Well 'SPINners, you were with me through thick and thin, provided me lots of good advice and friendly banter, and otherwise got me to the finish line. Good on ya.
Lakeshore slate blue w/black interior (hard combo to find) w/premium package (moon roof, keyless entry/ignition, upgraded audio). 19,800 miles. took a bit of time but got a decent deal worked out tonight and pulled the trigger.
Obviously a step up from the Accord but not quite as much as you'd think; the Accord can definitely hold its head high especially concerning engine NVH - the VQ ain't got nothing on the Honda J-series. Surprisingly though the G37 has a better ride. The AWD + stability system is a wonder. Wet road performance is phenomenal. Shenanigans that'd have the Accord spinning away through the first two gears sees the G37 just squat, grip and go.
At home:
(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/8163/g37x.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/827/g37x.png/)
Dealer pic:
(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/6905/g37xdealer.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/g37xdealer.png/)
Congrats! Cool color.
your mom's car, no doubt
looks like a taxi
Congrats. The Infiniti G seems like it'd be the right car for you. It should be no surprise that ride+handling are leagues ahead of the Accord's. If I had to be completely honest, the 1st-gen G was probably better sorted in those regards than the 1st-gen CTS.
Congrats, excellent car!
Fuck.
Congrats. The only thing I don't like about those is the stupidly cheap looking silver trim on the interior.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on March 14, 2012, 11:49:27 PM
your mom's car, no doubt
looks like a taxi
LOL
Cougs- congrats! AWD is DA SHIZNIT! Now you can INFINITI people out of the corners.. Love the color and those rims.
Congrats! Do you have any interior photos?
INFINITI WORLD TAKEOVER!
It has begun. In the year 2025 all Carspinners will be driving Infinitis, including me! Probably a G18d!
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 12:50:00 AM
Fuck.
Hahahahahahahahaha
I am fucking SHOCKED. Congrats on the purchase and more importantly for not making the most practical choice. I think you will really enjoy this.
Sweet ride
Nice jerb, Cougs. We finally can't banter about your unthusiasm :lol:
Quote from: ifcar on March 15, 2012, 07:12:27 AM
Congrats! Do you have any interior photos?
I don't yet and the dealer has already removed the car from its site. Black with silver trim.
Sexy!
Manual or automatic?
It's not the choice that I would have made, but it's a handsome car in a nice, non-standard color. It should serve you well for a long time. Congratulations!
The VQ may not be the smoothest engine out there, but it does make a great sound. Enjoy it, man.
Quote from: sportyaccordy on March 15, 2012, 07:50:12 AM
Hahahahahahahahaha
I am fucking SHOCKED. Congrats on the purchase and more importantly for not making the most practical choice. I think you will really enjoy this.
Actually it's a very practical choice in total. I got it for $28.5k which is less a new moderately loaded Camcord V6 by $2-3k. It's got just a bit less room than a 7th gen Accord and otherwise fits 4 comfortably. There are no pricey maintenance items plus unlike the Accord the VQ doesn't have a timing belt. True it needs premium gas and has AWD but I'm getting 21-22 mpg so far which isn't too far off the Accord at 23 mpg.
IIRC the AWD version only came with an automatic.
Quote from: Raza on March 15, 2012, 08:39:39 AM
Manual or automatic?
It's not the choice that I would have made, but it's a handsome car in a nice, non-standard color. It should serve you well for a long time. Congratulations!
The VQ may not be the smoothest engine out there, but it does make a great sound. Enjoy it, man.
Thanks. It's the 7 sp slushie, which is the only tranny for the AWD G.
Congratulations, man. The G37's an awesome car.
Quote from: HotRodPilot on March 15, 2012, 08:06:14 AM
Nice jerb, Cougs. We finally can't banter about your unthusiasm :lol:
I'm serious when I say the Accord is not embarrassed by the G. Some of the finer details on the Accord are even a bit better engineered IMO. The Accord is a very 'enthusiastic' vehicle.
Nice ride!
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 09:09:47 AM
I'm serious when I say the Accord is not embarrassed by the G. Some of the finer details on the Accord are even a bit better engineered IMO. The Accord is a very 'enthusiastic' vehicle.
Lets not get carried away here.
I'm a fan. Good choice.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 08:59:20 AM
Thanks. It's the 7 sp slushie, which is the only tranny for the AWD G.
From what you and Craig were saying in the other thread, it's programmed pretty well, so it should still be good to drive.
What pushed you over to AWD instead of RWD? Does Seattle get a lot of snow? I always pictured it more as a rainy clime.
From what I recall, Cougs likes to go up into the mountains for winter activities, so AWD is preferred.
He's not wrong about the Accord. The steering's decent, handles pretty competently, and they are pretty quick. I know my mom's car will scoot pretty good. It also sounds quite nice.
This really is the perfect whip for Cougs, only thing that would make it better would be if it were a wagon
Still good choice though, so glad he didn't get that god damn Camry
Quote from: Raza on March 15, 2012, 09:36:22 AM
From what you and Craig were saying in the other thread, it's programmed pretty well, so it should still be good to drive.
What pushed you over to AWD instead of RWD? Does Seattle get a lot of snow? I always pictured it more as a rainy clime.
AWD has its advantages in the rain also
Well, now I can't get one. BMW 335i it is.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26986.msg1685736#msg1685736 date=1331825782
From what you and Craig were saying in the other thread, it's programmed pretty well, so it should still be good to drive.
Dude, go drive one. The auto has the best programming of any auto I have ever driven. It's like it knows exactly when you want to hold a gear and when you want to change it. It's brilliant.
Quote from: thecarnut on March 15, 2012, 09:24:03 AM
Lets not get carried away here.
love the infiniti, especially in that gorgeous blue! i agree, too, about the accord. such an easy car to love and live with. after owning 8 maxima's, the logical move would be an infiniti... will certainly look for updates to see how the "G" is running. sweet car!. AWD/4WD is a must for me and is not that much more expensive. a neighbor has a new infiniti FX and he loves it, as well as the service from infiniti. was hoping to see a new EX before buying a post-accident crossover. if not for wanting to be on stilts (lol!), the "G" from infiniti would be right up there with the audi A4.
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on March 15, 2012, 11:49:33 AM
AWD has its advantages in the rain also
Ehh......it's debatable whether or not it's worth the trade-off.
Seattle is fairly temperate but can get some snow, and a lot of the area immediately surrounding the city sees significant snowfall. There's a fricking glacier on Mt Ranier for Pete's sake.
Do you know where Seattle is?
Quote from: Tave on March 15, 2012, 12:10:38 PM
Seattle is fairly temperate but can get some snow, and a lot of the area immediately surrounding the city sees significant snowfall. There's a fricking glacier on Mt Ranier for Pete's sake.
Do you know where Seattle is?
AWD is not necessary, but it's nice to have.
I agree with Craig. While I love having it, there are some people for whom it's a turnoff. And no, it's not necessary. In the recent Snopocalypse there were plenty of vids showing 4wd cars sliding all over the place in the slick stuff too, so it's not a cure-all. Tires and driving skill will get you out of many scrapes.
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on March 15, 2012, 11:49:33 AM
AWD has its advantages in the rain also
~50% reason was mountain snow driving. I?m skiing once a week and the passes periodically have chains/AWD requirement and very often snow tires required. The Accord does okay with dedicated snows but it?s a far cry from AWD with dedicated snows. This season I?ve also had many a close call in ski area parking lots (in getting stuck). All in all there is relatively little penalty for AWD (cost, performance, MPG, reliability, etc.) so I figure why not?
The other ~50% is indeed wet weather performance. This area is wet 50-60% of the time and powerful 2WD cars easily lose traction. The Accord was easily bumping into traction control with moderate throttle; add a bit of slope or curve and loss of traction was pronounced. I can?t get any slip with full throttle launches on the G37x. Hit the throttle and it just grips and shoots. In the wet from a start or lower speeds the G37x is literally twice as quick as the Accord.
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 11:51:44 AM
Well, now I can't get one. BMW 335i it is.
Ha, ha. Glad to know I have such a profound effect on your real life.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 12:21:30 PM
~50% reason was mountain snow driving. I?m skiing once a week and the passes periodically have chains/AWD requirement and very often snow tires required. The Accord does okay with dedicated snows but it?s a far cry from AWD with dedicated snows. This season I?ve also had many a close call in ski area parking lots (in getting stuck). All in all there is relatively little penalty for AWD (cost, performance, MPG, reliability, etc.) so I figure why not?
The other ~50% is indeed wet weather performance. This area is wet 50-60% of the time and powerful 2WD cars easily lose traction. The Accord was easily bumping into traction control with moderate throttle; add a bit of slope or curve and loss of traction was pronounced. I can?t get any slip with full throttle launches on the G37x. Hit the throttle and it just grips and shoots. In the wet from a start or lower speeds the G37x is literally twice as quick as the Accord.
:hesaid: I agree with this.
Fuck.
Quote from: S204STi on March 15, 2012, 12:17:51 PM
I agree with Craig. While I love having it, there are some people for whom it's a turnoff. And no, it's not necessary. In the recent Snopocalypse there were plenty of vids showing 4wd cars sliding all over the place in the slick stuff too, so it's not a cure-all. Tires and driving skill will get you out of many scrapes.
I will buy RWD every time, but my wife wants nothing but AWD.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 12:26:09 PM
Ha, ha. Glad to know I have such a profound effect on your real life.
You don't really, I just think it's fun to play it up. Once I drove the BMW 3er, I was sold, so my decision was already made.
Quote from: Tave on March 15, 2012, 12:10:38 PM
Seattle is fairly temperate but can get some snow, and a lot of the area immediately surrounding the city sees significant snowfall. There's a fricking glacier on Mt Ranier for Pete's sake.
Do you know where Seattle is?
Washington.
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 12:28:28 PM
I will buy RWD every time, but my wife wants nothing but AWD.
i would love not having to worry about horrible NY weather, yet not that bad this year. RWD would open up far more options and allow me to save some money for things like the premium stereo and other non essentials.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26986.msg1685812#msg1685812 date=1331836219
Washington.
(http://picketreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/10140177-sell-your-seattle-house-now.jpg)
Here's the wheels I wanted - 18" upgrade (I have the standard 17" wheels, which look really really plain to me). They can be had from Infiniti for $400/per which is a bit expensive, plus they'd need new tires so I'd be looking at ~$2,400 to upgrade. Have been looking at eBay but probably wouldn't do that (and they're not a whole lot cheaper used).
(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1187/99115187.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/99115187.png/)
Th standard wheels are a bit plain, but they mean a better ride and cheaper tire costs.
Just get after market rims that look similar for much less. They're kinda similar to the wheels I have on my Focus and I paid $125 per wheel on Tire Rack.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c342/hemi666/IMG_2165.jpg)
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 12:29:30 PM
You don't really, I just think it's fun to play it up. Once I drove the BMW 3er, I was sold, so my decision was already made.
I am the way and the light.
Quote from: CJ on March 15, 2012, 01:12:50 PM
Th standard wheels are a bit plain, but they mean a better ride and cheaper tire costs.
Very true, and why I'm not too busted about it. The car already looks very good as is.
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 01:12:59 PM
Just get after market rims that look similar for much less. They're kinda similar to the wheels I have on my Focus and I paid $125 per wheel on Tire Rack.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c342/hemi666/IMG_2165.jpg)
I hate aftermarket rims, and would never ever buy 'em for any vehicle I'd ever own.
Would you consider rims off other Infiniti models?
I'm seeing OEM wheels on Ebay for much, much cheaper. $1000 a set for 18s. Tires prob another 600 or so.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 01:15:02 PM
Very true, and why I'm not too busted about it. The car already looks very good as is.
That it does. You picked out an excellent color.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 01:15:26 PM
I hate aftermarket rims, and would never ever buy 'em for any vehicle I'd ever own.
Why do you hate aftermarket rims? That seems very....silly.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 01:15:02 PM
Very true, and why I'm not too busted about it. The car already looks very good as is.
Bigger is rarely better, when it comes to wheel size.
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 01:36:37 PM
Why do you hate aftermarket rims? That seems very....silly.
:popcorn:
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 12:21:30 PM
~50% reason was mountain snow driving. I?m skiing once a week and the passes periodically have chains/AWD requirement and very often snow tires required. The Accord does okay with dedicated snows but it?s a far cry from AWD with dedicated snows. This season I?ve also had many a close call in ski area parking lots (in getting stuck). All in all there is relatively little penalty for AWD (cost, performance, MPG, reliability, etc.) so I figure why not?
The other ~50% is indeed wet weather performance. This area is wet 50-60% of the time and powerful 2WD cars easily lose traction. The Accord was easily bumping into traction control with moderate throttle; add a bit of slope or curve and loss of traction was pronounced. I can?t get any slip with full throttle launches on the G37x. Hit the throttle and it just grips and shoots. In the wet from a start or lower speeds the G37x is literally twice as quick as the Accord.
Nice car!
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 09:09:47 AM
I'm serious when I say the Accord is not embarrassed by the G. Some of the finer details on the Accord are even a bit better engineered IMO. The Accord is a very 'enthusiastic' vehicle.
So what's next after this?
AWD pwns anything. Unless you're trying to do burnouts or DRIFTAROO.
Almost done accessorizing. Luckily the ski racks fit. Got a lot of the settings and other stuff such as the iPod interface set. Have an appointment tomorrow to get the hitch receiver installed (for my bike rack).
Quote from: 68_427 on March 15, 2012, 01:22:39 PM
Would you consider rims off other Infiniti models?
Quote from: sportyaccordy on March 15, 2012, 01:23:30 PM
I'm seeing OEM wheels on Ebay for much, much cheaper. $1000 a set for 18s. Tires prob another 600 or so.
Quote from: S204STi on March 15, 2012, 01:37:13 PM
Bigger is rarely better, when it comes to wheel size.
Thought about it for a bit - I'll just stick with the current setup for now.
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 01:36:37 PM
Why do you hate aftermarket rims? That seems very....silly.
I'm not sure - I just have never like the look.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on March 15, 2012, 09:55:02 PM
AWD pwns anything. Unless you're trying to do burnouts or DRIFTAROO.
Driving around a bit more today and over my typical routes where the Accord would lose all sorts of traction the G just grips and shoots. I'd say it's more than twice as quick...
Stupid question time with - with keyless entry how does one do the hidden key thing? Obviously hiding the 2nd keyless fob on the car would simply leave the car unlocked at all times yet there are not key slots on any of the doors. I don't lock myself out a lot but I manage to do it once every few years it seems...
Can you take the battery out and put it in the same Hidden Key container? On second thought, that might erase the programming.
Uh, how does one lock themselves out if, by leaving the key near the car, the car is always unlocked? :hammerhead:
Quote from: SVT666 on March 15, 2012, 10:36:54 PM
Can you take the battery out and put it in the same Hidden Key container? On second thought, that might erase the programming.
There is no key on the fob (or keyhole on the doors). Only the keyless fob can unlock anything - so no battery = no work.
Quote from: Rupert on March 15, 2012, 10:42:25 PM
Uh, how does one lock themselves out if, by leaving the key near the car, the car is always unlocked? :hammerhead:
I see what you did there.
There's the scenario if the key fob discharges (it needs to be periodically charged in the car).
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 11:07:30 PM
There is no key on the fob (or keyhole on the doors). Only the keyless fob can unlock anything - so no battery = no work.
No kidding. You put the battery in the keybox with the fob and if you need it you put the battery back in. But like I said, the fob may lose it's programming.
I got it solved. There is actually a key in the fob (it's small, and in a hidden compartment, and there is indeed a keyhole on the driver's door). Put only the key in the magnetic hidden key thingy. Saved.
Congratulations, looks like a sweet car. Afty broke my G cherry a few months ago. Nice ride. :mrcool:
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 10:13:06 PM
I'm not sure - I just have never like the look.
I'm not sure if all aftermarket wheels have the same look, though; you can get ones that look very OE. Hell, BBS, for example, used to be the manufacturer of some Volkswagen wheels (like the Passat W8s), I'm pretty sure. And my current car's wheels ape that BBS style. So there's a good bit of variety in the aftermarket.
Congratulations, good choice. Late in the model cycle it should be nice & reliable; all the bugs have been sorted.
I'm wondering if one of these would work for me later this year. The 2013 redesign should be coming out, so I might get a deal on the outgoing 2011/12.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 11:59:32 PM
I got it solved. There is actually a key in the fob (it's small, and in a hidden compartment, and there is indeed a keyhole on the driver's door). Put only the key in the magnetic hidden key thingy. Saved.
Got the same thing on mine.
(http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/426801_885155808973_47203591_37392789_1916012777_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/418510_885155913763_47203591_37392790_1256560151_n.jpg)
With the new push start love by manufacturers, you see this a lot. They do a clever job hiding the key part. What I find cool on mine is that there is a release for the key so it always stays locked in unless I need it. The cool thing about keyless systems like our is that I actually tried to intentionally lock my keys in the car. When the fob is in the car, it CANNOT be locked by the door handle on the outside. I'm not sure if your Infiniti does the same thing, but it probably does.
PS: Great ride! Enjoy! Always liked the G.
If you unlock with a metal key, does it still deactivate the alarm??
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 10:15:02 PM
Driving around a bit more today and over my typical routes where the Accord would lose all sorts of traction the G just grips and shoots. I'd say it's more than twice as quick...
Yup- I would like to get an AWD minivan next time, I hate getting in the Sienna and punching it only to spin a tire around a corner (from a stop) or on wet or sandy roads..
You get so used to the AWD it's just 'normal'. I've never slipped a tire in the Subaru, even in the
Great Georgia Snowstorm of 2010. (We got 6 inches. First time in 20years.)
In this forum most of the people think that AWD/4WD neither improves handling, nor traction in bad weather condition .....
Congrats, nice car! Enjoy it. And nice color combo. A friend of mine has the same one, and he loves it.
I was kind of hoping that you would get the manual TL as it is a pretty unique car. But the G is pretty solid too. Hope it treats you well!
Quote from: AltinD on March 16, 2012, 06:26:23 AM
In this forum most of the people think that AWD/4WD neither improves handling, nor traction in bad weather condition .....
Not true. Even the most ardent 2WD'er argued nothing more than that the tradeoff wasn't worth it, not that traction didn't increase.
BTW, how many inches of snow did Dubai get last year, oh wise one?
Quote from: Xer0 on March 16, 2012, 09:03:19 AM
I was kind of hoping that you would get the manual TL as it is a pretty unique car. But the G is pretty solid too. Hope it treats you well!
Yeah, I think I could look past the fuglyness of the TL for that sweet AWD + 6 speed. Plus cougs loves the J series engine (I have to admit, it is a pretty sweet engine) and he'd get that too.
Quote from: Tave on March 16, 2012, 09:15:59 AM
BTW, how many inches of snow did Dubai get last year, oh wise one?
:lol:
Quote from: HotRodPilot on March 16, 2012, 08:12:22 AM
Next car!!
I held onto the Honda ~2 years too long. 5 years was enough. I'll be getting something else 4-5 years from now. No clue what that will be.
Quote from: Morris Minor on March 16, 2012, 04:20:30 AM
Congratulations, good choice. Late in the model cycle it should be nice & reliable; all the bugs have been sorted.
I'm wondering if one of these would work for me later this year. The 2013 redesign should be coming out, so I might get a deal on the outgoing 2011/12.
My research showed that much as the 2nd gen the couple will debut first (MY2013) with the sedan to follow (MY2014). Even so, there are lot of 'em in my area under 30k miles and under $30k. They're fantastic deals.
As to the TL, I thought about it but the styling just sucks too much. Plus, it's a much bigger car than the G sedan and I would have been waiting a while to find one.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 16, 2012, 01:51:18 PM
I held onto the Honda ~2 years too long. 5 years was enough. I'll be getting something else 4-5 years from now. No clue what that will be.
It'll most certainly be a Cadillac.
ATS4 3.6. No doubt.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 01:06:11 PM
Here's the wheels I wanted - 18" upgrade (I have the standard 17" wheels, which look really really plain to me). They can be had from Infiniti for $400/per which is a bit expensive, plus they'd need new tires so I'd be looking at ~$2,400 to upgrade. Have been looking at eBay but probably wouldn't do that (and they're not a whole lot cheaper used).
