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Acura RL

L8_ApexL8_Apex Member Posts: 187
Welcome to the continuation of the Acura 3.5 RL
topic. Those of you joining us from that topic are
welcome to continue your discussion.

If you're new to this topic, you may want to
follow the above link for additional archived
posts.

Thanks,

L8_Apex
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Comments

  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    since they are putting in the two things we most desired - a higher horsepower 3.5 v6 and 5 speed tranny. Unfortunatly, these items are going in the MDX. Just read a review in edmunds and the new vtec engine/tranny combo sounds just like what we've been writing about here. perhaps that's my next move. not sure I really care about a v8 and/or rwd. Sounds like a very nice suv on paper.

    My '96 rl just turned 40k miles today. It is still a wonderful car and I'm happy to be its owner.

    Also, just replaced the michelin oem's mxv4 energy tires with dunlop sp5000's. The difference in handling is noticeably better and road noise is the same as when the oem tires were new. Got the dunlops for $41 less per tire. Not sure if they will be better in the snow, but in Houston, I'll not need to worry about that.
  • alexalee1alexalee1 Member Posts: 35
    I like the current shape and size of the current RL.

    In order to compete/play with the others, they just need:
    - Dual automatic climate control.
    - Auto dimming mirrors.
    - All wheel drive (this will make them unique/an alternative to Audi).
    - V8 with around/at least 300 hp.
    - Etc. See what Lexus has to offer = as others have noted previously (long time ago).
  • mamikamamika Member Posts: 3
    I have been shopping ACURA RL and LEXUS but non of Acura dealer atitude is as good as LEXUS dealers. Have anybody thought about the same?
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    I have seen this and witnessed this many times. I have always had a positive experience at Lexus, and bought one a while back. Service was even better - I looked forward to it! While I am interested in an RL, we've had 2 Acuras, and the dealer experience wasn't even close - sales OR service, and it makes me hesitate.
  • mamikamamika Member Posts: 3
    Thank you for your comment.
    I even had an experience that one of dealers was cheating me. They were trying to sell me used RL at higher price than published price at yahoo classified telling me that was wrong when
    I visited the dealership after searched on the classified. Acura / Honda should know about these.
  • nicke1nicke1 Member Posts: 9
    My experince at my local (Annapolis) Lexus dealer was dismal. I felt pressured and humiliated for not having caved into the sales manager (a very large guy) for not buying a Lexus. Went to Acura and was treated like a king. Frankly I liked the LS400 alot more than the RL I bought but the price difference was difficult to ignore.
  • rumorrumor Member Posts: 13
    Before I purchased my RL is visited the
    Lexus showroom. I arrived in my F-250 4x4
    truck in jeans/t-shirt/work boots. Stood
    outside in the parking lot for 15 mins then
    finally walked in the showroom and remained
    ignored. This the same dealership I purchased
    a new 92 LS400 at. (Of course none of the
    original sales staff was there any longer).
    Lexus does have a great product, and they know it!
    but I just can't get past the "L" attitude. Maybe
    its me but most people, not all, buy Lexus to
    be seen in a Lexus, period. Thank goodness for Acura. Great cars, can be bought at reasonable prices and last a long time. I also like the fact
    you don't see one on every street corner.
  • thepearlthepearl Member Posts: 1
    I will purchase an Acura RL before year end. The lowest price I have been given by the dealer is $38,800 for the RL without the navigation package. On this board, I've seen some posts of prices between $37,200 and $37,800. Two questions: 1) Is the $38,800 price a good one? 2) How does this compare to the price you were quoted or paid? Thanks for your help.
  • jccsscjccssc Member Posts: 44
    depends on where you are located. In So. Cal, there are so many competitions out here that I am sure you'll get a good deal. $37,800 sounds like a fair deal (without checking any invoice $) Tell your dealer this is all you're offering and see if they budge. My guess is they probably will since RL is not moving as quickly as the dealers want them to.
  • aaronmattisonaaronmattison Member Posts: 6
    We just bought our 96 3.5 RL Premium yesterday, but due to an error in the paperwork we have to go back today. The car has 73,000 miles, and the dealership is offering a 2 year, 24,000(?) mi. warranty for an additional $1,100 or so. These cars are supposed to be reliable, but parts aren't cheap. Would anyone here recommend taking or leaving the warranty. Please contact me ASAP.
    Thanks,
    Aaron
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I am a firm believer in extended warr just because one major repair (engine, heads, transmission, computer, air cond, etc.) can wipe you out. ESPECIALLY on a car with 73K miles, and you never really know how well it was taken care of. At 73K, on a Honda, you may be approaching the time to change the timing belt and water pump, a $400-500 job, I believe. On my Hondas, the manual recommends timing belt at 60K, but the mechanics all said can go to 75K, but no more.
  • aaronmattisonaaronmattison Member Posts: 6
    Unfortunately, I checked on that (timing belt) specifically. It is a covered part, but only as a repair, not as a maintenance item. If it is suggested to be replaced at 75,000, then I would still have to pay for it regardless. The same would go for other maintenance issues as well. How many others here have had engine, transmission, or other expensive repair work done to your Acura/Honda before 100K miles.
  • nicke1nicke1 Member Posts: 9
    I need to replace my Bridgestone original equipment tires (at 54,000 miles). I am looking at the Dulop SP5000 at $464 per set or the Micheling MXv4+Energy at $660.00 a set. Any suggestions or comments? Thanks
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    just replaced my oem michelins on the rl with dunlop sp5000's. highly recommend them. they handle better and ride as smooth and quietly as the mxv4 energy tires that were on it before. not sure if they handle the snow as well as the michelins but they are better tires on dry and wet pavement.

