Oh, please elaborate. I want to know who to flog.

 

Won't do any good...the particular admin has a very thin skin.

 

Then I know who it is.

 

Because they've all owned Acuras at one point. I own a Honda too not that it matters.

If your buying a TLX go over to the TLX side and GTFO out of Car Talk.

 

Thought you might.

 

Congrats on the 2nd little one on the way.

Buy an MDX or Highlander.

Ban Sainter cause he's a blithering idiot.

/thread

 

an all new ford edge is coming out in a couple months. could you hold out?

2.0 EcoBoost is standard! 30 mpgs, play-yah. and the new interior is supposed to be leading in quality across the lineup.

ive been stalking this thing for 6 months. you could now build it on the ford website.




also, i would highly recommend the Hyundai Sante Fe sport. it prices by far the best. you could check every box and get it for like 36k new, so im sure you could find a smoking deal on a used one.

 

Merry Xmas to you too. Hopefully your low IQ will get better in 2015 (sometimes miracles just happen)!

 

1) Saw the Edge at the LA Auto Show...I feel like its taking a step backwards in design...very numb and plain compared to the first 2 gen. Also...no 3rd row.

2) While Hyundai and Kia are making great cars...I feel like their SUVs are still baking. The interiors are horrible in design and to touch, and their engine options are subpar.

 

friedchickenflip.

We have 2 kids. She's drives an 08 Trail Blazer that I really enjoy. Heated leather seats and flip down dvd that keeps the kids entertained on long drives. Perhaps go test drive some GMs. I really like what they've done with the GMC Terrain. Hell, even the last design of the Tahoe or Suburban could be an option.

 

in agreement. the new edge exterior is not ground shattering. and yes, the hyundai suvs severely lack in interior quality, but still a good value

personally, i am down to the edge depending on lease, as i would never buy, given ford. and the JGP, which lease like a fing champ...and the new volvo xc60, coming out i 18 months, which, if it looks anything like the xc90, should be areal hitter.

if i were in the market go buy, the no hesitations against the mdx

 

^ typos. need keyboard cleaning

 

Fords lease like shit. They want HUGE downpayments and their residuals blow. Similar with Volvos...their residuals suck. They hold no value.

 

You spend a lot of timing researching cars, did you end up buying one?

 

I'd disagree coming from someone who's leasing one. They have pretty good lease rates depending on the model; my down payment wasn't out of the norm either. I got my 14 right when they were hitting dealers (dumb), and its a Titanium which isn't as common. Can't disagree about the residuals though. I don't think I'd be interested in buying a new Ford if I didn't plan on keeping it for a long time.

 

Well, thats good to hear

 

nope. still in nyc... recently favored adopting a dog over getting a car. sound like a strange toss up, but it was the same trade off time-wise and dollar wise.

it was either spend $500/mo on a lease and spend free time changing spots on the street. or using our free time to walk a dog morning/night and hire a dog walker during the day/evening for the same monthly lease price...at the end of the day, we decided to have the loyalty of a lab over a machine.

and as convenient as a car would be, garaging for another $400/mo is just plain stupid given the cost of the weekend zipcar.

just been researching cars if/when we go to surburbia. been watching a few housing markets like a hawk, so want to be prepared to pounce on a car.

 

no need for a car in NYC, just zipcar it and save yourself the perpetual headache

 

Flip - did you decide yet?

yep they are basically Land Cruiser Prados with a ton of luxury items... self level air suspension for the rear, with all the bells and whistles... mine has the rear seat entertainment for future kiddie...

i'll put together a thread of the truck and mods to come... I just did a custom side mount for the plate...

here it is next to a caravan...



+1 - my former boss had an '09 that the motor just seized up on him... it was his wife's car that was burning oil and they didn't even know it...

one reason why I also opted for the Lexus... I always see 9 MDXs in the parking lot of the shopping center whenever I come out...

 

The only thing I don't like about the Lexus is that they use a timing belt. Just sounds expensive to me.

