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Acura RL

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Comments

  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    Wondering if anyone reading this forum has Bluetooth technology in their car and also use a Blackberry with it? Pros and Cons?
  • larry6larry6 Member Posts: 26
    Dear Reallengend,

    Actually, my wife mentioned to me that she is having the same experience with our door locks -- ever since the updates were installed. So,your experience is not just a single, isolated instance.
  • l943973l943973 Member Posts: 197
    I prefer the styling of the last generation RL as well. The new one does resemble an Accord to me.

    I just don't think AWD and more hp is enough especially since all makers are now building powerful AWD cars, even BMW now with the 530xi.

    Even Traffic-Nav isn't enough now that the same software (from the same vendor Acura uses) is available on the 06 Cadillac CTS.

    The RL hasn't been the run away success Acura was expecting. From Oct 04 onwards...

    00 RL 05 RL
    Oct 971 1310
    Nov 1298 1941
    Dec 1485 1967
    Jan 1121 1371
    Feb 1265 1412

    Obviously, Oct sales were strong for a new model compared to a previous gen already 3-4 years on the market. But if you look at Jan on, its starting to drop down to numbers seen from the previous gen. Acura needs to sell 1667 RLs/month to meet their sales goal. Currently I don't see that happening.

    Also, the fact that the Acura press bad mouth the last generation RL shows politically that they really don't care about their previous customer base.

    Now I can't compare the Accord with the RL just because they aren't in the same class. A person looking at an Accord isn't going to cross shop an RL.

    I'm sure the new RL is head and tails better than the last gen RL, but at $50k, you would have thought they would come up with something bolder.
  • getakeygetakey Member Posts: 23
    I have same problems (door locks and mirror) and Dealer refuses to acknoledge that there is a problem. Regarding the mirror issue, the Driver 1 settings actually get disengaged after backing up, i.e., the light in the door for driver 1 is off.
  • getakeygetakey Member Posts: 23
    I am surprised that the AM/FM radio does not display the station name, artist, and song - similar to XM. This technology has been around since '98. I have it my 1999 3 series BMW and almost every new car has this except Acura. What gives?
  • fmcgirtfmcgirt Member Posts: 4
    We will be in Lumberton/Fayetteville area when our 2005 RL is due for its first oil change. Anybody have a dealer recommendation in that area? Any dealers to avoid?

    Thanks,

    FRank
  • mungoacmungoac Member Posts: 16
    The Jan/Feb numbers are not conclusive. Any car dealer will tell you that January and -- to a slightly lesser extent -- February are the weakest months of the year for car sales.
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    We have been reading some good opinions in this RL forum and the previous forum for a long time now. Well over 7 months. In my opinion, it's the 2005 RL OWNERS that continue to come through with meaningful comparisons between the old and the new RL. It's the owners that I pay particular attention to now. It's too late to change anything on the current design and performance and there will always be critics out there no matter what. IMO Acura did a great job bringing this product forward. I'm extremely satisfied with this car and plan to drive it for a long time. What is the big rush anyway...to build "bolder", faster, more luxurious machines.
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    I'm sure the new RL is a great driving car. While I can agree the new RL is far better than the old one, it stands to reason by the press the new one has received that Acura sort of missed the mark. When the previous RL first came out, is was a leap above the Legend. It was bigger, more luxurious, and established itself as the flagship of the Honda/Acura lineup. The mistake Acura made with the old RL during it's 9 model years was not giving it more HP, a 5 speed auto, a restyle and other tech updates along the way to keep up with Lexus and Infiniti. Now with the new one, they've taken a step sideways vs a leap forward. They've taken the platform the Accord and TL are on, stretched and widened it a little, and then filled it with all the stuff that should be there to begin with. So instead of an LS, Q, or possibly an S class or 7 series fighter, we have a GS, 5 series and E class fighter. Not bad cars to be up against, but not exactly what a lot of people were expecting.
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    "Now with the new one, they've taken a step sideways vs a leap forward"

