| überAudi |
| Hi, i'm currently looking for a SUV, i've decided that i like the idea of having a 3rd row seats. so it pretty much came down to the MDX, Pilot and Highlander. between the 3, MDX is the more expensive one but its still within my price range. now what are some of the reasons i should pick the MDX over the other 2. thanks |
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| shootist |
You really want it handed to you, huh?
a. The MDX is cooler. Much much cooler.
b. MDX handles better on the road in good conditions.
c. MDX handles better on the road in bad conditions.
d. MDX handles better in the dirt than a Pilot.
e. MDX goes faster at highway speeds.
f. MDX rides better.
g. MDX has the best Navigation system on the road today.
h. MDX has one of the best, or the best, Voice control systems on the road today.
i. MDX has a better interior than Pilot. Haven't seen Highlander.
j. MDX is cooler. Much much cooler. |
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| nightguy |
Your knee won't rub against that $#@% shifter that comes out of the dashboard on the Highlander and RX330.
There would be fewer reasons for me to upgrade to the MDX over the Pilot now that the P has available moonroof and available VSA, but I'd still do the MDX. Pilot has front side airbags but no curtains like the MDX does AFAIK. Also like the 17" tires of the MDX and the better looking wheels. |
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| mdxx3 |
quote:
Originally posted by überAudi
...
...what are some of the reasons i should pick the MDX over the other 2. thanks
...because you can get 24/7 tech support and entertainment from acuramdx.org members!! All 3 are nice vehicles, but we only like the MDX here:) |
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| rmluis |
| After test driving both, the choice was easy!!! |
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| JeffK |
If you lease it is a no brainer!
You can lease a MDX for less than a Pilot or Highlander (similarly equipped) because you can take a 48 month lease on the MDX, 48 month warranty and only 36 months on Highlander or Pilot. |
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| CTPYHA |
| Well... and then there is also a prestige of driving Acura over plain Honda or Toyota. It depends on your personal view, but in my case I sure feel more confident coming over to my clients in luxury SUV, even though prices are similar... :rolleyes: |
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| manus1980 |
| Soon Toyota will release the 270hp Hybrid Highlander. 50+mpg combined with superior performance and available navigation. As long as the large tax writeoff incentive for hybrids remains, I would not even look at the non-Hybrid vehicles. |
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| überAudi |
quote:
Originally posted by manus1980
Soon Toyota will release the 270hp Hybrid Highlander. 50+mpg combined with superior performance and available navigation. As long as the large tax writeoff incentive for hybrids remains, I would not even look at the non-Hybrid vehicles.
interesting... |
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| Frumious |
The Pilot and the Highlander are quality vehicles certainly. But they are not SUV's. They are: UV's. No sport in them at all. No style. Just boxy-ish modern day station wagons for hauling the kids safely to school, for carrying 50 pound sacks of dog food and 36-box kleenex cases home from Costco and for driving to and from the office over the same road over and over and over and ......ZZZzzzzz.......
Life's too short. |
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| EXCALIBUR |
quote:
Originally posted by Frumious
The Pilot and the Highlander are quality vehicles certainly. But they are not SUV's. They are: UV's. No sport in them at all. No style. Just boxy-ish modern day station wagons for hauling the kids safely to school, for carrying 50 pound sacks of dog food and 36-box kleenex cases home from Costco and for driving to and from the office over the same road over and over and over and ......ZZZzzzzz.......
Life's too short.
Okay.:hmmm: |
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| robrecht |
quote:
Originally posted by überAudi
Hi, i'm currently looking for a SUV, i've decided that i like the idea of having a seats. so it pretty much came down to the MDX, Pilot and Highlander.
3rd row in the HL isn't really usable. I liked the curtains & sportier styling of the MDX, but my wife liked the $4,500 cheaper Pilot (similarly equipped), which seemed to have a little more utility, with seating for 8 vs 7 and an extra 8 cubic feet (mostly vertical) of cargo space. Good luck! :roadtrip: |
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| Blackura |
quote:
Originally posted by manus1980
Soon Toyota will release the 270hp Hybrid Highlander. 50+mpg combined with superior performance and available navigation. As long as the large tax writeoff incentive for hybrids remains, I would not even look at the non-Hybrid vehicles.
Just as long as you got onto the waiting list for one several years ago.
I checked on the Highlander Hybrid back in 2004 and the list back then was about a half year long from the time the first vehicles hit the showrooms later in 2005.
If you get onto a list now, you're probably looking at a 2007 or 2008 hybrid unless you're willing to drop close to $50k on a Highlander (or whatever ransom Toyota dealers are getting these days).
Good luck. |
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| anjan |
The same goes for the RX400h. Forget SUVs, even Prius has months of wait. I'll go for a hybrid in a heartbeat if I didn't have a pay a hefty premium for it (which evens out the tax advantage) and a long wait to get it.
