wquiles

On December my wife and I traded her 2010 Accord with about 36K miles for a 2010 TL CPO with about 60K miles. Although the TL had twice the mileage, it was night and day quiet, with no rattles - in fact, the Accord felt and sounded like a much older car. We have been extremely happy with the TL, and expected it has been totally reliable these last 5-6 months.

I have a 2011 Honda Civic Si (sedan), and although fun to drive, I really want the more refine and quiet Acura feel I get when I drive my wife's car (when she lets me drive it, that is). I got really good equity on the Civic, so I am considering trading it in for a CPO TSX - something in the $20-25K range which is what I can afford at this point in time.

My local Acura dealer is great and has great service, but here in the Dallas area we have 2-3 large Acura dealers with a good selection of TSX's to choose. None have a manual TSX, but of course they have lots of the 2.4L 4-cyl. There is even one V6 model (although in Black - which I don't want), plus I would loose the advantage I now have with the Si in terms of low gas costs.

Their web prices (all CPO) - before any negotiation:
("base" means the dealer is not listing any special packages on that car)
2012 - TSX "base" - 23.6K miles - Silver - $25K
2010 - TSX Tech with Nav - 30K miles - Palladium - $25K
2010 - TSX "base" - 29K miles - White - $24K
2011 - TSX "base" - 38K miles - Black - $24K
2010 - TSX "base" - 45K miles - Silver - $23K
2010 - TSX 3.5L V6 - 47K miles - Black - $24K
2012 - TSX "base" - 22K miles - White - $26K

I plan on doing a test drive today or tomorrow, but I have some questions:
1) How do these CPO prices here in Dallas look to you guys?
2) With this relatively lower mileage cars, is it still worth the "extra" for the CPO?
3) Is it better to go for the lower mileage car even if it is a year older?
4) One of those CPO cars is from another dealer than mine (still nearby). If I end up buying the CPO car from the other dealer, would I have a problem servicing the car at "my" current dealership?
5) Is it worth spending the $1-2K more to get a newer car (1-2 years newer)?


Advice/suggestions?

Will

opboarding

I don't know much about pricing, but I would try to go with the the 11 or 12 models. There were some minor upgrades that make it quieter and the steering was improved. I would also scratch the V6 since you are used to your i4 mileage.

I hope you end up with a TSX, we need more in Dallas. Check out the regional thread when you get a chance. We are having a meetup on the 2nd and your TL would be a good addition.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...96371&page=999

jasxn

if you search this forum.. there is a thread somewhere stating how much $$ with how much mileage.. i think its the introduce yourself thread.. also another there similar to yours...

i'm in Los Angeles.. i got my 2010 TSX Tech 43K miles for $25K out the door (window price $28K) and I also got a free tint job with it.. (carfax: oil change every 3K at dealer, new tires, new brakes, tranny flush after a year, and some other stuff.. previous owner took real good care)

i know youre in dallas but we're both a major metropolitan so the prices should be around the same? check carfax and see how long theyve been on the lot and you can use it as a leverage.. and of course other haggling tricks

krnboy817

arlington or north fort worth seems to have most of "good" deals when i researched for mine. i think you should widen your search outside of dallas to find good deals.

macchurchhill - seems to be a good service dealer. (my car is currently there)
goodson - seems to be a another good service dealer as well.
macdavid - not sure on service, good prices at times, short selection.
vandergriff - bad service, good price dealership from my experience.

all those prices are the ballpark prices where i got mine at. 2012 white wagon with tech without any miles though.

i would avoid imo '10 and early '11 since i always try to get a car in its middle of its production cycle so you dont get mixed in the manufacturer's learning curve.

