Once you drive it, you will forget all about the G35. I am 39 years old, love the EVO, hard ride/noise and all. S***, I even wish the wing was even bigger!

 

You guys crack me up about the wing. Anyway, I thought of a another con for the Evo, although it's hard for me to accurately characterize the risk: It seems that the aftermarket clutch will void the warranty, and more than a few people have mentioned the grinding gears and other transmission problems...that would suck if I had any tranny problems after I installed the replacement clutch. I'm guessing that the tranny problems are represented by a small fraction of you owners. Lot of what ifs, I guess, maybe getting cold feet and paranoid. There's always risk, even with Acuras and Infinities, although there's certainly less. BTW, my Integra will not die and will probably be going strong to 200K and beyond.

Just to present a balanced viewpoint, here are some Pros for the G35:

(1) Infinity dealers
(2) Luxury interior
(3) more comfortable long trips (quieter, smoother)
(4) normally aspirated (you all know the cons of the turbo)
(5) more understated and aesthetically pleasing to my eyes
(6) Infinity has the best reliability record of all car manufacturers

I keep going back and forth. I guess this is a good dilemna to have. I'll test drive the Evo this weekend (hopefully) and maybe I won't be going back and forth so much.

 

Thats not an adament pro. It all depends on location. Im 23 as well and i pay 270 a month for insurance. No Points.

 

I haven't driven a G35 but I do completely understand your concerns about quality.

I am 40 years and have driven manual transmission vehicles of all sorts since I was about 13 years old and this was the first clutch I ever had to replace. The thing started slipping on uphill starts at about 2000 miles, and I hadn't even launched the car at that point. I drive aggresively, don't get me wrong, but I never "asked" for a clutch problem that early. I finally replaced it at about 9000 miles with a Exedy Single Plate, and I am more or less happy with the that clutch. It's much more "grabby" than stock, but at least it's not a piece of crap like the OEM. Mitsu would not even consider replacing the OEM one, they said I abused the car, they are stupid *******s.

You should also consider running keyword searches on thing like "front end clunking" / "brake shuddering" / the aforementioned "clutch" / "syncros" / "PO300" and+or "random misfire". These are items that IMO have a higher than normal problem rate with the EVO.

By the way, I have the small wing, and it makes the car a great sleeper and your wife may not object to it as much as the large wing.

As you have read and will likely experience (if you drive the used one or buy a new one) the EVO flat out performs like no other car. Especially one you can drive in the winter (with winter tires) and has 4 doors to boot. But I am of the opinion that quality is a weak point. Alot of Mitsu dealerships have real attitude problems in regards to sales and service.

I will never ever buy another Mitsu product again.

I owned a 2000, S2000 and found that car performed as good as the EVO, a little slower, but it cornered just a good, but as you said it's not as practical, but it is just as comfortable for long trips. And Honda quality can't be touched.

Good luck with what ever you decide to buy.

 

Well, thanks for your unbiased message, it is refreshing to hear. I'll definitely be going into this thing with my eyes wide open. I think at least on a subconscious level, I was thinking that I could "beat the odds" since I know how to take care of a clutch. But you're definitely an experienced manual tranny driver too, and it didn't make a difference. As I get older, I become more intolerant of bad engineering (being one myself) and even more so of bad customer service - it seems so out of place today. I really want to like this car, it's so much more affordable than the G35 and the performance is on par with an M3!

 

Don't forget that there are many people that have 10-25k miles on the sotck clutch without problems, not that this has anything to do with experience. I take my EVO to redline often and speed shift and have done about 10-15 AWD launches and haven't had any problems yet. It still feels like new and I'm at 11800 miles.

 

I'm still a streong believer in some bad habits with slipping the clutch are killing them. I went for a ride with a friend who si used to his WRX driving a friends Evo. I was appauled at how he was slipping the clutch and stinking it launching. I had to tell him to chill after the second time and he got all indignant saying he does it in his WRX all the time. I just told him it's not going to launch faster slipping the clutch, it's just turning energy into heat and melting the cluthc, not moving the car. I still feel for my friends car. I was able to launch it much quicker without any stink. His first time it was just scary bad and ran it to about 45mph into second, then stopped and immedietly smoked it again. It was typical bad habit syndrome.. The clutches were bad if they failed, not the operator.. sheesh. at least he finally stopped and the clutch was able to cool down. Then I launched it once with a quick 4 weeel chirp, no stink, and good pull. Then we went and felt out the chassis, but this was back March 03, before many clutches had a chance to fail, but I saw it coming just from that one encounter and the phrease "I do this in my WRX all the time."

