I love my MDX, and it still looks and drives "new" after 2 years. If, like me, you keep cars for a long time (I have a 2001 or 2 Honda Odyssey van that works great), this may be a good deal. If you change cars every year or two, get a cheap and unreliable GM or Ford--it will be great for a couple years. By the time it has crapped out you will have walked away from it.

So the REAL issue is short-term vs. long-term. What is cheaper in the long-term is not often cheaper in the short-term.