CPO price is something you can negotiate when you're actually sat down and pushing numbers back and forth between you and the dealer. so i would go in thinking its a must on the car since the new car warranty is only 3yr /36,000 miles (i think roughly) and your list of cars are getting there.

and i think you def need the tech pack in the TSX. although it may not be of an importance for you but value wise i would think you would need it 2 -3 yrs later.

if wagon is not your thing then skip... but this one i know for sure is NOT going for $29k like its listed.

http://www.vandergriffacura.com/cert...&SBprice=clear

i know for sure that this one is at 26k because i was actually looking at this one my self and they offered me 26k for it.

hope it works out for ya

wquiles

Wow, thank you so much guys. Sounds like I really need to try and get the best deal on a 2011 or 2012. To be honest I don't care for the Tech package, but if the car has it and I can get an OK deal with it, that would be OK.

I am also not limiting my self to just my service dealer (David McDavid Acura), and will likely look at cars in the DFW area to see who can give me the best deal.

scottyrocket53

CPO from Acura only extends warranty 12/12000 if i remember right. But they do claim to check the car out in more detail. I have 11 6MT with tech. I had an 09 w/o tech and it seemed boring to me. I liked having the bigger screen with more options. Mine is worth about 23-24K in the Mpls area. Dealer may be a little higher. I have 30K miles. I would not get the V6 as I think it defeats the purpose of the TSX.

TxCv12

Make sure you get one w a 6 speed!

krnboy817

yeah i think youre right. i would definitely not consider buying a preowned or customer loaners with out a CPO.

the CPO has the multipoint inspection which i dont know if they really do or not but the purchasing paper work insures you and guarantees that they did so you're better off i guess. Plus after 4 weeks of ownership Acura sends you a letter and a CPO card via mail to certify with proof of your vehicle.

CPO warranty is the remaining of the "new car" warranty + 24 months
and the remain miles of the "new car" warranty - from 100,000 miles.

so the total length from 1st service date is 7/100,000

(someone please double check to see if i am wrong.)

sometimes with the price difference, depreciation, and warranty lengths, i just cant seem to justify buying brand new. yes its harder to find THE ONE but most of the time its not worth the extra.

and yes i do have to admit that being a CPO i have taken my cars to be back to the dealership to be fixed more than i would like, but i would rather have them fix an issue vs not have any issues that may come up down the road sometime unexpectedly.

scottyrocket53

I would double check that Acura CPO. I know that CPO is for other vehicles but when I bought my Acura CPO it was 12/12k after the manufacturer warranty ran out. I remember thinking that it was kind of a lame CPO. They tried to sell me an extended warranty up to 100k. So make sure you check what CPO means for the dealership you are dealing with.

wquiles

That is a good point. What if the car is CPO, but there is warranty left? I will ask for sure, and of course try to have something in writing.

Good thing is that I am in no hurry - I can wait until the right deal comes through.

TSXKid2010

I agree with what someone said earlier about the 2011-2012 models - the interior is much more comfortable, however I would say try to find a 2011-2012 model with TECH! It makes a huge difference!

krnboy817

were there a difference in the interior from 09 - 10 and 11 - 12?

krnboy817

here is the CPO i just copy pasted.

Certified Pre Owned Program Benefits:

Each vehicle is reconditioned, inside and out, to create a certified luxury ownership experience. All vehicles are under six years old with less than 80,000 miles and have a 12-month/12,000-mile Certified Limited Warranty. Each vehicle must also pass a 150-point vehicle inspection and is covered by an extensive Roadside Assistance program.

CPO Warranty:

A limited warranty and three-day exchange policy (where applicable) provide unparalleled peace of mind with any Acura Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle purchase. Every buyer receives a 12-month / 12,000-mile Limited Warranty plus a 7-year / 100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty, and coverage is honored nationwide at all Acura dealers.

Start Of Coverage:

12-month / 12,000-Mile Limited Warranty extends the new car non-powertrain coverage by 12-month / 12,000 miles (whichever comes first) and starts after new car warranty expires.
The 7-year / 100,000 mile Powertrain Limited Warranty starts from original date of new car warranty registration.

