| wow, really inaccurate info on the Mercedes web site!
- Click HERE for Original Thread
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quote:
Originally posted by hunter001
I have a feeling that this fellow, "ML320_owner" is a closet admirer of the MDX, and hence his presence on this forum. Also, I am getting the funny feeling that he would want to dump his ML320 before the expiry of its warranty. I also predict, that IF the MDX was available at the time of his buying his ML320, he would never have ventured into the Mercedes arena. Now that he has experienced the "Mercedes experience", he wants to back out of it, before the warranty expiration, regardless of whether Consumer Reports have put a "Full black dot" against the ML320 or not.
My other prediction is that he tried to negotiate a "good deal" on the MDX and came a cropper at the dealer, and hence is venting his frustration out in the MDX forum, by bashing the MDX and praising the other options that he has, including the Highlander. But nevertheless, the vehicle he really really wants, is the MDX - IF ONLY THE DEALERS MADE IT A BIT EASY FOR HIM !!! If only they did not charge 1000s of dollars for a few minutes of paperwork, he would gladly have paid for it.
Am I correct, ML320_owner ?
Oh dear Lord - is this thread back again? |
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I was in Florida last month and was loaned an AMG ML55 for two weeks by a friend. (For those who do not know, it is the high performance version of the ML430 - the BMW equivalent would be the M series of vehicles.) This was a 2001 and had about 10,000 miles on it. It was a shockingly bad vehicle. It had wonderful acceleration and reasonably good handling and braking but the fit and finish was simply horrible. Squeeks, rattles, noises, things loose, broken parts and numerous other problems. The nav and audio system is an ergonomic disaster. Suffice it to say that for a $70,000 vehicle, it had lapses that should not have been in a $25,000 vehicle. I was very unimpressed.
Tom
[QUOTE]Originally posted by ML320_Owner
[B]I get a chuckle out of the more pathetic MDX owners who insist on rationalizing that by paying less they got a vehicle as good as an ML320.
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In looking at many forums covering Luxury SUVs, I have noticed that MDX owners are clearly much more defensive of their vehicles than other owners of other makes. They tend to ignore any of the short comings of the MDX, and only focus on the advantages. I wonder if it is because they are not truly satisfied with their purchase, and need to bash other makes to make up for it. Ask owners of Mercedes, Lexus, and BMWs about the MDX, and they dismiss it. Acura's image has never recovered from the Integra, Legend, etc.
The bottom line is that the MDX mechanically appears to be a Honda minivan with a part time rear drive system added to the front wheel drive. Quality, styling, and features are typical of Honda vehicles, but not in the same class as Mercedes (MDX owners bashing of ML's aside), BMWs, or Lexus. I would not want to attempt to use this vehicle to regular towing or off-roading (traditional definition of SUV) as the mechanics and body are not up to it. Many MDX owners express disappointment at snow handling. The MDX is much more suited to the same environment as a minivans and stationwagons. Couple this with the highcost scheduled regular maintenance, and the MDX does not turn out to be what you expected. |
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| It's everything I expected and more. I don't like the "image" that comes with MB and BMW etc. and I don't like being overcharged for a vehicle. the MDX is a great value and does a good job for what it was made. It is an on-road SUV. If you want to go 4wheeling the answer is not MB or BMW but a land rover or Jeep CJ7! |
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quote:
Originally posted by bud789
In looking at many forums covering Luxury SUVs, I have noticed that MDX owners are clearly much more defensive of their vehicles than other owners of other makes. They tend to ignore any of the short comings of the MDX, and only focus on the advantages. I wonder if it is because they are not truly satisfied with their purchase, and need to bash other makes to make up for it. Ask owners of Mercedes, Lexus, and BMWs about the MDX, and they dismiss it. Acura's image has never recovered from the Integra, Legend, etc.
