Type X

Do you warm the car up in the morning? or have an autostart
I avg like 11/12mpg city due to the fact every morning it runs ten minutes... if you sit in the car during the warm up you'll actually see the MPG avg decreasing when idle.

stuhFAN

^ why let it idle for so long? It only needs a minute or two. Beyond that, you're wasting gas.

ceb

Idling a car for any length of time is wasteful and bad for the car.

The quickest way to warm up the car is to drive it. I start the car, wait for the OK to pop up on the nav, back it out of the garage and go. Two minutes later it is blowing warm air and at 4 minutes the temp is in operating range.

Technically, the same would hold true if the car were parked outdoors, but in that case I remove snow from the windshield cover, remove the cover and start the car. Defrost (front and rear) on high and the sunblinds down. I finish cleaning off the car, get in and drive off.

weather

ottoman....23k worth of options!! Ouch...that is where Acura and the others brands differ I think....

powerflow

My 2nd Gen RDX had been great. Overall Its a solid Honda product imo. I'm just past a year of ownership.

newbrdx

I bought a 2013 RDX Tech Pkg in August of 2012. It now has 32k miles on it so far. I drive just over 60 miles each day for my commute plus a few extra miles for business appointments. I have zero regrets and no issues with my RDX. So far, it has been perfect, no issues to speak of. Good luck with your hunt and decision!

Shifty103

Picked up our new RDX AWD Tech on 2/14/14 and it's been out of the garage once since. Just can't bring myself to take it out get it covered with road salt. Traded a 2012 CRV on it...really liked that car also...just couldn't resist the RDX after a test drive.

Shifty103

I will say though that the one thing that surprised me the most is the fact that Honda has not come out with window visors for the new model RDX. Had them for our CRV ( OEMs ) and they looked great due to the fact that they had the chrome strip and did not stick out far. They were not cheap but looked great on the car and were very useful during trips to Florida when heat was extreme. I look forward to someone finally coming out with ones that will work on the newer model RDX.

Shifty103

Has anyone bought rims for mounting snow tires on the newer model RDX? I am a little concerned about the tire pressure system. Should I buy from dealer or is it safe to buy from a third party. Not sure how that works.

ceb

Nope, nobody has bought rims for mounting snow tires.

Rims won't help. You'll need the entire wheel (which normally includes the rim as well.

That out of the way, let's talk about TPMS. The sensors are normally separate from the wheel purchase and can be bought online or at a dealer. Dealer pricing is usually much more expensive than online (search eBay for "buy it now" prices from reputable sources).

To recap. You'll need wheels (with rims ), sensors and tires. I can't think of any wheel that fits the RDX that won't accept the Acura sensors, so where you buy the wheels is immaterial. Make sure they are round, straight and come from a reliable source.

markAZ

I'm trying to understand the difference between a wheel and a rim. Aren't they the same thing, at least in this context?

dgerry2

Kind of a technicality (and I think it depends on what part of the country your from) but, wheels are the entire steel/alloy component on which tires are mounted. A rim is technically the outer part of the wheel that holds the tire (in other words its a part of the wheel).

markAZ

OK, but I don't know of any car wheels that are two part. Some heavy truck and bicycle or motorcycle wheels, but nothing that would be used on an RDX. I've always heard the terms used interchangeably with respect to cars. Then again, I've also been known to be pedantic.

dgerry2

Not saying they are two parts, just the wheel is the whole unit, rim is an area or section of the wheel. Kind of like tire and tire tread, you don't say I'm looking for some new tread (not anymore anyways), your looking for the whole component, the tire. BTW, I'm with you, the term nowadays is pretty much interchangeable. I was just trying to explain the technical aspect of it, since you asked!

ceb

and yes, there are several multi-piece wheels available for cars where you can mix-n-match bits of a wheel assembly.

5 Acuras

iTrader: (1)

Shifty, one possible source: http://www.tirerack.com/

5 Acuras

iTrader: (1)

Rim vs wheel: http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/thr...i-alone.71727/

danmangto

Looks interesting...340 horse... Looks to be slightly smaller inside than the RDX, but I'm sure much more fun to drive. EPA gas mileage estimates aren't out yet... Also a lot more $$ than the RDX.. At least $15k to $20k more.

danmangto

Agreed... Some People want their car super warm on cold mornings, LOL! I see it all the time in the NY City suburbs here... people remote starting their car for 15 to 20 min every morning.. on a timer and then by the time they go to get in the car, it's 1hr later.. LOL! Same people complain about how bad their gas milage is in their SUV's they are running for 20 min every morning. For me even on these 15 degree mornings I get right in RDX start and go.. and go slowly, which I can since I live on side roads with low speed limits. It's cold at first, but it saves gas. And the car warms up faster while driving vs idling for 20 min with a remote start.