    aaron - if you bought your rl thru a dealer, it should come with a one year, 12,500 mile, bumper-to-bumper warranty. you should use that warranty until you get close to the end and decide then if you want to purchase an extended warranty. the dealer may want to pressure you to buy it now, but the terms are the same no matter when you get it. also, only get an extended warranty thru acura and not a 3rd party. these extended warranties are highly marked up - negotiate lower prices for it.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I was not clear in my post to you. I did not mean to imply that the warranty would cover the timing belt. I should have stated that at 73K the car could be due for the belt change, and that if it was not done soon (assuming it had not been done yet) you would have other maintenance issues and costs, in addition to the ext warranty. Mea culpa.

    Bob
  • aaronmattisonaaronmattison Member Posts: 6
    We bought the car through a Honda dealership. They will service Acuras, but I don't believe they are an Acura dealership per say. They just told us about the basic 30 day warranty which is common on used cars for all dealerships around here.

    I believe the warranty was through a third party, which is partially why I am hesitant.
  • phil4vers4phil4vers4 Member Posts: 18
    Thanks for answering my post re: Rattles. I'm glad they got it fixed for you. Did yours seem to be affected by certain speeds or type of pavement? Just curious.
  • jwilson1jwilson1 Member Posts: 956
    WHat sort of mileage (avg.) do you folks get on your RLs?

    Thanks.

    Take care.
    Joe W>
  • retiredagent1retiredagent1 Member Posts: 13
    I get 20 mpg in town & 23 1/2 on the highway at 70 mph on 87 octane gasoline, I add a bottle of the better grade of STP fuel injecter cleaner every 4000 miles to my 2000 RL Navi. I started on the 87 octane from the very first tank & the car runs great, no pings or hesitation.
  • sranger94sranger94 Member Posts: 18
    Just passed 1k miles on 2000 NAV RL. Mileage has ranged from 15 to 18 on the last refill. MPG has improved with each fill-up. Driving is a mix a city and highway. Have use pemium 93 octane as recommended as the price differential between 87 and 93 is very minimal since the surge in fuel costs. Car is great.
  • mrmusicmrmusic Member Posts: 15
    Sorry so many of you had a bad experience with an Acura Dealer. I was treated like s**t at Vandergriff Acura in the Dallas-Ft Worth area. The prissy sales manager told me to go somewhere else as what I wanted to pay was "not real". I then went to see Jack Pace at Mac Churchill Acura in west Ft Worth and got what I wanted!!! He has a reputation for dealing fairly on the phone or in person so if you live near north Texas you might check him out! (I have bought 6 Acura's now)
  • peteheynenpeteheynen Member Posts: 1
    I have read all the posts here and no one has mentioned anything about the 2001's. I have a 94 Legend and love the car but did not want to trade for the current body style.
    Does anyone know when the 2001 will be released and what it will look like?
  • alexalee1alexalee1 Member Posts: 35
    According to the Automotive News, issue from 2 - 3 weeks ago, Acura IS STILL DECIDING this year whether or not to offer the next RL with a front or rear wheel drive, and the next RL won't come up until 2003/2004 model year.