(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1187/99115187.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/99115187.png/)
Might be a little too out there for you, but I might hit that thing up with black rims that have chrome highlights. I could see it looking hot on a G.
Either way, awesome, awesome decision. I always really liked the G35/37 from the time it came out. Had I bought a car instead of my recent SUV, I would've either gotten another Passat, a 3er or a G. It was on my list until Hurricane Irene came and made me want ground clearance/towing. But I wouldn't mind a G coupe to play around in after the LR is paid off.
Quote from: sportyaccordy on March 15, 2012, 01:23:30 PM
I'm seeing OEM wheels on Ebay for much, much cheaper. $1000 a set for 18s. Tires prob another 600 or so.
And on eBay, you can usually find rims that already are wrapped with tires. If they're in good condition (or good enough to hold you for a while) you're killing two birds with one stone. Then you can unload your own to defray more of the cost.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on March 16, 2012, 05:55:33 AM
If you unlock with a metal key, does it still deactivate the alarm??
On the LR2 it will. However you can't actually start the engine with the key (there's no ignition slot where you can put it). It just lets you in the car. Plus you need the proper size key to pop off the door handle cover that conceals the key hole. It's pretty cool.
It's also pretty damn hard to lock yourself out of a car these days...
The rays rims from the G35/7 and 370Z would look incredible. But they're 19s.
Awesomely, ski roof racks from the Accord with just a bit of adjustment:
(http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9641/g37skirack.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/341/g37skirack.png/)
Had the receiver installed today - this chrome thingy bugged me to no end:
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9495/g37chrome.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/210/g37chrome.png/)
Got some rattle can on it and now it's all good:
(http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6440/g37black.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/g37black.png/)
Cougs, do you want me to add one of these to the "What We Drive" thread, or should I wait until you have a spiffier photo?
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 09:55:25 PM
Almost done accessorizing. Luckily the ski racks fit. Got a lot of the settings and other stuff such as the iPod interface set. Have an appointment tomorrow to get the hitch receiver installed (for my bike rack).
What brand of hitch receiver are you going with, and did you have any issues with the one on the Accord? I'm starting to think about one for my car, but am not crazy about how 1 1/4 receivers mount in unibody cars (don't really want to drill holes in the car). But I'm over roof racks. Hitch racks are just easier and I'll be able to use my sunroof again.
Love the car, too! That's definitely one of the better colors.
Some cars are hitch-ready. I literally just had to unhook the muffler, and put 6 bolts into pre-threaded holes for the hitch on the Sienna. Oh and put the muffler back on the hanger...
Quote from: ifcar on March 16, 2012, 05:42:28 PM
Cougs, do you want me to add one of these to the "What We Drive" thread, or should I wait until you have a spiffier photo?
It'll be a bit of time for a better photo, so do whatever easiest...
Quote from: GoCougs on March 16, 2012, 09:43:23 PM
It'll be a bit of time for a better photo, so do whatever easiest...
Easiest is to wait.
Quote from: ifcar on March 16, 2012, 05:42:28 PM
Cougs, do you want me to add one of these to the "What We Drive" thread, or should I wait until you have a spiffier photo?
Fuck you.
Quote from: The Pirate on March 16, 2012, 08:00:26 PM
What brand of hitch receiver are you going with, and did you have any issues with the one on the Accord? I'm starting to think about one for my car, but am not crazy about how 1 1/4 receivers mount in unibody cars (don't really want to drill holes in the car). But I'm over roof racks. Hitch racks are just easier and I'll be able to use my sunroof again.
Love the car, too! That's definitely one of the better colors.
I just went to a local hitch shop for them to install it. I don't have any idea what they used. This hitch mounts up between the hidden bumper and the rear bumper cover, and requires minor trimming of both the underside diffuser and rear bumper cover, and holes drilled in the rear bumper cover behind the license plate. I didn't want to deal with all that.
The Accord's receiver hitch took all of 15 minutes to install. It bolted into the trunk pan (I did have to drill holes) and into an already existing bracket behind the bumper. No trimming of anything.
Hitch racks are a bit of a PITA but I know for 100% certainty I'd clear off a bike if I had a bike roof rack. I'll only do skis on top.
Quote from: 93JC on March 16, 2012, 09:56:01 PM
:lol: :lol:
Have you seen that thread, lately? Virtually nobody drives any of the cars listed on there, anymore. I certainly don't. But as soon as StrawCougs breaks his Camcord integrity and gets some fancy Infintitetely, Ifcar is all up in his ass. :evildude:
:lol:
Yeah, I know.
Quote from: ifcar on March 16, 2012, 09:48:09 PM
Easiest is to wait.
Alrighty, I'll break out the Big Dog to get a good shot soon.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on March 16, 2012, 09:58:45 PM
Have you seen that thread, lately? Virtually nobody drives any of the cars listed on there, anymore. I certainly don't. But as soon as StrawCougs breaks his Camcord integrity and gets some fancy Infintitetely, Ifcar is all up in his ass. :evildude:
You're not too easy to keep up with, you know. But among the most active forum members, most of it is still current to the best of my knowledge. Feel free to post/pm anything that needs to be updated.
Quote from: ifcar on March 16, 2012, 10:04:08 PM
You're not too easy to keep up with, you know. But among the most active forum members, most of it is still current to the best of my knowledge. Feel free to post/pm anything that needs to be updated.
I'm not your editor. My vehicles are in my sig, and the associated threads have pictures. I don't care. :evildude:
I just went and looked at that thread. I haven't had the Freestyle in over 2 years. We have a 2007 Explorer now....oh and my name is SVT666. :lol:
I don't have an MG anymore, and my name is Rupert. I saw a bunch of cars in there that are gone, like Laconian's Miata, John's E-Type, Dan's Passat, etc.
I also don't know what happened to the picture of the 944, but at least it's listed.
perhaps I should provide an updated pic with mah rimz (and mah grillz), but that almost borders on conceit
Quote from: GoCougs on March 14, 2012, 11:44:21 PM
Well 'SPINners, you were with me through thick and thin, provided me lots of good advice and friendly banter, and otherwise got me to the finish line. Good on ya.
Lakeshore slate blue w/black interior (hard combo to find) w/premium package (moon roof, keyless entry/ignition, upgraded audio). 19,800 miles. took a bit of time but got a decent deal worked out tonight and pulled the trigger.
Obviously a step up from the Accord but not quite as much as you'd think; the Accord can definitely hold its head high especially concerning engine NVH - the VQ ain't got nothing on the Honda J-series. Surprisingly though the G37 has a better ride. The AWD + stability system is a wonder. Wet road performance is phenomenal. Shenanigans that'd have the Accord spinning away through the first two gears sees the G37 just squat, grip and go.
At home:
(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/8163/g37x.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/827/g37x.png/)
Dealer pic:
(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/6905/g37xdealer.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/g37xdealer.png/)
Dude, I really like it, and the color is great too. I wish you many, many miles of fun speeding in your new car... :devil:
I've been thinking about Infiniti for my new car. I'm glad you got this instead of another boring Honda. A badass driver like you needs a car with a little mischief in it.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 16, 2012, 05:40:44 PM
Awesomely, ski roof racks from the Accord with just a bit of adjustment:
(http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9641/g37skirack.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/341/g37skirack.png/)
Great shot of the vehicle Cougs.
As an aside, do you ever open your blinds? Or does that house belong to one of those old ladies who hasn't been outdoors in 20 years?
Quote from: GoCougs on March 16, 2012, 09:52:31 PM
Hitch racks are a bit of a PITA but I know for 100% certainty I'd clear off a bike if I had a bike roof rack. I'll only do skis on top.
Hitchracks
-a minor pain to takeoff, but leaving a roofrack on permanently is bad for paint
-better aerodynamically. how much? I dunno..
-less chance of forgetting and going through a parking garage and smashing the bike and car
-much easier to lift the bike on and off
Joe, do you have any pictures of the interior, especially with the control panels lit up? I think Infiniti has really cool interiors and instrument panels.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 16, 2012, 01:55:25 PM
As to the TL, I thought about it but the styling just sucks too much.
:lol:
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on March 17, 2012, 07:04:26 AM
Hitchracks
-a minor pain to takeoff, but leaving a roofrack on permanently is bad for paint
-better aerodynamically. how much? I dunno..
-less chance of forgetting and going through a parking garage and smashing the bike and car
-much easier to lift the bike on and off
Either way, Coug's aeros are maimed. The G37 has thoroughly aerodynamic underbottom, but not as much when you chop up the diffuser and put a hitch on it.
Quote from: Rupert on March 17, 2012, 01:28:09 AM
I don't have an MG anymore, and my name is Rupert. I saw a bunch of cars in there that are gone, like Laconian's Miata, John's E-Type, Dan's Passat, etc.
I also don't know what happened to the picture of the 944, but at least it's listed.
I don't drive a '98 Accord anymore, either and my screen name isn't even the same anymore.
Also, roof racks look pretty boss on your car, Cougs.
Thanks, guys. More pics by request...
For 'thecarnut' how's this for boss (had to make sure my bike rack fit):
(http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7529/g37racks.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/191/g37racks.png/)
For Dazzle a couple of interior shots (tried to get the floor mats clean but can't - bugs me to no end!):
(http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/2667/g37intfrong.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/g37intfrong.png/)
And back:
(http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/7978/g37intback.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/12/g37intback.png/)
Quote from: dazzleman on March 17, 2012, 04:46:35 AM
Great shot of the vehicle Cougs.
As an aside, do you ever open your blinds? Or does that house belong to one of those old ladies who hasn't been outdoors in 20 years?
Actually, yes, I typically do leave my blinds closed most of the times, ha, ha. As one can see the house is very near the street and though it gets very little traffic I feel like I'm in a fishbowl if the blinds are open.
So, after I bought the car Weds night I've been super busy including going skiing all day yesterday (didn't take the car, took a bus as it was a work trip thing). Today I was finally able to go through it fully. Not quite so enamored at the moment:
1.) There were at least a dozen small scuffs and scratches on the exterior. A light rubbing compound and they all came out save for one (and it mostly came out) luckily.
2.) The floor mats are dirty with the 'G37' logo a dingy white that won't come clean (see the above pic). On the drive side mat there looks to be burns or some such. Also, the rear floor mats are missing.
3.) The car had not been detailed. Though not filthy there was a lot of gunk in the crevices of the seats, scuff marks all over the place, and smears on the leather.
4.) Some kind of blue gunk had spilled in the trunk cover a good portion of the trunk mat (easy to replace) and part of the sides (NOT easy to replace). It even leaked down into the spare tire well (imageshack is down so no pics). It's quite a mess. The stains don't budge so stuff will have to be replaced to fix the issue.
5.) And the ginormous issue? THIS WAS A HERTZ RENTAL CAR. In pulling out the owners manual of the leather satchel out came the old registration showing Hertz as the previous owner, plus other Hertz stuff like stickers and the nav instructions. I was told it was purchased at an Infiniti auction and that it was "probably a manager's car." I've checked out in detail the undercarriage and wheels and see zero sign of abuse.
I just called their used car manager. He says bring it in and they'll fix the trunk issue no problem. He says the Hertz issue isn't bad as the car was still bought at an Infiniti auction as Hertz (and other rental companies) lease premium rentals (they get turned back to Infiniti when done). If it didn't pass the inspection Infiniti would not have sold it at auction to its dealers. Ugh. All in all other than the trunk issue and missing rear floor mats it's really not much of an issue. I'm just really anal on the condition of my cars but do have to realize this was indeed a used car.
Wow, they should've at least disclosed it was a rental before you bought it. Seems like a shady move to me.
Rental, eh. Many people have certainly beat the absolute living shit out of that car. At least it's broken in. :lol:
Quote from: thecarnut on March 18, 2012, 03:02:08 PM
Wow, they should've at least disclosed it was a rental before you bought it. Seems like a shady move to me.
Yeah, not happy. The sales manager said the fact they buy the cars at the Infiniti auction is enough to know the car is in tip-top shape with all maintenance records - they don't check where the car actually came from. If this is true I don't have a problem with it, however, I'm not sure how it passed such a rigorous inspection with the blue stains all over the trunk. But actually, with the trunk being black and the stains dark blue it's hard to see in anything other than direct sunlight. Meh, either way, what's done is done and there are no signs of abuse (also, I mostly think that it's a myth that rental cars are abused).
Quote from: GoCougs on March 18, 2012, 03:07:44 PM
Yeah, not happy. The sales manager said the fact they buy the cars at the Infiniti auction is enough to know the car is in tip-top shape with all maintenance records - they don't check where the car actually came from. If this is true I don't have a problem with it, however, I'm not sure how it passed such a rigorous inspection with the blue stains all over the trunk. Either way, what's done is done and there are no signs of abuse (also, I mostly think that it's a myth that rental cars are abused).
Maybe not all rentals are abused, as most people who rent cars aren't bone-headed lead foot people, but a quick search for rental car shenanigans on Youtube brings up some scary shit. :mask:
Then again, a G is a higher end rental car, so the people who rent those cars probably aren't the same as people who decide that off-roading in a rental Neon is a good idea.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 18, 2012, 03:12:54 PM
Yeah, not happy. The sales manager said the fact they buy the cars at the Infiniti auction is enough to know the car is in tip-top shape with all maintenance records - they don't check where the car actually came from. If this is true I don't have a problem with it, however, I'm not sure how it passed such a rigorous inspection with the blue stains all over the trunk. But actually, with the trunk being black and the stains dark blue it's hard to see in anything other than direct sunlight. Meh, either way, what's done is done and there are no signs of abuse (also, I mostly think that it's a myth that rental cars are abused).
It's a beautiful car, man. And since it was a high end rental, it was probably rented to business executives or people like that, rather than bitchhogs out to abuse it. If it's driving well, and you can get the other superficial issues taken care of, I say just enjoy it. It is a used car, as you say, and the lower price of a used car comes with some conditions. I think you made a great choice and it's a really nice car. Try to get some lit instrumental panel pictures, if you can.
It's nice to think that those who'd rent such a car would be less likely to be wanker - let's hope!
A shot of the IP:
(http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3886/dscf0739p.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/138/dscf0739p.jpg/)
Sorry but it's still a nice car. As far as the floormats, I swear by these
(http://www.carcoverworld.com/images/deezee/Floor-Mat-All-Weather-Rear.jpg) with something similar for the front.
A set came with the Subie, they do a wonderful job of trapping the dirt,sand, drinks, whatever in an easy to shake out location.
http://www.carcoverworld.com/floormats.asp
They're pretty pricey though- I looked at getting a set for our van at Autozone it would be like $100 or more..
I like this shot of the ski racks. Note my neighbor's custom Silverado. Dude paid like $50k for that thing new off the lot. His father died a couple of years ago and he inherited a pile of money, including that house. And he should really know better, he's like 65...
(http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/8956/g37rackfromt.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/838/g37rackfromt.png/)
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on March 18, 2012, 03:33:11 PM
Sorry but it's still a nice car. As far as the floormats, I swear by these
(http://www.carcoverworld.com/images/deezee/Floor-Mat-All-Weather-Rear.jpg) with something similar for the front.
A set came with the Subie, they do a wonderful job of trapping the dirt,sand, drinks, whatever in an easy to shake out location.
http://www.carcoverworld.com/floormats.asp
They're pretty pricey though- I looked at getting a set for our van at Autozone it would be like $100 or more..
Thanks. Yeah, doing a bit of searching and car mats are expensive. I'm going to try to con the dealer into giving me a new set for free.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 18, 2012, 03:26:30 PM
It's nice to think that those who'd rent such a car would be less likely to be wanker - let's hope!
A shot of the IP:
(http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3886/dscf0739p.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/138/dscf0739p.jpg/)
Thanks man. Looks very nice. :rockon:
Quote from: GoCougs on March 18, 2012, 03:12:54 PM
Yeah, not happy. The sales manager said the fact they buy the cars at the Infiniti auction is enough to know the car is in tip-top shape with all maintenance records - they don't check where the car actually came from. If this is true I don't have a problem with it, however, I'm not sure how it passed such a rigorous inspection with the blue stains all over the trunk. But actually, with the trunk being black and the stains dark blue it's hard to see in anything other than direct sunlight. Meh, either way, what's done is done and there are no signs of abuse (also, I mostly think that it's a myth that rental cars are abused).
I don't think rentals are treated very nicely, but my experience is that the rental company will fix major problems (and then charge the customer).
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on March 18, 2012, 03:33:11 PM
Sorry but it's still a nice car. As far as the floormats, I swear by these
(http://www.carcoverworld.com/images/deezee/Floor-Mat-All-Weather-Rear.jpg) with something similar for the front.
A set came with the Subie, they do a wonderful job of trapping the dirt,sand, drinks, whatever in an easy to shake out location.
http://www.carcoverworld.com/floormats.asp
They're pretty pricey though- I looked at getting a set for our van at Autozone it would be like $100 or more..
Explorer has those. They rule.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 18, 2012, 03:37:35 PM
Thanks. Yeah, doing a bit of searching and car mats are expensive. I'm going to try to con the dealer into giving me a new set for free.
Considering that the rear set is actually missing, I don't think you'd be conning them.
And you can always hold the fact that they didn't tell you about the whole rental thing over their head to replace the dirty front ones, too. :lol:
I've got a set of outback rubber mats like that.
WTF guys, floormats are about the most boring aspect of car ownership that you can discuss. Let's hear more about the car's performance.
Joe, what speed have you taken it up to? Have you redlined it, or pushed its limits at all yet?
I've never abused a rental car. Actually, I tend to treat them a little easier because I don't feel like getting charged for something extra later on. But really, when I rent a car it's for basic 'point A to point B' transportation and I don't really think about the car, its limits or how fast it can go. It's an appliance.
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/rental-car-olympics-comparison-test
They weren't billed for any damage, either.
Quote from: ifcar on March 18, 2012, 05:29:37 PM
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/rental-car-olympics-comparison-test
They weren't billed for any damage, either.
You just have to get the insurance, which is what, an extra $20?
Quote from: ifcar on March 18, 2012, 05:29:37 PM
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/rental-car-olympics-comparison-test
They weren't billed for any damage, either.
The stated purpose of the article was to push the rental agreement to its limits. Most people rent a car because they need to drive from their hotel to the beach, or from a business conference to the airport.
Quote from: TurboDan on March 18, 2012, 05:32:53 PM
The stated purpose of the article was to push the rental agreement to its limits. Most people rent a car because they need to drive from their hotel to the beach, or from a business conference to the airport.
Yeah, no, they did not operate within the rental agreement.
What good is busting the law if the floor gets dirty???? :lol:
Seriously when I was in Georgia we were vacuuming a cup full of sand out of the van every week. Just from getting in and out, not even going to the beach or anywheres offroad. It's just sandy EVERYWHERE there. we lived hours from the ocean...
Those big ridged rubber mats did a great job of collecting it all and I just had to shake them out every once in a while.
Quote from: TurboDan on March 18, 2012, 05:32:53 PM
The stated purpose of the article was to push the rental agreement to its limits. Most people rent a car because they need to drive from their hotel to the beach, or from a business conference to the airport.
Honey, you're the only one that does this. Most people I know drive the living piss out of rental cars.
Quote from: 2o6 on March 18, 2012, 07:44:06 PM
Honey, you're the only one that does this. Most people I know drive the living piss out of rental cars.
Can't say I've ever beat the hell out of a rental car, nor have I really felt compelled to. That said, I've seen a rental show up and compete at an autocross before.
Quote from: 2o6 on March 18, 2012, 07:44:06 PM
Honey, you're the only one that does this. Most people I know drive the living piss out of rental cars.
MOST people? Come on...
I've gone on plenty of trips with friends, co-workers and relatives and have never seen any of them do anything like that. I am going to Tampa for a week next month, though. I'll make sure to absolutely destroy the Hyundai Elantra (or similar) I reserved on my five minute trip between my hotel and whatever restaurant I decide to eat at every night. :huh:
By the way... really nice interior on the G37x! I think if I had gone car instead of SUV it would've been a tough choice between this or a 3er.
