Acura MDX Accessories and Modifications

pinoy99 · April 2003

FYI #70545 ($99.95) & wiring #18336 (25.20) from etrailer.com. Any experiences with this model rack or the 934?

dorene1 · April 2003

We had the sunroof/moonroof visor installed, and feel it is very effective at eliminating the draft we felt before, also makes it quieter.

Also installed rear wind deflector (we call it a spoiler) just for looks - we didn't have it painted, especially because we see an older gold MDX with painted fender flares that are very scuffed. When I talked with Tim at Hondacura, he honestly said that there was no way to guarantee the durability of aftermarket paint.We like the black on sandstone metallic look, so we didn't feel badly about the paint issue.

Dealers are starting to match parts prices with internet sites. We paid a little more than hondacura, but were able to get a lower install rate by buying parts at the dealer and using their coupon. We'll buy other accessories from Tim.

We got the side mouldings when we purchased the vehicle, and they've taken some stress without chipping or denting. The paint on these is factory, and doesn't seem to have the chipping factor. The paint was a perfect colormatch to our car. Good investment for the cost, and we like the look.

Re: 04 hands-free phone - does anyone know if it will be available to earlier years, or is it factory installed? Thanks!

sbcooke · April 2003

Has anyone used the acura roof mount bike rails? How sturdy are they? Do the bikes sit perpendicular to the ground or slanted? Would you recommend them?

sbcooke · April 2003

Upon further research, I think I am going to put a hitch on and get a rear mount bike rack. I like the option to carry 4 bikes.

I am going to get a hiddenhitch about $100, and a thule 996 expressway rack about $230.

The only issue now is whether or not to put the towing package in or not? I don't think so and my dealer also confirmed it? Any opinions?

wmquan · April 2003

If you're not going to tow, you don't need the towing package. Though there has been some concern expressed over whether or not a future warranty claim could be contested by Acura if they see a hitch on your vehicle without a manual-recommended tow package. Haven't heard of any such case, though, and it's probably unlikely.

The tow package does include a transmission cooler (as well as a steering cooler) that does help the vehicle regardless of whether or not it's towing.

sbcooke · April 2003

I ordered my hitch rack from outdoorsports.com...no shipping, no tax. Ordered it on Monday, it came in Tuesday afternoon.

The hitch is another story so far. I ordered it from etrailer.com...a new online vendor for me. The order has been processed, but no details regarding shipment. When I called to get further status they said they would have to check to see if it was back ordered? When I ordered I asked if it was an in stock item...and they said yes. Not a huge deal, but I was hoping to get a Monday-Friday turnaround on both items. If it is back ordered, I will cancel and get it from somewhere else.

pinoy99 · May 2003

Got my hitch yesterday afternoon 30th - IIRC, the order was placed the 18th and received an email that it would take 24-48 hrs to ship but the order did not actually ship until the following Friday 25th. Still boxed, no time to look or mount it yet.

The Thule, I ordered from a local sports store for $234 including tax which co-incidentally arrived yesterday as well. I'll probably pick it up today or tomorrow.

I'll try to mount the hitch/wiring this weekend.

sbcooke · May 2003

I didn't order the wiring harness. Are you planning on towing or just adding it to be thorough?

I am going to call Hondacuraworld to see if I can get the towing package separate from the hitch setup they offer.

I may have missed it, but do you have or are adding the towing package? I missed your earlier post #103 and didn't realize we were ordering the same setup until today.

pinoy99 · May 2003

No towing plan for this one(Trooper gets the nod for that) but I have a cargo basket that have lights so might as well install the wiring.

I don't see why one can't order the coolers seperately but ya never know. Keep us posted. If price is reasonable enough, I might get 'em as well.

