terms of feel. The TL handles great by all accounts but that doesn't mean it feels like a RWD car. To some, it doesn't matter. To others, they like RWD better. Go find out which camp you are in.

 

How big are you? How energetic a driver are you? Do you dive long enough trips for drumming noise to drive you nuts. If you are 5'10 or bigger, sit in a G35 for a while. The door presses on your shoulder. The door presses your left leg. The cowl presses your right leg. The fat guy you are taking to lunch is touching your right arm. If you are an enthusiastic driver, you have a choice on 180 on ramps, put the car into vsa throttle kill which will scare the hell out of you or turn it off and drift the tail sharply which will scare you worse. Finally, the noise and tire drumming are a pain in the ass. I've driven them both extensively, the TL was an easy choice. BTW, if the deal doesn't end up what I want, I will keep my 330i and wait until TL prices come down. The G35 is out of the question.

 

I had the same dilemma about a month ago. I know a guy at the infinity dealership so he could have worked me a sweet deal. I love the g35 coupe, but I need 4 doors. To me, the TL is waaaaay better than the g35 sedan. The interior is better, and frankly I think that the Infinity sedan is fugly. The rear end of that car looks a lot different than the more stylish coupe. I know a lot of people talk about the handling of the G35, but if you are like me and you want a car that is fast, looks good, and has cool stuff on it for a reasonable price, GET THE TL.

 

You know, I had the same question or choice to make about 3 months ago. I test drove the G35, ES330, BMW 330, BMW 530, A4, and A6 and finally the TL. I determined that the TL was the best choice and was the winner in terms of "bang for the buck"

Also, I've owned a 99 TL and generally had a very good owner's experience. Also, owned other Honda products and was very satisfied.

Would I change my mind today? I would have to answer YES.

Why u may ask. Well I have to say, I have had problems from day 1 with my 04 TL. Many may say that I probably was the unlucky one who may have received the lemon. This may be true, for there are numerous satisfied 04 TL customers.

That is not the reason (the problems that I have had that is) for changing my mind.

I've always said, you cannot judge a person's true character when everything is going well....a person's true character comes out when things are not going so well.

This holds true for corporations as well. When things are going well (or no problems) it is easy for corporations to satisfy your customers, but when things go array, that is when one expects the corporation to stand by their product.

Acura fails in my books in this respect. Most of the problems I've had, I've received the same response from Acura (have dealt with both the dealer and Acura Corporate office), which is "we've never heard of this issue?" or "u r the only one experiencing this" or "this is normal for your TL" They must all be reading from the same corporate scripts.

If you do decide on the TL, I would generally say u r a smart consumer, but just pray that u do not have a car that exhibits any serious problems, for Acura problem resolution department fails miserably from my experiences.

Before my recent experiences, I was a die hard Honda/Acura consumer, and I thought I would own nothing other than an Acura (couldn't imagine going with BMW, Lexus, or others for the money). Of course that was before I've encountered problems that is. I didn't realize how poor Acura's customer service was since I did not have major problems with my prior Honda/Acura cars I've owned.

One major suggestion to Acura would be: When I'm calling to express my concerns, please do not talk to me as if I am 8 years old. I am well educated and relatively intellegent person (as with most of Acura TL buyers or potential buyers).

 

As i have said many times to people on the G35 forums who ask what car they should get, if you are comparing a g35 sedan to the 04 TL i say get the 04 TL. To me, the G35 sedan is butt ugly. If you were deciding between the g35 coupe and the 04TL, I say get the g35 Coupe because its beautiful in every aspect. I don't think you would go wrong getting the 04 TL.

 

Being from St. Louis, MikeJulie, one might want to consider the inclement weather folks tend to get here in the Midwest. The G35 without the AWD version is RWD and the TL is FWD. This was one of the deciding factors...some folks might argue that I'm an idiot for wanting a FWD car when a RWD car handles much better; however, every single one of my cars have been FWD and had more torque steer than you can shake a stick at as they were all turbo charged so I could give to shakes less about torque steer or turning radius or any of that nonsense.

The fit & finish of the TL's interior also played heavily in my mind. That, coupled with the gorgeous lines of the exterior....I thought the G35 a bit bland along the door panels.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....choose whichever one suits your needs better in regards to the FWD/RWD and then let your eye do the rest.

 

Wow! Thanks everyone for the great responses!

I currently drive an '01 S60 T5 and one of the reasons we were looking for a new car was the backseat of the 60's are very cramped.. especially when you throw a carseat back there. The TL was quite a bit roomier yet still had that sportiness I was looking for. I've driven the 6 spd TL and it really wants to accelerate although I do think Ill miss my turbo.

Infiniti is having some good lease deals right now, whereas the Acura dealers in my area will not budge off sticker and a lease will run about $525 a month. So I checked out the Infiniti site and the first thing I thought was "what a friggen ugly interior" almost Yugo-esque in fuggliness lol. You are correct though, the Coupes interior is great, perhaps thats why they give you better pictures on-line for the coupe! Unfortunately the coupe is not an option Thanks for letting me know the sedan is also cramped.

I thought all G35's were AWD, a definate factor since we get snow a few months out of the year here. Looks like yet another $$$ option to the deceptively low base MSRP.

Well I guess I was basically looking for a validation of my decision to get the Acura... and you gave it to me. Thanks!

 

I agree with this.

 

MikeJulie - If you're looking for a non-navi 6MT, you should be able to get a discount ranging from $750 - $1,750 off of sticker. Here in the midwest, the norm seems to be $1,300 off of sticker.

If you would like more details in who I've been dealing with, feel free to PM me and I'll let you know what I know.

The G35 AWD version just came available in 2004, I believe; however, I would assume this would drive the cost of this car up more from the base RWD.

A partner here in my Firm has the G35 RWD and loves it to death; however, I'm leaning towards the TL as it's a bit more appealing to my eyes.

 

Me too. Just take a look at both stock steering wheels and look at the quality of the controls. Chiclet bumps on the G35 just stuck there where the TL has beautiful solid buttons surrounded with aluminum. Small point sure but that difference in quality can be seen by comparing vitually anything in both cars. I was absolutely sure I was buying a G35 two months ago, now I have a TL in my parking space.

 

I had a deposit on the G35 AWD (the RWD version is a dog in the snow per several folks and should not be on your list considering where you live) when the TL came out, so have looked at both extensively (though I never go to drive the AWD version). I don't see any point in discussing the merits of beauty of the two cars, since you can decide that for yourself. Cost is somewhat equivalent (at least in the same ballpark). What decided me on the TL?

1. Comfort. The TL is definetly wider. Head room and leg room, front and back, are similar (TL a little better for driver head room), but TL wins for width. I am not fat, but am 6'2, 220 lbs and I felt very tight in the G. Not unbearably, but quite a bit. There is no room between the door and your hips. The TL has the edge in technogadgets, especially in the NAV and voice control area. TL has better sound system. Bluetooth will be great if Verizon ever comes around. Many of the controls in the G35 are "backward" since they did not change much from the Japanese version (radio controls, for example - volume/on/off on right). Interior of the TL is definitely "classier".

But the one thing that absolutely firmed up my mind was the fact that the G35 seat controls on on the upper right seating surface. I did not notice in the test drive, but when I sat in my friends 1 year old G, the controller dug into my right thigh. I guess the seat had broken in and broken down a bit. On www.G35Driver.com, there are a couple of threads on this problem Some folks notice it, other's don't. There is a fix, but many say it made little difference. With the tightness of the interior, there is no way to avoid this problem if it affects you. I could not imagine any long drives in that car.

As for handling, I guess I'm not an enthusiest enough to feel a huge difference between the G and the TL under the conditions I drive in 90% of the time. I went for comfort.

 

I got $1,000 off a non-navi with protection package and few other items from Frank Leta. Hold your ground firm and they will come down. St. Louis Acura did not want to negotiate at all, but Leta was much more willing. I never moved off my offer and they came down to it before I walked out.

 

G35 have a lot of issues with their brakes. They just don't last. I have heard several cases of rotors+pads after one year.