So I ended up deciding to wait in my 2005 MDX until someone solves both those problems. |
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| Dr. Ken |
I picked my '04 MdX touring/nav over the '05 Pilot with similar equipment because I got this much more for only a few bucks more:
- memory seats
- voice command for the navigation
- bigger nav screen
- better safety features
- shift knob on the floor vs the dash
- an overall better feeling of quality, both in the mechanical and the interior finish.
- cooler look and prestige
- and now I have found a great user's forum for the MDX!
The only negative in the comparison was premium gas vs regular. |
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| OH Bob |
manus 1980
Your comment on the the "huge tax break" for those purchasing a hybrid is very interesting. In fact, one is allowed to deduct $1500 from one's AGI (adjusted gross income) for a hybrid purchased in 2005. That equates to $420 for someone in the 28% tax bracket, hardly what would be considered a "huge tax break".
I suspect the car dealers really talk this one up, without actually getting into the specifics involved. A tax credit, it's not!:( |
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| srpbep |
I'm going to get flamed ...
Pilot should be considered because it costs significantly less. It does lack a couple of features but NOT many. It really is the "same vehicle" with different styling and options.
Soooo, depends upon you ... do you "need the status", how do you value the style diffs, how do you value the options?
I would consider both now, couldn't do this when we bought our '02 MDX [Pilot was not available]. |
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| locomoco |
Just registered for this site, and browsed a little, so I apologize if I'm repeating an age old question...
Obviously, both are solid vehicles, but luxury class and price ranges are different.
But here's my question:
I've got options to lease the Pilot EX-L w/DVD at $120-$150 per month less than the MDX Touring (no DVD/RES or NAV). All else is equal except that the terms are 36 month vs. 48 month.
Because of the quotes I received thus far, I'm not sure if I buy the previous posting saying that it's cheaper to lease the MDX over the Pilot because of the longer lease period.
In the "expert's" opinions on this site (obviously biased), do you guys think it's worth the extra $ to go with the MDX?
I don't have kids, so the DVD isn't absolutely necessary, but a nice thing to have for road trips...
Your honest opinions would be appreciated!
Thanks! |
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| srpbep |
You have to make the call:
Save a lot of money with the Pilot. Using your monthly figures, it's a difference of $4,300 - $ 5,400 over 3 years.
Compare the two vehicles and put a value the difference. $5,000 is not chump change [at least to me]. Doesn't mean I don't have it [I do - paid cash for both our vehicles], just means I am not wealthy enough to drop it without thinking about it.
We have an 02 MDX Touring [just turned 32,000 miles]. Friend just bought 05 Pilot EX. He couldn't justify the price difference for the MDX. I must admit, I would find it difficult myself!! In our case, we didn't have any question -- Pilot did NOT exist in 12/2001.
Good luck ... no right/wrong choice IMHO |
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| JeffK |
Thinking back, I was comparing the base MDX vs. the Pilot w/o navigation.
Because the Pilot only has a 36 month warranty vs. 48 months on the MDX, I was comparing 36 months for the Pilot vs. 48 months for the MDX.
At that time the 36 monthly payments for the Pilot were more than the 48 months for the MDX. Obviously, if I extended the Pilot to 48 months the payments were less than the 48 months payments on the MDX. But after throwing in the extended warranty for the Pilot the MDX was only $30 per month more than the Pilot.
I preferred the MDX to the Pilot and went with the MDX.
Are you now saying the Pilot at 36 months is $100/120 per month less than 48 months on the MDX?
If so, then I would definitely go with the Pilot.
However, I do not think that this is possible. I would double check the monthly payment on the MDX.
You can do your own calculations by going to:
http://www.leaseguide.com/calc.htm
Remember on a lease put no money down and roll the bank fee and sales tax into the lease payments
JeffK |
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| locomoco |
srpbep and JeffK:
This is exactly the dilemma that I am facing. srpbep, I'm in the same boat as you where the extra $4K is not chump change to me either... I have plenty of ways to spend that kinda dough. I was just wondering from the MDX drivers if they feel it's worth it. I've posted on the Honda Pilot forums as well, and they're more or less biased towards the Pilot... it's basically whether I want to pay the extra $ for a $portier, more luxiou$ou$, and the $tatu$. In other words, how "vain" am I? :eek:
Here's the latest quotes that I received:
For a 3-year/12K lease on BOTH of them, the Pilot is $100-$130 less than the MDX. This translates to an extra ~$3600-4400 for the MDX (slightly less down).
For a 3-year/12K lease on the Pilot and a 4-year/12K lease on the MDX, the difference is still $120-150 LESS for the Pilot than the MDX, for the same walk-off payments. So the diffences are slightly higher in this case.
There is a special right now on a 3-year MDX lease that makes it cheaper for the shorter lease period.
JeffK, regarding your comment as to putting no $ down and rolling bank fees and taxes into the lease payment, are you suggesting to do this for comparison purposes only?
