Acura MDX SUV Forums banner

2003 MDX Purchase?

4K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  hipcheck_now 
#1 ·
Hey folks, my first post to this board.

I've been looking at the MDX for a few weeks now. (I'm a former BMW X5 owner!)

In Minneapolis/St. Paul MN, the MDX is impossible to purchase short of a September delivery.

Because of the long lead-time I'm considering going with the 2003 instead of the 2002. I've heard the 2003 will be available between October and January (that really narrowed it down).

Questions for you folks:

1. When will the 2003 be available.
2. What changes will the 2003 have. I have heard it will have a 3.8/280HP engine and DVD like the Honda Pilot. The dealer could not confirm anything else.
4. Any rumors of pricing for the 2003?

Looking forward to your responses, I readying to plunk down some money to get on the 2003 list.

Thanks!
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I WAS on a 2003 list, but decided I did not want to wait anymore.

The rumors of more HP seem to have slipped to probably 2004.
I would expect some refinements and improvement in the 2003. If it's based on the present design how can it go wrong?
Unveiling months are typcially Sept. - Oct. Earliest availability in the Oct. to Nov. time frame (for those on a waiting list).
Good luck, you may be one of the first on this forum to give us your impressions of the new model!
 
#4 ·
The first 2002's shipped in late October, so I'd guess the 2003's would be in the same window of time.

I stopped by my dealer yesterday and they had 2 available for June delivery and many for July. So, the wait is getting closer to 2 months here.
 
#5 ·
motortrend magazine and a couple of others revealed a month ago that the '03 MDX will have a 3.8L/280hp engine upgrade... but recent rumors had it postponed for the '04 model... don't know which one to trust.... acura never releases early their new model statistics until maybe a month from the production, so you are looking at sept to october for more detailed information... my guess will be that there will be some improvement on the NVR (noise and vibration reduction) as it happened to the '02 model, the engine change is also possible...

one thing i'm sure about is that the price is definately going up... if you look at the MSRPs for '03, '02 and '01's TLs, they creeped up a little bit every year, though nothing major got changed... acturally, according to a TL expert of mine, the '03 TL has less goodies than the '02, but acura still managed to bump up the MSRP for $100-$200...

all that been said, there might be a plus waiting for the '03 MDX though: because there will be more competitions from other automakers (several similar car-based SUVs will be out for year 2003, including its cousin honda pilot), the availability might get better, so maybe you can get it below MSRP if you wait longer.... that's just a MAYBE....
 
#6 ·
It may be sacreligious to say it here, but another benefit of waiting is to have the ability to test drive the other new offerings in this space. I'd like to see the Pilot first hand (even though I'm confident in the MDX's styling advantage), check out the VW and the Volvo.

Acura is raising the bar a bit on the 2003's, but partially due to the fact that they have to keep up with the Jones'.
 
#7 ·
For those wondering, I am a FORMER X5 owner for one large reason - reliability.

I can give a detailed analysis of what I think of the X5 versus the MDX, but I won't bore anyone!

The X5 (2001) was not ready for prime time. It has numerous recalls and quality hickups. I had a thermostat go bad while in the middle of the desert in Nevada (103 degrees at the time - only 6K on the car), interior pieces that fell apart, a squeeeeeking steering column, and other fun little noises. The best part was my BMW dealer would have had trouble repairing a lawn mower, much less the very complex X5.

I still like the X5, my main driving issues with it are a little to firm of a ride on minor bumps and a lack of interior space for carrying anything!

Keep the 2003 info coming! The clock is ticking on my call to the dealer.

What do I want from 2003 in the X5?

1. A telescoping wheel (all German cars have this)
2. Satellite radio option
3. Dual climate control
4. A little better interior quality (softer plastics, upgraded switches, a little less Honda feel)

Dave
 
#8 ·
hipcheck_now said:


What do I want from 2003 in the X5?


Dave
Why wait to see if they improve? Go with something that appears to already be an improvement in most areas. The MDX.
Whatever you do, get on a list soon. There are only about another 6000 MDXs to go.
Something like that, my prod. number is 23823 and I believe they stop the 2002s at 30,000. And color options are very limited.
Anyway, the point being the waiting lists for 2003 should start building up rapidly.
 
#12 ·
waiting list for '03s

I spoke with my dealer in Ca and they said I'm already 13th on the list for the '03 MDX. Based on their allocations and any cancellations I could move up a couple of numbers. Still looking at 4-6 months before they place an order and another 1-2 months after that for delivery. Probably late October - November.

Of course this all hinges on whether I decide to keep the pathfinder I recently bought to see how I like it while waiting for the MDX.

For hipcheck_now..
Did you have a chance to test drive the MDX and if so, how did it compare with your X5 driving experiences?
 
#13 ·
My dad bought an X5 3.0 without even considering the MDX. After driving both I would have to say that the MDX is better than the X5 in every category except looks (the MDX is great looking but the X5 is pretty sharp). And at $10,000 less the MDX is a great deal too!
 
#14 ·
Re: waiting list for '03s

crete said:
For hipcheck_now..
Did you have a chance to test drive the MDX and if so, how did it compare with your X5 driving experiences?
I have driven the MDX a few times now. That still doesn't qualify for enough time to define a formal opinion, but I do have some thoughts.

The MDX is a smoother ride than the X5 and it is still firm in corners. The X5 let's you know about every bump and crack in the pavement. The MDX feels right and kills the X5 in this category.

I give the engines a tie. The MDX is stronger as revs go up, the X5 (6 cyl) has more grunt off the line. I will admit that BMW is my favorite company for engines. I am actually one that would be excited to the the 280hp in the MDX with more "grunt".

I also like the handling of the X5 a bit better. The X5 feels BMW like. The MDX is very good also, I just am not as confident with it. I may be biased since I have owned a bunch of BMWs in the past. One big thing BMW offers is a Tiptronic and Sport Mode on the automatic. The BMW transmission is much better and more flexible. Acura needs to tackle that.

The biggest reason I'm considering the MDX is the interior room, quality, solid resale, and great price. The X5 and MDX are so close that price is a huge factor.

BMW needs to work on quality and the suspension to get me back. For now, I'd rather own the MDX.
 
#15 ·
hipcheck_now
Sounds like you're making the right move for your needs. How about the navi system in the X5, I've heard the MDX version is alot better? Did you have a chance to play with the navi in the MDX when you drove a few times?

It sounds like you had the X53.0, which was 225hp vs 240in the MDX. Acura hasn't confirm 3.8L 280HP although the engine change is likely, but whether it goes to 280hp or a slight increase to 265hp is still unknown.
 
#17 ·
hipcheck_now ...

(1) You be a mighty brave warrior, in our teepee them would be scalping words. ;)

(2) Nav is GREAT [you can turn it off if it gets on your nerves] :p
 
#18 ·
I agree, the NAV is great

Unless a destination is entered into the Navi it does NOT talk.

For the most part we just turn it on as a map guide. The times we have NEEDED to program a destination, it has been more than worth it.
 
#19 ·
Hipcheck_now...

Make sure the moonroof is open before you decide to jump.

I thought the navi system when demo'd to me at the dealer was fantastic, compared to others I've seen in the QX4 and Lexus RX300.

For the extra $2K I think it is more than worth the additional cost.
 
#20 ·
You folks just don't get it! I have male map disease. Ask no questions, drive four hours. It's manly to find things with no help!

Seriously, the MDX NAV system is fine, I just don't like NAV systems and have never owned one before.

And as I said. my wife makes a great NAV system all by herself.!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top