The stealers installed accessories are way too much(at least at my dealer) where they charge $1295 for the sidesteps.

sbcooke · May 2003

I got quoted today...about $350-$360 for the coolers...my dealer said they would install it for roughly $540 all included (coolers and labor).

pinoy99 · May 2003

player and monitor(s), anybody using one? Brand/screen size? The shop that installed the pioneer dvd, clarion & audiovox monitors in my truck has replacement headrests(driver & front pass) with 7" monitor for the MDX. Includes the normal stuff, wireless headphones, monitors have input for same/diff games etc. Another alternative is the single monitor by the dome light, same setup as oem.
He can also feed the video onto the navigation screen. I'll try to see him next week to actually see the products.

sbcooke · May 2003

We bought an panasonic DVD-LV70. True 5 hour battery and great function. We put it on the fold back center console on road trips. We can also take inside and hook it up to most TVs while on the road. I absolutely love it, no problem with sound, we even hook it into the stereo with a cassette wire for fun sometimes. As the kids get older, we can give them headphones.

I chose a portable unit so that we would only use it on long trips...and wouldn't have kids pointing at the screen and saying "now, now, now" on shorter trips.

The drawback is that you cannot really see it from the 3rd row. However we rarely use the 3rd row, and when we do it is only on short trips.

sbcooke · May 2003

Mine is due in next Tuesday. Pinoy I am interested in your luck this weekend. I am also trying to figure out if I can either relocate or get longer bolts so I can put the tow hook back on?

pinoy99 · May 2003

I installed the hitch this weekend without any issues. Basically, you have to remove the tie down bar, and then mount and bolt (3 each side) the unit. I used a pair of jack stands and a floor jack to hold the hitch while I screw in the bolts. It is easier to tighten the bolts if you have an extention. It is a bulky unit and not completely hidden compare to the one I previously had on my other truck. I believe I am also missing a plastic cap on one of the ends. I wonder who makes the oem one and how exactly they look. I did not have time to look into the wiring yet.

Why do you want to keep the tie down bar? The hitch can function as a towing point by using the hitch pin or using a D ring attached to it. I'm sure you can get longer bolts if you really want to keep 'em since there is no other place to mount that bar.

sbcooke · May 2003

It sounds like it is a 2 man job? I have a floor jack and stands, but it might be faster with someone helping?

I guess you are right about the d ring or pin. So it isn't as "hidden" as other hidden hitches? Are you happy with how it turned out?

pinoy99 · May 2003

Since you have the stands and jack, a helper would just be a bonus - makes the process quicker.

Compare to the ones I had on the Trooper which was completely hidden where you could only see the hitch hole, this one is not. The look is not bad from the rear tho.I'm little bit disappointed on the side view where some of the metal also shows(I might have a friend's garage trim the plate if possible). I need to see how the oem looks to really make my final opinion.

sbcooke · May 2003

isn't as much fun as finding something "better" and doing it yourself.

My hitch arrives tomorrow! Thursday install.

sbcooke · May 2003

The jack stand info was invaluable. It made it much easier. Overall it really only took about 1/2 hour to install...except I had some problems.

I ordered 2 hitches, one for me and the other for a friend with a MDX. I got the hitch on, but the last hole for the bolt on the non-muffler side was off by almost 3/4 of an inch. The bracket must have gotten bent somewhere? I first tried loosening all the bolts, pulling it into position, but no luck. So I tried the second one, it fit perfectly.

I called etrailer...they will ship a replacement, but they wanted me to try to bend it back into position first...haha...I told them I tried a little but it was more than I was comfortable doing since this is supposed to support a lot of weight, be new, easy fit, etc.

I am waiting for a call back to iron out the details of getting a replacement. If it all goes smooth, I won't have any gripes, I just hope they don't give me the runaround.

sbcooke · May 2003

Well after much research, it seems like bending the bracket into position is actually a reasonable solution. From all the checking I have done, it is very common for these to get bent in shipping or in the warehouse? With very little effort I was able to bend it back 1/8"? "They" say it is easy to bend when off the truck, but when mounted it will not? So my friend is going to try to mount it this weekend.

aaron65 · May 2003

I am taking delivery of my new touring MDX tomorrow. I had three conversation w/3 dealers and Acura HQ about metal brush guards (those black or chrome front and rear steel bumpers popular on SUVs). Manhattan Acura has them on display on a floor model ($1695, installed). They look nice, have the Acura logo, are frame-mounted and would do a great job protecting bumpers. Paragon Acura informed me that they do not do this, it would void the warranty and impede operation of the airbags. Dealer #3 (somewhere in Westchester) said they don't even bother with this item, you can get it done aftermarket elsewhere. Acura HQ said that these are not Acura parts and that they do not express any opinion about aftermarket parts AND to read my warranty before I take any actions......

