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Acura MDX (pre-2007)
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Comments
Second, I have not been able to see a granite green MDX in person. Can anyone tell me if it is similar to last year's Lexus (sedan's) metallic light green/silverish color? Or is it darker? Hard to tell from pictures. Have put down both GG and silver as choices, but considering focusing on just the former. Thanks in advance.
I hope this helps.
Can someone tell me if that is true?
Coin holder I agree with you that the coin holder tray of the MDX does not segregate quarters, dimes, and nickels (too much entropy, don't you know). The solution? Just go to your local Pep Boys and purchase a high quality $5 coin holder; I bought one with two rows, each with depressable buttons for quarters, dimes, and nickels. I put it in the top portion of the center console and fastened it with velcro. So, what to do with the old coin holder tray? I use it to store used toothpicks (after cleaning my teeth, after lunch).
Stares and Ogles You seem to be disappointed that your MDX isn't getting more attention. Over here, I've been stopped several times by strangers. A Pathfinder owner exclaimed "Wow, that's beautiful." He said his lease was almost up and was going to consider replacing his Pathfinder with an MDX--he especially liked the width and stability of the MDX. At a gas station, a Lexus owner came over to my GG/Touring/Nav MDX and exclaimed "Neat, really neat." He liked the less cluttered sides. I responded that, although I like the clean, handsome look, I'm somewhat concerned about door dents and dings. (But by Murphy's law, these will occur precisely where there is no side molding or other kind of protection. For the time being I'm going to defer doing anything; I don't want to be in the position of the mediocre architect who takes a beautiful modern building and destroys it by the addition of a Greek portico.)
Accessores My business transaction with A & H Motors went exactly as agreed. The rear mud flaps, the wood stick shift knob, the cargo cover, and the wood meter trim look great. (I'm still waiting for the cargo net, as is everybody else). By the way, the wood stick shift knob provides much more leverage for use with the gated shifter.
Gas Mileage My MDX is now just pass break-in (650 miles). I'll wait until 1000 miles before posting the figures. FWIW, I'm using Exxon 93.
Transpower
During the waiting period, I visited two other Acura dealers in the north San Diego area and the first was forcing options (pin stripping, $950 running boards, etc ) and the second was non-committal on whether they would require options or not. I was satisfied that I put my deposit with the better choice of the three. Since I am not a seasoned negotiator and not experienced in buying cars, I researched all that I could from the internet and found this great town hall site at Edmunds.com. I even read the Confessions of a car salesman article published on that site and was prepared for the worst when it came for my time to take possession of my MDX.
I was glad to have been so prepared because I learned so much and actually got addicted to this Town Hall group. However, I never got to use any of the negotiation skills that I brushed up on. The deal went quite smoothly. I paid MSRP, applicable taxes, $45 documentation fee and state registration. I even made a deal to have the towing package and plood wheel installed at another time at a reduced price. I was very pleased and a bit ashamed of the lack of trust that I had regarding this dealers promises, but I’m still glad I researched and prepared just the same.
I believe that the waiting list for a MDX is a few months long at Hoehn, but, I wanted to offer my experience with this dealer and recommend it to people looking in the San Diego area. The name of my sales person is Elie Daher. I have been equally impressed with the parts manager and service manager.
I definitely second your comments about the wood shift knob and the woodgrain meter trim. The burlwood shift knob should be given strong consideration as an upgrade for new MDX owners, especially by anyone buying one with the saddle interior.
I always thought fishtailing happened only on rear-drive cars? That's why the X5 fishtails; the power balance is toward the rear. The MDX should act pretty much like a front wheel drive car. I'm surprised your front-drive Camry fishtailed.
Need4spd: Yes, the shift knob just screws in. By the way, I think the UAW assembler of my gate shifter could have been less stingy with the silicone.
Transpower
4WD, sticky tires, wide track, stability control, etc. can help. But under certain conditions, you can't defy the laws of physics. I read the M-class post about the ML320 owner sliding sideways, which I assumed was the cause of your query here. Even ESP can only do so much. Short of ejecting an anchor, common sense is the best technology.
(BTW, that ML320 owner said it was a 10-15mph turn with the foot off the gas. I really wonder if Robert is right and the trick is to keep some level of power applied in the turn, so that the wheels -- especially the front -- are at least trying to pull the vehicle through.)
