01silvapathy
Observer
The struts are pretty awesome in terms of ride quality, id have to say for a lifted suv on 33in tires it still rides very smooth (with the exception of the topping out). That being said I am comparing this to other lifted rigs like jeeps and fj's and trucks. When I did my lift at around 85k the front struts and springs in the back were OE and never been replaced, so I was riding on bumpstops prettymuch, so thats part of the reason why I got the lift....only a little more money over stock replacement parts. The KYB GR-2 Struts are awesome, and the coils are stiffer than stock, but I feel the truck handles better lifted than it ever did stock.
In terms of the nissan engineers choosing to go with a strut design, I believe it was just the timing. People were looking for a more luxurious suv with a better ride that could still handle off roading. So they built a unibody with a strong motor, car like suspension, and all the luxury you could want. Hell I have heated leather seats, memory seats for 2 drivers, heated mirrors, a decent stock radio/speaker system, a strong motor, leather, everything except navigation.
My advise if buying a R50 used is the following
-Make sure its a VQ35- 3.5l it has the power I feel the truck needs compared to the VG33
- If its older chances are that it will need some suspension work, unless the previous owner already had them replaced
- Check the radio- the Bose 6 disc notoriously jams and its expensive to fix. Mine broke back in 2004 and I still get a clicking for 30 seconds after every startup
- Dont buy this to haul things- Load rating is 5000lbs with the 3.5l/ Auto trans. It can haul smaller loads just fine but I wouldnt use it to tow a boat every weekend. The brakes are also a wee bit sketchy with heavier loads
- Consider what you are getting- A strong vehicle with few problems that handles well. Sure its not a bare bones jeep that can conquer moab, but it has alot a jeep doesnt. Its great for a family that just needs to get around town and then go out on some mild trails and go camping for a weekend, where its just as at home.
Probably more, but I cant think of them off the top of my head Rickb may have some more to add:ylsmoke:
