RDX10

Hello,

I have been considering getting a 1G XC90 for quite a while now (particularly the facelift 2007+ model with the V8) but I've been worried about reliability.

I realize this is a Euro brand and it comes with increased parts cost but are these like early German cars with constant breakdowns and costly repairs? Anyone have or know someone with an XC90, particularly the V8 version and can shed some insight? I have done some research and know to avoid 2005 and 2006 models with the V8 due to water getting into a hole on the engine...etc

I'm considering the Volvo for a few reasons. I plan to finish uni in another city that is about 3.5 hours away and hope to make fairly regular trips back and forth so I want something safe and roomy. Furthermore I plan on taking my Cat with me (I can't leave a good pussy behind) so the space is necessary for a large carrier, litter box...etc. Also want the space for taking and bringing with me furniture items...etc.

I have also considered the Honda Pilot of that era as well but I am in love with the Volvos boxy lines. Always catches my eye but I mean the Pilot almost looks like an XC90 and probably much more reliable. I have also looked at the highlander but it is almost double the price of a comparable pilot or XC90 and not as roomy either. Definitely don't want something Acadia sized either.

I realize it's probably not brilliant getting something euro while in uni but I mean I can afford the upkeep, just don't want to get stranded. Any insight?

Thanks in advance.

Midnight Mystery

Ha Ha!!!


What years Pilot are you looking at? I ask because I sat in a white/taupe 2007 Pilot EX-L and white/taupe 2005 MDX side by side several years ago... I know you had a hard time with your 07 MDX, but what about an 06 or 05... I like the simple style and the interior is old Honda like they were in the 90's!!!


I still like the RDX a lot more than anything else I've had, so when you asked weather you should go for technology or performance, I'd vote performance every time...


Always liked the 1gen XC90, especially in white with the painted cladding...

I also love the XC60's of the 2011/2012 era... Especially in black...

RDX10

For the Pilot I'd be looking at anything 2006+. I really dislike the 1G MDX....not at all attracted to the minivan looking front and rear end. I'm not really looking at 2G MDXs either, not because of my experience with mine but rather because the 2G MDX is incredibly truck-like and very cumbersome to drive.

I used to take our 2009 Santa fe instead of the MDX because it was super carlike....hmm actually that might be a good option. Used ones go for super cheap, very reliable and also pretty roomy. Hmm. I'll think about that as well.

I still love and miss my RDX, but unfortunately it's WAY too small and tight for me. Trunk space even with the seats folded down is really tiny. The XC60 is nice but horrendously overpriced. Numerous models with 250k+ kms (roughly 150k miles) still go for over 15k and well into 20k territory. Would never spend that kind of money on that mileage.

Midnight Mystery

I get it... I still perfer to take the RDX anytime I drive... Sucks that I'm stuck with the Optima on the weekends... It's not a bad car at all... It's just the more I drive it, the more I notice the body roll, numb steering and raspy engine... Plus, it burns more gas on the highway than the TL, by a lot, it seems...

I'm thinking once I'm settled in, in several months, looking for either a 2006 TSX, 2006 TL, 2007-08 TL Base, or 2007-08 TL TypeS... This time with Navigation... Maybe even a 2006-07 Accord V6, which cost the same as a TL, but they are usually beat up, when the TLs look clean still...

I'm kinda like you... At 235,000 miles (378,000 KMs), I feel it has become more important to me than anything now... I finally feel like I can never, ever sell it...


Sorry, I feel like I made this about me...


I really hope you get what you need/want...

Midnight Mystery

Midnight Mystery

I think this is a 2014, but I like the way it looks!

RDX10

Lol no worries man, I totally get you. I mean the Optima is still a sexy looking car, bur the RDX drives like a hatch more than a crossover.

Yup love these updated ones with the painted lower trim as well. But I don't mind the slightly older ones with unpainted cladding either and the V8 was only available from 2005 to 2010 and I'm only looking at 2007+ models. So the ones I'm looking at won't have the painted lower trim. I'm not looking at the models with the 3.2 because it drinks just as much gas and also is extremely anemic so no thanks.

RDX10

Hoping to get a V8 sport or R-Design in passion red. Absolutely love the red Volvo uses and it looks so mean with blacked out wheels...etc.

Midnight Mystery

Well, wow, that looks nice!!!


I really need to look into these so I can learn more about them!


I aslo think avoiding the 3.2 is the way to go if it drinks the same amount of fuel...


I never got why automakers would design a car with two engines that have a 50+ hp difference, but only get 1 mpg over the other...

