Get the Best Priced Acura MDX Wheel

The Acura MDX is a midsize luxury SUV with a carlike unibody platform and three rows of seats. The original MDX debuted in 2001, when most competitors still featured body-on-frame construction and the term "crossover" would have been met with a blank stare. Since then, Acura has maintained the MDX's family-friendly packaging, including standard seven-passenger seating, while upping the ante with various styling, performance and handling enhancements. In typical Acura fashion, every MDX comes well equipped, with options generally limited to a few choice features bundled into packages.

Whether you opt for a new or used vehicle, the Acura MDX stands out for its warmth, adaptability, and refinement, rating high as a family-oriented luxury crossover SUV. It remains one of the more engaging luxury crossovers, and also provides a supple ride. Weak points include cramped third-row accommodations for adults and an uninspiring interior design.

In many parts of the country, a bent rim is the most common problem drivers experience with wheels, especially during the late winter/early spring pothole season in the Snow Belt. That's why dealers now sell tire and wheel insurance for new cars. But a wheel is subject to more mishaps than a simple bent rim.

Alloy wheels can also corrode and suffer pitting from exposure to road salt, moisture and over-aggressive cleaning that wears off the clear-coat finish. They can also become discolored over time from accumulated brake dust or general neglect. Alloy wheels are exposed to physical damage, such as scraping a curb when parking. Steel wheels are often protected by plastic wheel covers that provide a barrier against such physical damage.

Out of sight and out of mind, though, doesn't mean steel wheels are safe and sound. Dirt, brake dust and moisture can build up behind the wheel covers and cause rust. To be sure, corrosion is more than an appearance issue. Tires can develop a slow leak if the tire bead can't tightly seal against the wheel because of an extensively corroded wheel rim.

Some claim that alloy wheels are more prone to bending than heavier steel wheels, while others claim that steel bends more easily than alloy. The lighter alloy wheels are more common on new vehicles because they enhance a vehicle's appearance and performance. But they usually come with class B tires that provide little cushion against bumps and potholes. That means that the larger your wheel diameter, the greater the risk that an alloy wheel could be bent or cracked by impacts. Steel wheels are usually shoed with higher-profile tires that provide more cushion against damage.

Whether an alloy wheel is more susceptible to damage than a steel wheel isn't the most important issue, but the cost of replacing one is. Most steel wheels can be replaced for less than $100. Many factory alloy wheels or good quality aftermarket wheels cost twice that, with some running several hundreds of dollars.

What is the Acura MDX Wheel replacement cost?

Action Crash alloy wheels for the Acura MDX will run you $129.98 at PartsGeek.