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Acura RL

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    cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    Many of the reviews state that the new SH-AWD system is the first AWD system that can switch the torque from both front to back wheels and from side to side.
    Not true. Nissan Skyline GT-R with ATTESA E-TS Pro could do that long ago. Front-rear and rear side-side split of torque. What is new in SH-AWD is the little acceleration device (with planetary gears) that could "speed up" the outer rear wheel by as much as 5% in aggressive turn. That is definitely new.
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    nebraskaguynebraskaguy Member Posts: 341
    >> thought that when you left the car with the fob in your pocket once you reached a certain distance (not sure what that distance is) the car automatically locks.

    A lot of us were under that impression prior to release of the new RL (I'm sure I read that on the pre-release RL site). However, it does not automatically lock when you walk away from the car.
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    meitaromeitaro Member Posts: 5
    According to the instruction manual of Japan's Legend, the door automatically locks when the card key holder leaves outside of the range(approx. 32 inches from the door handles).

    At that time auto lock buzzer sounds and hazard lamp flashes three times. I believe Acura RL works the same way.
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    steveaccordsteveaccord Member Posts: 108
    I concur!

    The potential impact of such reports can be enormous and should be substantiated before appearing on any legitimate auto enthusiasts board.
    It may just be me but given the amount of 'scare tactics' we have been exposed recently I would support restricting posting of such major issues unless validated by unambiguous facts (such as V.I.N., delearship where vevhicle isbeing serviced or any other element that can be easily double checked by let's say our host!.
    Please let me have you thoughts as well!.
    Truly,

    Steve
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    adam_kelleyadam_kelley Member Posts: 24
    I picked up my 05 RL last Saturday. Haven't had too much time to drive it, but what time I have had, I've enjoyed greatly. This car handles very well and is quite enjoyable to drive. The sound system is amazing. Haven't really seen much of the traffic information and I live in the NYC area, so I would have thought I would see much more traffic info. Though, as others have stated, there is so much tweaking to the personal settings, it's just a matter of turning on icons, notices, etc. to see them on the display.

    As for the keyless lock, I've had the same issue as others have reported when trying to lock the door by pressing, rubbing, pushing, yelling at that little dimple. It works and it doesn't. As it was about 30 degrees when I went out this morning, I was thinking if the sensors in the handles work if you have a glove on? I didn't test this as I wasn't driving (I get a ride to the train station), but I'll give it a try later.

    There's so much to this car that it will take a good while before it can be fully appreciated. The Handsfree Link and voice recognition amazes me at its accuracy. Kinda strange talking to your car; even more so when it actually responds!
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    jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    JJ-"If it is some kind of misinformation or hoax then we should expose it for what it is."
     
    19438973 (William)-"Why would I do something like that? I currently own a previous gen RL, NSX-T, and MDX. Before that I owned a TL and my first car was a black Acura Integra LS-Special edition. I've never owned a non-Acura in my life."

    Wlliam, Please don't take it personal as I wasn't going after you. You brought the problem to our attention and for that you are to be commended. Thank You for the information. Others have come forward as a result and cited examples of this happening and it looks like Acura has resolved the problem. (The factory apparently did not add enough flouid in the differential compartment) Once again Thank you William! We need your eagle eyes to watchdog these things and congratulations on owning a great selection of cars!
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    nebraskaguynebraskaguy Member Posts: 341
    >>According to the instruction manual of Japan's Legend, the door automatically locks when the card key holder leaves outside of the range(approx. 32 inches from the door handles). At that time auto lock buzzer sounds and hazard lamp flashes three times. I believe Acura RL works the same way.