CoachRick

Regarding the warmup mileage, I'm reminded of test-driving the RX330 years ago. The sales dude put petrol in the vehicle(automatically resetting the mileage readout), then drove to meet me in the parking lot where we sat for quite a while with the engine running. We were actually cooling down as it was quite warm out, necessitating the use of the A/C. When we got to the instrument goodies, I scrolled through the info screens and came to Average MPG...12! Guess that mileage might have been hurt just a touch by sitting and not going! Don't think I will ever live where warming the car for 15 minutes is a 'necessity'.(Cooling with the A/C initially...maybe )

GoesByFish

After this winter, I'm with you. I'm moving south after grad school. I was looking at the parchment interior cuz I thought it might not get as hot then I thought "meh, I'll just get the remote start and have it start the A/C"

weather

CoachRick....I am with you! We are bracing for another snow storm next Thursday....This winter has been harsh for us on the East Coast I will likely semi retire down south in about 10 years or so....

Rockhead

I ended up getting a black and black 2014 AWD with the Tech package today. So far my only gripe is that it needs to air out a bit... too much new car smell gave me a headache on the ride home.

stuhFAN

Congrats!

davisinla

FYI, the new car odor in mine wasn't very strong - in fact, I liked it.

CoachRick

81 degrees F here today folks Bit of a windy cool-down tomorrow but reaching the 70s later in the week. Come on down!!! The Volvo C70 is seeing some serious topless action!

weather

^^ You are a BRAVE man to be posting this kind of stuff when we are getting ready for a winter storm!! *lmao*

Type X

-10 + pregnant wife & we only drive like 2 miles to the train so the car doesnt get warm. Driving that short distance DAILY on an ice cold motor is worse then idling IMO

Shifty103

Was unable to get back to see responses until tonight, but I want to thank those who responded to my question of snow tires, wheels, and TPMS. I certainly appreciate the help.

Sarabono

Nice ride! Hope you can avoid the tickets the right pedal can bring. LOL

(I know I would have trouble in that department.)

012TL-GLM

Did any of you cross shop the Grand Cherokee before settling on the RDX? My next vehicle is assuredly an SUV and I've checked out just about everything under 50K well equipped and so far the GC is the winner, except the new 8 spd tranny is horrible imo. I currently drive a '12 TL SH-AWD and next time I'm in for service I plan to test an RDX. I like the MDX but its huge and I don't have kids in the house anymore. On paper the RDX is the faster vehicle, but I can't help but think the GC has a lot more utility. If you did shop both, what about the RDX won you over? Thanks

davisinla

Not only did I cross shop the GC, I actually was ready to buy one. But during an extended test drive, I just couldn't get comfortable in the driver's seat. It felt very hard and the bolsters were too close together. It felt like I had a bunch of stuff in my pockets - although they were empty. (Weird because I'm not a big guy, nor do I have a wide bottom.) But I drove an RDX on some mountain roads later that day, left them my Highlander, and drove it home.

I would have liked to have some of those features that the GC has you mentioned, but to me, the drive/ride is more important than features. And I really liked the way the RDX felt and handled.

Rekstrom

I did. In fact, after a LOT of shopping and driving and wearing out my welcome at dealerships, I got a JGC Limited with Nav, sunroof, and some other add ons. I had always had a truck, so I liked riding higher in the Jeep, and liked that it had 4WD and was roomier than RDX or Q5.

However, the day after I bought it the I saw the new 2014 issue of Consumer Reports on Autos, and was dismayed that the JGC was given a rock-bottom reliability rating (my initial research had indicated "average"?) So I did some online searching and came across a site that had literally hundreds of complaints about the UConnect system blacking out (I love the UConnect, it is better than most other infotainment systems), and worse, sometimes the brakes would fail for some people when it went out; and a few even lost the entire dash display, or couldn't control the accelerator while driving on the highway. In other words, catastrophic safety failures.

I took it immediately to the Acura dealer where I had bought my wife's MDX and traded it on the spot for a 2014 RDX Tech. I don't regret it. The RDX is the "winner" in safety, reliability, resale value, and has more comfortable seats (for me) and better gas mileage (I have read many places that nobody gets the advertised 25 mpg hwy in the Grand Cherokee, more like 21).

I do think the UConnect is better than the RDX Tech, easier to use and more intuitive as a touch screen; but I just don't have confidence that it will work reliably (lots of people saying they had it die 4 times, and got no support from Chrysler). If and when Jeep improves the reliability and works out the bugs in the UConnect system, I would consider it again. At this time, no thanks.

So, granted, it is a sample of one, and I didn't have mine long enough to see problems; but I decided the comfort of Acura reliability was important enough to tip the balance. YMMV and yes I realize thousands of people are driving JGC's with no problems. For me it is about peace of mind.

Acuramon

Took my TL in for some routine maintenance. The dealer couldn't get to it that day so they gave me an RDX as a loaner. What a great little truck! Easy to handle, fun to drive, good power, pretty good gas mileage and great looking to boot. If I were in the market for a truck I sure wouldn't be remorseful about buying one of those.