    The reason is, dealers in the snow country don't want the next RL to be RWD.

    To me, this is a long wait. Why don't they offer 4WD like Audi. This will solve the dilemma, and won't make me defect to Lexus.

    However, who knows, I am still hoping that maybe they will show the next RL at the Paris show the end of September. Honda is always full of surprises.
  • xcarnutxcarnut Member Posts: 81
    Can anyone give me some info on their experience with the RL 3.5 ? I am looking to buy a 97 RL with the Heather Mist color and want to know what is real world experience on owning a '97 RL.
    Also, anyone have a heather mist colr RL ? What color is Heather mist that normal guy would recognize? I talked to the dealer and he was not much of a help.
  • lovescarslovescars Member Posts: 1
    Just leased 3.5 RL in Kansas City, MO. They dropped the $1500 that the 39 month lease required. I got in with first payment and security. Could have rolled that in, but wanted lower money factor. Paying $540 per month including tax and title.

    This car drives like a dream. Just a tad less power than my 98 vette(ha ha). Lot easier on my back.
  • jccsscjccssc Member Posts: 44
    xcarnut:
    I used to have a 96' Heather mist 3.5RL - heather mist is a really light "champagne" color which you might have seen on the streets. It is easily to maintain due to the light color. As far as the car was concern - other than regular oil change / recommended services, I had a tranny problem with the car during the 2nd year but got fixed under warranty. I just traded in the RL for a new 00' BMW 528i a month ago - not because I have problems with the RL; it is just because I'd like to drive a bimmer after 13 years of Honda/Acura ownership. My RL was still in excellent condition when I traded it in.
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    could also be called metallic light biege. I have a '96 also and thought the color was fairly appealing at 1st and has gotten even better. Sort of grows on you. It doesn't get as hot as the darker colors and shows less dirt and grime. Really do like the shade. It will come with a parchment interior that looks very nice too.

    Have had nothing but good experiences with the car and the dealers so far.
  • xcarnutxcarnut Member Posts: 81
    Thanks for the info. I've been wondering about this whole heather mist color. Acura web page doesn't show the colors offered, this was a far better source for information.
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    Recently read in these posts where someone is using only 87 octane and the car is running fine. Is that the concensus among this group? Anyone using it and experienced poor results?

    The manual for my '96 rl states minimum of 91 octane. Since I have never seen 91, only 87, 89, 93 & 94 - I've been using 93. Totally believe it's a waste of money to put in higher octane grades than what the ownwer's manual calls for but also want to do what's best for the car in the long term.
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    for the double posts - my browser just went a little wacky...
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    the browser displayed double posts then there was only one. ?????
  • glengleglengle Member Posts: 57
    What have we told you about hallucinogens?
  • automophileautomophile Member Posts: 780
    New cars will no longer "ping" when using lower octane gas. The computer detects this, and retards the timing to prevent pinging, so pinging is no longer a guide to the correct gas to use.

    The problem is that if the car is designed to use 93 and you run it on 87, the retarded timing gives you less power and worse gas mileage. My car mileage jumped from 19-21 mpg to 24-26 by switching to premium.

