It's hard to complain about warm weather on a weekend, but I'll give it a shot. Got in the G35 after it was sitting in the sun for most of the day and I was instantly reminded why most stick shifts aren't trimmed in metal. Yes, it was hot. Not quite leave a mark hot, but hot enough to make me throw it into third and hope for no stoplights...
Obviously the designers knew this might happen, but they went ahead and added the trim anyway. I’m all for adding a little flash to the interior, but this is one instance where it might have been a good thing if the bean counters had come out on top.
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Inside Line
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Inside Line
mrnewsguy says:
05:58 AM, 06/12/07
Reminds me of the good old days climbing into my parents' Cutlass Supreme wagon on a summer day and trying to buckle into the back seat without actually touching the buckle. Nothing like having "GM" seared into your palm in reverse.
stingray454 says:
07:19 AM, 06/12/07
Yeah, I still have a double H 6-speed pattern branded into my right palm from my 2003 G35 Coupe 6MT, which also had the aluminum trim on the top of the shift knob. Looked great. Functional? Not even close.
kratas101 says:
08:46 AM, 06/12/07
Yup my family had an Olds Omega and an 89 Cutlass Ciera when I was a kid. Always tried to use my shirt or something to put that stupid buckle in.
ayao says:
09:31 AM, 06/12/07
I replaced the stock shift knob on my WRX with an aluminum Momo one because it felt better. However, after a day of Sacramento summer sun beating down on it, I am vividly reminded of Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
SubyTrojan says:
09:46 AM, 06/12/07
ayao, I probably have the same knob in my 2004 WRX Sedan (see link below). You just have to shift it like it's hot! In other words, you have to shift quickly. :o) Shifting with a light grip on the knob helps as well here in sunny Southern California.
https://www.subarugenuineparts.com/images/MOMO5MT.jpg
dragonzsoul says:
11:35 AM, 06/12/07
think that shift knob is bad? look at the Si's knob. stingray454, i have that same pattern burned into my palm. it's a cool tattoo though lol
trackwrex says:
03:04 PM, 06/12/07
and people ask me why i keep my sparco gloves in my glove compartment... THIS is why...
jriz says:
03:53 PM, 06/12/07
In my opinion, the absolute worst is the Honda/Acura shifter found in the TSX, S2000 and Civic Si. That thing has a real metal top to it. The first time I drove the TSX, it was sitting at a dealer lot in Phoenix. I put my hand on it and yowser, at least a 0.5 degree burn. If I tended to leave my TSX out in the sun, I'd have to keep a glove in the car to maintain the skin on my palm.
drewsrx says:
07:13 PM, 06/12/07
There have been 11 blog posts thus far on your long-term 2007 G35 and most of them have been complaints. I am guessing you all pretty much hate this car by now:
To sum things up:
Metal trim on shift knob gets too hot in the sun
Steering feel not as good as 3-Series
Interior of G35 and G37 do not feel identical
Flawed tilt/telescopic steering wheel design
Auto window up problem
Altima-esque styling
Groaning and stiff clutch pedal and too stiff ride
Rubbery shifter and narrow seats
Not quite Lexus Mark Levinson stereo
Only a single CD player up front
Real time traffic problems
No axillary audio input jack
Back to the drawing board Infiniti.
heidis says:
09:15 PM, 06/12/07
Toss a plastic or paper party cup over it on hot days so it's not in the direct sun all day. Well, maybe not a wax coated paper cup anyway =).
jriz says:
08:49 AM, 06/13/07
Wow, with the exception of the wonky clutch, we seem like a bunch of whiners. The G35 isn't bad by any means, but when you look at all our niggling complaints, sheesh. To be fair, several of those are just subjective observations (I happen to like to the tilting gauges and don't think the car looks like an Altima), one is just an observation and saying it's not quite up to 3 Series standards is like saying Mandy Moore's not quite up to Jessica Alba standards. True perhaps, but not exactly damning.
-JR