    You are entitled to your opinion. But I still don't know exactly "What a lot of people were expecting" and I saved every PRESS article from every major Auto magazine and it was overwhelmingly favorable on this car! I was really impressed with what Acura did in size, over all precision crafted design inside and out, and in particular with the addition of the SH AWD and 300 HP 212 CI V-6. Anything much larger and they wouldn't have me as a customer. This is the perfect car for me, and apparently through February there are 8,000 more new owners that like it too.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    The new RL is everything I expected, and then some. Unfortunately, so is the price, which may be the achilles heel of the RL. I emphasize "may" because only time will tell. But the current MSRP is a $15K jump from the old RL, and, perhaps even harder to reconcile, $25K more than a fully-loaded TL. Including taxes, that's a $30K difference! For the extra dough, what do we get? Roughly the same interior room, arguably inferior styling, a touch more refinement, 30 more horses but similar performance, a few more electronic toys (honestly, is the keyless access a huge improvement over the regular fob? Is the adaptive headlights the raison etre?), plus, of course, the AWD. Are all that worth $30K more?
  • jmatthejmatthe Member Posts: 51
    Thanks for posting. I beilve the correct link for the 1st on is:

    http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%7E32640%7E2757740,00.html?search=filter#to- p

    All praise for the most part here.
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    I agree with your assessment. As I've stated before, I think the RL is probably a great car (I haven't driven the new one). But did Acura go far enough with the new version? I think if they were going to price it at around $50k, why didn't they just go a little further and make it worthy of a flagship car, even if they had to price it in the mid $50's to go up against the big Lexus, Infiniti, Jaguar, Mercedes, and BMW's? It's target market is now the smaller names of these brands, and even then it doesn't come out on top. It scores well against it's competition, but it will be topped too soon in it product cycle unless Acura uses hybrid technology to increase performance and efficiency. But the one thing I really have liked about Acura with it's Legend's and RL's is that were "sleepers". Undiscovered great cars at great values, and you didn't see yourself in the mirror driving down the street everyday. Maybe that's slant that Acura is wanting to maintain, but it doesn't make for high profits so they can keep improving the car during it's life cycle. If AWD wasn't a necessity for some, a fully loaded Toyota Avalon can be had with almost all the same bells and whistles for almost $20K less. That's what Acura has to worry about, losing sales to lesser makes that produce very good cars to begin with. Who knows, maybe my assessment may change if I drive the new RL, but so far I'm not compelled or drawn to it considering the competition available.
  • l943973l943973 Member Posts: 197
    Acura says that their target for the 04 TL was the BMW 530. Then they come out with a flagship that competes with the same car. How can that be a step up when Acura initially stated that their previous generation RL targeted the LS430 and Infiniti Q45 but for 5-10k less. You could tell it competed by the features and dimensions of the car. Later in the years, when other brand models continued to evolve, Acura lowered its target said the RL competed against the GS300 and Volvo S80 2.9. Those were the new competitors on their website.

    If they used the same formula, the 05 RL should have competed against the LS430, BMW 745i, Audi A8 and Mercedes S430 but sold for $10k less. Thats what I was expecting in the new RL.
  • dennis721dennis721 Member Posts: 62
    I have driven the new 05 RL several times and I sugest you try driving one before you complain any more about the car. Not everything can be decerned from a paper specification sheet and pricing sticker.

    I don't need a big V8 like the Lexus 430 or the M45 and I don't want a car in the price range of the Mercedes. I dont need or care about shaving the next .9 second off of the 0 to 60 time as much as I like getting 27 MPG. I believe the 05 RL fills a nich for people that want a combination of the SH AWD, 300Hp range performance and yes V6 fuel effeciency and some of the other neet tech features, plus the Very Best Navigation system on the planet.
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    "I have driven the new 05 RL several times and I suggest you try driving one before you complain any more about the car. Not everything can be discerned from a paper specification sheet and pricing sticker."

    Dennis, You have pretty much nailed it. Speculation and Hypothesis from the non owners and people that have never driven the car basically cause me to smile. It's a best kept secret they don't no what they are missing!

    Also Acura has never in my mind gone after the Luxury Performance car leadership. Why should they HAVE TO become an overgrown Lexus, BMW, Mercedes wannabe bumping the price tag much higher, when they have carved out their own perfect niche.
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    "they don't no what they are missing!"

    correcting my own grammar: no s/b know
    :-)
  • washdcguywashdcguy Member Posts: 17
    I thought the purpose of this site was information especially from owners or experts on the RL. But I have been informed that just about anyone with an opinion can post. Thus we get comments from people who've never driven the new RL, even people who've never seen one in the flesh. Well, to each his own, but I will continue to value only those opinions from people with "tactile" experience. It is one thing to drive an automobile and test it and come away with an opinion of it. It is entirely another to read about it in magazines and look at pictures and photographs to form a viewpoint.
     
