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2011 Acura MDX Suspension and Ride Experience

23 messages,  Last post on Aug 03, 2011 at 7:34 PM

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What is this discussion about? Acura MDX, SUV

    

Messages Page 2 of 3

#7 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX Tech vs Advanced-suspension [brittu] by cloviskid

May 21, 2011 (8:34 am)

Replying to: brittu (May 21, 2011 12:32 am)
The Acura dealer in my area only had a Tech for me to test drive. Then days later I drove 100 miles to the nearest dealer with an Advance to test drive. It's too hard to tell between the two when test driving.
 
In 2010 Acura retuned the comfort-sport settings. In most cases I can't tell the difference when I select between the two. Sometimes I can tell a very minor difference. But keep in mind, Cadillac uses almost the identical system and they don't have driver selectable settings. It really isn't necessary since the system can be tuned to always give the most comfort until a stiffer suspension is needed. Even if I use the sport setting, the ride is much smoother on a rough road than my 2003 Infiniti I-35 was.
 
I almost purchased a 2010 Honda Pilot but decided I'd better at least test drive the MDX. Once I drove the MDX, I no longer wanted the Honda. I justified the cost of the MDX Advance by deciding to keep in longer than I would have if I purchased a less expensive SUV.
 
The 2010 MDX is my dream car - the car I've dreamed about for years. My dream car had to have all-wheel drive and Acura's is the best. It had to have an adaptive sports suspension and I believe there is none better than Acura's. It had to have ventilated front seats and the MDX Advance does, and they work well. It had to have some sort of a collision warning or mitigation system and the MDX Advance does. It also had to have a top-of-the-line Navigation system, and the MDX does. I got everything I wanted in the MDX Advance. I didn't compromise anything. At 66 years old, I felt if I didn't get exactly what I wanted, I probably never would. I've had the vehicle for nearly ten months with ZERO problems.
 
I also like comfort over sports suspensions. But I also want the extra layer of safety a sports suspension provides when an emergency arises and with the adaptive suspension, I get both. Driving the MDX in the mountains is like driving a small car around those curves. I thought my Infiniti I-35 handled well, but the Acura puts the Infiniti to shame.
 
If you don't get the Advance package, you will always wonder if you did the right thing. Just my two cents worth.

#9 of 23 2011 MDX ride experience by longsung

Jul 18, 2011 (9:06 am)

Just got a 2011 MDX base model. I found the ride is slightly bumpy on any road condistions regardless of the speed, especially compared to my other car Toyota Avalon. Since this is my first MDX, I'm wondering if this bumpy ride is normal.

#10 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX ride experience [longsung] by steve_ HOST

Jul 18, 2011 (11:22 am)

Replying to: longsung (Jul 18, 2011 9:06 am)
Check for the simple stuff first, that being the air pressure. Sometimes the dealers forget to air down the tires to spec when they deliver a new car.

#11 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX Tech vs Advanced-suspension [brittu] by ed168

Aug 01, 2011 (8:32 pm)

Replying to: brittu (May 19, 2011 10:39 pm)
I have a 2007 MDX Tech. The ride is horrible! It is very choppy. Every friend site in my MDX and complaint about the poor ride. We own a BMW, Mecedes Mits. Montero or Lexus before; never have such a poor ride. I don't own the Advance. I don't know how the Advance ride. I don't think it will be that much different. I'm very suprised how poor Acura made this MDX in term of ride comfort. You don't feel like you are riding on a luxury car when driving the MDX. Especially when it hits on a bumpy road, your whole body shake up and down and side way; horrible choppy ride! Not worth the money! You pay this kind of money, you don't just expect just reliable, you would expect ride like a luxury car. The SUV totally failed!

#12 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX Tech vs Advanced-suspension [ed168] by cloviskid

Aug 01, 2011 (9:33 pm)

Replying to: ed168 (Aug 01, 2011 8:32 pm)
I have the 2010 MDX Advance which is identical to the 2011. Everyone, young and old, tell me how smooth the ride is. Doesn't matter whether I have it on the Comfort or Sport setting, most times I can barely feel the bumps even on a bad road. Much smoother ride than my 2003 Infiniti I-35 with the standard (not sports) suspension.
 
Acura re-calibrated the Comfort and Sport settings for 2010 (applies also to 2011) to make the ride more compliant in both Comfort and Sport settings.
 