    I know mine doesn't or it would be locked in the garage every morning when I get in it. Also, if you watch the DVD that came with the RL, it specifically states the doors do not lock automatically.
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    nebraskaguynebraskaguy Member Posts: 341
    Weekend before last, I took my new RL on a 1,000 mile trip. I really loved the way it drove, handled, the XM radio, the stereo, etc. I did experience two minor problems - the steering wheel quite often does not return to the memorized position when I start the car, and the Noise Cancellation System does not appear to be working (and yes, I've checked the menu item to make sure it's turned on). Coincidentally, about an hour after I returned home, I received a call from Acura's national office asking me about my buying experience. At the end, they asked me how I liked the car. I told them about my minor problems. The man thanked me and said he'd follow up. The next day I had a call from my dealer's sales manager making sure I'd made an appointment to have it repaired (I had) and to make sure there were no other problems. Subsequently, I've had two more follow-up calls from Acura's national office. My appointment is for tomorrow (my request, not their unavailabilty) and they'll work on it while I'm on vacation. I'll post when the repairs are complete.
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    cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    the steering wheel quite often does not return to the memorized position when I start the car
    I don't have RL yet, but my BMW does the same thing sometimes. Later I figure it out that if you start the engine before the steering wheel starts moving to the memorized position, sometimes, it(the steering wheel) would stop and get into a fail-safe mode. When that happens, you cannot adjust the steering wheel. After you shut down the engine and re-start it, everything goes back to normal. See if this makes sense to you.
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    josheeljosheel Member Posts: 73
    Thanks for bring up the noise cancellation item. From day one I've thought mine hasn't worked it seems noisier than it should be. When I asked the Dealer they said it works fine. Where in the menu do you check to see if it's on?? Please keep us posted and have a nice vacation.
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    hendjazhendjaz Member Posts: 155
    An update on my prior post regarding the Motorola VZW bluetooth v710 phone with the RL. I found in talking with Acura Handsfree Link customer service that an easy adjustment in the phone cured the problem of not receiving incoming calls when in the RL. Change the ring style on the phone to Moonlit Haze and it cures this problem. Now incoming calls are received with the proper audio prompt and interruption of the sound system along with a display on the MID of the incoming caller's phone number. Other ring styles may also work but this was the recommended one and it worked immediately. An easy fix, for me at least. The v710 is still not fully compatible with Acuras but works well enough for me as I can make and receive calls handsfree and initiate calls from the Nav system.

    Regarding the automatic locking function when leaving the car; it doesn't exist nor would anyone want it I would think. Too many possibilities of unintentionally locking passengers in the car when the driver gets out and leaves the car for a moment. Acura may have elected to avoid this option for liability reasons.

    I have found the keyless entry system great and even fun to use. When approaching the car from the distance it can also be unlocked the old fashioned way by pressing a button on the key fob and a cool blue light goes on at the door handle illuminating it for convenience at night. Nice touch Acura.
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    hendjazhendjaz Member Posts: 155
    I have seen the off/on option for the noise cancellation function in the menus but don't recall exactly where. Probably start from the "Menu" button on the dash and proceed from there. Nebraskaguy, did you try listening with the function off and then again with it on to see if there was a noticeable difference? I haven't tried this but will to see if the RL is somewhat quieter with the function on. If not, then maybe there is a problem as nebraskaguy found. Did your dealer verify that it was not functioning and identify what the specific defect was?
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    bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    "Too many possibilities of unintentionally locking passengers in the car when the driver gets out and leaves the car for a moment. Acura may have elected to avoid this option for liability reasons."

    I doubt it was for legal liability reasons. Afterall, anyone inadvertently left in the car can still unlock and get out -- it's just that the alarm would go off. Annoying, yes, but it would not become a legal issue. And besides, lots of aftermarket alarm system have had the auto-lock/arm feature. At the least, I think Acura should have made the auto-locking a user-selectable feature. I agree not everyone will like it, but I think there would be sufficient demand for it.

    The other thing I would be concern about is that, through wear and tear, exposure to the elements, etc., the dimple may become even more finicky to use.
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    nebraskaguynebraskaguy Member Posts: 341
    >>Nebraskaguy, did you try listening with the function off and then again with it on to see if there was a noticeable difference?

    Yes, I did. On my trip, I had my passenger go through the menu and find the item (I believe it's under Audio setup) and he played with it while we were driving - turning it off and on, several times. Neither one of us could tell any difference between the two settings.

    I won't find out what the resolution is until I return from my vacation on the 16th. Hopefully, they'll find the problem and fix it since, from day one, I didn't think it was as quiet as the reviews led me to believe it would be. I will keep you posted.
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    hendjazhendjaz Member Posts: 155
    The noise cancellation feature is under Audio (not Menu as I mistakenly indicated) and it is a menu under "Sound" called Audio Pilot. In my short unscientific try I could tell no real difference between on/off. The sound level of the sound system increased ever so slightly with it on but can't say that it made things quieter as a result. Maybe its just a gimmick, maybe its not functioning or maybe I don't know how it really is supposed to work :-).
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    racer_xracer_x Member Posts: 8
    >>>In both cases the cars are going close to MSRP and that's another issue for me. Makes the lease payments outrageous. If my current lease wasn't ticking away I would love to wait for 3 months as the market for the A6 and RL calm down and the Infiniti M35 and 300C (both AWD) hit the street.

