Acura RL

phild_mason · June 2001

I am getting low to mid 20's depending on the trip. My wife drives our 2000RL on a short commute, 7 miles, between small towns and running around town. We usually get low 20's with that. On the highway, we get around 25. We are heading out on vacation soon and I will be interested to see what I get. We have just over 9k on the car and I am on my second change of synth oil.

My 93 Legend did a little better, sometimes getting 27 or so on the highway. I have a 1999 Accord Coupe and get between 25 and 28 with it.

l943973 · June 2001

My average mpg has always been around 20 1/2 mostly suburb driving. I use Yoko AVS db tires at 32 psi when cold. I assume that affects my MPG.

hoolick · June 2001

BOARDMEMBERS, I'M SELLING MY WIFE'S 1990 LEGEND L,IT HAS 28,342 MILES, STILL SMELLS NEW, ABSOLUTELY PERFECT CONDITION. WHAT IS A GOOD ASKING PRICE? THANKS FOR ANY RESPONSES.

jwilson1 · June 2001

Hang on for awhile, malikjb, as 2000 miles is just well into the break in for the engine. You may find that the mileage goes up a couple after around 6 to 8K, or so it has been with other cars I've owned. As I indicated, above, I'm averaging about 20 with only 1500 or so miles.

Take care.
Joe W.

phild_mason · June 2001

That is a tough one. The miles are great, but hey the car is 11 years old. Where do you live? That will make some difference. I can't imagine anyone paying more than $15 or 16k for it unless they just have to have it.

I base that on what one can get a newer Legend for and the fact that even older RL are getting into the teens although they will have higher miles.

goral · June 2001

Check out the "Real-world trade in values" topic.
I know you are not trading it in, but you will get an idea what it's wholesale numbers are.

rdharams · June 2001

Boy, I wish I could get anything above 20. However, my car has only 2300+ miles on it. I'll wait for sometime.

Is anyone else noticing bad FM reception on some stations? In Houston the following stations I listen to are below average : 88.7, 90.1 and 96.5. Southwest Acura says they cannot do anything about it. That kind of bothers me -- considering the fact that it is an luxury car.

goral · June 2001

On our '96 w/ 84K miles, we are getting around 20 mpg, 80/20 highway/city. Pretty crappy, if you ask me. Nowadays, some V8s are getting better mileage than that

phil4vers4 · June 2001

I have 10.5K miles on '00 RL and average 17 mpg in city while on 100% highway I usually avg. 24mpg
I definitely notice that using the A/C in city has an effect.

As far as the radio reception is concerned an aftermarket installer told me that the antenna on the RL is an amplified antenna which increases volume on both good sound and radio noise. Combined with the higher quality Bose speakers we are likely hearing some noise that isn't detected on lesser quality systems. Other than changing out to an aftermarket tuner, it was recommended installing an outsided antenna (similar to a cell phone antenna) to the rear window and see if that improves reception. I didn't want to add an outside one, but if anyone does, let us know how it works out.

tomdoggie43 · June 2001

Has anyone tried it yet or is it just mine that doesn't work. how about it burke or wilson. ty.

tgif888 · June 2001

In my TL Type S, you need to put the mirror switch in the middle before the tilt feature will work.

sburke7 · June 2001

This feature does not exist on the 3.5 rl,,,,I was told by dealer this is a mistake in the catalogue,,,see page 22 for listed safety feature,,,I told Acura about this on their follow-up call to me after purchase,,,,still no response from corp people,,,someone dropped the ball on this one,,,

tomdoggie43 · July 2001

Thanks for responding. Acura is still listing this feature on their website as standard equipment, as of sunday 7/1. My dealer offered me a free oil change but i still feel cheated.

l943973 · July 2001

I attended the Mercedes PowerTrip yesterday and test drove the E320 as a comparison against the RL (similar MSRP so I had to try it). There was no line for this car. No one had an interest in it. After hearing everyone rave about this car in magazines, I figure I would take this car out on the course they provided. Well, the first thing I noticed is that the power switch gear was first rate. More convenient than the RL. In terms of seating, the front seats are much softer than the RL but with excellent support. (side note: Test drove the S430 there too and seats are identical to the RL seats in terms of stiffness). Anyways, the E320 steering was as smooth as the RL and the ride felt just a good. I was impressed for a car with shorter wheelbase. The acceleration was not good as the 210 hp RL. I floored it until my foot was completely against the metal and there is no downshift that occurs. It just accelerates and doesn't really build up. It accelerated exactly like the Lexus GS300. Handling was better than the RL but thats expected because the car is much smaller. (S-Class handling felt more like the RL). I felt like driving miss daisy in the E320.

