Ask the Best and Brightest: New Altima Coupe or CPO G35?

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

boredlawstudent writes:

OK best and Brightest, I really need your help! My car was totaled last week by a DUI driver and I’m in need of a car. I’m trying to decide which car to buy. A NEW Altima Coupe or a 2007-2008 CPO [Certified Pre-Owned] G35. My top concerns are reliability and material quality (and comfort). I’ve see a number of 2007 CPO G35’s with low miles (17K) on dealer sites requesting $24-26K. I’ve seen some 2008 CPO’s for $25K, but they seem to be off rental which I obviously don’t want. Some questions…

First, what’s a good price for a low mile CPO 2007 G35 (with no options) in this buyers’ economy?

Second, does anyone have any experience with the CPO warranty? Have trouble getting the dealer to honor repairs? Is it pretty much just a Powertrain warranty for the 3 years after the B2B expires?

Third, would you chose a NEW Altima coupe or CPO G35 if reliability, material quality (interior+exterior) and comfort were your TOP priorities and you plan to keep the car for 5+ years?

To give you an idea of my buying preferences, I’m the kind of person who purchases a refurbished aluminum Macbook over a NEW flimsy plastic Dell because I respect design and material quality, and like to keep my purchases a long time.

Your help would be most appreciated.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

More by Robert Farago

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 74 comments
  • Boredlawstudent Boredlawstudent on Mar 27, 2009

    Drove the g35 today and loved it. Phenomenal car! Heads above the Altima for roughly the same price as a new one. A question as to price. I'm having difficulty determining what exactly the value is of buying CPO versus non-CPO. The CPO warranty is almost identical to the transferable warranty on a normal used G35. What's the advantage then? And why the price differential between a used and CPO? The dealer wants $25.9K. Comparable non-CPO models run around $23.8K. Anyone have experience getting a CPO for around the same price as a normal used Infiniti? Dealer won't budge even though these many CPO's on the lot and the one I've been looking at has been sitting there for 1+ months. Dealer claims its not a "buyer's market" anymore given strong demand for CPOs. Is this correct? Thanks B&B and thanks to Robert for giving me a place to ask questions. I don't know what I would do without this site. Place a Paypal donation button up already so I can do my part!

  • MattMan MattMan on Mar 27, 2009
    boredlawstudent wrote: Drove the g35 today and loved it. Phenomenal car! Heads above the Altima.... Congratulations, Grasshopper! You started out evaluating the vehicles based on how they looked from the outside, and now are now preparing to base your decision on how they feel from the driver's seat. We'll turn you into an enthusiast yet! I did not realize you had not actually driven the car(s). I hope my seemingly-snarky comments make more sense now.
  • Boredlawstudent Boredlawstudent on Mar 30, 2009

    Anyone have access to the Manheim Auction database for pricing on a 2007 G35? Dealer is refusing to budge at all from his stated "internet price" and I have no idea if this is decent.

  • Boredlawstudent Boredlawstudent on Apr 05, 2009

    Just an update to anyone still monitoring this thread. I just purchased a 2007 Certified G35 one-owner w/ 26K miles for $24K +TTL. I opted for the Infiniti Elite extended warranty just for peace of mind. What a car! I was pretty much looking at paying that for a new Altima 3.5 which would have had less warranty coverage. Thanks to all who helped me in my time of need!

Next