Major Dilema 330 Vs G35

[Delgreco13]

Ok opportunity has been offered to get a great deal on a 2003 330Ci fully loaded w/o NAV with mileage between 6K-10K on BMW EXEC sale for about $35K and change w/extended warranty on it with 3.5 yrs FULL maintenance. I test drove a 325i not too long ago ...... very nice car, sturdy , braking and handling were great but needed the extra UMPHHF in HP. So I test drove the 330 today and WOW very nice smooth ride. I gave the dealer hope that i would come back and finalize the deal soon. Now heres my problem I always wanted a BMW 3 series and with the '04 coming out i would have to wait at least 2 months and the car would be in the $40K range. So just for the hell of it i went 20min away from my BMW dealership just to check out a G35 Coupe and see what the craze was about. Now i was only looking into this car just for the price range and all the features they have to offer less than a BMW 3 series. Now i heard a lot of people complain on how CHEAP the interior is and other complaints that come up here and there. Salesman let me take the car out for a spin...... all i have to say is WOW that exhaust with 280HP is a KILLER....... damn that sounded good and handling was on par with BMW except for braking which i noticed was a lil spongey. The sound system was a killer too.... i only had it on volume "8" and was able to hear the bass kicking in. Salesman offered not a great deal on the 2004 car FULLY loaded with NAV for about $37K and change...... seems a lil HIGH to me. NOW i am torn between 2 HOT cars and cant make up my mind......... BMW fan forever but G35 coupe is given me second thoughts. Now i know most of u would say go for BMW...... and i forgot to mention Infiniti does not offer FULL maintenance only warranty on the car. MR. ELLUSIVE i know ur out there and u probably were in the same position im in right now........... what a man to do????

P.S. sorry for the LONG ASS novel

 

[bmwcoupedriver]

You will be much happier a year from now with the 330. A friend of mine was won over by the G35, but now regrets the decision every time he rides in (or the few times he has driven) my 330ci. "It's just the quality of the ride...especially when you push it" he said recently. Test drives are one thing, but real world driving is quite another. And when you REALLY start to look at fit & finish, there is simply NO comparison.

 

[Tom]

Here are also some additional past discussions.
http://www.bmwboard.com/forum_archive/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6830
http://www.bmwboard.com/forum_archive/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3765
http://www.bmwboard.com/forum_archive/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8603
http://www.bmwboard.com/forum_archive/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5022
http://www.bmwboard.com/forum_archive/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4676
http://www.bmwboard.com/forum_archive/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2351

 

[pydo82]

G35 is cool. it is a lot of bang for your buck. I think the debate will never end, some will argue that you can't beat german engineering, and others willl say that the new japanese luxury cars are getting better and better. everyone will have their opinions, on value and quality, and the debate will never end. YOu will never see the day when it will be definitvieltydeclared that thwere is a winner of the battle between the 3 series and a japanese competitor. I guess for me when it comes down to it, not to put so much emphasis on the brand, but the BMW namesake puts it over the top. The G35 has a lot to offer. it has comparable handling, and way more power and speed. A lot more extras for a lot less money, but the 3 series still outsells it and keeps a higher resale value than most cars. it is because comparison or not, bottom line BMW makes great quality cars, that are beautiful to look at and has a long tradition of car making and a prestige that comes along with owning one. It all depends on what you are looking for. If you want a good deal, bang for your buck and extra speed, take the g35. it is a great car and if thats what you are looking for I'm sure you wont be disappointed. But a BMW is, in my humble opinion, in a class of its own and offers an allure that the infiniti never will. I had a similar dilemma when choosing a car, I looked at the audi and considered a g35. All great cars, but no matter how much I tried to sell myself on the non bmw cars even when they had better prices and/or better performance, it wasnt a BMW and in my heart a BMW is what I really wanted. I ended up with the '04 3 series coupe. So good luck to you and hope you make the right decision based on what you want for yourself! And honestly, given the choices, either way whatever you end up driving wont be too shabby. I'm sure a lot of people would love to have a dilemma like yours, an Infiniti or a BMW...haha.

 

[csejl]

Well said, Peter. I guess you never check your PM?

It's interesting how this topic comes up over and over again. Don't let anybody convince you to go either way, Delgreco13. You know the pros and cons of both cars. Ultimately when it comes down it, it's about what you like and how you feel about them.

