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Acura MDX (pre-2007)
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Tim will be putting up more specials periodically, on www.acuramdx.org
Drew
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Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
As far as the air deflector goes, A&H is going to send another one, so I'll put it on. Who knows when the aftermarket stuff will be available. There's still a chance for us going over the mountain passes again this winter, and those can be (and are right now) predictably bad. Plus the wife goes back to work in a couple of weeks so mileage will increase and maybe that'll be when a pebble bounces up ;-)
We figured many moons ago that the deflector was probably not a strong item; remember when we looked at the Odyssey air deflector from some accessories web site and were remarking about how similar it looked to the MDX deflector -- green-tinted plastic, Odyssey label stamped on the front right corner. Dunno about the concept that Acura had to "redesign" them to make them better, 'cuz the one that Ard got, and the one I got, sure sounded/looks like the Odyssey one!
P.S. might be snowing in your parts but it's just windy here ...
Will bring to dealer to check.
DKLY (message #1068), please let us know what happens to yours.
We have never had anybody sit in the 3rd row seat, and so I can only speculate on how well the A/C vents work for that seat position. My guess is that your concern with the vent placement for the 3rd row passengers is valid, at least for extremely warm sunny days. I think the MDX's rear vents do an excellent job of cooling off the passengers in the 2nd row seats, but they are not placed as high as they could be for optimum cooling of the 3rd row passengers. As you surmised, they are at knee level behind the center console.
On a more positive note, Acura is not exaggerating when they brag about the cooling capability of their dual A/C system. The rear vents can blow out quite a bit of cold air! Also, I think this MDX is the only car I've owned in which I absolutely cannot detect any loss in acceleration due to the A/C compressor and high fan speeds. (But then again, this is also the biggest vehicle and the most powerful engine I've ever owned.)
70 screws! Was installing the running boards something that was easy, but lengthy because of the number of screws? Do the parts fit easily? I am not that handy (but am not a klutz, either), and don't want to do any drilling. If installing the boards is just a matter of putting in some screws (and doesn't require an assistant, or jamming in close fitting pieces of plastic), it is probably something that I can do.
Thanks.
Yes, it is quite dark on gray/cloudy days and at night. However, some aspect of the car usually reveals green in any given situation. In the bright daylight it really begins to shine as the metallic starts to take an effect. The color itself actually contains some black and blue elements which are most notable in lower light conditions. I'm told that the Black MDX has some level of blue in it as well.
Color choice will depend on what you like in terms of light cars vs. dark cars. I actually prefer the Granite Green in most lighting, but I really like a lighter interior which the Emerald Green has. I'm also confident that once I get it set up with pin stripping and running boards it will begin to show a more interesting and finished appearance. I haven't taken pictures yet as the weather has been cloudy and wet (had it less than 48 hours). I hope to have pin stripes by early next week and maybe running boards too (there's a real shortage of running boards locally). Once I do I'll post a photo or two. If you like the Black MDX ,but want some differentiation, the Dark Emerald will work well for you. Another similer color option is the Mahogany. It looks almost black in the same light situations as the Emerald Green does.
Hope this helps...I'd like to know what you choose.
I got mine from the dealer as that seemed a bit much, but you can definitely save some money by doing it yourself.
I stopped by my local Acura dealer today to make an appointment for the upcoming 7500-mile service (including the VTM-4 service), and also to have the service manager check out the rear HVAC unit. Wouldn't you know it, there wasn't as much of a noticeable difference today as I've observed in the past. However, the service manager thought there still was enough of a temperature difference to make note of it as a warranty repair. He said he's never seen this before, and he would have to do some research on it. My appointment is in 2 weeks. Hopefully, they will have a plan of attack by then!
ardvarkus: I'm checking Pep Boys tomorrow. If/when I latch onto a set of cables that are supposed to fit, I'm going to drop the spare to make sure they do. That has a two-fold purpose: In addition to checking the fit of the cables, I'll learn the quickest and easiest method of getting the spare off the MDX at my leisure in a dry garage. If I don't run through the procedure at least once under conditions I can control, you can bet I'll blow a tire in the middle of a category 5 storm late some night on a busy, curvy and narrow unlit road frequented by a ton of DUI's!
E.g. a pair of rear splash guards went for $58 + actual UPS shipping costs. The ad specifies a $70 "MSRP" installed. But the part set lists for $42 without installation, and Hondacuraworld sells it at $32.50 with free shipping.
Rear air deflector went for $315 + actual UPS shipping costs, Hondacuraworld sells it for $297.70 with free shipping.
Right now there's an active bid for the moonroof visor for $55 + $9.95 shipping ... Hondacuraworld sells it for $46.80 with free shipping.
