fellow sc owners, i'm planning on upgrading wifys car. love the new IS350, but can't affort it we both like the g35 and 350z, i like the g35 better. so we are thinking of getting a used one since my cap is around 25 grand. which one is a better bang for the buck?please give me your opinion on that. or what other cars (new of used ) u think is worth considering.
thanks.

 

g35 sporty/luxury

 

Well, after seeing and sitting in both of these cars at the car show last week both are very nice and sporty.... The infiniti has the back seat if you need the room but the 350 i think has the better cockpit feel and race quality look.... My GF also wants the infinti to but its on the expensive side but you can get a nice 350 for around or below 25k

Those infiniti's hold there value... I think they both have the same engine pretty much 3.5 V6

Good Luck.... Is a hard choice IMO.... If you have kids thats another story but good luck... I'm sure your choice will be great

 

G35c hands down. Better looks, back seats with good leg room, longer warranty remaining, def. a better value.

 

I have had both cars and i love the g35 the most.

 

I'd get the G35. The 350Z looks really bad with 19 inch fat rubber and a kit. Almost porsche-like. Since I like luxury with my sportiness, it would be the Infiniti.

 

G35 is my vote

 

g35 hands down.

 

Zeeeeeeeee

 

Welcome to CL...I see you are a new poster.

Since you are mentioning a choice between the G35 and 350Z, I assume you mean the G35 coupe, not sedan, right?

In that case, count me in with the other G35 posters here. With the exception of the 350Z's nice, retro three-gauge cluster in the middle of the dash, the G35 is a lot nicer car.....and it apparantly does not share the 350Z's tendency to screw up tire wear and cause a lot of road noise, which has persisted even after factory service bulletins and revised suspension settings.

As you asked for......other recommendations for 25K as a cap? I can give you a number of them but I need to know what your priorities are and what you want from the vehicle. Power? Mileage? Traction? People mover? Reliability? Towing capacity? Versatility? Since you mention the 350Z and G35 I assume you want a sport coupe.

 

thanks for all the input, guys.
of the two, is one faster than the other?
as far as price goes, i see quite a few Z's for sale under 25 grand, some even way under, but i'm having trouble locating G35 cp at this price. i live in dallas, btw. anyone could give me any pointers? auctions? wait longer, etc?

 

Speed wise there pretty much the same but handling is much better on the 350z. Both are great cars, it really comes down to weather you want luxury or sport good luck on your purchase!

 

thank you, sir. i am a new member.
my priorities, umm, mainly look and power, but then reliability is important too. i love sport coupe, that'll be my first choice if possible, but sports sedens are nice too. so... did i leave u any room for recommendations or

 

I'd choose the G35 Coupe. Looks better too me, has a back seat, and nearly the same performance.

 

Yes, you left me room.....that's what we are here for in CAR CHAT.

You can start with a 1-2 year old Mazda RX-8. KBB (below ) puts retail right at 25k....$24,935.

http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.u...X-8&1;MA;R8&&&

This car not only has superlative handling from its ultra-light front end and well-designed steering and chassis, but also offers the looks of a sports coupe combined with the convienence of two small rear half-doors for getting things in and out of the small rear seat......your wife will find this handy for groceries and packages. The ride is stiff but not overly harsh. The state-of-the-art Renesis rotary engine does not have a whole lot of low-end-torque but, like Honda VTEC fours, seemingly revs forever and is smooth as silk. manual-tranny versions have 239 HP and automatics 197.....but the car itself is light and responsive.
Negatives? The Rotary engine is not particularly good on gas mileage, and you have to keep an eye on the dipstick....they do use some oil. The lack of B-pillars for the small rear doors could also, in time, lead to squeaks and rattles.


Also, for 25K, ( or less ) you could have a brand new Mazda Miata....you mention reliability as of prime importance, and, among sports cars, the Miata is the very definition of reliability. Its top goes up-and-down with one hand from the driver's seat ( for many people....not all ) The Miata, like the RX-8, is not a necessarily a drag-strip powerhouse but, unlike the early versions, has enough power to get out of its way....this in a very light package. And there is a Turbo MazdaSpeed version that includes a reworked chassis as well. Driving a Miata, with the possible exception of the Lotus Elise, is about as close as you will get to Go-Kart handling.
Negatives? It is noisy, cramped and inadequate for tall or heavy people, harsh-riding, turns high-RPM on the highway with the 5-speed so it is not a cruiser, and is almost worthless on slippery roads.


OK...a good sports sedan in that price range would be a year-old Nissan Altima SE-R. KBB (below )

http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.u...ima&1;NI;SE&&&

lists the average one at $26,435 but you could probably bargain the sales guy down to close to 25K. The SE-R has the 3-gauge center dash feature you like on the 350Z, has a 260 HP V6, plenty of room inside, and, unlike the Altimas of just a few years ago with their awful interiors, has benefitted lately from Nissan's goal of improving the materials used inside their vehicles.
Negatives? The most significant one is the possibility of front-drive torque steer.....you will have to decide if that is out of the question for you or not.


There are also a number of other possibilities if you are not satisfied with these....and of course ( as others have posted ) it is hard to go wrong with a G35 coupe.