 

This is what I was going to say.... The brakes on the G35 are VERY bad according to most people on thier forum. There are people who are getting new brake AND rotors after 5,000 miles. Very few last more than 15K. Infiniti is now offering an extended warranty on this, but do not know much about that.

I also agree with the problems of the seat controls and the 'feel' of the car. I got in one and decided not to even test drive as it felt very cramped even though the diminsions are not that much different from the TL. The TL just 'feels' a lot bigger.

For driving, I was doing things you should not do on the street with my test drive and the car did not show any problems IMO. I did feel torque steer, but not enough to worry about.

 

Dude, this is what u get for buying first year production car..
In a year or two, there gonna be 100 bulletins with similar problems and OFFICIAL recalls/Acura fixes.. You were first in line by the first delivery truck of new TLs probably.. OF COURSE, they never seen this problem before, of course they would think it is normal, until many many more people will buy their TLs and start complaining/or wont complain.....
To original poster:
G35 - more sporty
TL - better value, better in snow...

 

I have read a lot of this guy's posts, and I can't help but wonder if part of his problem in getting what he wants from Acura has to do with his approach and attitude when dealing with them. I'm not saying I'm a saint (on this website I've made some forceful opinionated statements that might rub some of you the wrong way), but as a consumer who has gotten what he wants from companies like Acura on many occasions, I can tell you that the old addage "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar" is applicable in most parts of life.

Acura has always done right by me, and is continuing to do right by me at this moment. My tire vibration issue is being dealt with as I write this, my seat memory problem will be fixed, and through the years I have developed relationships with my Acura dealer that have yielded excellent results and service every time I need them. An occasional $10 or $20 tip to the service advisor, or a couple of pizzas for the fellas in the service department go a long way. As does a letter of appreciation to the GM once in a while after you've been taken care of by the staff. These are relationships with real people who want the same things you want; respect and fairness.

Acura replaced my tranny on my '02 Type S within a week when it failed, and they extended the warranty on all '02s to 100,00 miles, they replaced my rotors and pads after my rotors warped for the second time (also on the Type S), and I always get a loaner car or a free rental car with upgrade when I need it.

So, I'm saying consider the source on this website, and ask yourself if there is actually a better overall value to be had than Honda/Acura. The G35 is very nice, but the TL wins hands down in terms of interior design, qaulity of materials, and ergonomics. I'm not a big Nissan fan, even though I've had three Z cars in my life, and I'm a bit intriqued by the M45. They just have some odd ideas about style and design.

Good luck and be happy.

 

I agree.... I have never understood that dang clock!! Get rid of it.

 

2005 M35/M45 (fuga) will be an amazing car!!!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by acuraddict
[B]

I have developed relationships with my Acura dealer that have yielded excellent results and service every time I need them. An occasional $10 or $20 tip to the service advisor, or a couple of pizzas for the fellas in the service department go a long way.
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After I've read this, I imagined u in a black suite, black shirt and red tie, hair sleeked back, with a nicely folded crisp $20 bill, palmed in your hand, while you ever so casually grab for the service advisors hand and slip him the whole $20....

This also reminded me of the time that a group of my friends and I were in NY, standing in a very long line to get into a club. One of my friends could no longer wait, so he started pulling out his wallet and grabbed a crisp $20 dollar bill and said "I'll slip the bouncer a 20 and he'll let us cut in the VIP line. I looked at him dumb founded and said, buddy that better be at least a benjamin, a $20 ain't going to do s*^t. Well he went up anyway, and needless to say the bouncer took the 20, but we didn't move an inch forward in line.

You must be living in 50's or something? Where "Customer Relationship Management" wasn't quite defined and this tactic may have been needed. This is 2003 where companies live and die by how well they keep their customers happy. I shouldn't feel the need to pay extra in order to get personlized/good service. I've already paid for this level of service when I bought the car.

And man, I will be suprised if an upscale car dealer such as Acura does not have a policy against service reps taking tips???

I mean, I understand if this was Hyundai.

 

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/Web...e.0@.ef219e5/0

Might want to check this out. It'll be less biased than this site. Of course if you ask this question at a TL site, most people are going to recommend the TL. Not that there's anything wrong w/ that, it's just the way it is with all manufacturer specific car forums