    I drove the 4-Matic Mercedes E Class, the M35 and M45 and the Audi A6 and I can tell you none of them have anything over the RL. That's one big reason I purchased the car. And when my friends decided they needed similar transportation, I even took them to Cadillac and BMW dealers. And guess what? They bought the RL too (though thankfully in a different color).
     
    As to the automotive press, it almost never speaks with one voice, but you would practically think it did when the new RL was introduced. Rave after rave including Car & Driver's pick as one of the 10 Best Cars (best luxury sedan). And the raves continue to pour in. Check out two of the latest:
     
    http://www.presstelegram.com/Storie...2757740,00.html
     
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...r4.html/?nav=lb
     
    And about those sales figures that several people have mentioned...guess what? Each month, including those "low" January and February numbers, represents an Acura sales record. That's right; the new RL has set a sales record every month it's been on sale, records that no previous RL or Legend ever reached.
     
    While I welcome all the favorable comments my new RL receives from onlookers and passersby, I genuinely don't mind if you criticize the car. It's not perfect. Everything about it is always fair game for discussion. (The recent update some owners got appears to have been less than ideal, for example.) Nonetheless, I will continue to believe that the best way to evaluate any vehicle is old, tried-and-true "hands on method". Pictures and stories can only impart so much information.

    To experience how the 2005 RL feels like it's taking a corner "on rails", you really have to be inside the vehicle, making the turn.
  • valuebuyervaluebuyer Member Posts: 24
    Later US posts (where the car is better priced at about US$50K, or just under CAD$60K) comment in 'support' of this car that "Acura is NOT trying to compete with BMW, Lexus and Mercedes" - but that's the only conclusion you can reach if you see the Canadian pricing - they took a nice pedestrian (and yes, I DID test drive it) CAD$50K car and put a CAD$70K price tag on it. Would YOU want your neighbours to know that you're putting some dumb Honda Canada manager's kids through school because you'd rather overpay for a 'nice' car? I bought a loaded M35 AWD this month - 10K less, has more in it and beats the RL in every metric (including resale value - a general early bane of Inifinti products) except 20 horses under the hood. That's why I'm 'Valuebuyer', and why Acura isn't going to come close to making its sales numbers on this model - even with the modest targets set for it. Not exactly a 'riproaring' success here in Canada....
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    My opinion always has been that the car will be competitive in the States, but will struggle for market share in Canada, especially with the introduction of not 1, but 2 M models from Infiniti to compete from below and above.
  • mungoacmungoac Member Posts: 16
    Interesting post. I particularly like your insistence that yourt new M beats the RL in "every metric, including resale value."
    But I'd like it even better if you explained what you mean by that. Nobody knows what the resale value of anything is going to be in a few years, least of all cars. I traded in a Lexus after 2.5 yrs ownership on this RL that's sitting in my driveway and found it had depreciated $660/month.
    Neither you nor any of these auto writer geniuses know these numbers. Unknown factors are how many Chinese people who'll buy cars, how much oil coms out of the ground and what kind of technology are in the cars launched as early as this summer. It's all a crap shoot now.
    As for resale value, if our Infinity beats the Acura, it'd be a first. Could happen. I don't know. But neithern do you or anyboidy else. Meanwhile, I hope you have a blast with your new M. Looks like a sweet car...
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    Bravo. An excellent post. You expounded on my comments very very well and then some. I just want to ask if you could please double check the 2 URL addresses once again for accuracy. I could not access either site. Sorry.
  • olneymdolneymd Member Posts: 23
    Here you go:

    http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204%257E32658%257E2757740,00.html?search=filte- r

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7373-2005Mar4.html?sub=AR
  • imani_techimani_tech Member Posts: 3
    Recently I got a chance to take the RL home overnight for a test drive. Thanks to that test drive and the insightful information gained from forums like this, I hope to have an RL by May.

    That being said, I have some comments about the "sideways" step.

