My 2019 Acura MDX lease is ending in April. I have been contemplating buying it out and keeping for a few months while I wait to find something else or when inventory or better lease options improve. I have been going back and forth on extending or buying our low mileage like new condition lease. Unfortunately I recently damaged the front left bumper and it’s surprsingly more than we thought in repair costs. It was only a minor bump in a stone wall. They don’t make cars like they used to but I digress lol
I do not want to go through insurance to repair. I spoke with Acura AFS on my options and moving forward on repair, what to expect on return etc. So we are going to have it fixed by our repair shop with OEM if available out of pocket.
But I was wondering if we would be able to sell the car, as is, if we buy it out? If we return it as is, we would probably pay more on repair through Acura
I know the resale value be affected. So should we buy, repair, then sell? Or buy, then sell as is? Or repair and return at lease end? It has about 5000 equity after paying sales tax right now and the repair costs will eat up most of that.
What’s your opinion?
Do you mind sharing a pic of the damage? And the repair shop that gave you a quote was your usual shop, or an Acura dealer?
I haven’t taken any pics yet. We had 3 estimates from very good and high rated repair shops in our area. All have same estimate. We did not get estimate from dealer. We will use the shop we have used over the years. They are honest and do excellent work and use oem where available so parts fit.
It’s the bumper and fog or running
light I have to replace and spotted possible buckle underneath near tire. Didn’t effect the head light thank goodness.
Why wouldn’t you use your insurance? Just curious. I know folks fear rates going up, etc, but $5k is a pretty big nut to front to avoid a possible few hundred bucks in higher rate.
Anyway, I’d be curious to see the damage. If it is just a bumper and no metal work involved, something very very bad must have happened under the skin.
Like you said, it hurts the value, so now the equity you thought you had is not there AND you are paying out of pocket for the repair. So you’ve very quickly moved from positive to negative. My advice is to go through insurance and then return the car at lease end and walk away.
Totally disagree here, especially if the damage looks relatively minor.
If you’re considering just turning it in now, then you have nothing to lose by doing a lease end inspection and seeing what Acura would charge you. In a lot of cases this can be way more favorable compared to real body shop estimates.
Assuming the car is in a drive-able state (and you can live with it), then I’d just leave it as-is for the next month or so until you can schedule an inspection, see what the damages would be, then make a decision.
As mentioned, get a lease end inspection first then decide. You may be surprised at what Acura will let through. I’ve never returned a leased car without some dings on it and I’ve never been penalized.
I would get an estimate from one of the buyers you want to use in the end and see what the offer is with the damage. Most likely you can avoid the repair and sell it as-is.
You did not mention how much the damage estimate is. You can also look for a shop that will honor insurance rates on a non insurance repair (you would be surprised at the difference in street rates vs pre negotiated insurance rates).
To address your main question, the car will be worth considerably less unrepaired than repaired if you decide to buy it out and then sell.
Someone willing to buy it as-is with the damage either has to then pay to repair it or they are okay with the damage because of a reduced price. You are essentially just delaying the cost of the repair by waiting to get it fixed or selling it as-is. Your equity is gone either way, but you will have an easier time reselling by having it fixed now versus waiting for a buyer who is okay with the damage.
Not sure how applicable this is since I don’t know how the damages compare, but a couple of years ago I ordered from Ebay a painted-to-match-OEM-color bumper cover for a Jeep my dad only uses to occasionally pull a boat.
Here’s a 2019 MDX version listed on Ebay:
It was a relatively simple DIY project to swap it out on a Grand Cherokee, but the LOE could obviously vary dramatically from one vehicle to another.
If you’re selling to Carmax, don’t repair it. Just get a quote from them online without reporting any damage, and then get an in person quote. Then you’ll know how much they deducted for the damage (if any). I had rear bumper damage and a dent in a Subaru Legacy, and they didn’t deduct anything at all. The repairs would have cost me $800-$1000.
There are concerns that there may be more damage under from buckling seen by the bend in last photo near front tire. As you can see It’s more than just the bumber
I am guessing 3-3.5k?
Hi I posted pics of damage. The quotes we got were from our reputable body shop we usually use. He does quality work. No bs.
His quote came up 3932.00. The other two comparable shops in the area quoted around 3900 without knowing the other quotes from other shops.
Parts are about 1800.00. They all said there could be under damage.
I only accidently ran into my friends 3 ft wall then backed away slowly and heard the scraping It was dark on a small country road. I didn’t see it after backing out and moving forward. I can’t believe how much damage it caused!
Anyway. I haven’t had any accidents for years and really didn’t want to claim as I have to insure a new car again soon. Also if we sell it back to a dealer it would be on carfax. But that really didn’t matter as we would disclose the repair.
We have a 1000.00 deductable. We do have the money to pay for repair.
We can’t find a replacement car yet. I don’t want to keep this MDX for long term as I love the car but hate the infotainment center. It has had issues they can’t find answer to fix for a year. Also we no longer need a car with 3rd row seat. Looking for an RDX when available.
I’m just wondering now if we should buy it and repair then sell later. Extend the lease and repair. Or not repair and return after lease end.
Lol I didn’t mean “I only ran into a wall” I meant I didn’t ram into it with force.
I was shocked at the damage in the morning. My friends small stone wall that runs along her front yard edge on the hill shows no damage…
Im leaning toward extending the lease 3 months and fixing it on our own. Then return it. Hoping a new car will be available at a decent term by then.
Funny you say that. The Acura AFS guy said they could send someone out immediately. They would come to my house to do return inspection. He says they are just sitting around without work because everyone is buying their leases out and reselling them! Or turning in to dealership who are buying them for inventory.
- Is the insurance rates. It’s the labor that cost the most.
See posted photos
To answer your question…
I have to get a new car soon so I don’t want it to effect the rate. I haven’t been in accident in years. Geico told us when we inquired, they raise insurance on a point system which goes by repair costs and damage.
Our damage repair are at around 3900 on sight inspection. That is the insurance prices not street cost. My husband stood with our repair shop person in front of the computer while they searched the parts and costs, so he knew we were being charged insurance cost.
We also have a 1000.00 deductible. So why not just pay the other 2900.00 rather than have a raise in insurance and a carfax accident.
Did you mean somone damage Your bumper?
I think it was hit and run.
What buckling are you referring to? The fender liner? That will pop back in. The impact forced it out of position. Gotta get in there and push the center of the liner as far as possible and then work the edge back behind the metal. IMHO, as long as no exterior sheet metal gets damaged, just replace the plastic parts and you are good to go. Might need some new brackets here or there if you can’t straighten the old ones, but not a big deal. I’d at least remove the bumper to see what lies underneath.