    Monet5: Glad to hear your Audi A6 experience was better. Mine has certainly been unfortunate, and has definitely steered me away from owning another Audi.

    Well, I'm not sure if you WANT to pursue this option, but it is possible to "extend" your lease month-to-month. You simply arrange it with the leasing company to keep making the monthly payments (in effect, "renting" the car) and your leasing company will delay taking it back. It's pretty much "free money" for them, and might allow you to have a little more time to get a better deal on your new vehicle...but (of course) you would have to get a good enough deal to offset the high "rental" fee for your currently leased vehicle. I did this on one of my previous leases when my newly ordered vehicle was late in arriving (due to a trucker strike). Just an option to consider that not everyone knows about...

    Good luck!

    - Racer_X
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    branningbranning Member Posts: 1
    I traded in my 2001 A6 4.2 w/ sport suspension on an RL 2 weeks ago. I miss the torque and the more sports car like handling, but reliability was terrible. In 48K miles there was always something wrong. Brakes were constantly an issue. Lost a water pump at 41K 300 miles from home. 2 bad CV joints. Driveline vibration. Etc. etc. etc.

    I've been a german car nut for some time (BMW 325i, 2 Boxsters, A6, race a 944S2 and have 2 356's) but the reliabilty in the A6 class needs serious help. I'm happy w/ the RL, and look forward to many trouble free miles.
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    cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    Hi,
    I wonder if you folks ever play with active noise cancelling head phones. The one you could buy from audio store for $50 bucks. Same technology is used on RL but it is just more complex. The point is that ANC only cancels constant humming noises. It has very minimal effect on random, sporatic sounds. At least, that is how I feel when I use my head phone by turning it on and off. For example, it works magically on train, bus, and against A/C, fan noises, etc.
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    shotgunshotgun Member Posts: 184
    Nebraskaguy...I've been very pleased with my RL (took delivery on Oct 14th) How did you become aware of the fact that the Noise Cancellation System didn't work? I don't know if mine is working properly or not - any hints?
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    josheeljosheel Member Posts: 73
    To ALL,
    I think the noise canceling feature was to trumped up in the ads. I understand that the autopilot brings the volume up as you go faster but Acura really made it sound like there was some magical silence
     in the car to quite road noise etc. I guess we where all sucked in.I'm glad to see I'm not alone..(sorry to have company)
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    monet5monet5 Member Posts: 32
    Racer_X - Thanks for the idea, but I actually tried that with Audi and got the big "NO" from them. My '01 A6 only has 25,000 miles and they want the car back on time.

    I got a call today from my Acura dealer that my RL is due in this week. Luckily my '05 A6 is due 11/22 so this weekend I'm going to see if either of them will deal on price. Winner TBD...

    I'll post back and let you know the outcome.
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    acuraphileacuraphile Member Posts: 131
    Josheel:

    I haven't taken delivery yet but am really dismayed at what I've been reading. Are many of you saying that the engine is very noisy or just not as quiet as anticipated? Is the engine noisier than the '96 or '04 RL? I. too, had the impression that the literature described the silence as practically tomb-like.
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    josheeljosheel Member Posts: 73
    Acuraphile,
    I would have to say it was my high expections on this subject.I had an 04 as well and I just thought it would be quitier.I'm sure the 05's are quite I just thought it would be (tomb like).I'm sure not sorry one bit that I have mine.
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    jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    Hello Jerry, I can't imagine any Irishman like you or me being comfortable in a tomb like atmosphere of a cruising automobile...I say bring on a little noise and let us hear the roar of the 300 horses and the rubber tracking across the 40 degree mountain side roads at 60 miles an hour! ;-)
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    moreymorey Member Posts: 7
    For the last day I have had problems with Navtraffic and receiving messages
    1) Traffic icon is highlighted
    2)Message icon does not have the option of being highlighted
    3)In setup cannot access acuralink message
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    moreymorey Member Posts: 7
    There is a slot for a PC card on the dvd player for the navigation in the trunck. why??????????
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    acuraphileacuraphile Member Posts: 131
    JJ:

    I would not take kindly to the roar of your 300 horses, however, I am delighted by the spirit of your post. May I raise a jar to you, sir?
    Erin Go Bragh!
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    jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    Acuraphile...was it you that has the Lakeshore Silver RL on order? That's the only one I have yet to see in person and my dealer has one coming in 2 weeks. At this point I have narrowed my selection down to Celestial Silver with Taupe. By the way there is a great article on the VTec website that should be a must read for anyone buying or considering this car. He even talks about Noise, Vibration, and Harshness control. (click on the following URL)

    http://www.vtec.net/articles/view-article?page_number=1&artic- le_id=264589
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    acuraphileacuraphile Member Posts: 131
    JJ:

    Yes, I have the Lakeshore Silver with taupe interior on order. The only car of that color in inventory was covered in plastic, save for the trunk. The rep drove it into the sunlight for me to see. I would have liked to have seen more sheet metal but there was enough for me to judge. The color is quite handsome, and further, it's not too dark nor is it too silvery; just right. Sleek!

