[barcarole]

My MDX 2014 is reaching its 4-th anniversary this June, which means the warranty will be gone. The mileage is pretty low, 32K miles so far.

I basically love this car, but I suffered from too many minor issues, mostly rattles/vibrations. I fixed most of them in a dealership, although I still hear faint plastic rattle from a couple of places. But I can live with that now.

I'm quite concerning for expensive maintenance cost after the warranty expire. So far, no mechanical/electronic issues, but I honestly have low confidence on my car. (It doesn't mean that MDX 2014 is unreliable; I'm just unlucky.)

So I'm considering buying additional warranty: "Curry Acura Care".

The price is reasonable.

For example, 3 years - 80K miles - $0 deductible - $1,225.

It doesn't cover everything. There is a long list what it's covered or not: https://www.curryacuracare.com/coverage.cfm

I think this would give at least some peace of my mind. I will own my MDX at least 1-2 years as I am planning buy a house soon.

Is there anyone who has Acura Care? And I'd like to hear any advice on the extended warranty. Thanks!

 

[mrgold35]

I have 3 Acura for the last 10 years with a combined 340,000 miles. I don't think I spent much over $1500 for out of pocket repairs during that time if I excluded routine M.I.D. maint, tires, brakes, wipers, and batteries. Nearly all of my out of pocket expenses were after the Acura Care warranty period at +100,000 miles anyways (2 alternators, power steering pump, door actuator, front control arm, front struts, rear shocks, rear camber kit).

I did get a 120,000 miles Acura Care warranty from Curry Acura back in 2014. I only got it because of the magnetic suspension on the 10-13 Adv models and I already had the fronts fail at 35k. Acura offered an 100,000 extended warranty a few months ago. My $2400 Acura Care warranty is really only good for 100,000 to 120,000 miles (now have 89,000 miles). I really need all 4 corners to fail before 119,000 miles to break even on the deal.

 

[mdxstang]

It's interesting how they put the items they cover in nice bulleted format but put the items they 'don't' cover in tiny font all strung together to make it hard for anyone to read. From their list it looks like they cover many parts and all are parts very likely 'not' to break in the next few years on your vehicle.

These extended warranties are big moneymakers for the dealerships and the salespeople. There's a lot of margin in them. I've heard that typically less than 20% of the cost actually goes to cover repairs - the rest is profit.

These don't cover many of the things that a bumper to bumper warranty covers - like squeaks and rattles, etc. and don't cover maintenance items that you 'are' likely to need to do like replacing the brake pads, rotors, coolant flush, timing belt, oil change, etc. Make sure you understand that - you won't be able to just take it in for anything and have them fix it under this warranty like you're used to now.

These are on average a bad deal for the consumer and something that makes the salesperson happy since they make money selling these things. You're, on average, better off banking your money and simply covering any non-maintenance items yourself.

But some people are willing to pay large amounts of money for some peace of mind regardless of the math and statistics so those people might want the extended warranty. To price an Acura warranty (don't get one from a 3rd party company), do what you should do when shopping for the vehicle in the first place and shop around - including with some of the online advertisers here which sometimes offer discounts and go with whoever's cheapest for the identical item.

Note - there are other threads here debating the pros and cons of extended warranties.

 

[PTC DAWG]

I have put over 200K miles on two different MDX's...neither with magnetic shocks, I haven't spent that much in true repairs in that time. Knocking on wood as I type this. Maintenance, tires, brakes etc, yes, but certainly not repairs. So you probably see how I would vote.

 

[Miranda Hanson]

My MDX 2014 is reaching its 4-th anniversary this June, which means the warranty will be gone. The mileage is pretty low, 32K miles so far.

I basically love this car, but I suffered from too many minor issues, mostly rattles/vibrations. I fixed most of them in a dealership, although I still hear faint plastic rattle from a couple of places. But I can live with that now.

I'm quite concerning for expensive maintenance cost after the warranty expire. So far, no mechanical/electronic issues, but I honestly have low confidence on my car. (It doesn't mean that MDX 2014 is unreliable; I'm just unlucky.)

So I'm considering buying additional warranty: "Curry Acura Care".

The price is reasonable.

For example, 3 years - 80K miles - $0 deductible - $1,225.

It doesn't cover everything. There is a long list what it's covered or not: https://www.curryacuracare.com/coverage.cfm

I think this would give at least some peace of my mind. I will own my MDX at least 1-2 years as I am planning buy a house soon.

