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This compact spare kit might work. It should have 5x114.3mm lug pattern wheel, like our 2014 MDX. RDX uses this pattern, and comments on the listing confirm compatibility of the compact steel wheel. Too bad the price has bumped up.
But you need to confirm compatibility of that hoist.
Hold the phone. The stock spare tire hoist for 2019 RDX has a fitting for the wheel that will ONLY fit a steel compact spare wheel. It even says that on the fitting. By design, it is too chunky to fish through the center bore of a standard aluminum wheel. I'm not sure why they go to all this trouble, but maybe because clearance to the exhaust pipes is close and they want to avoid bursting spares. Anyway, MDX hoists aren't like that.
Besides that, one thing holding me back is that Acura may come out with an "Elite" package next year with the look of the A-Spec and the features of the Advanced.
The A-SPEC Advanced is the RDX I want to purchase. They should have released that initially.
Direct injection is more efficient, yes, but because the fuel never touches the back of the valves, carbon build-up is a potential (and potentially costly) side-effect. Early VW/Audi DI engines are renowned for it, and some EcoBoost engines as well. Lexus uses a combination of both direct and port injection to ensure the valves get a consistent fuel bath, and Ford is starting to add port injection as well. Even without port injection, DI engines have become less prone to carbon buildup, however. Being sure to use tier 1 fuel is one of the few things consumers can do. Some argue that regular full throttle launches and on-ramp charges can help, too. So now I have an excuse for my occasional delinquent behavior.
Sorry to bring this older post back up, but this is a very interesting consideration.
All of my previous cars have either been port injection or dual systems. I tend to keep my cars for a long time and I purchase vs. lease.
I just wonder about these DI cars in about 5 years or 100,000 miles and how many will require expensive cleaning of the intake valves.
Have done a ton of reading on the subject and it seems that if nothing else, using top tier gasoline is a no-brainer for DI engines like the '19 RDX.
Does anyone here have any experience with Honda DI engines (only around since 2013 I think) in the longterm and any experience with carbon build up?
I've been driving for 50 years and have never had a car without a spare and would not be comfortable without one but I'm not sure just how important it would be to us anymore. Maybe we've been very lucky but I can't remember having to change out a flat on the side of the road in over 40 years now. I know my wife couldn't change one and I struggle just rotating the tires at home so maybe just a good roadside assistance plan would work just as well as a spare?
I ripped the sidewall out a tire on my '14 RLX which did not come with a spare. I waited two hours for a flat bed truck to come to my aide. I will never have another vehicle without a spare !
...Have done a ton of reading on the subject and it seems that if nothing else, using top tier gasoline is a no-brainer for DI engines like the '19 RDX.
Does anyone here have any experience with Honda DI engines (only around since 2013 I think) in the longterm and any experience with carbon build up?
Interesting point but makes me question how a top-tier gas can have any effect on carbon build up on the back side of an intake valve when the fuel itself never gets to that area. On a dual system (manifold + direct injection) it makes sense but not on a pure DI engine.
Methinks there may be a bit a marketing hype here.
I ripped the sidewall out a tire on my '14 RLX which did not come with a spare. I waited two hours for a flat bed truck to come to my aide. I will never have another vehicle without a spare !
That will limit your options on any new car. Spares are not the norm these days.
I ripped the sidewall out a tire on my '14 RLX which did not come with a spare. I waited two hours for a flat bed truck to come to my aide. I will never have another vehicle without a spare !
+1. Could be even more of a problem is you happen to be in a fairly remote area with 'sketchy' cell service.
Interesting point but makes me question how a top-tier gas can have any effect on carbon build up on the back side of an intake valve when the fuel itself never gets to that area. On a dual system (manifold + direct injection) it makes sense but not on a pure DI engine.
Methinks there may be a bit a marketing hype here.
.... apparently provides protection to the valve, although I am not sure how that would work....even their statement seems unsure how it might work.
"It is generally believed that the hydrophilic nitrogen-containing region of the detergent is responsible for preventing deposit formation by adhering to the metal surface and forming a thin hydrocarbon film. It is also believed that, at higher concentrations, detergents can remove deposits by dissolving the soluble part of the deposit, which binds to the surface of the metal"
Clearly it is not related to the fuel washing over the valve as in port injection.
I guess that I am just concerned about being the beta tester. Lots of questions on the Honda forums about DI...just have to wait a couple of years to see if this is a common problem I guess.
I ripped the sidewall out a tire on my '14 RLX which did not come with a spare. I waited two hours for a flat bed truck to come to my aide. I will never have another vehicle without a spare !
Yeah I've been eyeing the A-Spec but am worried about the lack of spare. About 2 months ago I got run off the road and into a curb and it shredded the sidewall of my tire. I was about 1 minute from home and slow-rolled it to my driveway so I could put the spare on. The idea of that happening farther from home and with no spare worries me a lot. The problem is a lot of the vehicles I'm thinking about in addition to the A-Spec also don't come with spares.