I don't begrudge the seller's right to get whatever he/she can. Too bad the buyers don't seem to know there are alternatives.
goods (anything you can easily buy through standard channels), eBay is a SELLER'S
market. Things tend to go for substantially more than you can buy them for if you know
how to sniff out a bargain.
There was a time, in the beginning, when you could score countless bargains on eBay.
Nowadays, the only bargains tend to be on A) one-of-a-kind items that are hard to
properly value;
come up in standard keyword searches).
Kwad
I know what you mean about eBay. When I was shopping for a DVD player/changer that also plays CD-Rs and CD-RWs, there was a Pioneer Elite model on which I had my sights. There was a retailer on eBay who was routinely placing this particular DVD player up for auction. People were bidding up to $50 HIGHER (up to $450) on the eBay auctions than what that SAME retailer was charging on his OWN webpage (about $400). And it wasn't a challenge to see that retailer's webpage: just click on the hyperlink within eBay!! Duh! The stupidity of it all actually forced me into action. I became "Obvoious Man"! Once I emailed the winning bidder on one of the auctions, providing the exact URL for that retailer's website and asking him/her why the bid was so much higher? I never received a reply. Hmmm.
I do still use ebay for CD label and CD jewel case insert refills. I also found a couple BMW accessories priced very competitively about one year ago, such as an alloy/wood shift knob.
By the way, it was because of eBay that I now own my BMW! The original owner placed it on eBay when he wanted to sell it. I saw it on eBay, and emailed him about it. However, he decided to take the car off of eBay, and we negotiated the purchase offline.
Back to the MDX: Thanks, William, for the advice regarding the bolts. I have never heard any of the thud noises that some of the owners had mentioned (and repaired), but it's definitely worth alerting the service department!
2nd row -- I was under the impression these fold flat, but they don't; the seatback sides (bolsters) contact the seat itself when folded, so it's at a slight angle. Is this correct?
3rd row -- I have to lean REALLY hard on these to get them completely flat; basically sit on them to latch all the way down; they seem to like being about 1/4" up at the front side better . Anyone have any suggestions on how to make it easier?
Tailgate -- I find it requires a pretty definitive slam and hold (consistent pressure). I vaguely recall a prior thread on this, but can't find it. Is there a self-solution or only an adjustment by the dealer (or is this just how it is?). The rubber bumpers on the tailgate itself are screwed in all the way, btw.
I like the car better every day I drive it. Today, I hand it over to my wife (it's supposed to be for her) as I've clocked about 90% of the miles so far, moving junk from the garage, offices to storage and such -- tremendous amount of cargo room!
Thanks.
__________________
'01 MDX Black/Ebony Touring w/Nav
'00 Lexus GS300
Waiting on GG Base unit. ???Due??? early April.
There were about 3 posts recently concerning closing the tailgate, and we all agreed it requires a good push to close it. It shouldn't require a hard slam (and hold). In that case, I would mention it to the service advisor, and hopefully an adjustment can be made to the latch mechanism. It might be caused by a slight allignment problem.
Glad to hear you are enjoying your MDX!
The rear hatch doesn't require a HARD slam, but it does require the definitive effort and follow-through til all the way down.and locked; I was hoping momentum from a downward tug on that inside handle would be enough so I can avoid the fingerprints/palmprints:)
I'm used to it already, but will ask the dealer when in for the first service...
When putting the 3rd row of seats away are you disconnecting the seat belts correctly -- I've noticed a lot of dealerships aren't doing it right... the belts get completely disconnected and hung from the two rear corners when the 3rd row seat goes down. If you don't, then the seats may not go down flat.
The second row in mine goes down fairly flat... there may be a slight (3 degree) angle up towards the front row.... but nothing that would be problematic IMO.
The tailgate has a inside "handle"... grab it and pull down... when your arm is parrallel to the ground - release the "handle" and the tailgate will close.
Rail
For the tailgate, tanspace on acuramdx.org suggested that I leave a window open a crack to reduce the air compression. Will try that one later
HTH,
TC
Well, it looks like things have gotten pretty slow in this forum... So I thought "why not post some controversial commentary from James Healey?" Personally, I still think VSC is a good thing, but I can see why some people would be glad the MDX does not have it. Here are a couple comments from the Suburu Outback review in today's edition:
---
"It's possible to get the Subaru to slow and even stop when you prefer to go. But it's much harder to accomplish that perversity than it is on, for example, BMW or Mercedes-Benz vehicles that use traction control as a key part of their all-wheel drive. Subaru's system shows that proper engineering can overcome the civil war between all-wheel drive's 'go' and anti-skid/traction control's 'whoa' tendencies."
