I'm worried about reliability before buying a convertible
 

I'm seriously considering buying a G37S convertible; there's a 2009 near me in particular with ~85k miles for $10k at what looks like a nice used car dealership. My understanding of G37S from the research I've done so far is that the drivetrain is pretty reliable, which is important to me because I'll be taking this car through college, but I've read bad things online about the top on the convertibles. I'm not sure if I should be slapped for considering a car like this, but if I keep up with the maintenance, I hope to avoid any issues. I would be willing to do some preventative replacements, like replacing that one flipper gear that people talk about, or even swapping out some of the hydraulic components before they break, but I just want to make sure I'm not throwing myself into a money pit during what could be a financially unstable time in my life. What's been your guys' experience with the top reliability?

Pros:
VQ37VHR and associated platform are near iconic reliability status under normal driving use cases
Convertibles are probably the least abused of all the G models based on the fact that they are heavier and not desirable as a "drift missle" or to street race

Cons:
Complexity adds more crap to worry about as a car ages. Convertible tops add complexity. Most convertible tops develop issues over time on any car, but there is no gaurantee the top will fail and there are specialty outfits online that sell quality replacement parts: https://tophydraulics.com/145-infiniti-g37s-2009-2013-

I wish someone would have had a serious conversation with me when I was starting college, and told me to wait until after I graduated and started adulting before obsessing over cars.

That said, you be you and follow your heart. The Vert is cool. The drivetrain is solid. The MPG is horrendous. The roof is iffy.

The "pros" are spot on. The 'Vert is nothing more than a heavier Coupe with a drop top. As long as maintenance has been routinely performed the powertrain is near bulletproof. There will be some "preventive" measures you may need to take (heater hose coupling, ESCL fuse) but for the most part the car is solid.

Will you be commuting to/from school or living on campus? The G37 is a borderline gas guzzler. The $5+/gal. (in my area) is even taking a toll on me and I'm retired and use the car for pleasure. I can only imagine how mpg will affect a "starving college guy."

Coming from the BMW 'Vert world- which share the same designer as the G37 roof- I am not aware of any hydraulic failures for these cars. For the most part, the convertible mechanism is pretty stout but it is 17-years-old. While it seems the main "achilles heel" for the G are the flapper gears and, for some, the parcel shelf, anything can go wrong- from a simple hall sensor to a routine "reset/ relearn" because the battery was low. The problem is that to properly diagnose issues you need the right Nissan software/ scan tool. This often means a trip to the dealership (or specialty shop) who, more than likely, have no clue how to work on the overly complex roof system. Some have had luck with aftermarket scan tools but I will not go into that here.

Ultimately, it all comes down to your individual situation. At the very least, stand back and have someone open/ close the roof. The whole sequence should take 25-30sec. (each) and be seamless. If there is any jerkiness or "sluggish" movement I would definitely reconsider. If you pull the trigger, be sure to stay on top of overall maintenance, don't make a habit of opening/ closing roof with the car off (this will seriously drain the battery and cause a ton of issues), and do not abuse the car thinking it is a sports car (it is not). Follow that recipe and you should be fine throughout your college years and likely beyond.

I took a snapshot of my mpg history yesterday to give you an idea. The lower amounts, around 20 mpg, are from when gas prices were reasonable and I didn't think about my driving style at all. I was much more heavy footed with gas and brakes. Recently I've been trying to drive efficiently and my mpg has been higher, approaching 24 mpg. I have a 2014. I also agree with the opinions that this car is very reliable. The only problem I have ever had was the flapper gears. Oh, and a couple of strings on the roof lining have snapped.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.myg...28294af4f0.jpg

Not to veer off-topic... But, FYI, there is a DIY on replacing the headliner which includes replacing the tethers.

Thanks, I'll check out that headliner thread. 👍🏼

Interesting. I wasn't aware. Which company? Do they do verts for others in addition to Bimmer and Nissan?

The G37 retractable hard top (RHT herein) was designed by the German company Karmann Group (yes, of "Karmann Ghia" fame).
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.myg...aac61de60e.jpg

Part label for the (problematic) flapper(s):
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.myg...4a4be09eb8.jpg

Just about every European RHT and ragtop system had Karmann's hands in the mix somewhere. Karmann - Wiki

Unfortunately Karmann was dissolved in 2010 due to bankruptcy.

Interesting. I once had a niegbor give me a low mileage Karmann Ghia to get it out of their yard. I was like "no thanks".

I checked to see if there was an automatic to manual convertible top conversion for the G like there is for the E30 and E36, but it appears that the top on the G is too deeply entwined in the ECU.

However, Per Top Hydraulics it appears that one can manually open and close the top, which seems to be good news should any of the components fail: