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Comments
If BMW can do it...sure..why not? See this:
http://www.ipodyourbmw.com/
Just hate messing with CD's.
And to markcincinnati -- I agree that the RL target was likely the Audi A6. And the A6 is actually the car I wanted when I bought my 2003 A4 and also when I decided I wanted to replace the A4 (and bought the RL). Multiple reasons why I ended up buying the 2003 A4 instead of a 2003 A6. The single reason I ended up buying the 2005 RL instead of a 2005 A6 is the ugly front end. I might get used to it over time, but I wasn't getting used to it in the timeframe that I had the buying bug.
Jmatthe: I agree with you on the Data Stick... Incidently, I have a large cd collection and have tried about 1/2 of them in the RL. Was surprised a few days ago when one of those CD's actually was read by the disc player and the name of the record appeared on the screen along with each individual song tile. It was a new Chris Botti cd but there were no markings on it to indicate why it was any different than all the others. I'll have to research this one further.
Has anyone purchased a 2006 RL? I have read some postings that their all wheel drive makes noises in hard turns when under power. I like the car but am concerned. I am also looking at the Infiniti M35 awd.
Has anyone purchased a 2006 RL? I have read some postings that their all wheel drive makes noises in hard turns when under power. I like the car but am concerned. I am also looking at the Infiniti M35 awd.
Has anyone purchased a 2006 RL? I have read some postings that their all wheel drive makes noises in hard turns when under power. I like the car but am concerned. I am also looking at the Infiniti M35 awd.
Steve
- Product Update Front Dooor speakers & Driver's MPCS Unit update
- Product update PCM software
- Product Update Acuralink control unit (my real-time traffic was not working)
Has anyone else experienced the first two product updates?
Patrick3, so how is that picture of the Montage 19" wheels coming?
Opening the windows does not do the same thing as ventilated seats. (neither does regular A/C)
Besides, the intent of my suggestions were things that I would like to see added to the RL as a 2006 (but I personally would like to see the ventilated seats now a as mid year change...but do not think it will happen).
Do you not think that Acura will tweak the car next year? Most manufacturers usually do make at least a few changes from year to year...so I was just stating some of the things I would like to be tweaked.
Such as:
1. ventilated seats (front and if possible rear)(this should be very easy to do and with minimum cost since they are already available on the cars that go to Canada)
2. rear heated seats
3. wheel locks as standard
Wanting these things does not mean that anything is wrong with the car. I am glad you like it.
Anything can be made better.
Nice Post...Incidently, I have never spent so much time "Sitting Still" in any car before. My wife is beginning to miss me lately. :-)
I have NOT driven the RL, yet, I have stuck my head inside the RL -- it is, IMHO, neither up to the Audi A6 or the M's fit and finish, but it is very close. In fact all three of these cars are very fine -- the Audi may be a winner. Any of these cars are great -- I could not say one is a clear winner. The Audi is the winner in a photo finish -- IMHO.
From what I have seen, you will not be disappointed by any of these three interiors.
"Technological tour de force in an otherwise unremarkable sedan. Where's the V-8?"
I'll ignore the first sentence as it's the V-8 thingy that just escapes me. Many V-8s out there make pretty much the same horsepower as the RL's V-6. What can a 300 hp V-8 do that a 300 hp V-6 can't? If these educated testers were not told that it's a V-6 would they even know??
Frankly I think it's a bunch of hooey. Acura has a darn nice engine in the RL (perhaps a little weak in the low end range but not annoyingly so). The mindset that a luxury car must have a V-8 to be considered a truly luxurious car seems like so much bull funky to me. Why are these testers so dismissive of anything less than a V-8?????? Help me understand.
Thanks.
Me, I am not that secure, would be mentally flogging myself.
2) Ever see a $26K Avalon? I think $35K is closer.
3) Ever see an Avalon in a drag-race?
4) Do you think that Grandpa in his Avalon will even notice you?
5) Do you think that Lexus and Mercedes owners actually sit around and laugh at you behind your back?
I think the typical Acura owner doesn't have those mental insecurities.. That is why Acura cars never seem to fit neatly into any competitive demographic.. They aren't shooting for some other standard... They are building cars for their constituency.. the typical Honda/Acura buyer, where real-world performance and value mean more than "Car and Driver" articles.
regards,
kyfdx
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The higher the price, the further they fall.
Sports cars are a different thing.
BTW, I am starting a collection of speeding tickets with my "underpowered RL"...reality is there is no need for even this much power.
2.Avalon XL
$26,350 MSRP(from todays toyota web-site)
3. No. But maybe this year!
4. No. But he can whisper to Grandma, "hey I can smoke that dude in the RL next to me and he knows it, lets head to Denny's for a bite."
5. I think there is a whole bunch laughing.
I suggest you try to find an Avalon for under $30K, then buy it..
And, I agree... you definitely are too insecure to buy an Acura...
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" I believe that the market share shift that is going on between European marques and Japanese marques is permanent.
To say that the Japanese marques "as whole still don't look, drive, feel or perform as good as European cars as a whole" is very, very personal, IMHO.
I certainly feel that the Japanese modern, innovative styling, is far superior to the copycat, Ford Taurus, glizmobile styling in the MB lines, the ugly duck butt styling at BMW and the "we never change" except to make the grill weird styling at Audi.
'Feeling' is too personal to broadly assign mastery to the Europeans - saying that what one group of drivers likes is the best, is baloney. That's why Cadillac sells more cars than MB in the U.S.
'Performance' is equally irrelevant at the microscopic level that tends to get bandied about here. Sure V6's are faster and more 'responsive' in most cases than 4 bangers but not always: the same is true for V8s and sixes of all configurations.
