I’m 19 and when I was two, my parents bought a 2007 Acura MDX. For reference, I myself am also a 2007 model. They let me come up with its name, and I named it after a rocket ship from a popular kids’ show at the time.
Since then, that MDX has carried my two little brothers home from the hospital as newborn babies (both are in high school now), transported my mom to work every day, lugged around three kids and all our stuff, had my brothers and I climb onto its roof and watch the sunset, and traveled up and down I-95 countless times to see my mom’s family. I’ve cried, laughed, slept, screamed, prayed, and sang in that car so many more times than I can count throughout my life. I was in the MDX when I finally told my parents that I had been struggling with depression and needed help, when I called my grandmother to tell her I got into my dream school- her Alma Mater, when I got my first job, when I drove by myself for the first time, when I went on the highway on my own for the first time, when I drove to my appointment to start testosterone, when I moved into college, when i moved into college by myself my second year, and so much more. the MDX has seen me pull over to cry, celebrate after a win, fall in and out of love, experience every single milestone I can remember. I’m in university now, and every time I visit my grandparents on the weekends, they tell me how my mom used to pull into their driveway in that same car when I was so small I couldn’t even read yet. My mom used to drive me in it down the east coast every couple weeks to see her parents, and now I drive the exact same route in reverse every month to see her and my dad. It’s the first car I’ve ever gotten to call mine.
I’ve known the MDX for longer than I’ve known my brothers, for longer than I’ve lived in my house, and for longer than I’ve known how to read. That car has seen me through my entire life. When I feel overwhelmed by college and the weight of being an adult, sitting in those leather seats feels close enough to a hug from my parents. I love that car like a sibling, because it might as well be my twin- neither its body nor mine works particularly well, and we have a lot of things wrong with us, but we’re trying our best and we keep going no matter what. When the world makes me feel weak and small, I feel my MDX’s engine rumble through the car and feel the vibration in the steering wheel, and I feel so powerful and strong, like i can do anything. It’s had its catalytic converter replaced, its hands free link disconnected, the aux port doesn’t work anymore, but it still keeps going and has never once let me down. I ask a lot of it, and it somehow always finds some way to do what I need it to do.
My parents no longer feel comfortable with me driving such an old car when I’m away at college, especially going up and down I-95, and they were able and willing to buy me a newer car with better gas mileage (2024 rav4 if you’re curious). I’m so grateful to them for that, and my bank account is definitely looking forward to driving a hybrid, but the MDX holds so much love and so many memories for me, and I’ve been crying all week at the thought of not driving it anymore. I’m planning on keeping my key for it, and turning some of the “ACURA MDX” badge things on the back into a keychain and a pendant (some have fallen off over the years, so I guess I just drive an AC MDX now haha), but I’m not emotionally prepared to say goodbye to it. It’s worked so hard and deserves to retire (be driven locally by my little brother, who just got his license), but I’m going to miss it so much. I leave tonight to drive home and pick up the new car, so today is our final trip on I-95 together.
Thanks for listening, r/Acura, and to my MDX, thanks for everything. When I finish grad school and get a grown-up job with grown-up money, I’m getting another Acura MDX ❤️. Until then, my MDX will always have my heart.
