New car....

L

longhorn_nation

25+ Posts
I am in the market for a new car. I'd like to get thoughts on any of the cars below from those who own one or have driven one frequently.

Infiniti G35S
Lexus IS350
BMW335i
Tahoe

Would you recommend it? What do you like/dislike? Were you successful in haggling them off the MSRP? I had heard in the past BMW was tough to deal with in this regard. Any thoughts/comments would be greatly appreciated.
 
People here will tell you that the BMW is a chick's car (you may be a chick) or only for the $30,000 millionaire's in Dallas (you may live in Dallas).

Having owned a 3-series a few years back, I can guarantee you that it is the most fun to drive out of what you have listed. German's just know how to design a car that is fun to drive.

However, I have an Infiniti M now and it is a pretty nice ride. I don't know about the G35S, but when I test drove the Lexus G350 vs. the Infiniti M, the Infiniti definitely had a more "BMW" like ride. The Lexus was nice, but it was too comfortable...you didn't really feel the road. I would assume that the IS350 vs. the G35S is probably generally the same, although I didn't drive either one.

It all depends on what you want.

Also, I didn't have to hassle over the price because the wife had a deal through her office where we got the car for something under the invoice price, with some small fee tacked on top. I wouldn't have been able to negotiate a better deal. Infiniti also had a much better 2.9% financing.

Having bought a BMW and negotiated with Lexus, I would say that both are less likely to "deal" with you. You will certainly have more ability to negotiate with Infiniti and Chevy.

All of them (I don't know about the Tahoe) will be good cars, and they are all quality. I'd say test drive them all and see what feels the best for you.
 
I've driven all 3 (minus the tahoe which seems like an odd ball in there...) and far and away the 3 series blew the others out as far as "fun to drive". I think its the most expensive of the bunch but the price difference wasn't that great, IIRC.

The Lexus drove like a Lexus... Soft, comforting, not sporty. Granted, it was 10x more sporty than their other sedans but thats not really saying much. Great features though and you're buying a Lexus, you know its going to last a long long time. The Infinity drove much more sporty but, its hard to put this into words, it felt too "springy". I have never been a big fan of Nissan's reliability record either out of the 3 major Japanese car makers. The 3 series felt like a rock when I drove it. Solid going into turns, solid coming out of turns, very little body roll and that 35 series engine is a beaaaaast. And you get the first 4 or 5 years of service for free (I forget the exact length).

As a side note, there were reports that they underrated the HP of the 35 series engine intentionally b/c it came so close to the M3 engine that they were concerned M3 sales would slip (not the new V8 M3 engine, the one previous to that). That should tell you something about that engine...
 
The 335 is going to cost around 50 grand, loaded, pre-taxes.

If you remove some of the options, it will cost around 50 grand after TTL.

But it will be a hell of a car.
 
i have the g35 and a few friends have the acura TL. they love their car and i love my car.

i've had no problems with my g35 in the year i've had it. just an all-around great car.
 
I'd go with the BMW - but then that's me. The 335i starts at around 40K$ and most of the ones you find in the showroom have another 10K$ worth of options on them. I bought a 2007 328Xi 2dr coupe with just about every option except for navigation - the salesman talked me out of it - said it added almost 2K$ to the price and very few people went for it. I REALLY wanted the 335i with the twin turbo motor ...... however I live in NJ and really need FWD or AWD and AWD was not available with this motor....... so I went with the Xi. The car is a blast to drive and is just a tad slower than the SAAB 9-3 Aero I had before this car and the ride and comfort level is way beyond the 9-3. I have put on over 32K on it in in less than 18 months of ownership. Get the Dakota leather and premium sound system options. I have the run flat tires on mine and still have no opinion on them - they ride a little harder than some other tires I have had on cars in the past - but are OK so far. The car came with Bridgestone RFT's which had a ride quality issue linked to certain production dates and were raplaced with Continentals fairly early on. The only other thing covered under under warranty was a minor problem with the tail light. I would buy another BMW without hesitation. I didn't get very much off of the MSRP becaust it was a new model and availability was tight. The salesman and dealer personel were VERY professional and did not pull the usual crap on you that other dealers usually do. If we didn't get a fair amount of snow around here I would have went with the twin turbo RWD. Go with the BMW - you won't regret it. fuzzyE
 
About a year ago my wife wanted a new car and we drove the 3 cars you mentioned (excluding the Tahoe). The Lexus drove great, the paddle shifters were a cool novelty, over all it was a very nice car. When I drove the G35, I loved the way the car felt (rear wheel drive) more HP. I did not drive the BMW (more expensive and I was sold on the G35). My wife had always wanted a BMW so thats its what we bought. Now after having driven it numerous times, I can fully see how almost very car critic rates one of the top cars every year. Once you get situated and get everthing figued out it is a blast to rive.

