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Acura MDX (pre-2007)
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Comments
With your recent convos with your service department, was there any indication that the VTM-4 service interval had changed from what's in the manual? We only heard one suggestion of that but haven't seen anything else. I know you'd be hopping mad had it changed, but just wanted to confirm.
mdx1:
Thanks for the RX-MDX ride comparisons, I was looking for someone who had tried the 2001.
teddybear3:
Please keep us informed of your snow driving experiences, as you're one of the few who own both an ML320 and an MDX. Is the ML320 a 1999 or a 2000? How often does the ML320 fishtail or slip? How much more (e.g. 10%, 30%, etc.) does the MDX fishtail or slip than the ML320? Thanks!
seems to offer side molding kits. I've never ordered from them before and have no idea if they're good or not. I just found the link and found it interesting that some of the side molding kits are available in "16 colors."
They also offer pinstriping, door edge trim, etc. Wood dash kits too, some of them real wood, but nothing for the MDX yet.
Both the dealer from whom we purchased our MDX, and our local dealer who services our MDX, recommend the 3750-mile interval schedule instead of the 7500 schedule. I don't know why we would need to use the tighter schedule during the Fall and Winter seasons here in Arizona, but this was confirmed again when I called them a couple days before the oil change.
There were a couple other significant factors that influenced me on this decision. I am rather old-fashioned about wanting to do the first oil change on a new vehicle fairly quickly. Also, the price of the service was under $20. It probably didn't hurt to have them check the fluids before we take our trip, anyway!
And to the navi owners, has it been useful for you?
Respectfully,
However, I would caution folks whose dealerships are recommending 3,750 mile oil changes vs. 7,500 mile changes. It's natural for a dealership to recommend that -- they get you in more often. That opens up possibilities for selling other services besides an oil change.
Acura recommends 7,500 mile intervals based on conditions clearly outlined in their owner's manual. Check it and see if the manual says if you should follow the 3,750 interval (conditions for those are also clearly outlined). If the manual says 7,500, it can take 7,500. If there really was a vehicle issue with going 7,500, Acura wouldn't make that recommendation -- why would they jeopardize the condition of the vehicle, especially during the warranty period? As it is, 7,500 has a certain fudge factor since most people go beyond the recommended interval before actually coming in.
In speaking with an ex-service person, he implied that the dealership's general manager has the service department automatically recommending the shorter interval regardless of what the manual says. A claim is that people don't recognize or acknowledge what necessitates the severe schedule. But I'm sure part of it is because they want the traffic into the service department. It's easy for them to pray on people's fears -- "well, the manual might say that, but real-world driving conditions around here ... you know, that bad traffic / cold weather / hot weather / dust / humidity / gravel / bad karma ... it's better to be safe than sorry ... you want to take care of your vehicle, don't you?!?" Pretty soon they've ruled out any 7,500 interval except for those people who drive 10 miles in a straight line to work every day, at 65-degree temperatures with never a drop of rain, on manicured roads.
Reminds me of the MB FSS maintenance -- nice way to tell if you really need an oil change, and can go 10k to 17k (from what I've read) without an oil change. Seems to work great, but some folks accustomed to being drilled on 3,750 mile changes get nervous and bring it in for service earlier. And while M-class maintenance for the initial warranty period is free, it's only for FSS-mandated-service, so the extra oil change + diagnostic + top-off can cost $200!
I must say, I hate this BBS software -- it may be worth the webmaster checking out the Ultimate Bulletin Board software from Infopop at http://www.infopop.com/ ... which a lot of other sites use -- highly recommended.
Rail
I posted to you yesterday (12/16) at my bookmark of the OLD FORUM and became the last message there, #608, if you can get back there. (I copied this from my browse: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/engaged/edmund.cgi? =SUB&I=3357&I=/KCDFDxQPUaHtXmx8031M7h9Esyg/6WBuAIunLiKx4k=) Let me know if you don't find it.
Now I have to go out but will write soon about my DX BUYING EXPERIENCE (very good). Black/Black Touring due within 10-15 days. Thanks for your help, to Rail and everybody, nos Angles Shopper
Glad it went well & enjoy the new ride.
Regards.
Rail
mailto:railro@earthlink.net
http://www.audiworld.com/forum/m/a4/msgs/390171.phtml
Very true. This is more believable than the X5 story though.
