I am finally graduating from university this year and with that, time to replace my '97 civic with 300,000km on it.

My 3 top priorities are:
reliability
hotness factor
comfort

other concerns:
affordability
fuel efficiency
handling in snow

l have not decided which 3 series to go with and whether l want a coupe or a sedan - right now it is just between the infiniti or the bmw. If l get the infiniti, it will be '03-'04. If l get the BMW, I am looking at '01-'04.

Logic is telling me to go with the BMW as they're going for almost $10,000 cheaper and apparently handle much better in the snow. However, l just can not tear myself away from the G35... it is like love at first sight... with a damn car! On one hand, l can not really justify spending an extra $10,000 on it, on the other hand - it is the car l really really want despite it probably being a bad idea.

what to do?!

You will have way less repairs and issues with the g-35 service and maint will also cost you half of what the BMW cost. l speak from experiance, l have owned 2 german and 1 english car and will NEVER buy another again. All have let me down and all were purchased brand new.

VW-W8 // BMW 330 // Land Rover=terriable

I've always had a soft spot for BMWs. If you like the G35 more than the BMW, look around for a better deal on a G35. Maybe a private seller can offer you a bargain.

The Infiniti would be more reliable and repairs would be less costly.. l am not sure what the handling would be like in the snow but l am sure a pair of winter tires could fix that if thats possible. Generally l prefer the 3-series though.

I'd get the car that ur heart wants & is better anyway, the G35. The price difference is worth it because u r getting a newer car with a much more powerful engine in the G35 with its 3.5 V6 instead of the 325i is 2.5 I4. Unless u r getting a manual, the 325 is a bit slow. BMW is tend to have more problems then Infiniti is & like someone said r a bit more costly to maintain/repair. Both cars r rear wheel drive & will pretty much suck in the snow. You can get an Xi version of some 3 series cars which has AWD, AWD is only available on the G35 sedan. l am not sure where u got that $10K mark, in my searches the price difference was closer to $4000. The 325 gets about 5 mpg more then a G35.

first of all . either way u go . ur winning. l think the advantages of the BMW is that it is a more forgiving in steering, the ride is not as firm, & basically, its probably the 1st or 2nd best cars in the world. Downside of owning one, if u have to go to the dealership. they will whack u over the head with the Bill !!!
The G35 coupe is a beautiful ride, the interior is better than the BMW & it has one of the best engines EVER made. The matiance cost of the vehicle will not be as high although l believe the mpg is r less. This car handles terrible in the snow, rain, bad weather in general. But with some driving technique & some patience u can over come a lot of that. In conclusion, l think the BMW is a better car but the Infiniti is a better value. see link for comparison ( prices r price when new . )

g35 all da way!!

I've had the pleasure of owning a G35 coupe, & driven several different 3 series, including the E46 3 series you're talking about.

l had the same problems u did, but l ended up going for the G35. Funny thing is, prior to the G l had a Honda Civic as well, & also a recent university grad, lol.

Reliability - The G35 is much more reliable. Never had l had a problem with the G coupe, but l know 3 series owners experience many problems, especially after their warrenty expires.

Hotness Factor - The G beats the BM by miles!

Comfort - The G35 has better seats, that will hold u tighter when going around corners. But the BM has a much more forgiving ride. Meaning u can not push it as hard in the corners, but driving it in the city is nicer as it is not as bumpy.

l also think the BM interior is more driver oriented. Notice that the stereo r angled towards the driver, while for the G it is in the middle. Also for the '03 - '04 G35, the interior is brushed aluminum, not real aluminum.

Affordability - As u said the 3 series is cheaper; & has better resale value.

Fuel Efficiency - The 3 series by alot. With the 3 series, u get about 30+ mpg. For the G, never once did l get more than 23 mpg; frequently much less.

Handling in the Snow - The BM has a lead for one reason only.it does not have the power that the G does.


BTW, u forgot one thing. The thing l miss most about my G35 coupe, is how fun it is to drive. The 3 series is fun as well, but even with the 330ci the acceleration is in the 8 seconds area, while with the G, it is below 6 seconds. Never once did l just sit in the G35 coupe. l was always excited to drive it.

Yes it is more expensive.but l assure you; u will be glad u bought the G.