    By doing the math, you can see that the % of mpg increase is greater than the % of cost increase, so your cost per mile can actually be less with premium.
  • 1996acurarl1996acurarl Member Posts: 3
    Has anyone with a 1996 RL experienced an intermittent "knock" from the engine/transmission area near the firewall/floor when the car is changes momentum (i.e, when accelerating from a stop, releasing the accelerator, or shifting at low-speeds) ?
    After 4 service visits to the dealer, they can't pinpoint the problem and want to convince me that all RLs have a "faint knock" like this. The dealer doesnt think the engine or transmission mounts could go bad on a low-mileage RL.
  • retnavretnav Member Posts: 25
    For (phil4vers4) at post 17: The chattering rattles were very frustrating. Some days they would not perform. At first I thought they might be heat related. Then they would perform on any kind of surface, but as I mentioned in a previous post ( around 334) when I took it to the dealer it would almost never perform. It wasn't until I tape recorded it and drove around with the mechanic (when one day it made a slight little chatter) that he was able to deal with it. I was surprised they were able to find it and apprently fix it. Had they not I probably would have sold the car with less then 3000 miles on it which would have made me sick and my wife an absolute raving lunatic. But as I mentioned before the dealer worked very hard to remedy the problem. I personally have never had a difficult Acura dealer problem, they all have been very responsive except for one who insists on using 10W30 oil in the winter, when Acura recommends 5W30. I just didn't continue to have him change the oil from September to April. Hope you can get your problem repaired. Again, My dealer is Pohanka Acura in Chantilly, VA. Best regards.
  • gsr99frankgsr99frank Member Posts: 4
    Did anyone else hear that Acura is supposed to reintroduce the "Legend" name badge for 2002? From what I've heard, The current outdated sluggish 3.5 RL is supposed to be replaced by a sleek european styled V8 Legend. An 8 cyl. Honda engine? That rocks! The only bad thing that I've heard is the price tag may top $70,000 fully loaded. That's a bit steep for all of those Legend owners who haven't given up their 2nd generation Legends because there's still nothing out there like them. At least Acura's flagship can finally compete with the new LS430 and the Europeans. Now all they need is a Legend coupe!
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I hope you are right, my 88 Legend was the best car I have ever owned, ever. What we all seem to hope for is that the V8 puts out 350hp, at $70,000 but the "cheaper" V6 version (are you listening, Acura?) is about the current RL price, but with only a "mere" 265-290hp. Would be nice, eh?
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    I know, I know, but sometimes I just can't help myself.


    automophile - Thanks, that makes sense. I do a lot of high speed highway driving, averaging between 75 & 85 mph and a bit of around town driving in traffic. Lately have been getting just north of 21 mpg with 93 octane. Sounds about right to me.
  • rumorrumor Member Posts: 13
    Please...lets keep our comparison apples to apples. The current RL is a bonafide BARGAIN!
    This car does not even pretend to compete against
    LS400. The RL may even be "sluggish" but I would
    not call it slow. There is not one car in todays
    market that can compete against the RL for the money. According to Acura, RL stands for
    "road luxury". Anyone who has driven/owned an
    RL would agree that Acura has hit its mark with
    this car. I only wish this car got more respect.
  • retiredagent1retiredagent1 Member Posts: 13
    You said it better than I could & I agree with you, dollar for dollar, there is nothing available that can compete with the RL, that is why I hope they leave at a v6 & FWD
  • jwilson1jwilson1 Member Posts: 956
    Sorry the absolute superiority of the RL is not as clear to me. I love the fwd, but I'm still stuck on the A6 as a possible option as I look around. Even the Acura website pulls up a comparison of the two that shows them dead even, even in cost if equipped similarly.

    Take care.
    Joe W>
  • rumorrumor Member Posts: 13
    you've got to be kiddin me! A6, get to know
    your local Audi service department well...you
    will be spending alot of time there! Then maybe
    we can refresh your memory on the superiority
    of the RL. Don't get me wrong, German cars
    are great, but reliability is not a strong point
    with most of there cars.
  • grogman1grogman1 Member Posts: 76
    Just some food for thought - fall of 2002 is the planned release date of the RL with the V8. I have to agree with most of the posts - my father has a 99 RL and must say the engine is a bit of a disappointment. It overshadows all of the positives that the car has - great sound system, minimal road noise, style, etc....the real question is going to be the price tag of the RL with the V8. My relative is with corporate Honda and, hold on to your seats, he indicated a possible price tag of around 60K. The price of progress. I'm considering one with a V8 but will have to see. Anyhow, a lot of info regarding the future products of Hona and Acura can be found at www.vtec.net. Thanks.
  • alexalee1alexalee1 Member Posts: 35
    Grogman1,