    I'm unhappy to say that despite the fact that I put down my deposit mid-July, cars are being given to others and I have to wait until month's end, if not longer. Once I put down my $500, I was considered "in the bag" so the rep was free to firm up others offering some resistance. I'm not angry, for at age eighty I've lived through more sinister machinations ;-)!! I am going to the "launch" tomorrow night and will have a few words with the rep.

    I'm a bit apprehensive about the posts that have called attention to what appear to be small glitches, and they appear to be growing in number. Am I reading too much into them, and is there general satisfaction with the car?
    JJ, did you miss the one post displaying the Lakeshore Silver about a week ago? It was a very exciting depiction, not that it will satisfy your craving for the living, breathing beast!!!!
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    jjacurajjacura Member Posts: 807
    Acuraphile; Bless you my man and I know when you finally get your car you will enjoy it immensely!

        An Irishman's Philosophy of Life

        "In life, there are only two things to worry about, either you are well, or you are sick. If you are well, there is nothing to worry about, but if you are sick, you have two things to worry about; either you will live, or you will die. If you live, there is nothing to worry about, if you die, you have two things to worry about; either you will go to heaven or to hell. If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about, but if you go to hell, you'll be so busy shaking hands with your friends, you won't have time to worry!"
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    acuraphileacuraphile Member Posts: 131
    JJ:
    Re the Irishman's Philosophy of Life:

    I've had the pleasure of sinning just enough to assure a rowdy handshaking session with my friends!!

     I'm especially looking forward to:

    Flicking those paddle shifters!!
    Lighting up those ten Bose speakers!!
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    hendjazhendjaz Member Posts: 155
    Morey, In an earlier post here I mentioned that I had the same problem and it was initially thought to be a loose connection at the XM box/receiver in the trunk. Fastening the connection did help as I was getting no messages (acuralink) and no navtraffic (even though I was getting the xm radion service without problem) but afterwards only got sporadic service. The solution was to replace the entire XM box in the trunk and that has cured the problem. I expended a lot of time troubleshooting and going back to the dealer several times so hopefully if you have the same problem this will save you some time in finding the cure. Best to go back to the dealership and ask that they check connections and then get a replacement if the connections don't improve the service. I also let Acura customer service know about the problem and they interacted with the dealer to make sure the problem was addressed satisfactorily. And it has been. Best of luck.
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    larry6larry6 Member Posts: 26
    Great suggestion by Hendjaz -- don't just go back to the dealer...but inform customer service...whom I suspect take a longer-range perspective on cost effectiveness than each individual dealer...and would be even more motivated to solve the problem.
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    hendjazhendjaz Member Posts: 155
    Acuraphile, I also have the Lakeshore/Taupe combination and definitely liked it best of all. It is the color combination displayed in the Car and Driver magazine review of the RL. I have gotten a good number of compliments on the appearance but I am sure others to do too as there are some nice colors to select from.

    My RL, with the exception of the navtraffic/acuralink service glitch that I have noted, has been otherwise perfect. It is quiet, in spite of the AudioPilot feature not seeming to do much, and has great handling and acceleration. I think you will be very pleased too when you receive yours.

    I think you are more than entitled to be aggressive with your dealer as with your early deposit you should have had one from the first allocation. I put down no advance deposit and had merely emailed the dealer that I had bought an MDX from earlier this year with my color preference a month or so before their release and asked him via email to let me know when they had one. He emailed me back when they got one in their first allocation and I went in and bought it. No waiting and no hassle.
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    prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    I guess that I'll be shaking hands with you guys in the land of fire and brimstone ........
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    somnosomno Member Posts: 43
    The standard tires, Michelin Pilot HX MXM4, seem to be very poorly rated by the website "The Tire Rack". The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tire (which costs $2 less) gets a very high rating on this site.

    The much cheaper Dunlop SP Sport 5000 Ultra High Performance All-Season radial tires are also much higher rated.

