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Ok, I have finally had time to do some of the things to complete the RDX's look... Well, here they are!!!
I wrinkled the vinyl on the dogs, I'm going to re-do them one day...
The highbeams/DRL are now white halogen, I have better bulbs, but these I picked up for about two dollars a while back in eBay, I got three sets, one set is in the red Yukon in some of the pictures...
My front plate says RDX, I also have a frame for the rear to match...
I got the LED interior lights for $4.05 a few weeks ago, I know they're off eBay, but honestly, they're bright, pure white, and I have more than enough extras to replace them all almost twice, if they were to fail...
Red plastidip for the front "A", Rear "TURBO", and "SH" of SH-AWD... The rest is black...
I also ordered a set of Weathertech liners for the front, however, they are both drivers side mats, I E-Mailed the seller, their distribution center did that, they said this is they're second problem with packageing, and first time that this has ever happened.... We are now arranging correctment...
What else is there, the SI style decals on the doors, expecting heat for that, but I like it, makes it more Honda-ish...
Led plate lights, did last month, and Sylvania 7440 reverse lights, super pure white... I got Phillips 921, and when I went to put them in they fell out.... Then I realized, Honda uses weird sizes, forgot when I looked it up last month... I'm used to 921, everything I've ever had has used them...
Ok, I have finally had time to do some of the things to complete the RDX's look... Well, here they are!!!
I wrinkled the vinyl on the dogs, I'm going to re-do them one day...
The highbeams/DRL are now white halogen, I have better bulbs, but these I picked up for about two dollars a while back in eBay, I got three sets, one set is in the red Yukon in some of the pictures...
My front plate says RDX, I also have a frame for the rear to match...
I got the LED interior lights for $4.05 a few weeks ago, I know they're off eBay, but honestly, they're bright, pure white, and I have more than enough extras to replace them all almost twice, if they were to fail...
Red plastidip for the front "A", Rear "TURBO", and "SH" of SH-AWD... The rest is black...
I also ordered a set of Weathertech liners for the front, however, they are both drivers side mats, I E-Mailed the seller, their distribution center did that, they said this is they're second problem with packageing, and first time that this has ever happened.... We are now arranging correctment...
What else is there, the SI style decals on the doors, expecting heat for that, but I like it, makes it more Honda-ish...
Led plate lights, did last month, and Sylvania 7440 reverse lights, super pure white... I got Phillips 921, and when I went to put them in they fell out.... Then I realized, Honda uses weird sizes, forgot when I looked it up last month... I'm used to 921, everything I've ever had has used them...
I know, the red can be a bid tacky at times, I feel the yellow fog lights to have displaced it a bit though...
Do you ever feel the RDX handles too well?
I can't seem to drive it fast enough... It never feel pushed...
I never feel like I'm going so fast, the tires are gripping me only, I'm on the verge of understeer, the rear is coming around... Heck, the SH-AWD never even activated... I just can't seem to get it to, yet alone even find the limit... The roads are also quite rough at times so I do slow down quite a bit over rough patches... There is one good straight away where I do 0-60 runs, and high speed passes, I had it up to 89 and it felt good and stable... There's a transmission mechanic up there who goes the the mountains in easetrn Tennessee often, he drives a silver Mercedes-Benz convertible, he had it up to 170 on one of the roads in the mountains, he clams it has enough downforce so that it handes better at 170 than at 70... Go figure... By these pictures, I'm in rural southwest Mississippi...
I just love driving late at night up there, hence the name "Midnight Mystery", but I'm not much of a mystery without my intake...
If you feel the rear coming around in a tight turn is what it feels like with the sh-awd over rotating the outer rear wheel. The sh-awd is tuned to heavy front bias and it takes A LOT to get the "sh" to kick in for the sh-awd for the RDX. I usually see 1-2 bars max when the sh-awd kicks in for one wheel on a really tight turn. In my MDX on the same turn, I can see 2-4 bars depending how fast I'm going. I wish I could reflash my RDX with the MDX sh-awd programing. My MDX can switch to 70% rwd on steep inclines while my RDX is maybe 30%-40% on the same hill.
