Looking to buy... advice?

[jkwright]

Hello all,

My wife really likes the G20, and she's looking to trade in her '98 Altima SE 5-speed for an '02 G20. I have a few questions that I hope you can help me with.

First off, she'd really prefer a 5-speed model with the Sport Package and no other options. I live in the Dallas area, and the three Infiniti dealers I've contacted all claim that 5-speeds are next to impossible to find. Is this true?

Second, I haven't driven a recent model G20. The last one I drove was back in 1993, and it was a 5-speed model with the first-generation high port SR20DE that was as sweet as could be. That car, if I remember correctly, accelerated to 60 in about 8.5 seconds. Are the current-model G20s fitted with automatic transmissions as dog-slow (10-plus seconds to 60) as I keep hearing? It's hardly a deal breaker, but I'd sure love to know your impressions of the car.

Finally, what price range should I expect to pay for the car? I noticed that Infiniti is offering $2500 dealer incentives on all '02 models, so that drops the starting price down to about $22500 if we're looking at the sticker (with the Sport Package). Invoice on the car we'd like is around $23K for the automatic and about $700 less for the manual. Considering the G35 is due soon and the G20 hasn't sold all that well for years, can I reasonably expect $5K or more below MSRP?

Thanks for your help. For what it's worth, I'm a Nissan enthusiast of the highest order. I owned a '91 Sentra SE-R for over 10 years -- the G would present a sort of SR20DE reunion for me! -- and am currently driving an '02 Altima 3.5SE 5-speed. The G20 would make a nice partner, don't you think?

Regards,

Jarrod K. Wright
'02 Altima 3.5SE 5-speed
'98 Altima SE 5-speed

[gdalton]

Well lets see, I got my 2000 5sp g20t with everthing but there version of northstar (I'm not sure what they call it) for $22,900 and the msrp was close to $27,000 if I remember correctly so ya I think you could get a realy good deal especialy if they are offering factory incentives. I don't know how hard a 5sp would be to find in your area but I'm sure they could do a search and maybe find one close to you. I would not get an automatic they drain the life out of the car, I would say with the 5sp it would be close to 8sec 0-60 if you were good with the clutch. I am very happy with the car, the only complaint I have is there is a few anoying rattles I can't seem to get rid of but oh well I still love the car.
Well I hope that helps in the decision process, if I were looking for a new car I would still get the G

[jkwright]

Thanks for the reply, GDalton. I appreciate it.

I'm kinda thinking along your lines regarding the manual transmission. The '02 G20 is by no means a lightweight, and pulling 3000 pounds or so with roughly 140 pound-feet of torque through a slushbox may be a recipe for sluggishness. I hope we can find a five-speed. You know, when I talked with the three dealerships and mentioned the words "manual transmission" and "G20" in the same sentence, I swear they thought I was from another planet.

Sample conversation:

Me: "Hi, I'm looking to buy a 2002 G20 with a manual transmission and the Sport Package. Do you have any available?"
Dealer: <pause> "Um, well, no, we don't. But we have plenty of automatics in stock."
Me: "Well, my wife and I would really prefer a five-speed. Can you get one, or will you be getting one soon?"
Dealer: <longer pause> "Um, well, Infiniti really doesn't make many of those. Most people who buy luxury cars want an automatic. I think you'd really like the car if you drove one. You'd prefer it, in fact."

And so on ad nauseum.

I'm glad you like your G, too, though I'm not too surprised about the squeaks and rattles. You'd think a so-called "premium" nameplate would help guard against the Chevy Rattletrap Syndrome, but that problem pervades all of cardom near as I can tell. My '02 Altima had a few rattles and squeaks that the dealer squared away pretty well. Maybe your Infiniti dealer can do the same for you.

Cheers,

Jarrod

[primera_gte]

great to hear you looking for a g.

here's some advice. check out carbuyingtips.com for buying strategies and edmunds.com or consumer reports for the buying price of a 02 g.

if i were you i'd fax, email all the infiniti dealers in any metro texas area and ask them for their best offer on a 02 g sport 5 spd. i'm telling you those infiniti dealers will be dying for a chance to unload a g at a steep discount. i'm in cali and i saw some 02 luxury models listed at 18.5 by the dealer.

good luck

[jkwright]

Thanks Primera. I'd thought about going the fax/e-mail offer route with the dealers here. Some folks I know have had good luck with buying cars that way, rather than the old-style bargain-till-you-drop method on which I've always relied.

