[Shotty]

Well after about 6 months of looking, I finally found an X I liked and worth buying. It's an 08 w/ tech package in sterling gray metallic w/ Ebony interior. Second owner(bought at 25k), garage kept, rust free, clean carfax with 115k. Asking 10,800, settled at 9800. The timing belt has not been done yet.

My question is, what should I do now as far as preventative maintenance? I know the timing belt is past due, so that and water pump are first up. That should take care of oil change and new coolant. After reading through the forum I was going to do diff fluid, the special SH-AWD kind I guess it uses, brake fluid, and possibly trans fluid. Also air and cabin air filter. Am I missing anything/going overboard? This is my first Acura and first vehicle with this many miles. Hoping to keep this car for 10 years as my dad mobile.

Little background on me, 30y/o fireman in Pittsburgh, this is my 10th vehicle. I've had everything from an S10 to an S500, few street bikes, few quads, jetskis and a boat. I like to tinker with just about everything, well, as much as my wife will let me anyway haha.

 

[mrgold35]

I would include serpentine belt kit (not just the belt), spark plugs, transfer case fluid, fresh batteries in FOBs, alignment, and flush of power steering fluid. Once you do the spark plugs and timing belt, it will be just be routine maint of fluid changes, brakes, and tires for a while. It can be less hit and more miss on wear/tear items like suspension, alternator, starter, power steering rack/pump, door actuators, or bluetooth module.

Side note: Tire manufactures recommend replacing tires if they are +10 years old. Upgrading the original donut spare to full size spare would be a big plus (replace a +10 year old tire AND full size spare if you tow or +100 miles out of town).

 

[Shotty]

Thanks Mr gold, I'll add those to the list. Previous owner just replaced the tires 400mi ago, so I'm good there. As far as the spare, I plan on adding a hitch, not sure if curt, or hidden hitch, but I've read that you can either have a full size spare or a hitch, not both, is that correct?

 

[mrgold35]

The OEM hitch can take a full size spare (that is what I have). You can get the OEM hitch with or without the 7-flat wiring harness (I did hitch+harness on eBay back in 2014). Some of the hidden hitches can only take a donut spare or you have to let some of the air out of full size spare to fit. I decided to go with the OEM hitch and full size spare because my MDX is still the main traveling vehicle at +20,000 miles per year. I didn't want to be +400 miles away from home on a donut spare (speed limit is 75-80 mph for most interstate hwys in the mountain states out west). I have a full size spare at home for my RDX; but, I just leave the donut in the vehicle to save space and the RDX is just a commuter/errand car only.