Got to love the 21-inch tires on our FX50 AWD, right? The 265/45R21 Bridgestone Duelers help the FX deliver on its hot-rod promise, something to give it the wild look that everyone always liked about the 2002 BMW X5 4.6is. Makes the FX look like a lunar rover powered by a NASCAR engine. Which is a worthwhile thing, actually.
Trouble is, when you're driving along, these tires boom like four big drums against every seam in the road. It'll drive you crazy on any stretch of concrete slabs. And not just like a drum, because they really are drums, resounding with every impact. Sounds like someone slapping a truck inner tube with a stick. Not that there are so many truck inner tubes around anymore, nor kids to play with them in backyard swimming pools.
Good thing the Infiniti FX50 has a good audio system to keep you from noticing. But this is a thing at Nissan, a tendency to let some egregious flaw make it through into production as long as the behavior is masked by something else. Like the weak fresh-air intake into the FX50 because it's assumed the air-conditioning will be running the whole time anyway.
Michael Jordan, Executive Editor @ 15,250 miles
someguyposting says:
08:55 AM, 07/ 2/09
Do they really help the FX deliver on its hot-rod promise, or do they just lend to the hot-rod look? At 73.5 lbs each, I'm thinking it's more of the later.
Probably in this segment, its better to look good than to feel good (and Darling, you look marvelous? - debatable). Performance and 4600 lbs don't exactly go together outside of marketing fantasy land.
mrryte says:
10:24 AM, 07/ 2/09
"But this is a thing at Nissan, a tendency to let some egregious flaw make it through into production as long as the behavior is masked by something else."
Reality check:
1. Every vehicle will have it flaws no matter what.
2. It's rather judgemental to single out ONE automaker for doing something that they ALL do.
ctsowner says:
10:56 AM, 07/ 2/09
"'But this is a thing at Nissan, a tendency to let some egregious flaw make it through into production as long as the behavior is masked by something else.'
Reality check:
1. Every vehicle will have it flaws no matter what.
2. It's rather judgemental to single out ONE automaker for doing something that they ALL do."
I agree. It's rather unprofessional on Mr. Jordan's part to be making generalizations.
Please stick to reviewing the car.
texases says:
11:35 AM, 07/ 2/09
Wow, Mike, taking some heat for expressing an opinion based on lots of experience...ouch!
drewsrx says:
09:20 PM, 07/ 2/09
Singling out Nissan? Very unprofessional.
If this was a BMW, you guys would be calling it "Driver Error".
Every car has flaws, masked by good things.
apexing says:
11:05 PM, 07/ 2/09
Your generalization and obvious directed bias against a certain brand remove credibility. I as one individual am very disappointed to find what I considered an objective voice to be a fraud.
majin_ssj_eric says:
02:53 PM, 07/ 3/09
Its not just here. Check out any of the Nissan blog posts and all you will see is negative-negative-negative. Whats the deal Edmunds? Nissan not sending in any more ad checks???
ace47 says:
12:37 AM, 07/ 5/09
"Makes the FX look like a lunar rover powered by a NASCAR engine."
Please don't go about comparing a Japanese engine to Nascar junk. It really is not worthwhile.