When I sorted the "Problems and Fixes" thread for the Gen1, by far the biggest issue is the turbo. I've only ever had normally-aspirated engines so I'm a bit leery. Any advice when I'm evaluating a Gen1, either about the turbo or otherwise?
Thanks.

 

it's like any other component on a vehicle...replace it!


the biggest problems would be finding a clean, non-beat up example...as most of these cars are in the $5k-7k range...you're gonna get non-maintained vehicles for this price

 

well, i take that back...the earlier years are beat up..
if you go for an '11 or '12, they seem to be holding value pretty well at $11-13k.
these examples would be better and the later years have been fixed of any manufacturing glitches.

 

You may have general maintenance issues of a 10+ year old vehicle. I just got one that needed the console armrest recovered and a windshield wiper multi-malfunction switch replaced. It has a few light scratches and needed the headlights polished for yellowing. The biggest thing is to find a specimen that has been well cared for and not treated as an appliance.

 

My 2008 is in pristine condition. Other than a little bit of wrinkling on the center console armreset, the rest of the car looks mint.

 

Where are you located?

 

The amusing part is, the console armrest from the dealer costs more than it cost me to have it recovered in real leather.

 

I echo the sentiments of the others - look for good maintenance records first and foremost. The turbo itself is very reliable, you very rarely hear of them failing. What does tend to happen at higher miles is that the nut around the actuator arm tends to wear through, which leads to excessive play. This won't damage the car, but over time it will reduce the response of the turbo, and eventually throw an engine code. Another fairly common issue you'll read about is internal radiator failure that allows coolant to mix with transmission fluid, but I believe this is more common on cars with old coolant. Again, as long as all maintenance is done on schedule, this should be very low risk.

My personal experience has been very good. I have a 2010 with 176k miles, and the only non-maintenance stuff I've done is the bolt mentioned above, a new positive battery cable (my fault for not catching the corrosion in time), a new cruise control switch (the lock on the button failed and the master switch wouldn't stay on), and replacement of the center console and front door armrest vinyl. Maintenance has just been fluids, plugs, serpent belt and suspension refresh.

 

One of the things I like about the RDX that I never really appreciated until recently is the dirt cheap price of parts. We have an '07 Tech with a little under 160k miles. My wife drove it for 5 years, but we finally decided a Prius was better for what she needs. The dealer offered us $1k for the RDX. I brought it home and replaced the following:

Front and Rear Hubs/Bearings
Front Struts and Springs
Rear Shocks
Front and Rear Rotors/Pads
Front and Rear Stabilizer Bar Links
Rear Spring Seats (These were a couple bucks and totally cleared up the clunk that has been coming from the rear for years)
Control Arms
Tie Rod Ends
Lift Supports
Wiper Blades
Ignition Coils and Plugs
Valve Cover Gasket Set
Oil Filter Base Gasket
Lower Torque Rod

Total cost around $1300 via RockAuto.com. And that is almost all mid to high level parts, so you could definitely knock hundreds off that cost if you wanted to go with their "economical" option level. The car drives like new. It seriously has me considering selling my V70R which I always thought I would be buried in.

My point is... don't let the thought of maintenance scare you away. I would look for something with the best interior/exterior you can find. I wouldn't even give the turbo a second thought. Just throw in a rebuild for a few hundred if needed.

-Matt

 

Same here.

Yep. $600!

 

Interesting. I'm in the Great White North. If we were closer I'd definitely consider making an offer on your rejuvenated 07. If you feel like a road trip to British Columbia, let me know

 

Keep in mind the suspension defences between model years.

2007 was the stiffest, 2008 and 2009 were almost as stiff, but not quite... 2010-2012 was the softest.

My 2007 is very stiff in terms of ride quality.

2010 also added those "subjective" cosmetic upgrades...

 

After 2009 looks like 💩

 

I'm only talking about the console armrest/cover. I got premium leather for $200. Feels like they replaced the foam too, feels so much better. Got it done at a custom upholstery shop. It's small enough piece they can basically use scrap. I had them take it off and left it with them for a couple days.

https://www.acuraoemparts.com/oem-pa...dXRvbWF0aWM%3D

 

Mine was missing when I bought the car. I think they attempted to fix it then gave up while it was taken apart and traded the car with a missing armrest.

I feel so bad. The $600 dealer replacement has since deteriorated again. Back to square one.

Not to mention they never did put the damn lock in so I have a big hole in the console.

What you did was WAY better!

 

Not to mention the life expectancy of the vinyl they use. I'll be having uv blocker tint applied to the windshield soon to help prevent deterioration.

 

Smart move. I always use a sunshade in my Accord's windshield. Maybe need to look into a UV film.

 

I had LLumar film put on my ILX. You can put your arm on the dash in direct sunlight and barely feel heat let alone not sunburn. Beats dealing with a sunshade when parking. It protects your eyes too.

 

Good to know