I started looking last year knowing my daughter would be getting her license this fall and would need my car, but by the time my spouse agreed it was time to buy the prices had gone up (probably due to the G25), and thanks to the Tsunami, the supply had gone down. Came dangerously close to buying an Optima SX yesterday, but shoddy sales practices sent me out the door at the last minute. There aren't many 2010's with low mileage around here (Boston) but I found a 2010 XS with nav on a Honda lot with under 13k for not much more than the Optima. I just did the deed today so haven't picked up the car, but here is the odd part. The car is Liquid Platinum with black interior, not my favorite combo, but okay for used, yet my wife noticed that the carfax referred to it as an Anniversary Edition. Okay, just an error I figured since the AEs should be a darker gray with a red interior and blacked out grill. So I typed the VIN into an online program and it too came out with "Aniversary Edition". The car was initially bought last July. Could it be that Infiniti started to refer to similarly equipped cars as AE late in the model year even if they had different exterior and interior colors? Now it doesn't really matter since the dealer didn't describe it as such and I didn't pay extra for such exalted status, but this has piqued my curiosity. Anybody know what's going on with this? Anyway I can find out whether it truly is an AE?

 

i think the platinum graphite with red interior is the Limited Edition?

 

anniversary has the red interior with the anniversary wheels. post a pic of the car itll help us out a lot

 

There's a mistake there, that's not a AE

 

yeah thats a mistake, car fax fail

 

Wouldn't be the frist time.

As others said AE had a red interior. If it doesn't have the red interior then it's not an AE.

 

Yeah I figured it was a mistake for just those reasons. Had the insurance guy run a car fax today and it didn't come up as AE this time. Go figure! Wish it was though, I love the Monaco Red interior. Still, I am excited to get a G, any color! The transmission seemed really aggressive on the test drive. I don't know if the original owner drove it hard and now the car expects a lead foot and slammed shifting, or if it needs the tranny reflash. I'll sort that out after I pick it up tomorrow.DOMO

 

Congrats, I'm quite surprised you cross-shopped a G w/ an Optima, definitely different ends of the car spectrum for sure, 4 doors is about the only similarity
Be thankful you ran into some crappy sales tactics, in fact I'd drive your new G to the lot just to show how much you appreciate them

 

You have to give props to Kia and Hyundai for the value and style combination. But nowhere near a comparable vehicle.

 

I don't know if you have seen them or not but the new Optima has done a quantum leap. The Kia chief designer is from Audi (he designed the TT) and while a cousin of the Sonata, the Optima is extraordinarily well designed. It is probably the best looking mid size car in its segment and with the turbo is pushing out 274 hp, just slightly less torque, yet gets 24 city and 34 highway mpg, on regular. The top of the line SX model has a "sport tuned" suspension which actually feels pretty tight (although I am sure no match for a G, especially considering they are FWD cars), paddle shifters with a decent 6 speed AT (doesn't rev match though), and 18 inch alloys with low profile tires. At 30 to 31k all up you get a high end Harmon sound system, touch screen and voice control nav, dual panoramic moon roofs (with automatic shades), heated and COOLED, front leather seats, heated BACK seat, bluetooth (so well designed that the mike is right above the driver's head), lighted sills, backup camera, and much more (ie, homelink, turn signals on mirrors, memory seats, etc., etc.). There is really very little tech or comfort wise that the G has over the SX, and the SX has a few things the G probably should have, and the info center is also canted 10 degrees toward the driver, which is a really nice feature. These things are flying out of the dealerships, which is why they are so hard to get. I really think that many of the sales people are used to dealing with a different group of customers than they are now getting, since this car is bringing in people who usually shop higher end, and who do not respnd well to pressure tactics and shell game strategies. If the guy had been upfront with me I would have bought the car. I am glad I didn't because even though my head says the mileage, price, amenities and design of the car along with decent performance makes it the better bet, in my heart I wanted a true sport sedan. In fact as I walked out on the guy my parting words were "I really wanted a G anyway".

 

good choice

 

if the tranny is being aggresive then yes the previous owner enjoyed his vehicle, no worries as these cars can handle it, no reflash or anything, as your daughter drives it more conservatively( maybe ) it will readjust over time to fit her driving style. You should drive mine hehe it will downshift through 2-3 gears at a time now instead of the single downshift.

 

i agree the new optima does look excellent and would consider one. congrats on your G im sure you will be glad you didnt look any further. i am still passionate with my G i got new last year in april. as long as you dont press the gas hard the trans should not be that aggressive. when I step on it with a little more purpose the 7at shifts 1,2,3 aggressive and quick.

 

I've been monitoring this forum for a while, and I seem to recall someone said if you disonnect the battery cable it wipes out the stuff stored in the tranny's memory and you can start fresh. It seems to already be smoothing out, but if necessary I may try the battery cable trick. This car, which is an XS, seems lower than the regular X models I have taken for test drives. Does anyone know if the XS has a lowered front end stance or something due to the different wheels?