Sh-awd only works with engine power. I find the RDX feels better in a turn if I use the paddles to get the rpms up for the turbo and slow a bit before a turn, apply steady power into the the turn, start increasing the power around the 1/3 to 1/2 mark, and then really power out the curve to get the "sh" working. I find I can usually take a curve atleast 2X the posted limit with the RDX (25 mph speed limit 270 degree on ramp curve = 50-60 mph in the RDX). The 5AT can sometimes hurt performance along with poor tires. I've noticed the 5AT can downshift to a lower gear in sport mode compared to just staying drive using the paddles.
You just need to add Hondata for $300 and you will have the best bang for the buck performance/handling CUV for the $$$.
If you feel the rear coming around in a tight turn is what it feels like with the sh-awd over rotating the outer rear wheel. The sh-awd is tuned to heavy front bias and it takes A LOT to get the "sh" to kick in for the sh-awd for the RDX. I usually see 1-2 bars max when the sh-awd kicks in for one wheel on a really tight turn. In my MDX on the same turn, I can see 2-4 bars depending how fast I'm going. I wish I could reflash my RDX with the MDX sh-awd programing. My MDX can switch to 70% rwd on steep inclines while my RDX is maybe 30%-40% on the same hill.
Sh-awd only works with engine power. I find the RDX feels better in a turn if I use the paddles to get the rpms up for the turbo and slow a bit before a turn, apply steady power into the the turn, start increasing the power around the 1/3 to 1/2 mark, and then really power out the curve to get the "sh" working. I find I can usually take a curve atleast 2X the posted limit with the RDX (25 mph speed limit 270 degree on ramp curve = 50-60 mph in the RDX). The 5AT can sometimes hurt performance along with poor tires. I've noticed the 5AT can downshift to a lower gear in sport mode compared to just staying drive using the paddles.
You just need to add Hondata for $300 and you will have the best bang for the buck performance/handling CUV for the $$$.
So I can drive in sport mode without using the paddles? I hit the rev limiter the other day in sport mode, I was counting the rpms and forgot to shit...
I don't like having to drive fast to feel like I'm going fast...
I can't really get the feel for it, there's always rough patches and oncomming traffic discouraging me from trying anything...
If you feel the rear coming around in a tight turn is what it feels like with the sh-awd over rotating the outer rear wheel. The sh-awd is tuned to heavy front bias and it takes A LOT to get the "sh" to kick in for the sh-awd for the RDX. I usually see 1-2 bars max when the sh-awd kicks in for one wheel on a really tight turn. In my MDX on the same turn, I can see 2-4 bars depending how fast I'm going. I wish I could reflash my RDX with the MDX sh-awd programing. My MDX can switch to 70% rwd on steep inclines while my RDX is maybe 30%-40% on the same hill.
Sh-awd only works with engine power. I find the RDX feels better in a turn if I use the paddles to get the rpms up for the turbo and slow a bit before a turn, apply steady power into the the turn, start increasing the power around the 1/3 to 1/2 mark, and then really power out the curve to get the "sh" working. I find I can usually take a curve atleast 2X the posted limit with the RDX (25 mph speed limit 270 degree on ramp curve = 50-60 mph in the RDX). The 5AT can sometimes hurt performance along with poor tires. I've noticed the 5AT can downshift to a lower gear in sport mode compared to just staying drive using the paddles.
You just need to add Hondata for $300 and you will have the best bang for the buck performance/handling CUV for the $$$.
In reply to your speed limit example, I have a theory...
So the speed limit is 25
The RDX can do 50-60
My Camry is about to flip just past 35
The Kia I had could do about 45, and that's it...
So in order to have fun in the RDX you have to be going 2x the speed limit, I like to drive quickly, but not that fast....
That's just SCARY to me...
I drive on backroad a that are full of patches, and were mainly all gravel just decades erliar...
I don't like to take turns faster than 40, there always seems to be someone in a For Expedition or Chevrolet Suburban just around the bend and I only have 100 feet to slow to about 10 mph and pull off to the side to let them pass, not to mention, in earl hit a tree that someone cut and laid across the road back in, August or September, I had to go almost a mile over to the next road for a long detour...
I'm also trying not to kill deer, rabbits, dogs, cats, coyotes, opossums, armadillos, frogs, anything you can think of, haven't seen livestock out yet, but it happens too...
