Hello everyone,

For those who may have seen my other thread - my wife and I are likely about to purchase a 1-owner used 2019 technology RDX. We'll be buying from a non-Acura dealership. I've run a comb through the vehicle's history, and it seems to check out - clean carfax, low mileage (9k), 1-owner, lease (which was abandoned early). The car will still have its BtB warranty through 2022, and the powertrain through 2024. Still, is it risky to purchase non certified preowned, or is that basically a cash grab? Have many of you had instances of having frequent repairs needed, or have your RDX's been reliable thus far?

 

All a ‘cpo’ car really is is a used car with a warranty.

 

Which is why I'm less hesitant to buy a non cpo that is only a year old and still under warranty for a few years. I suppose the non-cpo really only makes a difference if the car suddenly poops out immediately after the factory warranty expires?

 

You can buy an Acura extended warranty if you want.

 

How much are you saving? A lot of the used RDX even non-CPO here (Sacramento, CA) are similar pricing to what you can get new with good negotiation. CPO for a car this new isn't a big hit or miss, as CPO cost dealer 1-2k to certify and will add onto the cost. The 2019 even if bought the oldest, comes with a lot of warranty left.

You can probably save 8-11% off MSRP off if you look at the prices paid forum. Cheapest used non-CPO Acura RDX I can find is 34k for a 2019 FWD Tech with 8-9k miles. But, I bought my 2020 FWD Tech for 36.8k with 5 miles. Something to consider. I feel the whole new car "depreciation" is disingenuous if you comparing MSRP to used car market prices as people rarely pay MSRP.

 

Bingo!

2019 9K RDX is practically brand new. As mentioned OP will have BTB warranty for a while and will have plenty of time to decide when and if to buy an Acura warranty.

 

Unless I missed it, you are not considering that most, if not all, used cars are priced with a huge amount of dealer profit built in, and a decent negotiator can get a really good deal. Dealers price used cars to compensate for buyers who are trading in a vehicle that they are "upside down" (owe more than it is worth) in so to "ease the pain" and not insult the buyer. Most used cars can be bought at a bigger discount than a new car. The $34k priced 2019 Tech you mentioned can likely be bought at 10-12% off, likely around $30,000. A trade-in always complicates this math.

 

Not sure about how used car buying works. I tried negotiation on some used 2017-2018 RDX before I made the leap into a new RDX. Issue is a lot of used cars at dealerships (the ones I looked at) was part of a "no-haggle" experience, and at most they'll shave $500 off. I hope OP follows-up, and let us know how much he got discounted.

And it wasn't like I walked into "no-haggle" dealerships, it just happens places I checked just didn't negotiate much with used cars.

 

Certifying involves a cursory inspection of car (equivalent to a ~$100 inspection you can get at an independent mechanic), filling out a checklist, and sometimes replacing certain wear items if needed. CPO is a warranty that adds coverage (and cost) and a marketing tool that sometimes makes people think the dealer has been over the car with fine-tooth comb. Occasionally there are also special financing offers for CPO cars. If you'd like an extended warranty, CPO is comparable to a regular Acura Care extended warranty that you would be able to buy anytime within your factory warranty period from an Acura dealer. I wouldn't worry about buying a car non-cpo at all, but it should be less expensive than a comparable cpo vehicle as the non-acura dealer didn't have to pay for the CPO warranty. Typically non-cpo cars are even a little cheaper than just the warranty cost because the off-brand or no-brand dealer doesn't have any way to market the vehicle but price.

That car should be like new. If you have any doubts about it, have it inspected on your own or wait for another.

 

This is becoming more an more commonplace.

 

CPO means car went through inspection to make sure it meets Acura
standards for pre-owned vehicles, they might also add additional warranty to it. CPO checks and extra warranty cost money,
so you will pay for it (included in the car price)

 

Craigslist and FB marketplace in my city disagrees with your used car price assessment. They're priced pretty close to what I can pay for MRSP minus discounts.

You're negotiating off an overpriced used car right from start. Ain't no one got time for that crap.

 

Yes, I was referring to new car dealer's resale, or used car departments. Of course by owner sales are usually priced closer to reality. And as a response to your last comment, well, lets just say it doesn't apply to everyone.