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2006 Subaru STI vs. 2006 Infiniti G35 coupe

72 messages,  Last post on Jul 12, 2011 at 7:33 AM

You are in the Subaru Impreza Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Infiniti G35, Coupe, Sedan

Messages Page 6 of 8

#43 of 72 Re: 2006 Subaru STI vs. 2006 Infiniti G35 coupe [jccai1] by nightvzn

Aug 21, 2006 (5:09 pm)

Replying to: jccai1 (Aug 21, 2006 3:35 pm)
Lol .. I had to laugh when I thought "yeah, it looks like green grass until you look closer and see it's just a pile of money."
 
Like, you could spend $15k-$20k more and get, say, an Audi S4 which would have all the luxury/refinement of the G35 and most of the performance of the STI. Ah, if only money were no object.
 
Your car and mine are probably two of the better performance deals in their price range. Apparently they make somewhat different compromises to get there, though.

#44 of 72 Re: 2006 Subaru STI vs. 2006 Infiniti G35 coupe [nightvzn] by ateixeira

Aug 21, 2006 (6:02 pm)

Replying to: nightvzn (Aug 21, 2006 3:06 pm)
Yeah, my Forester is a manual, but it shares no parts with the STI. People seem to love that 6 speed, in fact some regular WRX owners swap out their trannies to get that instead of the standard 5 speed.
 
I imagine your issue is more a function of the rev-happy engine; it's a car that wants to go fast.
 
-juice

#45 of 72 nightvzn - maybe new tires? by kevin111

Sep 08, 2006 (2:37 pm)

I have a regular WRX - 90K miles, the only issue seems to be not getting all the thrust of the turbo - which seems to be a problem of the spark plugs (am about to get them replaced). Other than that, the car has been very reliable.
 
- Squeaks - get them serviced under warrenty. Had plenty of these prior to the warrenty expiring. After I had done this, the car only would have the rare occasional squeak after the warrenty was up.
 
Tires - go to www.tirerack.com. Good place to get advice and ratings on tires. I ended up with a set of 17" Michellin Pilot Exalto PE-2s Good handling tire, and much more quiet and better riding than other sport tires. Does not handle as well as other sport tires (like the Bridgestones on the STi), but since I put over 20K miles a year on the highway, I was willing to make that compromise.
 
Stereo - Because your car has a great deal of interior car noise, your stereo has a much tougher time compensating for it. Changing my tires to quieter tires made my factory stereo seem much louder and clearer.
 
If you still need more power/clarity and are unwilling to swap out the OEM unit, you might be able to get an adapter for your stereo to add an amplifier (I think the retail car-stereo stores sell these). Can also look to update your speakers. These two should drastically improve your stereo.
 
Cars - There will be an STi limited edition model with more sound insulation and better interior, also a much smaller spoiler. The new G35 looks like a screamer, and the TL and IS350 are not bad either.
 
Can't go wrong with a Legacy Spec. B either. Thought the MazdaSpeed had too little noise insulation, as this was a problem with the Mazda6. Does anyone know?
 
Test drove a G35 a couple of years ago, with sport, and had the same feeling, it was dull. Of course this was with an auto. The WRX was much more fun.

#46 of 72 Re: nightvzn - maybe new tires? [kevin111] by nightvzn

Sep 08, 2006 (3:06 pm)

Replying to: kevin111 (Sep 08, 2006 2:37 pm)
Hey, thanks for your thoughts. It's been a few weeks since anything has happened on this thread.
 
In the last couple weeks, I pretty much decided that if I were to keep the STI, I would definitely get quieter tires (maybe even all-seasons) once the originals wore out (which, of course, won't take very long).
 
But I've decided I want the WRX Limited. My dealer has one '06 left, in the color I want, and they're willing to give me invoice pricing on it. Yeah, I'm gonna lose a ton of money on this, but at this point, I'll end up spending about the same amount in the long run, and I'll be happier overall. (I've had ads up for the past week, trying to avoid the gouge of trade-in value if possible, but even if I trade in, it looks like I'll make out decently.)
 
I've realized there are three things I like about the STI that the WRX doesn't have: insane power, insane road-holding, and xenon headlights. But the touchy clutch and the power probably go hand-in-hand, as do the firm ride and handling. And I can live with halogen (I'm not a "modder"). I got one rattle fixed already, but I'm beginning to realize the rock-hard suspension on that car is going to generate more rattles over the vehicle's lifetime.
 