    Are you sure Fall of 2002? Is it already decided whether to offer RWD or FWD or AWD?
  • gsr99frankgsr99frank Member Posts: 4
    I did a little more research and here's what I came up with. The $70,000 "Legend" that I aforementioned is the V8 AWD with every conceivable option including NAV. There is also a FWD only car. I hope I'm getting my info correct. I'm not bashing the current RL and wasn't comparing the RL to any other car. I just stated that now Acura can compete with the LS430 with the new RL/Legend or whatever the car is supposed to be called. I still say we need a Legend Coupe and for as much as I like the CL-S, it's no Legend Coupe. For the record, I drive a 2000 TL and a 99 Integra GS-R.
  • l943973l943973 Member Posts: 197
    I currently drive a 99RL and the performance is acceptable. They don't have to put in a V8, but a V6 with more power would be nice. If they can get 260hp out of 3.2L, I would be happy with 300hp out of 3.5L :-)

    70k is a bit steep, but if Acura sticks to their philosophy of bringing value priced cars, I can't wait to see what a car for that price offers.
  • grogman1grogman1 Member Posts: 76
    My mistake on the date of release of the V8 in the RL. If you look at the Matrix on Vtec.net it indicates a Fall 2000 rollout and that it will be a RWD. Since we havn't seen anything yet, your guess is as good as mine. I spoke with the local Acura dealer but they were unsure and didn't seem to want to talk about it, as they had more than a few RL's to unload. Also, word is that the future Legend will be a Honda product.
  • alexalee1alexalee1 Member Posts: 35
    23 of 47: NO NEW RL until 2003/2004 (alexalee1) Wed 27 Sep '00 (11:45 AM)

    According to the Automotive News, issue from 2 - 3
    weeks ago, Acura IS STILL DECIDING this year
    whether or not to offer the next RL with a front or
    rear wheel drive, and the next RL won't come up
    until 2003/2004 model year.

    The reason is, dealers in the snow country don't
    want the next RL to be RWD.

    To me, this is a long wait. Why don't they offer
    4WD like Audi. This will solve the dilemma, and
    won't make me defect to Lexus.

    However, who knows, I am still hoping that maybe
    they will show the next RL at the Paris show the
    end of September. Honda is always full of
    surprises.
    =====

    Well..., Paris show is over, and no new RL from Honda. Note: In the U.S., it will continually be called RL, not Legend. I based this info from some magazines I read, plus the new Integra that will be shown next January will change name to alphanumeric.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    can you get the 4.2 with 2 wheel drive, or must it come with AWD? Seems that AWD results in a dramatic decrease in mpg, doesn't it? The 2.7T has enough HP (250) but the turbo is just one more thing to break, then the HP drops down. Can't Audi make a 250-275 hp V6 w/o a turbo?
  • pmartin3pmartin3 Member Posts: 5
    Just for the record, the RL model is called the Honda Legend in every country except for the U.S. and Canada where they are called Acura RL's instead. I heard that they decided to drop the name because so many uninformed people did not realize that a Legend was an Acura as opposed to perhaps Lexus or another brand. I have had no dissappointments with my '00 RL purchase. I bought it back in March of this year and could not be more pleased. By the way, I traded in a '93 Lexus LS400 for the 3.5RL and so far have received much more value for the dollars spent. I have also received many comments saying that the styling of the front grille and rear tail lights are more impressive looking than Lexus models! I especially like my Navigation system which I think might be made by Alpine. As far as a '02 RL major change I have heard that Acura was going to concentrate on the Integra replacement first before coming out with a new RL so my guess is '03 despite what the vtec.com website may say. My wife and I are already planning to sell our Mercedes M Class in 2 years and purchase the new MDX that we have been reading about. Has anyone seen one on the road yet? I heard they were just released.
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