copmagnet82

I'm entertaining the idea of selling my 2010 MDX Tech. All I've ever owned were Honda products (about 17 years now) and I've never had any issues with any of them. I don't really know what it's like to do any more "fixing" to the car other then routine maintenance. Most people would be happy about that, so I don't know if I'm looking for an "adventure" or if I'm just bored with only owning Honda and I want to experience a German car.

So here are my choices:

Acura MDX
BMW X5
Mercedes Benz GLE 350
Porsche Cayenne

Things to keep in mind:
- must be fun to drive
- I'd like to keep the car for at least 5-7 years
- must tow at least 5000lbs
- wife will be the one driving it majority of the time
- I like to do my own work on cars

Any personal experiences are welcome. Thanks.

jterp7

no 2 and 5 suggests the mdx imo. The real answer is pick what the wife wants lol

Jakes_tl

Oh you won't be bored with German cars between the visits to shops and paying the bills.

I would go new MDX or maybe the new Pilot but I am one of these people that hates expensive maintenance, expensive name tags. I am more into the reliable, practical type cars.

mrgold35

I'm not sure I would want the trade off of long term reliability and cost of ownership over sporty handling/lower reliability/higher cost of ownership? This is assuming you are keeping the SUV past the basic warranty (or purchasing used with some warranty left). I wouldn't turn down any of the choices you picked; but, it would have to be a brand new lease or used and replace after the warranty expires compared to keeping any new/used Acura to 150,000 to 200,000 miles like I do now.

jterp7

if only the pilot had IDS and real shawd...I drove one a couple weeks ago and the steering is way too light, even the odyssey is much heavier and the awd doesn't aggressively torque vector either.

pickettt

I was facing the same dilemma, I was in the market for Mercedes GL350 or BMW X5. But for all of the reasons you've already stated (I usually keep my cars 10 years, I wrench my own cars, etc.), I had to look to Acura or Lexus. If you've got money to burn, buy a German luxury car. If not, then don't.

Bluepill

With 40K on my 2014, I would do it again. Only 2 problems so far: the EPS software update and the A/C bolt recall. Both fixed quickly.


I cannot believe how much better the SHAWD digs in compared to my 2005 with the tame and lame system.

copmagnet82

I test drove the ML350 and I have to admit it doesn't have to edge to it like the MDX as far as driving experience at the limit, but it feels so much more premium and luxurious than the MDX; I don't know if they can even compare. I wouldn't mind paying a few thousand more to have similar fit, finish, and materials as in the Benz. I know Acura can do it, because they did it in the RLX. I'm just wondering why they don't do it in all of their cars?

Keep your opinions coming, especially if you're coming for a BMW or a Benz.

jterp7

I actually do get what you mean, but wouldnt that move the mdx officially into conpeting with the tier 1s so to speak? The RLX also is not expected to move the same volume that the mdx does, and if we're comparing similar items the s class still is quite a bit better than the ML in terms of quality right?

neoshi

Euro finishes are definitely better than Japanese. There's just something "hollow" about Japanese vehicles. For the ML, the new GLE is supposed to address some of the handling, so I would probably wait for the GLE to really decide between those two.

copmagnet82

Since we are talking tiers now, wouldn't it be nice to be among the "firsts", not the "seconds". I mean, have you ever heard of somebody being proud to be the second best?

copmagnet82

I just realized that it was actually a GLE that I test drove, I'm not used to the new nomenclature, I still consider it the M-class.

And yes, as far as handling, the GLE wasn't half as bad as I expected. It was actually quite a nice package overall. Now, when it comes to the interior, if I were to compare the interior of the cars that I listed the MB would be the nicest, followed by the Porsche (not design, but quality of the materials) and then pretty much a tie between BMW and Acura with a slight edge to BMW. Like you said, there is something "hollow" about Japanese vehicles. I think they may feel like that because they sort of feel light on their feet and maybe that's what some of us are feeling. I don't know, but if I decide not to get the MDX, it will be odd not owning a Honda vehicle after being strictly team Honda for 17 years.

jterp7

To me the mdx is the best sporty suv 7 seater this side of 100k. If you can afford porsche or range rover then sure those are better no question.

NBP04TL4ME

OP - why would you mess with success? How happy is the Mrs. going to be when her car is regularly in the shop? Remember "Happy a wife, Happy Life.". I personally would never own a German marque out of warranty.