Quote from: 2o6 on March 18, 2012, 07:44:06 PM
Honey, you're the only one that does this. Most people I know drive the living piss out of rental cars.
Honey? :confused:
x2
:confused:
Quote from: dazzleman on March 18, 2012, 04:41:18 PM
WTF guys, floormats are about the most boring aspect of car ownership that you can discuss. Let's hear more about the car's performance.
Joe, what speed have you taken it up to? Have you redlined it, or pushed its limits at all yet?
Yup, seen max RPM plenty of times, though I have some work to do. Left in drive it hits only ~7,200 rpm yet red line is 7,600 rpm. Like all slushie ATs it is difficult to time manual shifting to shift at red line - so though I've seen max RPM many of times thus far, I've also bounced off the rev limiter plenty of times too.
I've hit only ~90 mph. It's been raining constantly since I've bought it so that's plenty fast for now.
Again, I also echo most of the sentiments about rental cars. I've had many, many rentals and ridden in many, many rentals and have never seen abuse. People who rent cars take care of them because most renters know what enormous PITA of having to deal with damage or additional charges would be.
Set the (front) floor mat issue to resolved.
I threw them in the washer for a couple of cycles, which got the black cloth portion clean. The G37 logos however were still dingy so I just colored 'em in with a black Sharpie. Now just need to get the rears from the dealer...
Was out doing some sport driving in the wet tonight. The AWD + stability control is going to take some getting used to, as the car does not behave as a "normal" car would (obviously). Without experience with this particular car the limits and reactions are hard if not impossible to predict (stability control cannot be completely defeated so there will always be an element of artificiality to at-the-limit handling). Nissan's AWD system does live up to its reputation for inducing oversteer unlike pretty much most other AWD systems. I'm also extremely impressed with the reactivity of the traction control - I can see the light flash on the IP but try as I might I cannot detect it unlike the system in the Accord (which was intrusive if not violent).
I was also testing out "DS" mode (drive sport, which is supposed to tighten up the AT's reactions and hold gears longer). I really can't tell a difference verses plain old "D" mode save that when reaching a steady state speed a gear is held longer. Also, rev matching isn't quite as snappy as I had predicted. Sure it works infinitely better than no rev matching, but it seems a bit lazy.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 18, 2012, 10:53:24 PM
Set the (front) floor mat issue to resolved.
I threw them in the washer for a couple of cycles, which got the black cloth portion clean. The G37 logos however were still dingy so I just colored 'em in with a black Sharpie. Now just need to get the rears from the dealer...
Hah, the old Sharpie dye trick. :lol:
Quote from: Rupert on March 19, 2012, 12:00:53 AM
Hah, the old Sharpie dye trick. :lol:
Ha, ha. I've done this on clothes too - liked a Helly Hansen vest but not the stupid bright white log on the breast - colored that baby in!
Also, what looked like burns on the driver side mat came completely out.
I'm surprised you left the dealership without all this stuff taken care of.
Congrats on the G purchase! I noticed the same things about my '08 G35 as compared to my '02 Altima:
- Ride is significantly better, despite having better handling. I guess a more sophisticated suspension is what you're paying for when you move up to this class.
- Engine NVH isn't great. Even compared to the VQ in my '02 Altima, the G35's is rougher. Not sure why, maybe different engine mounts? But it does sound better, which is a plus.
- RWD traction beats FWD traction hands down. I have to be doing some pretty stupid stuff to break the tires loose in the dry. With FWD and a powerful engine, it's just too easy to spin the tires and go nowhere. In the G, the car just squats and goes.
Don't worry too much about your car's background. I personally don't drive a rental any different than I do my own car. Is yours CPO? If not, it's at least still covered under warranty until 60k miles.
Quote from: SVT666 on March 19, 2012, 01:16:31 PM
I'm surprised you left the dealership without all this stuff taken care of.
Meh, most of it wasn't really noticeable as it was raining and at night. Plus, no used car leaves the dealer as good as it could be. And as stated, I'm very particular and observant about my cars.
Quote from: afty on March 19, 2012, 02:58:51 PM
Congrats on the G purchase! I noticed the same things about my '08 G35 as compared to my '02 Altima:
- Ride is significantly better, despite having better handling. I guess a more sophisticated suspension is what you're paying for when you move up to this class.
- Engine NVH isn't great. Even compared to the VQ in my '02 Altima, the G35's is rougher. Not sure why, maybe different engine mounts? But it does sound better, which is a plus.
- RWD traction beats FWD traction hands down. I have to be doing some pretty stupid stuff to break the tires loose in the dry. With FWD and a powerful engine, it's just too easy to spin the tires and go nowhere. In the G, the car just squats and goes.
Don't worry too much about your car's background. I personally don't drive a rental any different than I do my own car. Is yours CPO? If not, it's at least still covered under warranty until 60k miles.
Nope, not CPO (at least I don't think), but as you state lots of warranty left.
Yeah, I'm pretty set with it. If it had so much as an offset steering wheel I'd be raising holy hell.
Have you noticed anything strange about the brakes? Mine feel grainy; imagine the rotors with a rough surface finish. The overall feel is fine but this feels kinda weird...
No, I haven't noticed a grainy feel to the brakes. They are very sensitive, though. Actually in my car they are less sensitive (I probably need to bleed the brakes), but in the loaners I've had they grab right at the top of the pedal travel.
I've read that the rear pads tend to wear faster than the fronts. That's kinda weird too.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 19, 2012, 05:33:07 PM
Meh, most of it wasn't really noticeable as it was raining and at night. Plus, no used car leaves the dealer as good as it could be. And as stated, I'm very particular and observant about my cars.
I don't know man, I'm pretty anal, so I've never left the dealer with a car that wasn't detailed.
Nice ride...
I wouldn't buy the whole "infinity dealer rental" thing though. The local dealers here at least just contract with the local hertz. Most have the contract so they will receive the same brand of car. But everyone else in the world can and do rent the same cars.
Quote from: afty on March 19, 2012, 05:48:37 PM
No, I haven't noticed a grainy feel to the brakes. They are very sensitive, though. Actually in my car they are less sensitive (I probably need to bleed the brakes), but in the loaners I've had they grab right at the top of the pedal travel.
I've read that the rear pads tend to wear faster than the fronts. That's kinda weird too.
A bit of Googling says others have noticed it too - most seem to just blame road feedback through the pedal. I looks at the rotors and pad thickness and all seems kosher so I'm not going to worry about it.
Quote from: r0tor on March 19, 2012, 06:18:11 PM
Nice ride...
I wouldn't buy the whole "infinity dealer rental" thing though. The local dealers here at least just contract with the local hertz. Most have the contract so they will receive the same brand of car. But everyone else in the world can and do rent the same cars.
Thanks. They said the car was leased directly from Infiniti corporate by Hertz. When the rental period is over the car gets returned to Infiniti corporate, and if it passes muster, is sold at an Infiniti corporate auction for Infiniti dealers. I have no clue if the auction part is true but I do know rental agencies typically buy from corporate. Either way, what's done is done and as long as they fix the trunk issue I'm golden.
Those G3xx's def love to rotate. I still remember drifting around a roundabout in a rental my dad got when it was wet out (dumb I know but w/e). Turn off traction control and the tail just goes. Transmission was pretty responsive too though obviously could be sharper. Not bad cars at all
Dropped my car off at the dealer. The service manager took a quick look at the trunk and said they used too much cleaning solution during the steam cleaning process. Makes me feel better in a way. He says it could be hard to clean though. I got an '11 G37x with the exact same options (including wheels/tires) and almost the same mileage as a service loaner and the brakes are butter smooth unlike my car's "grainy" brakes. Left VM for the service manager for him to check. I've also noticed the service loaner's steering is much twitchier on center - it's actually a bit irritating. Perhaps both issues are just car-to-car variation, not sure. :huh:
Tried out the car in snow (in the service loaner ? ha, ha), and there was a LOT of it. Performs as expected. Naturally the all-seasons are marginal in traction for braking and at-speed maneuvering but for acceleration all worked fairly well. ?Snow mode? is a moderate boon (locked 50/50 torque split up to 12 mph, loosens up throttle response). Would love to try to get away from using dedicated snow tires owing to cost and significant performance degradation on pavement (esp. wet); after this test it?s a possibility.
Quote from: sportyaccordy on March 20, 2012, 05:38:09 AM
Those G3xx's def love to rotate. I still remember drifting around a roundabout in a rental my dad got when it was wet out (dumb I know but w/e). Turn off traction control and the tail just goes. Transmission was pretty responsive too though obviously could be sharper. Not bad cars at all
I accidentally broke the tail loose in the wet just taking a normal left turn and getting back on the gas too early. I was totally unprepared, but stability control caught it for me.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 21, 2012, 12:14:53 PM
Tried out the car in snow (in the service loaner ? ha, ha), and there was a LOT of it. Performs as expected. Naturally the all-seasons are marginal in traction for braking and at-speed maneuvering but for acceleration all worked fairly well. ?Snow mode? is a moderate boon (locked 50/50 torque split up to 12 mph, loosens up throttle response). Would love to try to get away from using dedicated snow tires owing to cost and significant performance degradation on pavement (esp. wet); after this test it?s a possibility.
Leave it out of snow mode, for drifting.
I've run all-seasons on the Aveo living in the Rockies and never had many problems. You guys get wetter snow than us, but I crossed the continental divide 50-100 times going skiing in all types of conditions and the Aveo got me there every time. I've been on I-90 over Snoqualmie in inclement weather, and it can be a little hairy, but it's no worse than I-70 between Golden and Idaho Springs. With the added benefit of AWD, I wouldn't bother with snow tires.
His car is also going to be way better at highways speeds due to the added mass.
Bah, the Mighty Aveo glides like a ballerina over snow due in no small part to its comically skinny tyres.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 14, 2012, 11:44:21 PM
Well 'SPINners, you were with me through thick and thin, provided me lots of good advice and friendly banter, and otherwise got me to the finish line. Good on ya.
Lakeshore slate blue w/black interior (hard combo to find) w/premium package (moon roof, keyless entry/ignition, upgraded audio). 19,800 miles. took a bit of time but got a decent deal worked out tonight and pulled the trigger.
Obviously a step up from the Accord but not quite as much as you'd think; the Accord can definitely hold its head high especially concerning engine NVH - the VQ ain't got nothing on the Honda J-series. Surprisingly though the G37 has a better ride. The AWD + stability system is a wonder. Wet road performance is phenomenal. Shenanigans that'd have the Accord spinning away through the first two gears sees the G37 just squat, grip and go.
At home:
(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/8163/g37x.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/827/g37x.png/)
Dealer pic:
(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/6905/g37xdealer.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/g37xdealer.png/)
Happy you are the owner of something which makes you happy. Hope you have fun, and get many many years of fun experiences out of it.
:cheers:
Quote from: GoCougs on March 20, 2012, 05:50:34 PM
The service manager took a quick look at the trunk and said they used too much cleaning solution during the steam cleaning process.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Quote from: SVT666 on March 19, 2012, 01:16:31 PM
I'm surprised you left the dealership without all this stuff taken care of.
I would honestly hate to be the service advisor at his dealership.
Can you imagine? :lol:
Well, it was definitely some sort of cleaning soap/detergent/etc., and not ink or some other non-removable stain. :huh:
So, got my car back. Splash guards installed, rear carpet mats installed, and brakes checked out fine.
The dark color will take some getting used to - just look at it wrong and it will mar/scratch/scuff.
The gas cap door is super flimsy and cheap, and easily bends when you press on it (that's how you open it :huh:) so there is a small crease mark where it's been pressed on. Ugh.
Cougs, since you're now a part of the Push Start world, I'm curious if your push start has the same flaw as mine.
Next time you're in it, tell me how you just turn on JUST the electrical of your car.
The Kizashi has to be in neutral, but it can only get into neutral when the car is already on. This seems like a fundamental flaw in push start systems.
Quote from: WookieOnRitalin on March 21, 2012, 10:37:35 PM
Cougs, since you're now a part of the Push Start world, I'm curious if your push start has the same flaw as mine.
Next time you're in it, tell me how you just turn on JUST the electrical of your car.
The Kizashi has to be in neutral, but it can only get into neutral when the car is already on. This seems like a fundamental flaw in push start systems.
Hold it down?
Quote from: WookieOnRitalin on March 21, 2012, 10:37:35 PM
Cougs, since you're now a part of the Push Start world, I'm curious if your push start has the same flaw as mine.
Next time you're in it, tell me how you just turn on JUST the electrical of your car.
The Kizashi has to be in neutral, but it can only get into neutral when the car is already on. This seems like a fundamental flaw in push start systems.
In my dad's car, which has a push button start, you just hit the "ENGINE START STOP" button without depressing the brake pedal. You can only start the engine with your foot on the brake.
Quote from: CALL_911 on March 21, 2012, 10:47:43 PM
In my dad's car, which has a push button start, you just hit the "ENGINE START STOP" button without depressing the brake pedal. You can only start the engine with your foot on the brake.
^^^ This. Though in a manual, it's the clutch rather than the brake.
Quote from: CALL_911 on March 21, 2012, 10:47:43 PM
In my dad's car, which has a push button start, you just hit the "ENGINE START STOP" button without depressing the brake pedal. You can only start the engine with your foot on the brake.
Yep.
I must say, I do prefer my switchblade/traditional key to any of these fancy keyless start systems.
I kinda thought it a gimmick too but now I really like the smart key. It's convenient/quick/easy not having to dive in pockets to pull out a key, especially WRT the trunk + an armload of groceries.
First full tank - 18.5 mpg. Ha, ha!
Quote from: GoCougs on March 21, 2012, 11:42:45 PM
First full tank - 18.5 mpg. Ha, ha!
Basically the same MPG as me, but with double the power.
Quote from: WookieOnRitalin on March 21, 2012, 10:37:35 PM
Cougs, since you're now a part of the Push Start world, I'm curious if your push start has the same flaw as mine.
Next time you're in it, tell me how you just turn on JUST the electrical of your car.
The Kizashi has to be in neutral, but it can only get into neutral when the car is already on. This seems like a fundamental flaw in push start systems.
Quote from: CALL_911 on March 21, 2012, 10:47:43 PM
In my dad's car, which has a push button start, you just hit the "ENGINE START STOP" button without depressing the brake pedal. You can only start the engine with your foot on the brake.
Quote from: afty on March 21, 2012, 11:00:11 PM
^^^ This. Though in a manual, it's the clutch rather than the brake.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 21, 2012, 11:00:25 PM
Yep.
LOL, push button start. I just get in a car and say "Car, go to X location" and get out in the middle of the street. I don't even bother to park it, the car just drives off by itself. Autonomous voice command cars exist.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 21, 2012, 11:18:24 PM
I kinda thought it a gimmick too but now I really like the smart key. It's convenient/quick/easy not having to dive in pockets to pull out a key, especially WRT the trunk + an armload of groceries.
I'm mistrustful of a lot of gizmos, but I'm a big fan of this one for the same reason.
Quote from: CALL_911 on March 21, 2012, 10:47:43 PM
In my dad's car, which has a push button start, you just hit the "ENGINE START STOP" button without depressing the brake pedal. You can only start the engine with your foot on the brake.
Same here.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 21, 2012, 11:18:24 PM
I kinda thought it a gimmick too but now I really like the smart key. It's convenient/quick/easy not having to dive in pockets to pull out a key, especially WRT the trunk + an armload of groceries.
Oh yes I totally agree. All I do is put my key in my work bag and just go. It's one of the most convenient features ever. No key fumbling. Easy entry. Easy locking. It also makes your car harder to break into no?
'Till it gets hacked - it's very easy to listen to those radio waves...
Quote from: Laconian on March 22, 2012, 12:15:08 PM
'Till it gets hacked - it's very easy to listen to those radio waves...
Is that even possible? Most systems have a physical ignition behind that button.
Quote from: Laconian on March 22, 2012, 12:15:08 PM
'Till it gets hacked - it's very easy to listen to those radio waves...
Or 'til you go swimming with your $300 key...
Quote from: TurboDan on March 22, 2012, 12:19:18 PM
Or 'til you go swimming with your $300 key...
A regular key + fob is just as much.
Quote from: TurboDan on March 22, 2012, 12:19:18 PM
Or 'til you go swimming with your $300 key...
It will still work with a physical key. I test drove a Murano where the key had broken. There's a switch behind the button.
Quote from: 2o6 on March 22, 2012, 12:16:16 PM
Is that even possible? Most systems have a physical ignition behind that button.
Keyless unlock?
Quote from: CALL_911 on March 21, 2012, 11:14:49 PM
I must say, I do prefer my switchblade/traditional key to any of these fancy keyless start systems.
I as well. When I drove my dad's car over the summers, it was convenient to keep the key in my bag and be able to start the engine without locating the key, but the key would get lost in my bag of crap and would take awhile to locate when I needed the house key. With the traditional key, I key tabs on it better.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 21, 2012, 11:42:45 PM
First full tank - 18.5 mpg. Ha, ha!
Better than my last tank! I got about 15 MPG :mask: The oil companies like my lead foot.
Quote from: 2o6 on March 22, 2012, 12:26:31 PM
It will still work with a physical key. I test drove a Murano where the key had broken. There's a switch behind the button.
Not if there isn't a hole in which to put the key. ;)
I have a physical key that can unlock my car, but there is no physical ignition switch.
I don't think there is a physical ignition switch in the G. There is a slot in the dash where you can insert the fob if the (fob) battery dies.
Congrats! I'm surprised, honestly, but in a good way. Enjoy it!
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on March 22, 2012, 01:59:59 PM
I as well. When I drove my dad's car over the summers, it was convenient to keep the key in my bag and be able to start the engine without locating the key, but the key would get lost in my bag of crap and would take awhile to locate when I needed the house key. With the traditional key, I key tabs on it better.
Well, my dad doesn't have comfort access, so in his car, you still need to put the key in the slot to start the car.
Ugh, just found out my gas cap door doesn't lock like it should. There's a solenoid that pops out to engage the door; gauging by the latch it should come out about an inch, it moves about 1/4" inch. The only aspect of the car I'm really disappointed in is this cheap, crappy gas cap door...
Time for a fuel cell and (http://www.fuelsafe.com/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/A/F/AFC200A.jpg)
Tell ya what; if the gas cap is the only thing bothering you, you have a good car. ;)
Quote from: Rupert on March 23, 2012, 01:31:51 AM
Tell ya what; if the gas cap is the only thing bothering you, you have a good car. ;)
Seriously. For like 5 years I drove a car that would eat an expensive part a month.
(RIP Saab ;) )
Congratulations on the new car! Very sharp.
You can fix your wheel situation with these:
(http://liveimages.carsales.com.au/carpoint/car/private/cp5742192940830097045.jpg)
I'm not a huge fan of the wheels, but overall a nice choice and certainly more interesting than a Camry.
Quote from: omicron on March 23, 2012, 05:51:37 AM
Congratulations on the new car! Very sharp.
You can fix your wheel situation with these:
(http://liveimages.carsales.com.au/carpoint/car/private/cp5742192940830097045.jpg)
Wow, that looks great.
Quote from: omicron on March 23, 2012, 05:51:37 AM
Congratulations on the new car! Very sharp.
You can fix your wheel situation with these:
(http://liveimages.carsales.com.au/carpoint/car/private/cp5742192940830097045.jpg)
Yes.
Too bad those are 19s
Quote from: 68_427 on March 23, 2012, 10:49:50 PM
Too bad those are 19s
And that's bad because 20's would be better?
He wants 18s
I'd pay a bit more for 19" tires in order to have those wheels.
If you're going 19s might as well get the light weight Rays from the 1st gen coupe.
(http://g35driver.com/forums/attachments/dfw-classifieds/113731d1257797897-19-oem-infiniti-forged-rays-w-tires-rays.jpg)
Yeah, not into custom wheels, and the first gen G wheels would look too anachronistic I think.
This would be my first choice (factory standalone 18" wheel upgrade option):
(http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/939/g37upgradewheels.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/826/g37upgradewheels.png/)
This would be my second choice (18" wheels that come with the Sport package):
(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7758/g37sportwheels.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/441/g37sportwheels.png/)
Quote from: hotrodalex on March 23, 2012, 11:03:31 PM
I'd pay a bit more for 19" tires in order to have those wheels.
