JB in AZ

I certainly have had similar experiences over the years with many of the dealers I have dealt with. It is really sad that they have to resort to lying and deceit to sell cars. Besides making the buying experience distasteful for customers, it really reduces the chance of those customers coming back. It's also a real shame a supposed "premium" brand dealer needs to sink to those levels of "buy here, pay here" used car lots. Sadly, I didn't have the best experience with the Acura dealer I dealt with, but the next closest is 1.5 hours away. I almost went back to the best dealer I have ever dealt with, both sales and service, but I decided I didn't want the Lincoln MKX or the similar Ford Edge. The dealer experience CAN make a big difference. Anyway, enjoy the new RDX!

Totally off topic, but...I used to be that nit-picky with my new cars as well...When I first started buying cars, they would be considered real beaters today, but that car was mine, and I would spend hours and hours trying to rub out the paint with rubbing compound so it would shine...which it did ...for a few weeks. Later, when I was able to start buying new cars, they always looked near showroom perfect. Now, I realize I trade them every few years, (maybe even every year lately!) It still hurts when I see my car dirty, and that first parking lot ding!!! UGH, but I have totally changed my attitude...Now, it needs to look clean, no french fries in the interior, BUT, I LOVE driving my RDX so much... I do get it washed almost every week, swirl marks or not. I truly plan on keeping the RDX for years...

RDX9149U

I started an new thread before seeing this one. We're in the market for a 2020 AWD Tech RDX. My wife got a quote with a 3% discount and I got a quote with a 5% discount off MSRP. Now I read a few posts above that Windjunkie got a 15% discount? Are things in Jacksonville different from the Midwest? As I said in my other thread, I'm going to pump the brakes on this until at least May to see what the market does.

I'd love to hear people's thoughts!

RDX9149U

I don't know if there is a way to edit posts, so here's an update to my post above. The price I got on a $43,995 AWD Tech RDX was $41,942 and that was based on the factory invoice that they shared with me. I know factory invoice is BS in the auto world, but FYI. It sounds like there is some money on the table.

WindJunkie

I never quoted an AWD RDX, perhaps the FWD sell with more incentives because AWD is more popular. I don't have any need for AWD in FL so I never considered it. Just a thought

kenRDX2019

I have a feeling after the COVID19 over the price will be far below than usual.

Consultantmom

That price sounds high to me. I purchased a 2020 RDX SH-AWD with Technology package 2 months ago, at the end of February before all the COVID-19. (posted above on 4/18/2020)

If figuring vehicle price paid like WindJunkie....

MSRP $44,025.00

Price $37,514.40 - $1000 rebate/conquest offer = Vehicle sale price $36, 514.40

A little more than 17% off MSRP?

When taxes & fees were added in, my OTD price was $39,000.

I would definitely negotiate more....good luck!

RDX9149U

Our deal may be muddied up because of the trade. I hate the idea of selling the car myself. It needs some work. They may have upped the trade at the expense of my discount? I don't have any experience selling a used car to one of the new services out there, but I assume it isn't pleasant $$$ wise.

WindJunkie

Your trade in value should reflect the "fair condition" trade in value from kbb.com unless you think the car is in less than "fair condition" If the dealer is giving you more money than fair condition trade in value, yes, they may come down on the discount. I had another Acura do that for me before I bought mine earlier this week. They offered me $1500 more on my trade in but the discount was like $2200 less than what I got from the dealer I did business with.

DJA123

Another option to consider is car buying services like We Buy Any Car. I've sold cars to them before and received significantly more than trade offers. Try using their online estimator for a rough idea. Assume a $300 reduction for their fees. Takes five minutes...

Consultantmom

Possibly, they are good at moving those numbers around.

Generally, to get the most money possible out of your trade is to sell it yourself. I agree though...I have never sold my 'old' car privately either. It is worth something to me to not have to deal with it (safety & time wise), nevermind hoping you don't have to deal with a scammer, etc.

I negotiated the OTD price on my RDX first. Then I brought in my trade. They gave me what I wanted, within the private party KBB price...after negotiating of course.

FYI, CarMax will give you a price within about 15 minutes and they will buy your car outright on the spot if you are curious...

