phoenix_1983

Hello friends,
I just joined to seek some guidance on deciding between trading in my 2011 RDX (for an RDX or an MDX) or keeping it. I understand it is challenging to offer generic advice and there is no one solution, but wanted to get an idea from Acura enthusiasts.
My car has 77,500 miles on it and I am the second owner - I have maintained it pretty well - no issues so far except for the recent air bag recall- touch wood- and owe 12.5K on loan. The dealer appraised my vehicle and agreed to pay 15K if I were to sell it to them (austin, TX based dealer). My car is in excellent condition but I was worried if the dealers had any hidden agendas (they always do!). Perhaps I should try to sell it by myself?
Other than monetary considerations, I have heard from some people that Acuras last longer than 150K but some of the blue tooth and rear cam functionalities might not work after 100K. Some other folks have mentioned it may be better to replace it when it is close to 100K miles as the service costs go up. Are these true? What additional generic maintenance costs will I be looking at as my car gets older?
What other considerations (other than $ for the new car) should I be making? Perhaps keep it or try leasing a new one as Lease options seem to be more popular these days? Let me know if you need more information.

Thank you in advance.

phoenix_1983

Forgot to mention that this is an RDX with technology package and 2WD.

Jdrum1

My free advice:

77k is nothing for a Honda product. Sure, as any car ages, issues can arise.

I purchased my '09 RDX with almost 150k on the clock. It came with full maintenance records (from an Acura dealer), and it's never had an actual repair (just scheduled maintenance and one AC recharge).

There will always be people that don't believe in keeping cars past a certain mileage. Given how long a well maintained modern car can last, that number is arbitrary. I think most people just use that as a reason to validate a new car purchase.

My grandmother was one of those people......but, she ran a Chevy dealership! Also, she drove dealer demo's, so she never paid for a car.


I'll always be a Honda "bottom feeder". I can drive my RDX for another 50k miles, and it's really not going to depreciate much more. I'm also comfortable doing that because I do my own repairs/maintenance (a hobby for me). That also makes high mileage used cars less of a risk for me (saved me thousands over the years).

mrgold35

I purchased my 08 RDX used in 2010 with 30K. I now have 130K and it still runs like the day I got her. The only major expense I've had after the 100K service was replacing my front/rear struts/shocks at around 110K. I think they might have lasted longer; but, I have Eibach springs+OEM struts/shocks since purchase in 2010 and that might have worn them out sooner rather than later.

I did purchase a 11 MDX in 2014 because I needed more room for traveling (about 20k per year for track meets). I think Acura makes the absolute best "used" bang for the buck luxury vehicles and that is why I tend to purchase used. I would only consider trading in your current RDX if it doesn't fit your current lifestyle or you anticipate some changes to your lifestyle. We just graduated or youngest from high school. I'm thinking about something smaller like a 2.4L TLX tech since it will be just me and the wife when we travel to his college track meets in the southwest. My MDX is excellent for traveling; but, a gas hog and very wide/long/too much wasted space for daily commuting/errands around town. My RDX is the perfect commuter/errand vehicle for 1-3 passengers.

I would only consider trading in my RDX if there were maint issues or I need something different to support my lifestyle.

06 TSX +130K zero issues, expecting +200K before considering trading in
08 RDX +130K zero issues, expecting +200K before considering trading in
11 MDX +75K zero issues, I will keep the MDX to past 120K (Acura Care runs out) and trade her in if the magnetic struts/shocks died after that