Do you remember if the $18.5K price you saw was for a stripped down 5-speed model? You used the term "luxury," so it sounds like the car might've come with leather, 'roof, etc. To be frank, if I could get a 5-speed Sport for just under $20K plus TTL -- about $5K under MSRP -- I'd buy the car tomorrow.

Thanks,

Jarrod

[poppy_morenito]

AUTOTRADER.COM

[P10DET]

Originally posted by jkwright
Thanks for your help. For what it's worth, I'm a Nissan enthusiast of the highest order. I owned a '91 Sentra SE-R for over 10 years -- the G would present a sort of SR20DE reunion for me! -- and am currently driving an '02 Altima 3.5SE 5-speed. The G20 would make a nice partner, don't you think?

Jarrod!!!!

Dude, we meet up again!

Glad to hear y'all are thinking G20.

Hey, we're having another Texas Rally at Throttle Position Motorsports (owned and operated by Vince, formerly of Courtesy). You should make this one. First, we could finally meet. Second, we could ogle each other's cars. I still love your Altima.

[jkwright]

Hey George!

Good to hear from you, man. I had no idea you'd be scrounging the G20 message forums in addition to your full-time duties on the SE-R Mailing List. Do I need to tell you to get a life?

I've liked the G20 since it came out ten years ago. Cindy has grown tired of her '98 Altima since I got the 2002, and there is exactly one car in our price range that she likes: the G20. Fortunately, she picked a good year to buy one, as I'm sure they're languishing on dealer lots as whatever small interest left in the car among the buying public shifts to the G35. I'd love to swing that car, but I can't justify $30K-plus for an automobile. Heck, I'm still in shock over what I spent on the 3.5. So I'm hoping for a fire-sale price on a Sport G20. We'll see.

With the '02 model being the last hurrah for the SR20DE in the States, it's a little sad, isn't it? What a great engine -- it was so far ahead of its time in 1991 it was laughable.

Where is Throttle Position Motorsports? When is the rally? And since when did Vince found his own shop? Steve is still going strong at Courtesy, isn't he? He and I had a long talk when I bought the 3.5. And finally, should I ask more questions? Yes? Okay:

It's a small world, isn't it?

Jarrod

[AznVirus]

good choice with going with the G. the automatic is damn slow, thats all i have to say about that.. you wont regret the 5 speed though from what i hear. good luck in finding it, check Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) for what the price range should be around.

[Yahnozha]

Best thing to do is to track down all the Infiniti dealers within a radius that you are willing to drive/fly to and fax/email them exactly what you want. That way you can compare prices, use them as leverage and hopefully get a great deal. I know the Infiniti dealers out in Phoenix have a lot of competition for the luxury vehicles, and before x-mas were selling G20's (im sure base model) for about $17K. You gotta love this world of information....good luck...and buy the G

[jkwright]

Yeah, I was afraid that accelerating in an automatic G20 would be rather like pulling a trailer in mud with a Metro. Until I drive one, I'll still reserve judgment, but it doesn't look good. Surely there's a five-speed Sport model somewhere in Texas.

Yahnoza, AsnVirus, thanks for the tips.

Jarrod

[P10DET]

Originally posted by jkwright
Hey George!

Good to hear from you, man. I had no idea you'd be scrounging the G20 message forums in addition to your full-time duties on the SE-R Mailing List. Do I need to tell you to get a life?

Hehe. Too late. I'm also on the 944 mailing list, the Porsche racing list, and the Rennlist forums as well. OTOH, for about the last 6 weeks I haven't been following any of the forums or lists very well. I think I'm going to go to digest soon on all my mailing lists. Just no time anymore.

Originally posted by jkwright
Where is Throttle Position Motorsports? When is the rally? And since when did Vince found his own shop? Steve is still going strong at Courtesy, isn't he? He and I had a long talk when I bought the 3.5. And finally, should I ask more questions? Yes? Okay:

It's a small world, isn't it?

Jarrod

Hehe.

Throttle Position is in Denton. It's not hard to get to.

Vince started the shop about 6 months ago I think. Right now he is parts manager at Bankston Nissan in Lewisville, but he's still running TPM and that is what he really wants to do.

As for Steve and Courtesy, I don't know. I haven't bought parts since putting together the turbo. At that time Vince was still there. I know Courtesy has been pissing people off lately. But then, so have all the other discount dealers, not that it's OK. I have a feeling that Courtesy will never be quite the same. Vince really took care of the SR20 community.

Good luck on your quest for a G20.