    To start, the RL is NOT a flagship. If you look at Acura's web site, their printed information, and interviews with their corporate staff, you will never see the word "flagship." Of course, that implies that another car higher than the RL is in the works, but no information has been released yet. In the meantime, it is unfair to compare a mid-sized car with a V6 engine to full-sized V8 behemoths like the Lexus LS 430 or the Infiniti Q45. In fact, I think the previous RL's largest shortcoming was that Honda tried to convert the sporty Legend into an imitation Lexus LS. That didn't work, so Honda's taking a different direction this time. As sales and press reviews show, Honda's new approach to the RL is working.

    Regarding people who preferred the previous RL to the current generation, there is a legitimate reason why you feel this way: the new RL was not designed for you. The new RL, in my opinion, was designed with drivers of the 1999-2003 Acura TL in mind. The purpose of the new RL is to get those TL owners to upgrade, not to get owners of the previous RL to make a lateral purchase. That is why the new RL looks more like a descendant of the older TL than the new TL does. Also, Honda/Acura has made it known that they are looking for a slightly younger driver for the new RL, just as they seek a younger driver for the new TL than they did with the previous generation. Perhaps soon there will be a true flagship that will appeal to owners of the previous RL so that they will also have an upgrade path. In the meantime, enjoy!
  • cove148cove148 Member Posts: 117
    "meantime, it is unfair to compare a mid-sized car with a V6 engine to full-sized V8 behemoths like the Lexus LS 430".

    The LS430 at 290hp is less than the RL and only 10 more than the Avalon & M35. I give the 6 speed transmission a majority of the credit for the performance numbers this car is able to produce and the very good fuel economy. Car is only a few thousand more than the RL, which I think you will recoup on the resale.
  • satiresatire Member Posts: 71
    "Is it just me or am I missing something?"

    No, it ain't just you. My credentials:

    1997 CL
    1999 TL
    2002 RL

    And two Hondas prior to that.

    While the 2005 RL is a great car, two things truly annoy me. I am what they call "portly" at 6 foot 1 inch. Would it have killed Acura to add another cubic foot or two to the passenger compartment? Think about it. What car under $50K can truly be called spacious? I want some elbow room in my car. Am I going to have to buy a Ford 500?

    My second complaint is the driver's seat. The seat in my 2002 RL is the envy of every Laz-y-boy chair ever made. It's wide and it is very comfortable. The new RL's driver's seat...not so much. Too narrow and the seat cushion doesn't give the same comfort level as mine. Not even close.

    So while Acura took a giant leap forward with the new RL, they apparently forgot to focus on the issues they had down perfect. And making the new RL's interior the same size as the TL is simply unforgivable.

    Plus don't get me started on the exterior styling. I swear I have to take a long look to determine if it's an RL, a TL, a TSX or even an Accord. They all look too much alike. Why don't the automakers bring some style to their new cars? What the heck is wrong with fins (asked the proud owner of a '57 Chevy)????

    Stepping down off my soapbox now.

    Relentlessly,
    L
  • dennis721dennis721 Member Posts: 62
    Fins and laz-y-boy seats, OH MY GOD am I ever glad Acura did not satisify you. I am suprised you dident include the lack of an 8 track tape player in your list complaints!

    You have got to be kidding saying you want a drivers seat to feel like a laz-y-boy!!!! Tell me your kidding!!
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    "how many Chinese people who'll buy cars"

    Well, this one we know ---6.52 billion. And that's in Vancouver only! :)
  • imani_techimani_tech Member Posts: 3
    "The LS430 at 290hp is less than the RL and only 10 more than the Avalon & M35. I give the 6 speed transmission a majority of the credit for the performance numbers this car is able to produce and the very good fuel economy. Car is only a few thousand more than the RL, which I think you will recoup on the resale."

    But the LS430 is a VERY different type of car than the RL. Comparing the two cars is like comparing apples and oranges, even if the prices of the two cars are similar.

