Acura MDX vs Honda Pilot vs Landrover LR3...for 2 car seats

[clemsondds]

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Thank you all for your help and advice!! I look forward to looking into the MDX and Pilot! Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[tl01]

Originally Posted by murphydog77

Yeah, Land Rovers are really status vehicles and nothing more. I live in a status area and see a lot of them and Mercedes and know that at least for my dh's friend, his Mercedes spends a lot of time in the shop. Yet he keeps buying them . An advantage of the MDX is that it has 3 full sets of LATCH across the center row and 2 tether anchors for the 3rd row, though it is tough to get ff seats back there. Pilot owners will be able to tell you if there is center LATCH in that SUV. The Pilot is an awesome kid hauler, no doubt. Perhaps it's down to driving both to see which fits you better.

Interesting since my two 2011 odyssey minivans were in the shop way more than my past 5 Mercedes. Especially in recent years, Mercedes has come on strong in quality after a brief dip with a few models. I thought would get awesome build quality with my Honda... But that was not the case at all.

[luckyclov]

Originally Posted by tl01

Interesting since my two 2011 odyssey minivans were in the shop way more than my past 5 Mercedes. Especially in recent years, Mercedes has come on strong in quality after a brief dip with a few models. I thought would get awesome build quality with my Honda... But that was not the case at all.

Just out of curiousity (and totally off-topic), what were your Odys in for? I have two friends with '11s and theirs have been in several times for electrical issues (doors, hatch, controls, error lights), transmission & air (leaks), tires, and something that had to do with the suspension on one (but I can't remember what specifically). One friend actually traded out of the Ody for a '12 Town & Country.

[QuassEE]

Just like tl, I don't keep my cars past the warranty period...but it's still inconvenient when they're in the shop. She can list off what her Odys went in for (I am aware of some of the issues, but not all) but I can let you know what issues I have had with mine, in almost 18 months of owning it:
1) "Low battery light" - Which was eventually recalled...the recall fix, I believe, was just to change the threshold for the warning!
2) Noisy sliders
3) Front strut popping/clicking noises (Housings were replaced. It started again about 5000mi later, and something else was tightened up and it hasn't happened against since. I almost got rid of the car over this, because I had to take it in 3 times and was told that the dealership could not reproduce. I eventually went to a different dealership where I have a family connection and they fixed it.) ... this is also one of the things that tl01 had happen with her first Odyssey.

Nothing major, really. BUT.. now I have a transmission stutter and about once a month my transmission full-on CLUNKS into gear. Fortunately my 2011 is a lease (my 2008 was owned outright) and I won't be buying out the lease, knowing that the transmission is likely bad. We'll keep it another 18 months and then I'll probably get an MDX or the JX.

Having said all that.. I'd still get another Odyssey.

-Nicole.

[tl01]

Originally Posted by luckyclov

Just out of curiousity (and totally off-topic), what were your Odys in for? I have two friends with '11s and theirs have been in several times for electrical issues (doors, hatch, controls, error lights), transmission & air (leaks), tires, and something that had to do with the suspension on one (but I can't remember what specifically). One friend actually traded out of the Ody for a '12 Town & Country.

My first one had an issue with the AC... turning warm and cold. It also had the suspension noise that QuassEE mentioned. It was fixed once the TSB was released. It also had the transmission noise issue. That issue was never fixed b/c I didn't own it once the TSB was released.

My second one had a creaking issue in the driver's sliding door. That fix was attempted a bunch of times and it drove me crazy whenever the car was in motion. It also had the tranny issue that seems to have been fixed with the recent TSB... though I'd say it would take a few more months of driving it with the new computer update to be sure of that. My 2nd one also had an issue with paint coming off the bumper. There's a TSB for this issue as well... on the front bumper but mine had it on both bumpers. It was fixed twice in the dealer and when the outsourced a full repaint of the bumpers to a repair shop... it looked WAY worse than when I brought it in. That part was not Honda's fault...except that they picked the shop. I think the paint issue is not only an Ody issue.... I've inspected so many Honda bumpers and notice the issue everywhere. I think it has to do with either cheap paint or a problem with getting the paint to reliably stay on the bumper.

Like QuassEE, if I were going to get another minivan... It would still be an Ody.

[clemsondds]

Thanks a lot for that useless info

[tl01]

Originally Posted by clemsondds

Thanks a lot for that useless info

Someone asked for it and it might be relevant if considering a Honda product.

[P1ally]

Toyota Venza? Infinity JX?

I had a BMW X5 for 1-3 kids, and I hated it. Sold it and bought an odyssey.

[Carrie_R]

I have a Pilot, it's a solid kid-hauler. I have just two now, and with the third row folded down the cargo area is massive. They sit together on the 60 portion of the second row, and if I need to take another adult they have plenty of space on the 40, which is really helpful.

I can get six carseats (as long as they're the "right" six seats) in the Pilot, but it's not an easy task.

Downside is MPG. I seem to average 18-19, the best I've done is 24 on a road trip (steady, high-speed driving.) If I just had two kids, I'd probably look at something smaller, but alas I seem to be destined to haul small armies.

[jeno]

I bought an MDX new in 2007 (current body). Its been a great vehicle for us these last 5 years. We've since added 2 more kids to our family. We're sticking with the MDX for now. I really do find it to be the best solution for us, even as a family of 5.

We ride with a 3 across. 3rd row is stored because I haul a lot of cargo regularly.