The bottom line is that the MDX mechanically appears to be a Honda minivan with a part time rear drive system added to the front wheel drive. Quality, styling, and features are typical of Honda vehicles, but not in the same class as Mercedes (MDX owners bashing of ML's aside), BMWs, or Lexus. I would not want to attempt to use this vehicle to regular towing or off-roading (traditional definition of SUV) as the mechanics and body are not up to it. Many MDX owners express disappointment at snow handling. The MDX is much more suited to the same environment as a minivans and stationwagons. Couple this with the highcost scheduled regular maintenance, and the MDX does not turn out to be what you expected.
Bud Dude, this thread has been over for quite a while now but the "Newbies" keep bringining it back. Anyway, I could care less what people are driving, what they think, or where they get their damn data from. The MDX is perfect for me and I couldn't be happier. For my needs, the ML320, BMW, and RX300 do not even warrant consideration (I do believe I have made that quite clear in my posts). They may be fine vehicles just like someone thinks a "Suburban" is. Excellent, if that meets your needs then so be it. We are anything but defensive. I think we get aggravated at those that don't buy vehicels for what they are but for some stupid ass status symbol. That's ridiculous, gut wrenching and down right trashy! |
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quote:
Originally posted by bud789
In looking at many forums covering Luxury SUVs, I have noticed that MDX owners are clearly much more defensive of their vehicles than other owners of other makes. They tend to ignore any of the short comings of the MDX, and only focus on the advantages. I wonder if it is because they are not truly satisfied with their purchase, and need to bash other makes to make up for it. Ask owners of Mercedes, Lexus, and BMWs about the MDX, and they dismiss it. Acura's image has never recovered from the Integra, Legend, etc.
The bottom line is that the MDX mechanically appears to be a Honda minivan with a part time rear drive system added to the front wheel drive. Quality, styling, and features are typical of Honda vehicles, but not in the same class as Mercedes (MDX owners bashing of ML's aside), BMWs, or Lexus. I would not want to attempt to use this vehicle to regular towing or off-roading (traditional definition of SUV) as the mechanics and body are not up to it. Many MDX owners express disappointment at snow handling. The MDX is much more suited to the same environment as a minivans and stationwagons. Couple this with the highcost scheduled regular maintenance, and the MDX does not turn out to be what you expected.
Hey bud789,
I love my minivan MDX with the part time rear drive system added to the front wheel drive with the quality, styling, and features that are typical of Honda vehicles, but not in the same class as Mercedes, BMWs, or Lexus. If you don't care for my/our likes or dislikes, please go find a different site to bash. Thanks and have a great day!
MB- |
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hey bud,
you may have a few points in your post (very few...), but some comments I just could not ignore; MDX may be '...a luxury off-road minivan that you can take through the brush all day, and the valet will still front-line it for you when you reach Spago for lunch.', according to Edmunds.com guys, but it compares far better to both RX and ML. Speaking of SUVs under 40k (beamer can pass on only stripped down).
I have tested all three (MDX,RX and ML) and actually both RX and ML felt like MINIVANS to me? RX has a very good reliability record, ML(320) - one of the worst! Interior of ML 320 is plain and cheap - if it wouldn't have the star on it's hood, this SUV would compete only with Explorers and JGCs.
I am not the MDX owner (not yet!), but to me it appeals much greater than others - and, so happens, to the most people on this board!
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quote:
Originally posted by bud789
In looking at many forums covering Luxury SUVs, I have noticed that MDX owners are clearly much more defensive of their vehicles than other owners of other makes. They tend to ignore any of the short comings of the MDX, and only focus on the advantages. I wonder if it is because they are not truly satisfied with their purchase, and need to bash other makes to make up for it. Ask owners of Mercedes, Lexus, and BMWs about the MDX, and they dismiss it. Acura's image has never recovered from the Integra, Legend, etc.
The bottom line is that the MDX mechanically appears to be a Honda minivan with a part time rear drive system added to the front wheel drive. Quality, styling, and features are typical of Honda vehicles, but not in the same class as Mercedes (MDX owners bashing of ML's aside), BMWs, or Lexus. I would not want to attempt to use this vehicle to regular towing or off-roading (traditional definition of SUV) as the mechanics and body are not up to it. Many MDX owners express disappointment at snow handling. The MDX is much more suited to the same environment as a minivans and stationwagons. Couple this with the highcost scheduled regular maintenance, and the MDX does not turn out to be what you expected.
