Early G35s - any issues?

Inspired by pinchvalve's Top Gear thread, I found this: 

https://delaware.craigslist.org/cto/d/dover-2003-infinity-g35/7049633260.html

It seems like a real bargain.  I don't need it, but DDs #1 and #2 both usually have friends that are looking for something reliable and reasonably priced.  This looks very clean and would make an excellent DD.

Do the early G35s have any real known time bombs?  I don't want to forward this listing to them if it's a potential money pit.

Thanks.

Iirc they have the same oil consumption issues that the 350z's do. Though I think it isnt as bad in the automatics.

Rust in the rear subframe attachment bolt area, I saw this even on 4 year old cars, it required partial replacement of the frame rail.  Granted, that was only an issue I saw working in a collision shop.

Beyond that, I thought they were decent cars, manual sedans are hard to come by.

Solid cars. Solid drivetrain. The earlier ones didn't suffer the same oil consumption issues as the later ones. Mine came from the rust belt and its rear subframe attachments were totally fine. No timing belts to worry about. Water pumps run off the timing chain, but seem to last a long time. The trans is stout too.

Bad gas mileage though, and premium only. Like 20 mpg seriously.

As JesseWolfe notes check for rust.... if the car is from the rust belt look at the rocker panels from behind the plastic coverings...  On coupes the front brace that bolts to the frame/suspension is almost guaranteed to be done (the brace is only on the coupes and 350z).

Good luck

Gordon

Ooooh - early RWD G35 with lowish miles and the 'doggy door'.

Go for it!

In reply to Duke :

My only advice would be to buy the best one you can.  These are affordable "sports" cars.  So they have been often abused by boy racers.

The early ones will be the worst victims.  

When you say "problems" I know you mean manufacturer flaws or defects that show over time.  But I feel the boy racer damage should be mentioned.  

Thanks for the input.  I'm not actually looking at the car myself; I just happened across it and it seemed like a great deal for someone who needed a reliable, nice daily.  I just wasn't familiar enough on the cars to be sure about that "reliable" part.

The biggest issue is the previous owners.  Nissans and Infinitis tend to have been nickle and dimed to death.

I have a G35x in front of me that has only 120k on it, but it has easily $3-4k in deferred maintenance.  Exhaust systems in particular are expensive and poorly engineered.  And thr bodyshells themselves seem to hold up but the subframes and crossmembers rust like Nissans.

edit: $4800.  Owner's cell phone comes up as disconnected.

Think of how many beater G35's you see running around the worst parts of any given city. They're just stout and handle the abuse of E36 M3ty owners. The one in the ad looks downright creampuff compared to the hooptie crap G's with mismatched rims I see chugging along in ATL traffic. 

ATL seem to be notorious for hooptie G35 and CL/S 550s in particular 

In reply to maschinenbau :

That's kind of what I was thinking. I have no need or want for the car, but it's sub-100k miles and damn it looks clean in the pictures.