Base to Tech
 

Ok, so I got an RDX in December and it is an awesome car. But the thing was that it was a base model and I'm frustrated that it was not a tech. Can anyone lead me in the right direction in regards to "upgrading" my base to tech? Please tell me what I should do

Maybe Exchange it at the dealer and pay a few thousand or less to get the tech :tongue:

Tech package
 

First of all, we need to know what is it you are missing from the tech that make you frustrated. GPS, bluetooth, backup camera, ELS or XM ? If you say you need all of them, then I guess you should have just bought the tech.............. If just one or two, you can install the aftermarket items :2cents:

I am driving a base as well. But so far, for the 6 months I own the RDX, I haven't had a need for the use of GPS yet, it confirms that I don't really need a GPS. I listen to regular local radio in the car most of the time, so ELS is not necessary for me. Installed a backup sensor which I think it serves the purpose for assisting me to backup. I have also installed the bluetooth even though I don't really have many phones while I am in car, but it is cool gadget :thumbsup: Note: No XM radio in Canada anyway

Could you elaborate on 'installing' bluetooth? Thanks!

Bluetooth Car kit
 

If you search the forum here, you will find that we have discussed bluetooth car kit alternative before :thumbsup: Or try search on ebay

Hfl
 

This one works pretty well but requires professional installation (additional $100-200). Get this from ebay and go to one of Toronto local auto stereo shops. They can put it for you within a couple hours :thumbsup:

http://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-MOTORO...QQcmdZViewItem

I was also in the same purchasing situation as you a couple of weeks ago, when I placed the order for my RDX. I didn't think I would have required the TECH package, but I thought about using the vehicle more often now, travelling with family to the mountain areas in BC, and also to the south (Washington, Oregon and possibly all the way down to LA). So after a long discussion with my wife, we decided to go with the Tech Package, as I kind of like the techy stuff like rearview camera and blooth connectivity, plus I was always curious as to how good is the DVD-audio system.

Tech
 

If it is too late for you to change the order to tech, you can always get a portable GPS with touch screen for less than $300 now (I think lot of RDX tech owner miss the touch screen navi they had in other Acura). Don't forget, you will have to pay $100-200 every time you upgrade the Navi software from Acura, something that you invest thousand $$$ + annual upgrade but can't take away from the car......

In terms of ELS quality, why don't you go to dealer and ask them to test it for you. You can check what the difference is in person. Also make sure whether DVD+ format music DVD available in your area/in the music catagory you like. I am not a music fan but I heard there are not many DVD+ available (which is the key factor for making the ELS stand out !) Someone please corrects me if I am wrong.

Car PC
 

If you have the passion to do so, the RDX base is a carPC person's dream. The 7" display is perfectly positioned for a Car PC and the under console location of the navi is perfect for a miniITX based system (although you may want to add some more ventilation). My guess is you'll see some modders out there pretty swoon doing this. Although the Acura Navi is great, it is DVD based and graphics are a bit rudimentary for 2007. Plus you never know when you need to hit eBay, play 80GB of MP3s or watch a DVD while you're driving ;-)

I was seriously considering doing the CarPC project, until I realized I have 2 children and a day job ;-) Consequently I bouth the Tech!

I am glad you did. get the tech package .. driving and surfing the net or watching the DVD??? - not a great idea at all...

I had my Audi with Nav. for 7 years living in the SF bay area with lots of construction going on and only updated once (actually Audi sent the update to me for free one year so I never paid for an update, but I never heard why they bothered). Only a small amount of the database gets stale every year and it was usually stuff that I was familiar with like freeway overpass specifics. Towards the end I might come up to a "brand new looking" highway ramp setup and the car would tell me to get on some highway by turning left, but the signs clearly showed that the ramp was now on the right so I did the right thing and let the Nav recover when it found me again. Also, all you got was a 2-state CD for your money so it seemed a lot less worth it.

Now with the RDX you get the entire country on a DVD so the price/utility ratio is better. Also, you get full Zagat ratings and a much larger database of local businesses so there is a lot more data to get stale.