Meh. 19s are so overpriced it's stupid.
I saw a new G37S sedan with the rims on the seconds car today. Looked awesome.
That said, I'm a fan of the first set of rims too.
Sigh, the G37 is DEFINITELY a Nissan. Though it?s got a monster motor and good chassis overall the details are actually not as good as the 7th gen Accord?s - interior design/materials, fuel door, engine NVH, etc., are better on the Accord. About the only detail the G got better was the trunk hinge (external strut scissor vs. the Accord?s internal torsion spring goose neck).
I?m now starting to regret the darker color. My favorite no-touch car wash leaves water spots and even a fingernail errantly dragged across the door handle pocket leaves a distinct mark. I?m envious of the white service loaner I had last week.
I also revisit my complaint about the VQ. With 328 hp this car should be quicker especially in light of the short gearing (7600 rpm red line yet by 60 mph the G is in 3rd gear, where as most cars are in 2nd gear). But, it's still fairly quick and the my NVH complaints are admittedly minor.
Do I regret the purchase? No. I didn't trust the S4 for reliability and the TL styling was all sorts of wrong. I just realize that the G ain't perfect but at the end of it all it does deliver on what I need, and all at a rock star price.
BULLSHIT. Nissans make taxis. Infiniti makes luxury automobiles.
Quote from: CALL_911 on March 25, 2012, 01:34:00 AM
I saw a new G37S sedan with the rims on the seconds car today. Looked awesome.
Eh, I'm not a fan of those.
Got the Bluetooth working with my iPhone. Actually sounds really good to callers - much better than the Bluetooth headset I have. Very handy.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 26, 2012, 08:05:18 PM
Got the Bluetooth working with my iPhone. Actually sounds really good to callers - much better than the Bluetooth headset I have. Very handy.
You might want to replace your BT headset, if that's the case. I upgraded mine recently and have received compliments on the call clarity. You'd think it'd be one of those things that they'd have right on version 1.0 of the product. Multiple microphones and better signal processing make things better, I guess...
Quote from: Laconian on March 26, 2012, 09:11:24 PM
You might want to replace your BT headset, if that's the case. I upgraded mine recently and have received compliments on the call clarity. You'd think it'd be one of those things that they'd have right on version 1.0 of the product. Multiple microphones and better signal processing make things better, I guess...
I really researched them a lot, and got advice from the place I bought it. Oh, well, I usually only used my headset in the car anyways...
So, took it super easy on this tank of gas and got 21.5 mpg and ~360 miles with ~1/8th of a tank left. More than 50% city/rural driving too. Not too bad I guess.
Sounds like you would have been happier with an Accord.
Buyer's remorse.
I even went through that with the WRX. But after a few years, I'm still stoked about the car.
There will always be something better, faster, etc.
I don't think it's buyer's remorse. I think it well known in the industry and enthusiast community that generally Honda is better with the details than Nissan; I'm just confirming it. I also succinctly discounted the only two other cars I was considering so really there was no other choice for me. I guess part of it is the thrill/drama/effort is over. I spent a LOT of time looking/thinking/justifying what I wanted...
Yeah, Nissan blows. They used to be better driving than Toyota and harder edged than Honda, but now they're just lame.
So the dealer will fix the fuel door actuator and dent in the fuel door under warranty. Super glad on the latter as that was really really bugging me (and unlike for the couple Infiniti does not sell pre painted fuel doors). The actuator was actually broken so something goofy happened.
I'm also looking at having that clear chip guard applique installed. They quoted me an unbelievable $1,295 for the entire package (nose, mirrors, door edges, rear bumper just below the trunk) but that's ridiculous. I only want the door edges and trunk area. They will call me with a quote. Any one had this done?
Quote from: S204STi on March 27, 2012, 12:48:26 AM
There will always be something better, faster, etc.
Not than an Accord. The problem is he's already peaked -- once you've had an Accord, it's all downhill from there.
I had the 3M clear bra on my Boxster, but I got it for free. Dealer threw it in, claimed it a $3000 value. I remember looking at Elises, and they offered to install it before taking delivery for a similar price.
Quote from: Raza on March 27, 2012, 01:54:12 PM
Yeah, Nissan blows. They used to be better driving than Toyota and harder edged than Honda, but now they're just lame.
I wouldn't say Nissan blows. For a base MSRP of $38k the G37x offers IMO the segment's best drive train (monster N/A motor + decently tuned 7sp AT), very good chassis and handling/ride compromise, and the segment's most sophisticated AWD system. The tradeoff is a bit of cheapness on some of the details. I'd much rather take this tradeoff than the other way around. It's also a notable upgrade over the (7th gen) Accord.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 27, 2012, 02:04:25 PM
I wouldn't say Nissan blows. For a base MSRP of $38k the G37x offers IMO the segment's best drive train (monster N/A motor + decently tuned 7sp AT), very good chassis and handling/ride compromise, and the segment's most sophisticated AWD system. The tradeoff is a bit of cheapness on some of the details. I'd much rather take this tradeoff than the other way around. It's also a notable upgrade over the (7th gen) Accord.
Granted, I haven't driven the newest generation G series, but the first gen never delivered on what its numbers promised.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26986.msg1693265#msg1693265 date=1332879078
Granted, I haven't driven the newest generation G series, but the first gen never delivered on what its numbers promised.
In '05 it basically came down to the Accord and slightly used first-gen G but I went with the Accord as I had a sales/consulting job at the time and a "fancy" car was ill advised by the company (they were paying me a large reimbursement so I didn't squawk too much). Plus, the gap between a 7th gen Accord V6 and a 1st gen G35 wasn't all that much. The first gen G definitely had refinement issues and was for all intents and purposes a Nissan not an Infiniti. However, when it debuted in mid 2002, it hit a sweet spot between performance and price. And to this day the 1st gen G35's styling has worn exceptionally well.
Little late but congrats on the car! Its really a nice looking color IMHO.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on March 28, 2012, 06:27:01 AM
Little late but congrats on the car! Its really a nice looking color IMHO.
Thanks and welcome back! You get married or something???
Quote from: GoCougs on March 26, 2012, 01:53:18 PM
I?m now starting to regret the darker color. My favorite no-touch car wash leaves water spots and even a fingernail errantly dragged across the door handle pocket leaves a distinct mark. I?m envious of the white service loaner I had last week.
The no-touch car wash always left water spots...you were just too blind to see them on a lighter color. ;) :lol:
And yes, dark colors leave marks. As do all colors. It's just the noticeability.
White cars are for lazy people! :ohyeah:
If you're worried about water spots, get a Jelly Blade from WalMart for $9 and dry your car off with it after the automatic wash. And/or get some spray detailer. And/or wash it yourself.
Quote from: giant_mtb on March 29, 2012, 11:33:50 PM
The no-touch car wash always left water spots...you were just too blind to see them on a lighter color. ;) :lol:
And yes, dark colors leave marks. As do all colors. It's just the noticeability.
White cars are for lazy people! :ohyeah:
If you're worried about water spots, get a Jelly Blade from WalMart for $9 and dry your car off with it after the automatic wash. And/or get some spray detailer. And/or wash it yourself.
Actually, I'm mega color blind, so that may be some of it.
I simply like the white because it looked really good (that was a rare car too - white G37 w/black interior - most all white Gs have the wheat/stone interior).
Yeah, not into washing my car by hand anymore; I'll suffer the spots.
So got my fuel door fixed (actuator and dent). The loaner I had also had issues with the actuator - it's a horribly cheap design. Nissan should be ashamed.
As to the loaner, I actually got a G25x. What a worthless car; no lighter, no better MPG, and down almost 120 hp. Ugh. Can't imagine the value proposition whatsoever and I can't believe it's any cheaper to manufacture.
I don't think I've ever seen a G25. It would at least make sense if they offered it with a manual for a cheap prices, but they don't even do that.
Considering the VQ35/37 is one of the best/strongest part of the car, which I don't understand why one would get a G without it.
Yeah, I'm not sure what they're thinking. I do know that the 2.5L VQ was offered in the Japanese version (as the Skyline 250GT) in both the 1st and 2nd gen for some time (i.e., before the G25 was available here). Perhaps they had union commitments to make a set amount of the 2.5L (the G and Skyline are made in the same Japanese plant)...
I've seen a number of G25s here in the Bay Area. I think it's bought by the same people who buy IS250s. C/D in their latest issue rated it 3rd of 5 against the 328i, A4, C250, and Volvo S60. They said it was the most fun to drive with the best steering, but with way too little power.
No, they were just hoping to sell more by selling the cheaper G25.
Not sure what the mileage is on those but it may be good if you commute a lot and lots of power isn't important to you.
Quote from: afty on March 30, 2012, 08:08:36 PM
I've seen a number of G25s here in the Bay Area. I think it's bought by the same people who buy IS250s. C/D in their latest issue rated it 3rd of 5 against the 328i, A4, C250, and Volvo S60. They said it was the most fun to drive with the best steering, but with way too little power.
M/T just had a similar comparo, but with more cars. The G25 finished 7th out of 8, barely beating the Buick Regal. They trashed it from stem to stern, inside and out, giving it only moderate props for handling, steering feel, and decent MPG.
I will say this about the G25, that smaller VQ was noticeably smoother and quieter than the 3.7L VQ (still fell short of the Accord J-series V6 though), and in terms of MPG, it got EXACTLY what I got on the last tank in the G37 (21.5 mpg). The 2.5L VQ and 3.7L VQ are essentially the same engine block (weight) and the cars are essentially the same weight too. EPA has only 1-2 mpg separating the two (19/27 vs. 18/25), so with moderate driving I'm not surprised the two get/got about the same mpg.
As to the NVH of the 3.7L, I see it now more of a growl/muscle car type (un)refinement, and rather like it now, especially against the backdrop of a (near) luxury AWD sedan.
As to steering feel, IMO the Accord did it better (not that I really care about such things though). The G is weighted heavier but actually telegraphing road surface and wheel orientation the Accord did it better. This could have to do with the fact I have the AWD G; not sure. It's been quite some time since I drove a non-AWD G.
Another tank down, and having driven it a LOT harder it seemed, I still managed 21.0 mpg. I'm glad it's got a relatively huge tank at 20 gallons, giving me a decent ~350-375 miles of range without running on fumes, which is about perfect.
The gear spacing is a bit out of whack. 1-3 are tight but there's a big leap to 4. Not sure why this was done but it's noticeable. It's not too big a deal as 3rd is good for ~90 mph. The rev matching feature in the G25 was also smoother.
What mileage did you get from the Accord?
Quote from: ifcar on April 01, 2012, 05:02:48 PM
What mileage did you get from the Accord?
With regular tires, I'd average 25-26 mpg in the same driving. (I mention tire type as with the dedicated snows it fell to 22-23 mpg).
Quote from: GoCougs on April 01, 2012, 04:57:20 PM
Another tank down, and having driven it a LOT harder it seemed, I still managed 21.0 mpg. I'm glad it's got a relatively huge tank at 20 gallons, giving me a decent ~350-375 miles of range without running on fumes, which is about perfect.
I'm getting the same MPGs out of the G8...
I get 18-19 mpg in my manual, 70% city driving. The manual is geared significantly shorter than the auto. Not a big deal for my usage, but this is not the car to get if you care about fuel economy.
With the 6MT, I find gears 1-3 about right and 4-6 too short. By the time I'm in 4th I'm cruising, so I'd like those gears to be taller for fuel economy. I often skip 4th and shift 3rd -> 5th. 6th is not any taller than 5th was in my Altima. 7th gear in the auto is about right for a top gear IMO (~2500 rpm at 75 I believe).
In a bit more driving the gear gaps seem to be all about the same - when on the boil the gear transitions are ~5,200 rpm. It's AT programming I'm pretty sure - it runs fairly quick through the first few gears but hangs in the latter gears. This of course is in regular "D" mode. Some InnerNetting has shown there is a TSB for a factory programming upgrade available for my VIN. Not sure if this is addressed however. I haven't warmed up to "DS" mode yet. It's supposed to be sporty, and I can detect harder shifts, but other than that I'm not a fan yet.
As to gearing; the 7AT is geared fairly low IME. It's well into 3rd gear by 60 mph, and 75 mph in 7th is ~2700 rpm.
I don't know why this crossed my mind, but did you ever consider an RL? I was just looking at used current-gen RLs today, they really don't seem to be such bad cars. I feel like a used one (they're pretty reasonable) would be right up your alley.
The RL wasn't a consideration as I felt the TL was the better car in every way (and cheaper) save for exterior styling. At the end of it all, the TL was too ugly and too big and I didn't trust the S4's reliability (especially after perusing fanboy forums).
I want to replace the bezel that surrounds the shifter (it's dented and scratched) but online outfits are quoting $700! Holy hell!
Get one from a wrecked car.
Done the whole wrecking yard thing in past lives - I'll pass. Plus, there are no such yards in my area that would have that sort of vehicle in inventory. Buying parted-out parts online I'm a bit leery of. There are trim kits that are simply adhesive-backed overlays but I can't imagine it looks very good in person.
I found a carbon fiber one on ebay. It's sure to add at least 5 HP!
Quote from: hotrodalex on April 06, 2012, 04:50:58 PM
I found a carbon fiber one on ebay. It's sure to add at least 5 HP!
It doesn't add power, it adds lightness!
Quote from: GoCougs on April 06, 2012, 04:15:39 PM
Done the whole wrecking yard thing in past lives - I'll pass. Plus, there are no such yards in my area that would have that sort of vehicle in inventory. Buying parted-out parts online I'm a bit leery of. There are trim kits that are simply adhesive-backed overlays but I can't imagine it looks very good in person.
Yeah okay. $700 for a new trim piece or $50 for one off a wrecked car. I know which one I would do.
LOL. "Past lives" = made up lives where this guy actually got his hands dirty - never happened. :lol:
Quote from: SVT666 on April 06, 2012, 06:32:03 PM
Yeah okay. $700 for a new trim piece or $50 for one off a wrecked car. I know which one I would do.
How about the overlay? Or simply just living with it?
The overlay would be an absolutely massive mistake. It looks like shit and it feels like shit.
Why would you get a shitty overlay instead of a piece from the junkyard?
Have you seen it in person - pictures, and not just from manufacturer websites - look decent. I wouldn't go for the shiny fake wood. At most I'd go for a matte dark wood, or a replacement for the factory stuff (satin aluminum). What I have looks terrible - both front doors' trim and the piece around the shifter, are both dented and scratched. (How it is some asshole can do this to a new car I'll never know, but I digress...)
As it pertains to the actual replacement of the pieces, it's a major ordeal to replace the piece around the shifter - the entire center console has to come out (and it has a bunch of wires). I've worked enough on interiors to know that I'd scratch and crack the living daylights out of the stuff. If came to that I'd simply pay to have it done. Also, not sure how the trim pieces come off the dash or doors - they are on there very securely.
Those plastic trim pullers are really cheap and don't mess up your interior. If you know where the screws are in the interior it's really not hard to do... most of my car's center console and center stack has been taken apart and it's quite easy. My friend and I took his entire interior apart in his M5 and it wasn't too hard either.
Taking apart the entire dashboard, on the other hand, is entirely different. :mask: :lol:
Have any pictures of the doors? I'm assuming the panel will have to come off to replace the trim pieces. Probably a pretty easy job - the only worry would be future squeaks and rattles.
Taking that interior apart (and yes, getting it back together) well would be very difficult. I'd never attempt it (BTDT) - I don't have much patience for things like that nowadays.
I've found an outfit that sells the factory-match overlay - looks good IMO - it's a dark matte wood finish:
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4799/g37inttrim.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/94/g37inttrim.png/)
Yeah, that would be a huge pain in the ass to get apart. Looks like the console and dash are one piece.
I've always hated the silver in the G. The wood looks WAY better.
Quote from: Rupert on April 08, 2012, 11:00:58 PM
Yeah, that would be a huge pain in the ass to get apart. Looks like the console and dash are one piece.
from the radio down is different than the dash..
Yes, they're different pieces. Still, a big headache to take apart and not scratch or crack something, or not cause rattles after reassembly.
I can get that pictured matte trim kit for ~$230. Various G boards say it's a topnotch upgrade vs. the factory metal stuff, and otherwise doesn't look cheap or goofy. Spoke to the manufacturer - it's kinda of a bear to put on (fast acting adhesive) and a real bear to take off should it ever come to that.
I think I'm going to do it. The scratches and dents on the existing silver trim is bothering me to no end. After that the last issue is the oh-so-slight marring on the rear bumper at the base of the trunk (hopefully it doesn't need repaint or clear coat - only a good buffing).
Congrats on the car.
I just bought a G myself.
Havent been here in a while.
Wave to everyone!
Quote from: Panama Jack on April 11, 2012, 05:44:50 PM
Congrats on the car.
I just bought a G myself.
Havent been here in a while.
Wave to everyone!
Nice avatar.
Quote from: S204STi on April 11, 2012, 06:26:26 PM
:lol:
Haha thanks.
Shes hot now.
Imagine her in her 20's ....that pic is a glimpse
Quote from: GoCougs on April 10, 2012, 12:37:08 PM
I can get that pictured matte trim kit for ~$230. Various G boards say it's a topnotch upgrade vs. the factory metal stuff, and otherwise doesn't look cheap or goofy. Spoke to the manufacturer - it's kinda of a bear to put on (fast acting adhesive) and a real bear to take off should it ever come to that.
Have someone with goodhands help install- or take it to a shop??
Quote from: MexicoCityM3 on April 11, 2012, 06:22:44 PM
Nice avatar.
:lol:
Quote from: Panama Jack on April 11, 2012, 05:44:50 PM
Congrats on the car.
I just bought a G myself.
Havent been here in a while.
Wave to everyone!
Damn son. A bunch of old names coming back. You do know that CarSPIN didn't win the Mega Millions, right?
Although, now, come to think of it, we should do a lotto pool next time it gets to a big jackpot.
And welcome back, Jack.
Quote from: Panama Jack on April 11, 2012, 05:44:50 PM
Congrats on the car.
I just bought a G myself.
Havent been here in a while.
Wave to everyone!
Nice - post some pics!
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on April 11, 2012, 07:37:57 PM
Have someone with goodhands help install- or take it to a shop??
:lol:
Been calling around and can't find any good shops that do such a thing - and neither area Infiniti dealer does it either. The dash trim provider says the stuff should be installable by most anyone; just got to be good with the cleaning of the existing trim and with alignment before the adhesive sets.
I'd install that shit for $25. Wouldn't take more than an hour of cleaning and application. First degreaser, then window cleaner, then iso alcohol to remove any final residue. Plan the attack of application, line it up and practice once or twice, then do it.
Okay, you convinced me, I'll give it a go...
Quote from: GoCougs on April 14, 2012, 11:07:22 AM
Okay, you convinced me, I'll give it a go...
It just sticks on. I did my Sequoia a long time ago.
I really dislike metal in place of wood or carbon fiber in interiors. Wood is my favorite, but carbon fiber is cool in fast cars.
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on April 14, 2012, 02:52:28 PM
I really dislike metal in place of wood or carbon fiber in interiors. Wood is my favorite, but carbon fiber is cool in fast cars.
I like metal the most, actually. Wood always looks too fake (except when it's real), carbon fiber even more so (and it's pretentious and relatively tacky in anything short of an exotic).
Quote from: CALL_911 on April 14, 2012, 03:39:19 PM
I like metal the most, actually. Wood always looks too fake (except when it's real), carbon fiber even more so (and it's pretentious and relatively tacky in anything short of an exotic).
The wood in my car is fake, but it looks great and complements the black interior very well. The aluminum trim that was available looks considerably cheaper. Metal is on everything. Wood, even fake wood, seems nicer to me.
Leather
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on April 14, 2012, 04:01:18 PM
The wood in my car is fake, but it looks great and complements the black interior very well. The aluminum trim that was available looks considerably cheaper. Metal is on everything. Wood, even fake wood, seems nicer to me.
I've been in one B7 3.2 with wood, I thought it looked pretty cheap, albeit not as bad as some other interiors I've seen adorned in fake wood. My mom's A4 has the aluminum trim, I think it looks good.