Manhattan Acura told me all of the above was not true (except that these are aftermarket).

Anyone know?

Has anyone had any experience w/this?

sbcooke · May 2003

If you want them...find them on the web and put them on yourself, there are many aftermarket bolt on ones including the acura ones available online.

I would put these on for looks or for protection from brush...not for bumper protection. I don't think they should void the warranty. But with any add-on...if that can be pointed to as the cause they may not warranty the specific thing that breaks, but for example it should have no effect on the transmission coverage.

I put a full steel bumper on my Trooper rather than a brush guard. I bang through brush and woods with it. In my opinion the guards are good for brush, but a minor fender bender or banging around will push those back into grill and probably cause more cosmetic damage ($$$) than anything else.

quangtran · May 2003

Anyboby know if the Pilot hitch fits in MDX or not. I use the hitch for bike rack only and HondAcuraworld does not sell hitch by itself on MDX but Pilot does. I got the hitch from Drawtite and I don't like the look of it. The price from pilot is $15 more than the Drawtite hitch (199.00 Pilot)
Thanks
Quang

pinoy99 · May 2003

It looks like the cheapest oem coolers I can find is $310.04 for both; install seems simple, just time consuming due to amount of bolts/clips that needed to be removed/reinstall to get access to the front mounting points. $230 (540-310) for install is way up there tho.

sbcooke · May 2003

Pinoy and myself just put hiddenhitches on our MDX's. Hiddenhitch.com sells the same hitch for both the MDX and the Pilot, so I would assume that an MDX hitch from Acura would fit a Pilot. I paid $99 + $32 for shipping on the hiddenhitch. Places either had it for $129 with no shipping charge or $99++.

I have thought about doing the coolers myself too. They seem very simple. The hardest part is definitely removing the front bumper/facia. Let us know if you do it and how hard it was. I am looking at the end of summer to do mine. I decided to add it in case I ever want to tow (however that will most likely be done with my Trooper) and if I ever decide to take the MDX out to the beach. Beach driving is a lot of hard work on the transmission and the cooler can only help.

aruca2 · June 2003

BASE MDX SPEAKERS --HAS ANYONE CHANGED THEIR SPEAKERS? DID YOU REPLACE ALL? SUB? WAS THERE AN IMPROVEMENT IN SOUND QUALITY? WHAT SPEAKERS WOULD YOU SUGGEST? APPRECIATE THE INSIGHT!

hopeitsfriday · June 2003

Some of us had a long discussion about the MDX's base speakers. You can find those discussion at the " 2003 Acura MDX " forum, starting with posting #240.

Good Luck

me38017 · July 2003

Just curious, if you get the Nav system and the Acura rear entertainment DVD, where is the DVD slot? Dealer said it would be mounted under front passenger's seat facing back seat but that may have been for an aftermarket DVD.

Thanks

eddiemac · August 2003

Has anyone purchased an aftermarket DVD system for their MDX? If so, what kind did you install, how much does it cost(equipment and installation) and are you satisfied? Thanks in advance for your replies.

misc535 · October 2003

Has anybody purchased, used, or know about the handsfree cellphone interface?

kahoutek22 · October 2003

Just ordered Black 2004 MDX.
Front and rear trim is satin chrome (new this year).
Door handles shiny chrome.

Ordering side steps:
? shiny chrome vs satin chrome.
Went with shiny so far since feel will have better appearance from side.
Time to change if necessary.