There was another story about an A4 Quattro being tailgated by an annoyed driver on a snow packed country road that was pretty funny, too (the other car went off the road after trying to follow the A4 through a curve at 35mph :-)
I've got the base model w/o Nav. and am extremely happy with the purchase. I chose not to get the Touring package. Of the options provided in the package there were only a few I was interested in and those I could add as stand alone options, which I did. I chose not to get the NAV primarly because I thought I wouldn't us it. I don't do a lot of traveliing out of my area so wherever I'm going I gen
erally know what roads and alternates are available. If I end up going on a trip, just recently to Myrtle Beach SC as a matter of fact, I just burn a few maps of "mapquest.com" and that works well for me. So the bottom line is ... if I had to do it all over again, for my needs, I still would buy the base w/o NAV.
Regarding your questions about whether the display is okay, the answer is absolutely YES. Because of the display screen can facilitate a NAV option many peoplecomment ... "cool, you must have that GPS, on-star thing ... right" and I say NO but that is a $2K option which I didn't think was worth it for my needs. When I float the $$$ by these people they all pretty much choke out and agree. You can print out a lot of maps for $2K. Also, per your question about "Does the screen
constantly remind you of what you didn't buy?" No can't say that it does cause"for me" I don't see much value in the NAV. With all due respect to the NAV & Touring owners. Not intending to flame things up here at all ... just happy w/I have as much as you are happy w/what you have.
After you post, you should see your message immediately in this topic. If you see the main TH welcome page instead, it means that you've been logged out. You'll then have to hit your browser's back button and copy your text + repost it again. As I said, we're working on resolving this issue right now; it's top priority.
Good luck...
Drew
Edmunds.com Townhall co-host
Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories conferences
I decided two weeks ago that I wanted to Purchase an MDX. As I live in the Boston area - I obviously would want to have one for the winter and I didn't feel like waiting the typical 3-4 months on the waiting list which would push the purchase into the spring. I found out about an oufit named Wheels to Lease in NY which also does sales. In three days they were able to locate an MDX for me. I did have to pay 750 above MSRP but it was worth it for me to have it for the winter.
If anyone is interested their number is (718) 871-7749. Ask for Eli.
I have been very impressed by their professional behavior.
good luck
You can buy an MDX cheaper in Canada, and you may not have to wait for it. However, Honda/Acura sets it up so you can't get a U.S. warranty for it that is valid at U.S. Acura dealers.
A local auto broker does this for hard-to-find-quick Odysseys. They buy the vehicles from the Vancouver area and bring them down, converting the speedometers to miles and making some adjustments and handling all the import/export paperwork. However, they have to give you a third-party warranty.
At least they're up front about it. Back when the 3.2TL was first introduced and there were 2-4 month waits, Acura of Seattle began advertising "available for immediate delivery." They had a third-party warranty, which Acura of Seattle was willing to honor (obviously).
Thanx in advance.
When I went to 2001 Acura MDX and chose OPTIONS CALCULATOR to calculate the price, I get:
Base MSRP: $34,370
Touring Pkg MSRP: $2600
Destination Charge: $480
Total: $37,450
Another week and I'm buying a Bimmer.
The best part about this deal, I think, is that I decided I wanted an MDX on Monday and bought it on Friday.
Aside from the warranty stuff (which I think is pretty well a non-issue because of the third party warranty) I see no down side on the deal really. I wasn't sure if it was the best price to pay but it seemed pretty good.
After 5 Toyotas in a row the Acura thing is a departure for us. We are liking it so far.
Any thoughts on this seemingly unconventional deal?
muab
Finally, did you check if your local Acura dealership service departments will touch it? I'd imagine they would do repairs (they never seem to turn down money), but you should make sure. Why have Acura do it? Should serious problems arise (and hopefully they won't) they'll have training and experience with it.
As far as price goes, it depends on your area of the country (which seems to affect both availability and MSRP, markups, and inflated accessories). MSRP on the Touring isn't too much more than what you paid -- $37,450. Close to 500 miles makes it a bit of a used car, or at least "dealer demo" which can automatically knock off a grand or two.
You also make take a hit when you trade-in or resell the vehicle, mostly if you do it before the warranty expires. Has the speedometer been converted? Is the odometer still in kilometers? The auto broker here that sells Canadian Odysseys say that it was simple to convert the speedometer, but not so with the odometer, so they leave them at kilometers.
Good luck!
Do any of you have any problem maneuvering your MDX in heavy traffic? I have to look over my shoulder a lot to change lanes, especially on the right side. The blind spot is bigger than what I was used to, in sedans. The pillars block lots of view. The back window appears to be small, because it is farther away. The higher driving position is great looking forward, but makes it harder to see cars that sneak up on you from the behind.
Parking is also make harder because I don't know where the bumper of my MDX is, and how far it is from other cars. I don't want to rely on contact parking (not on my new MDX!) :-)
I know I just need time to get used to driving a bigger and taller car (this is my first SUV), and am driving very conservatively. But I hate to drive like an old lady! :-)
I would like to replace the inside mirror to something wider, but know I can't because I don't want to lose auto-dimming. I am also considering installing a sonar parking device, such as the one offered here, but I afraid that it may appear too much of an add-on. Has anyone have experience installing such device on cars or trucks?