RDX9149U

Anyone sold a car to Carvana? I just got a value comparable to the trade in values I'm getting, but those seem high and the resulting discount on the car seems low. If I could take the trade out of the picture, I might do better with the dealer.

DJA123

We Buy Any Car gave me a higher offer than Carvana. FWIW.

RDX9149U

Going to Car Max tomorrow.

PSUMike

I purchased a 2020 RDX A-Spec SH-AWD yesterday in the Maryland/Northern VA area. Here are 2 of the best deals I was able to get. Hopefully someone can use them for bargaining.

Criswell Acura Annapolis, MD

MSRP:$47,025
Discount: $5,400
Loyalty Rebate: $2,000
Vehicle sale price: $39,625
Trade in: $18.4k (KBB Good)

Radley Acura Falls Church, VA

MSRP:$47,025
Discount: $6,500 (included a limited time $1500 cash back for these difficult times)
Loyalty Rebate: $2,000
Vehicle sale price: $38,525
Trade in: Didn't drive out to get an estimate

Ended up going with the local option despite being more expensive. Mostly for convenience, but the local dealer processing was only $300 and they had the RDX in the Platinum White Pearl w/red interior, Radley didn't. Also not sure that with that discount I would have received as high a trade-in offer (yet another dealer offered 17k - KBB Fair); plus in Maryland, you're only taxed on the difference between purchase price and trade-in which saved $1100. The northern VA may have been able to work that as well, since I'm sure they work with plenty of Maryland residents, but didn't check.

Heidi Lee

Hello!
We are thinking to buy a 2020 RDX AWD with Tech package. Just got a quote of $37,000 for a new one before TTL. We also saw the same trim CPO car with 4500 miles around the same price. Looking at the extra warranty we can get from CPO, is it better to get the CPO than getting new one? We have never bought CPO before, so we are not sure if it is worth buying a CPO with the similar price. Do we miss something? Thanks!

acuraada

whats the extra warranty on the CPO?

for me, there is got to be something wrong with a car that’s returned at 4500. The sales guy might say its sales manager car... but I wouldn’t for the same price, while covered by warranty, you wouldn’t want to be stuck with a lemon and waste your time for the same money

Heidi Lee

Thanks for your reply! The extra warranty is that CPO gets additional 2 years warranty and Powertrain warranty up to 100,000 miles.

RDX9149U

Where did you get a $37,000 quote? Is it real?

I've gotten a lot of great advice on this site and have done a lot of research on the pricing of these cars and, while I too got a quote of $36,990, that was before destination charges $1,025, processing fee of $799, and tax, title & license. That also did not include 0.9% financing. If I wanted 0.9% it was another $1,500. So my $36,990 car jumped to $38,814 without 0.9% and $40,314 with 0.9% financing. Those figures are before $2,000 in loyalty rebates.

The dealer I got my quote from is in VA, I'm not. So, when I factor in the hassle, time, expense and the reduced value of my trade, it's better to stay local. My local deal is actually better than the $36,990 quoted car by about $650 out the door after the trade value I have and the sales tax offset from the trade.

I am waiting to see if they sweeten the incentives on May 1st. I don't think there's much chance the incentives will be reduced, but maybe increased a bit?

Back to your original question, I have to agree with the reply you already received. You're paying for a new car, I'd prefer to get one. Along my quest for my RDX I went to Carmax to get a quote to sell my car to them. The manager told me that they actually get "a lot" current model low mile Acuras. The explanation was that if the car was built in Japan and there are problems with it, Acura just gets rid of the car. I didn't press for anymore explanation. If you search for used 2020 RDX's, there are pretty many out there with less than 5K miles.

RDX9149U

A couple of FYI's I've learned in the past week about Acura pricing and deals:

The dealer I am going with gave me a copy of the invoice for a 2020 RDX SH-AWD with Tech. The invoice breaks down as follows:

$40,815.90 - Vehicle price
$ 1,025.00 - Destination
$ 102.04 - ADAG (I'm guessing this is an advertising charge that is often rebated back to the dealer)
-----------------
$41,942.94 - Invoice Total

Of course that isn't real, like all carmakers, Acura has a holdback that the dealer gets back. Acura's holdback is 2% if my info is correct.

Currently, Acura is giving dealers $1,500 in assistance. This money is not available if you take the 0.9% financing.