I also discovered I was able to greatly enhance my sound system by unplugging the subwoofer/amplifier! Somehow it was just adding a distorted punchiness that accentuated the hell out of the drums but completely ignored lower-middle (bass guitar, rhythm guitar). I'm much happier without it, and I can crank the bass up much higher now.
 
On every other count, I prefer the WRX Limited: I like the spoiler, the wheels, the slightly nicer (and substantially quieter) interior, the managable (but still sporty) ride, the mild-manneredness of the engine/shifter/clutch/drivetrain, and even the moonroof. And I really don't think I'll be too disappointed with the power and handling of the WRX, even if I can't embarrass Corvettes and Porsches anymore.
 
Sounds like you're happy with your WRX. I'm sure some people would call me a wimp for not being able to handle the STI. Oh well, a wimp I am then
 
Until 2006, the STI was my clear favorite of the Impreza line. But then Subaru confused things by giving the WRX the 2.5 and making it a bit more upscale, still for thousands less. The choice should have been clear, but I foolishly chased a long-time dream instead.
 
I still think the G35 Coupe 6MT would be my favorite, but with all the options, that's another $5k more than the STI. To hell with that. I'll take my AWD and four doors and be done with it.

#47 of 72 Yeah, this is my first time in a while by kevin111

Sep 08, 2006 (4:08 pm)

Still happy with the car. Still handles quite well and fun to drive!
 
With the new 2.5L engine in the WRX, it does change things. Not as much turbo lag and more torque down low.
 
The STi is a sweet car, but I could not justify it due to my long drives. The first time I went to a summer tire (upsized mine to 17"), the sound, after a while, became annoying. The STi is supposed to be worse, so I completely understand your issues with it.
 
The new WRX is nice, happy cruising.
 
Not sure you would have been happy with the G35 Coupe 6MT. Test drove one and was surprised. The car has a chopy and harsh ride, at least compared with my WRX, and felt sluggish. The reason it felt sluggish was probably due to the sound insulation, and the chip not being adjusted to more sporty driving, but still. A 350Z seemed much quicker for some reason. Also, the coupe has no head room. Looks great, but a 5'10" friend of mine who was riding in the back had to slouch all the way down in the seat to keep his head from rubbing against the rear window! Would lean towards the sedan for that reason.

#48 of 72 Incompatible by fasterthanyou

Sep 26, 2006 (5:18 pm)

These two cars are really not in the same league. One is a ferocious rally breed car(STI)... the other one(G35) tried for years to achieve some sort of status in the luxury performance segment and never succeeded. Not in the eyes of true enthusiasts anyway. If STI is too much ... you can find a much better combination of performance and luxury in the ultimate driving machine BMW rather than downgrade to a G35.

#49 of 72 Re: Incompatible [fasterthanyou] by mnrep2

Sep 26, 2006 (6:15 pm)

Replying to: fasterthanyou (Sep 26, 2006 5:18 pm)
the other one(G35) tried for years to achieve some sort of status in the luxury performance segment and never succeeded.
 
By what measure did the G 35 not achieve sucess in the marketplace? It revived a company that was going nowhere in the entry level luxury market segment.

#50 of 72 Re: Incompatible [mnrep2] by bigelm

Sep 26, 2006 (6:50 pm)

Replying to: mnrep2 (Sep 26, 2006 6:15 pm)
By what measure did the G 35 not achieve sucess in the marketplace? It revived a company that was going nowhere in the entry level luxury market segment.
 
Exactly.. I hate it when people just talk out of their butt!

#51 of 72 Re: Incompatible [mnrep2] by nightvzn

Sep 26, 2006 (10:45 pm)

Replying to: mnrep2 (Sep 26, 2006 6:15 pm)
By what measure did the G 35 not achieve sucess in the marketplace? It revived a company that was going nowhere in the entry level luxury market segment.
 
Yeah, that's silly. The G35 has been a smash hit for Infiniti. The new version looks even hotter.

#52 of 72 Re: Incompatible [mnrep2] by fasterthanyou

Sep 27, 2006 (7:20 pm)

Replying to: mnrep2 (Sep 26, 2006 6:15 pm)
Who said anything about marketplace? I am talking about success in the eyes of true enthusiasts not of people who want to upgrade from their Nissan. How many people bought an Infinity after owning a new BMW or Mercedes. I am telling you ...not many.

Messages Page 6 of 8

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