2014 Acura MDX

[The Critic]

Thanks for the review.

I really need to go check one out. I've ridden in and have driven quite a few SUVs lately, and I think I'd like to have one as my next car. The room, commanding view and utility are major considerations for me now.

Interestingly enough, the MDX gets much better fuel economy than its competition. The fuel economy of the MDX is nearly as good as the Jeep GC's diesel, but without the complexity.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
I've ridden in and have driven quite a few SUVs lately, and I think I'd like to have one as my next car. The room, commanding view and utility are major considerations for me now.


I am thinking of a small SUV for these reasons as my next vehicle, but more along the lines of a HR-V, Encore or Soul. If I go with another car, it will certainly be a 2015 Challenger R/T.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: dblshock
right..but take it to a dealer and the TB is a grand and $125 for the pumpkin..

this has to be one of the very last TB engines on the market most moved on 10 years ago.

at 30k per year thats an additional $460 scheduled maintenance other models don't have, add that to the poor fuel efficiency ( I was getting as low as 11 mpg. in cold windy situations) and you have an expensive vehicle to operate..this was the only one of many Honda products I was disappointed with...poorly thought out.


Ford took the route with their 1.6L TI-VCT and Ecoboost engine. It's a lot of work for routine maintenance.

I really like the Honda V6 engines. But I don't like timing belts on interference engines.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: dblshock
right..but take it to a dealer and the TB is a grand and $125 for the pumpkin..

this has to be one of the very last TB engines on the market most moved on 10 years ago.

at 30k per year thats an additional $460 scheduled maintenance other models don't have, add that to the poor fuel efficiency ( I was getting as low as 11 mpg. in cold windy situations) and you have an expensive vehicle to operate..this was the only one of many Honda products I was disappointed with...poorly thought out.


Ford took the route with their 1.6L TI-VCT and Ecoboost engine. It's a lot of work for routine maintenance.

I really like the Honda V6 engines. But I don't like timing belts on interference engines.

The timing belt is such a small item in the grand scheme of things that it isn't even worth talking about.

While I would be doing it myself, $1500 for the job is a minuscule amount of money in the big picture.

 

[Vikas]

Especially on a vehicle which lists for $60K+

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: dblshock
right..but take it to a dealer and the TB is a grand and $125 for the pumpkin..

this has to be one of the very last TB engines on the market most moved on 10 years ago.

at 30k per year thats an additional $460 scheduled maintenance other models don't have, add that to the poor fuel efficiency ( I was getting as low as 11 mpg. in cold windy situations) and you have an expensive vehicle to operate..this was the only one of many Honda products I was disappointed with...poorly thought out.


Ford took the route with their 1.6L TI-VCT and Ecoboost engine. It's a lot of work for routine maintenance.

I really like the Honda V6 engines. But I don't like timing belts on interference engines.

The timing belt is such a small item in the grand scheme of things that it isn't even worth talking about.

While I would be doing it myself, $1500 for the job is a minuscule amount of money in the big picture.

$3-4.5k more up front though would make alot of people go to the next dealer though...
But I suspect most people buying these won't keep them beyond one timing belt anyways, $1000-1500 isn't a big deal when its still relatively new, but once the car is 10+ years old, its just not a good feeling to dump another $1k into it for routine maintenance...

 

[Ed_T]

I think its TWO belts, one for each camshaft. IIRC

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Ed_T
I think its TWO belts, one for each camshaft. IIRC


It's one belt. One belt drives both camshafts.

 

[Vikas]

Are there any production (non-exotic) automobile engine which do have multiple cam belts?

 

[Vikas]

Did your folks get it with the LED headlights? Did you have an opportunity to drive at night with those lights?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Yes, all MDXes have the LED lamps. In a word, they are fantastic. They're likely as bright as FMVSS 108 allows them to be. All five "jewels" are on as DRLs, in a reduced power mode. The outer three jewels are the low beams and the inner two jewels supplement the lows for high beams. There's a very distinct difference in the beam pattern of the inner two. The outer three stay lit when the inner two come on for high beam. To my knowledge, there are no silly moving shields or anything to "wear out".

 

[dblshock]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: dblshock
right..but take it to a dealer and the TB is a grand and $125 for the pumpkin..

this has to be one of the very last TB engines on the market most moved on 10 years ago.

at 30k per year thats an additional $460 scheduled maintenance other models don't have, add that to the poor fuel efficiency ( I was getting as low as 11 mpg. in cold windy situations) and you have an expensive vehicle to operate..this was the only one of many Honda products I was disappointed with...poorly thought out.


Ford took the route with their 1.6L TI-VCT and Ecoboost engine. It's a lot of work for routine maintenance.

I really like the Honda V6 engines. But I don't like timing belts on interference engines.

The timing belt is such a small item in the grand scheme of things that it isn't even worth talking about.

While I would be doing it myself, $1500 for the job is a minuscule amount of money in the big picture.

$3-4.5k more up front though would make alot of people go to the next dealer though...
But I suspect most people buying these won't keep them beyond one timing belt anyways, $1000-1500 isn't a big deal when its still relatively new, but once the car is 10+ years old, its just not a good feeling to dump another $1k into it for routine maintenance...


Can anyone name another TB engine in current production?

 

[Vikas]

Has Toyota started doing V6 with chains?

 

[hypervish]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Has Toyota started doing V6 with chains?


Long time ago!

 

[Vikas]

How many manufacturer use plastic guide on the chains? What is the life time of a plastic component when the chain is literally riding on it? When it wears out, isn't it a huge job to fix it?

I was looking at few Boxster engine rebuilt video that vario cam guides had lot of wear at 90K miles.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
How many manufacturer use plastic guide on the chains? What is the life time of a plastic component when the chain is literally riding on it? When it wears out, isn't it a huge job to fix it?

I was looking at few Boxster engine rebuilt video that vario cam guides had lot of wear at 90K miles.

Practically every modern chain I have seen rides on plastic. Most engines have the original plastic timing parts until they day they enter the junkyard.