Advise needed on purchase '01-'02 QX4

[b00001]

I have been looking for a while now and am getting close to actually getting a '01-02 QX4. I need to know:1. Is there any thing or 'quirks' I should be on the look out for? 2. I know they "recommend" premium fuel. But, this is the exact same bore/stroke, compression ratio, etc motor as the altima/pathfinder motor yet they can run regular. So to me, it is B.S. There is no way I am spending extra cash on prem. fuel when it is not necessary. What's up with that????3. The one I test drove, I come up to a red light or stop sign, take my foot off the gas and it seemed to go into neutral. Weird. Never heard of such a thing. then I put my foot back onto the gas a little and it like goes back into gear. Seems like a lot of un-necessary shifting to me. What happened to engine braking? Or is it not supposed to do that?4. Does the QX4 have any sort of Driver info center that tells you your fuel range, miles per gallon, etc.???

Any insight would be appreciated.

[NISTECH]

1. Is there any thing or 'quirks' I should be on the look out for?

nothing really

2. I know they "recommend" premium fuel. But, this is the exact same bore/stroke, compression ratio, etc motor as the altima/pathfinder motor yet they can run regular. So to me, it is B.S. There is no way I am spending extra cash on prem. fuel when it is not necessary. What's up with that????

Thats not true the V6 altima and pathfinder both are recommended to use preimium fuel.

3. The one I test drove, I come up to a red light or stop sign, take my foot off the gas and it seemed to go into neutral. Weird. Never heard of such a thing. then I put my foot back onto the gas a little and it like goes back into gear. Seems like a lot of un-necessary shifting to me. What happened to engine braking? Or is it not supposed to do that?

This may be a normal condition with the auto transfercase to save on fuel. at idle in gear an auto trans vehicle will bump the injector millisecs up to around 4 to 4.5 milisecs but in neutral at idle it will run about 2.5 to 3 milisecs [both cases with out A/C or rear defroster on]

4. Does the QX4 have any sort of Driver info center that tells you your fuel range, miles per gallon, etc.???

Any insight would be appreciated.

No the 01 and 02 models did not have a "driver information center" like the newer models have.

[larryt]

To add to that:The premium fuel makes a noticeable difference. Every so often, I put in "medium grade" if I'm at a really expensive pump (lots of them in SoCal) and the engine is not nearly as smooth, though maybe it doesn't affect my bottom line performance.

[NISTECH]

what larry says is true and I have dealt with customers come in complaining of pinging and have found the reason to be they are using low grade 87 octane fuel. that is primarily on altimas and maximas[same engine]