Chelflicker

Hey folks -- been very excited about getting a TL (in large part due to this forum), but today I test-drove an Infiniti G35x (I live in MA, where AWD can be very handy), and I really liked it.

I still haven't driven a TL, but I'm curious if any here considered the G35x, and why you ultimately went with a TL.

Thanks!

KrgTL04

Well, I don't have a TL either...yet.

But we're in the process of shopping, and have looked at the TL and G35.

The main reason we decided against the G35 was because my mom likes the TL's styling better...and since the car will be hers, that ended it right there. But, I also thought the interior of the G35 was cheaper and not nearly as "cushy" as the TL's.

jjsC5

I"ll save all the TL owners the trouble of responding...

The G35 is ugly.

The interior looks cheap.

It's not an Acura.

(these being the responses on this forum - not mine)

This gets covered about every three weeks on this forum. I have a G35 (RWD) and really like it. I also think the TL is a very nice car. I think it all comes down to personal preference. In your case, you should weigh the benefit of the AWD.

Good luck!

GaleForce

Yes, actually, I was 50/50 torn between the two, and went with the TL for a few reasons;

1) I am 17 years old, I am not going to be racing my car. The G35 provides .1 second faster on a quarter mile and .1 second faster 0-60. The TL is faster 0-100 and ties 0-30. Either way, those tests were done on the G35 RWD, and I am almost 100% sure that the G35x is slower, so I guess this whole point was just stupid because the TL is faster than the G35x. The TL actually gets better slalom time and other times than the G35x. If you are looking at the G35 coupe though, I am sure it would be faster. But people looking at the Coupe aren't going to be interested in a FWD Luxury Sedan like the TL for the most part.

2) The G35x interior is absolutely the sorriest excuse for an entry level luxury sport sedan I have ever seen. Look at the TL interior; real aluminum trim, high quality plastics, high quality trim around pieces, the blue lighting, etc. The whole inside of the TL has a constant theme to it that makes the car a real pleasure. The G35x on the other hand is some weird color piece of low-quality plastic, and it lines the interior throughout. Infiniti REALLY cut costs in the interior, and it can be shown. No accent lighting, no real aluminum, plastic everything, and a simple center console that isn't beautiful in its simplicity, its just a piece of garbage.

3) TL was more roomy IMO. Seats were more comfortable and there was more room in the front and back. The G35x is very narrow, and it didn't appeal to me.

4) The TL comes LOADED with standard features, and even more with Navi. Heck, that 8 inch navi touch screen that can be programmed when you are moving is a big enough feature to buy the car for. The G35x navi is small, it is not touch screen, and hell if you could do anything on it while you are moving. TL has everything, from the navi, to handsfreelink, to DVD-A and a SICK sound system, to even unecissary but very refining features like 3D Solar Sensing that make the TL truely stand out fromj the G35x.


Honestly, the only reason I was holding back on the TL was the FWD vs the AWD, but I doubt that will be much of a problem for me. The magazines all bowed down to the G35 Coupe and RWD, and they even loved the AWD, but what do they test for? Motor Trend and Car & Driver testers are all professional drivers. What does that mean? It means all they really care about is how fast the car is, how well it handles, how comfortable it is, and other performance specs. They really don't factor into their rating how "nice" that car is, although they definitely give the car a nod if it is nice.

Look at Consumer Guide and Consumer Reports. The 2004 Acura TL got car of the year for 2004 in them, and it gets better rating than the G35. Why? Because people who buy the cars, for the most part, aren't racing. Interior styling and features and the like is just as important as how fast the car goes to them. If style and features and interior, etc were factored into the car mag's ratings, the TL would win because the G35 would get a beat down. The car magazines aren't there to help you buy a car best suited for you, they are there to push the cars to their limits and see which one is the fastest.

neuronbob

Oh, God, not another TL vs. G35 thread! (Runs hysterically out of forum)



Seriously, Chelflicker, welcome to the forum, and feel free to drink the free Acura Kool-Aid that will cause you to buy a TL like we did. The TL's interior and features are hands down better than the G35. The G35's part time AWD trumps the TL's FWD in the winter but adds weight and robs power.

Let us know what you think after you drive the TL and we can be much more helpful.

caball88

the g35 is a nice car, i love the coupe but the rwd will kill me in the snow. i choose the TL over the G35 because of fwd. but comparing the G35x and the TL i prefer the stylin of the TL over the G35x and the features that the TL offers such as dvd-a, bluetooth hands free phone support and voice navigation won me over.

PetesTL

All very good responses. One more thing: the G35, although a fabulous car, has a design that's several years old and looks "dated" compared to the fresh '04 TL. And as a result, they're more heavily discounted so you could get a pretty good deal on one right now. But there's no getting around the fact that the interior of a car plays a HUGE factor right now in people's purchasing decisions.....since you spend 99% of your time with your car behind the wheel, you better like what you see and feel inside.

kelly408

i understand that the g35's are also sold to rental car companies. if this is actually true, then it definitely reduces the resale value of the car dramatically. so far acura has said they will never sell to rental agencies. that is one reason why they have one of the best resale values in the industry.

GaleForce

Yes, that is true. Before heading to Florida a few weeks ago for a cruise, back when I was considering the G35x, I remember reading on Fresh Alloy or something that Infiniti sold a bunch to Hertz. Made me want to rent one for the one day we would be there before the ship left :p

Chelflicker

After I posted this thread, I did a search on the forum and saw that apparently this topic has come up once or twice

I read through those threads, and it was helpful, but it's also been great to hear more specifically from people who had considered the G35x.

So for those of you who have posted replies, thank you! They have been very helpful!

And yes, I do need to drive the TL...to be honest, I have had experience driving Acuras (all Legends) for almost the last twenty years, and I have always loved them, and after browsing this forum for the last four months -- I told my wife I already knew what my dream car was! But I decided to be a bit more thorough in my search before I committed to the TL, and I thought driving the G35x was a very nice experience...although apparently I'm a bit less picky about interiors than some people (for example, the only part of the G35x I considered ultra-tacky was the timepiece clock -- what a remarkably out-of-place and incovenient choice -- but maybe once I see the TL, I'll understand what everyone is talking about)

Thanks again!

dsc888

As a fellow neighbor of yours here in Boston, I would like to tell you that I was in your position not too long ago. My girlfriend has a 2003 G35 which I have driven on end and I honestly steered clear of it when it came time to purchase mainly because I fell in love with the TL's interior on first site. The TL is more of a "comfortable" car than a "performance" car. The G35 has more money spent on its drivetrain where as Acura balanced a bit more on amenities that count more to me in the long run. I too also considered the G35x but realized that the increased weight, worse fuel economy, and cheaper looking interior would bother me ultimately. In all fairness, the G35 will have a redesigned interior for 2005 due to all the complaints.

My mind was made after I test drove the TL back in March. The TL rode better, had more interior room, had less sensitive brakes with better pedal feel and modulation, and had FWD which I find to be more than sufficient for Boston winters. My GF is constantly complaining that she gets awful fuel economy despite a decent amount of highway miles. People are getting upwards of 28-30 mpg here. Good luck either way. Go for a test drive and decide for yourself.

Good deals can be had on the TL regardless of what some folks are experiencing here. Local dealers in the NE here are willing to deal even on units with the Navi. I've mentioned ad nauseum here that I did extremely well at Acura of Boston in Brighton ($2K off MSRP). I special ordered mine and it is being manufactured this week for mid May delivery. I have no regrets. Take care and let us all know how you decide.

6mtV6

I was considering the G35x also but the design really steered me away. I really like Nissan's AWD system. It is one of the best in the world.
I got the TL instead because I liked the design more and the features.
If Honda is smart they will come out with a AWD TL. Infiniti, BMW, Audi, MB all have AWD options on their vehicles. Honda has to introduce a AWD TL if they want more buyers. I'm sure a lot of people shopping for a AWD luxury sedan will consider Acura as a choice too if they offer it.

Donte99TL

Just go look and drive both cars back to back. In your mind you find a true winner in which car will make you happy.

I would tell you what I like about my car over the G35. But what I find as good you might find as bad. It truly comes down to you and your own feeling for the cars.

Rcat

I went with the TL for a few reasons,1 is safety the TL out performs the G35,The other is I'm bigger than 5'9",I found the G35 a bit tight.As far as cornering goes the TL does fine,I did like the way the G35 drove and stopped,In fact I had found a "new"03 that was loadded for alot cheaper than a TL(31,500 out the door)But I just dont fit in that car.. You cant go wrong with eather,I test drove every car out their in this price range and it came down to 3 cars..well maybe 4 but whose counting,In fact 2 of the 4 were american cars but in the end I thought that the TL was the car that fit the best,no matter what you pick I'm sure you'll be happy with it.

SilverBulletCLS

The G35 might have cheaper looking interior, but its not falling apart like the TL. lol

SilverBulletCLS

Dated?! omg your dumb. Obviously the still winning reviews do not say that. lol

SilverBulletCLS

Yawn, the resale value is the highest of any car on the G35. Rental fleets DO NOT make it loose value. Just means they got a better deal on them from Nissan.

Pug

FWIW, I've never had a problem with my TL in NJ snow this winter. So long as the plows are out, (and the car isn't wearing HPTs), you'll get along just fine.

Ken7

I can certainly confirm that Hertz has them in their fleet since I drove one 2 weeks ago while on a business trip in Inidiannapolis (they charged only a $10 premium). It's a nice car but I wasn't impressed with the interior or the ride. I also found it somewhat noisy for a car of this class.

dougpt10

Nicely put. My feelings exactly.

KeithL

I owned a I30 and I35 and drove a few G35s and I really hated leaving Infiniti, more so now with my slew of minor TL issues, but the G35 interior is awful (IMO) and could not bring myself to settle on that Pontiac Orange instrument cluster and ugle dash/console! Also for some reason I could never find comfortable seating positions. Performance and handling on the G35 were great, it is more nimble and corners better than the TL, but the TL is more luxurious. Contrary to what some may say I feel the Infiniti build quality is much better than the TL.