I only use Top Tier on both of my current cars, which are DI.
I spoke with my BMW Indy about carbon build-up and walnut blasting since it is something lots of people talk about on the BMW blog. He asked if I was getting codes? No. Did I notice a drop off in power and/or fuel economy? No. Well, he said, worry about it when you do. 10 1/2 years and 124K miles now, still no issues on my 2008 535.
My wife’s 2014 Accord 2.4 also has a DI engine. It is 4 1/2 years old and has 48K miles, also no observed problems whatsoever.
+1. Could be even more of a problem is you happen to be in a fairly remote area with 'sketchy' cell service.
I had run flats on vehicle and had a flat the first winter in a rural area. They wouldn’t repair it - even though it was right on the center of the tire - and they didn’t sell run flats! It was a screw that’s worked it’s way in so the it turned into a slow leak. I was able to get back to my dealer with some stops to refills along the way.
That will limit your options on any new car. Spares are not the norm these days.
Not the norm, but many cars still have a place for them, going to pick up my spare for my TLX Saturday. Dealer thought I was nuts, I asked him if he was going to come deal with my flat immediately if I had one, he shut up.
Spares are one of those things. You don't need them until you REALLY do. Then you will be wishing you had one and regret not getting one.
I would take regular tires with spare anytime over runflats . Why suffer daily with ride quality/noise for that one time incident of a flat?
They might not be the norm by default but almost all of them would provide one if you opt for it. BMW is an example but you do loose cargo space underneath.
I commend Acura engineering for putting a spare tire and still have all that storage space.... That alone would sway me to Acura over others..... now if Acura only did a 40/20/40 split rear seats....
now if Acura only did a 40/20/40 split rear seats....
YES! Doesn't anyone have skis anymore?
That's probably the only thing that caught my eye about the Q5!
( Except maybe the uber-expensive "virtual cockpit" )
But in case it hasn't been made clear, a compact spare and hoist can be added to any 2019 RDX. It's just a matter of getting the right kit installed.
And I would never travel cross-country without a spare. I've been too many places I really wouldn't want to be stranded, and way too many places with dicey or non-existent cell service. For really remote excursions, I'd want a spare AND a pump/sealant kit.
But in case it hasn't been made clear, a compact spare and hoist can be added to any 2019 RDX. It's just a matter of getting the right kit installed.
I have been looking at the ASPEC and know that it does not come with a spare. I thought that there was a thread about how to get at least a compact spare mounted under like with the other models. I asked my dealer if it was possible, but he did not know.
Has anyone with an ASPEC done this yet or does anyone know what parts are needed?
I will keep poking around to see if I can track down that thread and maybe post in the "Tires, Wheels and Suspension" section.
I'm waiting on an A-spec, and if it doesn't come with a spare, I'd be tempted to remove the one in my traded in '15 RDX. Don't believe dealer will look to see if spare is there or not. However the rims on the A-spec are 20" and spare is 18". Would take spare with me on long trips and just leave it home, while locally driving.
I have been looking at the ASPEC and know that it does not come with a spare. I thought that there was a thread about how to get at least a compact spare mounted under like with the other models. I asked my dealer if it was possible, but he did not know.
Has anyone with an ASPEC done this yet or does anyone know what parts are needed?
I will keep poking around to see if I can track down that thread and maybe post in the "Tires, Wheels and Suspension" section.
the Canadian version of the ASpec does come with 20 inch wheels and a space saver spare. It is made in the same factory as the US version I believe. The space saver spec is identical to the other RDX versions with 19 inch wheels that all come with a spare in Canada so it certainly must be possible to retrofit.
I'm waiting on an A-spec, and if it doesn't come with a spare, I'd be tempted to remove the one in my traded in '15 RDX. Don't believe dealer will look to see if spare is there or not. However the rims on the A-spec are 20" and spare is 18". Would take spare with me on long trips and just leave it home, while locally driving.
I have been looking at the ASPEC and know that it does not come with a spare. I thought that there was a thread about how to get at least a compact spare mounted under like with the other models. I asked my dealer if it was possible, but he did not know.
Has anyone with an ASPEC done this yet or does anyone know what parts are needed? I will keep poking around to see if I can track down that thread and maybe post in the "Tires, Wheels and Suspension" section.
The spare wheel should be the same 17" steel compact spare wheel as any other recent model with the 5x114.3mm lug spacing. The Conti compact spare tire is crazy expensive, but Kumho makes one and Tire Rack or Discount Tire carry it. My 2019 RDX Advance came with a Kenda spare tire.
( I read up on this while I was thinking about MDX sport hybrid a while ago... that doesn't come with a compact spare ).