    Of course, if you prefer a full-sized car, then the Lexus LS is an excellent choice. For those people who actually want a smaller car (and they really do exist in this country), then the mid-sized RL is an excellent choice.
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    C'mon Satire, I agree with Dennis. Your credentials are great but if Acura followed the ergonomics necessary to satisfy your requests...WOW! You want room and fins? My immediate thoughts were of this bouncy '59 Cadillac pulling to a stop and letting 8 people exit. No harm intended...you really are a good guy! (By the way, I owned a 56 Chevy Convertible ...that was the year before your '57 "Fins" appeared!) JJ
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,498
    Well, I don't agree with you on your assessment of Acura (RL) vs. Mercedes, the M's and A6. Hopefully though you will continue to have a good ownership experience with your RL.
  • boomsamaboomsama Member Posts: 362
    What made you choose the new RL over other competitors? (i.e. GS, M35/45, bmw 5? eclass?) I had high hopes for the GS until I saw it last night. It's just too small.
  • washdcguywashdcguy Member Posts: 17
    Look you are entitled to your own opinion. I owned a Mercedes E-Class and it was in the shop all the time. I gave up, though I drove a new 4-Matic E Class to be sure. It was nice but not nearly as nice as the RL. The M class is nice too. But it looks far too Nissan for me. And the AWD model comparably equipped (but with two items the RL didn't have and four missing that the RL did have) was $4000 more. The Audi isn't even in the running. It neither handles well nor rides well, considering this class segment. Shame on Audi.

    But buy the car you like. My RL drives like a dream. It's one touch handles open always, lock without fail just using a finger tip touch. The Nav center is easy to use, especially by voice. The sound system is second to none. The car is almost totally silent. I dial by voice from my RL's phonebook via my linked cellphone, (hands-free is imporant here in D.C. where it's the law). And I have not had one single problem since I bought the car. Heck, I'm even a sucker for the great comments from people on the street or in other cars who ooh and aahhh and ask all about the RL.

    What's not for me to like?
  • boomsamaboomsama Member Posts: 362
    What other cars did you compare it with before your purchase?
  • washdcguywashdcguy Member Posts: 17
    I also drove the BMW 530i, a nice car but one I believe to actually be inferior to its previous incarnation (pre-2004). The BMW seemed like there was much more machinery between me and the road than I remember in the previous, better-looking versions. And the pickup was terrible compared with the RL (which some people fault, nonetheless).

    I can only speak for myself, but after driving numerous other vehicles in its price range (and above), the RL represented more than a bargain. It represented the best combination of driving comfort, performance, and worth. All things that mattered to me. And since it has performed flawlessly since the day I got it, I definitely think I made the correct choice.
  • mungoacmungoac Member Posts: 16
    From my first encounter with the Acura product line, I have been impressed with the intelligence that went into its design;, the choices in whch features to include, which not to; how the features worked; what you got for your money and why; and so forth. Since I use this car on the long-haul trips, creature comforts are important, as is the selection of tools/toys. Propulsion must be well above average; the number of cylinder engaged in this is of less importance (the endless discussion among the V8 fanatics is getting tedious). I like the totality of the Acura package, while I find for example the Lexus wrinkle of having to buy the Mark Levionson audio package in order to the nav system ludicrous ( particularly after I did just that and discovered what a dreck the Lex system is -- particularly the need to pull off the road in order to use it. I could give you a number of other reasons, but those are the most important.
  • nextlife1nextlife1 Member Posts: 12
    Now that you mention it--my Driver 1 settings get disengage too!!
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    I don't know if it was a re-run or not, but this weekend's C&D TV had a test report of the RL -- although the entire thing is worthwhile, the last few seconds were where the killer remarks were made:

    (paraphrase) ". . .this new RL is terrific, it betters both Audi and BMW, and that is saying something."

    It seems the only thing they could come up with that was even slightly negative was the statement that the interior is about the same size as an Accord, but even after saying that, they immediately followed up with -- "but once you get behind the wheel, you forget all about that!"

    I have seen folks disdain Motor Trend -- I have disdained, personally, Consumer Reports (insofar as automobile test reports are concerned) -- I have not seen too many negatives about Car & Driver. Indeed if I were to note anything in particular about C&D it is that they have seemed sometimes to praise "all things European, sometimes especially German." For them to conclude that the old RL was so bad and the new RL is so good that it "betters" the Audi and BMW, certainly lends credence to the notion that this new RL is a home run.

    If you have a chance to see or can Tivo this C&D TV episode (they seem to rerun them a lot on Spike TV), I highly recommend it to your attention.