--
Being a small audio enthusiast, I was more outraged to discover that the Suburu Outback can now be equipped with a real McIntosh audio system, while all that us MDX owners can get is crappy Bose!
IMO, the BOSE system we had in our '97 Pathfinder wasn't that bad. YMMV.
TC
Couldn't agree w/ you more. Even then, I thought other tube amps (like CJs) sounded better.
Out of curiosity, what did you think was best bang for the buck? I found that you quickly got to the point of diminishing returns after several K...or my room was too small ;-)
cotmc:
What's annoying is Healey never mentions the MB and BMW ESP/DSC systems have *OFF* buttons unlike the Highlander. You can spin out and kill yourself w/ it off if you aren't a good driver. The real drivers can turn that switch on and do powerslides w/ the ML and X5 and outdrive Healey w/ one hand :-)
Furthermore, if you disable the power cut-off, you also disable or reduce the initial, pro-active benefits of stability control as it tries to brake selective wheels. So an "off" switch has significant drawbacks.
Again, I suspect that Healey's primary gripe (though not his only one) is that some of the power cuttoff systems he tested are too conservatively governed for the capabilities of the vehicle. I suppose a cynical person could suggest that maybe some of the vehicles he tested are not inherently able to handle a tougher condition (that competing vehicles can handle), thus requiring the greater conservatism in cutting power -- though I'm not suggesting that this is the case with any specific vehicle.
The VDC he tested probably lets you get away with a lot before traction control has to cut power. Some of it may be the fact that the wagon is probably less prone to rollver than your average SUV, and some of it may be just how Subaru programmed it.
It's obviously difficult for manufacturers to strike the right balance for when their systems intervene. It's clear that Healey doesn't like the balance struck in some vehicles he has tested. But I think it's a legitimate gripe.
I don't think he's the incompetent villain that he's been painted to be by devotees of vehicles that he has criticized.
The reason our installations cost around $100K is because we did complete A/V environments. Custom remote control units, giant screens on hydraulics, etc. A lot of our work was for VERY famous people (for example, Deniro's penthouse in Tribeca) and was regularly featured in Architectural Digest and Audio/Video Interiors.
Back in '79 - '84 there wasn't a lot of remote controlled *complete* systems like there are today. One of my talents was taking high-end equipment and "modding it" so that it could be controlled by our own in-house designed central unit.
My favorite pieces of equipment back then:
Bang & Oulfsen linear tracking turntable - this piece was well known as the first piece of audio equipment to be featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Besides being one of the first (and best) linear auto-tracking turntables (daddy, what's a record?), it was also nice to look at. Not cheap (I think about $850), but nice.
Draco FM Tuner - Another inovator, it actually had a LED matrix display and memory where you could program the call letters of the station. But it's best attribute was its reception, phenominal sound for a FM tuner, separation was fantastic, multipath elimination was great. Cost $1000, just for a tuner.
Dennon FM Tuner - now here's the value you were asking about. The first time I heard it I was like whoa, it sounds as good as the Draco, and only cost $250. Definitely a sleeper back then.
Nakamichi Dragon Cassette deck - Simply the best player/recorder made for the format. Period. It had a dynamically mounted head that actually repositioned itself everytime you put a cassette in it, so that it physically calibrated itself to the tape path for optimal playback. Built in tone generators for automatic recording bias adjustment and eq playback. I swear that it made recordings as good as any CD nowadays. And this was almost 20 years ago. About $1500.
Adcom moving coil cartridge mounted to a Dual turntable - Adcom was the first to come out with a moving coil cartridge that didn't need a separate pre-amp, thus eliminating a source of distortion and noise, yet still giving that "moving coil" sound, about $250.
Dual turntables were always the best value in terms of german engineering at a reasonable price ($250 I think). The best part is that I still own this combo.
CJs Tube Amps - Yes, they were very nice, with that "warm" tube sound. They also doubled as great space heaters.
That's enough reminiscing for now. Sorry for the rambling, but you triggered some dormant brain cells ;-)
TC
Some of the systems may be over-conservative (like the Sequioa), but I don't remember one Healey article where he says "oh, I turned off the switch and did xx that was much more beneficial than having the system kick in". They were always of the form "it cut power when I tried doing something stupid, therefore it sucks wads". It's not the message I dispute. It's the crappy delivery...
tonychrys:
'fraid I don't remember what vinyl is like :-)
Do you remember which Denon tuner model that was? I'm annoyed that the Onkyo tuner I have doesn't have a remote and it's huge. I should probably ignore it until digital radio comes out.