It really depends on the driving conditions and what you are comfortable with doing. Any gravel, ice, slush, dirt roads, etc... will be an equalizing factor in the corners for any vehicle. It is usually dry, hot, sunny with smooth roads in NM; which, is perfect for sh-awd. Since the RDX can handle a lot better than 95% of SUV/CUV, you can carry more speed into a corner and more speed out.
I updated my HIDs to D2S - Osram Xenarc 66240CBI HID Bulbs. That increased my range, width, and up'd the color temp towards 5000k. I have the same issues of wildlife once I leave the city limits and the extra range really helps. I had to take the front bumper off to do the HIDs; but, it only took me 25-30 mins total to do it.
It really depends on the driving conditions and what you are comfortable with doing. Any gravel, ice, slush, dirt roads, etc... will be an equalizing factor in the corners for any vehicle. It is usually dry, hot, sunny with smooth roads in NM; which, is perfect for sh-awd. Since the RDX can handle a lot better than 95% of SUV/CUV, you can carry more speed into a corner and more speed out.
I updated my HIDs to D2S - Osram Xenarc 66240CBI HID Bulbs. That increased my range, width, and up'd the color temp towards 5000k. I have the same issues of wildlife once I leave the city limits and the extra range really helps. I had to take the front bumper off to do the HIDs; but, it only took me 25-30 mins total to do it.
I will not remove the front bumper cover, I have no lift or service pit access to get to the bolts underneath... I'm just dead set against doing that myself...
I really wish it ride smoother and burned las gas, I got 13.2 around town last week, the best I saw in rural/highway areas is about 20-21 mpg... Strictly highway, maybe 22, maybe 23 but that's pushing it... I haven't done only highway yet though...
My grandfather gets better fuel economy in his 2003 GMC Yukon 5.3 V8...
When I found the RDX, I just decided on it...
We drive several seventh gen Accords a wile back, I really wanted a nice Honda...
We liked them all, the first one, black, had failing paint around the passenger windows , not very noticeable, and the tranny clunked and shifted hard...
I just wished I would have found a few other vehicles...
We looked at a Murano after hours, but we put a deposit on the RDX the next night, before we had looked elsewhere because it was the only thing under $8,400, and it was the worst week of the year, income tax refunds at its peak... It has some problems too I need to fix... I had to get a console armrest and lid, it was missing - $600...
It's got small dents and scratches...
Brake rotors are slightly warped, as in many Honda/Acuras....
The tires and brake pads are brand new...
Also the power steering pump and rack are leaking as well, so I get a loud humming/buzzing sound when the engine is warm, especially when it's already warm outside...
As for the handling, I enjoy pushing a non-performance, but good handling vehicle hard....
That way I can have fun within manageable means...
This just sucks really... Why can't I like it more...
I can't keep myself from looking at first gen MDXs, Crosstours, Oddeseys, Lexus RXs, and anything with a nice white/biege or dark red/biege color combo...
I've wanted a first gen MDX since I was four, literally...
I saw one parked outside a wedding sometime in 2000/2001...
I've gaucked at them ever since...
No lifts involved for taking off the front bumper. It is just 3 philips screws to take out in each of the front wheel wells, about 6 plastic clips on top and 8 clips below you can pop out with a flat tip screw driver, and the bumper is just wedged into the area near the headlight and side fender. You just move the bumper a few inches forward to get to the two screws on the bottom of the headlight. Once you un-do the 4 headlight screws, you can move the headlight housing forward a few inches to give you room to remove the dust cover, remove the plug from the rear of the HID, unclip the 2 retaining clips, pull the bulb straight out, and repeating the reverse order for the new bulb. Make sure the long grounding wire that runs the length of the HID bulb is pointed down or the bulb will not seat properly.
I think you found out why the 1st Gen RDX had a real "I really love it" or "I really hate it" following. The hate it crowd pretty much all had the same complaints of harsh ride, poor mpgs, and turbo lag. They made some minor changes to soften up the suspension in 08-09 and the +10 has some updated tech and even a smoother ride (but still harsh in SUV standards). The 07 RDX has the harshest ride out of the 07-12 model run. Your mpgs range is about normal for the RDX. The 2nd Gen RDX has zero in common with the 1st Gen other than the name.