Still, my recommendation would be to just let the disc get stale until you find that the hit rate of current information is much lower than you'd like and then consider upgrading. You might find it takes 3 or 4 years to run into enough out-of-date information to bother.

(Also get Google Local Maps on your cell-phone so you can find businesses much easier with even more current information than an annual DVD would contain. ;))

ok so is there any specific action I can take? I currently have about 4500 miles on it. I 'm leaning towards going to the dealer and trying to trade it in for a tech model. How do I go about doing that?

Best way money-wise would be to sell the base model you currently have on your own and then go buy a tech model. Maybe a little more convenient would be to take your base model to carmax and sell it to them if they give you a decent amount and then go buy the tech. Trading it in at the dealer, you'll probably lose more money in this transaction, but it is definitely the most convenient as you can drive in with your base model and drive off with a tech model. It all depends on whats important to you. Convenience or money.

I am not sure how the taxes are calculated in the US, but here in Canada, the taxes are based on the actual amount of money you pay in the purchase transaction. Thus, if you have a trade, then the taxes are on the difference of new car price and the trade-in price. For a car like the RDX, where it is above 30k, it may be worth the while to consider trade in.

I strongly recommend you do NOT upgrade at this time. :) Not only for the fact that the dealer will rape you on the trade, even if you got a good trade price it just is not worth the upgrade for you. Here is a simple math for you:
$34000(~going price for tech) - $27000 (Est. Trade in) = $7000 price difference +TT&L
Is $7000+ worth it to you? It just is not money wise for you to upgrade at this time.

My suggestions:
1. Live with your decision and save yourself $7000+ :)
2. Visit a local stereo shop. Spend ~$3000 on a custom sound/nav/bt system and you are better off.
3. Wait another year for a trade in on used tech. Price difference might be better.
Good luck!

Agree
 

Totally agree. Don't give the Canadian dealer another chance to rip you off. They probably will charge you MSRP for the Tech again. :2cents:

And how about:
4. Wait for the new model year and see if the new models have even more reasons than just the current tech features to warrant an upgrade.

Anyone have any estimates on how much worse the trade-in might be in 6 months than it is now? I've always thought of trade-in value as the "law of diminishing punishment".

Is he even from canada?

The previous scenario about you losing $7k was sort of right, but the other option you have is to sell yours and purchase a used tech model. and the difference should be about the same as the difference between a new tech and a new base or about $4k. The question with that $7k loss scenario should be is a having a brand new tech model worth $3k over your base model with 4500 miles since you are getting $4k more vehicle. If it were me though I'd wait for the next model year to come out and then upgrade. Probably about 7 months from now. Then you have the option to upgrade to an 07 or an 08. You'd get a great deal on the 07 or maybe you'll like added features on the 08 if there are any.

I would never go through all the time and expense to go to the tech. After having mine for 5 months, while it is a little addicting, I find myself turning off the navi, and not trusting it and grabbing the map alot, and the voice commands I hardly ever use. Its just another fancy gadget. Unless you have the cash, and really need your gadget gofor it, but i cant see it.

I am amazed how much I've used the navi system. It's given me shorter routes on some of my already traveled routes. I think the more you use it, the more familiar you are with it's ease of use. I used to hate the voice command, but now, I've learned it better, and it's easier (and safer). The bluetooth is priceless to use as opposed to my ear-danging bluetooth headset. DVD'A's are great sounding, but hard to find. I love the option, but would not buy the car for the surround sound.
Is it worth it to trade now? No. I would wait for '08 and see if Acura changes to s v6, or other options. Then we'll all envy you!

My wife got me a Tom Tom 900 for my birthday last year and it already has Bluetooth phone capablilites and I can download stuff straight from my computer to it. So what I'm asking is is the other stuff in the Tech package worth the money if I already have the GPS/bluetooth features?

Tech
 

If you have GPS and bluetooth, the other main tech features are ELS (2 more speakers and 50 watts more subwoofer) and rear camera. You can decide whether they worth US3000 or CDN4000 plus taxes :2cents: