G37 vs S4? What should my next car be?

[Stevo6754]

Ok Im selling my 02 Q45 and looking to buy a sportier car thats a manual for me to do a little work on. This is gonna be a daily drive for when I head off to college in august. Ive always loved infiniti and been a fan of the g, though Ive never owned one. Im really liking to G37 so far, if I get it I plan on getting it in black ; ). But my dad recently bought an 07 audi s8, Ive been messin around with audi as well and have come to love them just as much.

So I have about 55k or so to spend total on a car. I want something I can work on, buff up to around 400-450hp with no sc or tt, nothin super fast, but fast enough, maybe do ecu, intake, headers, etc. It cant be too expensive to work on either, for example my Q45 cost an arm and a leg for anything aftermarket. So far the only two cars I can really think of would be an G37 or S4, any other suggestions would be great.

G37- 3.7l v6, 330hp, rwd, 35kmsrp(?)

S4- 4.2l v8, 340hp, awd, 47k msrp

The audi was redone in 2006 I believe? The G37 is sexier because its gonna be brand new and I need something to last me around 6 years or so, remember its gonna be cheaper to work on then my current huge luxury sedan and able to make 400+ hp no sc,tt or anything extreme.

Thanks in advance..

[helldorado]

How the hell are we supposed to tell you that the G37 can make 400+ hp NA when the engine hasn't even been released to the public yet? :)

[juicychus]

s4 for sure

[Stevo6754]

How the hell are we supposed to tell you that the G37 can make 400+ hp NA when the engine hasn't even been released to the public yet? :)

Yeah I know.. But Im sure it can make somewhat more hp at the least with na. But true we wont know till it comes out. /shrug

[PhoenixINX]

Drive the Q45 for the next four years, invest your cash during your stay in school... take the earned interest and put it down towards a nice graduation present.

Good luck

[Stevo6754]

Drive the Q45 for the next four years, invest your cash during your stay in school... take the earned interest and put it down towards a nice graduation present.

Good luck

I really thought about this, the q45 only has 31k miles on it and warranty for one more year. But it will cost an arm and a leg to repair anything that breaks on it once out of warranty, as I have seen so far.. Im only 18, but I inherit a nice amount of money at age 21, so I could drive this till Im 21 and buy something better than both maybe? I dont know, maybe Im just impatient. :caged: If I did keep the Q, Id put springs on it and rims and call it a day maybe..

[link]

the Q looks like a big cockroach.
don't fix it up.

[ttknf]

Comparing the S4 and the G37 is like comparing apples and oranges. One's a sedan and the other is a coupe. You have to decide what type of car you want. The S4 is a great car, but if you really want an coupe and an Audi, wait until the S5 comes out. I still would personally take the reliability of an Infiniti over an Audi though (my buddy works at an Audi/Porsche/VW dealership so I've heard all the horror stories).

[07G35S]

^ well said! +1

[UofMG35]

Im only 18, but I inherit a nice amount of money at age 21

When I was 18, I drove an 8 year old 1990 Ford Tempo. And at 21, the only thing I inherited was a pat on the shoulder for graduated on time. Must be nice! :)

[ZYAL8R808]

If you think parts for your Q45 are expensive then you should definitely stay away from Audi. Aftermarket parts are sure to all come from Germany and German tuners and that is not cheap. Aftermarket support for Infiniti is much stronger in the US and parts are easily accessible.

Also, I can't see spending $12K more for a gas gussling V8 with just 10 more horsepower.

I like Audi but probably would never buy one because there are many more logical choices.

[SCWells72]

I have a 2004 Audi S4 6MT now, and I can say that the "horror stories" are way overblown in practice. It's true that 5+ years ago, Audi had serious reliability issues, especially with some of the turbocharged models, but the B6/B7 S4 (the one with the V8) is very solid both mechanically and electrically. I've very much enjoyed my S4. It's comfortable, fun, fast, stylish (my opinion there, of course), and has great "gadget factor" with the RNS-E nav (includes SD card-based MP3 playback, integrated satellite radio, integrated Bluetooth hands-free, 3D view navigation, etc.). Also, the S4's "gas guzzling V8" gets about the same gas mileage as the 3.5L VQV6 that's in the G35. I imagine that the G37's engine won't improve that situation much. For concrete #s, I average ~16mpg during mixed driving and ~22mpg on the highway. And the sound of the engine under wide open throttle is pretty amazing. Also, it's 10 more HP, but significantly more torque, and torque is that "seat of the pants" feeling down low! I've driven the current G35 several times, and I can say that it's a little slow to get into the meat of its powerband, i.e., the marketing around "SWELL". You're there almost immediately in the S4.