    Any ideas why this should be and is it worth trying to get the dealer to swap tires?
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    acuraphileacuraphile Member Posts: 131
    hendjaz:

    Thanks for your interest.
    My wife and I went to the RL launch this evening; really festive. Gambling, hors d'oeuvres, music, games, slot machines, fruit, cheese....very nice atmosphere.
    I spoke with the Sales Manager and he took out his order book.I am definitely slated to get delivery by month's end. He explained that though I had put my deposit down, I was late in choosing a color because I didn't want to commit without seeing a color chart; some others didn't care and chose blindly. They got the cars early. I'm okay with that. The Lakeshore floor model had a pinkish glow under the fluorescent lights. I do know the true color from having seen it in the sunlight. Really handsome without being showy.
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    somnosomno Member Posts: 43
    The standard tires, Michelin Pilot HX MXM4, seem to be very poorly rated by the website "The Tire Rack". The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tire (which costs $2 less) gets a very high rating on this site.

    The much cheaper Dunlop SP Sport 5000 Ultra High Performance All-Season radial tires are also much higher rated.

    Any ideas why this should be and is it worth trying to get the dealer to swap tires?
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    meitaromeitaro Member Posts: 5
    Legend has just won Japan's most prestigious Car of the Year Award by a wide margin. The car also won the Most Advanced Technology Award.

    http://www.jcoty.org/about_e.html
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    robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    These graphs show impact of ANC, front...
    image
    and rear...
    image

    Honda is the last company I would question about not providing facts. They are conveniently available if you have patience to dig them up.

    BTW, check out the decibel readings for RL and A6/4.2 in the latest C&D. The Acura is quieter (frequencies may differ depending on tuning of ANC)
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    hendjazhendjaz Member Posts: 155
    Thanks for this information robertsmx. Interesting how the relative decibels come close to being the same at higher (2400+) and lower RPMs and the biggest difference is in the mid-range RPMs. What is the origin of the charts and do they specifically apply to the USA version of the RL and the AudioPilot feature or are they more generic Honda related ANC analysis results? Also, do you know if there is any "tuning" capability, as you referenced for ANC, for the RL AudioPilot other than the on/off selection.

    I also noticed the same noise comparison information in the C&D article and thought the RL compared across the board very, very well to the V8 Audi. The RL was as good or better in nearly all areas except for 0-60 type comparisons, but was not far behind even in that category. The RL is $10K less than the Audi as tested so the RL is a real value as well, at least compared to this Audi.
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    monet5monet5 Member Posts: 32
    I'm certainly not one to defend Audi, but I also read the C&D article and noticed the sound levels of the A6 and RL. Having test driven both cars the Audi A6 V8 is meant to give you more sound from the engine at low RPMs. Its that whole throaty V8 that people talk about and Audi is no different. You can see this in the C&D article because at cruising speed the 2 cars are only 1dBA apart. Not sure about you, but after years of The Who and Rush concerts I'm not sure I can tell 1dBA difference at cruising speed. An Acura TL at cruise is 70dBA. Only 3dBA higher than the RL.

    I think a better comparison would be between the A6 V6 (3.2) and the Acura. These 2 cars are closely priced and probably a more fair comparison. I know the Acura has 300 hp (vs. Audi's V6 @ 255), but torque is also very important for quickness and the Acura at 260 vs. the Audi at 245 would be a fun comparison since the Acura weighs about 100lbs more.

    I wish Acura would allow you to turn the ANC on and off. That would be the best way to tell the impact.
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    kfhmailkfhmail Member Posts: 199
    Why do you have to mess with the spot on the door handle or the remote??????

    Can you not just press the button inside the car that locks the doors and then close the door. This may be a little less high tech, but I would much prefer that method than having to touch a spot on the handle. AND...I definitly will not ever use the remote if it makes the horn "toot" to let you know the doors are locked.

    The little "toot" is very annoying when you are in a parking lot and you hear horns start beeping. Beside being noise pollution, when I hear the beep I have to check if someone is saying hi or if I am about to get ran over.

    Just keep it simple and press the lock button in interior.
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    houstonguy1houstonguy1 Member Posts: 12
    There are now 9 consumer reviews on the new Acura RL. I posted one of them (favorable) after I had purchased and used the vehicle. I noticed there is one review from a guy who claims he deeply regrets his decision. He scored the vehicle very low...including a 2.0 on performance and a 3.0 in comfort.