Of course the owners of Mercedes, Lexus and BMW's dismiss it! It's called jealousy! Hey Bud, go troll elsewhere. |
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quote:
Originally posted by bud789
Acura's image has never recovered from the Integra, Legend, etc...The bottom line is that the MDX mechanically appears to be a Honda minivan with a part time rear drive system added to the front wheel drive. Quality, styling, and features are typical of Honda vehicles, but not in the same class as Mercedes (MDX owners bashing of ML's aside), BMWs, or Lexus.
Well Buddy Boy, some of us forum folks consider the ML320 to be the "Integra" of the Mercedes line with "Legendary" initial poor build quality. As far as what SUV class the MDX belongs, I was told yesterday by a car salesman (not Acura) that the ML320's 65 lb. front hood has to be propped up with a strut. Doesn't sound very luxurious to me. By the way my MDX hood, along with the 4 other American SUVs I've owned had spring loaded hoods and thus required no strut. Don't you just love that good German engineering! |
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| I'm not sure why this is a running argument. This to me is clearly a personal preference situation. It is my preference to keep an extra 15,000 in my checking account. The Acura will have a more carlike ride and whatever other reasons you might have, you should buy what you like. I don't like the Mercedes looks. Really, not ANY Mercedes. I haven't liked Mercedes since the old 560SEL we used to have. I like the truck least of all. Buy hey, if you like it, fine by me! As far as trying to live down the Legend, Acura had big success with the Legend in both of its forms. I had one for seven years that never needed anything but regular oil changes and a battery and tires. It was a great car. And it still is handsome, even today. I occasionally see them in parking lots and think what a handsome car it was. |
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You bought it why not defend it? This is an MDX site, duh! Thus the vast majority of users are currently or soon to be owners of an MDX; again duh!!
bud789: You are kidding yourself if you think other luxury car owners do not defend their purchases. Have you browsed the forums over in Edmund's Town Hall?? Check out the threads involving the BMW, MB and Lexus. I have, and I can assure you that there is just as much, if not more, defensive owner talk there as there is here. Also check out the web for sites similar to this one dedicated to the other respective luxury brands. Their defensive owners tend to congregate there and not here.
I suspect that you want an MDX, but for whatever reason could not get one. Too bad; I have one and am very pleased with it. |
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OH!
Just finished reading the WHOLE thread from the beginning. Wow, guys, you were BUSY!...
It took me an hour just to read all the comments (still have 5 windows open with ref. links).
I think enough was said. Heh, maybe one more small tiny comment - uh, ML_owner - you fight like a girl (no offense to OUR girls - hey all of you got STRONG spirits to drive non-RX SUV!) and I think for now you should
let your parner make some decissions and show who is the man in your partnership! ;)
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quote:
Originally posted by msu79gt82
Ditto!!!! 99% of the "negative" comments are tongue in cheek surely. I guess we need to go back 80 years when Henry Ford says "you can have any color you want as long as it is black". I been buying Suv's, one a year for the last 8 years and while I have customized a fews things to my personal taste the MDX is the best all around vehicle I have had. Good luck to you guys and when you have seen enough there is plenty of room under our tent for you. But, you gotta pay for the privelage. Go to your Acura Dealer and write that check today and realize your dreams. All will be right in your universe, only then.
You bought it why not defend it? This is an MDX site, duh! Thus the vast majority of users are currently or soon to be owners of an MDX; again duh!!
bud789: You are kidding yourself if you think other luxury car owners do not defend their purchases. Have you browsed the forums over in Edmund's Town Hall?? Check out the threads involving the BMW, MB and Lexus. I have, and I can assure you that there is just as much, if not more, defensive owner talk there as there is here. Also check out the web for sites similar to this one dedicated to the other respective luxury brands. Their defensive owners tend to congregate there and not here.
I suspect that you want an MDX, but for whatever reason could not get one. Too bad; I have one and am very pleased with it.