Having said all that, you're not going to get the S4 or the G37 up to 450HP without going to forced induction. On the S4, there aren't many forced induction options right now (APR has had a supercharger in the works for years), and as others have stated, while the G37's engine is derived from the current VQ, it's not the same engine and likely won't have options for some time after its release. On the S4 expect ~380-390HP to cost about $2.5K in mods (downpipes, exhaust, and ECU flash), and that's about it without FI. VERY powerful, but well short of your stated goals.

Another option would be the BMW 335i which is a factory twin-turbo I6 and available in sedan or coupe form. You can chip that car and get up to about 425-450HP pretty easily from what I've read. If you wait for the Dinan chip and have your dealer install it, it's all under warranty as well. You can get into a fully-loaded 335i coupe or sedan within your budget.

Just some thoughts...

[Salvador]

I like the S4 personally. I was a big BMW fan before the G came out. I really loved the styling of the G and I loved that it was at least $10K less expensive than a comparible Bimmer. Since owning a G though, I've been disappointed with it. The fit and finish isn't nearly what I expected. The metallic paint is all blotchy and the panel fit leaves a lot to be desired. I've also had issues with the leather seats. The dealers also suck. The coffee bar and marble is just a smoke screen. The BMW dealers that I've experienced actually fix your car and they don't damage it while they do it. They actually understand what pride of ownership means unlike Infiniti.

[SAPPHIRE_FX45]

Another option would be the BMW 335i which is a factory twin-turbo I6 and available in sedan or coupe form. You can chip that car and get up to about 425-450HP pretty easily from what I've read. If you wait for the Dinan chip and have your dealer install it, it's all under warranty as well. You can get into a fully-loaded 335i coupe or sedan within your budget.

Just some thoughts...

Agree
for $1300 you can get into RS4 teritory with chipped 335i coupe or sedan
and keep your warranty
All that for around $45K
BTW, coupe has decent amount of room including back seat and trunk space and about 30mpg rating which is pretty good for FI car with over 300HP and 300tq

[Nugget]

I am cross shopping the g35 vs S4 as well. I need AWD though so the g37 isn't an option. As far as mileage: a good friend of mine has an S4 (actually two - his wife liked it so much she got one as well) and we've compared mileage. It's pretty close. The S4 gets maybe 1mpg less than my 2003 g35.

Anyway, looking at the S4 - my main problem with it is the appearace. The interior is too "race car" looking for my tastes with the two-tone seats and all. The exterior is pretty boring compared to the G - and especially compared to the coupe. And then there's the really ugly carbon fiber micro spoiler - though hopefully that's optional. I'm not sure yet how much of that can be customized; the audi dealer here didn't have any S4s with significant differences there. It's also quite a bit smaller than the g35 on the inside (as is the lexus IS if you look at that). Even comparing the 4-door S4 to the G35 coupe, the S4 feels smaller inside. The sedans aren't even a close comparison. I think I'm going to look at the S6 (and the S5) before I decide.

I am pretty nervous about audi WRT reliability, but neither of my friend's S4s has had as many mechanical issues as my G35 (I haven't had too many) so that's a good sign.

[SCWells72]

The interior is too "race car" looking for my tastes with the two-tone seats and all. The exterior is pretty boring compared to the G - and especially compared to the coupe. And then there's the really ugly carbon fiber micro spoiler - though hopefully that's optional.

Actually, the two tone interior is only one option on the S4, not the de facto. Those are the alcantara (basically suede) inserts. My car instead has black silk nappa leather seats. Also, I don't have the brushed metal interior. Instead my car has wood. Looks very nice and not at all "race car" looking. Of course, the Recaro seats are well bolstered and don't look like typical sedan seats, but you'd get the same thing in the G37 with its sport seats. Not sure what you mean by the "ugly carbon fiber micro spoiler". My car does have an integrated lip spoiler on the trunk lid, but it's body color and just gives shape to the rear of the car.

It's also quite a bit smaller than the g35 on the inside (as is the lexus IS if you look at that). Even comparing the 4-door S4 to the G35 coupe, the S4 feels smaller inside.
I came to the S4 from a Lexus GS430 and it's definitely smaller inside than that car was, but I find it very close to the interior room of the current G35 sedan and larger than the Lexus IS. I'm 6'1" and my wife is 5'11", and we've carted around friends and family for long trips before quite comfortably.

I am pretty nervous about audi WRT reliability, but neither of my friend's S4s has had as many mechanical issues as my G35 (I haven't had too many) so that's a good sign.
As I noted above, I came to Audi from Lexus and reliability was a concern for me, but I've found no more problems with my S4 than I had with my GS, which is to say very few. The occassional rattle here and there (comes with a tightly sprung suspension) and one issue with side mirror memory that required the memory module to be replaced under warranty, but overall it's been rock solid. One of my good friends also has an '04 S4 and his car has been similarly solid.