Acuramon

The new car smell is just about the finest smell in the world. Especially when it's yours.

mindanalyzer

A few months ago, I was this close to trade my RDX. I wasn’t a happy camper due to issues such as a rumble noise (VCM related), the vehicle jerky behavior at low speeds (in traffic), the suspension, etc. At that time I considered (and researched) some vehicles such as X3, Q3, Ford explorer sport, Grand Cherokee, etc. Note: My previous vehicle was a fully loaded 2009 chevy avalanche

Well, fast forward 8 months, and I can say that I am quite happy and satisfied with the RDX these days. Somehow it has grown on me A LOT. I am even surprised to say that; I don’t feel the rumble noise that much anymore and when I do it does not bother me as badly as before, I have also adapted to the behavior of the trans at low speeds, the steering wheel feel and the suspension. I absolutely love how fast and responsive this vehicle is, the longer I own the vehicle the more I like its design, its nimbleness (is that a word? Note: Spanish is mother tongue) and smoothness, its great value and excellent reliability (I have only been to dealerships for regular maintenance and during the first 6 months 2-3 to complain about the VCM rumble noise)

I have found myself these days talking very positively about the RDX and recommending it to my friends when the goal is for long term ownership. I think that when this is the idea this vehicle offers a great value. I am planning to keep the vehicle for at least 8 years. Now, if I were interested in leasing I would have probably gone with the german competitors (X3, Q5), the grand Cherokee diesel, or the oncoming MKC.

YeuEmMaiMai

I have a 2002 CLS and the RDX compares very favorably to it when you get down to the following:

Seating comfort
Acceleration
Fuel economy
forward visibility (ie ease of see out)
HID lights
HVAC comfort and noise
engine growl when you get on the throttle

The RDX does the following better
1. Inclement weather driving
2. driving height
3. Storage
4. Tech content in the car

the CL-S does the following better
1. Handling, there is no comparison between the two
2. Steering feel
3. Rear Visibility
4. Side visibility
5. road noise

I drive the RDX when I get a chance and it returns nearly identical fuel economy for my route to work. I enjoy driving both of them.

bvogel7475

I have a 2013 RDX fwd with Tech. I am not happy with the traction of the front wheels when I rapidly accelerate from a dead stop to 5 mph. The front wheels break loose almost every time. The traction control kicks in after I have squealed the tires for a few seconds. This includes perfectly dry pavement. I didn't try this when I test drove the AWD version and am wondering if AWD has the same issue. I am also having problems with the Pandora interface on my I-phone 4 when it is connected to the USB cable. After the latest Pandora update, I can only see what song is playing. Station lists, the like feature,etc are no longer available. I talked to the dealer service department here in Anaheim, California about any software updates to fix this. He indicated that there are not any available. Today is probably the day I will go and get an I-phone 5. I will test my son's I-phone 5 first to make sure the issue is directly related to having an I-phone 4.

Like other forum members. I have also experienced the wheel vibrations at 60 mph. I had all my wheels road force balanced (this is much more precise than regular spin balancing) and 80% of the vibration went away. I still notice it but it doesn't really bother me anymore. I rarely drive at just 60 mph anyway. So, maybe that has helped as we'll. Who drives at 60 mph for any length of time anyway? Out here in California, I would say that drivers who are 60+ years of old and inexperienced Asian drivers (usually old as we'll) drive this slow on highways and freeways. Sorry, if you are an old Asian forum member. This is not a racist comment. The stereotype is mostly true and obviously doesn't include all drivers in these categories.

Other than the traction, the Pandora problem, and the vibration issue, the car has been great. I went on a trip to Mammoth in March and mainly drove around 80 mph (sometimes up to 100 mph when no cars were around) and got about 29 mpg for the whole 800+ mile journey. I am also 6'3" and weigh 215 lbs and found the seats to be very comfortable.

ceb

Then there are the dumbass California drivers who don't understand that if a "Pandora update" changed the way the way that your Pandora works then it isn't Acura's fault - or those who have been living under a rock and think they have an I-phone instead of an iPhone.

Equally, there are those dumbass California drivers who don't understand the difference between FWD and AWD and don't understand that categorizing a particular segment of the population and then saying "this isn't racist" IS racist.

This stereotyping doesn't apply to all California drivers - just the dumbass ones who are closet racists.

P.S. - I don't fall into your 60+ Asian driver category either. I'm just offended by ignorance and overt stupidity.

danmangto

Thats the problem with these VIBRATION-Cylinder Management engines, LOL! If you enjoy your $40k+ Luxury branded vehicle to vibrate and make strange sounds during steady highway driving, then this is the vehicle for you.. LOL! The competition can get nearly identical EPA gas mileage without resorting to this. I will not own another V-CM engine again. My Oddy already broke down once from fouled plugs and ignition coils going bad (known-common problem). If you keep driving it you will damage the engine, luckily I shut it off soon enough so I avoided the engine damage For the RDX I would only lease it and be done with it in 3yrs.. I wouldn't want to long term OWN any VCM engine...

The other issue is Lack of tech in a luxury brand. The Honda Accord offers more tech features than the RDX, that is pretty sad given the brand and price point. Heck, the Honda Oddyssey offers more tech.