My sister has fake wood in her TSX, I think the aluminum trim looks much better in that application as well.
Wood is fine for old Jags and Rollers...
Except for the higher end models, aluminum looks better than wood (or fake wood) IMO.
Quote from: CALL_911 on April 14, 2012, 04:19:50 PM
I've been in one B7 3.2 with wood, I thought it looked pretty cheap, albeit not as bad as some other interiors I've seen adorned in fake wood. My mom's A4 has the aluminum trim, I think it looks good.
My sister has fake wood in her TSX, I think the aluminum trim looks much better in that application as well.
To each his own I guess. I think the aluminum in my sister's TSX looks terrible :lol:
Quote from: Lebowski on April 14, 2012, 04:36:46 PM
Except for the higher end models, aluminum looks better than wood (or fake wood) IMO.
Yeah. The wood looks pretty good in my dad's 5er.
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on April 14, 2012, 04:37:49 PM
To each his own I guess. I think the aluminum in my sister's TSX looks terrible :lol:
Honestly, I think the 7th gen Accord has a nicer interior than the CL9 TSX.
Quote from: CALL_911 on April 14, 2012, 04:40:02 PM
Honestly, I think the 7th gen Accord has a nicer interior than the CL9 TSX.
That generation Accord had an interesting trade-off with the TSX. A comparable accord would have the V6 and be faster, but the TSX had the Euro-tuned suspension and handled/felt better.
I personally think the B7 A4's interior looks and feels to be of higher quality than the B8's interior. My mom's B8 A4 wagon is fully loaded, and it has some cheap elements that mine definitely does not.
But I don't need to defend my car choice... I thoroughly enjoy driving it everyday. She's getting tinted windows and a roof rack next week. :ohyeah: She's itching for a trip to the Colorado mountains next winter as well.
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on April 14, 2012, 04:44:03 PM
That generation Accord had an interesting trade-off with the TSX. A comparable accord would have the V6 and be faster, but the TSX had the Euro-tuned suspension and handled/felt better.
That's the case in this generation too. At least with the I4 TSX. I think a grand total of 3 people have bought the V6 TSX.
Quote from: Colonel Cadillac on April 14, 2012, 04:48:24 PM
I personally think the B7 A4's interior looks and feels to be of higher quality than the B8's interior. My mom's B8 A4 wagon is fully loaded, and it has some cheap elements that mine definitely does not.
I agree.
The 7th gen Accord also has a bit nicer interior than a G37. Much higher quality cloth/carpet, better switchgear, better attention to details (such as visors, cubby hole doors). I also prefer the Accord's seats (narrower, firmer, cloth) but that's not really a quality issue per se. I even think the wipers were done better on the Accord.
I wouldn't think of wood trim overlays but the factory stuff is beat all to hell; both scratched and dented; console, both front doors, and the piece above the glove box. There is lots of similar looking brushed aluminum overlays available but chances that matches exact is pretty much nil.
No offense, but if all this stuff is as beat to shit as you say it is, why did you buy the car in the first place? Kind of a stupid move, if you ask me.
Quote from: CALL_911 on April 15, 2012, 02:46:32 AM
No offense, but if all this stuff is as beat to shit as you say it is, why did you buy the car in the first place? Kind of a stupid move, if you ask me.
:lol:
:hesaid:
I had a rental car in Florida for the past week and beat the shit out of it in honor of 'Cougs. :ohyeah: :lol:
I'm going to put my name in the "I absolutely hate almost all aluminum trim" club.
I shall join the i hate wood trim club.
Quote from: CALL_911 on April 15, 2012, 02:46:32 AM
No offense, but if all this stuff is as beat to shit as you say it is, why did you buy the car in the first place? Kind of a stupid move, if you ask me.
I didn't notice it at first, but got such a good deal on it, it's not really an issue.
ITT, it was a used car.
I've had two G service loaners, and all their trim was scratched too, especially around the shifter. The stuff is cheap and scratch prone.
Quote from: GoCougs on April 15, 2012, 09:50:11 AM
I didn't notice it at first, but got such a good deal on it, it's not really an issue.
ITT, it was a used car.
I've had two G service loaners, and all their trim was scratched too, especially around the shifter. The stuff is cheap and scratch prone.
Fair enough. The reason I ask is because the market near home seems to be saturated with G37x's, if you missed out on one, you were bound to find a better one down the line. But I hear you.
Quote from: GoCougs on April 15, 2012, 09:50:11 AM
I didn't notice it at first, but got such a good deal on it, it's not really an issue.
ITT, it was a used car.
I've had two G service loaners, and all their trim was scratched too, especially around the shifter. The stuff is cheap and scratch prone.
I see this in a lot of cars I'm in, regardless of class. I've noticed the plastic trim around instruments in Cadillacs are prone to the same scratch risks. My rental Hyundai last week (see full review in Mainstream section) also had the scratches in the same place.
Quote from: TurboDan on April 15, 2012, 03:10:41 PM
I see this in a lot of cars I'm in, regardless of class. I've noticed the plastic trim around instruments in Cadillacs are prone to the same scratch risks. My rental Hyundai last week (see full review in Mainstream section) also had the scratches in the same place.
The Silver trim in older Range Rovers was notorious for peeling and flaking. The face lift took care of it, but it's not uncommon to see well maintained examples (2003-2005) with peeling plastic in side. Nasty.
I love the aluminum trim in my car. My Mercedes had real wood, but even though the wood itself looked good, the panel gaps that came along with it weren't so great.
I've decided to forgo the wood trim overlays. Meh, I'll just live with it. Not really that big of a deal just sometimes I can obsess about these things. The rest of the car is doing well and I've got better things to do.
She's a fairly heavy pig though. Went to the local truck scale - me + mostly full tank of gas = 4,080 lbs. At this size she's in some fairly dense territory - GTR, (larger) Camaro SS, Audi S4, etc. Still getting 21 - 22 mpg in mixed driving which is more than acceptable for this type of vehicle.
Ha, I like that measurement. Car density...
Can't you get some really fine grit and buff it? or is it just plastic?
I think forgoing the wood overlay was a good choice.
Quote from: Raza on April 22, 2012, 06:02:40 AM
I love the aluminum trim in my car. My Mercedes had real wood, but even though the wood itself looked good, the panel gaps that came along with it weren't so great.
I tend to like the brushed metal more than wood in cars, but there are some car interiors that pull off the wood look really well. Others just look like it's there because they feel like it has to be.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on April 22, 2012, 06:22:03 PM
Can't you get some really fine grit and buff it? or is it just plastic?
Yes on the latter - the "metal" finish is just a thin layer of paint over plastic. Also, I have dents to in the trim.
People suck. Burn them all.
Got tagged sometime in the last 36 hours (washed the car Sunday night and would have definitely seen this). There also some scuff marks as shown on the lower left but not through the clear coat (will easily buff out). Estimate is 5 days and $1,200 - lol collision deductible is $1,250. Body shop said I could try one of those come-to-you dent removal guys as this dent didn't break the paint, and just paint over the chips with touch-up. Could try that and if it looks crappy just go ahead with the repair. Ugh.
(http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9738/dentk.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/dentk.png/)
Quote from: GoCougs on May 08, 2012, 05:24:18 PM
People suck. Burn them all.
Got tagged sometime in the last 36 hours (washed the car Sunday night and would have definitely seen this). There also some scuff marks as shown on the lower left but not through the clear coat (will easily buff out). Estimate is 5 days and $1,200 - lol collision deductible is $1,250. Body shop said I could try one of those come-to-you dent removal guys as this dent didn't break the paint, and just paint over the chips with touch-up. Could try that and if it looks crappy just go ahead with the repair. Ugh.
(http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9738/dentk.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/dentk.png/)
Wow dude. I've never heard of anyone having a $1200 deductible...oh, and that sucks.
I'd just let the dent go and put touch up on the chips. More dents will happen :huh:
Quote from: HotRodPilot on May 08, 2012, 05:30:40 PM
I'd just let the dent go and put touch up on the chips. More dents will happen :huh:
Yeah. definitely.
Agreed. Unfortunately mine has quite a few now. I figure I'll buy my own paintless dent removal kit and pop them all out myself at about 5 years.
Thing is, I didn't had this much damage on my Accord that I had for 7 years and ~150k miles. I'm not super anal about my cars but I'm more particular/careful/mindful than most. Knowing that the dent is there would bug me to no end.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 08, 2012, 06:30:25 PM
Thing is, I didn't had this much damage on my Accord that I had for 7 years and ~150k miles. I'm not super anal about my cars but I'm more particular/careful/mindful than most. Knowing that the dent is there would bug me to no end.
I hear that.
Quote from: SVT666 on May 08, 2012, 05:30:11 PM
Wow dude. I've never heard of anyone having a $1200 deductible...oh, and that sucks.
I have a fairly high deductible, though I don't think quite that high. If I ever need to make a claim, I'll put what I'm saving on my insurance bill toward the deductible difference. And I wouldn't make a claim on anything this small anyway.
My deductable is $500. And I'm 19.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 08, 2012, 06:30:25 PM
Thing is, I didn't had this much damage on my Accord that I had for 7 years and ~150k miles. I'm not super anal about my cars but I'm more particular/careful/mindful than most. Knowing that the dent is there would bug me to no end.
Me too. I'd bring it to a dent removal place. The touch-up pens they have are incredible and will cover up the one chip to the point where no one will ever notice it.
Got quoted $175 for the dent removal and buff-out. Will travel to my place. No touch up paint work though. Think I'll go for it. I just feel like I'm getting screwed out of money 87 ways from Sunday the last while. I'll chance a mediocre repair I think.
Paintless dent removal?
Yep, paintless. Guy has all sorts of great reviews. Good sign that he's honest saying he can't get it 100%.
Aren't they the guys tat drill a hole somewhere else in order to pop the hole out from the back?
Quote from: thecarnut on May 09, 2012, 09:21:08 PM
Aren't they the guys tat drill a hole somewhere else in order to pop the hole out from the back?
Basically if they can get to the back side of a panel they can pop it back out. Not sure if they drill holes. The guy who did mine didn't.
Quote from: thecarnut on May 09, 2012, 09:21:08 PM
Aren't they the guys tat drill a hole somewhere else in order to pop the hole out from the back?
They only drill holes if necessary. Paintless dent removal is friggin' legit (assuming the person's good at it.). I had someone have some PDR done in my driveway before I detailed their car (they were going to trade it in and wanted it dent-free and super clean) and the guy had to drill into the door jamb to get at the inside of the body panel. But he plugged it up nicely and nobody would ever know the difference.
Scheduled an appointment with the dent removal guy. Apparently it's just various simple tools and a LOT of talent/experience. I forgot but I had a small dent in the gas cap that I had the dealership repair - turned out 98% fixed. This guy said he could only get this new dent to ~90% as it's on a body line. As to the chips, I'll get sanding/paint/clear coat pens on the Internet and will do the touch-up myself.
As to a general update, still working out good. Am noticing various interior rattles more though. The Accord put me though the ringer on that so now I'm a bit desensitized. MPG remains a steady 22 mpg with a mix. Could definitely use an additional cog in the tranny, and the "adaptive" shift logic must be on high as it now shifts HARD with moderate throttle and above (which I like). The dark paint is driving me a bit nutty in that it shows dirt and blemishes easier - next car will definitely be back to silver (or maybe even white).
An additional cog? It's already got 7 gears.
Yep IMO could use 8 gears; remember, it's a heavy-ish car with AWD and a 7600 rpm motor. 1st and 2nd are okay, but 3rd and 4th could be shorter. To keep cruise RPM the same in top gear it would then need another gear somewhere in there.
Admittedly I'm being a bit harsh. Infiniti did a good job with gear spacing such that it's in the meat of the curve (5200 - 7600 rpm) for gears 2-6 which it seems a lot of automakers don't do (i.e., in the upper gears spacing is much wider). I think a time-in-gear of 5700 - 7600 rpm would yield improvements.
I like 3-speed automatics. More or less is unrreasonable.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on May 13, 2012, 11:29:56 AM
I like 3-speed automatics. More or less is unrreasonable.
Back in the day when most engines had a max useful RPM of 4,000 rpm, yeah, it was.
Cougs in a few more weeks.
(http://cdn2.holytaco.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/StraightJacketDeluxe.jpg)
I just noticed some scratches on the hood tonight. Ugh, yeah, put me in a straight jacket.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 13, 2012, 10:31:08 PM
I just noticed some scratches on the hood tonight. Ugh, yeah, put me in a straight jacket.
Will they buff out?
Quote from: CJ on May 13, 2012, 10:33:35 PM
Will they buff out?
I'm not sure - noticed after a huge ride so I'm a bit too burnt out to look closely. Knowing my luck, probably not. They're parallel squiggly scratches as if someone drag a pair of skis across the hood. Unbelievable.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 13, 2012, 10:31:08 PM
I just noticed some scratches on the hood tonight. Ugh, yeah, put me in a straight jacket.
I've got a dime sized ding on my front driver's side quarter. I'm super pissed off about it, so I know where you're coming from on this.
Cougs is gonna sell this car in about 3 weeks.
Well, there's not a better car out there for me than this. I got a screaming deal on this one and it is more or less a do-all beater for me. It's not going anywhere anytime soon. Won't hold onto it like I did the Accord - target replacement is end of 2015.
I have to say, I would really like a 6MT G37S sedan.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2009-Infiniti-G37-S-Sport-Moon-Roof-Keyless-Start-Power-Seats-/170840490422?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item27c6e301b6
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 12:40:36 PM
Well, there's not a better car out there for me than this. I got a screaming deal on this one and it is more or less a do-all beater for me. It's not going anywhere anytime soon. Won't hold onto it like I did the Accord - target replacement is end of 2015.
Sure there is. It's called the BMW 3 Series. It has better sales numbers.
His problems have nothing to do with the G37, it has more to do with the fact that it's a used car. These are risks you take with a used car, although I do think Cougs probably should have ponied up a bit more cash for a non-Hertz car.
Quote from: CALL_911 on May 14, 2012, 12:48:35 PM
His problems have nothing to do with the G37, it has more to do with the fact that it's a used car. These are risks you take with a used car, although I do think Cougs probably should have ponied up a bit more cash for a non-Hertz car.
He has complained about things that are Infiniti G37 specific earlier in the thread.
Actually, the hood scratches and minor wheel well damage are new (since I bought it; not related to previous ownership). Unlikely previous ownership would have been a point of negotiation.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 12:54:42 PM
Actually, the hood scratches and minor wheel well damage are new (since I bought it; not related to previous ownership). Unlikely previous ownership would have been a point of negotiation.
No, it wouldn't have been a point of negotiation, which is why I'd consider finding another G37.
Quote from: SVT666 on May 14, 2012, 12:47:06 PM
Sure there is. It's called the BMW 3 Series. It has better sales numbers.
Nah; poor reliability, higher maintenance costs, tighter back seat, and 2nd fiddle motor and AWD system?
And who would ever let how much a car does/doesn't sell decide which car to buy???
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 12:59:29 PM
Nah; poor reliability, higher maintenance costs, tighter back seat, and 2nd fiddle motor and AWD system?
And who would ever let how much a car does/doesn't sell decide which car to buy???
Naw. Better Sales = Better Car
2011 BMW 3 Series - 94,371
2011 Infiniti G - 58,246
???
Dude, you drive a gunned-out Focus wagon. You look ridiculous.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 01:04:18 PM
???
Dude, you drive a gunned-out Focus wagon. You look ridiculous.
WinSPIN!
You've been pwned.
:facepalm:
Drive a better car if you're going to cut on someone else's car.
You're like a deer in the headlights. You've been outCougs'd and you don't know what to do.
Quote from: SVT666 on May 14, 2012, 01:23:41 PM
You're like a deer in the headlights. You've been outCougs'd and you don't know what to do.
And all because the Camaro has outsold the Mustang. Unbelievable!
No. Because your an arrogant prick that can never admit he's wrong about anything. You needed to be pwned. That's why I did it and will continue to do it whenever you use BS to back up your position.
You got pwned by me using the exact argument you are using with regards to another car, and you hate that...so you attack my car. I understand.
See ATS thread for response. Sad, just sad. CougsFAIL!
Quote from: CALL_911 on May 14, 2012, 12:48:35 PM
His problems have nothing to do with the G37, it has more to do with the fact that it's a used car. These are risks you take with a used car, although I do think Cougs probably should have ponied up a bit more cash for a non-Hertz car.
For someone who bills himself as a know-it-all on just about everything, you think he would've heard of Carfax. :confused:
And no offense to Infiniti, but having driven both the G37 and E90 3er, there's no contest here. Replacing a damn water pump at some point during the 3's life would be totally and completely worth it for the upgrade. It's not as if Nissan is the reigning king of reliability, anyway.
Quote from: TurboDan on May 14, 2012, 06:57:58 PM
For someone who bills himself as a know-it-all on just about everything, you think he would've heard of Carfax. :confused:
And no offense to Infiniti, but having driven both the G37 and E90 3er, there's no contest here. Replacing a damn water pump at some point during the 3's life would be totally and completely worth it for the upgrade. It's not as if Nissan is the reigning king of reliability, anyway.
Yea, my parent's M35 has been less than stellar.
Quote from: TurboDan on May 14, 2012, 06:57:58 PM
For someone who bills himself as a know-it-all on just about everything, you think he would've heard of Carfax. :confused:
And no offense to Infiniti, but having driven both the G37 and E90 3er, there's no contest here. Replacing a damn water pump at some point during the 3's life would be totally and completely worth it for the upgrade. It's not as if Nissan is the reigning king of reliability, anyway.
Of course it had a Carfax - any new (luxury) car dealer will have Carfax report for its used cars - and I saw the one for this car. For someone who is an expert you seem to not remember the structure of a Carfax report - Carfax doesn't list previous owners' info for obvious reasons. It showed "lease/fleet" as type of owner which I stated previously the dealer had said was "probably an Infiniti fleet car for managers blah, blah, blah." Jesus, if yer gonna attack son, check your 'fax' first.
If I felt a 335i, S4, C350, whatever, was the better car for me I'd have one in the driveway. Fact is, other than the S4, there was no material performance/refinement/luxury/whatever advantage by any of 'em, and the legacy of poor reliability and high maintenance costs is still unarguably being WELL earned to this day by all three German marques - okay cars up till about 50k miles, but after that? LOL. That's a dog that just don't hunt.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 07:34:36 PM
Of course it had a Carfax - any new (luxury) car dealer will have Carfax report for its used cars - and I saw the one for this car. For someone who is an expert you seem to not remember the structure of a Carfax report - Carfax doesn't list previous owners' info for obvious reasons. It showed "lease/fleet" as type of owner which I stated previously the dealer had said was "probably an Infiniti fleet car for managers blah, blah, blah." Jesus, if yer gonna attack son, check your 'fax' first.
If I felt a 335i, S4, C350, whatever, was the better car for me I'd have one in the driveway. Fact is, other than the S4, there was no material performance/refinement/luxury/whatever advantage by any of 'em, and the legacy of poor reliability and high maintenance costs is still unarguably being WELL earned to this day by all three German marques - okay cars up till about 50k miles, but after that? LOL. That's a dog that just don't hunt.
My family has an M35 with over 60k on it, lightly driven by two old people, and it pisses oil all over the garage, FWIW. Having worked in the service department of both a BMW and Infiniti dealership, I can tell you there is no real difference in reliability.
Still, you will enjoy your car regardless so just focus on the fun aspects!
I think you're making something out of nothing.
Quote from: 2o6 on May 14, 2012, 07:48:35 PM
I think you're making something out of nothing.
Can't ever imagine why.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 07:34:36 PM
Of course it had a Carfax - any new (luxury) car dealer will have Carfax report for its used cars - and I saw the one for this car. For someone who is an expert you seem to not remember the structure of a Carfax report - Carfax doesn't list previous owners' info for obvious reasons. It showed "lease/fleet" as type of owner which I stated previously the dealer had said was "probably an Infiniti fleet car for managers blah, blah, blah." Jesus, if yer gonna attack son, check your 'fax' first.