The +07 MDX would be a smoother ride and have a better programed sh-awd. Unfortunately, your mpgs will drop more in the city; but, improve slightly on the hwy. The MDX does a little better job of providing a little fun when needed and luxury cruising when you are ready to relax. The RDX is like a hyperactive dog only at its best off the leash. 1st Gen MDX might be a good compromise. The 05-06 MDX seems to be the models everyone recommends.
Your RDX should be included in the Takata driver side airbag recall. You could get a rental vehicle from Acura until the parts come in for repairs. I parked my RDX in my garage and picked up a Chevy Silverado LT truck (using it to do spring yard work). Once I'm done with the yard work, I will trade the truck in for for a SUV or something sporty. I think if you try to sell now, you might so much less for it because of the airbag. I don't think parts will not be available until summer. The rental is free; but, you have to pay the insurance yourself. My policy covers my rental the entire time. Others had to renew every 30-days with their insurance companies.
No lifts involved for taking off the front bumper. It is just 3 philips screws to take out in each of the front wheel wells, about 6 plastic clips on top and 8 clips below you can pop out with a flat tip screw driver, and the bumper is just wedged into the area near the headlight and side fender. You just move the bumper a few inches forward to get to the two screws on the bottom of the headlight. Once you un-do the 4 headlight screws, you can move the headlight housing forward a few inches to give you room to remove the dust cover, remove the plug from the rear of the HID, unclip the 2 retaining clips, pull the bulb straight out, and repeating the reverse order for the new bulb. Make sure the long grounding wire that runs the length of the HID bulb is pointed down or the bulb will not seat properly.
I think you found out why the 1st Gen RDX had a real "I really love it" or "I really hate it" following. The hate it crowd pretty much all had the same complaints of harsh ride, poor mpgs, and turbo lag. They made some minor changes to soften up the suspension in 08-09 and the +10 has some updated tech and even a smoother ride (but still harsh in SUV standards). The 07 RDX has the harshest ride out of the 07-12 model run. Your mpgs range is about normal for the RDX. The 2nd Gen RDX has zero in common with the 1st Gen other than the name.
The +07 MDX would be a smoother ride and have a better programed sh-awd. Unfortunately, your mpgs will drop more in the city; but, improve slightly on the hwy. The MDX does a little better job of providing a little fun when needed and luxury cruising when you are ready to relax. The RDX is like a hyperactive dog only at its best off the leash. 1st Gen MDX might be a good compromise. The 05-06 MDX seems to be the models everyone recommends.
Your RDX should be included in the Takata driver side airbag recall. You could get a rental vehicle from Acura until the parts come in for repairs. I parked my RDX in my garage and picked up a Chevy Silverado LT truck (using it to do spring yard work). Once I'm done with the yard work, I will trade the truck in for for a SUV or something sporty. I think if you try to sell now, you might so much less for it because of the airbag. I don't think parts will not be available until summer. The rental is free; but, you have to pay the insurance yourself. My policy covers my rental the entire time. Others had to renew every 30-days with their insurance companies.
I don't have the money to do much like you did... I'm driving the RDX daily... As for the recall, it was issued just about two weeks before we took delivery of the RDX... I heard Acura recalled it due to the fact that the inflator is very similar to the bad ones in 6 gen Accords and 2 gen Odysseys...
There has never been an issue with any RDX, they just recalled it to make sure...
As for the driving, I loved the 2016 Toyota Camry SE rental we had for just over a month... It rode very smooth, but never floaty, you could still feel connected to the road... The EAPS, electric steering isn't bad at all, it gets heavy on center so it doesn't move without putting pressure against it...
I think the RDX rides smooth on a good road, but on a rough road, it's not good, the first time I had it on a rough road, the CD changer would skip so bad it would just freeze up...
It hasn't done it since, I'm not sure why...
The first gen MDX looks SO much like the 2007 Kia Sportage we had, I've gotten them mixed up at night before, look at the rear end...
Back in November and again in December 2012, we drove two MDXs, from what I recall, they were very similar to the Kia...
I sat in a 2003-2005 Pilot a couple of months ago, it felt big, like a huge bus or something, my head was over 12 inches from the headliner... It just felt bulky, I don't rennet this in the MDX...