The cable hoist is the thing that's unique to 2019 RDX, and until an online parts retailer posts the parts catalog I think you're at the mercy of your friendly local Acura parts counter. Or try calling Tim at oemacuraparts.com
Usually there's a kit that includes all the necessary parts, including the hoist, jack and lug wrench. But who knows if it's available yet.
Compact spare from 2019 RDX Advance
Size T155/90D17
Hoist mechanism
Hoist fits compact spare ONLY, not full size wheel/tire.
This is a different fitting than other Honda/Acura spare hoists I have seen.
I know that there was a thread somewhere on this but I can not find it anywhere.
I am sorry but I do not know much about this topic.....why does the ASPEC not have a compact spare that mounts under the vehicle...I realize that a 20" will not fit, but why would a compact not be an option? Is this related to the fact that the size difference is significant and that with SH-AWD, the temporary may be on one of the drive wheels and potentially cause damage?
I know that there was a thread somewhere on this but I can not find it anywhere.
I am sorry but I do not know much about this topic.....why does the ASPEC not have a compact spare that mounts under the vehicle...I realize that a 20" will not fit, but why would a compact not be an option? Is this related to the fact that the size difference is significant and that with SH-AWD, the temporary may be on one of the drive wheels and potentially cause damage?
I don't believe a temp spare will cause damage, particularly in the short term. If that were the case, they would tell you that upgrading to the 20" wheels on the advance could cause a problem. As the Advance and other trims do have the spare.
It's similar to my Audi S5, I have a temp spare, but a similar sized wheel on the RS-5 does not. Could be a cost and or weight issue. Me thinks, its the former rather than the latter.
I know that there was a thread somewhere on this but I can not find it anywhere.
I am sorry but I do not know much about this topic.....why does the ASPEC not have a compact spare that mounts under the vehicle...I realize that a 20" will not fit, but why would a compact not be an option? Is this related to the fact that the size difference is significant and that with SH-AWD, the temporary may be on one of the drive wheels and potentially cause damage?
nevermind.....found the thread.....this one...back at post 242 and others.
Since the Canadian ASPEC has a spare then I guess we just wait until hopefully US dealers offer as an option, or buy the parts and retrofit.
I know that there was a thread somewhere on this but I can not find it anywhere.
I am sorry but I do not know much about this topic.....why does the ASPEC not have a compact spare that mounts under the vehicle...I realize that a 20" will not fit, but why would a compact not be an option? Is this related to the fact that the size difference is significant and that with SH-AWD, the temporary may be on one of the drive wheels and potentially cause damage?
its a weight issue from what I gather. They need to drop the spare to keep theweight down and keep same MPG and EPA ratings. thats probably not as important or crucial in Canada.
its a weight issue from what I gather. They need to drop the spare to keep theweight down and keep same MPG and EPA ratings. thats probably not as important or crucial in Canada.
Ok. I can see that on a B8.5 4.2 RS5 vs. a B8.5 3.0 S5. But on the four trims of the new RDX, the engine and tranny are all the same. The cosmetic differences of the A-spec should not add much if any additional weight. Yes the exhaust tips on the A-spec are larger but... Maybe the 20's are that much heavier?
Ok. I can see that on a B8 4.2 RS5 vs. a B8 3.0 S5. But on the four trims of the new RDX, the engine and tranny are all the same. The cosmetic differences of the A-spec should not add much if any additional weight. Yes the exhaust tips on the A-spec are larger but... Maybe the 20's are that much heavier?
This is an interesting thread jcfound showing weights of available wheels on bmws. Now these are mostly the same wheel style just bigger and there’s ranges on here of over 2lbs more per wheel. On the rdx, the aspec wheels are larger but also have more metal in them anyway because of the design vs the 19” styles. So based on that my guess would be they are probably closer to the 2lb plus side of the scale. Then factor in the weight of the tire itself. Without looking it up, maybe 3lbs per wheel? So somewhere between 5-8 lbs per wheel is my guess. So I’d venture to say that without the spare and the harness and parts, the weights are identical along the trim lines or damn near close to it.
I know that there was a thread somewhere on this but I can not find it anywhere.
I am sorry but I do not know much about this topic.....why does the ASPEC not have a compact spare that mounts under the vehicle...I realize that a 20" will not fit, but why would a compact not be an option? Is this related to the fact that the size difference is significant and that with SH-AWD, the temporary may be on one of the drive wheels and potentially cause damage?
Audi is very particular on different tire sizes. Audi's normal Quattro needs tires on the same axle to be within like 1/8 or 1/4 inch in diameter or you put strain on the AWD system. I believe SH-AWD because of how it can torque vector do to opposing axle tire spin can tolerate tire diameter difference better and for a longer time. Regardless I would not run a space saver for long, but clearly Acura supports running a space save on SH-AWD since they offer it on all vehicles and it does come standard on higher trim models.
