CTC Review: 2009 Infiniti G37x Sedan

[toolatecrew]

One more thought on Nissaan/Infiniti......

I bought new a nicely equipped 2003 Maxima. Could have got a BMW 325 for the same price. Fast forward 4 years when the time came to get another car the Nissan was worth $10,000 less. When you crunch the numbers that is another $200/Month in just depreciation on top of regular operating costs.....and BMW would have paid for their maintenance for 4 yrs/80000km. For me, as I usually keep a vehicle for 3 -4 years and run 27 - 30000 km/yr is is something to consider.

Have to agree Maxima 3 Series really isn't a comparison especially today.

Maxima 290 HP 18 inch wheels base includes CVT and Sunroof. Its about the size of a 5 series. 38,700

A 328 with no options (NC Automatic for comparison) 39,900 230 HP .

This in no way implies that they drive the same or have the same feel. Just thatthe 3 series is a different class of car in size power etc but costs more.

Have to question the Maxima actually when a G37 starts at 37,900 1K less than a base Maxima.

[Mitlov]

I recently drove a G37s coupe. Fun car and it is/was on my shortlist. That is, until I visited the service dept to ask a few questions re required maintenance and was informed by the dealership here in MB that a special oil from Infiniti (Ester oil - whatever that is) is required and with this oil  the price an oil change with tax is $150+. And it is required every 3 months or 6000km. Interesting when a BMW 335 or Boxster is good for 20,000+km - and they all put out about the same HP/Litre. This could be a very expensive car to maintain.

It is a great car but based on that it would cost me 4 -5 oil changes per year.

And here is  something interesting.....I called Infiniti Canada and they said this oil was not a requirement. So is the dealership trying for a cash grab or the Infiniti Canada rep wrong?

Never heard of Infinitis requiring special motor oil in ANY of the reviews I've ever read.  And I sincerely doubt that an Infiniti rep would tell you that nothing special is required if, in fact, something special is required.

Sounds like a dishonest service department and nothing more.

[Juke1]

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2009/05/04/infiniti-g37-tops-consumer-reports-tests.htm

[toolatecrew]

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2009/05/04/infiniti-g37-tops-consumer-reports-tests.htm

At first I was like "What the heck are they doing comparing a $38K 328hp RWD G37 to a 200hp FWD TSX. Then I saw the fact that a TSX with leather and Automatic starts at $39.2K!!!!!

If Acura wants to put itself there with pricing it deserves to get compared (and stomped)

[Oz]

Seems like someone in Acura management is sitting there thinking... Hmmmm, how can I sink this division today..

[Jaeger]

Seems like someone in Acura management is sitting there thinking... Hmmmm, how can I sink this division today..

Aint that the sad truth.

Jaeger

[tpl]

I recently drove a G37s coupe. Fun car and it is/was on my shortlist. That is, until I visited the service dept to ask a few questions re required maintenance and was informed by the dealership here in MB that a special oil from Infiniti (Ester oil - whatever that is) is required and with this oil  the price an oil change with tax is $150+. And it is required every 3 months or 6000km. Interesting when a BMW 335 or Boxster is good for 20,000+km - and they all put out about the same HP/Litre. This could be a very expensive car to maintain.

It is a great car but based on that it would cost me 4 -5 oil changes per year.

And here is  something interesting.....I called Infiniti Canada and they said this oil was not a requirement. So is the dealership trying for a cash grab or the Infiniti Canada rep wrong?

Never heard of Infinitis requiring special motor oil in ANY of the reviews I've ever read.  And I sincerely doubt that an Infiniti rep would tell you that nothing special is required if, in fact, something special is required.

Sounds like a dishonest service department and nothing more.

from Mobil site
"
Question:
What is Ester Oil?
What is ester oil and how is it different than conventional oil?
-- Randy Drier, Atlanta, GA
Answer:
Ester oil is synthetic base oil that has been chemically synthesized. Typically ester oils are used in passenger car air conditioning compressors, refrigerators, and other industrial applications. Esters are one of the classes of synthetics that have been used in Mobil 1 products as well. Esters are stable molecules, provide good solvency, and provide very good low temperature and high temperature performance in engine oils.
"

So Ester oil in practice = synthetic oil. But I don't like that past tense in there.   As for 6000km oil changes. I would ask to see the maintenance section of the actual owners manual that comes with the car if it were me.  In the thread below there is a suggestion that the interval is in fact 6000 MILES ( 10k km) which would seem not unreasonable.


On the other hand, these people seem worried about it all.

http://myg37.com/forums/engine-drivetrain-and-forced-induction/188842-ester-oil.html


Caveat. I have never and probably will never own a Datsun of any flavour.

