skabei

I just bought a 2012 TL Tech with 63,000 KM on Saturday, and I pick up the car tomorrow. I bargained it down a couple thousand but I lost the extended warranty they were willing to throw in in the process. I only have the warranty that was originally provided when the car was bought new (4years/80,000 KM). To add additional warranty (like 7year/130,000 KM) would cost me $1500-$2000.

The car has a clean CarProof (I think that's the equivalent of CarFax in the US) and the only issue with it was a scratch on the back bumper that they're going to fix for me before I pick it up.

Is it worth buying an extended warranty? I think the warranty mainly covers engine, drive-train and other core parts so I'm not even sure if the electronics would be covered.

I believe that Acura is reliable as my family's 97 EL lasted a good 17 years with major repairs but I don't have any experience with the newer Acuras.

Any thoughts?

Tonyware

Can you get an independent mechanic (who also has an eye for body work) to go over it in detail to check out a few things? Just because CarProof says something that means nothing, really.

What I would do, and I have done in the past is plug in an OBDII reader and look at the fuel trims, AFR etc. See if there are no extreme numbers like short fuel constantly over 4-5 (+ or -) and a pretty close to 14.7:1 AFR (I think?, someone correct me here if wrong).

Also two major issues that may or may not appear are: First the torque converter grinding at various speeds trying to lock 4th gear after the car has been driven 2-3 times in a day. Second a whistling noise coming from the prop shaft bearings (you can hear it from the passenger side).

If none of these two issues are present then really no need for extended warranty.

A couple of electrical gadgets may quit on you, like the outside door buttons if winter ice gets to them and the front speakers (cheap as they are) may start making funny noises. Not sure if its worth spending a couple grand for this small stuff.

Other than that, I don't see anything else... except to ask the previous owner if it was burning oil like crazy. That is a real concern but even with the extended warranty there isn't much the dealers can do for a design flaw (I am jumping the gun here and I am assuming it is a design flaw).

Just some thoughts... and I assume the warranty is Acura and not some independent warranty provider (these are totally useless).

skabei

Unfortunately I can't really get a mechanic to look at it before or when I pick it up tomorrow. My dad's close friend is a seasoned mechanic and I can have him look at it after I pick it up though.

Are the above major issues seen in the mid-cycle 4G TL? I've looked around for some common issues but didn't see anything consistent coming up in forums.

echodigital

I bought a 2009 TL SH-AWD Tech with 50000km on it. It was certified so it had extra power train warranty but it didn't cover electronics. I bought 3 years so that 1 year was factory and 3 extra would make 4 years so I could rest easy. Based on the fact that you have 2 years and 17000 km left on factory warranty, I would get it. You just don't want to be stuck with any repairs. I recently got my door handle (black) button fixed by extra warranty. 1 or 2 repairs and you will feel happy about the decision. For sure, the propellor shaft issue is a known issue with AWD models. I got the 7 year 130 000 plan.

skabei

I didn't get the AWD because I got a good deal on the FWD and I rather save on gas (I hope that I don't regret this choice).

I'm going to see what my options are for purchasing the warranty tomorrow and I'll decide when I'm there. If they offer me a discount I might buy it, but if not and I have to pay the full price of $1800 then I'll have to think hard about it. I'm not sure if I'll need $1800+tax worth of fixes within the warranty period.

echodigital

That is about what I paid for it. If car is certified, they should have discounted it for you. I based my decision on mileage and years.

weather

skabei...Warranties are always a hot topic of discussion and revolves on your tolerance for risk. You are correct in that Acura tends to have a good record with the TL, especially that you didn't get the SH-AWD which is known for having problems with the propeller shaft. The one thing that is common is that the sunroof has had problem with a "ticking" sound which is more common on warm weather. Make sure you ask the dealer if the vehicle has had that TSB applied on it.....If not, I would suggest you get that taken care of.

Otherwise, my gut feeling would be to say no on the extended warranty unless you get a really good discount on it OR that you are willing to take a gamble.

Best of luck and keep us posted

C8N

If it was a new car, I would be less inclined to go for the additional warranty.

However, you are dealing with a used car here and you really have no idea how it was maintained by the previous owner. I think this is one of the reasons why many would prefer the CPO route due to the additional warranty.

Food for thought.... having worked at dealer during my younger years, my experience has taught me that many a times, the dealer reconditioning is more visual rather than mechanical.

skabei

Yeah I really don't know too much about the previous owner. The mileage is also higher than some of the other TLs but that is reflected in the price. One of the things that I did like about the TL though was the fact that it was originally bought from the same dealership and was always serviced there throughout its warranty (hence I'm paying more than I would from a general used car lot) so that gives me a bit of piece of mind.

I'm picking it up this evening and I'll see how cheap I can get the warranty for. If they don't offer me any discounts then I might not get it.

I'll also definitely ask about the Moonroof and TSB