My OEM replacement struts are going and one is totally gone. I last replaced them with Nissan struts about 10 years ago. As my car is over 20 years old I can’t get the Nissan OEM parts. I have been reading the debate between Monroe and Gabriel. My shop proposed Monroe quick struts but I want to m a key sure I make the right decision. Any help is appreciated.
I use Monroe. They work well.
I would bet that the original OEM struts were not made by Nissan, but one of the big manufacturers like Monroe or Gabriel. Both are quality brands. My own thinking is “struts is struts”. In the old shock absorber days, I had good luck with Monroe shocks.
The shop wants to use Monroe. Fine, I don’t see a problem with that.
I prefer Gabriel over Monroe and KYB over Gabriel. OEM could have been KYB, Monroe or Sachs. Possibly even Showa.
Rockauto lists KYB strut assemblies for $128 each and matching KYB shocks for $33.
1 Like
I’d also prefer KYB.
Quick struts are the way to go, I would take either brand if it was my car, as long as they are quick struts. My understanding is it includes all the parts, not just the strut.
Go with the brand with the lowest price.
I’ve been installing struts/shocks for over fifty years.
And anything you install aftermarket will be better than OEM.
Tester
to minimize risk of some incompatibility or poor parts worksmanship problem, and you have OEM struts installed now, just replace the shock absorber part, and retain the oem spring part of the ass’y.
in my prior 2007 Subaru Outback, I replaced OEM with Monroe and they were gone by the year end 
Replaced them with KYB and it lasted another 2.5 years, going strong when I sold the car.
Personally, after this I crossed Monroe out.
KYB for the front were “Made in USA”, back ones where “Made in Japan”, I liked the sound of it for both.