One again, the best thing would be minimal body roll, smooth ride, but connected and not floaty... Good steering weight, the RDX is heavy in a parking lot, but feels kind of light on the road, it's almost twitchy...
On the Kia I could let go for a good 10 seconds and it would not move from dead center, all bump, slants, and imperfections were absorbed into the rack and pinion or somewhere before my hands... The rental was good too...
My 01 Camry is bad, I bent a rim one day when I first started a driving it, no matter what, it kept fallowing the road off too the side, it had no front end pull, the road did it, right into a four foot long piece of broken off white line...
The RDX is just different than I expected.... I'm just so used to Kia/Hyundai systems... The last time I drove the 01 on back roads, I was so sick, it was mid/late January 2015, March 14, the engine died, thanks to thin oil in the first of December 2014...
I got $8,900 for the Kia, $8,400 with deductable, we used our insurance even though it was other guys fault... That was with tax, tittle fees, so it was $7,7XX before that...
The RDX was $7,795, so direct swap....
It really bothers me, I've sways wanted a Honda/Acura, but I really thought I'd have that Kia for 20 years...
Well, my Weather Tech mats are in the mail, back to the distribution department of Weather Tech...
Yes, I got two drivers side mats... Well, actually liners, but for the sake of making myself clear, mats...
They said this has NEVER happened before...
Here's the proof :
I washed the RDX last night, and took a few pics to share with you all, once again, sorry, it looked WAY dirtier than normal in the photos... It had been a few days after I washed it, and I did a LOT of work to it, I don't know why I'm stressing my points like that...
Anyway, before the rain, pollen, and orange gravel gets on her, well, here she is...
I know, there's a few things to take care of, but this is what I intended it to look like... Even better daytime pics coming soon!!!
I know, the red can be a bid tacky at times, I feel the yellow fog lights to have displaced it a bit though...
Do you ever feel the RDX handles too well?
I can't seem to drive it fast enough... It never feel pushed...
I never feel like I'm going so fast, the tires are gripping me only, I'm on the verge of understeer, the rear is coming around... Heck, the SH-AWD never even activated... I just can't seem to get it to, yet alone even find the limit... The roads are also quite rough at times so I do slow down quite a bit over rough patches... There is one good straight away where I do 0-60 runs, and high speed passes, I had it up to 89 and it felt good and stable... There's a transmission mechanic up there who goes the the mountains in easetrn Tennessee often, he drives a silver Mercedes-Benz convertible, he had it up to 170 on one of the roads in the mountains, he clams it has enough downforce so that it handes better at 170 than at 70... Go figure... By these pictures, I'm in rural southwest Mississippi...
I just love driving late at night up there, hence the name "Midnight Mystery", but I'm not much of a mystery without my intake...
i've gone 14x + and it feels fine going to lower it and attempt to get an under tray made in order to get it to be a bit slippery going through the air.
i've gone 14x + and it feels fine going to lower it and attempt to get an under tray made in order to get it to be a bit slippery going through the air.
Revisiting this two months later, I do feel differently... I've gotten used to it...
It's just kind of weird to go as fast as you can, and have the vehicle say you can go faster...
When I posted this in April, I felt like I was driving a supercar in a parking lot...
Ok, maybe a little overstated...
And I've found some comers where I can just "Not Slow Down At All"!!!
If anyone noticed in the original pictures I have in the beginning of the thread the hood looks a bit hazy, well, long story short, the paint was bad!!! So I had wrapped in Carbon Fiber Black the other day!!!
Only always... And that's partly why I have an RDX and not a TL or an Accord!!!
Accually busted the exhaust in my old Camry pulling out of a parking lot, hit the curb, at the road, not even the parking lot kind, just the kind you're supposed to drive over and onto the street... It was also at a Toyota dealer, BTW!!!
Last edited by Midnight Mystery; Jul 13, 2016 at 07:21 AM.
Reason: Keypad error, again...
with coilovers, rsb, and fat summer tires it handles on rails my club solely does mountain twisties and track stuff and I sometimes get scared its too planted. I get a lot of wth is an suv doing outhandling my wrx/evo/focus etc comments ;-)
) with red badging, do you? So why put red badging on a family hauler? 