If I felt a 335i, S4, C350, whatever, was the better car for me I'd have one in the driveway. Fact is, other than the S4, there was no material performance/refinement/luxury/whatever advantage by any of 'em, and the legacy of poor reliability and high maintenance costs is still unarguably being WELL earned to this day by all three German marques - okay cars up till about 50k miles, but after that? LOL. That's a dog that just don't hunt.
The Carfax on my LR2 said the same thing. That's why I thoroughly checked into it, including inspecting a copy of the title and checking out the leasing company that was the previous owner. I also called the JaguarLandRover US corporate office and gave them the VIN to have them confirm maintenance records, including everything from oil changes to the exact firmware version that had been loaded into the ECU/CANbus.
I suspect if Ayn Rand was buying a used car, she'd take a similar precautionary track. :devil:
Regarding German cars -- I can just go on my experience, which has been positive going back to the VWs and Audis in my family since being a little kid. I'll give you the fact that we never had BMWs. My Passat had very minimal issues to 154,000 miles. My father's A6 has been practically flawless to 135,000 miles and he still has it. My hunch is that many American treat their high-end German cars as they would a Chevy pickup truck, meaning they feed them dino oil when the manual calls for synthetic, regular gas when they take premium, etc.
Quote from: 2o6 on May 14, 2012, 07:48:35 PM
I think you're making something out of nothing.
It's his bias against German cars that drives me nuts. And I actually LIKE his car. I test drove one and was considering buying one (although after driving the E90, I moved on).
Also, for a guy so supposedly obsessed with reliability, the seemingly reckless manner in which he bought the vehicle surprises me.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 08:04:52 PM
Can't ever imagine why.
.....I was talking about the scratches.
Quote from: TurboDan on May 14, 2012, 08:11:48 PM
The Carfax on my LR2 said the same thing. That's why I thoroughly checked into it, including inspecting a copy of the title and checking out the leasing company that was the previous owner. I also called the JaguarLandRover US corporate office and gave them the VIN to have them confirm maintenance records, including everything from oil changes to the exact firmware version that had been loaded into the ECU/CANbus.
I suspect if Ayn Rand was buying a used car, she'd take a similar precautionary track. :devil:
Regarding German cars -- I can just go on my experience, which has been positive going back to the VWs and Audis in my family since being a little kid. I'll give you the fact that we never had BMWs. My Passat had very minimal issues to 154,000 miles. My father's A6 has been practically flawless to 135,000 miles and he still has it. My hunch is that many American treat their high-end German cars as they would a Chevy pickup truck, meaning they feed them dino oil when the manual calls for synthetic, regular gas when they take premium, etc.
Nice attempt at a save but not quite - you went out on a limb with 'Fax Attack' and it didn't turn out well and otherwise you're taking this well beyond its logical losing end. Even if legit you'd be guilty WAY over thinking it.
Knowing it was a fleet car told me 99.5%+ chance it had received all maintenance in order to not bugger the lease. Other than that a check on general condition and tell tale signs of abuse (door dings, wheel scrapage, air dam cracks) told me all was good. Ergo, a G37x now sits in my driveway.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 08:35:31 PM
Nice attempt at a save but not quite - you went out on a limb with 'Fax Attack' and it didn't turn out well and otherwise you're taking this well beyond its logical losing end. Even if legit you'd be guilty WAY over thinking it.
I'm guilty of having done my homework when tens of thousands of dollars were at stake. There's no "losing end" here. I checked out the car, it was fine, and it is still fine. Win.
Plus, if you recall, YOU were the one whining and crying here the next day about all of the problems you had identified and lamenting the fact that it was a rental and you didn't know that fact beforehand. It seems like you hardly looked at the thing before plunking down money for it. And I'm the loser?
Remember this gem?
Quote5.) And the ginormous issue? THIS WAS A HERTZ RENTAL CAR. In pulling out the owners manual of the leather satchel out came the old registration showing Hertz as the previous owner, plus other Hertz stuff like stickers and the nav instructions. I was told it was purchased at an Infiniti auction and that it was "probably a manager's car." I've checked out in detail the undercarriage and wheels and see zero sign of abuse.
I meant "losing end" as you went LOLz after me with the Carfax thing when you plainly didn't know it doesn't show who previous owners. Be careful of extensionism - it's rarely passes the sniff test.
You can easily get a title history for the car. It's not hard. As soon as I saw "Fleet", I would have got the title history.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 14, 2012, 09:23:09 PM
I meant "losing end" as you went LOLz after me with the Carfax thing when you plainly didn't know it doesn't show who previous owners. Be careful of extensionism - it's rarely passes the sniff test.
What? My Carfax on my Yaris told me about how many previous owners, what kind of (minor) accidents it's been in, and any and all fleet service reports.
Quote from: 2o6 on May 14, 2012, 10:52:01 PM
What? My Carfax on my Yaris told me about how many previous owners, what kind of (minor) accidents it's been in, and any and all fleet service reports.
Mine told me the type of previous owner it was, which is why I investigated further. Not sure what Cougs saw. It was clearly on mine.
GUYS, Carfax does NOT tell you who the previous owner is, for obvious reasons.
In the US and at least in my state a private citizen CANNOT do a 'title search' at the DMV, again for obvious reasons.
How about you guys stop operating on myth to try to prove an irrelevant point?
I went to the Ford dealer and they gave me the complete history on my car including the names of the previous owners. I've still got it in my files.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 15, 2012, 08:27:34 AM
GUYS, Carfax does NOT tell you who the previous owner is, for obvious reasons.
In the US and at least in my state a private citizen CANNOT do a 'title search' at the DMV, again for obvious reasons.
How about you guys stop operating on myth to try to prove an irrelevant point?
Do you know how to read?
I didn't do a "title search" at the DMV. I asked the dealer to show me the title because he had it in a folder in the goddamn office. He showed it to me. It was a leasing company. I checked out the leasing company. They were fine. So I bought the car. And yes, I did call Land Rover's corporate office and confirm maintenance records and software updates.
And while not always legal, it is most certainly possible to do a title search at the DMV: http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/Vehicles/DO-22a.pdf
It is pretty easy to do a title search in TX, though I imagine the laws and procedures may vary greatly from state to state.
I found a spot on my carpet located directly under my front passenger seat. I can't sleep.
LOL!
(http://smileys.emoticonsonly.com/emoticons/b/bow_down_before_you-960.gif)
Cougs is the ultimate troll. He got a three-post-in-a-row hissy fit out of Hemi666, all with a Mustang-Camaro sales comment. Well done. :clap:
Son, it ain't trolling if it's true.
Got my dent fixed - dude predicted 90% fixed but he actually got it 99.5%. Amazing. I got my paint touch-up kit this week and will try this weekend.
Someone scratched me on the driver's side fender - removed a lot of paint. This has got to be happening at work. Ugh.
Who did you piss off?
Quote from: SVT666 on May 14, 2012, 01:02:46 PM
Naw. Better Sales = Better Car
2011 BMW 3 Series - 94,371
2011 Infiniti G - 58,246
The Toyota Corolla is better than both!
Quote from: GoCougs on May 23, 2012, 12:40:03 PM
Got my dent fixed - dude predicted 90% fixed but he actually got it 99.5%. Amazing. I got my paint touch-up kit this week and will try this weekend.
Someone scratched me on the driver's side fender - removed a lot of paint. This has got to be happening at work. Ugh.
Sucks dude. Got my car keyed the other day, offside. Really annoying not knowing who did it.
It's not being keyed; this new scratch is wide and only a couple inches long. Just somebody being careless and then a DB for not leaving a note.
Quote from: GoCougs on May 23, 2012, 08:14:08 PM
It's not being keyed; this new scratch is wide and only a couple inches long. Just somebody being careless and then a DB for not leaving a note.
Security cams?
No, no security cams. If I had to guess looks like someone was unloading something as from a truck and got me; I could also imagine a bike falling over and getting me with a handlebar. (None of these things would happen at work.)
We have a lot of foreign workers at work, and in their culture cars and private property in general aren't a cornerstone of life (esp. that of others) - scratching or denting someone else's car is a non-issue where they're from.
I now parallel park along a curb outside the main parking area - eliminating the risk of door dings or people swinging wide in/out of a spot. I try to park first or last in line narrowing the opportunity for getting bumped to only the front or rear.
Your new car seems to be a magnet for this shit. I'm going to guess that it's haunted.
Park of the reason I bought a used car this time around was so that I wouldn't worry so much about people dinging it. Turns out that I worry just as much.
Quote from: afty on May 24, 2012, 09:45:55 AM
Park of the reason I bought a used car this time around was so that I wouldn't worry so much about people dinging it. Turns out that I worry just as much.
I had a coworker that let his kids use his Integra as a spraypainting canvas. He was psychologically impervious to dings.
So I got my paint touch-up kit. I was all geared up to do the masking and sanding and prepping and all the rest of it, but thought about it again, and in no way would that look good, or any better than dabbing the touch-up over the chips and scratches. So, the latter is what I did, primarily to just to keep the blemishes from getting larger. Meh, doesn't look great but should stop the blemishes from growing.
Buff it. That will blend it in.
Got my first oil change last night. Lube shop first tells me Nissan recommends synthetic; I decline stating conventional will be fine - dude then had the audacity to tell me using conventional will void my warranty. I lol'd: "yeah, I don't think so, just change the oil please."
The whole mythical world of oil is a blight on the industry, and even the enthusiast community. I shall smite thee all if I here again that ABC oil gives me more HP or XYZ oil makes the engine run cooler or any other mythical concoction.
I put Rotella in the Harley and it gave it more horsepower. I put Motorcraft in the Hyundai and it runs smoother.
I always use synthetic.
Quote from: GoCougs on June 22, 2012, 07:48:03 AM
Got my first oil change last night. Lube shop first tells me Nissan recommends synthetic; I decline stating conventional will be fine - dude then had the audacity to tell me using conventional will void my warranty. I lol'd: "yeah, I don't think so, just change the oil please."
The whole mythical world of oil is a blight on the industry, and even the enthusiast community. I shall smite thee all if I here again that ABC oil gives me more HP or XYZ oil makes the engine run cooler or any other mythical concoction.
Synthetic lasts much longer though. That's how you get the 15,000 mile oil change intervals.
I'll never use synthetic unless the manufacturer says its mandatory (a few cars do; IIRC GT-R and some other ultra performers, and that's usually because the specified weight - like 0W-40 - can only be had with a synthetic) - there's simply no advantage other than it lasts longer in cars so designed (= 15,000 OCI would void my warranty).
While we're talking about oil changes, does anyone know how time affects oil quality? I don't drive much (~7k miles/yr). My G35 specifies oil changes every 3 mo/3750 miles, but 3 months seems excessive when I've driven less then 2k miles.
I might get an oil analysis so I have some data to go on, but I'm curious what other people do in this situation.
The 3 mo./3,750 change interval I don't follow; the 6 mo./7,500 change interval I don't like the non-roundness of the mileage number. I've settled on a 5,000 interval since it's easy to remember and I bought the car at 20k miles...
I've always driven a LOT so I'd never hit the time limit; however, if I ever I do, I'd not go any less than 6 mos.
I change the dino oil in my Focus every 5000 miles and judging by the colour I could probably do another 1000.
Motorcraft syn-blend, and cheaper than most regular oils.
Quote from: SVT666 on June 22, 2012, 10:07:02 AM
Synthetic lasts much longer though. That's how you get the 15,000 mile oil change intervals.
The longer OCIs are because the EPA is bullying automakers into extending them ? NOT because they are good for the vehicles, synthetic or not. I would stick to a 5K OCI regardless of what the manual says, even with synthetic.
Lol. I always do synthetics. $30 and I can go at least twice as long.
And that $30 leaves me with extra oil.
Quote from: TurboDan on June 23, 2012, 08:46:13 AM
The longer OCIs are because the EPA is bullying automakers into extending them ? NOT because they are good for the vehicles, synthetic or not. I would stick to a 5K OCI regardless of what the manual says, even with synthetic.
Extending intervals doesn't hurt either, if it's done correctly (by the automaker).
Quote from: TurboDan on June 23, 2012, 08:46:13 AM
The longer OCIs are because the EPA is bullying automakers into extending them ? NOT because they are good for the vehicles, synthetic or not. I would stick to a 5K OCI regardless of what the manual says, even with synthetic.
BS. No automaker is going to recommend longer OCIs if it's not good for the engine. The 3 month/3000 mile OCI is from an era when oil and engine technology necessitated it. Dealerships and oil companies love it because it's more money in their pockets. Now they talk about the 5000 mile OCI which is what I go by in my Focus even though I have gone 6500 miles once and the oil was only starting to look dark and I use conventional oil. BMW recommends a 15,000 mile OCI on their cars. Nobody bullied BMW into that. They recommend it because it doesn't need to be any more frequent. Hell, even the new Ford cars have a recommended OCI of 1 year/10,000 miles.
We need an acronym for "oil change interval" now?
Quote from: Raza on June 24, 2012, 08:25:37 AM
We need an acronym for "oil change interval" now?
WNA for everything.
Can we merge this with SVT's "Time for a new car" thread already?
Quote from: SVT666 on June 24, 2012, 01:42:35 AM
BS. No automaker is going to recommend longer OCIs if it's not good for the engine. The 3 month/3000 mile OCI is from an era when oil and engine technology necessitated it. Dealerships and oil companies love it because it's more money in their pockets. Now they talk about the 5000 mile OCI which is what I go by in my Focus even though I have gone 6500 miles once and the oil was only starting to look dark and I use conventional oil. BMW recommends a 15,000 mile OCI on their cars. Nobody bullied BMW into that. They recommend it because it doesn't need to be any more frequent. Hell, even the new Ford cars have a recommended OCI of 1 year/10,000 miles.
Manufacturers always manipulate this stuff. In many cases the same engine is used in different vehicles ? one has a huge OCI and one has a much smaller OCI. In the case of my own vehicle, Volvo and Land Rover use the same engine. Volvo requires synthetic. LR says dino. Same engine. Similarly sized vehicles. And the EPA is ABSOLUTELY pressuring automakers into longer OCIs to cut down on oil disposal.
If you want to go 10,000 to 15,000 miles on the same oil filter and oil, be my guest. I want my LR2 to last 'til 200K so I'm not taking any chances.
I change my oil about once a year.
Quote from: Rupert on June 25, 2012, 02:41:37 PM
I change my oil about once a year.
Same.
Full synthetic at Wal Mart is $28 for 5 quarts and I have about half a quart left over from oil changes to top off whenever needed as well. :praise:
Quote from: TurboDan on June 24, 2012, 11:06:41 AM
Manufacturers always manipulate this stuff. In many cases the same engine is used in different vehicles ? one has a huge OCI and one has a much smaller OCI. In the case of my own vehicle, Volvo and Land Rover use the same engine. Volvo requires synthetic. LR says dino. Same engine. Similarly sized vehicles. And the EPA is ABSOLUTELY pressuring automakers into longer OCIs to cut down on oil disposal.
If you want to go 10,000 to 15,000 miles on the same oil filter and oil, be my guest. I want my LR2 to last 'til 200K so I'm not taking any chances.
:confused:
I am sure this isn't always true, but FWIW my father works at a relatively small shop and all the oil is recycled (a company called Safety-Kleen actually purchases the used oil). As an aside we also use Safety Kleen at my employer for the oil we use in our manufacturing facilities.
Quote from: afty on June 22, 2012, 11:46:44 AM
While we're talking about oil changes, does anyone know how time affects oil quality? I don't drive much (~7k miles/yr). My G35 specifies oil changes every 3 mo/3750 miles, but 3 months seems excessive when I've driven less then 2k miles.
I might get an oil analysis so I have some data to go on, but I'm curious what other people do in this situation.
Time wise, I've heard 1 year. That's what I do in the C6 now that it typically doesn't get there on mileage over that time.
4runner I also change once a year, which comes out a little under 10k miles, Toyota's recommended change interval.
I use synthetic for both. I usually change the oil myself on the C6. In either case, if I bring it in for a change I'll usually buy the oil myself at Walmart or Costco to avoid the outrageous synthetic up charges some like to tack on.
For some reason, I went through my old posts today and found that I responded to this:
Quote from: GoCougs on May 25, 2011, 12:49:01 PM
The first gen G35 sedan sure is holding its styling. Every time I see one I think, "wow, still looks great." The second get G3x sedan, not so much. The styling seems too faddish and isn't wearing too well IMO. But on paper they're great deals, and with a slightly used model easily had well below $30k. For 2011 the dealio is they've greatly isolated the VQ so NVH is far better than in previous years; reported to be actually quite good. The base wheels on the sedan look absolute horrible - I'd got with the 18" split spoke upgrade and then I think the G37 could float up to the top if I wanted to spend that much (TBD).
I've had a nagging problems with rattles and buzzing coming from the A-pillar covers (that house the tweeters). Searching various G forums turns out this is a common complaint. Today I pried each off (fastened to the door with those cheap plastic barbed push connectors) and then reseated each. Made a difference thus far but the problem will likely be back. Looks like it's the interface between the underside of the cover and the push connector (the round push portion fits into a slot). Everything else is pretty much bolted or molded. There is black caulking-like stuff used to mitigate rattles; if it's back I'll just squirt some of that stuff in there.
Get some felt tape. Seems to quell any rattles my mom's Accord comes up with.
Quote from: CJ on July 06, 2012, 11:40:26 PM
Get some felt tape. Seems to quell any rattles my mom's Accord comes up with.
There's no purchase on which to put the tape. Imagine a nail head inserted into a molded nub sticking out from a flat surface...
Quote from: GoCougs on July 07, 2012, 12:20:31 AM
There's no purchase on which to put the tape. Imagine a nail head inserted into a molded nub sticking out from a flat surface...
Odd.
On the back side of the molding, it should say what material it is. ABS or PC-ABS I'm guessing? You can out some molybdenum disulfide on it and that should solve it. I'll check next time and make sure that's the right compound and what brands are out there.
Quote from: CJ on July 07, 2012, 12:54:03 PM
Odd.
Pretty standard fair I find actually, for securing stuff within a car interior. The highlighted interface is what I was trying to describe - this is where I think the buzzing is coming from (the white barb push piece thingy is simply snapped into the black molded-in retainer):
(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1515/g37rattle.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/440/g37rattle.jpg/)
I just popped in here to say that I <3 the G37.
I tell ya, I'm having a wee bit of an issue with these interior rattles but all in all it's a great car and one of the singular best deals in all of autombiledom. Bah if it's similar too similar to the TSX - get the x version and you're 4-season enabled too!
Ah, I see what you mean. Volvo didn't use too many of those in my 940, but this was also 20 years ago. After 20 years, I have one squeak.
Quote from: GoCougs on July 08, 2012, 12:09:23 AM
I tell ya, I'm having a wee bit of an issue with these interior rattles but all in all it's a great car and one of the singular best deals in all of autombiledom. Bah if it's similar too similar to the TSX - get the x version and you're 4-season enabled too!
You should have bought the 2009. No interior rattles. :tounge:
Quote from: SVT666 on July 09, 2012, 11:08:05 AM
You should have bought the 2009. No interior rattles. :tounge:
My rattles don't surface till ~60+ mph on the particular concrete used on WA interstates.
Also, does the '09 have tweeters in the A-pillars? That's where my issues lie.
Quote from: GoCougs on July 09, 2012, 12:19:51 PM
My rattles don't surface till ~60+ mph on the particular concrete used on WA interstates.
Also, does the '09 have tweeters in the A-pillars? That's where my issues lie.
So just take the tweeters out? Put smiley face stickers there or something to try and cheer you up from all that traffic.
Quote from: HotRodPilot on July 09, 2012, 12:20:56 PM
So just take the tweeters out? Put smiley face stickers there or something to try and cheer you up from all that traffic.
But, but...what about all his trebles? :(
Quote from: GoCougs on July 09, 2012, 12:19:51 PM
My rattles don't surface till ~60+ mph on the particular concrete used on WA interstates.
Also, does the '09 have tweeters in the A-pillars? That's where my issues lie.
No. My tweeters are in front of the door handle right below the A-pillar.