That reminds me, any rumors of Acura supporting Sirius digital radio? I'm not sure people will pay a monthly fee for background music...
Yea, seems like a few manufacturers/vehicles will support Sirius in MY2002. I agree, I don't think folks will pay for something they get for free now, unless the product is that different (like when cable TV came out with orginal programmimng).
One thing that is kinda cool is that the tuner in my new RX300 decodes all those text messages from FM stations. You can search for stations based on music/talk format. It also decodes traffic alert stations and interrupts the music when there is info.
TC
Soon as I started my engineering job out of college I bought a B&O turntable, but not the linear-tracking model. I couldn't quite afford that much for the turntable; especially when spending $130 for the cartridge! I purchased one of the standard radial-tracking models with the floating platter. It also had an on/off switch built into the front metal plate of the base. I regret never buying a Nakamichi tape deck, not even one of the more reasonably priced models! But that sure was neat watching those higher-end Nak's with the motorized auto-reverse mechanism that physically flipped the tape over to the other side!
I also thought Denon made a great turntable back then, and Yamaha made a good tape deck for the money (and my budget!). That was back when they included a real wood frame around the reasonably priced components.
That was also back when much of the popular rock music emphasized high-fidelity and musicianship (sigh!).
Remember half-speed mastered virgin vinyl discs?!
I use to sit in my livingroom, with the lights off, and listen to an ultra-clean copy of the Doors doing "This is the End". My stereo set up was so life like that when Jim Morrison came on and said "father.. I want to kill you" I'd get the willys because it sounded like he was standing right in front of me.
Ahh... the joys of spending all your hard earned money on something frivilous. Those freakin' Nak decks were masterpieces in mechanical and electrical engineering.
I can't wait to remodel my livingroom so that I can go out and buy a new giant-screen digital TV and Dolby surround system .
Steve
Host
SUV and Vans Message Boards
He came over and visited and I said my system doesn't clip. He turned my stereo up (piano/classical music) up so loud I could hear it all the way across the apartment...very clearly...and he was only slightly impressed. Weirdest thing was he loved Bose...co-op'd there. He knew they used cheapo components and eq'd them until they sounded "good". He's also a musician who loves playing the piano. I never did understood him...still don't... :-)
MDX audio: My friend just bought a base MDX, he replaced the two front component speakers with Vifa drivers from Part Express, the two rear speakers with Infinity Kappa, and he also replace the sub-woofer. The total cost of parts is about $350. The sound from this system is much better than the base. I even think that it is better than the Touring model (we have not been able to compare it side by side).
I thought installing the running boards was that easy plus it saved me at least $200 bucks by doing it myself. I don't consider myself that handy either and it was no problem for me. I didn't need any extra set of hands, the parts all fit fairly easily, no drilling, and all you need is a 13 mm socket, a rachet w/an extension and an adjustable wrench. Most of my time was spent trying to screw in the 6 brackets underneath the MDX.
Here are a couple of tips if you decide to install it yourself (it would have shaved about 30 minutes from my install time if I knew any better at the time).
1) There are 6 brackets (3 per side) that attach underneath the MDX. The running boards lay on top of these brackets and attach to them. Each of these brackets consist of 3 pieces that you assemble to form 1 bracket (8 screws per bracket, that's 48 screws already!) Each bracket attaches to the underside of the MDX using 4 screws (screw holes are already there and line up perfectly w/ the brackets). The instructions say to put together the entire bracket before attaching it to the underside of the MDX. I found it difficult to screw in the front 2 screws because one of these pieces got in the way, so just don't attach the front piece of the bracket (the one that the running boards will lay on) until you've screwed the partially assembled bracket to the underside of the MDX.
2) When you screw in the brackets the instructions say leave everything "loose". They mean it! Make sure not to screw in the brackets into the underside of MDX too far, this will allow you enough clearance to easily lay the running boards on top of the brackets when it comes time. The running boards themselves have 6 screws attached to the underside of the boards (they slide freely along a couple of grooves under the boards) and is what is used to attach them to the brackets. Once the running boards are in place you just tighten everything up. Tightening the brackets at this point raises the running boards up to meet the side of the MDX.
You can then invest the money you saved by buying more accessories for your MDX
Do you have a parts cost breakdown? I was thinking of the A/D/S 336im's, but they're at least $250/pr.
Looking forward to your side-by-side comparo. Bring some good tunes ;-)
Thanks to all for sharing your great experiences with the MDX. I was surfing the net and came across with this fuel economy increase product. I personally have not use it but would be interested to hear any feedbacks from people in this message board. Here is the link to this product: http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/JCWhitney/Parts/81ZC0523.html
Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Have a nice weekend everyone...