Interesting that you got the Integra to do that. Guess I drove mine too slowly after that incident I had where I ground a wheel down on a curb :-)
Yep. The ML incident was one reason for the query; the other was an X5 owner comment on bimmer.org mentioning that the X5 fishtailed and slid. There was also another incident on Audiworld where an A4 owner spun out on ice and flipped over a curb. All these incidents had me puzzling over whether Acura had found the magic formula in VTM to prevent this since no one here has mentioned sliding sideways yet. Just morbid curiosity I suppose ;-)
I'm no auto expert so I cannot explain why my '88 Camry did that. I know when the back tires are old, and/or if I give too much gas, the car is more like to fishtail. Maybe the newer Camry's would be less likely to fishtail.
Yesterday when I made a left turn at a light, the intersection was partially covered by some snow and slippery, a front wheel drive car in front of me fishtailed as it made the turn. My Camry has done that before at the same spot. But my MDX went through fine. Of course I did not press the gas pedal too hard.
I am surprised to hear about the X5 fishtailing and sliding, especially with its DSC. Again, another can't-defy-physics case?
I do find it interesting that more than one poster is recommending applying some power through the turn (keep the foot on the gas) to pull the vehicle through. Makes sense and it's something that people might want to practice in a safe, isolated area if they can, to see if they're comfortable with it and if their vehicle is too (start out slowly!!!).
In theory, if this is the correct approach, then VTM-4 could provide some assistance since there's some torque to be distributed (as opposed to none when braking) -- the possible issue then being the inability of the MDX to split between the two front wheels, and just getting a grip in the first place.
As far as fishtailing Integras and Camrys go, what usually helps is putting some weight in the rear. E.g. about 50-80lbs of road salt in bags. Not good for mileage, but definitely helps keep the rear tucked in.
gipple, if you put the net in a horizontal position, it kind of flops around on the floor. Secured to the four cargo hooks in the floor. You have to distribute its considerable slack. I just tend to slide things under it, and it seems happen. I had originally expected it to be more elasticky and floor-hugging but I guess it's not.
I hooked up mine in the vertical method for holding groceries -- to do it this way, you have to remove the hook anchor covers on the floor of the MDX at the rear to expose the metal hook anchors. Lay the cargo net flat and fold it in half, attach two of the (4) supplied hooks to the bottom (closed) half of the net (at the fold) -- the hooks should be attached onto the rubber bungy cord and the hook opening should be directed away from the net. Now clip each of the two hooks to the exposed anchors on the floor of the MDX at the back of the vehicle, and one at a time - loop the rubber bungy cord at the four corners at the other end of the net (the top of the fold/net opening) to the hooks on either side of the rear of the MDX.
The horizontal installation requires that the 3rd row seat be flat -- ensure that the 3rd row seat belts are retracted correctly... As an aside, I'll comment that [i]most of the dealers aren't retracting the 3rd row seat belts correctly[/i] -- they need to be unclipped and stored at the rear of the vehicle... Anyhow, once the seats are down, and the seat belts out of the way, then you simply attach each of the 4 hooks to a corner of the bungy cord at the corners and clip the hooks to the anchors in the cargo area.
Hope this makes some sort of sense :^)
Rail
Stares and Ogles -- I was actually stopped recently by a couple of people, but still the MDX has not gotten the recognition I expected. Not disappointed as I know I have a great vehicle, just surprised.
Whom ever gave the bold and italics posting tips, thanks I learned something.
I will be taking my MDX into the shop today to get the 3rd row rattles, 3rd row load floor to lay flat, and a cold start hesitation fixed. I think wmquan asked a while ago if the 3rd row seats should lay completely flat, and from my admittedly brief investigation, the 3rd row seats should lay 'perfectly'level. I let you know the outcome.