RDX10

I love the boxy straight lines, it's so muscular and ellegant at the same time.

Automakers do that for a couple reasons. First it lets them sell a car for cheaper, and secondly it allows them to sell the bigger engine for more. It also helps a tiny bit with EPA stuff and lastly helps them complete with more vehicles. But yeah I'd never get the 3.2.

Midnight Mystery

Corperate decaption and a blind consumer...


The worst part is the now looking for our 10 year old cars can be a challenge because no one got the "big engine" from the start... And when you finally find one, it's beat up, riced out or sold already... Or just plain overpriced...



There is a black auto TLs near me with 115K miles, clean/one owner, $9,000 usd... IDK what that converts to in Can., but I'm suprised it's still listed online...


I also see countless TLs cars with 125k + miles going for over 12K usd, they even go as far as having "summer tires" on the tag description... That was in areas where summers are used all-year...


It seems the Volvos are kinda cheap around here....

RDX10

It's not so much deception as it is people just not caring. For most people cars are to go from point A to B. That's all. Some people would rather save the 5K in engine upgrade and get more options on the base model.

I do agree that this tends to make it harder to find the models with the bigger engine or certain packages. It boggles my mind how some people spend 60k on a car but didn't opt for the $600 headlight or stereo upgrade. But some people just want a badge and that's it anyways. You will always have the "volume trim" for cars and that's almost always the middle or somewhere near the middle in the trim ladder.

Finding a V8 with the sport package is very hard, finding one with the R-design package is nearly impossible. Sigh....

RDX10

Ok so yeah that santa fe in the avatar is sold a couple years ago and that Jeep was my brother in laws. We ended up replacing that Santa fe with a Veracruz but the Veraceuz is not mine so I need something that's my own.

So the 2G santa fe limited with the 18 inch wheels drives WAY differently than the 2009 model we had with the 16 inch wheels. I know this because our 2007 was a limited and our 09 was a GLS. The 09 had horrible body roll and although the 07 definitely is not a track car, it was acceptable for what it is.

I'm hoping to finish University in another city so I'm going to be alone there and I can't afford to have a unreliable vehicle (both literally and figuratively) but I need something with decent space and I happen to like SUV's so it needs to be an SUV. The Santa Fe doesn't handle very well but it's incredibly comfortable and very quiet, good on gas, and quite roomy. Also drives easy for it's size and good on gas. It feels like a small car.

I don't need too too much space and in reality the XC90 is only a few inches longer than even a Rav4 so it's not that much of a step down. But I've test driven Rav4's 3 different times and all 3 times I couldn't wait to get back and leave. They just feel so shitty and that 3.5l V6 is severely overhyped, doesn't feel fast at all.

Midnight Mystery

I'm glad y'all got the VeraCruz! I remember you posting that y'all were planning on getting one.


This past January, I went to look at a 2009 Santa Fe Limited, but it was gone even though it was listed on their website... I drove acVeraCruz in a parking lot, WAY too big abd the steering was light...


I wanted to look at one, but I really didn't want one... But I'm glad to hear a Limited handles better than a GLS.


I liked the idea of a Rav4, but drove one before getting the RDX and simply hated it, good engine, junky car...


I'd say look at a 2nd gen Sportage EX V6, but they aren't great on gas, 0-60 in 10 seconds stock and it's still small... They do handle really well though...


Might as well go Santa Fe hunting!

RDX10

To be honest the Veracruz is a pain in the ass. I've had a few things suddenly shit the bed all within the past 2k kms and it's not pretty. The radiator started leaking (like puked its guts all over my driveway (fixed it myself), the timing chain cover is leaking but it's an incredibly slow leak so not worried. It doesn't even register on the dip stick between oil changes. Both front shocks shit the bed. The AWD light has come on and stayed for a couple weeks (it's gone and praying it doesn't come back) and worst of all the ABS control module is fried so I don't have any ABS or traction control and they want $2200 at the dealer and even used ones (if you can find any, came to find its super common) are around $1200. I know it's billed as a lexus RX competitor but at the end of the day it's still a Hyundai. I can't believe the absurd parts cost on this thing....going to repair the abs module and then immediately selling this hunk of junk.

I recommend you at least test drive a Santa Fe, just to see. I think you'd be extremely surprised. Lol I wouldn't touch something that slow with a stick. Not to mention the second gen Sportage and tucson are EXTREMELY unsafe. Google IIHS roof strength test Kia sportage and you'll see what I mean. It's like paper. So yeah no Tucson. To be honest my experience with my Sorento and with this Veracruz has left a sout note for me. I will never buy a Kia again and actually now that I think about it will never buy a Hyundai again regardless of how reliable our Santa Fes have been.