    They also give a great explanation of how a rotary engine works in this episode.
  • acuraphileacuraphile Member Posts: 131
    I would appreciate some consensus as to which phones have been found most reliable and have all of the desirable features. I currently have a Verizon contract which I'm willing to break and pay the penalty. The V710 still hasn't been upgraded. I've been using ONSTAR temporarily.

    When referring to a phone of your choice, please comment on the quality of the provider. I recall that Cingular has gotten mixed reviews on this forum. I've lost patience with Verizon. I can't understand their unwillingness to compete for a share of this market.
    Thanks, guys...all responses appreciated.

    George
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    WASHDCGUY, Your recent posts are what we have needed in this forum for a while and as far as I am concerned you have hit a home run with me.

    MUNGOAC, Cool post, keep 'em coming. You always appear with the right goods vs those that have been critical of the car.

    MarkCincy, I always enjoy your posts, and even though I know it would be difficult for you to leave Audi, I think you are fair and unbiased. This was great info on the RL and I will seek to find that show. Thanks.
  • jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    George, I still have AT&T which is essentially Cingular and plan to convert soon to their GSM system and will need a Bluetooth phone. I like the Motorola V551 and have not heard any negatives about it or Cingular service. There is an excellent review on the phone at: http://www.mobiledia.com/reviews/motorola/v551/page1.html Your timing is good because I am still willing to listen to others about their experiences with Cingular or other carriers. I have even considered the Blackberry, and more recently looked at the Treo 650 (while checking out available cell phones with my son) He fell in love with the Treo which is a very sophisticated cell phone with e-mail, MP3 player, digital camera that captures video, and has a vibrant color screen that brings everythiing to life! I smiled and told him he better trade his older BMW M3 in for something that carries better technology. (He just made his final payment on it.) He looked at me like I was nuts...or maybe I just misread him...could be that his wife was nearby and he didn't want her to overhear our conversation. :-)
  • jdhjdh Member Posts: 19
    George:
    I recently changed plans from Verizon to Cingular and bought two Motorola V551 phones. I have paired both phones to my new RL and have been very satisfied with them. The voice coming into the car is exceptional and I am told the people on the other end of the call feel the same way about my voice coming to them. I seem to get all info transfered to the car dash except the battery strength and am told that is because the phone does not support this feature.

    I had to enter all the phone numbers into the hands free phone book one at a time but once they were entered they work fine.

    I cannot get the car to connect to acuralink but was told that it will only do it the first time the phone is paired. After that it will work if there is something wrong with the car and info has to be transmitted to acura.

    Jack
  • valuebuyervaluebuyer Member Posts: 24
    You're right, of course - my comment goes only to the fact that Infiniti resale values were terrible prior to the Ghosn reset - and that was a reason buyers were looking elsewhere. But there has been a vast resale value improvement (i.e., now Acura has no resale value 'advantage'. slight though it was prior to 2002).

    Generally, 2006 M reviews are addressing fit and finish, luxury features and mechanicals in language that makes it clear that the M is more than competitive in every category. Again, just google the reviews and satisfy yourself.

    No one is saying the RL isn't a nice car, or that it has problems - only that it's a rip-off in Canada, and people know it. Maybe if Acura brought the price back to $49K USD, I'd agree with all the Acura dealers furiously denying the obvious on this board!
  • kfhmailkfhmail Member Posts: 199
    Does the new RL really look like other Acura cars to you guys?

    To me the front and the rear look unique to the RL only. I personally really like the front and the rear very much. I do not see any resemblance to other Acura cars or the Accord in regards to the front and rear.

    Now...as far as the side view...it is kind of plain/generic...