Package. Paid MSRP. I shopped this car for over a
month throughout California. The MDX is definitely
in short supply relative to demand, and the dealers know it. Most dealers are demanding (and getting) $2,000+ over MSRP. Others APPEAR to offer MSRP, but when youlook closer, they have "accessorized" the car with thousands of dollars of accessories that cost the dealer only a fraction of that price. Either way, you are getting ripped by the dealers. But there is a better way. Do your homework. Get a print-out (from this web site) of all the dealers in a 500 mile radius and start calling. That's how I found Prestige Acura in Santa Rosa Calif. Those folks are more interested in volume than trying to
squeeze every last dollar out of each buyer. Talk
to David Woods. He is a genuinely nice guy. You'll
probably have to order your car, but you will only
pay MSRP. And you will be treated with dignity ...
no, really. My car took about 3 weeks from order to pick-up. Hang in there. Don't give in to dealer
mark-ups!
I think it has a lot to do w/ the torque distribution. BMW deliberately set it up to have more (60%?) to the rear to give it a rear drive "feel". I think Drew even noticed this tendency on his X5 test drive.
railr:
Nifty that the MDX nets can be used in multiple positions. The ML ones are specific to side, front, rear, or floor.
I would presume any "performance" handling package would include wider tires, lowering the vehicle a bit, and changing out the shocks, springs, and anti-roll bars. I believe the MDX could be made to handle and drive similar to the BMW X5.
Now, what about the drivetrain? Are there any performance modifications available for the Acura 3.5 liter V6? This engine has been around for awhile now in other models. Does anyone know of "tuners" for Acuras? I imagine a few HP could be gained by letting the V6 breath better. Perhaps a free flowing exhaust, some type of Cold Air Induction (CAI) system, and K&N Filters. Simple engine mods (hot cam, etc.) could net another 20 HP easy.
I was wondering if anyone had experience with the
1) separation net - which allows you to stack cargo above the window line.
2) cargo net - which seems to be for things like groceries...
Have people had good experience with these items?
thanks in advance
I read somewhere that the NHTSA was going to come out with the rankings for all 2001 vehicles but I haven't seen it yet.
thanks in advance
Rail
I, too, ordered a MDX from David at Prestige and he told me that we'd have to wait until April. When did you place your order?
But there are three small problems:
1. I cannot find my old place marks.
2. The message posted between Dec 14, 2000 at 02:37 AM and sometimes today noon ST are not showing.
3. It does not seem to recognize html tags.
What is happening?
1. Dumping both the memory cache and the disk cache (Netscape) or delete temporary Internet files (IE).
2. Disable auto login and
3. Logout
4. Manually login
5. Enable auto login
The full story: I was not able to post in a number of groups in the Town Hall and was getting the infamous you must login to post message over and over again. After trying many different ways without much success, I registered mdx1 as my new ID. Of course it had its own problems. Then I learned what to do (posted above with my bullet1edm ID). In the end, I decided keeping MDX1 since I drive one everyday now.
Nelson
Hey William, I hear there's white stuff falling from the sky around your area :-) It's doing so quite heavily right now at my place, about 700 ft above sea level (where the town is). Woo hoo!
Drew
Edmunds.com Townhall co-host
Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories conferences
Okay, is there a time display problem with the software? Look at the time of your message (and probably this one too).
As a prospective MDX buyer, this is an important issue to me. I'm selling my Subaru Outback because of its oversteer characteristics, which I find surprising and disturbing, and would not want the MDX to do; I can deal with understeer a lot easier than oversteer, after many years of Denver winters.
Thanks for any of your experiences so far.
Our Lexus dealer was charging much more than that for oil change services on our previous ES300.
My local Acura dealership sent a mailing to their list, comparing their prices with those of some popular local service places. They were actually competitive, though of course I'm sure the numbers were somewhat fudged.
For that amount of money there's a lot more you could buy. Sure the MDX is a good value, but, IMHO, only at MSRP.
For $57k, you could, with some work, find a dealership not local to you that is close to inventory or has inventory, fly out yourself, have a nice vacation, have the vehicle delivered back, and still have money left over.
I can't tell you about the MDX over NYC potholes. However, I did grow up in NYC and only left there six years ago. My hunch is that the MDX will do quite well, but don't expect a Lincoln Town Car's floating ride. This is based on driving on some of the well-worn suburban side roads around here, which are surprisingly bad (they've been patched over too many times rather than resurfaced).
The MDX is much smoother over rough roads than, say, an ML320 (which is a true truck in its underpinnings, and reminds you of that whenever you go over a slightly rough area). The RX300 is smoother, however.
