creampiggy

Hi, I own an 06 TSX and plan to buy a used 1G RDX. I looked at a 09 base RDX with 67k miles yesterday, and found that there is a thick layer of carbon deposits on the exhaust pipe. See the photos attached.

Is it normal?

I am concerned, especially because that the owner mentioned that during his 3.5 years/40k miles of ownership, you has been using 87 gas. Is it going to be a major problem? The first owner did maintenance at the dealer according to receipts, so I would assume that 91 gas was used, but not sure.

CrAzYNeSs

I have that on all my cars. If the owner used 87, I would be be more cautious as it doesn't seem like a person who takes care of his/her car. Reason being is that it explicitly states premium only. I would think it would be especially important being a turbo car to prevent knock.

RDX10

Avoid like the plague. The 1G RDX explicitly asks for premium. It is not like other honda V6 engines that recommend premium. It needs premium, not likes premium. To me that is a 2 headed issue. On one hand, putting 87 can lead rod knock and other associated issues because the ecu has to pull back timing. I assume at redline it must pull
back timing signifigantly or else this may have bad wear on interior parts.

The other part is that if the owner is so open to saving a couple dollars a tank, imagine what he is also skimping on. Move on man, also, trust me the technology package is very very nice, try to find one with it.

creampiggy

Thanks for your input. Yes, indeed, it seems that the car has never had transmission/brake/coolant/transfer/differential fluids replaced ever. It is 7 years old now at 67000 miles. How much damage can there be?

On the other hand, the price seems reasonable, in between KBB good price and fair price. Does it make sense to negotiate more and replace all fluids after I get the car?

DRR98

No. No. No. Seems like maybe you want it bad enough to get it regardless of any advice to the contrary.

My advice...Be patient...Keep looking. Don't settle for a poorly maintained one. Why would you? Buy the one that will be the best value for as long as you own it. Buy the one that will hold it's value until you decide to sell it.

When the wrong choice ends with big repair costs you will not be happy with your choice.

RDX10

BINGO!! OP, take the advice and move on. Otherwise do whatever you like, but when you end up with a pos, don't be surprised. Out of curiosity, ask them what oil they use when changing (if they change) and how often. The rdx requiers full synthetic fyi.

Kaputnik

Definitely move on. This one is way too risky.

mrgold35

I have an 06 TSX (+135K) and 08 RDX tech (+132K). The RDX has everything the TSX is missing (more power, sh-awd, updated tech, more room, better visibility). The only downsides is the mpgs coming from the TSX (RDX 17-19 mpg avg compared to 25-28 mpg avg in TSX) and the RDX can be noisy on the hwy. Both vehicles will last you forever; BUT, you need to do the routine M.I.D. maint at a minimum, use syn oil, and the right octane gas. The money you save now on this poorly maintained RDX will cost you more in the long run. I'm pretty sure the original owner is thinking, "This RDX is running perfectly since 09 with almost zero maint and 87 octane gas. I think I will sell it since it is such a perfect car and I will let the next owner also take advantage of my good fortune?".

I willing to bet the owner took the RDX to the shop and discovered a $$$ maint issue and decided to sell instead of fixing.

Having a service history is very important when purchasing an used Acura. Carfax is nice to have to double-check service history if the vehicle was serviced at a dealership. My RDX looks and runs the same when I purchased used at 30K to now at 130K because I do the required maint. I would check out an 08-09 RDX tech with almost any mileage IF you have a complete service history.

Jdrum1

Buys a premium car, won't buy premium gas........


Wonder if the owner understood the reasoning behind why the RDX needs premium. Maybe he didn't release how important high octane is for some vehicles. That may be in part due to all the misinformation floating around about how high octane is a waste of money (which is true for some cars).


I always put premium in my s2000 RDX. GF's TSX gets it most of the time (mpg's seem better). I wasn't paying attention once and accidentally put premium in my classic truck (habit). I was surprised at how poorly it ran.

WheelMcCoy

Replacing the fluids won't repair any wear / damage / abuse. The advice here is spot on.

Excessive carbon build-up on the exhaust tip usually means the car was running "rich" -- too much fuel to air mixture. It *could* mean engine damage, clogged catalytic converter, dirty air filter. Kudos that you spotted this and posted a question about it. Your instincts are also spot on; listen to them.

creampiggy

Thank you folks for all the valuable suggestions. I guess I will pass on this car. It has been so hard to find a reasonably maintained used 1G RDX without accidents in NJ/NY area. Right now, I am looking at a 12 Tech, well-maintained at dealers with 5000 mile/4 month oil change intervals, but it is a FWD. Well, life cannot be perfect...

Tomtwtwtw

For what it's worth, carbon deposits, while in some cases can be an indicator of neglect, could also just mean a lot of cold starts and short trips and be otherwise harmless. The car will run rich on cold starts to get the cat warmed up, and during these few minutes some un-burned fuel will find its way into your exhaust. Over time, carbon will build up if you don't clean it off (car washes don't scrub this, you need to do it by hand). You'll see this WAY more often on direct injection engines as well, as they can fire an extra shot of fuel during the exhaust stroke to warm up the cat even faster. My RDX has been very well maintained, runs great, has over 100k flawless miles, and plenty of carbon on the exhaust. Doesn't worry me.