[DaveC]

When I was 18, I drove an 8 year old 1990 Ford Tempo. And at 21, the only thing I inherited was a pat on the shoulder for graduated on time. Must be nice! :)

I hear ya MG, when I was 18 I was starting 10 years of night school to get my degree.

[redline122]

Some great choices to be made here between the Infiniti G37, Audi S4, and hearing some more input regarding the BMW 335 Coupe.

So here's my two pence on this....

Inheritance or not - money squandered is money squandered! :rolleyes:

I have cash on hand to buy pretty much any car I would currently like to get. Having said that, I DON'T BUY unless if I truly love the car. Did that with the G (financing it), and leasing a BMW Convertible 330 ZHP. Paying cash for a car is like flushing money down the toilet - unless if the money is just like toilet paper to ya! :p

Save some of the money and consider financing aggressively (lease or buy) and reinvest the rest to outperform any interest (money factor on lease or APR on finance). If you could get yourself into some stable investments, you could outperform the "interest" of about 8 to 10% - call that money in the bank! Of course this depends on how good your credit is. If you REALLY don't NEED the money for up to 12 - 18 months, consider putting that money into tax lien certificates! Depending on the state, you could earn up to 18% on your investment (as found in Georgia).

On another note, I putted along in a 1987 Jetta in college (graduated in from uni in 1995)! Until it saved my life in an accident in the last year of college! :) A few years later, the Infiniti came into my life (using VPP), and then the BMW. Have you considered getting a used, well-kept g35 from one of the fine members here on Fresh Alloy?! LOL!!!

[Nugget]

Actually, the two tone interior is only one option on the S4, not the de facto.

Great to hear. I didn't get to look at the car much because we were shopping the Q7 for my wife (I'm not getting a new car until the fall).

Not sure what you mean by the "ugly carbon fiber micro spoiler". My car does have an integrated lip spoiler on the trunk lid, but it's body color and just gives shape to the rear of the car.

Ah. Ok - the S4s at my dealer all had a black-ish carbon fiber (definitely not body color) lip spoiler. I've seen them on the road that way too. It reminds me of the hood on a mod'ed civic :p Just kidding, it doesn't stand out like that. But if it's not standard that's cool. My friend's S4 doesn't have the carbon fiber spoiler either (he does have the two-tone seats), but it's not the current model year.


I've found no more problems with my S4 than I had with my GS, which is to say very few.

Also great to hear. I'll have to give it a longer look in the fall.

[Heat00]

Comparing the S4 and the G37 is like comparing apples and oranges. One's a sedan and the other is a coupe. You have to decide what type of car you want. The S4 is a great car, but if you really want an coupe and an Audi, wait until the S5 comes out. I still would personally take the reliability of an Infiniti over an Audi though (my buddy works at an Audi/Porsche/VW dealership so I've heard all the horror stories).

right on... besides I just read the latest C&D that tested the new Audi TT, I was not impressed, neither were they lol

besides, don't compare a fine Jap auto to the Germans.........I like to enjoy and drive the car, not have to go to the dealer every day for stupid repairs :)

just my 2 cents....

[SCWells72]

besides, don't compare a fine Jap auto to the Germans.........I like to enjoy and drive the car, not have to go to the dealer every day for stupid repairs :)

What has been your experience that's led you to this statement? Just reading about bad German reliability and other folks saying the same things on forums?

I've owned three Japanese luxury cars (two Acuras and a Lexus) and three German luxury cars (two BMWs and an Audi), and I've found the reliability between them to be very close to the same. Of them, I would say one of the Acuras was possibly the worst and the Lexus the best, but my Audi has been better than either Acura and either BMW and just one small step down from the Lexus. These cars ranged in model year from '00 to '05, so all fairly recent, but I kept one BMW for seven years with only minor issues and I have certainly not been "to the dealer every day for stupid repairs".

So that's my real world experience. What's yours?

[ivorypearl]

What has been your experience that's led you to this statement? Just reading about bad German reliability and other folks saying the same things on forums?

I've owned three Japanese luxury cars (two Acuras and a Lexus) and three German luxury cars (two BMWs and an Audi), and I've found the reliability between them to be very close to the same. Of them, I would say one of the Acuras was possibly the worst and the Lexus the best, but my Audi has been better than either Acura and either BMW and just one small step down from the Lexus. These cars ranged in model year from '00 to '05, so all fairly recent, but I kept one BMW for seven years with only minor issues and I have certainly not been "to the dealer every day for stupid repairs".

So that's my real world experience. What's yours?

wish i could agree with you on this one. i've had:

2 Volvos (740T, 850T5R) - both repair hogs, both totally worth it
1 Mercedes (ML) - repair hog, not so worth it
1 VW - moderate repairs, worth it
1 BMW (325iX) - moderate repairs, worth it
1 Infiniti (FX35) - few repairs (CD player skipped and rear cup holder stuck)
1 Toyota (Tercel) - very few repairs until died at 178K
1 Mazda - few repairs
1 Ford (probe) - owned a short period of time, but few repairs

This is hardly a scientific study, not even close, but I personally have had many more issues with my European cars than their Japanese counterparts. In the case of my European cars, however, it has been worth it to me. That has to be a call you make yourself. Seems like if you are as wealthy as you sound, just get what you want and don't worry about the repairs. We're not talking Aston Martin kind of repair costs here.

[SCWells72]

Seems like if you are as wealthy as you sound, just get what you want and don't worry about the repairs. We're not talking Aston Martin kind of repair costs here.

Not wealthy by any stretch. Certainly didn't mean to represent myself that way, so sorry if that's how it came off. You can get a tremendous amount of car for the money even with the luxo brands these days, and none of these were the $70K+ varieties of cars. Also, these cars tend to hold their value well so when it's time to sell or trade-in, you don't get destroyed.

More to the point, the nice thing about BMW and Audi is zero cost maintenance under warranty unlike the Japanese brands, so you take your car in for scheduled or unscheduled work, sign the papers, and leave. With Lexus and Acura it was always a significant expense when those times came.

Sounds like your experience with German cars has been similar to my brother-in-law's experience with Japanese cars and not at all like my experience with either. He's had unending rattles, poor fit-and-finish, horrible dealer/service experience, terrible leather wear after a short period of ownership, etc. My point was that there's a general sentiment that German (and European in general) cars, especially of the (near-)luxury variety, are terribly unreliable. I see statements like yours saying that the cars are ALWAYS in for repairs day in and day out, and frankly when I bought my first "adult" car, I trended toward Japanese cars based on that exact characterization. However, after owning a few German cars and a few Japanese cars, I can honestly say that the quality of manufacture seems very similar on both, but perhaps I've just gotten lucky! It's only recently that the Japanese have started to build cars that drive like their German counterparts with the G35 leading the pack there, of course.

[SAPPHIRE_FX45]

What has been your experience that's led you to this statement? Just reading about bad German reliability and other folks saying the same things on forums?

I've owned three Japanese luxury cars (two Acuras and a Lexus) and three German luxury cars (two BMWs and an Audi), and I've found the reliability between them to be very close to the same. Of them, I would say one of the Acuras was possibly the worst and the Lexus the best, but my Audi has been better than either Acura and either BMW and just one small step down from the Lexus. These cars ranged in model year from '00 to '05, so all fairly recent, but I kept one BMW for seven years with only minor issues and I have certainly not been "to the dealer every day for stupid repairs".

So that's my real world experience. What's yours?

Same here
I owed 2001 330Ci and had couple of minor problems
My friends have 2001 S4 and 2002 330i, both with very few minor issues (2-3 times/year to the dealer for a day or two)
My FX45 is POS, i went for repairs nummerous times, FX35 is ok so far, 8 months owning, no trips to dealer yet
Maxima 2000 was great, never seen a dealer either, well at least for a year until i sold it

[RetAF]

I like the S4 personally. I was a big BMW fan before the G came out. I really loved the styling of the G and I loved that it was at least $10K less expensive than a comparible Bimmer. Since owning a G though, I've been disappointed with it. The fit and finish isn't nearly what I expected. The metallic paint is all blotchy and the panel fit leaves a lot to be desired. I've also had issues with the leather seats. The dealers also suck. The coffee bar and marble is just a smoke screen. The BMW dealers that I've experienced actually fix your car and they don't damage it while they do it. They actually understand what pride of ownership means unlike Infiniti.
How many Infiniti dealers fall into this category? I have only been to one, who has been great, so I obviously don`t have your level of experience. My G-35 doesn`t rattle, either, but the Bose sound system sux, as did the one on my 03 Acura TL.

[MrRyte]

How many Infiniti dealers fall into this category? I have only been to one, who has been great, so I obviously don`t have your level of experience. My G-35 doesn`t rattle, either, but the Bose sound system sux, as did the one on my 03 Acura TL.
Agreed. Your dealership experienced could have happened anywhere.

[papercliprebel]

wow, i stopped reading right here Ok Im selling my 02 Q45 and looking to buy a sportier car thats a manual for me to do a little work on. This is gonna be a daily drive for when I head off to college in august. a college education can't come soon enough for you.

[07G35S]

This thread is so far off topic....