I know there is a lot of information on the other boards in regards to E/W's but considering this is a new generation I wanted to get some opinions. I typically am very anti E/W and realize in most situations they are gimmicks and are not worth it, but when I just bought my new 2013 RDX I purchased an E/W and am now thinking about calling back and cancelling.

The F and I guy didn't pressure at all he just mentioned it and said how it was called a Purchase Price Refund warranty where it is basically bumper to bumper (excluding wear and tear items) and after the 7yr/70k term if I didn't use it I would get full refund back minus a $50 processing fee. After initially declining I thought about it a little and figured that it was a no brainer. The trick was that you do have to purchase at time of sale in order to be eligible for the refund at the end of the term. I should have researched a little more beforehand but I just assumed that since the dealer was selling it that it was through the manufacturer and was a great deal.

Well upon researching and analyzing a little more when I got home I realize it is actually through Fidelity Warranty Services, Inc. I've done a little research on them and have seen some bad reviews (to be expected on a warranty company) and some people saying they are solid when it comes to 3rd party warranties. So at the moment I am feeling like I might just call back and cancel from the dealer since it's been less than a week since purchase.

So I have some questions for you fellow acura owners and especially RDX owners. Has anybody dealt with Fidelity Warranty Services? My biggest concern is that they go out of business then I'm out both the warranty and the refund. Does anybody think that buying a new generation vehicle warrants buying an E/W even though if things were going to go wrong you'd think they would happen while still cover on manufact warr anyways and obviously Acura/Honda has a great track record for reliability. I feel that if I do want to buy one I'm better off with Acuracare anyways but the only reason I initially bought was because of the full refund back if warranty not used and obviously Acuracare doesn't do that. Thanks in advance for any opinions.

 

I would read the very fine print carefully about the refund. Sounds too good to be true.

The Acura extended warranty didn't do much for me. The standard warranty is 4 yr/50,000 mi and 6 yr/70,000 mi powertrain. The extended warranties offered ranged from 7 yr/120,000 mi to 7 yr/70,000 mi. Just didn't seem to make much sense. And, you can decide any time up to 50,000 mi to get an extension, although it will cost more.

My only experience with a third party extended warranty was terrible. Even though the company who sold the policy had an excellent reputation, they passed claim handling to another Co. The other company made up excuses as to why my one relatively small claim was denied.

Good luck, Jim

 

RF40...I would also recommend what hawkeye said. Personally, i would not buy an extended warranty from a third party and furthermore, it does sound too good to be true. I am aware that the 2013 RDX is a brand new model and there may be some little quirks but the major components are used throughout the honda/acura family and may not be that unreliable. Besides, if there is one company that do inspire me confidence is this one. Personally, I would wait and see how your vehicle fairs throughout the ownership and the decide before the original warranty expires whether your RDX has been prone to alot of problems or not and make the decision accordingly. There are pros and cons to both and you will find people here who will be in the "extended warranty" camp while others will say its a scam. I am neither, in the middle and make a decision after having some facts about the vehicle. It is not to say that a reliable RDX throughout its ownership will not be full of problem after the original warranty but its all about odds.
My 2 cents...(that you can use towards the purchase of your extended warranty if you so choose) LOL

 

Just a follow up. I just talked to the Acura Extended Warranty Dept. They said buying an extended warranty on a new car was a waste of money because the standard warranty and the extended warranty overlapped on the first 50,000 miles of coverage. And they said I could wait until just before the standard warranty expired and buy an extended warranty that would add 5 years and 55,000 miles.

So, I think a good strategy would be to wait and see. Any issues that show up in the next few years would be an indicator that an extended warranty might be wise.

That is what I did on my 2001 MDX. Some 2001 MDXs had transmission problems. So, when the powertrain warranty was about to expire, I purchased an extended warranty that added 5 years and 100,000 miles. Unfortunately, the warranty company was a total scam. I had one small claim to replace the AC blower motor and they made up excuses and conditions that made collecting on the claim impossible.

Regards, Jim