'Performance' is what you can use in the situations you usually encounter. If 0-60 in 4.2 seconds makes a big difference in your life, then being a junior writer at Car and Driver's road test center is great. But if you are 99% of the car driving public, it's totally irrelevant.
Some performance could matter though - maybe 30 to 60. But is that reported? Nah, it's more fun to talk about ticket-getting, nobody cares 0 - 60 times.
How dumb is this. Pretty dumb. It's called 'argument framing'.
One can always read George Lakoff's "Don't think of an Elephant."
Food for thought!
This car definately is quick enough. Just told my wife today as I backed off on the accelerator while doing 60 in a 35 zone..."We don't need any speeding tickets do we." (It's been 4 years now!..."Knock on genuine wood trim")
Does anyone think it's 'safe' to go to a quick-change place? Is there a good reason to pay top-dollar and 'waste' a day giving it to the dealer? Is it easy to do at home in a half-hour like in the old days? Also, is it worth putting in synthetic?
I have about 5,400 miles on it, so it looks like I might get close to 6k, which seems reasonable nowadays for regular oil.
Any info appreciated! Thanks!
The Acura and the M are not likely to win any styling prizes -- in my opinion. Frankly, looking at pictures of the new GS from Lexus, I find it the most attractive (IT REMINDS ME of the new 4 door coupe from Mercedes). The RL looks like -- to me -- one part Accord, one part BMW 5 and one part Acura TL (the front part). I saw my second or third RL today -- as it came upon me (head on), I thought it was a Honda. This is not exactly meant to be a criticism. I look at the new Audi A6 and pictures of the upcoming new Passat -- and ditto, the family resemblance is like Patty Duke and her "identical cousin" in that corny TV show from years back.
The Infiniti, well it sorta reminds me of a Nissan and even sorta like an Avalon and also sorta like an Accord -- the gene puddle is pretty shallow, thus far, in the designs that seem to make it the US.
I give Cadillac some credit for looking different. Each new BMW is uglier than the one before -- the new upcoming 3 series looks like someone finally put some restraints on Der Bangle.
The new Infinit and Acura are not fully bland, but for all their wonderfulness (and I mean it, he said eating crow -- see my review over on the M35 board) they are not "oh wow" attractive -- they're not butt ugly like some of us think about the 5 and 7 series Bimmers, but they are doing all they can to "be safe" looking.
Can't say the same about the Audi, BMW and Cadillac (or the Chrysler 300.)
Torque and smoothness. The Acura 300hp V6 is a VERY nice engine. But it cannnot match the smoothness and acceleration of a GS430, M45, E500, or 545i.
"If these educated testers were not told that it's a V-6 would they even know??"
Yep, right away.
Conversely, the 5 series can be cranked up beyond $56K with a 3.0L 6 and the journalists all seem to love it.
Now, having said that, regardless of our love or disdain for Motor Trend, they did rank both the Acura and the M above the Audi A6 and the BMW -- even going so far as to call the BMW the lowest value.
A v8 may be an underdog in sales, but it just seems to be needed on the option sheet.
Kinda reminds one of Rodney Dangerfield -- "can't get no respect."
Fortunately we all dont like the same thing otherwise it would be a rather boring world.
Can anyone tell me the kind of real world gas mileage you are getting with the 2005 RL(highway and around town)?
Thanks
13-16 city driving
Hey, stop rubbing it in! Some of us still got to work for a living!
24-28 Highway
14-17 City
I also have reservations about the Nissan/Infiniti styling, as well as the longevity of their engines. They seemed to have a lot of pep in the beginning, but got a lot "rougher" as the miles piled on in comparison with Toyotas and Honda/Acura.
Different strokes for different folks.
I'm sure that "jjacura" has earned the right to play "serious" racquetball at his leisure.
I too am retired and I bought a Acura 2004 TL which I dearly love but now I have the hots for a new 05 RL. I believe the 05 RL is awsome in all respects. Yes some new gadgets like rain sensing wipers would be nice but I love the car just the way it is. I really like the styling and the way Acura's fit and finish is executed. Oh and the Honda engines are so smooth and tend to stay that way. I know some people say it needs a V8 but I have driven th 05 RL 3 times now and I feel that the 300 HP V6 is near perfect for the car, especially when you consider the cost benefit of more HP and accompaning reduced gas mileage. Yes I can afford the car and could pay if it got worse mileage, but the 300 Hp feels quite adequate to me.
Good luck to you and enjoy retirement your 05 RL Acura.
I hope to get my RL sometime this summer when the underbody spoiler kits become available. My TL has the full kit and my wife says she is not willing to trade till I can get the new RL delivered with one. So I have to wait till around July to close a deal.
Thanks Prophet...because I don't really enjoy the discipline needed to just go to the gym and work out I get a high degree of cardiovascular workout doing the thing I love the most...Playing competitive racquetball and it has been a 29 year trek.
Now back to the Cars...DENNIS...tell us more about these "ground effects" my man.
For mileage I'm getting about 19 in town and 27 on high speed trips. Car has almost 10,000 now and it is FLAWLESS
Cheers!
I have the front, side and rear lower body spoilers that are part of the A Spec body kit for my TL plus the wing on the trunk. They are sold seperately and can be installed by the Acura dealer. They come already painted the correct body color. Well the same kit for the 05 RL is shown on the Honda news website.
http://hondanews.com/CatID3080?view=p&page=1&firstcat=fal- - - se&kw=Catid3080
Just follow the link. The kit I was told by my Acura dealers service department, is not currently available, but is supposed to be ready in July of this year. The link will take you to 8 thumnails showing what the kit looks like on a silver RL.
Dennis
Combined mileage is 20+, commuter traffic and driven with spirit otherwise.
Car still at the dealership. They can't seem to get the real time traffic to work. I'll get that picture once I get the car and take it. Sorry it's taken so long.
Happy trails.