Opinions?
What are others doing?

sbcooke · October 2003

Buy your side steps or running boards from Hondacuraworld.com and install them yourself. I save mucho $$ that way. They wanted $750 to install running boards on my '02. I got them for $350 no shipping on the web and it took about 3 hours for the install. All pre-drilled holes. You need a basic socket set and a torque wrench. I had to by the torque wrench for about $50 at Sears, however I have used it for many other projects too.

golfgod2k3 · October 2003

I am a very happy new owner of an MDX and would like to get a roof box. I've looked into Thule and Yakima boxes but apparantly (according to REI), Yakima's won't fit and with Thules you need an attachment. I would like to know if anyone has found a roof box that fits directly on the MDX rack and/or if anyone has had experience with the Acura box available at dealers. Thank you for the help!

quangtran · October 2003

I think the REI person does not know enough. I have Yakima Space Cadet box and it fit direcly to MDX roof rack. Most of the bracket are the same design and each of these box have difference distance of holes to fit different rack distance from 24" and up.

sbcooke · October 2003

I think you should be able to get either Thule or Yakima boxes up there. I have a Thule box for my other truck, I haven't tried it on the MDX, however its brackets are 4" wide and 1+" high. Though I haven't tried, I am about 90% sure it would work.

Find a shop that has them in stock and try one out. The width is adjustable and the brackets should fit the bars. You can also drill a new hole if the spacing isn't far enough apart. I know it sounds scary to drill something new, but a fairly simple thing once you see the box in person.

Outdoorsports.com is a great place to buy rack stuff online. I have always gotten what I think to be the best pricing available from them.

golfgod2k3 · October 2003

Thanks for the input. I was actually looking at the SpaceCadet so I'm thrilled to hear that it does fit right on. Is the SpaceCadet easy to get on and off as needed?

sbcooke · October 2003

Using a ladder to get it on and off makes it much easier. I haven't done any roof stuff on my MDX, however when I put my box on my Trooper, there is a lot of reaching in and tightening of finger bolts. Using my 8 ft ladder to do all the adjustments makes it a lot easier. Also, when I travel I try to park next to a stone wall or something (if possible) to load/unload. It isn't always possible, but just a couple of suggestions to make it easier.

The extra access isn't required for use, it just makes it easier.

davetran · October 2003

Hello Sbcooke,

How is your experience with hidden hitch ?
I am shopping for hitches and any inputs are well appreciated.

sbcooke · October 2003

Good. I have only used it once, however it was affordable, fairly fast and was a breeze to put on.

2 installation issues.

One hitch (I bought 2 at the time, one for me and one for a friend) had a slight bend in the brace that attaches to the car. The L at the end wasn't 90 degrees but more like 110. I put my foot on it and pryed it like a lever into position...was really quite easy. At first I thought that was a "major" problem, however it was clear that it could have easily been bent in shipping...it is an angle that bends easily off the car, but not once bolted.

The second wasn't a problem, however I highly recommend something similar to aid with installation. Since I did mine by myself, I used jack stands to hold it up while I bolted each side, I could never have done it alone without.

The HiddenHitch is good and affordable, however it isn't anymore hidden on the MDX than the stock Acura one. So either way you are good. Hiddenhitch.com or hondaacuraworld.com.

I think you should put it on yourself if only for a bike rack. If you plan to tow...you can still do the hitch yourself, but will need to consider the towing package (which can be installed at home, but is a little more involved). I am not towing so I skipped the towing package.

orkay · November 2003

Hi,
I would like to install a Roof rack (base model good enough) on my 2002 MDX.

Can you please suggest options? - should I go to the dealer? or is it easy to install myself?
I am little scared of doing it myself

Thanks

fndlyfmrflyr · November 2003

The threaded holes are there, so it should be an easy job. Looks like it should be just pull off the roof strips, bolt on the rack, and snap in the roof strips specific for a rack. How much does the dealer want to do the job?

sbcooke · November 2003

Look at hondacuraworld.com...they have it for $134 and installation instructions.