Acura likely has additional factory programs for salesmen, managers and the dealership itself for reaching sales goals, etc.

There are commissions earned by the dealership from the F&I department for financing, extended warranty, insurance, etc., etc.

I don't know about Acura, but GM gives the dealer a floorplan allowance whereby the factory provides a credit for the interest charged for the first 60 or 90 days. If the dealer sells the car quickly, or even better, if he orders one in for you, this equates to more income for the dealer. My client is a GM dealer and they usually make money on their floorplan because the credits exceed the actual interest incurred.

What I have found is that with the exception of the first dealer I worked with, all of the final prices fell into the same ballpark. A big discount probably means higher document fees, no .09%, etc.

Anyway, this may be old news here, but I thought I'd share what I've learned about Acura. Working from home under self imposed quarantine causes me to latch on to projects like this.

Heidi Lee

We got quote saying $6000 off MSRP, so we assumed it’s $37,000. We didn’t ask OTD yet. Sounds like that is something we have to ask.

You mentioned there are many 2020 RDX with less than 5k miles. It made me think if RDX is a stable car. Does it mean many Japan-made RDX had problems that Acura didn’t want to deal with them and put them on market?

RDX9149U

Not sure, and I think the Acura is built in Ohio. Don't know if some/any RDX's come from Japan.

Nogard13

All RDXs are built in Ohio. The only Acura that is still built in Japan is the RLX, which is essentially a Honda Legend that is then imported by Acura.

jeffcarp94

Does anyone know if the 0.9% financing and the 90 days no payments special stack or if you have to pick one or the other?

I don't want to make a payment until September 1st but my local dealer has the exact RDX that I want so I'd be interested in grabbing it if I can delay payment until September 1. I'd gladly make an interest-only payment for three month at 0.9%

WindJunkie

Our first payment was 60 days after the sale. We got .9% financing

jeffcarp94

60 days? I wonder if that was some kind of a dealer deferral of payments then? I read the terms and conditions of Acura's 90-day payment deferral in effect until June 1st and I don't see how a payment would be required in 60 days under that program.

WindJunkie

Yeah, not sure, we bought April 21st and our first payment is June 20th

jeffcarp94

For those that have gotten nice discounts lately on the RDX, has anyone gotten these discounts without qualifying for the Acura conquest, first-responder, or college graduate discounts? In other words, have the discounts just been from the dealer and not Acura? My local dealer isn't really moving much off of MSRP if I want the 0.9% and no payments for 90 days.

RDX9149U

We picked up our RDX AWD Tech yesterday. Our deal was priced at invoice $41,942 ($2,053 off sticker) less $2,000 in Acura loyalty rebates and the 0.9% financing. I do know that the 0.9% is worth another $1,500 from the factory if you can do without it.

DJA123

Have you tried another dealer? This is not the action of someone looking to make a fair deal.

I honestly don't know if Acura backed the significant discount I received, but holding near MSRP is not where they should be, regardless. I did not qualify for anything you listed.

jeffcarp94

What dealership was this? Or what region if you're not comfortable naming the dealership.

jeffcarp94

I will be, yes. I'm giving them one more chance today. I live within 5 hours of every big city from Kansas City to Chicago, Minneapolis, St Louis so I'll have no trouble getting somewhere else to pick a car up. Anyone have a specific dealer recommendation?

I want the 0.9% so I will miss out on the $1500 Acura incentive. I also don't qualify for any of the Acura rebates so any discount will be a dealer discount. I need to settle on what I think is acceptable in this market. $750 isn't going to get the job done.

DJA123

TrueCar gives price trend data based on zip code. It's a good reference point, if nothing else. Market prices are a big consideration and one reason why comparison to other offers is problematic.

RDX9149U

Greater Cincinnati area - Columbia

acuraada

this dealer is really greedy... very typical tactic to use manufacturer deals that’s meant to entice consumers and not give out the typical discounts they would have given on the MSRP. The dealers end up winning and not consumers.

but they might just be trying to survive. Haggle more or go to another deals.

this is why I think the dealership model is not meant to serve the consumers in this day of age.

jeffcarp94

It's a Lithia dealer so that might be part of the issue. I find that same attitude in a lot of dealers in my town. We're a small enough market where there's only one dealership for the luxury brands, and even Toyota, Hyundai, etc. You have to get to Chevy or Ford, etc., before you get multiple dealers in the area. They all have this attitude that they're the only game in town. They may move cars that way - more power to them. But there are way too many options within a half-day drive for me to accept a $750 discount on a RDX in this market. Not happening.