[Mitlov]

Seems like someone in Acura management is sitting there thinking... Hmmmm, how can I sink this division today..

...sorry, just got hit by a wave of nostalgia for the days when Acura had direction.

[toolatecrew]

Maybe they forced the guy at Acura who sets pricing to stare at the front end of a TL ofr too long and he went insane?

[vdk]

The old TSX had a really good bang for the buck... what happened...?

[Oz]

The old TSX had a really good bang for the buck... what happened...?

Both the TSX and TL from the previous generation were incredibly attractive sedans. I dont know who was smoking what, but it must'a been some gooood .

[DoubleClutch]

The old TSX had a really good bang for the buck... what happened...?

Compared to the old TSX ... Nothing. The pricing of the TSX hasn't changed a whole lot. For some the new TSX is even better value since you can now get it without leather for less money. It's just that compared to the G37 it's not very good value.

[safristi]

My Mom gave me ester oil when i woz  a kid.........now i pee 5W/30 Mobil 1.............but getting it in those small necked jugs is a biatch................. ............

  Tsx and Infiniti G37...wdf!!!...........apples Vs Guavas soaked in Napoleon Cognac..........grocers some respect here will ya.......signed Galen Weston pimping some new President Chix  stuff!!!!!...............

[Jaeger]

The old TSX had a really good bang for the buck... what happened...?

Both the TSX and TL from the previous generation were incredibly attractive sedans. I dont know who was smoking what, but it must'a been some gooood .

At the train station where I park in the mornings there is a slate grey previous gen TL parked almost directly in front of me.  Sweet.  About 5 spots to the left of him is a black current gen TL.  I literally start every morning saying WTF???

Jaeger

[Jaeger]

  Tsx and Infiniti G37...wdf!!!...........apples Vs Guavas soaked in Napoleon Cognac..........grocers some respect here will ya.......signed Galen Weston pimping some new President Chix  stuff!!!!!...............

My natural inclination is to think G37 v. TL, but pause to consider:

1) Don't look now, but following Honda's "bigger is better" philosophy, the tightly drawn little TSX is now pretty much the same size as the G: .8" shorter, .7" wider, .5" closer to the ground.  The Robo-schnoz TL has expanded to limo-like dimensions that leave those two well behind. 

2) And with Acura supposedly introducing the 3.5 V6 into the TSX, that will move it closer into G-competitive territory, at least on paper.  The value equation can only get worse, however.  And then there is the risk of the now massivley powerful FWD car simply torque-twisting itself into a pretzel.

Jaeger

[Oz]

The old TSX had a really good bang for the buck... what happened...?

Both the TSX and TL from the previous generation were incredibly attractive sedans. I dont know who was smoking what, but it must'a been some gooood .

At the train station where I park in the mornings there is a slate grey previous gen TL parked almost directly in front of me.  Sweet.  About 5 spots to the left of him is a black current gen TL.  I literally start every morning saying WTF???

Jaeger

At least the WTF happens at the train station and not in the mirror in the morning like Saf.  

[safristi]

last time i saws a TRAIN....it had a BRIDE ahead of it...........choo choose yer ride CAR-Fully.........eh!!! ......bang fer a buck!!!.................ya gotta be SH****ING ME...........

[Iso Octane]

Seems like someone in Acura management is sitting there thinking... Hmmmm, how can I sink this division today..

...sorry, just got hit by a wave of nostalgia for the days when Acura had direction.

If you want to call rebadging Hondas "direction".

The NSX is too rare.  Only the 'Teg GSR and Type-R were interesting.  Neither fit the Acura branding.

[Jaeger]

If you want to call rebadging Hondas "direction".

Sure wish they'd "rebadge" an S2000 as a hardtop coupe and hand the exterior design portfolio to someone who has never even HEARD of Batllestar Gallactica.

Acura's lineup holds almost nothing that I would even consider owning.  That wasn't the case even just a few short years ago. 

Jaeger

[Mitlov]

If you want to call rebadging Hondas "direction".

Sure wish they'd "rebadge" an S2000 as a hardtop coupe and hand the exterior design portfolio to someone who has never even HEARD of Batllestar Gallactica.

Acura's lineup holds almost nothing that I would even consider owning.  That wasn't the case even just a few short years ago. 

Jaeger

The one thing I'll give Acura is that the TL SH-AWD 6MT does seem to be one hell of a package.  Like all recent Acuras, though, I do have to throw in a "shame about the looks" caveat.  But still, it seems like a very good car.

Nothing they've got besides that even remotely piques my interest.  Since in the past I've been big fans of the RSX and the first-gen TSX, not to mention the NSX (which I never really appreciated until I drove it in Gran Turismo 4), that's pretty sad.