PetesTL

....Yes dated, you ignoramous....the engine and driveline is still great but the sheetmetal is several years old and doesn't look as "fresh and exciting" as the new TL.....no contest. (BTW, If you love the G35 so much, why in the hell are you in this board wasting our time and talking about it that us TL owners could give a rats A$$ about?)........If I see another G35 vs. thread.... :rocketwho

KeithL

so TRUE!

PetesTL

....I've had absolutely no problems with my TL interior....build quality is superb. (And yes, the G35 has it's own share of problems....go to any car forum like Edmunds and you'll see a boat-load).

SilverBulletCLS

It's only 1.5 years old. lol give me a break. And its no where near dated. Just say you hate it, and think its ugly like the rest of the folks. Wow, the TL will age quickly, and seems alot of people do not like the styling of it either.

Because I have been here for years, owned Acuras and a CL-S. That is why.

SilverBulletCLS

Not near as many as the TL does. My G35 has 6k of miles, not a single problem. Interior is tight, no rattles, no roof falling, etc.

Jss1

What problems? I don't have any either.

jrogers345

When I first read last fall that G35 was coming out with AWD, it peaked my interest... til I heard it was only coming in automatic. I definitely wanted my next car to have manual trans.

KrgTL04

I'm finding that hard to swallow...I think the TL feels better put together than any of the Infinitis.

And about that dated comment...Yeah, the G35 IS dated...it was never really great looking from the beginning, so even though it's only 1.5 years old, it's in desperate need of a freshening.

dcarlinf1

The G35 might be only 1.5 years old, but the styling looks 5-7 years old (excluding the coupe). It is not a very modern looking car especially when it's sitting next to an 04TL. I like the coupe a lot but the sedan does absolutely nothing for me. I think it's a boring design. It comes down to style vs RWD. Style wins IMO.

Later

Brock_Landers

Ok I think I can make a few statements here. I have a G35 with 50,000 miles on it already. If you think the G35 looks dated you are pretty much an idiot since 1.5 years old does not make for a dated car. If you think that it will lose value because Hertz has them you have no clue how resale value works.

Now are there rattles in the G35? Yes tons of them.

Does the G35 look better than a TL? Not in a million years. TL is best looking car under 40K IMO.

If you feel tight in a G35 then you willl feel even tighter in a TL. There is more interior room in a G35

Is the interior better in a TL? By a long shot.

Is the engine better in a G35? Yes. The engine has been at the top for the last 5 years.

Is the G35 noisy compared to the TL? Damn right it is. G35 is definitely not a quiet car.

Which navigation system is better? TL by so much its not even funny. Infiiniti has the worst Navigation systems period except for Mercedes.

Is RWD better than FWD for performance? Yes

IS FWD better than RWD for daily commutes and day to day driving? Yes.

If performance is all you care about then get a G35. It does outperform a TL (by a small amount) but you pay a price with other problems. If you want great performance with a little more luxury in mind get a TL. It has a better interior and better features.

jdone

I plan to wait until October to decide and compare the '05 TL to an '05 G35x. If Nissan offers awd on the coupe-decision over for me.

PG2G

I don't think the sedan looks dated, I just think it's ugly. The coupe is pretty dman beautiful though.

eaRL

Yes they are. I rode in a G35 from a rental company yesterday. Totally devalues the car. Nissan/Infiniti owners can thank the dude from Renault for their shrinking resale values. Granted he saved Nissan from extinction and he did make Nissan better but he is also damaging the brand recognition in the process.

VTEC=happiness

I thinki you meant to say you're (you are) dumb..moron...J/K

6mtV6

Selling cars to rental fleets do make the car loose value. A few people were complaining on freshalloy about the G35 being sold to Hertz, Enterprise or any other rental companies.
I like both the G35 and the TL. I chose the TL because it just had better design. If the G35 had a nicer design and nicer interior I would definitely get the G35.
Nissan has to wake up and see that the Infiniti brand means luxury. In Japan the G35 is badged as a Nissan Skyline 350GT and the interior will do because it's a Nissan. In the US it's an Infiniti and the interior has to be "nice" not "ok". Nissan is giving the G35 a nicer interior soon and if that interior is nice I might even consider getting the G35x.

jedmonds

You are probably better off going to a BMW or Lexus board asking the same question. Just say you do not want a Lexus or BMW you are deciding on a G35x or a Acura TL. I think you may get a better unbiased opinion.

SilverBulletCLS

Wow, jealousy. LOL!!!

Lots of Infinitis blow the TL interior away...

M35,M45,Q45,I35.

SilverBulletCLS

Nah we can thank him for one of the best resale values. G35 is the best rated resale value car! Hmm guess the interior isn't that shitty at all. BTW, I drove a 03 loaner car and to me it had a shitty interior. Got back in my 04, and the interior was 100x better.

GaleForce

The G35 outperforms the TL by such a small amount that it shouldn't even matter. It is a .1 second difference on the RWD G35, and the G35x is actually slower. The interior of the G35 is bland, boring, and simply put, ugly. And the G35 is MUCH narrower than the TL, don't even get me started. I don't care how much leg room there is, I am quite comfortable in BOTH cars. The only thing I disliked in either, as far as room was concerned, was how narrow the G35 was.