A couple weeks ago I got in a very bad situation on the freeway in Southern California. I was in lane #3 on a 5-lane freeway when the vehicle in front of me went into lane #4. Immediately the Collision Mitigation Braking System went into the Alert 1 stage warning me of a possible collision. I was going around 70MPH. The car directly ahead of me was going at most 10 MPH - it had a tire blowout. All I could do is swerve into lane #2 to get around it. This is where the adaptive suspension shines. On an emergency swerve into another lane, the suspension tightens nicely. I had no problem at all. The blind spot light was not on so I didn't have to worry about a car being in the other lane. Regardless, I would have had to swerve into that lane to avoid hitting the nearly stopped vehicle while going nearly 70MPH.
 
With the adaptive suspension, you get the benefit of a comfort suspension without sacrificing handling when you need it. Even if you have it in the Comfort setting, the owners manual says if necessary it will automatically go into the Sport setting and then automatically return back to the Comfort setting, or vice versa, in extreme cases.
 
The Collision Mitigation Braking System stage 1 warning has gone off 4 times during my first year of ownership. Each time I could see a good reason why it went off. But each time I was attentive and had the situation under control. Stage 1 warning is a beep beep beep and the word BRAKES flashing in red on and off in big letters on the dashboard. Could be a life saver if you happen to turn your head to the side at the same time the vehicle in front of you puts on his brakes.
 
Just over a year, and no problems with my MDX. Best vehicle, by far, that I have ever owned.

#13 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX Tech vs Advanced-suspension [ed168] by acmdx

Aug 02, 2011 (9:45 am)

Replying to: ed168 (Aug 01, 2011 8:32 pm)
It is obvious that you have a suspension problem. The MDX is well known to have a smooth ride, and the Advanced is way smoother. I owned brand new Mercedes SUV's for the last 10 years, and they had a terrible ride (wobbling) unless you installed Bilsteans or some other good shocks.
 
I am in the mdxers forum, and we all love the ride of our MDX. The only people that complain are the ones that have some serious issue, like you. Bad shocks, suspension component, etc.
 
It seems like it is a second hand vehicle. If you have extended warranty, you can go to the dealer for a checkup.. They will tell you right away what is wrong with your suspension.

#14 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX Tech vs Advanced-suspension [cha2] by acmdx

Aug 02, 2011 (9:54 am)

Replying to: cha2 (Dec 20, 2010 10:08 am)
The 2011 Advance has stiffer stability bars, which provides a nice improvement on curves. The ADS is an incredible system that works smoothly and keeps the vehicle very leveled on all kinds of roads.
 
If your suspension is too soft, just add more pressure to your tires. The higher pressure will add more feedback to the shock control/valve system and will provide a stiffer ride. You can put 36 PSI cold, and you will notice the difference. This works even on the 2011 MDX Advance Damper System vehicles, which will make the comfort mode stiffer and the sport mode, even stiffer...

#15 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX Tech vs Advanced-suspension [acmdx] by cloviskid

Aug 02, 2011 (12:30 pm)

Replying to: acmdx (Aug 02, 2011 9:54 am)
I could be wrong, but I don't believe adding air to the tires will stiffen the suspension. I believe all it does it make you feel the road more, and feel the roughness of the road more, and feel the bumps more. It should have nothing to do with the suspension itself. You don't want to over-inflate the tires. My Owner's Manual says: "Overinflated tires can make your vehicle ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear unevenly."
 
Driving on under-inflated tires is dangerous, yet will give a softer ride. Driving on over-inflated tires can actually DECREASE handling as less tread may be touching the road even though you "feel" the road more which can give a false sense of better handling.

#16 of 23 Re: 2011 MDX Tech vs Advanced-suspension [cloviskid] by acmdx

Aug 02, 2011 (12:06 pm)

Replying to: cloviskid (Aug 02, 2011 12:30 pm)
We are not talking 40+ psi, but just 4 psi of additional tire pressure. You are right in that you should never overinflate your tires.
 
32 Is the normal tire psi, 34 or 36 psi is the recommended pressure when you have any kind of load in your MDX. You definitely don't want to tow any load with your tires at 32 psi...
 
When I first got my 2011 MDX, all the bushings/suspension were tight and I could feel all the road feedback, now at 14,000, it is very quiet and smooth at 32 or 36 psi of pressure in my tires.
 
I have a 2011 MDX ADV, and when you put more pressure in your tires, it provides more feedback to the shock control mechanism (in the case of the ADV MDX), or to the valving system (normal MDX), and makes your ride definitely more firm. This is what you do, too, when your shocks are old and begin to lose firmness, on older vehicles.
 
This is a well known old procedure, and it is easy to feel the difference on the ADV MDX, since the comfort is very soft, but once you add the pressure, it stiffens the ride. I used to do this on my old Mercedes SUV's because they use cheaply design/built shocks that lasted just a couple of years.
 
When they say overinflate tires, they are talking 40+ psi, and you should never exceed or even come close to the maximum psi stamped on the tire. Normally 50 psi or so...

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