    Folks, this stinks. I find it truly inconceivable that someone would fork over $50K and THEN notice that there are Soviet-era Ladas out there with more performance. And how could he/she claim comfort is only a 3--if it is that uncomfortable, why would they have purchased the car?

    I suspect this is a planted, negative review. As you know, the scores are all averaged and presented as one overall score when you pull up the detailed car page. And early, bad review brings the overall average down considerably.

    And yes, over time, the 'true' consumer rating should emerge...but, many people will be coming to this site to look at this car now that the advertising campaign is under way and the car itself is novel.

    Shouldn't Edmunds find some way to confirm ownership? Or, at least, send an email to confirm who is writing this?
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    gogglespiasanogogglespiasano Member Posts: 28
    He does not have to own the car to have an opinion. To the extent that he deceptively claimed ownership, that is unethical.

    However, I do not own a new RL (and am considering purchase). However, I feel the car has some significant weaknesses. The rear end styling is awkward in my view. The rear seat and trunk are a disappointment for the top of the line Acura. The performance 0-60 and the braking characteristics are also somewhat disappointing. Very nice interior and the SH-AWD are impressive. However, I may wait and see if the 2006 TL gets SH-AWD. If so , it will represent a much better package in my view in terms of acceleration, braking, performance and rear seat and trunk space are comparable. I actually think I would prefer it even at roughly the same price. I was certainly prepared to spend $50,000 (or even much more on say a Audi A-8 or Mercedes S class). However, I have driven Acuras because I think they are more reliable and also utlimately more balanced/better cars. I admit the new RL is better in this respect than many comparables. However, it has some significant deficiences IMHO. The TL with SH-AWD or even the new Infiniti G35 or M35 could represent better cars in many respects and certainly better value.
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    boomsamaboomsama Member Posts: 362
    Can someone give me some links to some reviews of the RL please? Thanks.
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    monet5monet5 Member Posts: 32
    Try this:

    http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/acura/rl/100444153/ratings_consum- er.html?tid=edmunds.n.researchlanding.ratings..2.Acura*
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    markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    Let's see: I rented a new Ford Explorer last week, when you press the key fob to lock the car the horn toots, my two Audi's toot, my co worker's BMW toots, and so on.

    Personally, I take the toot (and the parking light flashes) as a confirmation that the doors locked and the alarm is set.

    Perhaps what you want is the ability to elect how you want your car to respond to certain actions.

    Some cars allow you, for example, to have the lights come on when the wipers are turned on, and the horn to toot when the doors lock, etc.

    To each his own.
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    robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    Having test driven both cars the Audi A6 V8 is meant to give you more sound from the engine at low RPMs.

    The same can be said for Acura RL also. Honda prefers to throw "some" note into the cabin, to add to the under hard acceleration. Not too much, just enough, but the sound isn't filtered out completely. This was mentioned in a C&D comparison of SUVs where MDX was involved.
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    hendjazhendjaz Member Posts: 155
    Good response kfhmail. The RL has the menus to allow all of these audio/visual confirmations to be done exactly as you wish. You can select nothing, parking lights flash only, chirp only (its not exactly a toot and its not the horn) or both if you wish. I selected both to get confirmation of locking/unlocking. Much lower profile and quieter confirmation than my old 03 BMW 530 which made more of a production of these events.

    As for comments regarding the size of the RL, its trunk and back seat are more roomy and useful than my 530 was. I haven't done a cubic feet comparison, but the RL seems wider and more comfortable/useful in both areas than the 03 530. I believe the 05 530 is more comparable to the RL now if not a small amount wider in these areas. The Infiniti 35s are going to have to substantially upgrade their interiors to get into the RL league as they are pretty pedestrian at present. I'll also take the handling of my 05 RL over the Infinitis as the RL is more comparable to the 530 handling, although the 530 had a bit more of a sports car feel to its handling than does the RL. You can take the RL as fast as you want or dare around a corner. It can take it.

    Many people focus on 0-60 stats as a measure of whether a car is fast or not. Too me it is equally if not more important what a car can do to get from 40mph to 70mph, for passing and freeway access. The initial torque of the 530 was a bit more responsive than the RL but the RL is equally good in the 40-70mph test. Most of us that have actually bought the new RL, rather than just taking a test drive or reading magazine stats, are still in the break-in period or just beyond it so have not really tried to put the engine to too much of a test yet. I found with my 04 MDX that the engine really began to open up after about 2000 miles so I am expecting the RL to similarly open up as it gains a few more miles.
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