Hello, I've got a few issues with my '05 MDX. None are major right now issues, but they're more deferred maintenance type issues... So, as mentioned, its an '05. Currently has about 196k miles. I got it shortly before I joined this forum in 2010, so I've had it a while. When I got it, I never expected to have it this long. I figured a year or two. That became 3 or 4... Now I'm at 9 years and I guess I can say I just like it. I had an '03 TL-S before this, so Ive had Acuras for a while. My thing is that I don't have the knowledge to do a lot of maintenance. Oil changes, brakes, etc. I can and do those. Beyond that, I get lost.
So here we are. I've put 170k miles on this thing myself. At the risk of getting myself crucified here, these are its issues...
1-It's umm, still got the original timing belt. I've read all the doom and gloom about how it needs to be changed at 105k and its an interference engine, etc. I worried about it for a while, didn't have time to get it in, and then just gradually forgot about it, until now, when I'm getting close to needing the second replacement done. I don't really want to stretch it any longer, though. It's got a bit of a coolant leak, so I figure its time to get the replacement done. Is it worth spending the money on a 200k 14 year old car at this point?
2-Suspension needs work. I'm guessing tie rods and ball joints. They're not original, but they've been on there a while, and they're making noise and rattle over bumps. Very much not like the Acura I know and love. So I should get those replaced. Any recommendations for that?
3-Navigation doesn't work. I know I've seen I can take the box from under the passenger seat and send it to Alpine to get repaired. Is it worthwhile? I'm not able to change clock or hvac settings, etc. Thats my biggest issue. I don't honestly care about the navigation part. I didn't use it in 2010, I won't use it now, either. But the blank screen is kind of an annoyance, and since I'm listing the issues, here it is.
4-Front A-pillar on driver side leaks. I don't know from where. The sunroof drain on that side is clear. Dumping water in it sends water right out behind the front wheel like its supposed to. But its definitely leaking, which I think *MAY* be the cause of an intermittent airbag light, since theres an airbag in the pillar. I could be totally wrong, and I cant' reliably reproduce the airbag light. Sometimes its on, then it will stay off for months.
5-Intermittent check engine light. Gives me codes for multiple misfires and catalyst. P0306, P0300, P0301, and P0420. The weird part of it is that these are stored codes, but it still passes emissions. I have to get an echeck every two years. Just got it checked about two weeks ago at the beginning of 2019, and it passed. I'm not sure what to make of that.
So with all of this, I'm not sure whether to fix it all and keep driving it, fix some of it and ignore some of it, or just sell it and buy something else. I'm thinking if its worth keeping it on the road, the timing belt is priority 1. Then the suspension. The other things are things I would consider to be minor. The navigation is gonna be $400. I'm not gonna spend $400 to be able to change my clock. If its something I can fix myself easily, I'd do that. Same with the minor leak. It doesn't smell mildew or moldy, it just gets a few water droplets when I go through a carwash or if I leave it outside overnight in the rain.
I'm also inclined to ignore the CEL. Its not always on, it runs great, and it still passes echeck.
I just don't want this thing to become a beater. It still looks good, runs great, and I'd trust it to go anywhere. I just put 600 miles on it over the weekend driving it to my parents house to visit.