You forgot the X5 which I wouldn't mind pushing :-)
The point of the story wasn't fairness...it was more a question of "if it had ESP, would it have done that?" and "don't go chasing Audi Quattros around curves at high speed" ;-)
kinmanc:
Be glad you didn't get an ML. The C pillars cause massive blind spots because they're huge. I thought the MDX's visibility was quite good..not as good as the RX300's (the RX300 has massive mirrors and no privacy glass and it's smaller). I've adapted to the ML and can get within a 2" of the curb when parking. I've also adjusted the mirrors properly according to Curt Rich's book (www.curtrich.com) and I have no side blind spots now as long as I use the mirrors (we were taught all wrong in driver's ed on how to set the mirrors). I've also added something called the BackSee plastic lens (it's a wide angle lens that sticks to your reear window w/ surface tension) just in case and it helps me see stuff behind me when parking. Don't worry...you'll adapt.
Thanks for the response. It is gratifying to be part of the club.
The third-party warranty is from one of the really huge warranty companies. Will Acura dealers touch it? I don't know. It is good anywhere in the US and Canada though so I wouldn't be surprised if it did.
As far as the metric thing is concerened, the only place that we see no conversion is the climate control, which is in celcius still. Go figure.
I am in Portland Oregon and the going rate seems to be the 38ish price for MDX Touring but one must wait until May to take delivery. I guess one must ask what 6 months being MDX-Less is worth. I saw another MDX at a used car lot this morning exactly like mine. I am half scared to look at the price tag though. I hate getting hosed. I am sure it is likely to be another Canadian migrant MDX.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to write.
muab
We finally got a call that they had one available to drive, and went in - we were both really impressed. Finally, a great reason to get rid of the minivan!
I've been poring over the various boards (edmunds and acuramdx.org) and found lots of great info. One item I have yet to find, however, is anyone's experience with towing. (Drew - Need to be able to search the board for specific phrases....) I know that Acura says up to 4500 lbs for a boat (we've got a 19 ft boat), but I'd sure like to hear if anyone's got any experience towing. Not that anyone in this part of the country is doing any boating at this time of year....
I have seen (and learned from) all the posts about hitch/cooler issues. Thanks to all.
We'll probably order a touring w/nav soon and take spring delivery - in time for the boating season to start up. Dealer here is at MSRP, which I think is fair.
I look forward to some comments. And have a great holiday!
Eibs
>You've got to be nuts to race any car with an SUV. The only thing I >might try it with would be an ML55. Maybe the way to make it "fair" >is for the Audi A4 to be loaded with 7 passengers!
That got me thinking. Does anyone else here think it would be a great idea for acura to make a mdx type-s v8 to go up against the ml55, and the forthcoming mx5? I think it would be a great idea, along with "type-s"ing all of the acura model line. They have a cl type-s,a superpowered integra (sorry, the name slipped my mind of what they call it) and a tl type-s is rumored to debut at la or detroit this year. 3 down, 2 to go! thanks everyone,
mike
p.s. need4speed: theres also the ford expedition lightning coming out!
The Integra is the Type R. There is also an NSX Type R.
I think Type R means ripped apart...no AC, most insulation ripped out, other stuff ripped out to reduce weight :-)
Type S is the sport version...I've heard nothing but good things about the CL Type S. An MDX Type S would be interesting.
Kenyee, i knew type-R was the name!
>I think Type R means ripped apart...no AC, most insulation ripped >out, other stuff ripped out to reduce weight :-)
lol, you're absolutely right. Ford made a mustang cobra (i think?) and did the same thing. no heating or ac. But, with this new integra prototype, the "RS-X" debuting at either detroit or la, i think there will probably be a type-s RS-X in the future, now that they have finally redesigned the integra.
edsar2001:
>Outside temp is incorrect, always reading 5 degrees warmer than it >really is. Does anyone know if the temp can be recalibrated?
where i live, washington d.c., it obviously doesn't get as cold as it does in minnesota, but i think i we have the same prob. with our mdx. The thermometer doesn't seem to be accurate. I don't remeber it ever getting below 32 degrees. But i think all of the acura thermometers aren't really accurate. We also have a rl, and in the summer, it always seems to be about 5 degrees warmer than it really is. hmm... but if u can recalibrate it, which i don't think is likely, you might want to search the owners manual. does anyone know where the thermometer is placed on the car?
I don't know if it can be calibrated- I'll look it up in the service manual when I get back home tomorrow. I've deal with other digital display climate controls (Nissan and Infiniti) and you can calibrate SOME values. You can also change celcius versus farenheit on some displays (Hey Canadian MDX owners.)
