I've put a refundable deposit down on a 2011 MDX with Advance package, 85,000 miles. It appears to be pristine. The carfax shows a 1 owner car and being dealer serviced its entire life. I know people go to boards like these in search of problem fixes, but there still seems to be mixed reviews on these - especially the ones with the Advance package and the SH-AWD. So, does the MDX really have that many problems, or are those who are unhappy in the minority? For one, spending $4k on suspension replacement is a little absurd on a car I'm about to pay $19K for.

While I'll be moving to Texas soon, where the roads are better than in most places, I'll be driving it in norther NM for a couple of months. In between Los Alamos, where I live, and Santa Fe (the only place to go if you don't want to eat bar food) there's a dip/road transition while going over a bridge that does compress the suspension pretty hard when you go over it. That one little transition is making me worry that I'll blow out the magnetic suspension.

 

They are great suv's with pretty good reliability, besides the adaptive shocks. If they haven't been replaced yet at 85k miles, they could fail at anytime. I would try to locate a tech package over the advanced if that concerns you. Or just budget for it. I'm plenty happy with the base suspension.

 

You have the FWD?

Would the one I'm looking at fall under Acura's extended suspension warranty I've read about? When the suspensions parts are replaced, is Acura replacing them with updated parts or is it the same parts as the originals, making them likely to fail again?

 

At 88k miles you only have 12k miles left on that warrenty, if you can purchase an extended warranty, I would do that because the MDX might have an Acura badge, but it can get down righr expensive to maintain. I had a really bad experience with my 2007 but I consider myself the minority, not the norm.

They just implemented that extended warranty not too long ago so not many people
who got the shocks replaced really put mileage on the new shocks. But from what I understand they are still the same and you never know, yours may fail right after rhat 100k warranty and it's EXPENSIVE.

 

I live in ABQ, NM, and make regular trips to Santa Fe, Northern NM, and Colorado. I have a 11 MDX Adv since Jan/2014 with a little under 90,000 miles on her now and it has been the perfect traveling vehicle. I usually put around 20,000 miles per year and taken her to from San Diego, New Orleans, Houston, and Jacksonville, FL, with a lot of stops/stays in-between.

Montano Acura in ABQ has an excellent service department and the service mgr has been there since I purchased my 06 TSX from them +11 years ago. If the MDX was serviced at Montano, they did a excellent job taking care of her.

They only issues I can think of are:
- Again, the magnetic struts/shocks. The Acura extended warranty will take you up to 100,000 miles Unless there is a problem now, you most likely won't take advantage of this. My front struts failed at 35,000 miles and been perfect ever since. There isn't a cheaper replacement for the struts/shocks other than converting to regular and adding a resistor to turn off the warning. Plan on $800-$1000 per corner if you have a failure after 100K. There is no direct relationship of failures with road/driving conditions and ADS failure. The ADS can die at anytime on any road conditions in any type of weather at any mileage in any state or country and there is no preventive measures you can take. Only luck is your friend when it comes to the magnetic suspension.

- 100,000 mile service. This service is a big one and can cost $600-$1500 depending on what needs to be done. Might have been one of the reasons (along with the magnetic suspension) the owner decided to trade in the MDX. The more you can do early (spark plugs, filters, coolant, serpentine belt, etc..) will lower the cost later.

 

Thanks guys. I've asked the dealer where it's located to have their techs look at it and put in writing if the struts are in good shape.

 

iirc either the front or rear ones (or both) leak internally. So it might not even show. Another note is it can fail randomly at any time even if it is fine today.

 

Is the SH-AWD in the TL the same? Have the same problems?

 

All 2nd Gen MDX where SH-AWD. They didn't start offering FWD until the 3rd gen. Mine just has a regular shock/spring setup instead of magnetic. Both suspensions were developed on the Nurburgring, and IMHO the standard setup competes with the BMW X5 for handling.

 

so only the Advance package has the magnetic setup?

 

Yes, only Advance has it

 

The SH-AWD has never been a problem for Acuras. The magnetic shocks have nothing to do with the reliability of SH-AWD and the magnetic shocks are only on the advance model.

 

The 2G TL SH-AWD itself is not a problem.. Is the PROP SHAFT Middle bearing that makes a grinding noise and to repair it you have to replace the entire prop-shaft which is around 1-1.2K.
Going back to the MDX the 2G does not offer a FWD Model, That only happened from the 3G and up and The 2G MDX does not have any recorded issues with SH-AWD or its prop-shaft.

The only thing to be of concern in a 2010 and Up MDX is the Oil Consumption Issues which is the NUMBER 1 ISSUE reported on car complaints sites.. SH-AWD or Prop shafts are not an Issue on the 2G MDX.
The Advance Model has Electro Magnetic Shocks which cost a heck ton per piece, That is something to know before pulling the trigger on the Advance.

 

Did you mean the 2G MDX or 4G TLs? There is no SH-AWD in 2G or 3G TLs

 

He had a brain fart between 2G MDX and 2G TL, he meant 4G TL.

 

4G TL, That was a typo.. I mixed up the 2G from the MDX not my own TL hahaha.

 

You scared me it was the 2G MDX like I have. If a 4G TL breaks...well, I don't own one of those

 

Yeah but I would love to get a 4G TL SH-AWD 6 Speedo that prop shaft bearing issue scares me... I am very OCD and I cannot live with some horrible grinding noise.

 

I too would love the 4G TL SH-AWD 6 MT mechanics & systems....if it just didn't all come in such an ugly box.
I couldn't stand any grinding noises either.
I am also, apparently, OCD about having a clean windshield & wipers that don't streak or miss spots......

 

Well I guess its a matter of preference there.. I never liked the 3G TL.. It seemed that it was trying too hard to be Sporty and the Length was too short for someone coming from a 2G... The 4G Fixes all that by being extra long and extra wide and while keeping it luxurious without a single hint of pretending to be sporty, it didn´t really fancy me at the start it has slowly grow up on me.


That sexy rear end always get me.

This was the top of the Acura Crazy design Departmen.. From here it all went downhill to Mainstream Softness and All Cars looking alike.

 

Well, who doesn't love a sexy rear end!!
That one does look pretty nice, but I'd point out it appears to have a body kit on it, the F&R beaks have been (looks like professionally ) painted to body color, aftermarket wheels, & I don't think the quad exhaust tips are stock either?

I didn't think the 3G TL felt or drove any longer or heavier than my old 2G TL-S, and I like the smaller & sportier appearance of the 3Gs.
Agreed the new TLX just looks plain like many other cars on the road, not much difference from a Camry. One goes by and it does not catch my eye at all.
On the 4G body style, if I wanted a car with weird, angular styling, I'd go with a CTX

 

Yeah that is how it could look like and it still has pretty amazing aftermarket support so it can still look like it If I were to get one and build it..
Sadly our 2G never really shined on the Aftermarket side, Well only our Engine did hahaha.

The CTS will blush besides a 4G TL, It isn't crazy angular enough hahahahaha also Lack of SH-AWD is no Bueno and Cadillac Reliability is unheard of.

 

I love the 3G, but really want a 4G TL in the next couple of years. Just waiting to pay off the X!

We also own a 2011 MDX and love it.

 

Yeah!! I am torn because here in SD the streets are royal crap and I travel to Baja, México a lot and they have what I call "Disaster Zone Street Levels".. My Poor 2G TL-S Lowered and Track Suspension was getting destroyed that is why I bought the MDX so my Dreams of Owning a 4G TL are very slim to be accomplished.. Ill probably get another MDX in the future probably the 4th gen.