Association of Canada (AJAC) 2001 Car of the Year award in the Luxury SUV category.
http://www.ajac.org/coty2001/index.htm
I'm not familar with it, but AJAC _claims_ the award is based on "real-world testing": "the winners represent the best among an excellent group of new cars and trucks for 2001, as selected by a sophisticated voting process based on back-to-back, real-world testing." Also: "Unlike some other awards, they are not a popularity contest. They are unbiased and scientifically sophisticated." "We stand by our results, because we have the data to back them up. That data derives from a rigorous testing program that includes: acceleration, braking, vehicle dynamics, maneuverability even off-road capability, where applicable."
Anyway, the MDX competed against "new" luxury SUV's: BMW X5, GMC Yukon, Infiniti QX4, Mercedes Benz ML55 (that's new?), and the Volvo Cross Country (ahem, that's an SUV?!?).
The 0-100km/hr (0-62.14mph) numbers seemed a tad slow -- 8.7 seconds for the MDX and 9.4 for the X5 3.0. Even the ML55 number of 6.7 seconds seems a few tenths slow.
Their ratings are at:
http://www.ajac.org/coty2001/Lux Suv, dyn, smmry.htm
MDX was tops in steering, 2nd to the X5 in handling and braking and "body motion."
I'm not sure the ML320's stiffness is because it's "trucky". The suspension is fairly stiff, so I can understand why people (ones that are used to cushy luxo cruisers or American boats) don't like how it feels or call it "jarring"; it feels like a toned down version of my Integra's suspension. If you want trucky, take a ride in an Explorer or 4Runner through a potholed area...you'll get a much bouncier feeling (up and down) and that's what I associate more w/ a truck.
However, that being said, the MDX seems to handle bumps very well. I put it through some big ones on my test drive (another reason I'd never buy a test drive demo car :-). It seems to be towards the RX300 in bump absorption, yet handling isn't compromised unlike the RX300.
So when I said the ML320 felt jarring, it wasn't becaues I was used to a cushy ride. But perhaps our rear ends take resonance differently than your's, since you've also had the Integra. My father-in-law felt the ML320's ride comfort was similar to his full-size Chevy pickup's (obviously the ML320 is much more agile in its handling, of course). And that the MDX was comparable to his Odyssey's.
We didn't test drive a 2001 RX300, only a 2000 RX300. I thought the 2000 RX did ride slightly smoother than the MDX, but I didn't feel the gap was very wide (the MDX was closer to the 2000 RX in ride comfort, while the ML320 was further on the other side of the scale). We felt that the penalty in the 2000 RX's handling was significant for the relatively small increment in ride comfort.
I am somewhat curious as to how a 2001 RX may handle/ride on this scale, but I wouldn't spend the time for a test drive since I'm not shopping right now. There's been some overzealous posts that imply that the handling is near-X5 quality. There was also a post where a 2001 owner complained so vociferously much about the ride comfort that you'd think he was driving a Wrangler. Obviously the truth lies in between.
Overall, we've come to appreciate the MDX's relatively comfortable ride. For us, it seems (feels) like an almost ideal blend of good handling and good ride comfort (like having your cake and eating it too). Down the street from us is a road that we take every couple of weeks or so, about 5 miles of a lot of repairs-on-top-of-repairs asphalt. The Integra used to inflict enough sore-butt that we'd avoid it by driving down an avenue and losing time. No hestitation now. Judging from what we felt of the two ML320 testers, we'd still be avoiding it.
One local dealer quoted me $55 for the VTM-$ fluid change. (Includes "hand filling" and "special expensive oil". His quotes. I asked if it includes a new drain plug seal. He said no, they usually don't replace them. I pointed out the service manual requires it be replaced.... He said it would.
I'm not overly inspired, but certainly not surprised. It is a new vehicle for them.
Anybody see a FRONT AIR DEFLECTOR??
Ard
But we chose MDX for its seating capacity and the in town (Boulder) Aura dealership. Also at that time, RX300 was quite expensive and no dealership in the Denier area was selling Rx300 below MSRP. By the time you add the packages we wanted, the price was over $40K. When MDX came out, its MSRP was more reasonable as compared to RX300's.