    But overall I think the car really looks great.
  • mungoacmungoac Member Posts: 16
    As I read your mail for the second time, I think I get your point. And then it occurs to me we're all victims.
    Were you into cars in the 80's? That's when I dropped out, because you couldn't tell the difference between a Buick, Chevy, Point or Olds, mainly because of that swine Roger Smith. Not much different with the Fords for that matter. Anf they were all crap.
    Toward the late 90's they got much better. I got interested again and started buying new cars, but dropped Detroit merchandise after a horrible experience with the Lincoln Mark VIII, which I traded for a very happy experience with an Acura CLS.
    Nevertheless, we're still up against a pile of BS aren't we?
    Meanwhile, if I can put it this way, I find that Honda/Acura is not necessarily the best car maker. But it is the one that irritates me the least.
    When I started talking to Toyota about the moving-car-interlock on my Lexus nav system and had to listen to their paternalistic crap, I wanted to puke. And that even went for the old lady. And you know how THAT works. So I'm throwing in the towel with them, in spite of their very fine vehicles.
    Having been through Benz, Toy/Lex, Jag, Volvo, BMW, Renault, Citroen, VW, GM, Ford, Chrysler, SAAB, Fiat, MG, Triumph, an NSU Ro80 and even a DKW (don't ask), I'm sticking with Honda Motors for a while.
    Don't think that's an undivided endrosement of the RL -- it's still too buggy for that. No, my favorite car for the moment is the Honda CRV, which gives me absolute zero spit, although it's probably also overpriced in Canada - from where I see you write.
    But look at it this way: Living in NYC, where they have just tripled the ticket for absolutely everything (I just got one for parking next to a telephone booth, where there USED to be a fire hydrant some 20 years ago. But the brownie mitch who admitted the mistake had already started the ticket and could only suggest I show up in this Kafkaesque maze known as NYC traffic court and all would be fine, sans my lost day, of course), I can assure you that you're probably doing OK.
    So you'll understand that I must cruise up to your fine, civilized environment at least once a year in order to get my head back and where some of the people are born IN wedlock.
    I guess they try to fleece you out of altogether too much money if it's the RL you must have. But other than that, you're doing just fine. Trust me.
    Be well...
  • mungoacmungoac Member Posts: 16
    Very interesting point of view, and you have helped me. I was parked out on Long Island the other day, in the middle of the block, the only car there. From half a block away, from the front, the car looked great. From the back, ditto. From the side, from the other side of the street, it was kind of ho-hum. Walking past it, it was like Acura-Accord-Acura. I like all three. Now I know how to describe my newest car.
  • bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    I think viewed from the front RL looks very good, even sporty. Back is a touch generic, kinda forgettable, but inoffensive, not too bad. Side view is where it resembles Accord the most, as you said. And the Accord is no beauty from the side.
  • shotgunshotgun Member Posts: 184
    "To me the front and the rear look unique to the RL only. I personally really like the front and the rear very much. I do not see any resemblance to other Acura cars or the Accord in regards to the front and rear."

    I wholeheartedly agree with you! To me, there is absolutely no resemblance, whatsoever, to the Accord. The RL is a fine looking automobile which has "elegance" written all over it...
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    It looks like the previous generation Accord from the front and looks like an old 2.5CL from the rear. The side view is Bland City. Those are the family similarities. From the grand scheme of things, on a front and front 3/4 view, it's a dead ringer for a Mazda 3. You could put a Mazda badge on it and no one would notice.

    I posted some comparison pics of the two several weeks ago. I believe it's in the Luxury Performance Sedan thread.

    [edit]
    It's message #126 in the Acura RL vs. Audi A6 vs. BMW 5-Series vs. Jaguar S-Type vs. Lexus GS thread (page 8) in the Luxury Performance Sedans board.
  • fdmilderfdmilder Member Posts: 2
    I found the cars very similar in road characteristics and luxury. There were a few factors that swayed me towards the Infiniti over the Acura --

    1 -- Since I'm getting a "mid-sized car", I really wanted a larger rear seat. The Acura's rear seat is noticeably smaller.

    2 -- Ditto on the trunk, where the Infiniti is about 25% bigger.

    3 -- At least in my neighborhood, the Infiniti came out to be about $100 cheaper per month on a lease, for a comparably equipped car (AWD, Nav, Bose, heated seats, etc).

    The other stuff is very subjective. I like the color of the dashboard lighting better on the Acura, and the Nav system's better restaurant listings and traffic reports also get higher grades than the M35X. The seats in the M35 are great (what an improvement over my G35!). The logos on the seat didn't matter to me. I probably like the color choices in Acura better (I ultimately settled for the Graphite in the G35; I didn't care for their red, while I did like the Acura's red).

    Like I said, these are pretty subjective, except for the areas where the Infiniti is measurably "more usable", and "less expensive".
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