Quote from: giant_mtb on July 09, 2012, 12:39:24 PM
But, but...what about all his trebles? :(
:lol:
I think cougs would shit bricks at having to look at stickers covering up holes in his dash before he could even notice there's no moar trebles
Quote from: Laconian on July 08, 2012, 12:05:38 AM
I just popped in here to say that I <3 the G37.
Jumping in too to record the fact that somebody in this office building has a black G37 S sedan with... wait for it... a dark red ("ox blood?") leather interior. It looks gorgeous. :wub:
Tried to find the option on Infiniti's web site, but it must have been a now-unavailable special edition or some such.
Can you buy a sedan G37 IPL?
Edit: The 2011 Limited Edition had red leather. :ohyeah:
Quote from: 68_427 on July 30, 2012, 09:41:29 AM
Can you buy a sedan G37 IPL?
I don't think so, but you can buy everything you need to make it an IPL.
IPL?
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26986.msg1756380#msg1756380 date=1343684969
IPL?
Infiniti Performance Line
IPL G37 is coupe only, but you can buy all the parts and even the front clip for the sedan. Personally, I think it's an exorbitant price for very little gain.
The IPL's add'l ~20 extra hp is "fake" and goes to show the worthlessness of aftermarket exhaust (for gaining power). They simply uncorked the exhaust, and in the process moved the powerband up a bit (~400 rpm). Without modifying gearing or weight that usually only results in a louder car that isn't any faster. The IPL body work looks terrible too, and base MSRP is $49k. LOL.
Only people with more money than sense would get an IPL from the factory.
I got some tree sap on my car that is the stickiest stuff I have ever seen. I almost have to take a wire brush to my skin to get it off. I don't dare try to scrub it off the paint for fear of damage. Pressure washer at the local car wash took off some but there is still some left. Ugh. I plan to get it detailed end of September to be ready for the winter so I'll have the experts take a look.
Overall the car is holding up great. Despite being careful however I'm getting scratches and marring on the back bumper from what is probably putting stuff in the trunk (big ass bag of bike stuff) and from taking the bike rack on and off so often. Meh. Big deal after the fact; this is pretty much my beater/do-everything car. The Accord's silver paint not doubt hid these sins a bit better though.
By taking off the A-pillar covers and reseating 'em a number of times the buzzing and rattling has mostly gone away, which is good. My tires are near the wear bars (at only 26k miles, yikes) so that is contributing to some extent (i.e., rough ride). I keep going back and forth on snow tires for the winter; right now I'm thinking I will; this will time nicely with the end of the current tires' life.
Clay bars are awesome, you might try one on the tree sap
Tree sap finally came off on its own - nasty stuff.
So, had my first freeway trip last weekend (~350 miles). Only managed 21.5 mpg though it was in the 90s and the car was all loaded up with bikes and gear. Expected better though considering on my weekday commute which includes slower speeds and a bit of stop-n-go I manage ~22 mpg.
Also, the AT bothers me. When in drive sometimes it shifts quick and hard and other it feels lazy and almost as if it's slipping on shifts. Will have the next major service done at the dealer and will ask about AT reprogramming.
Quote from: GoCougs on August 01, 2012, 12:18:34 PM
Overall the car is holding up great. Despite being careful however I'm getting scratches and marring on the back bumper from what is probably putting stuff in the trunk (big ass bag of bike stuff) and from taking the bike rack on and off so often. Meh. Big deal after the fact; this is pretty much my beater/do-everything car. The Accord's silver paint not doubt hid these sins a bit better though.
Thought you had a hitch rack? Trunk racks will mar it up no matter how careful you are.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on August 11, 2012, 03:04:14 PM
Thought you had a hitch rack? Trunk racks will mar it up no matter how careful you are.
Yep, I do have a hitch rack (had a strap-on trunk rack with one the Accord for a bit - a GINORMOUS POS). I guess it's just doing stuff in and around the rear of the car - loading bags, putting on the hitch rack, and taking bikes on/off.
Quote from: GoCougs on August 11, 2012, 02:44:05 PM
Tree sap finally came off on its own - nasty stuff.
So, had my first freeway trip last weekend (~350 miles). Only managed 21.5 mpg though it was in the 90s and the car was all loaded up with bikes and gear. Expected better though considering on my weekday commute which includes slower speeds and a bit of stop-n-go I manage ~22 mpg.
Also, the AT bothers me. When in drive sometimes it shifts quick and hard and other it feels lazy and almost as if it's slipping on shifts. Will have the next major service done at the dealer and will ask about AT reprogramming.
I have the same issue. Mostly at lower speeds though. It's usually when I left off the gas and then step on it again. It feels like I'm catching it between gears or something.
My average mileage for the last year in my MT G35 has been around 18.5 MPG. I drive maybe 50% city and 50% highway, and I don't even drive very aggressively. It's really my only complaint about this car.
Quote from: SVT666 on August 14, 2012, 10:36:47 AM
I have the same issue. Mostly at lower speeds though. It's usually when I left off the gas and then step on it again. It feels like I'm catching it between gears or something.
Yeah, my AT is a bit soft when asked to downshift at part throttle (the Accord was actually more aggressive to me actually) and it can be jerky when getting back on the gas as you describe. My issue though is when taking off from a stop at part throttle - sometimes it's nice and aggressive (i.e., sharp/hard) and other times it feels soft and almost like it slips between shifts. I'm due for my 30k service in about a month, and will report back what the dealer says about shifting programming updates/upgrades/fixes.
What MPG are you getting?
I drive fairly aggressively, while my wife drive it fairly "normal" and the trip computer says I'm averaging 20.3 mpg. On Saturday, I traveled two mountain passes and through Vancouver for an 80/20 split highway/city, I averaged 24 mpg.
Quote from: SVT666 on August 14, 2012, 04:56:06 PM
I drive fairly aggressively, while my wife drive it fairly "normal" and the trip computer says I'm averaging 20.3 mpg. On Saturday, I traveled two mountain passes and through Vancouver for an 80/20 split highway/city, I averaged 24 mpg.
Sucks. You should have gotten a V6 Mustang. Faster and more fuel efficient. :devil:
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26986.msg1764432#msg1764432 date=1345035880
Sucks. You should have gotten a V6 Mustang. Faster and more fuel efficient. :devil:
I will never buy a V6 Mustang. Ever. I don't care how good it is.
Quote from: SVT666 on August 15, 2012, 09:57:56 AM
I will never buy a V6 Mustang. Ever. I don't care how good it is.
What if the Shelby GT600 of the future is a V6, and by then nobody has ever heard of a V8? :mask:
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on August 15, 2012, 10:00:42 AM
What if the Shelby GT600 of the future is a V6, and by then nobody has ever heard of a V8? :mask:
Nope. Never.
Quote from: SVT666 on August 15, 2012, 03:24:12 PM
Nope. Never.
That's like buying a V6 Corvette........
I'd buy a 4-cyl Corvette if they knocked $15,000 off the price.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on August 15, 2012, 04:46:18 PM
I'd buy a 4-cyl Corvette if they knocked $15,000 off the price.
Pontiac Solstice
Quote from: SVT666 on August 15, 2012, 04:48:15 PM
Pontiac Solstice
I would never buy a Solstice without a V8.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on August 15, 2012, 05:03:44 PM
I would never buy a Solstice without a V8.
Me neither. Weaksauce.
V8s are lame...my mom drives a V8. Lame.
Quote from: Raza on August 16, 2012, 05:08:04 AM
V8s are lame...my mom drives a V8. Lame.
My mom, too. V8s are for little girls.
Quote from: GoCougs on March 15, 2012, 01:06:11 PM
Here's the wheels I wanted - 18" upgrade (I have the standard 17" wheels, which look really really plain to me). They can be had from Infiniti for $400/per which is a bit expensive, plus they'd need new tires so I'd be looking at ~$2,400 to upgrade. Have been looking at eBay but probably wouldn't do that (and they're not a whole lot cheaper used).
(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1187/99115187.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/99115187.png/)
I just ordered a used set off ebay. $1600 for wheels and (new) tires. Only a few hundred miles but I'm planning to get them touched up by a local wheel house and will then get my snows (Blizzak LM-60).
I should be able to get $500 - $1,000 for the set on the car now, giving me a net of less than $1,000 to upgrade. This was totally bothering me but had to do it. I just hate the standard wheels.
Confirmation on shipment - wheels will be here next Tues. Will have to get then the wheel place for fixing, so looking at another couple of weeks before they're on the car. Should look sharp with the exhaust (the current stockers have a matte clear whereas these wheels are a bit shinier which should match the shininess of the exhaust better).
OMG, now you will have that rough ride you wanted to avoid at all costs.
Hey Cougs, PM me how much you want for those wheels. CL dude was a no-show. I found another guy selling his previous-gen G35 17"ers and tires for $400, but he hasn't responded in 16 hours.
Sucks, CL no-show FTL...
Just sent PM but got funny error. Lemme know if you didn't get it...
Didn't receive anything. Try again?
Someone is going to meet cougs?!
Quote from: MrH on November 17, 2012, 03:48:03 PM
Someone is going to meet cougs?!
He doesn't live in a bubble in his parents' basement?
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on November 17, 2012, 04:43:59 PM
He doesn't live in a bubble in his parents' basement?
No, HIS parents live in HIS basement, and if they don't keep up on their weekly payments, he's going to kick them out.
Got the new wheels installed. Got Blizzak LM-60s on yesterday...
(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/5619/dscf0790d.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/827/dscf0790d.jpg/)
Previous but with racks installed. HUGE upgrade IMO:
(http://imageshack.us/a/img191/7529/g37racks.png)
Not going to lie, not a huge fan of the new wheels either, but yeah, BIG time improvement over the other ones.
Do you usually park on the street, or just for the picture?
I don't really like either set, personally, but man, they both look small in those wheel wells.
Wheels all look the same. Some fender skirts would cover the wheels, and the giant wheel wells.
New wheels = now the best looking car in its class IMO; got a compliment at the tire shop and then at the gas station to boot.
Nah, I park in my carport.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 21, 2012, 12:46:00 PM
New wheels = now the best looking car in its class IMO; got a compliment at the tire shop and then at the gas station to boot.
Nah, I park in my carport.
Bold claim. I like the new 3-series more, but it is a pretty good looking car. It's aging well.
Oh yeah? Well, I got a compliment on my car from both the lady who took my money, and the one who gave me my food at the McDonald's drive-thru :lol: I wish I were lying, but those white trash heffers were lovin them some BRZ.
One of my customers (He's got an S63 AMG) likes my car quite a lot. I got a ride in the S63 yesterday. :mask:
Quote from: MrH on November 21, 2012, 12:50:22 PM
Oh yeah? Well, I got a compliment on my car from both the lady who took my money, and the one who gave me my food at the McDonald's drive-thru :lol: I wish I were lying, but those white trash heffers were lovin them some BRZ.
Last spring I was driving my El Camino and got a thumbs up from a FOG with a hippy beard in a beat up 90's Aerostar. :rockon:
People are always complimenting my car.
No they're not.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 21, 2012, 12:46:00 PM
New wheels = now the best looking car in its class IMO; got a compliment at the tire shop and then at the gas station to boot.
Nah, I park in my carport.
New wheels look good, man.
Carport? A man of your stature doesn't have a two-car garage? :evildude:
Some guy told me he's never "seen a young guy driving one of those".
:(
Quote from: 68_427 on November 21, 2012, 09:27:27 PM
Some guy told me he's never "seen a young guy driving one of those".
:(
I don't know anybody who drives one who isn't a young dude....
Quote from: SVT666 on November 21, 2012, 09:02:26 PM
No they're not.
I've gotten a few, and each time I'm surprised. I like it, but it's not exactly a stand out looking car.
Usually, they ask me "How's the mileage on your Prius", or "I never knew they made Camrys this small", or "That's a really cute car. Who makes it?" :huh:
Quote from: 2o6 on November 21, 2012, 10:30:54 PM
I've gotten a few, and each time I'm surprised. I like it, but it's not exactly a stand out looking car.
Usually, they ask me "How's the mileage on your Prius", or "I never knew they made Camrys this small", or "That's a really cute car. Who makes it?" :huh:
Those aren't compliments.
I've gotten a few in my car, mainly from dudes with beat up old cars. Makes me feel bad. :(
Even worse, chicks don't dig my car. I went somewhere with a friend and on the way back to the car, she pointed at a Honda Del Slow and said "there's your car!". :cry:
Quote from: 2o6 on November 21, 2012, 10:30:54 PM
I've gotten a few, and each time I'm surprised. I like it, but it's not exactly a stand out looking car.
Usually, they ask me "How's the mileage on your Prius", or "I never knew they made Camrys this small", or "That's a really cute car. Who makes it?" :huh:
I think midwestern people must view Japanese cars like they view Asians, "they all look the same."
Quote from: thecarnut on November 21, 2012, 10:55:29 PM
Those aren't compliments.
I've gotten a few in my car, mainly from dudes with beat up old cars. Makes me feel bad. :(
Even worse, chicks don't dig my car. I went somewhere with a friend and on the way back to the car, she pointed at a Honda Del Slow and said "there's your car!". :cry:
pwn3d :lol:
To be fair, the Yaris sedan isn't exactly a distictive design, my brother's 2011 Camry SE is the same color as my car....they look kinda similar.
My mom gets compliments on her Legacy ALL THE DAMN TIME, and she thinks it looks like a old lady car compared to mine. :lol:
Quote from: 2o6 on November 21, 2012, 11:04:55 PM
To be fair, the Yaris sedan isn't exactly a distictive design, my brother's 2011 Camry SE is the same color as my car....they look kinda similar.
Agreed. All subcompact sedans are pretty bad looking. Hatches FTW. I can fit a refridgerator in my car. Fuck passengers.
Quote from: dazzleman on November 21, 2012, 09:36:30 PM
I don't know anybody who drives one who isn't a young dude....
Same here. A lot of my friends drive them and love them. I mentioned the G to my dad to replace his '02 A6. His response was almost a laugh, then a stern lesson that if it's not German, it ain't real luxury. Audi or BMW the next chariot shall be... but he's still open to a GTI to reclaim his youth... it legit could happen. :lol:
Quote from: 68_427 on November 21, 2012, 11:26:33 PM
My mom gets compliments on her Legacy ALL THE DAMN TIME, and she thinks it looks like a old lady car compared to mine. :lol:
Haha, I was at Lowe's this week and the manager stopped me on my way in and asked me what kind of car I was driving, as he saw me driving in the lot looking for a space. Said he was looking to buy an Escape or Liberty but was trying to find something different and a little nicer, as long as he could drive on sand for his fishing expeditions (gee, the SAME preferences I had). I sung the praises of the LR2.
Quote from: TurboDan on November 22, 2012, 01:31:05 AM
Same here. A lot of my friends drive them and love them. I mentioned the G to my dad to replace his '02 A6. His response was almost a laugh, then a stern lesson that if it's not German, it ain't real luxury. Audi or BMW the next chariot shall be... but he's still open to a GTI to reclaim his youth... it legit could happen. :lol:
Forget luxury. At this stage of the game, he needs something to get the blood flowing.... :pullover:
Viagra?
Quote from: MrH on November 21, 2012, 12:50:22 PM
Oh yeah? Well, I got a compliment on my car from both the lady who took my money, and the one who gave me my food at the McDonald's drive-thru :lol: I wish I were lying, but those white trash heffers were lovin them some BRZ.
Some teen girl giving me the Frosty at Wendy's said "I love your car!" to my
convurtibel rasecar.
Yeah, I got stopped by two old guys yesterday. One at a stop light asking how I liked it. The other in the movies parking lot gave me two thumbs up like the Fonz.
I hear something from someone nearly every day, but it's almost always old men. I've yet to receive a compliment by a remotely attractive girl though. The Pussy Slayin Chariot is failing me horribly :facepalm:
Quote from: MrH on November 24, 2012, 10:08:06 AM
Yeah, I got stopped by two old guys yesterday. One at a stop light asking how I liked it. The other in the movies parking lot gave me two thumbs up like the Fonz.
I hear something from someone nearly every day, but it's almost always old men. I've yet to receive a compliment by a remotely attractive girl though. The Pussy Slayin Chariot is failing me horribly :facepalm:
:lol:
Mustang
Quote from: dazzleman on November 21, 2012, 09:22:19 PM
New wheels look good, man.
Carport? A man of your stature doesn't have a two-car garage? :evildude:
Har, har. I like carports better than garages actually; lets the car dry off and don't have to wait for the door to open.
Can't store stuff in a carport though!
Those are excuses used by people who have never had a garage. I have never waited for the door unless I forgot to push the button. And my car is always dry in the morning...all the while being secure.
I will never not have a garage ever again.
Quote from: SVT666 on November 24, 2012, 08:22:18 PM
Those are excuses used by people who have never had a garage. I have never waited for the door unless I forgot to push the button. And my car is always dry in the morning...all the while being secure.
:hesaid:
Sorry Joe, but I have to agree. If you had a garage, you'd vastly prefer it to a carport.
Quote from: SVT666 on November 24, 2012, 08:22:56 PM
I will never not have a garage ever again.
I hope to always have a garage. They really help in the winter.
Quote from: Laconian on November 24, 2012, 08:05:18 PM
Can't store stuff in a carport though!
Look at the 2nd pic on the previous page. You'll see the door open to the workshop I built that encloses the back third of the carport. Not as much storage as a 2-car garage but there is storage.
One thing for sure, I'm not building or converting to a garage and I'm not moving anytime soon.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 24, 2012, 09:22:30 PM
One thing for sure, I'm not building or converting to a garage and I'm not moving anytime soon.
And that's perfectly fine. Your parking space suits you just perfectly, and you seem to have done just fine without the luxury of a garage.
Quote from: dazzleman on November 24, 2012, 08:38:42 PM
I hope to always have a garage. They really help in the winter.
Thanks to Sandy, I'm at my parents' house, where one side of the garage is used for storage and one is reserved by my mom. My dad and I have to park in the driveway. :devil: :lol:
Quote from: TurboDan on November 24, 2012, 10:59:41 PM
Thanks to Sandy, I'm at my parents' house, where one side of the garage is used for storage and one is reserved by my mom. My dad and I have to park in the driveway. :devil: :lol:
Our garage is filled with my dad's Camaro and assorted parts. Could probably build half a car with all the stuff in there.
Quote from: hotrodalex on November 25, 2012, 12:08:43 AM
Our garage is filled with my dad's Camaro and assorted parts. Could probably build half a car with all the stuff in there.
I can't complain to much. When I was a kid, they let me keep my first small boat in there all winter. :lol: :ohyeah:
Quote from: GoCougs on November 24, 2012, 12:04:11 PM
Har, har. I like carports better than garages actually; lets the car dry off and don't have to wait for the door to open.
LOLZ. No.
And you can't keep lots of expensive stuff under a carport- people could swipe it far easier.
-------------------------------------
I have to carefully manage the garge- all the bikes and piles of stuff cuz we don't do storage payments. So to get the Christmas stuff out I have to pull a car out and unpile a 6ft tall stack of boxes then put it all back in. But the Subie and Sienna are garaged now..
Carports FTW.
Anyway, had a chance to drive in the snow this weekend with the new snow tires. Tires pretty much performed as expected however I was shocked at how well the stability control would control the car. I could not upset the car at 25-30 mph. This thing is going to be a tank in the snow.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 25, 2012, 11:08:24 AM
Carports FTW.
Anyway, had a chance to drive in the snow this weekend with the new snow tires. Tires pretty much performed as expected however I was shocked at how well the stability control would control the car. I could not upset the car at 25-30 mph. This thing is going to be a tank in the snow.
Good to hear. I'm about to buy LM-60's too, but I'd like to hear your thoughts:
Why'd you go with the LM-60s over the WS-70s? Cheaper? Performance reasons?
Quote from: GoCougs on November 25, 2012, 11:08:24 AM
Carports FTW.
Anyway, had a chance to drive in the snow this weekend with the new snow tires. Tires pretty much performed as expected however I was shocked at how well the stability control would control the car. I could not upset the car at 25-30 mph. This thing is going to be a tank in the snow.
Were you able to do any donuts?