 

I have decided on the MDX, I think.. LOL

The highlander was very bland to me. Interior was meh IMO. Granted that I couldn't find a limited to test drive. Maybe I will still look around for one. Don't know if that will make a big difference. It had enough power, for us. It was roomy but it lacked something for me. The salesman kept saying "choose the highlander over the MDX, you don't have to put premium in it." I told him that putting a 20 cent gas difference in a vehicle is not a big deal to me. He also kept saying how the highlander is cheaper on maintnance blah blah. All the typical salesman tactics. I told him well we will have to think about it, just for him to get off our back.

I did actually look at the 3rd Gen highlanders, not too bad.

Ran over to dodge and drove the durango, just the SXT. Was very impressed how Dodge has stepped up since the last durango my family has owned. Wife wasn't a fan of it though. She said she wants to stick with Honda, toyota etc. She will be the primary driver of the SUV.

I put in a call to my dealer out here where I usually buy my cars from to see if he can get his hands on a White or black 2G MDX adv with under 70k.

 

With the 2nd gen Highlander...the only trim worth getting imo was the SE (thats what I had) because it has the aluminum trim on the interior...plus you have to have navi or entune (2013) because without the screen...the center stack option looks like fisher price.

The limited has that gaudy gloss wood trim, HATE that.

But yeah...while it was nice reliable vehicle with good power...some was lacking from the driver experience. Just numb.

 

the 2gr in the Highlander runs a chain... but the j-series in the MDX runs a timing belt too.. so i don't get how that makes it any different when compared to the Lexus...

a $450 service every 100k miles is no big deal for me... especially not on a $60k+ truck...

 

Is the V8 in the GX an "interference engine"? My buddy who has the GX has a 05 LS430 as well and that is a noninterference engine meaning if the timing belt snaps, it won't cause any issues with valves, etc. Just get it towed, put a new timing belt on and go.

 

I'm talking about the GX Lexus not a highlander.

 

I know mate, look what I wrote again... the MDX runs a timing belt too, so what's your point when comparing it to the GX???


really? i thought the LS430 uses is the same 3uz motor that's in my GS430? didn't you have a GS4 too? i'm going to need to research this... the 2UZ on the GX is shared on the 4Runner so i'll check in on those forums... those guys seem to be more into the engine mods and maintenance...

 

I'm not really comparing the Lexus to an MDX. Those are two totally different breeds. I'm just saying I bet the maintenance on the GX costs a boatload of money.

 

I have owned a highlander and many friends have them. I dont care what anybody says, Toyota makes very good products. The highlander is very roomy in the back seat and the cars a indestructable. My friend had his until 235K and sold it to another friend for 3 grand. The car still runs like new. I would go Highlander for sure. Excellent in snow too.

 

I don't need it for snow. LOL I'm in Northern Cali only time I would see snow is if I go up to the mountains.

 

is there any SUV with a non full time AWD option? that should save you on petrol...

 

, agree on the 2G MDX. My wife's friend left his 2013 base MDX at our house for a week while he was travelling and I drove it a few times. Great handling and ride, plenty of power, nice features/functions. The 6AT works very well, also much quieter than our 2003 Pilot. Never driven a Highlander but they do look very bland inside and out. Know you're not considering it but I would avoid a 2G Pilot, a friend traded his in recently and seems much cheaper in materials than the 2G MDX or 1G Pilot.

 

I actually sold my 2012 MDX last year. The gas that thing takes is outrageous. I mean really bad I was only getting 12 MPG spending 400+ per month on gas alone. Something to be mindful of if you don't already know.

 

My ex co worker had a MDX too. I think his was like 2012 or 2013. It did have some horrible gas mileage.

 

The only glaring negative attribute on my 12 MDX Tech is fuel economy; thirsty AND requires premium. With premium @ $2.37/gal @ my local BP station, now's as good a time as any to deal with this fuel economy.

 

Agreed!! Marvelous vehicle but big, heavy and thirsty
With that being said, we would consider getting another one - that's how much we liked it

 

Any 3rd row SUV is going to be big, heavy, and thirsty. But hey, we can't all afford Q7 TDIs :-P

 

^^^ I hear you but then again, I would not have a Q7 in my stable.

 

Oh, I would. I like them a lot. But I already own my first choice in the segment

 

+1, drove a 2013 this week for ~200 miles and got 15MPG mostly short distance suburbia driving. The only other negative negative is rear visibility especially in right rear view is limited due to C and D pillars.

 

I have never been a fan of Audis