 

41 year old reporting in here.

Its all all up to your feet...... smooth shifting =long life.

Rev to 5k and slip well...............

I think that a 4 wheel drivetrain with that much power running through it needs to be babied a little. Lots of people have no problems. I'm at around 340 whp and the clutch is starting to slip- my next mod with out doubt, but I know that I abuse it.

As for the turbo, great unit can pump 22 psi to be modest, the 4g63 can take 30 lbs (aftermarket turbo)and up if you replace the head bolts- bullet proof setup.


I looked at the g35 But to me it just screamed "divoreced guy with hair plugs, on viagra, who cant afford a 911" JUST kidding dont take me to seriously!!! (my other ride is a vette) G35 is a great car just that I see 50 of them a day.

Evo all the way!!!!!

 

Over the weekend, I test drove the Evo. I was amazed at its acceleration from a standstill as well as acceleration on the highway from a rolling start. When I downshifted on the Evo, I felt like Superman (or is it Flash) - I felt like I could pass anyone (Porsches, Mustangs, bring 'em all on). It carved through the curves of the on/off ramps. The Evo is a great sports car, not doubt about it…possibly one of the greatest I’ve personally driven.

But I realized that the G35 could KEEP UP on the highway or in more practical Street or Rolling Starts. I realized first of all that I don't think I've raced anyone from a red light since I was a kid. But I do like passing cars on the highway, and am glad to know that if I do it to a Bimmer with either car, he won't come back and embarrass me. Sometimes just the knowledge that you can hang with the best of them (excluding exotics) is ego-inflating (in a good way).

This is not exactly a practical figure but the G35 catches up to the Evo from a standstill at about 140 mph (on www.car-videos.com). From a more practical 30 to 70 mph race, the G35/350Z is 5.3 versus 5.0 seconds for the Evo according to Sports Compact Mag and the G eventually passes it at higher speeds. And then I thought, do I want to have many races from a standstill given the fragility of the Evo clutch? So I still don’t know and go back and forth, but thank you for all the information you’ve shared, it’s definitely been food for thought!

Reference:
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/fe...old/index.html
and
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/ev...350/index.html

 

Thanks for that info. I think my original concerns about the high stock boost pressure was unmerited. My 87 Starion had its original turbo and engine intact at 130K miles.

 

I feel your pain man!!!! I was in your boat about 4 months ago. truth be told there are alot of great cars out there and unless you have one specific need (like a 10 sec 1/4 lol) its hard to make a desision. Evo, WRX, M3,S4,350Z, G35,GTO, new supra coming soon, new skyline coming soon, lotus elise, used 911, new C6 corvette, new pony car, and the list grows. its mind numbing.

I mean how the hell does one choose!!!! With half way decent credit and 0.0 down and 1.9% fin there all affordable!!!! makes you nuts.

WFFFEWWWW, I've work my self up. I went with the evo because I knew that I want to mod the hell out of this car and the evo is vwry very mod friendly. If your going to keep it stock and just drive spirited the g35 is a great choice.

Now as for a G35 pulling on an evo..... A 350Z took me on a few months back when I was almost stock (actually lost power I was waiting on parts before I could tune the ECU on a dyno) and was running very low boost lower than stock. Any way started from 60mph , and the Z jumped on me, I hit the gas and took him by 2 car lengths by the time I hit 110 and started comming up on traffic. Yes theres no replacment for displacment and at 3.5 litters to 2 a g35 will probably come up on a stock evo at high speeds, but I just pass them at 70-75, give them a snoot full of flames and coast................

now if want big dissplacment there was the time when......................

Good luck on your choice.

 

I owned a 2000, S2000 and found that car performed as good as the EVO, a little slower, but it cornered just a good, but as you said it's not as practical, but it is just as comfortable for long trips. And Honda quality can't be touched.

WITH YOU ON THAT ONE