Additional Warranty:

(During the 12 month/12,000 mile limited warranty period)

24-hour toll-free Roadside Assistance (valid in U.S. and Canada)
24-hour emergency towing services
Computerized trip routing map services
Emergency fuel delivery
Emergency lock-out service
24-hour Acura dealer locator
Trip-Interruption Benefits
Acura Concierge service (hotel referrals, trip planning, urgent message relay, etc.)

Extended Warranty:

One program extends the non-powertrain equipment coverage for a total of 7 years, 100,000 miles from the date the vehicle was sold as new. Or you can increase your confidence interval further and extend both powertrain and non-powertrain coverage for a total of 8 years, 100,000 miles or even 8 years, 120,000 miles. See dealer for details.
Extends coverage provided in the Acura 12-month/12,000-mile limited warranty.
Acura Care® Certified Additional Coverage is transferable.
Acura Care® Certified Additional Coverage can ONLY be purchased from the dealership at the time the Acura Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle is purchased or leased.
Acura Customer Care Benefits after 12-month/12,000-mile limited warranty period (see Program Benefits).

Roadside Assistance:

(During the 12-month/12,000-mile limited warranty period)

Acura Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles are covered by an extensive Roadside Assistance program. Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.

The Roadside Assistance program covers emergency fuel delivery, battery jump start, emergency lockout assistance, flat tire change (with good spare), and if the vehicle is mechanically disabled, emergency towing to the nearest Acura dealership or qualified repair facility (Emergency towing will be provided for covered component failure anytime during the 7-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty period). Service is on a "sign and drive" basis at no cost to you (up to $100 per disablement).

wquiles

OK, quick update. I stopped by my Acura service dealer and test drove two TSX cars today. A 2011 4-cyl auto, and a 2009 (at least I think it was 2009, could have been 2008) 4-cyl 6-speed. I drove my wife's 2010 TL yesterday, and of course drove my 2011 Civic Si (sedan) today, so here are my thoughts:

- The TSX is definitely quieter than my Si, although not quite like my wife's TL. Hands down the interior in the TSX is much nicer than my Si.

- The TSX is definitely sprung more softly than my Si. I love how my Si feels, but I had to admit that after 2+ years in the Si, the TSX felt "right" - it was a very nice ride, but not quite as soft as my wife's TL.

- Although the TSX is a little heavier than my Si, the slightly larger motor in the TSX feelt plenty adequate for the weight of the car. Unlike my wife's TL, which feels "heavy" to me, the TSX feels more nimble.

- I am coming from the Si with the 6-sp manual, and I wanted to like the auto trany in the TSX, but I simply did not like the auto trany with the 4-cyl. I know I am being picky, and this is very subjective, but to me, I felt it downshifted a little bit too much during city driving and it did not feel as smooth to me. I know it is not a fair comparison at all, and this is totally subjective, but my wife's TL/V6 is clearly a world apart - a lot more smoother and refined.

- TSX V6 - I ran out of time, and did not get to drive the TSX with the V6 (they had one in stock), but I would expect this combination (same engine as in my wife's TL) to be exceptional in a smaller/lighter car. However, part of the reason to want to stay with the 4-cyl is the economy vs. the V6. I rather buy the 4-cyl for this size car.

- TSX with the 6-sp: The 6-sp manual is identical to my 6-sp manual. I have a short-shifter in my Si, so I had forgotten how long is the OEM movement without the short-shifter. Except for this obvious difference, it felt exactly like in my Si, which is to say, perfect. I loved the 6-sp manual in the TSX, and with the 4-cyl, this would be the only transmission I would consider.

So the test drives were great, but this leaves me preferring a TSX with the 6-sp, which of course is far less common. Good thing is that since I am not in a hurry, and this is more of a "want" to upgrade situation more than I "need" to upgrade situation, I can take my time until a light-colored car with the 6-sp comes at a good deal

Will