Is there anyone who has Acura Care? And I'd like to hear any advice on the extended warranty. Thanks!

I'm in a similar boat, mine is up this August (I have a 2014) I've already taken it in numerous times already for little minor issues which makes me nervous if there will be a major issue down the road.

I totally have faith in my car but I'm also not a person sitting on top of a mountain of cash so for my situation it will be worth it to me forking the dough for better peace at mind since I plan to hang onto it for at least 5 years.

I'm still going to read over and scrutinize their sample contract of what it doesn't cover and then decide in a few months.

 

[SouthsideDuc]

As you said, you are buying piece of mind. $400 per year sounds like not a bad deal if it removes a big stress from your life. The exclusions on that contract seem pretty standard, just make sure you save the records that show you have performed all scheduled services.

 

[tl_mdx]

Have purchased the AcuraCare from Curry for my last 5 Acura vehicles, plus one HondaCare prior to that.

Broke even on the second Acura, after Acura agreed to go 50/50 on a fuel filler neck replacement just after the expiration of coverage for the '04 MDX.

We'll see about the newer MDXen ('11, '14, '17, all with 8yr/120K) currently in service - there is too much electronics, plus the SH-AWD. The engines have been solid.

Don't much like the plastic capless fuel filler top-end on the '17 MDX. I think it will break.

 

[wasjr]

Bought AcuraCare for my 05 MDX right before original warranty expired. Never used it and got a $250 refund when I traded for my 11 Advance.

Bought AcuraCare 8 yr/120k warranty for the 11 Advance at purchase (rolled cost into cheap 60 month financing or I would have waited). Only had an AC issue right after purchase under original warranty; but during extended warranty period I have had 1) both side mirror actuators replaced, 2) power steering pump replaced, and 3) a couple of weeks ago had two shocks replaced. All of this and the main reason I bought the warranty was for electronics!

 

[mdxstang]

Another factor in a decision like this for those considering getting this coverage is the mileage they already have on the vehicle and the mileage they're likely to end up with on the vehicle at the end of the extended warranty period.

The OP has a low mileage vehicle - only 32K miles in 4 years. That's an average of 8K miles per year. Assuming the vehicle is kept 2 more years it'll only have 48K miles on it at the end of that term, which is still very low miles for a vehicle, and thus there's a much lower chance something covered by the warranty will break. Almost certainly things like the shocks and power steering pump are unlikely to need to be replaced in that time frame.

 

[Bluepill]

Another factor in a decision like this for those considering getting this coverage is the mileage they already have on the vehicle and the mileage they're likely to end up with on the vehicle at the end of the extended warranty period.

The OP has a low mileage vehicle - only 32K miles in 4 years. That's an average of 8K miles per year. Assuming the vehicle is kept 2 more years it'll only have 48K miles on it at the end of that term, which is still very low miles for a vehicle, and thus there's a much lower chance something covered by the warranty will break. Almost certainly things like the shocks and power steering pump are unlikely to need to be replaced in that time frame.

Very good point.

Also remember that the entire drivetrain is covered by the original factory warranty for 6 years/70K miles, and that is where the really expensive repair costs are.

Also Acura has a good reputation for covering known major defects even beyond the established warranty period.

Lastly, if you want the policy, drive a hard bargain. I would counter offer $800, and accept nothing over $1000. As stated already, they make a lot of profit on these plans. I worked for a few dealerships.

 

[hondacuraplanet]

These extended warranties are big moneymakers for the dealerships and the salespeople. There's a lot of margin in them. I've heard that typically less than 20% of the cost actually goes to cover repairs - the rest is profit.

On AcuraCare, it's Acura that makes or loses.....not the dealer. Typically, the markup on an online transaction for a warranty is around $100-$150. Plus, on a $2,000 transaction the credit card fees are around $58 by themselves.....so they're not exactly a profit center.

Going in to the dealership, that's another story. That's why they pay the guy in the Hugo Boss suit that sits in the cushy office the big bucks he gets.....a dealership will make $500-$1000 on a warranty alone just for flipping paper. Not quite as big of a ripoff as closing on a house though :toothless

 

[mdxstang]

^^ If I read your post correctly I think you're confirming a couple of points I made -

- Dealerships and salespeople push these extended warranties due to the commissions they make due to the large markup/margin.

- If one wants one of these extended warranties they'd do well to shop around including with the sponsors of this forum (such as oemacuraparts.com) who may provide the exact same item for a better price.