Starting to consider maybe going with another MDX maybe even a ford Escape (2013+) or Edge (2011+). It kinda sucks how limited my options are haha. No Nissans, no Kias or Hyundais, no Toyotas, no Germans or Euros (lol at this thread title), really boxing myself in here but I'll keep looking. Might even go with a 2009+ Subary Tribeca. Always liked the way they looked and the symmetrical AWD is really solid. Also love me a good boxer burble.

Midnight Mystery

I'll say this.... I've Had Honda's suck, and I've had awesome Kia's.... If I were to sour over every little thing, I'd have every brand in the book and hate them all...


My RDX started out as a POS and it's now a warrior, with a horrific oil leak, but it's solid now...


My Optima has things that plain just don't work, like the fog lights, interior lights, cooling fans, aftermarket parking sensors (work seldomly) and now the memory seats are jacked, moving into different positions than I set if I use it...

(Push start will throw the key out then accept it again later, happed twice last month) Just use the metal key into the door to unlock and push into glovebox to start, a pain, but no big deal...


I like the car, but it's just OK... I think it's the EPS, it's not good like the 2016 Elantra GT I rented two years ago... The car has body roll, not a lot, but some... It's floaty, well, it feels like shocks that are worn, but they're fine... It's oversprung and underdampened... Firm and floaty... Not big float, but it bobs up and down on rebound a tiny bit...

I can tell it's artificially injected sportyness... It handles well. Very little understeer...


It does burn about 1/2 quart of oil every 800 miles or so...


The sunroof cover rattles a lot over rough bumps, and the rear has a tiny rattle...


I have Michelin Premier tires so they're super sticky!!!


It's a really big car... Not like an Avalon, but it's pretty big... Way bigger than a TL, but the turning radius is way tighter than the RDX! The TL took way more space than the RDX to turn around...


The Optima's brakes are SUPER!!!


I feel it's super reliable and has tons of life left in it... I feel so bad for not loving it as much as I thought I did...


It is full of junk right now as my living situation us so screwed up right now...


MPG is not as advertised, but it does decent range when topped off...


I can't seem to get much into it's tank, cuts off way below the F line, so topping off is required... Even topped off, it still only has 17 to 18 gals in tank... It's rated at 18.5... I just filled them both, and the RDX is rated at 18, and I had it at 19.024 when it ran out... And it still had a gallon in it...


I've read that 7gen Accord drivers can pump 19-21 into their 17.1 gal tanks... Same on TL and TSX's of that vintage (2003-2008 'era)...


I'm liking the Optima, but I feel like I'm missing something... Not to mention that double wishbone suspension on the TL that delivered a smooth ride and awesome handling at the limit!!! You can light up the tires with confidence!


The engine has tons of torque and decent top end, mid range sucks (4-5k rpm) and tranny is always in a super high gear leaving it gutless without a kickdown... Tranny is smooth as butter but is always in too high of a gear...

It will have to upshift to 3rd, back down to 2nd, then back to 3rd, 4th, 5th and finally 6th...


It's a great car, but it feels artificial, in a way...


Engine is quiet, but can be raspy, it's weird... Power reminds me a lot of an older Toyota with the 1MZ-FE 3.0 V6... But, of course, not as smooth, but it's alright...


Build quality is great, and it's in excellent condition for 4/5 owners and 171K miles (U.S.)...


Sadly, resale is $7K, and trade value is only $3,500, usually, trade is 2/3 to 3/4 the resale value, so that's odd...


I got lucky amd got resale when I traded that red Camry for the TL!!!


Personally, I think newer cars are more prone to problems with stupid stuff...


I feel the less electronics I have, the less problems I'll have...


My 2001 Camry and 2007 Sportage literally had nothing go wrong except 02 sensors on a bad jumpstart on the Sportsge at 49K miles... Camry blew an engine due to several factors including bad advice from.a good source, synthetic oil after only using dyno (conventional) or syn-blend and sludge breaking down from the re-seal and having too much re-seal to oil ratio...


Niether car was maintained well by book standars... Just did oil every 8K or so... No MMC or knowledge to discipline me yet.... And so on...



I've cone to realize to just get something I truly love, then keep fixing it until it works right...


