Need some advice...

[ugharin]

Hope this is the right forum.

I recently wrecked my QX4 and am looking to buy a new vehicle. But I cant seem to find any vehicle (form my choices) that donot have some kind of a problem or another. My budget is upto 15k-16k and hence cannot afford any CPO vehicles and would have to fix any issues myself as it appears like the third party warranties would not cover these defects. Searching on autotrader, my list is as follows;

1) 2003-2004 Lexus GX470 - available from 100k miles starting from 16k
PROBLEM - A clunking noise from rear which could be attributed to the propeller shaft and suspension linkage. TSB#DL002-07.
Rollover issues as welll?
1) 2003,4,5,6 - Lexus RX - available from 80k miles starting from 14k miles.
PROBLEM - Transaxle issues. From my research, it appears like there is no fix for this other than replacement.

2) 2003,4,5 Infiniti FX35 - available from 80k miles starting from 15k.
PROBLEM - Dashboard bubbling issues. Upwards of $1000 to fix it.

3) 2003,4,5 Acura MDX - available from 80k miles starting from 14k
PROBLEM - Torque converter and transmission issues on all the models.

Also contemplating my buddy's H3 but have no clue about the vehicle. I was with him when he got it at 40k miles and now has 100k miles in a little over 2 years(almost all highway). Wants 12k for it. How are these trucks? My focus is on durability, reliability,4AWD (snow) and safety. Saw a post on some hummer forums about posting if the truck crossed 50k miles which to me seemed more like a warning than an expression of durability...

Would appreciate any advice and suggestions. Thanks for your help.

[Ozzie]

Out of all of those, I would go for the 2003,4,5 Infiniti FX35.
All the other vehicles have issues that are mechanical.
The only issue you pointed out about the FX35 was a bubbling dash.
Get a dash mat for way less than $1000, and have a more reliable car.

I haven't owned any of these vehicles, so can't give any real advice on what to steer clear of, but based on the info you have provided, I'm going to stick with the suggestion mentioned above.

[MinisterofDOOM]

My focus is on durability, reliability,4AWD (snow) and safety.

The H3 wins hands-down in all of those categories. I'll get into why in a bit.

Some things to consider...

The GX and H3 are trucks. The MDX and RX are FWD crossovers, and the FX is a RWD crossover. GX is a rebadged 4Runner, while the H3 is based on the Chevy Colorado. MDX is Accord-based. RX is Camry-based. The FX is derived from the same platform as the M45, though I wouldn't call it "M-based" despite the two being closely related mechanically. So you've got 3 different categories of vehicle going on there, which may help you narrow your choices.

The FX is definitely the most performance-oriented onroad. The H3 is more capable offroad or in adverse road conditions.

The AWD systems are also a lot different. The MDX is always in AWD mode, but has a snow mode that improves snow performance. The RX is either full-time AWD or FWD only. And the FX is either full-time AWD or RWD only. Of the 3 cars, the FX has the superior AWD system, acting like RWD most of the time but giving the front tires power when needed.
The H3 has 4WD (with a 2-speed transfer case). And the GX has a similar system but 4WD is enabled full-time (you still get 4lo, though).

Since the H3 and GX are trucks, they'll offer the best durability and towing capacity. But the cars will offer better ride quality, handling and fuel economy.

H3 either has a 3.7 liter Vortec I5, which is good mechanically but not as refined as the excellent I6 it was derived from. It also feels gutless in such a heavy truck. If the H3 you're looking at is an Alpha, it'll have a 5.3 liter Vortec V8, which makes the H3 a much more appealing prospect.
I'm also not fond of the 1MZ and 3MZ (3.0 and 3.3) V6s found in first and second gen RXs. The engine is low on power, unrefined, and just not up to par. The 2GR (3.5) in 2nd and third gens is an excellent engine, however.
MDX gets Honda's 3.5 and 3.7 V6s, which are good but, being Honda powerplants, lack torque vs the VQ and 2GR.
And the GX get's the 2UZ V8, which is not bad, but short on torque for its size (though still far torquier than any of the non-V8 options in the list).
And the FX gets a VQ35, unless you man up and get an FX45 (hint, hint) which is the best engine in the lineup, short of the Vortec 5.3.

So it comes down to whether you're looking for a truck, a crossover, or a sporty wagon (the FX sitting alone in the latter category).

[Bubba1]

I noticed all of your choices are upscale models, which are inherently more expensive to maintain/repair than their mainstream counterparts. fF you went with the Toyota/Honda versions of the same models (4 runner/highlander/Pilot), you could go with newer models with fewer miles for the same money.

The H3 is probably the only choice of your group I'd advise against, which is essentially a rebodied Chevy Colorado, not one of GM's more reliable offerings. the other models you listed all have good overall reputations for reliability. Of course if you see problems with one before you buy it, I wouldn't discard the entire model, just that one vehicle.