 

[MrElussive]

Delgreco13, your decision is definitely a tough one, as there are pros and cons to both cars. A lot of people say that the G35 Coupe interior is cheap and scratches easily, but this is not true at all. Granted it does not have wood trim, the aluminum trim is sporty and classy and suits the theme of the car extremely well. As for the drive, people also say that although is does have 280hp, it seems like it is not an efficient use of all that power. This is untrue as well...punching it in 1st and 2nd gear will push you back in your seat real hard, and the engine will continue to be a beast all the way through 4th gear. Just like any German vehicle, the G35 Coupe accomplishes the goal of providing the driver with that motorcycle-like "rush" that many sports cars try to achieve. Handling is superb...you point the car in one direction and it just goes. The power steering is very tight and has pretty much no "play" to it and feels very linear. As for braking, I have the 6-speed version (which comes with Brembo brakes, whereas the 5AT version is not available with them), and I am very impressed. It took a couple hundred miles for the brakes to break-in, but now that they did, the brake feel is tight and very linear. There are some quirks that are very frustrating about this car, and I will bring them up if you'd like, but for now, I'll only bring up the major cons:
The residual value of the average Infiniti after 3 years is 50-51%, whereas BMW is at 60-65%. Also, this car is high maintenance. The first 2 or 3 scheduled service visits are on my Infiniti dealership, but after that, I am on my own. And if you have the model with the Brembo brakes, when the brake pads wear down, the brake job costs about $550-$600. This is because for some reason, they replace the pads along with the rotors. Also, the Michelin Pilot Sport tires that come with the car only last for 12,000-20,000 miles (obviously depending on how hard you drive) and they are around $265 each (on TireRack.com). So the major cons of this car are all associated with price. You will save $7,000 over the BMW 330Ci, but you pay for that in service visits (especially when you need change your brakes and tires). And when it comes time to sell the car, the 50% residual value is not nearly as good as the BMW. I absolutely love my G35 Coupe and I don't regret getting it over the BMW 330Ci at all, and I don't mind the high maintenance of this vehicle. You just have to decide if you REALLY want the G35 Coupe and if you are willing to pay for the high maintenance.
By the way, the exhaust note is definitely very entertaining, and if you really don't care for Japanese engineering, at the very least, you'll know that they are very reliable cars !!

 

[MrElussive]

I just read your full repsonse, pydo82. I completely agree with you on your comparison between the two. The G35 is a great car, but Infiniti does not have the status and allure that BMW has.
Oh yeah, and if it matters, any girl would rather be in a 325Ci/330Ci than a G35 Coupe any day...this I learned once I got my car.

 

[brahtw8]

And if you have the model with the Brembo brakes, when the brake pads wear down, the brake job costs about $550-$600. This is because for some reason, they replace the pads along with the rotors.

When you run aggressive pads, like what come with your Brembos, you wear down the rotors more quickly than you would with more typical street pads. Your rotors probably need to be replaced at that time.

 

[PuShAkOv]

Its a very easy decision....

If you want best value for your $$$ and you do not care much for care make and reputation, go with G35.

If you want proved respect you get for having the BMW, the sound and the class of having one even with slightly less HP, get a 330Ci.

*** You pay more for the name BMW and the company's respected history. You sure have proved performance. INFINITI has no reason to charge as much since its a less recognized model, but they sure have performance... how will it performance through time.. nobody knows.

 

[yogi799]

I'll give you a different perspective.... forget the price, performance, and options.... THINK OF THE LOOKS....

I just went on eBay to glance at G35 coupe - in my opinion, which I understand may be different from anyone else - G35 couple is PLAIN UGLY! How could someone stand having this in their driveway? Beats me.

E46 on the other hand, again - in my opinion - is the most BEAUTIFUL car ever made. Period.

Looks are very important... you'll be looking at this thing every day.... Looks are my primary factor - if not for that, I'd probably never get into Bimmers. But they just kept on turning my head... I got sick of the pain in my neck

What about Nissan 350Z? That's kinda cute also, if you're still unsure if Bimmer is for you...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2431858878&category=31864

 

[MrElussive]

Here is a picture of my car that I took a few days after I got it:

It looks pretty good to me, and I am damn proud to have it sitting in my driveway (in the garage, actually). It was the looks of this car that caught my attention, first.

 

[pydo82]

I dont think the g35 is ugly at all. I'm not too crazy about the backlights but I like the curves, and I think the g35 profile is pretty damn sweet. In fact it was the styling of it that caught my attention at first too. I remember thinking it was about time that a Japanese car company came out with a classy yet sporty design. However, the e46 is one damn pretty design. It is as close to perfect as you can get in my opinion. I hope they never change it. I get at least 1 or 2 compliments a day from random people about how they love the way my car looks. The g35 is a good looking car, but I do agree with yogi in that the e46, especially the 04 is damn good looking. I couldnt be happier or prouder to own one.

 

[PuShAkOv]

M3 design is perfect in my oppinion. I do not think that XI or 323s are as well-rounded as an M3.. their designs are the best.

 

[yogi799]

Hey, no offense, mrEllusive. I did not think of you when I was writing my post. That's why I clearly stated that "my opinion may differ from anyone else."

But, pydo82 hit a good point, too. Ever since I got my bimmer people won't stop commenting!!!! Some say, "wow, bimmer!" and others just say "that's a cute looking car..." That has never happened before! E46 = perfect.