P.S. I drove a 2010 VW CC with 179K miles (U.S.), and it was perfectly fine and tight... VERY fast!!! DCT engagement from stop was wrird but it ran fine... May have been a mobey pit, but it seemed to run great for a VW with 180K180K miles!!!


That's all I've got...


You just never know sometimes!!!

RDX10

Yeah no I understand just that my Sorento only had around 65k miles on it when I sold it so it and yet it also had messed up shocks, leaking timing chain and oil pain, leaking steering rack, and worst of all there was something wrong with the electrical system and it would black out the entire dash and kept blowing random fuses. I still kick myself in the butr for not buying a Lincoln MKX instead of the Sorento. I don't know what the hell I was thinking because on the used market they are on par price wise.

I also agree that I'm being too hard on the Hyundai brand because the santa fes were rock solid reliable. Might still consider one but I want to shop around.

By the way what is going on with your living and work situation? Have you found a job or place to stay yet?

Midnight Mystery

I get it... No harm done in shopping around!



I'm getting close to getting a job... I can't say what or where, but I'm trying to focus in... I'm having trouble because my thinking has changed, my plan hasn't, but I'm relaxing when I can't afford to and that pisses me off at myself...

Printed new resumes with my new address becsuse I went from Hattiesburg, MS, about an hour north of the coast, where I am now... I started out by being a sitter for my grandfather in Brookhaven, MS, just south of Jackson, and far from the coast... He had dementia and got bad about a year ago, I was there for 2... The Alzheimer's turned him into a Narcissist and he convinced himself I was horrible and one of the three different day sitters we had took great advantage of that and somehow, my brother ended up RP, not my mother, so she spead so much BS, that it got nasty and I ended up in a hotel...


I'm the pawn in all of this but only the people without authority know it... No one would budge...


I'm here alone on the coast on the weekends, she's at work in Louisiana, an 90 mins. away... Then, during the week, she comes out here and we try to figute out what to do... Thanksgiving messes us up a bit, and I'm trying to start looking the part... I'm stuck in my ways and hace trouble seeing it differently... I'm not the most sure-minded person and I can convince myself I need ro change my mind, when I really don't... I'm a great salesman, to myself...


Trying to stay positive... I need to keep myself interested... It's hard to do that and it changes by the day... But I'll get it soon, I know it...


Thanks for asking...

RDX10

Sorry for taking so long to reply, I've honestly been extremely busy and swamped lately.

Don't get mad at yourself, it's ok to take a small break here and there, but don't take too long of a break lol.

Yikes I'm really sorry about your family situation, sometimes those closest to us hurt us the most. But you're over 18 now and can take care of yourself right. So hoping by now you've got something lined up and are on your way forward.

I think you're a lot like me, I tend to change my mind a lot and it's honestly hard for me to focus too long and this means I end up doing a bunch of random things lol. But it's important to have set goals and move towards them, everything in between point A and B doesn't matter right.


BTW I'm considering getting an MDX again, but I'm going to go with tech package this time around and definitely going to be more picky with it. I've come to this conclusion because I want something spacious but not European or American and I'd prefer something a little sporty and moderately luxurious. I've always had a soft spot for the 2G MDX with its huge muscular wheel arches and I do really love the sound of the J37. I've also noticed that the price has dropped enormously compared to a couple years ago so I could easily get one for cheap.

Midnight Mystery

What I really want to do is professional Auto Detail (that's the track I was on a few years ago) or Auto Journalism, starting on YouTube.


I may have an offer working overnight.


But I'd love to work at a car dealer or auction facility. Just somewhere in the industry. Either that or something at an airport.


I think it's great you want another MDX. I want another TL or a TSX.


I'm sure that your old one was just a lemon by the way you described it.


It seems that would fit your needs best. I've noticed the prices on Hondas and Acuras are finally going down. What years are you looking at.

RDX10

I think you should take any offers you get right now. Just work at that place for a few months and then try to look for something you like more. You can't afford to keep throwing away money at a hotel.

Take what you get but definitely keep looking for something you like more in the future.

I'd probably suggest you go with a TSX this time if you can. It's an easier car to manage and tends to be cheaper than the TL.

As for me, definitely mine was a lemon. There wasn't anything majorly wrong but just a collection of minor problems that got to be too much. I don't want the adaptive shocks and don't need the rear dvd player. So no point in going with an Elite this time. I'm looking at the 2G but most likely ending up with a prefacelift model because although the facelifted 2010-2013's has dropped to nearly the same price as my pre-lift 2G was a couple years ago, I am trying to save money for school so don't want to go overboard.

