I'm looking into a bigger vehicle and I've always liked the looks of the first gen MDX. I'm also tired of the choppy ride on my 07 TL. Tires are inflated to manufacturer's suggestion and they have a good amount of tread left (Dunlop Signature) so I don't want to hear the tire deal. It's also only got 89k miles so suspension isn't an issue. I just think that's how all TL's are. Which is fine. That's how they are and I can appreciate it for what it is. It's just that, it isn't for me. Certainly not on long trips which, 4 out of 5 times, when I hop in my car I end up driving at least 70 miles round-trip and sometimes 100-150. Also want something with more room for my kids and all their stuff. I like the 03-09 4Runner but they are so expensive and I like the 3rd row in this plus all the wood. I like wood in a car lol.

I might keep my TL but how is the ride comfort in the first gen MDX? I drove an 09 RX FWD and I wasn't impressed. Come to find out, the MDX outweighs it by over 500 pounds. Would this weight add to the stability and give it a much better ride than in the TL?

 

get into an MDX and test drive...no one will be able to tell you if it will be up to your standards...

one point to mention, the 1G MDX suffers from horrible faulty transmissions...I wouldn't wish anyone, even my worst enemy to buy a 1G MDX. as now you wont be dealing with a choppy ride, but will be dealing with transmission issues.

 

I thought the tranny issue was fixed for the 2004 or 2005 model year?

 

fuck no, that's when it started to begin..

again, would not wish my worst enemy a 1st gen MDX. horrible transmission, will die just by looking at the vehicle.

 

if you're looking at MDX's, I would skip the 1st gen and go directly to the 2nd gen.

the 2nd gen MDX is the better vehicle.

 

Dunlop signatures are trash, I got so tired of the noise I returned them to discount tire and paid for Pirelli's after a few thousand miles.

In any case, the 2006 MDX is a great car but it does have it's weaknesses. The trans is the biggest one, with proper maintenance it should be easy to get to 200K miles. 2005/2006 got updated trans so less chance of issues.

2007-2013 MDX (2G) is great! few big ticket issues such as the SH-AWD drive shaft making a whistle and factory radiators breaking internally. Stick with 2007-2009 and they are rock solid. 2010-2013 have 6spd trans with some issues and engine that likes to drink oil. Also 3.7L engine in MDX is far from fuel efficient.

IMO, get a newer VW tiguan or CRV and save a lot of your money vs an MDX from 2006. Going to be cheaper on gas, insurance, etc.

 

I wasn't gonna say anything about the tires, either.