As this will be the first time I am leasing a car, is there an advantage to this (other than putting less down up front)? Based on the calculations that I did, if I pay the minimum drive-off with higher monthly payments, after 36 months, I would still have paid ~$1K more out of my pocket by putting nothing down...
I've done my best to keep my comparisons "apples-to-apples" (i.e., what are the monthly payments from different dealers/lenders based on the same drive-off fees, while understanding residual values and money factors, cap cost reductions, and whether taxes are included in their quotes or not)
Any insights that y'all have on leasing advantages and tips are greatly appreciated...
Thanks again for your opinions!
-locomoco |
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| JeffK |
I have posted extensively on leasing. Check out the threads on "leasing".
Basically any money you put down on a lease, whether it is taxes, cap cost reduction, etc. will be lost if anything happens to the car - stolen, wrecked, etc.
What I was posting is that if you extend the MDX lease to 48 months, the warranty period, I think you will find the lease payments for the MDX will be within $30 per month of the 36 month payments on the Pilot.
JeffK |
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| locomoco |
JeffK,
I finally took the time to review the leasing threads. Good info there! Damn boy, you post a lot! ;)
Thx for the info regarding the no money down... I didn't realize that would be "lost" in the unfortunate event of a lost car! I'm now getting quoted with "minimum" down, and rolled bank fees into the payments.
You are correct that the payments would be lower for a 48-month lease vs. a 36-month lease, but only if the SAME terms (i.e., money factor) are applied to both leases... However, everywhere I've inquired thus far has HIGHER money factors on the 48-month lease, (and for obvious reasons, lower residual values for the 48-month lease). Therefore, the monthly payments are consistently HIGHER for 48-month leases. After several inquiries, one sales guy FINALLY told me that the 36-month term was a better deal... when I went back and asked the others, they THEN quoted the better price. It's AMAZING how much these guys wanna screw you! :mad:
So I'm down to the following quotes (both 12K limit, 36-month leases):
MDX Touring (no NAV or RES):
~ $900 drive-off + $482 per month (incl. tax + bank fees)
Honda EX-L w/RES:
- $743 drive-off + $415 per month (incl. tax + bank fees)
It seems to me, that for essentially $65 per month ($2340 over the 36-months), the MDX is worth it!
Your thoughts?
Thanks again for your help! |
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| JeffK |
I agree with you, that for $65 per month extra I would personally take the MDX.
As a rule of thumb, for each year you extend the lease, from say 36 months to 48 months, you should save at least 10% in monthly lease payment.
Remember as the car gets older, there will be additional maintenance costs plus tires, batteries, etc.
However, one thing still puzzles me:
The 36 month vs. 48 month lease on the MDX: I realize that the residual will be less, and the money factor may be higher, but I still believe the 48 month payment will be less than the 36 month payment. Perhaps not enough to justify going from 36 months to 48 months, but nevertheless, still lower.
You can always check by doing your own calculations, which I highly recommend:
http://www.leaseguide.com/calc.htm
BTW to convert money factor to annual interest rate, multiply by 24.
JeffK |
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| anjan |
quote:
Originally posted by locomoco
It seems to me, that for essentially $65 per month ($2340 over the 36-months), the MDX is worth it!
I'd certainly like to think that $65 a month is worth the MDX! Also keep in mind that MDX's warranty is 48months/50000 miles compared to Pilot's 36/36000. So even if you were to extend the MDX's lease to 48 months, you will be covered by Acura for non-wear items and maybe (sorry, not very conversant with leasing) lower the monthly payments? |
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| mhudson78660 |
| I like the MDX better but the wife and I just purchased a 2005 Pilot EX/L. I like the storage area better in the Pilot and with the sunroof this year and the price we got 28990 it was the right price. |
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| frostyra |
| I, too, bought my X when the Pilot didn't exist. I'd still buy the X over the Pilot, but mainly for the handling. The X is more sporty in handling, the Pilot more "cushy' -- but not by much. The engines are basically the same, as are the transmissions and VTM-4 system -- although I think the Pilot still gets the same transmission that the '01-'02 X had. The rest is looks. They both beat the pants off most competition. |
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| frostyra |
quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Ken
The only negative in the comparison was premium gas vs regular.
'Tain't a negative -- try regular. I betcha can't tell the difference between 93 and 87 octane except during foot-to-the-floor acceleration, and then it's only a slight difference. |
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| vcolangelo |
überAudi,
I was in the same position twice and bought the MDX both times.
Never drove the Toyota, but did extensively compare and drive the 03 and 05 Hondas. IMO, if you can afford the extra bucks you'll have a much better driving experience for the next 36/48 months
vcolangelo |
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| locomoco |
Thank you all for your replies!
I'm a fello X brutha, and pulled the trigger!
Drove my X home tonite! I look foward to going to work tomorrow morning!
I look forward to sharing my experiences! |
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| frainc |
| Good for you, great choice, I now have 775 miles on my X and I love it. You are really going to enjoy driving it, best of luck.:cool: |
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