It looks simple enough. You will probably have to buy $10 in tools. The hardest part looks like the cutting of the original roof weatherstripping into segments...only being careful seems like the hardest part. You are probably more likely to get it done better on your own. Rather than a mechanic, who won't care as much about making it perfect.

hopeitsfriday · November 2003

You only have one shot at it...I would hate to mess it up......I would have a professional install it.

orkay · December 2003

Hi fndlyfmrflyr,

I just checked with the dealer and it would cost about $550 to put the roof rack

johnrph1 · January 2004

Are the running boards as durable as the sidesteps as far as standing on them? I know some vehicles running boards are cosmetic only. I want them to help the kids and the older folks get into the vehicle. Also, I see that it takes about three hours to install yourself per previous postings. Anyone else with experience on installation. My 2004 MDX will arrive the end of the month and I am debating on installing myself. The dealer wants 780 dollars to install. I know hondaacuraworld is much cheaper.

johnrph1 · January 2004

I was looking at the online installation instructions for this kit at Hondaacuraworld. I see that to remove the emblems in the back you need to apply masking tape around them and then use a string to "saw" them off. I would hate to damage the paint. Has anyone done this? The kit is much cheaper than the dealer installed option. Thanks

rerenov8r · January 2004

It is more like "flossing" to pull out the adhesive than "sawing".

You can do this very easily, virtually no chance to "scratch" anything.

(now don't ask me if I'd do it, becuase gold ain't my thing...)

I have installed the side steps on my own and even that was not too difficult. It really is a shame that dealers charge the full shop rate for this kind of stuff as it can be done by anyone with no special skills!

tanrich · January 2004

I have a pair of yakima ski rack (powderhound) from my previous car that i'd like to transfer over to the mdx without transferring the entire Qtower and crossbar system. My mdx has the factory rack from the touring package. I thought i can use the yakima mighty mounts as the adapter but even yakima told me they don't make adapter for mdx factory rack. So i am stuck unless i cough up more money to buy their thule system. Any clever idea on how i can use my existing yakima powderhound ski rack on the mdx factory roof rack?

I also have the yakima fork mount bike rack from my old system. I envision it's more difficult to transfer over so i am not trying hard. Any idea is welcome. Thanks.

sbcooke · January 2004

I installed running boards. Either one...you should order and install yourself. It was very easy.

The running boards are OK, the way the back door opens and the shape of the boards makes it so only my 4 year old really steps on them getting in and out. I don't find much use for them, but my wife likes them.

The running boards flex a little off the body when I stand at either end. I think for loading the roof the side steps might be more functional.

wclarkjr1 · January 2004

Looking to save a few bucks and purchase my accessories from hondacuraworld. My question is this... has anyone had issues with the colors not matching or the self install being too difficult?
Feedback good and bad would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Below are the items I'd like:

Side steps
Rear tailgate deflector
Moonroof visor
Body side molding

mchen007 · January 2004

I just got my 2004 MDX with Touring, Navi, & DVD in the beautiful Aspen Pearl White. When parked under a bright street lamp at night, the car seems to glow.

I ordered and installed the satin chrome side steps. More sporty in my opinion than the running boards and matches the new satin trim and rims on the 2004. Easy to install. Even easier if you read the instructions carefully which I wish I had.

The new color-matched rear spoiler option is fantastic. More on par to what other suv's are offering than the original tailgate deflector. Makes the MDX look fast even when parked. That was dealer installed. Didn't like the thought of drilling holes in a $40k+ car.

I noticed I can't play any of my VCDs (burned or original) on the DVD player which is a real shame. So I've been doing research on DVD burners and media and how they work on the DVD player. So far I've been able to play a burned DVDR movie on the acura dvd system.

The projector style headlight is a great change for the 2004 but wished Acura would step up to the plate with HIDs. The Philips H11 bulbs burn yellow and is an uncommon standard in the U.S. Anybody tried any aftermarket upgrades on the headlights?

Acura MDX Accessories and Modifications

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