2007 Infiniti G35S: Perseverance Pays Off

And no seatbelt on! :-)

congrats, but where's the video?

That tach looks just like the one in the Honda Civic.

Aren't upshifts the tricky part?

Looks like the gauges in my Fit, too.

carlisimo, I have yet to make a smooth upshift in this car and I suspect I'm not alone. This car's clutch must be taking a pounding.

This, to me, is one of the most important parts of the Edmunds long-term test fleet: real-world observations that would kill an ownership experience.
 
Which is why I grind my teeth when I see cars with a sporty-bent being ordered with an automatic instead of an available manual. If Edmunds does a full test on an automatic, and it shifts well, it's not going to change during the life of the vehicle. But cars like this are the other side....my wife and I may have ordered a G35 6-speed except for this long-term test. Edmunds literally saved us from unhappiness :)
 
Instead, we intend to order a 2008 Subaru Legacy GT...with current incentives, we'll save about $6-7k and get a fold-down rear seat and AWD to boot :)
 
On another note: How could Infiniti release this car with this shifter/clutch? Especially when competing with BMW?
 
I would love to see Edmunds take the clutch out of this car at test-end and take a look at it. Maybe it'll be fine...maybe it has a torque rating 200% of what the car produces and is just impossible to shift...maybe Infiniti put a racing-clutch in there...
 
This certainly isn't going to help those of us who want to see more manual cars on the road...
 
Joe

Buy a G35 = Frustration to Infinity

Way to go, Joe! The LGT is for your wife more than it is for you, right? Remember, happy wife -> happy life!

Hi Suby,
 
If it was for me, it would've been a 335i sedan 6-speed :)
 
The wife likes the LGT, she picked it out of all the choices out there (I mean, we test drove/looked at EVERYTHING that offers a modicum of refinement and performance).
 
So now we're narrowing down. Tonight, I'm going to discuss with her whether or not a '07 Spec.B. w/ 10k miles on it or a '08 LGT 5-speed (brand new) is the best bet. Both can be had for, lets say, 27k.
 
Joe
 
P.s. If it's the LGT 5-speed, my wife has already asked for a Cobb STS to be installed. I think she'll also agree to some sway bars.... :)
 
A car enthusiast wife -> a happy life

"On another note: How could Infiniti release this car with this shifter/clutch? Especially when competing with BMW?"
 
I've read it has to do with packaging constraints with the platform. The G has had a wonky clutch since the day it was released in '02.

Didn't Infiniti change the shifter and clutch for the '08 model?

"I've read it has to do with packaging constraints with the platform. The G has had a wonky clutch since the day it was released in '02."
 
I just have a hard time believing that especially since other Nissan/Infinti products have the same characteristic. As I said in another thread, Nissan and Infiniti need a large dose of REFINEMENT period!