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| Thank you gentlemen who's defended successfully the true factors of MDX. My conclusion is that: the more you drive your MDX, the more you love it. The winter is almost gone. The summer is coming. "Take the SUV to the places it's never been before". Vroom.... |
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quote:
Originally posted by sgtglok
OH!
Just finished reading the WHOLE thread from the beginning. Wow, guys, you were BUSY!...
It took me an hour just to read all the comments (still have 5 windows open with ref. links).
I think enough was said. Heh, maybe one more small tiny comment - uh, ML_owner - you fight like a girl (no offense to OUR girls - hey all of you got STRONG spirits to drive non-RX SUV!) and I think for now you should
let your parner make some decissions and show who is the man in your partnership! ;)
Hey Sarge...
Let's take this outside!! :D:D |
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| I actually got in a mild argument yesterday w/a Bimmer owner about the M-B ML. She swore to me that the ML is a minivan, and I had to convince her that its an SUV. I was perfectly content to state that the Acura was more minivan in its underpinnings than the ML, but she argued, who cares, the M-B looks like a minivan, so that's what she'd call it. |
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I'd get the MDX over the ML just for it's looks.
The MDX looks amazing, stylish and sturdy.
The ML looks like matchbox whose ends got pushed in
to produce a puffy car frame. Sometimes, it looks like a toad waiting to jump. Don't ask why, but when I see the ML, I see one ugly suv. No style whatsoever.
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First of all, I am not an MDX owner (yet)...
To me the only advantage of owning a ML is its proven safety record versus the MDX. Other than that I truly feel MDX is comparatively a far better vehicle that appeals to a much broader spectrum of the population than the ML does. Mercedes is a great brand and I hope to be able to afford an S 5xx class MB sedan someday, unfortunately ML is not really even in close proximity of the S class. I would never throw my hard earned money away, just for the MB logo. If ML did not have an MB star on it, I bet many ML owners would not be ML owners. Acura has come up with a very attractive package in MDX, that (I am sure) is forcing other manufacturers to revisit designs of their future automobiles. No doubt there will be better vehicles that would beat Acura's offering. But today, MDX is one attractive vehicle thats upsetting many and hence this discussion ... :-) |
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quote:
Originally posted by ML320_Owner
I post this info since I was just shopping for an MDX and ruled it out, and thought it could be useful to some of the potential MDX buyers who are on this system. Sharing of information is what this is all for, isn't it? Don't take it personally, it's only a car.
I've had no problems with my ML320. I'll bet you recent ML320s will prove more reliable than your MDXs. The latter is derived from the Honda Odyssey. That vehicle has had many quality problems.
And just to prove the point to all you owners who have been driving around thinking you've got a reliable and safe Honda vehicle, please refer to:
http://www.acuradriver.com/service/updates/01-008.asp
As you can see, the first 5,300 MDX's have been RECALLED. Acura glosses over the wording. What they're really saying in the 'update' is the passenger air bag won't deploy in a low-speed collission.That is, fail to deploy when it should deploy.
Yes, that means you first 5,300 owners have been driving around for several months now, unknowingly endangering your passenger. And Acura has only issued this recall now? Either their quality control is so bad they didn't realize it until now, or they chose to ignore it for as long as they could. Not good either way.
The date on the recall is 2-20. Have you been contacted by Acura or your dealership or are they letting you drive around with a diagnosed, unsafe condition?
OK so the MDX interior is a plasticky, vinyl exercise in cheapness. The exterior is a strippo. And now it's not even a safe vehicle. Did I mention the ML320 is the safest SUV in the planet?
So to all you folks on ridiculously long waiting lists to pay MSRP, consider the opinion of an MDX shopper who found out that the emperor has no clothes. I'm going to keep looking elsewhere, Highlander, RX300, X5. Whether or not you listen is up to you. Those who choose to ignore me can just keep scrolling by. But if you were really ignoring me you wouldn't be so quick to defend the mistake.
But even if you choose not to listen to me PLEASE take action on this recall if your vehicle is one of the 'lucky' 5,300 affected. Please don't endanger your loved ones and see your Acura doctor right away.
ML320 owners..Take Note!