If sporty, road handling is what you are looking for then you can't go wrong with the BMW.
 
give the Audi A4 a shot...I have test driven all of these and bought an A4...although if I were older and had more casH I'd buy the 335i...amazing car all around
 
seriously save yourself some money and buy a used G35 with 10k on it for about 32K. I have a bmw now and am looking for a g35. Just helped a friend buy an Infiniti M35 over the 545i. Really no comparison as the M35 just drove better.
If I could find a 2003 540i 6 speed i might buy one of those but the G35 is just the tits.
 
I am in year 5 of driving G35 sedans (split between two year models) and really like the car. I did not test drive the BMW or Lexus, though so I can’t really compare. The G35 had more interior room and cost less so that sold it for me. I am not a driving enthusiast, so the ‘feel’ of the car did not matter to me. Some friends who have the coupe say the tires wear out too fast (compared to what; not sure) and were pricey to replace. I can get about 400-420 miles on 17gallons highway and about 310-330 miles on 17 gallons city.

The wife has a Yukon (07 model) and we really like it. I have taken it on a few road trips and really like the way it drives. Very smooth drive.
 
Tahoe - The Tahoe is on the list because I've always wanted one, but never had the opportunity to get one. Even with gas being what it is, my office is 7 miles from the house.

Acura TL - I actually think very highly of it, as a few of my friends drive one. I guess it wasn't included because of that, and also the body style change that might be coming soon. At least that's the rumor I heard.

BMW - I've driven my brother's 545 many times. It's a great car! However, it's a little more than i want to spend on a vehicle, as I don't really want to spend more than $50k. Much like the 3 series mentioned above, the 5 series start around the high 40's, and putting in options will get it around the 57-60k range. Therefore I thought the 3 series might be a good option.

Infiniti - Don't know much about this car, but from everyone's response above, it's something I"ll definitely take a look at.

C Class - I've looked at them a little bit. I'll need to look into this a little bit more.

IS350 - Sat in one today, but didn't test drive it. Love the car, but it seems a little small inside. I will take it for a spin before ruling it out.

Thanks for all the responses so far. Keep them coming if you have any other information.
 
I just bought a TL (no NAVI) in August and LOVE it.

It was between the TL and G35. The G35 is more powerful and handles better (RWD), but it was $3-4K more and I like the TL body style more.

Mine was about $31K. If they're coming out with a new model, maybe you can negotiate even more.
 
I just got my wife a new C350 and it's AWESOME to drive. We liked the G35 a lot and kind of liked the IS250 (but didn't think it would look as good in a couple of years). We also VERY seriously considered the new Cadillac CTS but finally went with the MB. FWIW, the C300 drove quite well also but the added HP of the C350 really made the decision easier.
 
Test drove the 335 and 550, a G35S, and TL, and a IS250 (I want a standard transmission).

The best car on that list was the 550, but it is like 60 grand. I would like to buy a car like this, but it just seems like a hell of a lot of cash to spend on a car

in the next price range down...
The 335 was too small for me. Very sporty and fast, but felt cramped. Chick car applies IMHO but only because it is so small. Still though, cant beat the service plan which i feel is priced into the car. Great if you have probs, not so great if you don't.

Same problem with IS250. Great in 1st and 2nd gear though. Pushed me back in the seat which I liked. Felt very nimble like the BMW which surprised me b/c Lexi tend to be boring to drive. Felt like the smallest and most cramped of the bunch.

The TL was great but the panels behind the back doors did not appeal to me for some reason. Still though, very high on my list. Not as quick, but felt more secure, if that makes any sense. I think the TL wold be best and most comfortable for longer drives which I take often to Dallas and Houston.

We have a new Tahoe. My wife drives it. It is nice and comfy, mileage is not bad for an SUV, but that sucker costs $80-$100 to fill up which is a ton. Still though, it is a great car, looks sharp, the GM stereo and nav system are the best IMHO out of all the cars. Drivin it to Colorado several times and it has a nice quiet soft ride and comfy seats.

That brings me to the G35S.

I freaking LOVE this car. I have not bought it yet, but I went in thinking I would just give it a quick glance and it blew me away. It is much bigger inside than the 335 or the IS250. Much easier for me to sit down in even with bad knees. Great amenities (love the i pod sync).
I think a poster above described it as springy. It is not as fast or as quick as the IS or the 335, but it is plenty fast and at approx 33 fully loaded (that was my offer before I started negotiating) a few thou cheaper than the other cars. Dont get me wrong though, it moves...



Test drive a 335, IS, and g35 on the SAME day to get the best idea. That is what I did and it made performance comparisons easier.

At the end for me, the performance of the 3 was so similar that the interior and cockpit size was the determining factor.
 
gardner, i'd rather you and i not have the same model car.
cool.gif


glad you like the infinity. you won't regret it. i'm extremely comfortable with the power this car holds and their is a lot of room on the inside.



as for above about the g35 coupe tires.. the front tires wear out extremely fast. every 22-25K from what i've been told. the front wheels are inclined so much for better handling that the tread wears quicker. i'd imagine the nissan Z is similar, but never looked into it because i had no interest in it. nice looking car, but its a true sports car. no back seat.
 
Been there, done that with the Tahoe. My wife swears by Chevy's but agreed that that thing was a POS.

Worst purchase I've ever made.
 
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