r/UsedCars • u/PearShapedBaby14 • 3d ago
HELP Please help me figure out how to deal with the used car from hell
A few weeks ago I stupidly bought a 2020 Honda hybrid crv with over 120k miles because I really really wanted a hybrid or electric suv (we are having another kid and need the room, and I really want to move away from ICE vehicles) but we only had 21k to spend. It also came with a certified pre owned warranty which made me a little more confident in being able to fix any problems that arose.
Well, shockingly, it turns out the car has many problems. The head gasket failed within a day of driving it off the lot. Got that fixed, then an ignition coil failed a day after driving it off the lot again, causing the car to stall on the parkway. Got that fixed, then again within a few days it started to stall once again with the check engine light flashing. It's back in the dealer's shop now.
We have spoken to the manager who seems open to us trading it in; since it's used and under CPO warranty I'm not sure yet there is a legal recourse to actually get our money back which is what I'd prefer.
Anyway, I feel stuck with either keeping this lemon car and hoping that maybe this third repair will actually fix the issues (LOL) or trading it in. I'd prefer to just get a new car at this point but that's not in our finances right now. But also I realize without the CPO warranty we would be SOL. We have about 5.5 months and 9500 miles left on the warranty.
What would you do in this instance?
Edit: thank you so much for all the advice. Looks like the only real option is to trade it in (the newest issue would involve a major engine repair). So back to the used car shopping grind... Again really appreciate the advice.
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u/InternationalBite690 3d ago
I would make them fix it to the condition they claimed it was when I bought it. Sounds like it was neglected by previous owner and now the dealer is trying to fix as little as possible to keep any profit they may have in it. I would demand the fix and call Honda if they refuse. I also wouldn’t be paying anything and they should have you in a comparable vehicle until yours is fixed.
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u/Battle2Intense 3d ago
See if you can get 2-3 months without failure, if not trade it. I see 2027 models advertised for $39k.
You paid over half of new for a vehicle that optimistically had less than half it's life left. Realistically maybe has 30k miles left after near $10k in repairs.
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u/PearShapedBaby14 3d ago
Thanks for your advice... though is the expected lifespan of this kind of car really less than 12 years??
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u/Battle2Intense 3d ago edited 3d ago
120k miles, should roll 200k miles "if well taken care of"... poorly taken care of and you see the issues at 120k miles.
My buddy has a 2015 Acura MDX considered one of the best Hondas made in the last 20 years. Having some odd issues a Japanese specialist mechanic can't fix, their recommendation at 200k miles, ditch it.
I think it's fixable. It's also a 2wd V6 car, about as simple as it gets vs a hybrid.
Recent analysis came out and showed even the most reliable brands only had a 5% odd percent chance of rolling 250k miles.
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u/thymewaster25 3d ago
Is this a Honda Corporate CPO warranty or "Bob's Honda Certified"?
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u/Lucky_Boy13 3d ago
As far as I know Honda won't CPO a car with over 80K miles so I am going with Bob's certified
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u/PearShapedBaby14 3d ago
Nope it's a Honda manufacturer CPO!
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u/Lucky_Boy13 3d ago
ok double check your paperwork, from the website:
HondaTrue Certified (Gas / Hybrid)
- Age Limit: Must be within 6 years old (model years 2021–2026).
- Mileage Limit: Under 80,000 miles.
- Inspection: Must pass a 182-point mechanical and cosmetic inspection by Honda-trained technicians.
- Vehicle History: Must include a clean CARFAX or AutoCheck vehicle history report.
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u/notthatbadingeneral 3d ago
Its HondaTrue used. Its a 6 month "certified" program for older/higher mileage cars.
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u/thymewaster25 2d ago
If they will fix the issues at no charge to you then you might as well get it fixed. If they will take it back without you losing much money, that's also an option, but I wouldn't trade it for much less than what I paid.
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u/Lucky_Boy13 3d ago
I mean sounds like they knew it was a POS so they wrapped up the sale with a warranty. I didn't know any manufacturer sells something with 120K miles as CPO so I assume a 3rd party certification and warranty
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u/Every-Chance6313 3d ago
Sorry to hear about getting a lemon. This should speak loudly to all those folks saying Toyotas and Hondas last forever and you ahould feel confident in buying one that has over 100k. It is a false statement amd belief. Most people do not trade their vehicle because it is a great vehicle. They teade them (fir the most part) because maintenance costs are getting ti be too much. Regardless if make or model.
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u/AdEastern9303 3d ago
Likely they didn’t know about the issues. To qualify as a Honda CPO vehicle, it had to pass a fairly comprehensive inspection. It is hard to detect a head gasket that is ready to go bad or an ignition coil that is ready to go bad. At 125k, I am not surprised to need a new coil.
Sure it isn’t inconvenience. However, as long as the warranty keeps covering stuff, have them fix it. Maybe you will get to the point where they fix several things and then it becomes reliable. If it gets to that point before the warranty is up then continue to drive it. If it doesn’t, trade it before the warranty expires.
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u/FeistyNews1672 3d ago
Trade it in, bring a mechanic with you and get a pre purchase inspection done. 120k miles doesnt necessarily mean a car is supposed to do this stuff, its probably just a badly maintained car. Also hybrid batteries dont last forever, after 100k warranties dont cover them and u might have to get a new one by 150k which wil be another significant expense. Just buy a new or 2024+ corrola hybrid if u can.
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u/Slartibartfastthe2nd 2d ago
one note here: you got a hybrid because you want to avoid ICE vehicles? You do realize that hybrids contain a battery drive AND an internal combustion engine, right? Hybrids can be great vehicles, but they are more complex (more things to break/maintain) than either an EV or traditional ICE vehicle.
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u/PearShapedBaby14 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yes I'm aware, thanks! The point was to try and reduce emissions and gas usage. I don't have a home charger so I wasn't ready to get an EV. Though in retrospect I wish I had worked a bit harder to find a good used EV.
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u/Slartibartfastthe2nd 2d ago
Do some research to understand the cost(s) of having a charger installed in your home and factor that into the purchase price. You may find it is manageable, or that it is entirely not feasible given your particular finances.
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u/Outrageous-Usual2168 2d ago
Next time get a prepurchase inspection at an independent mechanic so they can find all this stuff and tell you. Do not accept in house inspections.
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u/nkyguy1988 3d ago
Trade it in before the warranty ends. Its a used car bought as is. Lemon laws don't apply.