Type34

When I first did the oil and air filter change on my 2003 BMW 325i, it felt like a completely different type of vehicle. Nothing major, just little differences.

I'm glad I tried BMW and now we're back to owning 2 MDXs in the garage and a Hyundai Veloster as my commuter.

Variety is the spice of life. Lease an X5 for 3 years and see if you like it. If you don't, in 3 years hand it back to BMW with a smile and jet off to your nearest Acura dealer

NBP04TL4ME

I could see trying this. However OP keeps his vehicles longer than the three years.

neoshi

You should see my coworker's Range Rover Sport... in the shop every other week. Oy vay. We're going to have to discuss "better." lol

copmagnet82

How was the BMW? What did you like and didn't like about it?

As far as leasing, in my case, the only bad part is that I put about 25000 miles on a car per year. That's why I buy my cars and keep them for a long time, so I get the most out of every one of them.

copmagnet82

If I could only answer that question...

NBP04TL4ME

Take a few minutes and read this - https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-mdx-...i-suvs-935579/

hand-filer

I don't put much stock in newspaper car reviews. I did find the single response to the review amusing.

jterp7

He must be from azine lol.

csmeance

First off with a german car you'll be loosing a lot of money on resale and also on maintenance over 5-7 years. I leased my 760 and bought it out at the end saving me around $50K from MSRP of around $140K. Lease + buyout could work better over 5-7 years for you.

Fidelity has spent over 50K on repairs on my 760 plus rental cars. I'd highly recommend an extended warranty.

All the cars listed are great, but at the end of the day it comes down to what makes and keeps your wife happy.

The 2016 MDX is certainly a step up from the 2010 MDX you have but it's not quite the same caliber as the germans. If your wife and family has been happy with the 2010, you will be thrilled with the tech package 2016 MDX.

The build quality isn't the as refined as the germans but at the same time you are paying a lot less and saving a lot more money over time due to how durable they are. At the end of the day, doors that sound better really don't make the person happy, it's the experience of owning the car. My MDX has certainly done that just as much, if not more than my 760 with a V12.

The X5, GLE, and MDX will certainly be nicer for your wife & family over the course of a few years as the Porsche is a bit of a pain to get comfy in and enjoy day to day.

X5 and GLE are pretty good competitors but the GLE is a bore to drive in my opinion. I'd get the X5 with xDrive. Personally, I'd go out all crazy and get a pre-owned X5M

copmagnet82

Thanks for all the replies and keep them coming. For now, I decided to hold off on getting a new car until the Jaguar F-Pace is released and I test drive that. Again, till then, keep 'em coming as it always takes me "10 years" to buy a new car.

jterp7

the Fpace on paper looks good, but if you don't mind the price of entry I would take the cayenne now over the X5 for a drivers SUV that you can buy today

Type34

Ah yes, you'll need to buy with that mileage.

I enjoyed my BMW and of the 15 vehicles my wife and I have owned (of all makes and models), the 325i was the best handling car of the lot. Little things like the quality of the paint really impressed me. But because BMW doesn't cut corners, EVERYTHING is expensive on a BMW.

I don't have the time nor the money to take risks on vehicles any longer; I have a 5 year old and now a month old baby. I personally don't see me going back to BMW any time soon. Acura makes a great product that is, by comparison, a valuable buy.

Our 2006 MDX has 149K miles and drives like it has 30K miles. These cars are bullet-proof. I can't say I've experienced that with any other brand. Hence why we have a 2016 MDX.

copmagnet82

Yes, that's why I've been getting Hondas all this time. Now, I'm wondering, since all new cars are loaded with electronics, will Honda remain at the top as far as the number of visits to the stealership.

copmagnet82

What year is the Range Rover? I thought the new ones were a lot better in reliability department.

copmagnet82

Today, I actually sat again in the MDX w/ Advance package. I guess it's not as "bad" as I originally thought it was. As far as the interior goes, I think the GLE is still nicer. The X5 is also nice, not as nice as the GLE, but I don't think it's that much nicer than the MDX when it comes to the quality of the materials; definitely not $20,000 more nicer when similarly equipped.

Now, my biggest gripe with the MDX is the infotainment system, the appearance of it; it looks like it was designed in 1999. Also the navigation maps could be updated a little. I know I'm sort of splitting hairs now, but if you're paying $55k for a car, the graphics should not look like they were designed by a 2 year old. Something as simple as keeping the letters in the menus the same size, using a font that is more visually pleasing, or giving you the option of a more elegant background color, like gray or black, versus blue, red, orange or green. It's all in the details. The little Acura animation in the middle of the gauge cluster when you start up the car, and in general the graphics in that display, I think are sharp. I don't understand why something equally visually pleasing was not done for the infotainment system.

I got a lot of thinking to do... I have to weigh out the needs, the wants, and the money.

jterp7

I didnt actually drive the xc90 but just the ipad alone was enough to make me say wtf acura this is actually pretty nice why cant you guys do this. I would settle for carplay too but that is no doubt a 2017 thing at the earliest.

neoshi

2015. Brand new

neoshi

Yeah the infotainment definitely seems archaic compared to the competition. Prem-Lux market actually cares quite a bit about infotainment, which is why I was a bit surprised by their lack of refinement in the department. Just doesn't make you feel like there's much class in that area. I remember the system in the 2009 TL and it isn't much different than today's system.

jterp7

i remember complaining loudly when TL switched to german style wheel vs touchscreen and now that i'm used to it in my 14 TL i don't want to go back in the 16mdx. I want my damn carplay lol, just give us a higher res screen

Also I prefer the single larger touchscreen ala 16 pilot with hvac and heated seats moved back to physical buttons/switches

haganjeff

My prerequisites were exactly the same as yours with the exception of it being MY daily driver. I chose the X5 and had a love hate relationship with it. I had the Sport Package with the huge tires and it handled terrific. It also towed like nobody's business and was super comfortable with the multi-contour comfort seats.

However, I grew to hate it as well. It would rattle and creak sometimes and would throw a check engine light at the worst times. It was in the shop 4 times in the 8 months I owned it. BMW couldn't care less. I was so mad after a $2,000 high pressure fuel pump went out at 52,000 miles, that I drove straight to the Acura dealership and went with my 2nd choice, which should have been my first choice after all.

I'm loving my 2016 MDX SHAWD - Tech. There are certainly some things it is missing and a couple of things I would change, but I really don't think there is anything else out there that combines all the positive attributes it has. Looks nice, very quick, handles pretty well and evens tows fairly well all in a comfortable package. Now, if we could just get a "Sport" version...

KES

17 years with Honda/Acura products including 12 in a MDX that went 200+K I made the switch to the X5. Q7 was dated. Mercedes was okay but the diesel was a 4 cylinder. I did not warm up to the info/entertainment system in the MDX. On all fronts the X5 diesel was a better fit for me. The MDX was the better value play but the X5 won me over on all fronts. So far it has been rock solid, gets 600 miles to the tank, has great low end power and is fully covered for 50K. I would have bought an MDX if it was not for the info/nav system which I did not like. Not saying it is bad rather I just did not like it. The diesel in the X5 and the looks of the X5 sealed the deal.

copmagnet82

Exactly the reason why I'm even entertaining different options, it looks so dated. My brother and I had a conversation about it today. My brother knows how much I love SH-AWD and Honda products, and he couldn't believe I'm considering different cars because of the info/navi system; it's my biggest gripe with the car, especially after playing with the BMW info/navi system.

jterp7

In terms of tech/interior the xc90 is great, powertrain def goes to the x5, but the 7 seat version looks like an afterthought. If the xc90 had at least a turbo'd 5 it may have made the list, but the x5 goes way past the budget without even trying.

BackHomeAgain

I'm a German car guy, so I'm biased the opposite as most on here. I own two BMW's and my wife's car we traded in on the MDX was a VW. We just bought a 2016 AWD Advance/Ent because it was my wife's favorite after the X5 and finding a CPO X5 with the 3rd row option is impossible. Once the cars are out of warranty, I guarantee you that the BMW will be more expensive to maintain. Then again, I think the BMW is a far superior car to drive than the Acura. But again, I love BMW's.

If you go BMW, definitely opt for the inline 6 cyl as repairs on the V8 will cost twice the 6 cylinder. You'll be able to do basic maintenance like oil changes, cabin air filters and engine air filter, but that's where most DIY work will end on a German car now a days due to the technology in them and the diagnostic equipment required to work on them.

E92Vancouver

Not the same ball park. Not even the same game. German is the only way to go if you can afford it.

kareshi

The 2016 Lexus RX is a good lady's car.