I could not let this one go by, take a look at the NHTSA website and see how many ML320's where recalled for a seatbelt problem. It seems it dates back to 1997 and affected 85,970 vehicles. If you need the the number for the campaign it is NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 99V328000. If yours is one of the Lucky 85,970 affected, please don't endanger your loved ones and See your Mercedes Doctor Right Away!!!It seems Mercedes allowed you to drive around almost 3 years before notifiy owners! Recalls are a fact of life in the Automoblie business. Some are more serious than others.
Greg in Hotlanta
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I guess putting a Mercedes star on an Acura, might earn the Acura respect, but I don't think so.
When choosing between a lowend Mercedes or a dressed up Honda, I choose the Mercedes everytime. The Mercedes benefits from all of the features used on much more expensive vehicles. After all the advanced drive train used in the ML is the same as that used in many much more expensive vehicles. The Mercedes drive train is powerful, very safe, is up to heavy towing, and will run for years. The vehicle is a joy to drive on or off road. On the othed hand, the drive train on the MDX is based on a Honda minivan. It has a transaxle bolted onto it which no one knows when it is engaged. There is no esp or traction control. The fact the oil in it has to be changed every 7500 miles does not speak well for its durability.
Finally, Acuras have very bad resale value. After a few years, they look like old Hondas. Can't say the same for Mercedes. So in having to choose, the lowend Mercedes wins everytime over the fancy Honda.
quote:
Originally posted by TheWorm
Our esteemed guest LoKee makes a good point.
I find it odd (albeit true) that folks who'd buy the MB nameplate, specifically the ML320, for vanity, don't see the paradox of it being the bottom-of-the-rung in the MB lineup.
Meanwhile, I'm wondering whether it might be possible to purchase the 3-star hood ornament and fit it into the Acura grill.
Maybe steameng8 (sorry, I know I butchered your screen name) can work some Photoshop magic.
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Bud. I'm sorry but you are an idiot. You'll have to talk to the hand from now on because you just lost all credibility with your ignorant statements. Folks on this site are concerned about reliability, something the Mercedes does not have, not "I own a Mercedes". Kindly take your babble elsewhere. I am sorry that you did not get in line soon enough to buy an MDX and are now just whining. (Why else would you be here).
Please do not reply to this goofball folks. This thread needs to die once and for all forever. If any of you MDX owners ever lower yourself to this level on an MDX board, I will put a voodoo curse on you like you can't imagine!
Over...out..and DONE...cya! |
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| correction... I meant Mercedes board above.. |
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I don't know. I have owned a Mercedes 560SEL and a MB190 2.3 AMG, and they were very nice cars. I have also had an ACURA legend (2nd version) and IT was a nice car. I got a good resale on the Acura. Relative to the purchase price, I got a BETTER resale on the Acura. We sold the 560, which was a $55k car, with only 22,000 miles on it for $19K. The Acura was bought for 30k, we got 9k for it with 90,000 miles on it. I guess I look at it as it cost me 36,000 to drive the Benz and it cost 21,000 for the Acura. Factoring in the miles, it cost me 1.60 a mile for the Benz and .21 a mile for the Acura.
But an even bigger issue for me is this. The ML320 is a particularly UGLY vehicle. Sorry, but that's what I think. |
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I've been lurking about this site for some time now, and I watched this heated ML-MDX debate unfold with interest. Today, I received my latest issue of Ward's Auto World. This is a highly respected auto industry trade rag that not many people outside the industry have heard of, aside from the Nissan Maxima ads crowing about their V6 being selected by Ward's as one of the World's ten best engines.
Anyhoo, what do I find but an article detailing the warranty woes of the ML320. It seems that some dealers are replacing 3-4 ML320 complete engines per month! Before anyone else blames the problems on Alabama rednecks, this engine is built in Germany and shipped to the US for installation. Beyond the engine problems, DCX's stock price got hammered on May 8 when the London Financial Times reported that their warranty costs for the M-B brand have tripled over the last 2 years. _Average_ warranty cost for an M class is $2,204!
So much for M-B's vaunted quality.....
Rob
Silver Touring no nav, two day wait & no "market added value" charges! |
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