My tactical car
It’s black and has a lot of aluminum. But if it came in Flat Dark Earth, I’d have gotten one. And it needs rails
I finally got tired of Google taunting me. And, based on the two car blegs, I made a choice. Last week, I picked up my Infiniti G37 (the Journey with the premium package, in black obsidian with the graphite/aluminum interior). I picked it up at Harper Infiniti. The salesman was Pat Barker. I highly recommend Harper and Pat. There was no high pressure sales drama. And I always got a good feeling dealing with them. I never got the stereotypical car salesman vibe from anyone there. The whole deal (except the test drive) was negotiated via email, text, and phone. I literally walked in, spent ten minutes signing paper and writing a check. No extended warranty or other sales pitch that we know I hate. Pat then spent about 30 minutes going over the car in detail and programming my phone. That’s how car buying should be. In and out. Highly recommended.
Short review: I fucking love this car. But, a bit more specifics:
At 328 horsepower, there’s very few other cars it can’t outrun. And getting about 27 mpg, it doesn’t quite set the hippies in motion to yammer on about my evil gas guzzling ways. I’m getting about 22mpg because I’ve been having some fun. I’m sure I’ll get over the lead footing it when the new wears off.
Interior is spacious and comfortable.
Having driven a truck for so long (a truck I still have), I’m still getting used to being so low to the ground. Had to actually get out of the car to make a bank deposit.
The ride is smooth and this car can really move when it needs to. The rear seats are adequate for hauling the kids. And the rear doors open to almost a full 90 degrees, which makes getting the kids in and out a breeze. Unlike my truck, the kids can reach the car seat buckles and strap themselves in.
The Bose sound system is excellent. And it has a cable to connect an iPod built into the console. The iPod menus will display on the car’s information screen. I finally broke down and bought an iPod.
The Bluetooth phone connectivity is easy to set up and works great.
I love having a trunk again.
The Intelligent key is pretty sharp but took some getting used to.
The wife likes that it has separate climate controls for the driver and passenger.
A few cons:
It’s MP3 player connectivity is only for iPod. I’d rather just stick with using my Droid. But I’ll get over it. And I broke down and bought an iPod.
The console is small and short on space. And the car lacks what my kids would call hidey holes. No real convenient places to put your stuff that you keep in the car, except the glove box and a small console. In short, it doesn’t have a convenient place to keep a full sized handgun. Not a big deal, really. But my truck has all sorts of places to put my stuff.
Related to that is that it comes with an ash tray. Kinda surprised cars come with those by default these days. I’m wondering if I can remove it and turn that into a little storage space.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:00 am
congrats,
and just-in-case:
http://www.wikihow.com/Drive-Tactically-%28Technical-Driving%29
March 29th, 2010 at 10:26 am
I love the G37. I actually designed some parts at my last job for the G37s when it first came out. So I have pulled that car apart and put it back together a few times. Great car.
BTW, on the ashtrays, I could easily see the Japanese market being the reason for them still existing. While in Japan I was shocked both by how much they smoke and by how not a single one of them throws their butt out the window. It’s almost like they actually want to keep their country beautiful.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Did you get it with a real transmission or the granny box?
March 29th, 2010 at 10:30 am
i don’t know what a granny box is. But i did not get the manual.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:34 am
As for replacing the ashtray, go talk to your local comunity college/voc tech that teaches plastics. Heck, they can probably make it lockable. You might also look into somthing that connects under the front of the driver’s seat for large frame pistols.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:37 am
There’s probably at least one hidey-hole that you haven’t found yet, unless they’ve changed something (I have a 2008 G35S). There’s an armrest that pulls down in the center of the back seat. One side has a leather flap with a velcro fastener covering a storage area. Not locking, but with the armrest up most people won’t even know it is there.
Obviously I wouldn’t suggest putting a handgun in there since you’re toting kids around, but I’m sure you’ll find a use for it.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:39 am
eagle, we call that the nintendo DS holder 🙂
March 29th, 2010 at 11:28 am
i don’t know what a granny box is. But i did not get the manual.
Might as well have gotten a minivan. 😉
March 29th, 2010 at 11:38 am
I have a 2008 G35SX, and love it as well. It is a lot of fun to drive. I agree that there isn’t much room to store stuff, but you get used to it. Congrats.
March 29th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
What’s it weigh?
March 29th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I only get about 19 MPG on my “economy” tune so be thankful for that 22MPG. If I set the tune on “aggressive” the MPG goes to about 15.
That being said their are basically no real cars coming off the factory floor that can outrun a Twin Turbo G.
March 29th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
That lead foot will get you all the time. I’ve had my 2010 Camaro (yeah yeah I know, but I’ve wanted one for over a decade and wasn’t gonna let the collective stupidity of our gov’t keep me from one) a little over a week and have already run 4 tanks of 93 Octane through it. Nominally it gets 24/19 but I’m looking at more like 15…
March 29th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Nintendo DS holder? That’s what I call my wife’s Toyota Sienna. When i need to shuttle my kids around, I either drive the Sienna or my old F150. I get faint of heart when I have to have them in the G35.
March 29th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
I don’t know what a granny box is. But i did not get the manual.
So now you know what a granny box is. 😉
March 29th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
I quit getting enthused about automobiles when the land yachts went the way of no good. I have owned and driven to death more than 40 vehicles in my life. The last one I loved was a 1973 Oldsmobile 98LS with a 455 c.i. engine.
Before that was a 1969 Plymouth Fury III that would do well over 135 MPH, I know because I averaged that fast from Topeka, Ks. to Woodward, Ok in it on back roads and two lanes and never sped through any of the towns. To this day I don’t know just how fast it would go. Unbelievably it could do that and get 20 mpg. If you don’t believe that, I don’t blame you. It was my car and I had trouble believing it.
I have a car I would love if I could ever get it finished and it only has 100 hp. 1950 Ford two door sedan. Uh huh, a sedan, not a coupe.
I think I just might be getting too old to count. But congratulations on getting one YOU really like.
March 29th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Ash trays are useful. They hold my parking meter coins just fine, and a nail clipper.
March 29th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
SOOOOOOO FREAKKING SICK DUDE!!! AWESOME!!!!
So that’s what you spent the wheel barrel of cash on…Nice!
March 30th, 2010 at 10:46 am
The only disadvantage to owning an Infiniti come when it’s time to pay for repairs. Luxury cars cost more. But the G is a sweet ride.
March 30th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Hm. We might have to have ourselves a good old-fashioned drag at some point…
March 31st, 2010 at 2:12 am
Not to piss on your parade, but 328 hp and how many lbs of weight? And are those hp measured at the crank or the wheel?
March 31st, 2010 at 8:26 am
Dunno.