Some thoughts on the others,

The rollover issue you heard about with the Lexus GX involved only the 2010 model year and lasted maybe a month. Consumer Reports had issued a warning about lift off oversteer during an accident avoidance test. the VSC did not engage quickly enough, resulting in it sliding more than other vehicles before the system reacted. And if you happen to hit a curb during that slide, that increases your chance of a rollover. Curiously , the 4Runner, which shares the same platform, did not have the problem. CR cancelled the warning after Toyota tweaked the software. Since GX is essentially a 4Runner, it is a solid, durable choice.

The Lexus RX shares the Toyota highlander platform, (which is Camry based) and is among the more reliable non off-road SUV's offered. I have heard examples of the transmission problems too, and they are uber expensive if they fail. (Aren't they all?) But the number of cases of post warranty transmission failures relative to the number of RX's sold appears small. Consumer Reports annual reliability survey reports RX tramsmission reliability as better than average. As a long time Toyota owner, I can tell you their dealers tend to be arrogant, expensive, and not very good, so I don't use them for anything except warranty repairs. I;m sure there good ones out there, but I have not met one yet.

The MDX is one of the top rated full sized SUV's. Their transmission reliability trends similar to Lexus, better than average. CR's only reported weak area is the factory audio system, I have a friend that bought an MDX new and he still has it with well over 100K miles, no problems.

The Infiniti FX, if the styling appeals to you, it's a very nice choice. I;ve never heard about the dash bubbling, but that could be the result of being stored outside without the surface protected. It also has above average reliability.

Good luck in your hunt.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I definitely agree about considering the non-lux variants of those two. I actually like the looks of the Pilot much more than the MDX. And while I don't LIKE the looks of either RX or the Highlander, the Highlander at least leaves my corneas unscarred.

The big problem with the Highlander vs RX is you have to get a 2nd gen Highlander to get the 2GR, and it's just not worth buying a 3MZ powered crossover when the competition all offers such superior powerplants. Even with a 2nd gen HIghlander (for the first year, IIRC) you get stuck with the 3MZ. So you have to go '09 or newer to get a V6 worth paying money for out of the Highlander.

And when I bash the 3MZ, it's not because of reliability. Compared to other V6 offerings (including Toyota's own) the engine is simply behind the curve. Imagine if Nissan put a VG33 in the FX...it just wouldn't fly. And I love the VG. Just not in a 2008 model year car.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

This thread needs 100% more Honda Pilot. Safe, reliable, and will get the job done in snow.

Also, Forester.

Probably not what you're looking for, but recently I've become surprised at how awesome the Mitsubishi Montero is. Locking diffs (on the second generation) at it's price range? Selectable part OR full-time 4WD high? Daddy like.

[sbird1]

Charieo, have you seen the new commercials about breaking 5 world records with the new Mitsus? IDK if I believe it really... unless it's a bunch of records nobody else has tried for. They look nice, but I'm still skeptical of the cars.

[hannibal]

^ I'm very skeptical about the Mitsu commercial. I havent gone to the website to investigate though...

Have you considered the Murano? I know its not an FX, but it came to mind based on the (correct) comments about looking into the 'standard' versions of luxury utes.

[Bubba1]

^ I'm very skeptical about the Mitsu commercial. I havent gone to the website to investigate though...

Here are the 5 "records" Mitsubishi claims to have broken.

◦Greatest distance driven by a vehicle in reverse on snow in 30 seconds (300 meters).

◦Shortest braking distance by a vehicle on ice (56.2 meters).

◦Most vehicle figure eights on ice in two minutes (3 laps).

◦Fastest vehicle slalom relay on ice (1 minute, 11 seconds).

◦Fastest driven square lap (19 seconds).

Mitsu is conveniently lacking details as far as distances, speeds, sizes etc. (eg shortest braking distance from what speed, or the size of the figure 8's or square lap). It would not surprise me if these records were old, obscure and could be easily broken.

[ugharin]

Thanks for the replies and help everybody.

Have been researching and test driving a few vehicles whenever I find the time and get someone to take me around until I learnt that Id get decent IBM discounts on rental cars....swell!

Well, dont want to go into details here but test drove the following

1) 05 FX35. Its certainly an acquired taste and I was really hoping I'd like it but in the end I didnt.

2) Toyota RAV4. Was pretty good. May go for it at the end of the day.

3) Honda CRV, Lexus RX. Not for me. Didnt like them at all. Not confident with the MDX still.

4) I keep searching and driving various vehicles but in the back of my mind, I always feel that the QX4 was the perfect vehicle. Other than the GX470, I donot like any other vehicle in the market today. I was interested in the FJ Cruiser or the H3 a little bit but that quickly disappeared as well when I sat in a 2010 FJ today. It was a good deal at 24k with 8k miles but it just didnt cut it. It was the interior that didnt do it for me. Im 6ft tall and felt claustrophobic inside and the rear passenger room was ridiculous although I dont use it much. Still.
My buddys H3 was a lot better inside. Excellent actually but had the I5 engine and struggled to move around. Got pretty bad at the rush hour traffic on the I20 outside of Atlanta. Others I look at online are outside my budget. Sigh!

Will look in to the montero sports again. Its been a while. My gf had a 98 with 260k miles on it and still drove great. Never missed a beat. So did my 91 buick century and my 96 galant. Maybe I ought to go back to the 80s and 90s as with music...

Thanks for the help again.