RDX9149U

I did a lot of research on pricing after the guy from the Acura dealer we used last time was sort of a jerk. His discount was $1,395 and I had been reading about discounts in the neighborhood of $6,500 on this thread. In the end his price proved to be the worst one I encountered. I used Truecar and the good prices were usually deceptive. The pricing does seem to be regional. I checked the Greater Cincinnati / Indianapolis area as well as the SW Florida area. One thing I did see was that Edmunds.com had a suggested discount on the 2020 SH-AWD Tech of $3,981 resulting in a purchase price of $40,044. This is a very popular car by all accounts and they are not building them right now. That said, the local dealers had a good supply available. I waited until yesterday to see if there was any movement on incentives and there wasn't.

jeffcarp94

Similar situation with me. Had they just started with a reasonable discount, I would have moved on it yesterday somewhere near a Costco (and maybe TrueCar) type of discount. The local dealer doesn't participate in any of those programs but clearly they know the discount levels. But instead, they played the "if you want the 0.9% and the 90 days no payments then you aren't going to see discounts off of list" game and negotiated up to the whopping $750 discount. As if some customers don't know the difference between the dealer's discount and an Acura rebate. It soured the entire experience. After today, I'll go the Costco route in a nearby market and also start the e-Pricing discussion on the 63 cars sitting on lots within 5 hours of my house. My local dealer can provide the service I guess if they can't come off their $750 stance.

DJA123

It's selling relatively well, but not so much that it justifies MSRP-ish pricing. Remember too, the dealers still have to make payments for cars sitting on their lots, so they need to sell them. It's hard not to be jaded by the current dealership selling model; this is definitely more frustrating than it needs to be.

jeffcarp94

I wanted to summarize my weekend shopping experience in case it helps others. I am ready to buy a 2020 RDX AWD Advance trim. My situation is that I don't qualify for any of the Acura incentives so no conquest, military, first responder, or college grad rebates in the deal. The only thing from Acura that I could get was 0.9% and 90-days no payments. Therefore, my deal was going to depend on what the dealer was willing to discount without any Acura rebates. I also had no trade.

The exact car that I wanted is in stock at my local dealer. After two days of back and forth, the best they would do was a $750 discount with 0.9% and 90-days no payments. They initially offered no discount with the line "when you take the financing promotions with Acura there's no more room in the deal" as if the Internet doesn't exist.

I started with an offer that was $4,250 off of list which I knew wasn't going to happen because it's below invoice. They stuck to their $750 and lectured me about how I'll never get that kind of a discount. They claimed that everyone online that says they got a discount is also getting several of the Acura rebates stacked or they aren't getting 0.9%. I told them that I wasn't shopping them yet and that if we could get to a reasonable offer, the deal was done. Instead, they let Saturday's business day come to a close lecturing me instead of countering me. Luckily for me, there were 10 Acura dealers within a 5-hour drive with that exact model and color that I wanted in stock. So when my dealer didn't feel the need to counter by Saturday afternoon, I contacted every single one of those 10 dealers using their online e-price feature and I also registered with the Costco Auto Program.

Every single dealer responded to me within an hour. The discounts they offered on the total OTD price ranged from a minimum of $2000 to a maximum of $3,799. That's a discount range of 3.6% to 7.2% off of list price without any rebates from Acura. The $3,799 deal is through the Costco Auto Program and is the best discount for my situation. That program was a discount to the invoice price plus an additional $500. I confirmed that every one of these deals still qualified for the 0.9% financing and no payments for 90 days.

I'm moving forward with the Costco Auto Program and respecting all of the dealer's initial offers as their best offers. If you're a buyer that doesn't qualify for any Acura rebates, it's definitely worth the time to research other dealers depending on the offers you are getting locally.

JB in AZ

Sounds good! Be sure they don't hit you with the "plus already installed dealer options" nonsense, when you get there to actually consummate the deal. And be sure to hold your stance in the finance office when they try to sell you all kinds of extra packages. They know when you drive 5 hours to get to them they have a buyer.