I have finally decided to get a CR-V and found a 2024 EX for sale at a local Subaru dealership. It has 25,000 miles on it and the price is $30,500. I think this is a great find since SUVs with AWD are really popular in my area. I am ready to buy it later today if everything checks out.
Are there specific questions about the Honda or CR-V that I should ask since I am not buying from a Honda dealership? So far I have these points:
original purchase date to figure out how much longer the warranty will last
reason for return if they know
what the car was used for was it a rental?
service history
Thanks a lot! This is my first major car purchase so I really appreciate any help.
About the original purchase date, the salesman might not know when it was first used. They can check quickly using Carfax if they have access.
As for the reason for return, there are really only two possibilities: A) it was traded in, or B) it was bought at an auction. Anything else is probably just a guess. There isn’t really any record about why someone is moving to another car, and people in sales often won’t remember or care about that. Cars are just products. The make, model, year, mileage, and condition are what really matter.
And on the service history, you probably won’t get much information from a different brand’s dealership because they lack access to Honda’s system. Carfax can provide some service info, but the best way to get detailed records is through a Honda dealership’s service department. They might not share every detail about a car but are usually happy to give a summary or point out anything concerning if you ask nicely.
Ask for the Carfax report since it can answer many of your questions. All maintenance on my vehicle has been done at the dealership, and Carfax shows all those details well. However, it does not include the specific service records for the recalls that I addressed. That said, my Carfax no longer shows I have any open recalls.
About the warranty period, if you drive close to the average mileage per year, the purchase date isn’t too important because it’s a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty, whichever comes first, and this car is only 11,000 miles shy.
Also, just to let you know, this is a $3,300 discount off the MSRP for a brand-new 2025 EX AWD. If you plan to finance, take the time to calculate how the numbers compare, especially regarding used car interest rates versus new ones. The price difference might not be that big, especially since the used option already has 25,000 miles on it.
Barrett said:
Check out CR-V forums online to find information on any recalls. Also, check if it comes with winter tires and make sure all maintenance is current.