Hi everyone. Your opinions on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

First off the reason I narrowed my choice to Rdx. Thinking of having a kid in 2 years and by the kid gets to 2-3 years old I'd like to be car payment free. With this perspective lease is not an option. And I would like to keep the car for 7+ years to get the most out of my "investment". Hence reliability becomes a factor. I currently drive a 328 and driving fun is incomparable however I would not want to keep the car beyond warranty - same for all BMW. Q5 is in the same boat. I am down to crv rx or rdx. Probably I won't feel great about crv's cabin noise and ride comfort (yes I haven't test driven any yet). Rx looks a bit better interior quaility but way too expensive in Canada. Plus I heard some negative comments about its drive comfort. So would you agree on narrowing to Rdx? Have you noticed a huge difference between the crv and rdx cabin noise and ride comfort?

Second part: acura dealer offered to take over the lease on my BMW 328 (1 year left). I am thinking this as an option to start making 1 year of pay,nets towards ownership rather tha lease. What do you think? The possibility of 2015 rdx having the onscreen controls scares me a bit. I am not much of a fan.

Last but not least the BMW is a great car don't get me wrong. The quality of screen interior is much superior and well designed compared to many including rdx. However not a car to keep. @60K Kms went to service 6 timescale and no fix to suspensions and springs

 

While the RDX is a great car, if I were in your shoes, I would have fun with the 328 and wait a few more years unless you really need the utility of a CUV immediately or just can't wait to have a new car. 2 years from now, the RDX may get some other bells and whistles and they might flush out some of the minor issues. Also you can CPO the 2013 model for a lot less if the refresh is really that bad.. With a child, you or your significant other may even want to look at the MDX at that point or dare I suggest the Honda Oddyssey...just my opinion.

 

You say "take over the lease." Is that like buying you out so your name does not appear anywhere on the original lease papers? If so that might be a avenue out. Under no circumstances would I be caught in a late model BMW that was not under warranty.

You will certainly enjoy a new RDX if that's what you decide.

 

IMO i've sat in the CRV and driven the RDX. the CRV looks incredibly "functional" and boring (interiorwise). i've never liked the looks of the current gen CRV. if you're used to the "luxury" of BMW, the RDX will be a better choice vs the CRV. enjoy the bmw now while you can until the bun is in the oven. once that happens then go shopping. road noise i've noticed is significantly reduced in the acura line vs the honda line.

i'd say shop, but dont' worry about buying until the kid is on his/her way. something else may come out to perk your interests and the RDX may get a few refinements in two yrs before the MMC.

 

Yes buyout.

 

Thanks a lot everyone. Quite reassuring points you've made. I really like the mdx but doesn't fit in the garage. And in the Canadian winter you don't want to leave the car outside.

 

^^ I agree with the advice given here too. If you like to own a vehicle for a long term, BMW would not be my first choice. The RDX is going to bring you a more luxury feel than the CRV will, and a much smoother engine to boot. I would not worry about a drastic change to the RDX at its MMC...maybe a few added features but I doubt they will change to a tactile screen as you were alluding to in your original message. If you can find a 2013 RDX model on the lot, you could get a good deal before the 2014 model hits the lot (soon) and start being on your way to a payment free lifestyle

 

I just recalled my car shopping experience 3 years ago and thought it would be relevant here: I really liked the Q5s, still do. Bluntly asked the dealer: need a car without major maintenance cost after 100K KMs. His response tells a lot: If you'd like to own a BMW or an Audi past 100k you should prepare yourself to pay about $5000 a year for the maintenance. when I confronted: isn't that a bit too high for a 5-6 year old car he said: but you'll be driving a German car. No thanks...hence I ended up leasing the 3 series.

 

^^ So there you go, you have your answer right there as far as the cost associated with owning a "driver's car". They are nice vehicle and are fun to drive but as with anything, there are pros and cons. If you lease or trade often, then sure, BMW/Audi are great but if you are looking for long term reliability and lower cost of ownership (and resale value), that is where the Japanese excel

 

I agree with TLtrigirl.

I knew that leaving my G35 behind would be hard but I was only going to allow myself to do this if the replacement was comparable. And hence why I ended up with my RDX. No way I could've gotten the same "luxury" interior from a RAV4, or Subaru.

RDX is the way to go if you are leaving your 3 series behind.

 

Lexus is coming out with a slightly smaller version of the RX based on the RAV4. It will be built in Japan. From what I've read it will be similar in size to the RDX and have a small turbo 2.0T as base engine and a hybrid version with the same powertrain as the RX350h which should make it a little quicker and even better MPG. Should be out in about a year I think so that may be something to do a little research on as your lease expiration nears.

Haven't read anything but I have a feeling that Lexus may also stretch the RX a bit and add a 3rd row. Then the RX could compete directly against the MDX and the new smaller one would compete directly against the RDX. There are a lot of people that just love Lexus but just think the RX is a little big and heavy. This new smaller CUV may be just what they are looking for and may cut into RDX sales. Competition is good for everybody!

 

^^ That would be an interesting one to watch. The way the RX is outselling pretty much everyone, I am sure some people are going to be nervous. If they hit a home run with their design and make the RX as direct competitor with the MDX, Acura could be in trouble. That being said, it could backfire as some may find the "new" RX too big and the new model they will introduce as too small or dislike the turbo engine. Right now, the RX caters to the middle of the pack....and its numbers do show that it is popular amongst consumers.

 

Keep in mind that one of the reasons the RX numbers are so great is that they only have one offering versus Acura with two, the MDX and RDX. Add those together and you get a better comparison against the RX. I agree that if Lexus does it right, Acura will really have to step up it's game some. I don't think the turbo would bother Lexus buyers much as long as it's quiet. LOL.

 

geocord....that is a valid point of the combined sales of the MDX/RDX. I wonder how this will affect the overall sales of the Lexus' SUV when they have both models on the go.