As for why they leave the spare off some trim is likely cost. The kit usually runs anywhere from $300 - $400.
AFAIK the presence or lack of a compact spare on any RDX or MDX is just a marketing decision. For instance, FWD MDX's don't have a compact spare, and neither does the sport hybrid MDX, but it is well established that a compact spare is fully compatible with those models.
The compact spare is a smaller diameter than the standard wheel/tire packages, but using it will cause no harm to the AWD or any other mechanical system on the car. This ain't your daddy's fully mechanical AWD or 4WD. But it is prudent to take it slow and get the standard tire back on ASAP.
( For that matter, "quattro" refers to a large variety of AWD systems Audi uses on their vehicles, most of which are no longer fully mechanical. "quattro" is a marketing term. )
There is no difference in overall tire diameter between 19" wheel/tire packages or 20" wheel wheel/tire packages for RDX. The tire is lower profile on the 20" wheels.
The puzzling thing to me is that it is not a dealer-installed option for the cars that don’t come with it.
yeah I don’t get it either - and it’s not just this car it’s a lot of new models. My sales rep was pretty clueless on the whether they could even potential add one to it, but said he could check with service. I imagine that at some point the service dept will have an answer and recommendations on what to do. I will investigate that for certain as I drive 20-25k a year and while I have only one time had to change a flat (it was in a parking lot 3 miles from home after I kissed a curb), I don’t want to ever be stranded 100 miles from home in a remote section of central PA.
Back to the original question about negative points, after owning the A Spec for three weeks now, the biggest negative has been lack of digital speedometer on the dash. Lots of other info that I really don’t need while driving. The analog speedometer is hard to read because the speed is displayed in 20 mph increments.
Back to the original question about negative points, after owning the A Spec for three weeks now, the biggest negative has been lack of digital speedometer on the dash. Lots of other info that I really don’t need while driving. The analog speedometer is hard to read because the speed is displayed in 20 mph increments.
Well yeah, but the speedo goes to 160mph!
Back to reality, the wildly optimistic "maximum displayed speed" on most analog speedometers is just plain silly. That's another marketing thing.
yeah I don’t get it either - and it’s not just this car it’s a lot of new models. My sales rep was pretty clueless on the whether they could even potential add one to it, but said he could check with service. I imagine that at some point the service dept will have an answer and recommendations on what to do. I will investigate that for certain as I drive 20-25k a year and while I have only one time had to change a flat (it was in a parking lot 3 miles from home after I kissed a curb), I don’t want to ever be stranded 100 miles from home in a remote section of central PA.
If enough people complain maybe car companies will change. I have asked several people if they knew that cars today don’t have spares and most were shocked to learn that. I would think since the RDX Advance comes with a spare that the parts can be ordered, it may not be a kit like the other cats, but the parts are clearly available.
If enough people complain maybe car companies will change. I have asked several people if they knew that cars today don’t have spares and most were shocked to learn that. I would think since the RDX Advance comes with a spare that the parts can be ordered, it may not be a kit like the other cats, but the parts are clearly available.
I think most 2019 RDX SH-AWD models come equipped with the compact spare, not just Advance. A-Spec SH-AWD is the oddball.
But I think all 2019 RDX FWD vehicles don't come equipped with compact spare, as with current MDX.
What’s the deal with SH-AWD. They seem to be a rarity on the lots in Texas. VERY few to choose from with VERY limited colors...mostly seeing Modern Steel with ebony - only two within 200 miles. I guess Acura dealers haven’t driven our winding hill country roads
Last edited by TxLady; 07-04-2018 at 05:22 PM.
Reason: Clarification
There was an earlier conversation about the lack of SH-AWD in the South. Many years ago I asked the dealer in Chattanooga for a TL with SH-AWD. The comment I got was "We don't get those". That was the end of the conversation.
I don't know if it is the dealers or corporate. I think somebody doesn't know how nice SH-AWD is to drive on dry curvy roads!
Dealers I believe order cars, they just don’t understand nor does Acura do a good job of marketing SH-AWD for normal driving or even wet driving. Very annoying people know Quattro because Audi marketed it.
It really doesn’t make much sense though, does it? Seems like if Acura isn’t considering the SH-AWD for all territories, then maybe they shouldn’t hype it up so much in their National introductions.
(Psst: Also, someone needs to tell the professional auto reviews to stop talking about how much fun the SH--AWD is to navigate around curves).
Well, I suppose one can be ordered...at full msrp?.
Last edited by TxLady; 07-04-2018 at 06:53 PM.
Reason: Didnt attach to post I was responding to.
Dealers I believe order cars, they just don’t understand nor does Acura do a good job of marketing SH-AWD for normal driving or even wet driving. Very annoying people know Quattro because Audi marketed it.
06-10-2018, 08:16 PM