Keep in mind that the most accurate temp will be when you are moving- if you are stopped or slow down the engine heat will affect the reading-
Ard
The size and bulk of an SUV is just something you'll have to get used to. While the RX300 is a bit smaller, it has a significantly larger turning radius from the MDX and that requires some learning when it comes to parking.
muab:
As Ard mentioned, you can switch the temperature on the trip computer from celsius to farenheit. Push the left button (forgot which one) and I think you hold it. I don't know if it retains that setting when you power off the vehicle. Check your owner's manual on the trip computer (it's a lonnnng section, so I don't blame you if you haven't read it ;-) ).
Ken:
"The point of the story wasn't fairness...it was more a question of 'if it had ESP, would it have done that?' and 'don't go chasing Audi Quattros around curves at high speed'".
With all due respect, you can't even say it's about ESP. There's no empirical or even qualitative data on how fast the vehicles were traveling, how sharp was the turn, what was the MDX's driver's experience level, were they driving the Goodyears or Michelins, etc. There's no way of knowing if a different, stability-control equipped vehicle would have avoided the alleged incident either.
As posts in BMW and MB forums attest, even a positive like stability control has its limits. I'd think a limit is racing a 2 1/4 ton vehicle against an A4 ;-)
I just love the pictures of overconfident SUV owners and their vehicles stuck in bad weather, such as the ones I saw during the some news reports on the mountain pass 30 miles from here. Meanwhile, there was a local resident, driving around confidently in his chain-equipped Carmen Ghia.
I couldn't help but wonder about ESP though. I wouldn't worry about it though. This is the only spinout I've heard about w/ the MDX (and the only reason it was a someone interesting thing to post about).
1. In ice water, say at 32 deg. F, the resistance between the no. 1 and no. 2 terminals should be approx. 6 k-ohms.
2. In warm water, say at 77 deg. F, the resistance should be 2 k-ohms.
If the resistance is not to specifications, the sensor should be replaced.
Problems with the display are discussed on pp. 22-213 to 22-214 of the manual. Basically continuity is checked between the components; wires are replaced if there is a short or an open. I just don't see any means of adjustment, but maybe Ard can find one...
Transpower
The dealer is charging MSRP with no unwanted options. The pricing on the options at this dealership is pricey so I'll be giving Tim over at Hondacuraworld a call on Thursday so I can order up some more goodies.
Driving up Highway 88 to Kirkwood in the CA Sierras this past weekend in ICY conditions encountered 3 pickups and 1 SUV flipped upsidedown on the side of the road. My A6 went through it without a flinch.
On a seperate note Acura USA marketing sent me a box with a 3/D camera projector that showed the MDX in different backgraounds or environments in 3/D format. Nice pictures. Did anyone else get one????
I do have an issue however. The windshield defroster does not seem to be adequate w/clearing ice/snow. I had the defrost temp at 90 degrees (highest setting) AC off, with the fan set at the second to lowest speed -- seems reasonable when driving -- I don't want the noise and dry air in my face when the fan is at higher speeds -- all other HVAC settings off. Now the inside temp of the vehicle was comfortable and snow/ice was on top of the roof just above the windshield. As I drove, the snow/ice above the windshield was melting and water would run down the center of the windshield as I slowed or stopped. The water would freeze on the windshield and the defroster didn't cover the area well enough at the second, third or even highest fan speed to melt the ice. The ice formed in multiple lines from the top of the windshield down about a foot or two -- more or less behind the rear view mirror mounting. I turned the fan up to the highest setting and while moving it still was unable to melt the ice that had formed. In addition, it was unable to melt the snow/ice that had accumulate to the left of the driver's side of the windshield where it had built up after the end of a wiper pass. The windshield wipers seem to be set TOO LOW in that they do not benefit from the hot air coming out of the defroster; consequently, if there is snow/ice on them the windshield wiper blades do not get the heat benefit from the defroster and subsequently remain cluttered w/frozen debris -- resulting in a less than effective swipe when they pass across the windshield. The opporation of the front side window defrosting also seems marginal. The volume of air out of the vent is okay -- it's just not directed at the window --> it seems more directed between the window and the shoulder of the person sitting in the seat -- I do not believe the direction is adjustable for the top panel of this side vent. By the way, I did not scrape the ice off the front side windows and on a 25 minute commute into work it was never melted by the side window defroster -- even at the 90 degree setting. This doesn't sink the ship but it is a disappointment. Perhaps those who have their MDX garaged haven't noticed this yet? Has anyone else seen these problems?
p.s., congrats to all who are getting an MDX for X-mas ;-)