Midnight Mystery

That's what my plan is...



I hope you can find a clean 2010 MDX, but that may proove to be difficult...

I'd say a 2008 or 2009 would be nice.

Tech package is all you really need. Advanced is a waste of, what would be, good reliability, in all reality.


I hear the MDX does pretty well on highway F/E. So, that's a plus!


Atleast you'll have SH-AWD again and the inferior amenities you liked in your RDX and previous MDX!

RDX10

I actually have seen some good deals on the 2010+ MDX's but I want to avoid the engine burning issues as well and some early 2010 and 2011 MDX's had issues with the 6AT so probably better to stick to the earlier model prelift ones, and exactly 2008-2009 is best.

You're exactly right, the Elite model is just not a good reliability move and since it literally only added rear dvd, upgraded wheels, and the adaptive shocks, I don't care about any of that.

Something else I'm considering is the 2G Murano. They have EXTREMELY comfortable seats, decent fuel economy, and a lot of luxury features. But man the reliability is kind of scary. I personally think Nissans are absolute shit. At least the FWD based ones due to the CVT, not so much the RWD based ones.

Midnight Mystery

I love the premium feel of the Muranos, and almost got one instead of the RDX. Glad I didn't....


My sister had a 2013 Pathfinder Platnum which I never though was anything special... The wiring was the lightest gauge I had ever seen in a vehicle...

RDX10

I was under the impression it was only you and your brother, never knew you had a sister lol. I agree Nissans are chintzy AF so I'm going to avoid that as well. Very luxury feeling but not quality

Midnight Mystery

I have a brother, and two sisters... Well, they're all half-siblings and they are 10-20 years older than I am. I haven't talked to one of my sisters in almost 7 years, we have no idea where she lives even.


I do like the Rouge (2011-13) It had good steering for EPS and it wasn't too wide, in fact, it was quite narrow... CVT sucked and vibrated at lights. Nice interior materials, however. My neighbor in LA got one in 1/2012, still has it and loves it. It's a great size, just not for me.

RDX10

Oh gotcha! Sorry to hear about that sister, but what can you do right!

I had a friend who bought a Nissan rogue in 2013, a top of the line model with the surround view cameras. Very good quality interior materials and very nice ride but buzzy CVT and when she had only like 25k miles it decided to spit up its CVT guts and so she traded it in on a 2018 Hyundai Tucson Limited with the sweet 7DCT and 1.6T combo. Really like those, but right now not a smart financial move.

Midnight Mystery

I rarely get to see any of my siblings anyway. They both have kids which make it uncomfortable. I'm horrible around kids. They live far away too.


My sister that we never hear from is single and has no kids. She's kind of a nomad or a gypsie, in a way.


I'm guessing a 2013 Santa Fe Sport Limited isn't in the budget then?


I sat in a Rogue at the 2013 auto show and loved the materials and seating position!



If it wasn't for a CVT, I'd maybe get a 2009-2013 Maxima.

RDX10

Love the 2009-2013 Maxima, its very different looking and honestly even with the CVT it's fairly quick. Also very very comfortable and even a little sporty.

The 2013 Santa Fe with the 2.0T is definitely out of budget right now. I want to be under 10k whereas in the past my budget was around 15-20k and definitely could have gotten a santa fe. I do really like them though!

I'll have to look around though. If I can find a facelifted tribeca I'd not mind that either. Comes with literally all the features of the MDX except maybe the power liftgate and a pretty good AWD system (not SH-AWD good though) and I think a bit better on gas meanwhile being a much smaller package to drive around.

Midnight Mystery

I had to look up what a Tribeca was. I think I may have seen a few around, but I'm not sure.

It looks nice! Reminds me of an older Tuscon ir Santa Fe. Not sure how the reliability is, being a Subie.


It seems to fit the bill pretty well.



Yeah. My budget will be like $6-8K (USD). Will have to come up with a few after trading or selling the Optima... I'll get on that in a few months.

RDX10

The Tribeca is very simple. I hate the early ones with the eyeball grille. I vastly prefer the 2008+ models and agreed I have to do some research on reliability. I'm not sure if they have the headgasket issues like the 4 cylinder subies. I can definitely see the old santa fe resemblance.

In your case I would worry about a car after finding a Job and place to work! Priorities my friend!

Midnight Mystery

The Tribeca seems nice, I need to watch a video of one.

The Kia is fine for now, it just entertains my thoughts and gives me something to work toward.

Midnight Mystery

Any luck finding a CUV?