2014 Acura MDX

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Hokiefyd

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My parents have test-drove a '14 Cadillac SRX, a '14 Dodge Durango, a '14 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a '14 Acura MDX. They are buying the Acura, in SH-AWD form. They're looking at both the Technology trim and the Advance trim. Dad said that one of the differences between the two is the Technology Trim has a lane departure warning system, and the Advance has a lane keep assist system, meaning it will actively steer (or perhaps trail brake a rear tire) to keep the vehicle in a lane if you drift out of it.

He wants the Advance package for other reasons, but I said that lane keep assist system raises an eyebrow with me. Does anyone more familiar with the brand new Acuras have any "read-ahead" knowledge of potential issues here? It uses electric power steering, so I imagine it's just a software variation to a conventional EPS steering rack.

Dad said that after owning Jeeps for many years, the Durango and Grand Cherokee just felt too "trucky". I drove the Durango with him and it indeed was pretty heavy-feeling (but still much better than I expected). The Cadillac SRX was not competitive in terms of how it drove. Even the AWD model had lots of torque steer and felt a lot like the old '97 Seville mom had (and then I had). They drove the Acura yesterday and said it drove a lot like their old one (that my family now drives), and that their decision is made...

I'm looking at the new MDX myself, for replacement of ours 3-5 years from now.
 
How long will they most likely keep it? I'd just get a base version. Way too complicated for me. Maybe wait a few years till the tech is perfected. Sometimes they'll just delete the item all together if no one wants it. My uncle bought a 2012 or 2013 MDX stating the deal was just too good to pass up. He's had acuras since I steered him to one in 1994 which was a Vigor.
 
The only rap I've heard about the current generation of Hondas/Acuras is the V6 "Variable Cylinder Management" system that shuts down 2 or 3 cylinders under low-load conditions. Some owners experienced plug fouling and oil-consumption issues related to the VCM system and Honda settled a class-action lawsuit about this technology a year or so ago.

One would hope that Honda and Acura have figured this out by now, but it's still a question mark for me. I've been thinking about the Acura RDX, but the VCM and premium fuel requirement leave me undecided.
 
Originally Posted By: ronbo
The transmission would worry me, since Honda had trouble with V-6 transmissions in the past.



That hasn't been a problem for a long long time.


Anyway, the systems you describe for keeping you in the lane and/or watching the car's position in the lane are not as new as you think. Other manufacturers have been using these for a while now (Infiniti, Mercedes, BMW, etc) with good success. I believe the Acura RL/RLX had this system a few years ago too.

My advice is to drive a car with it and test it a bit to see if you think it's worthwhile.
 
forwarning : If even one of the "Jewel Eyed" LED bulbs go out, you have to replace the whole assembly, usually to the tune of about $2000. RLX with its twin rows of LEDs cost nearly double that.
 
Originally Posted By: bourne
forwarning : If even one of the "Jewel Eyed" LED bulbs go out, you have to replace the whole assembly, usually to the tune of about $2000. RLX with its twin rows of LEDs cost nearly double that.


So it costs $4000 to replace the lights? Got a link for that?
 
I can't see LED headlights burning out, the reliability on them has to be extremely high. I would think the most likely replacement scenario would be an accident.
 
The LEDs should last a longggg time. My dad's 2003 G35 was one of the first cars with LED brake lamps and they all still work perfectly to this day.
 
Thanks guys. Money is no object in this case; they have plenty of it and their retirement fund is self-sustaining, and dad's Navy retirement pays their living expenses.

The VCM system doesn't bother me nearly as much here as it used to; I think the engine requires 0W-20 (which is almost always synthetic), and regardless of what the book or computer says, dad always changes oil every 5,000 miles. So the engine will be fine for as long as they'd own it. In fact, I wouldn't bet against my family buying their MDX in another 4-5 years, because they'll be ready for a newer one at that point, and so I'll help ensure that the maintenance is done on time.
 
As others have pointed out the trans and VCM issues have been resolved for years.

Note that LKAS can be turned off with a button to the left of the steering wheel if you don't prefer to use it.

A Jewel Eye headlight shouldn't go out as they're LED but if one somehow did, it would be covered under warranty.

Good for your parents on this decision. Not only is SH-AWD an amazing thing, they have the engine in this new version tuned for a flatter power/torque curve and many drivers are reporting 28-29MPG on the highway which is utterly phenomenal for an SUV like this.
 
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Good Gawd, the only way I could drive anything with all those 'nannies' on it would be if they were defeatable!

But the MDX is one of the best out there IMO. And it's decent looking now as well IMO.

LED headlights would not worry me, as I heard the same baloney about the HID's when I bought my car in 05 and they are still OEM and working well today...
 
If they plan on keeping the vehicle for 4-5 years why even worry about anything at all? It already comes with 4/48 new car warranty! Unless *you* plan to buy it at that time from them :-)
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
If they plan on keeping the vehicle for 4-5 years why even worry about anything at all? It already comes with 4/48 new car warranty! Unless *you* plan to buy it at that time from them :-)


They had to Lemon Law a 2005 Grand Cherokee Limited because the rear axle kept burning up. Nobody knows why it kept doing it. A Jeep dealer in Virginia even swapped the entire axle assembly out of another WK, and it still burned up. It had "new" technology at the time, some sort of active or electronic limited slip rear differential. Dad is generally not averse to new technology, but that vehicle purchase made a lasting impression.

So they don't want to be in-and-out of a dealer all the time, regardless of whether or not it has a warranty. It fortunately looks like these types of systems are proven enough that they should be reliable.

Steve, you are right; people would claim the same high replacement costs of HIDs very early on as reasons to avoid them. They've turned out to be just fine in practice. I actually didn't realize that the '14 MDX had LED headlamps. Cool.

Looks like they are looking at an SH-AWD Advance model in Silver Moon. Unsure of when they will buy. They will "retire" this year from full-time RVing and will likely settle in the Jacksonville, FL, area. They are looking at CCRCs, one of them being Fleet Landing in Atlantic Beach. I very much look forward to having family in Florida. I told them that we'll be burning up I-95 between here and there on holiday.
 
A wonderful thing about the MDX is how simple maintenance is on it besides a timing belt.

My Subaru mechanic in hole in wall garage can only to bear to charge me $15-$20 labor only when he changes the rear diff fluid or transmission fluid on our 2007 MDX if in for an oil change. He asks for me to haul in fluid which costs more than his labor!!!!

My 114k 07(first year) Tech & Entertainment MDX is flawless. Nothing is broken and it is loaded to the hilt with extras. I picked up at 82k miles and prior owner had a flawless ownership too. The only feature I would skip would be sport suspension that stiffens with button as struts are $800/each instead of $180/each like mine OEM. The sport suspension with electronics do fail apparently. I believe a DELCO part.
 
Update on this thread: my folks have ordered their new MDX from an Acura dealer in Ocala, FL. I don't know if it's Gatorland Acura or Jenkins Acura. Either way, they ordered it with the options they wanted, for $4,700 under sticker (and less than published invoice), and it'll be built in Alabama on or around May 20. The dealer said they're close enough that they could probably get it straight from the factory and skip the distribution network. So they might have the car by Memorial Day.

The gravy is the dealer is giving my folks a 2012 MDX loaner to drive, absolutely free, until their 2014 model comes in.

Every Acura dealer they've visited has been very good in terms of taking care of them. This one seems to be no different. I look forward to checking this new car out.
 
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