Quote from: TurboDan on November 24, 2012, 10:59:41 PM
Thanks to Sandy, I'm at my parents' house, where one side of the garage is used for storage and one is reserved by my mom. My dad and I have to park in the driveway. :devil: :lol:
Both my houses have had 2-car garages, with half used for storage. I don't know what I'd do if I only had a 1-car garage, or actually had two cars.
Quote from: MrH on November 25, 2012, 12:28:38 PM
Good to hear. I'm about to buy LM-60's too, but I'd like to hear your thoughts:
Why'd you go with the LM-60s over the WS-70s? Cheaper? Performance reasons?
The WS-70 is a "hardcore" winter/snow tire. This is the likes of the tire I had on the Accord (Toyo Observe G-02). These have marginal traction on bare roads; especially wet. The LM-60 is the WS-70 minus some of the tread compound stuff for pliability at lower temps, and is thus deemed a "performance" winter tire. The end result is it sacrifices a bit of winter performance for bare road performance. The LM-60 is pricey though - cost me ~$1,300 total at the local Firestone shop (and that with the tires being $4 cheaper than Tire Rack interestingly).
Owing to good AWD and good stability control I thought the tradeoff an easy call. I do get a bit of float at highway speeds (i.e., squishy tread blocks) but it rides better and is quieter than expected, but still a bit of a downgrade vs. the factory all seasons. The other tire under consideration was the Michelin Alpin PA3. I went with the LM-60 as they were quicker to get locally (wanted to get them on last week).
Quote from: dazzleman on November 25, 2012, 12:47:16 PM
Were you able to do any donuts?
Only with the stability control off (it's actually never off, turning it "off" just lets it be more forgiving); when on I couldn't do much of anything no matter how slippery things got.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 25, 2012, 12:49:01 PM
The WS-70 is a "hardcore" winter/snow tire. This is the likes of the tire I had on the Accord (Toyo Observe G-02). These have marginal traction on bare roads; especially wet. The LM-60 is the WS-70 minus some of the tread compound stuff for pliability at lower temps, and is thus deemed a "performance" winter tire. The end result is it sacrifices a bit of winter performance for bare road performance. The LM-60 is pricey though - cost me ~$1,300 total at the local Firestone shop (and that with the tires being $4 cheaper than Tire Rack interestingly).
Owing to good AWD and good stability control I thought the tradeoff an easy call. I do get a bit of float at highway speeds (i.e., squishy tread blocks) but it rides better and is quieter than expected, but still a bit of a downgrade vs. the factory all seasons. The other tire under consideration was the Michelin Alpin PA3. I went with the LM-60 as they were quicker to get locally (wanted to get them on last week).
That was my rationale too. Just seeing if I was being an idiot not getting full blown hardcore "snow tires" or not. I figure it's not worth the decrease in performance for the few days a year when the snow isn't cleared yet.
I'm actually considering just going with my all seasons...
Quote from: GoCougs on November 25, 2012, 12:51:49 PM
Only with the stability control off (it's actually never off, turning it "off" just lets it be more forgiving); when on I couldn't do much of anything no matter how slippery things got.
What if you hold the button down? Lots of cars are like (Miata and BRZ are both that way). I can turn off traction, but keep stability on, turn off traction and put stability in sport mode with the two buttons on the console. But if I hold the traction control button off for 5 seconds, it turns off completely.
You gotta have fun sometimes.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 25, 2012, 12:51:49 PM
Only with the stability control off (it's actually never off, turning it "off" just lets it be more forgiving); when on I couldn't do much of anything no matter how slippery things got.
My car controls things pretty flawlessly. Lets me get the tail out a few degrees but can reel it back in after a second or two. So I can have a little bit of fun and still have that safety net. If I turn it off, it's completely off. (I usually only do that while in a parking lot or an empty road I'm very familiar with)
My car comes equipped with a stability control system that is defeatable via ESP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extrasensory_perception
Quote from: 68_427 on November 21, 2012, 09:27:27 PM
Some guy told me he's never "seen a young guy driving one of those".
:(
I hear that one a lot.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 25, 2012, 11:08:24 AM
Carports FTW.
Absolutely NOT. At least compared to a garage. Sure a carport is better than nothing.
Hope you're just kidding cuz otherwise you're completely clueless. ;)
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on November 25, 2012, 05:20:45 PM
Absolutely NOT. At least compared to a garage. Sure a carport is better than nothing.
Hope you're just kidding cuz otherwise you're completely clueless. ;)
I agree. A carport is better than nothing, but it can never be better than a garage, IMO.
Quote from: dazzleman on November 25, 2012, 05:34:03 PM
I agree. A carport is better than nothing, but it can never be better than a garage, IMO.
I need a 2 stall garage and a 30'x40' pole barn.
Quote from: dazzleman on November 25, 2012, 05:34:03 PM
... A carport ... can never be better than a garage, IMO.
That's just fact.
Quote from: 280Z Turbo on November 25, 2012, 06:14:48 PM
I need a 2 stall garage and a 30'x40' pole barn.
Pole barn? Is that like a barn countless strippers can perform in, all at once?! I need one of these too!
Quote from: MrH on November 25, 2012, 06:22:10 PM
Pole barn? Is that like a barn countless strippers can perform in, all at once?! I need one of these too!
I'm beginning to think you're not from the midwest at all.
:facepalm:
Could never be without a garage. Car ports are better than nothing though.
Quote from: Catman on November 25, 2012, 07:51:39 PM
Could never be without a garage. Car ports are better than nothing though.
No. Carports are better. It's an objective truth.
Quote from: dazzleman on November 25, 2012, 08:00:21 PM
No. Carports are better. It's an objective truth.
marlarky
Only Cougs. :lol:
Carport vs. unheated garage, carport might win purely for car parking... Access is slightly easier.
Quote from: dazzleman on November 25, 2012, 05:34:03 PM
I agree. A carport is better than nothing, but it can never be better than a garage, IMO.
It is when its what Cougs has/can have.
I idle my car in the morning when cold, which isn't safe in a garage and I'll be damned if I'm going to wait for door to open and to drive a cold arse car out of the garage.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 26, 2012, 09:49:16 AM
I idle my car in the morning when cold, which isn't safe in a garage and I'll be damned if I'm going to wait for door to open and to drive a cold arse car out of the garage.
If you're idling your car in the morning, you're already spending time waiting. The 30 seconds a garage door takes to open is too much? How long do you let your car idle?
Quote from: GoCougs on November 26, 2012, 09:49:16 AM
I idle my car in the morning when cold, which isn't safe in a garage and I'll be damned if I'm going to wait for door to open and to drive a cold arse car out of the garage.
:lol: That's funny shit right there.
When parked in my garage, I don't need to idle my car...even on the coldest mornings since it always stays above freezing inside it...and it's unheated...and Seattle is milder than where I live. I punch the button for the garage door when I go into the garage and it's open before I can even get in the car, so there is no wait.
Guys, I'm idling it with me not in it; and if it's not ~65F inside it's too cold = idling = not safe in a garage = no.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 26, 2012, 10:49:34 AM
Guys, I'm idling it with me not in it; and if it's not ~65F inside it's too cold = idling = not safe in a garage = no.
I don't get what makes this so difficult.
1. Open the door from the house to the garage.
2. Press the button to open the garage door.
3. Get in the car and turn it on.
4. Go back to the house.
How different is that from what you're doing now? Skip step 2? OH THE HUMANITY!
Quote from: GoCougs on November 26, 2012, 09:49:16 AM
I idle my car in the morning when cold, which isn't safe in a garage and I'll be damned if I'm going to wait for door to open and to drive a cold arse car out of the garage.
My
unheated garage keeps the car warm enough no idling necessary.
Doors open in 30seconds- even cheap ones. You push the button next to the door from the house and it's open before you get into the car. You push the remote as you're turning into the driveway and it's open before you get to it.
You're truly clueless on this subject.
OTOH-
Where do you keep your bikes? Tools?
Christmas and other seasonal crap? (mine are all safe in the garage)
Where can you do car projects lasting a few days when the weather is rainy/cold? (I do it in the garage.)
:facepalm:
Our garage opens in less than 15 seconds. We just put a new unit in recently and it's pretty quick and very quiet.
You guys need to lay off of Cougs. His carport suits his needs. Your garages suit your needs. Get over it. He prefers to have a carport.
Quote from: GoCougs on November 26, 2012, 10:49:34 AM
Guys, I'm idling it with me not in it; and if it's not ~65F inside it's too cold = idling = not safe in a garage = no.
:facepalm:
65F is too cold for you? That's what I keep my house at during the night.
Quote from: CJ on November 26, 2012, 12:25:11 PM
You guys need to lay off of Cougs. His carport suits his needs. Your garages suit your needs. Get over it. He prefers to have a carport.
That's like saying I prefer Miata over Porsche 959 for high-speed driving. I've never driven the latter.
LOL
carport = beta parking
Quote from: CJ on November 26, 2012, 12:25:11 PM
Our garage opens in less than 15 seconds. We just put a new unit in recently and it's pretty quick and very quiet.
You guys need to lay off of Cougs. His carport suits his needs. Your garages suit your needs. Get over it. He prefers to have a carport.
Cougs is playing with us, claiming a carport is better. He's pretty hilarious in his latest group of posts.
Quote from: dazzleman on November 26, 2012, 06:00:26 PM
Cougs is playing with us, claiming a carport is better. He's pretty hilarious in his latest group of posts.
I almost feel like this is some kind of homework assignment for a lame corporate sales clinic:
"Using social media, use your sales skills to convince your friends that a carport is superior to an enclosed garage."
:lol:
Quote from: dazzleman on November 26, 2012, 06:00:26 PM
Cougs is playing with us, claiming a carport is better. He's pretty hilarious in his latest group of posts.
Damn it Dave! I thought the Cougs pile on was going to go on for pages. Way to ruin it
(http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/25223442.jpg)
Jesus.
I don't give him that much credit. Even if he's trolling he believes the carport is great.
And has no clue how much better a garage is.
JESUS.
Some of you guys absolutely suck at the Internet.
Anyway, my mpg has dropped ~10% owing to the snow tires, which was expected. I'm getting 19.5 - 20 mpg now.
You're not driving hard enough. Join me in the mid-17's.
(I expect my MPGs to increase when I swap the wheels this weekend, though)
Quote from: Laconian on December 01, 2012, 01:27:09 AM
You're not driving hard enough. Join me in the mid-17's.
:ohyeah: :ohyeah: :ohyeah:
19.5 - 20 mpg is actually driving fairly hard. Thing is I'm lighter by ~250 lbs and have a bit lower inertia wheels (even with my new 18s) vs. the G37 'vert.
My first tank after buying the car, whereby I drove REAL hard, I got 18.x mpg.
So I'm gonna rant a bit about automatic transmissions. I really don't like them. Knowing the basics of how they work; and the compromises and efficiencies (hydraulic power transfer + clutches + bands + valves + pump + torque converter); really bothers me. NO automaker gets it right with. The G, like many "performance" cars, has "adaptive shifting" which simply makes the tranny schizo - you never know what you're gonna get. Sometimes the shifts are crisp, sometimes they're harsh, and sometimes they're as gooey as melted butter (I prefer more toward the harsh).
I can't wait for the next car as it WILL have a DSG/DCT type transmission. I've decided it's worth the additional maintenance (which is a LOT) and the risk of an uber repair. Right now that means a German car which is a nightmare in the making but the rumor mill is Japanese will start up with such transmissions in their next generation of cars. I sure that happens with the next-gen G, IS and TL, which are all set to debut in the next 1-3 years.
Quote from: Laconian on December 01, 2012, 01:27:09 AM
You're not driving hard enough. Join me in the mid-17's.
(I expect my MPGs to increase when I swap the wheels this weekend, though)
I'm around 17-18 now, since I've only been driving short distances around town and gunning it once the engine warms up.
Same here. My fuel economy actually improves when I really go for it on backroads. :facepalm:
And my city is now talking about adding additional "traffic calming" features. It's so calm already that it's practically narcoleptic! :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
SLOW DOWN SPEED KILLS ETC.
Quote from: GoCougs on December 01, 2012, 01:55:26 AM
So I'm gonna rant a bit about automatic transmissions. I really don't like them. Knowing the basics of how they work; and the compromises and efficiencies (hydraulic power transfer + clutches + bands + valves + pump + torque converter); really bothers me. NO automaker gets it right with. The G, like many "performance" cars, has "adaptive shifting" which simply makes the tranny schizo - you never know what you're gonna get. Sometimes the shifts are crisp, sometimes they're harsh, and sometimes they're as gooey as melted butter (I prefer more toward the harsh).
I can't wait for the next car as it WILL have a DSG/DCT type transmission. I've decided it's worth the additional maintenance (which is a LOT) and the risk of an uber repair. Right now that means a German car which is a nightmare in the making but the rumor mill is Japanese will start up with such transmissions in their next generation of cars. I sure that happens with the next-gen G, IS and TL, which are all set to debut in the next 1-3 years.
It's called a "stickshift," brah. :ohyeah:
DSG/DCT/etc. for me.
Lol!
New G is getting revealed at the Detroit Auto Show this year. We'll see if they go dsg or not.
Should have ponied up for a decent car in the first place instead of buying a Nissan in hopes that Nissan stops sucking in the near future.
Quote from: MrH on December 02, 2012, 01:25:00 PM
Lol!
New G is getting revealed at the Detroit Auto Show this year. We'll see if they go dsg or not.
Quite likely it will not, or at least not in the standard car. There's been rumors of an M3/AMG/S competitor using a muted version of the GT-R drive train but we'll see. Nissan has never showed interest in competing in that space; in fact the whole of Japan has sidestepped it save for the IS-F (which I'd NEVER buy). Much like much of the rest of the "new" cars from Japan recently I'm expecting a "new" G to be as "new" as the "new" Accord/Camry/Civic, etc. So, warmed over a bit but not really new. I hope I'm wrong.
Quote from: Laconian on December 01, 2012, 01:08:47 PM
Same here. My fuel economy actually improves when I really go for it on backroads. :facepalm:
And my city is now talking about adding additional "traffic calming" features. It's so calm already that it's practically narcoleptic! :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
SLOW DOWN SPEED KILLS ETC.
Those are just obstacles and an excuse to see just how fast you can get around them.
Quote from: Rupert on December 02, 2012, 02:53:42 PM
Those are just obstacles and an excuse to see just how fast you can get around them.
It's like traffic circles. There are 4 of them in a row between the Canadian border and Bellingham and it's a freeway. I take them as fast as a I possibly can.
Quote from: GoCougs on December 01, 2012, 02:55:06 PM
DSG/DCT/etc. for me.
Do they still shift very jerky?
Drove Smart ForFour with one, it was like whiplash every shift. And you HAD to floor it because it was gutless.
The Smart had one of the worst examples of automated manuals I've experienced. They're really bad.
Go drive a GTI with one. That's an easily accessible vehicle with an example of a DSG done right.
The dual clutch boxes work great - too fast to be jerky really.
Quote from: GoCougs on December 02, 2012, 06:34:02 PM
The dual clutch boxes work great - too fast to be jerky really.
Tell Ford that....the one in small cars does some pretty stupid things at slow speeds.
Quote from: 2o6 on December 02, 2012, 07:21:45 PM
Tell Ford that....the one in small cars does some pretty stupid things at slow speeds.
It was a programming issue and it has been fixed.
Quote from: SVT666 on December 02, 2012, 07:42:46 PM
It was a programming issue and it has been fixed.
So the Focus doesn't have that issue anymore? Cool.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on December 02, 2012, 05:10:36 PM
Do they still shift very jerky?
Drove Smart ForFour with one, it was like whiplash every shift. And you HAD to floor it because it was gutless.
Good dual clutches are pretty smooth. I'd say smoother than even a modern automatic. My brother's S4 is really seamless.
Quote from: GoCougs on December 02, 2012, 02:47:47 PM
Quite likely it will not, or at least not in the standard car. There's been rumors of an M3/AMG/S competitor using a muted version of the GT-R drive train but we'll see. Nissan has never showed interest in competing in that space; in fact the whole of Japan has sidestepped it save for the IS-F (which I'd NEVER buy). Much like much of the rest of the "new" cars from Japan recently I'm expecting a "new" G to be as "new" as the "new" Accord/Camry/Civic, etc. So, warmed over a bit but not really new. I hope I'm wrong.
Out of curiosity, why wouldn't you buy an IS-F? Ride quality? I hear they're pretty punishing.
Just not a fan (harsh ride (but haven't been in one), slush box A/T, IS back seat space is an abomination, I need AWD) though they did tone down the ricer styling for 2012.
Quote from: SVT666 on December 02, 2012, 03:08:17 PM
It's like traffic circles. There are 4 of them in a row between the Canadian border and Bellingham and it's a freeway. I take them as fast as a I possibly can.
Wait, traffic circles on I-5? That is odd. Wasn't there when I lived there.
Quote from: Rupert on December 03, 2012, 12:22:01 AM
Wait, traffic circles on I-5? That is odd. Wasn't there when I lived there.
not on the I-5. They are between Bellingham and Sumas.
Quote from: GoCougs on December 02, 2012, 09:22:04 PM
Just not a fan (harsh ride (but haven't been in one), slush box A/T, IS back seat space is an abomination, I need AWD) though they did tone down the ricer styling for 2012.
Yeah, that transmission is a wet blanket. And the back seat is tight. AWD doesn't bother me, but to each his own.
I feel like there was such a gap between the IS350 and the IS-F. I liked the IS, but no stick in the 350 was a dealbreaker, and the IS-F is so beyond what is necessary (or affordable to me) and again, no stickshift.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26986.msg1816748#msg1816748 date=1354550682
Yeah, that transmission is a wet blanket. And the back seat is tight. AWD doesn't bother me, but to each his own.
I feel like there was such a gap between the IS350 and the IS-F. I liked the IS, but no stick in the 350 was a dealbreaker, and the IS-F is so beyond what is necessary (or affordable to me) and again, no stickshift.
It's like the difference between the CTS and the CTS-V. The CTS 3.6 DI doesn't have a stick or at the very least, steering wheel paddles, but the CTS-V is so bonkers that I (a) can't afford one, and (b) is way too bonkers. I would have loved an LS3 powered CTS with a stick. That would have been perfect.
Quote from: SVT666 on December 03, 2012, 12:41:53 AM
not on the I-5. They are between Bellingham and Sumas.
Ah, right, I think I remember those... I didn't think that was a freeway.
Quote from: Rupert on December 03, 2012, 12:52:53 PM
Ah, right, I think I remember those... I didn't think that was a freeway.
I guess it's not a true freeway. It's 4 lanes and has a large median, albeit paved.
Close enough. I only ever made that drive a few times.
Wowzers - I'm now part of the 17.x mpg club courtesy of snow tires and ski rack...
Quote from: GoCougs on December 04, 2012, 09:57:42 AM
Wowzers - I'm now part of the 17.x mpg club courtesy of snow tires and ski rack...
That's horrific. I have never had mileage that bad in our G unless I'm going WOT all the time.
Quote from: SVT666 on December 04, 2012, 10:03:29 AM
That's horrific. I have never had mileage that bad in our G unless I'm going WOT all the time.
The Accord also saw a ~15% mileage drop with snow tires and racks (from 27 -> 23)...
Early average MPGs are into the very low 20's on the same commute since switching my 17" tires. That's like a 20% improvement in my fuel economy.
Quote from: GoCougs on December 04, 2012, 02:33:01 PM
The Accord also saw a ~15% mileage drop with snow tires and racks (from 27 -> 23)...
Our average MPG has gone down by 1.3 mpg since our winters went on.
I'm up to right at 18 mpg now. I think a bit of it also due to the upsizing to 18" wheels.
We use a lot of ethanol in our gas in the Puget Sound region, which kills mileage.
Have done a few ski trips. Snow performance is excellent. It is near impossible to upset the car with stability control on at anything less than 35 mph. "Snow mode" I have deemed utterly worthless thus far. Tires work really well.
You need to go faster. :devil:
Quote from: 2o6 on December 19, 2012, 09:54:08 PM
You need to go faster. :devil:
2o6 is trying to kill 'Cougs. :evildude:
Quote from: TurboDan on December 19, 2012, 11:05:23 PM
2o6 is trying to kill 'Cougs. :evildude:
The
ultimate troll