I looked at the GC before I planned on buying a new car. The interior is crap, and the GPS is like a Fisher Price toy. Not kidding. Good engine, and I like the exterior, but I actually drive my car, and the interior is a bigger deal breaker than the sheet metal.

 

350z or sti

 

I can give two perspectives on this. The first time, I chose poorly; the second time around I think i got it right

Three years ago, I narrowed it down to:

- Genesis V8 Sedan
- Mercedes E-Class (mostly 2-3 year old models)
- Nissan Maxima
- G37X
- VW GTI
- BMW 328xi

Genesis was a HUGE surprise for me in terms of how nice it was, but at the time they were brand new and no one was dealing (unlike today...) and the RWD was a liability for me. Mercedes was obviously a great car, but the pre-owned versions didn't offer the level of sophistication I was looking for and the new ones were awfully pricey. GTI was a great ride, but I didn't like it with the auto, and my wife can't drive a manual, so that factored in, but for the money it was pretty sweet. I had the same problem with the 328xi; great car but lost its appear with the auto. Also, when fully optioned out, it was hard to justify the price. Loved the idea of the G37x, but local dealers didn't have the model config I wanted. Had a deal lined up in another market, but ended up test driving and buying a Maxima SV with just about every option. Nissan was blowing them out, and I like the overall package.

Fast forward to today:

The Maxima was a GREAT car and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a comfortable, reliable, "sporty" sedan. For me, it lost it's appeal over the last three years. Not a true sports-sedan, it offers a stylish, middle of the road approach to buyers looking for a little bit of sport, lots of features, and plenty of room for the family. Ultimately, the novelty of having features like a heated steering wheel, air conditioned seats, and a power rear sunshade wore off and began to crave real performance. This time around, I considered a similar, but more focused list:

- 2011 BMW 328xi (don't like the new ones)
- Audi A4/S4
- VW GTI
- G37x

Decided I could get the manual BWM past the wife if the price was right, but my dealer couldn't find ONE manual 2011 in his entire region. TONS of 2011 autos, but still not willing to go down that road. I actually liked the A4... to a point. Same problem with the BMW; I like the manual, and they couldn't locate one for me. Found a couple of pre-owned S4's that I thought hard about, but they were still pricey. VW GTI is an incredible car IMO; it feels like more than the sum of its parts and I've come away impressed after every drive. I came pretty close to pulling the trigger this time. Finance rates were super-low and there was inventory, but this time I didn't make the mistake of NOT driving the G37. When I did, it became obvious that it was what I should have bought three years ago. The combination of power, handling, AWD, and features (I got the Sport/Nav.Tech/Kitchen Sink package...) was too much to resist. I also got a pretty good deal, because the dealer was partnered with a Nissan dealer up the street and that helped a lot with the trade. It also helped that I didn't want all the "stuff" listed above, and I didn't really NEED a new car, so they were willing to negotiate.

Things I like:

- Power
- Handling
- Nav
- Audio
- AWD

Things I don't:
- Small-ish back seat
- Tight seat bolsters (that's not Infiniti's fault - I need to lose some weight...)
- Dealership location (I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than drive to the dealer on a regular basis, but they pick up the car at my house so it' moot.)

Things I'm still unsure about:
- It's red. Really RED. Fire engine, stop sign, look at me RED. Historically, I like red cars, and I've owned them in the past, but I'm older with kids now. Speaking of the kids, they LOVE red. I think I just have to get used to it - it does look good. Just... RED.
- I still kind of miss those air conditioned seats

That's my story and I'm sticking to it

 

i still don't understand why nissans get nicer stuff than the infiniti at times. I really want turn signal mirrors and air conditioned seats... Even the Kia's have these features now =(

 

Amen, brother. If Nissan offered a Maxima with AWD, a REAL sports package, and 330+ HP, I probably wouldn't be on this board

But.... a "real" sport package only buys you so much even if you do it right, and chassis dynamics play a big role. You can only make a Maxima handle so well within reason. The G is a MUCH more dynamic package - I am surprised at just how capable it is. For me, night and day in terms of driving experience, but I put a lot of value on those things. Many people don't.

I suspect the next iteration of G will have things like AC seats and turn signal mirrors. The more interesting development is the new Altima. Looks a lot like the Max, has most (if not all) of the same features, similar power, comparable space, and costs less. That should be fun to watch...

Man I love Domo Kun...

 

That's a heck of a first post.

Coming from 13 years of Maxima ownership, I can relate to that. No matter how much you mod the Maxima for power or handling, it just can't do what my G can stock.

 

I test drove the 2012 Maxima and suprisingly, it seemed to handle better than my G (non sport).

 

@rochester - agreed.

@thestumper - very well written post that has no "fanboism" at all. I couldn't agree more. We all know the Max will never have Infiniti's underpinnings....it could eat into sales for those who want the performance but not "luxury price tag".

I think Nissan *might* give the Maxima AWD, when there is a clear step up from the G37 in terms of handling and power. But who knows, my crystal ball isn't working tonight.

 

Some posters here passing on the Maxima for different reasons without mentioning the most glaring problem with it. That mindnumbingly dull CVT, guaranteed to put you into a coma.

I don't care if the nextgen Maximas have 400HP, 8 wheel drive and makes breakfast for you as you commute to work in the morning, they will never be in the same galaxy in performance as the G until they get rid of that that god awful CVT. Once I experienced a test drive, it was immediately crossed off my list, talk about a disconnected driving experience. It's easily the worst modern technology of the past decade and thank god it hasn't really caught on with more car manufacturers as I feared it might.

 

I really hope it's only a matter of time until Infiniti starts embracing newer technology and incorporates a dual clutch tranny as an option. I love it on my m3 and I really don't want this to be my last Infiniti. I hope that the next ipl g comes with it and also in a sedan body. I know Lexus will begin using it starting with the next IS, as an option of course. I love Lexus also but although I can't say my is350 was less sporty than my G ( it wasn't contrary to popular belief ) it lacked the engine roar that the G has...even modified greatly. . I hope to replace my m3 with a Benz in the future and get a feel for what all luxury brands have to offer. However I will never own an Acura

 

That should've been an easy one for you

 

If you're talking about the 6.5 Gen Maxima, then yes... mind-numbingly dull. However, the 7th Gen Maxima (current model) has a very entertaining implementation of Nissan's CVT, where you can "manually shift" the transmission in a way that's lots of fun, relatively speaking for a car without a clutch pedal. Of course, it's all smoke and mirrors, but the end-user experience is still kind of neat.

My point being, there's a lot of nuance to play with in the Maxima's CVT, even if it is all just make-believe BS in the end.

No crystal ball here, either, but I can't imagine the next gen G without a dual-clutch for the two-pedal pushers. And direct injection, for everyone.

 

I too would love a dual clutch system with direct injection. One of the thing I miss about my previous Audi the most.

 

Drove a 2011 135i w/ the DCT and that thing snaps off shifts SOOO quick, just a blast to drive

 

that's how the Audi DSG was. so quick and smooth, you wouldn't know it was shifting unless you looked the RPM tach.