After driving the E320, I really missed the RL's low end torque and faster pickup. In terms of power, the E320 and Lexus GS300 feel much slower than the RL and one test drive will show this. Both are nice cars. If I had to chose again, regardless of price I would still go with the RL.

I'll have the admit the CL500, AMG E55 and CLK55 are just muscle cars. OMG, are they fast! :-)

jwilson1 · July 2001

Different comparo, Mr. 973, but you reached the same conclusion I did. But I'm kind of glad more people don't have an "open mind" as prices would certainly be higher!

Used my first tank of all town/city/suburb driving and am pleasantly surprised; at 1800 miles got almost 21 mpg. Next week we're taking a 1600 mile trip and I'll keep close track.

I found something I don't like about the car, at last ... the small gas tank. The empty light goes on almost exactly at 300 miles, an aggravation. But I really am glad the right mirror doesn't do that tilt thing ... I recall testing an older model (or perhaps it was a TL) that had it and it was a little disconcerting; in the driving I do I'm less likely to parallel park and more likely to back up for 50 or 100 feet, so it's more convenient to see where you're going rather than watch the curbing. This is obviously a matter of taste and driving circumstances.

Interesting: my dealer doesn't think that the expected '03 release of the V8 will bring an end to the RL as we know it. His reasoning: Acura has a strong, competitive offering at $20k (Integra; RSX); at $30k (T series); and there is no way they can offer a full-featured V8, especially with AWD (as rumored) for the same as the RL, thus bumping it up considerably, to say $50-55k. That leaves them empty from $30 -- $50k, missing a big chunk of market. His guess, therefore, is that they keep the RL and move upscale with the new one. It makes good common sense, but he also let me know that he has nothing from the factory to confirm this.

Take care.
Joe W.

l943973 · July 2001

My last mpg average was about 20.9 mpg. Mostly suburb driving. I went 320 mi and used up 15.3 gallons. Having roughly a 3 gallon reserve before the low fuel light comes on seems like a lot, but I guess that give you roughly 50-60 miles to find a gas station.

bucket195 · July 2001

I have just broken 1000 miles on my 2000 RL and the low fuel light is coming on at about 220 miles! I had heard that mileage was not too good, but I was really hoping to average about 20 in mixed driving. I am getting closer to 16 and I am babying the car. Does anyone have any tips on how or when this may improve? I can live with the bad mileage, but the short range is really a bother.

mkbrown87 · July 2001

That is exactly what we are facing. We are only getting about 16 mpg, and because the fuel tank is 18 gal, and the low fuel light comes on with 3 gals remaining, that is why the range seems so short. You could drive for another 40 or 50 miles, but... If there is one annoyance with the vehicle that we have, this is it.

jwilson1 · July 2001

if you're only getting 220 miles on 15 gals. (you don't say) then you're only getting about 14.5/gallon, and that suggests a problem to me, not just low mileage. If I've understood you correctly, I'd make a complaint!

One hint, from the owner's manual, is to use the A/C on the econ mode. So I leave it on full auto until I hear the fan speed diminish, then move it to the economy setting. I don't know if this is a real help or more psychological.

But if you don't start moving toward that 20 mpg. avg pretty soon, I'd ask for some help from the dealer. Given the sophistication of the design of these cars, no one short of the dealer would figure it out, and you certainly shouldn't have to "baby" the car to get 14.5 mpg!

Take care.
Joe W.

nvo · July 2001

Hi hoolick, is that a coupe or sedan ? What state do you live ? I might be interested in the car. Please email me at ninhvo@pica.army.mil so we can discuss more. Thanks.

phil4vers4 · July 2001

When you put new tires on your RL you mentioned less road noise. Do you notice less noise or "thumping" when driving over broken pavement or slight bumps ie rough road?

prophet2 · July 2001

14.5 mpg? Sounds like something is off. I've never gotten less than 18 mpg.

On occasion and out of necessity, I get trapped in the morning/afternoon traffic jams on our 604 sq. mile island (we have over 650,000 registered vehicles for 1M population), taking an hour or more to travel 20 miles to or from downtown Honolulu. Still manage over 19 mpg average and have gotten 21+ mpg at times. Fuel warning light comes on at around 290-300 miles with three gallons still in the tank as I rarely have to put in more than 15 gallons each fill-up. At $1.959 for premium, I've managed to avoid the $30.00 tariff ......... so far.

l943973 · July 2001

I don't remember if there was less "thumping" because my AVS tires are running at a higher tire pressure than my Michelins. On similar surfaces, the AVS are quieter but I think the Michelins provide a slightly smoother ride.

l943973 · July 2001

So when is the new RL Type-S coming out? :-) They have a Type-S for every other model except the MDX. (NSX Type-S is only offered in Japan).

prophet2 · July 2001

Went 311.6 miles before filling up with 15.54 gallons @$1.959 = $30.45! Got 20 mpg on this run. No complaints on gas mileage, ride, comfort, power, etc., but ....... certainly want to see what any future "Type-S" RL might offer. V-8 power and still thousands less than the Lexus?

tgif888 · July 2001

I doubt it. RL is more like a luxury cruiser model. Type S is stand for Sport. It is more appropriate to put the Type S on TL and RSX.

phil4vers4 · July 2001

I think the RL would be perfectly suited for a Type-S model. The current HP is enough for me, but for those who would like some more oomph along with the awesome luxury appointments it seems to be an ideal match. Just because the RL is plush, doesn't mean it doesn't have a sporting nature.

marsha7 · July 2001

Lexus LS430 have a sport option?...why can't the RL?...Jaguar S-type has the 3.0 and 4.0, Mercedes has E320 and E430, Audi has A6 with 200HP V6 and 300HP V8, and on and on...it is actually surprising that the RL comes only in one flavor, compared to other "similar" cars having high performance editions of lower performance models.

rambo7 · July 2001

I had a '98 RL for a 39 month lease. 95% city driving with no A/C and best mileage I ever got was 16mpg. And I'm no lead foot.

Great car, but got a little boring for me.

How does anybody get more than 16 in one of those?

prophet2 · July 2001

My '96 has never gotten less than 18 mpg in mixed driving, which includes time in some of our daily traffic jams. Imagine going 15 mph on the freeway at 11:00 a.m., long after the morning get-to-work jam. Have had some runs of 20-22 mpg.

OTOH, my 2001 Odyssey EX, also with a 3.5L/210 hp V-6, got 22+ mpg on the first run out of the gate. It's in the morning traffic on M-F, taking 45 minutes to cover 20 miles one-way.

jwilson1 · July 2001

Okay, I promised. As the car ('02) sits in the garage it now has 2600+ miles. The trip from NE to Ohio was actually a pleasure and several people in service areas on the NY Thruway indicated they admired the car, especially the green/black paint.

Here are the numbers:

filled up six times, but never because we were empty, only wanted to take a break. Total distance, about 1400 miles. On the 600 miles out, I drove on cruise control and (to try for mileage) set it on 2500 rpm (just a bit under 70). I didn't like going slow, but I wanted to test this out! We had two adults on board, our suitcases in the rear seat, and a trunk full of heavy junk intended for family there. The first tank was 23.9, the second was 24.8, and the third (which included some city driving upon our arrival), was 23. While we were there the city driving averaged18. We filled up to leave and drove (with the trunk now empty) for 300 miles at 70 again and averaged 24.5.

Then I filled up and drove the last 313 miles -- or tried -- at 80, which is where I usually drive. Problem was, there was quite a bit of 70 mph traffic, so I kept bouncing back and forth and expected the mileage to drop quite a bit. But it only dipped a tenth, to 24.4.

I'm very pleased with the mileage and plan to *never* drive at 70 again:) My suggestion for all of those who are babying their cars and getting five or even ten miles less/gallon is to ask the dealer to at least try, real hard, for better results!

By the way, I filled up with 92 octane Sunoco in Ohio for $1.35/gallon. My gosh the dealers in NE are sticking it to us!

Take care.
Joe W.

killmon · July 2001

The Senior Executive Client Manager at the Acura dealership gave me a quote of $3990 on a brand new 2002 Acura RL w/o nav. According to an article on this sight, my target price should be the "TMV". This means that I have beat that target by $937. This quote was the first number out of the salesman's mouth and, as of yet, I have not given him any indication of my feelings on his quote. Under normal circumstances I would be inclined to push this guy a little to try to get him down to a couple hundred over invoice, say around $38800. HERE IS MY QUESTION and also my dillema. Am I being unreasonable in hoping to pay right at or just above invoice cost, and, if so, is $39900 a good price or should I try to shave a bit off of that? My concern is that the owner of the dealership is a member of our country club and I've sat and had a few drinks with him on many occasions and my wife speaks to him in the work out facility every day. The dealership owner is also the man who set up our appointment with the Senior Executive Client Manager, (whom I assume is the highest ranking Sales Manager at the dealership) and he is also the one who told our sales person to charge us $39900. I'm concerned that if this is truly a very good price and I attempt to haggle with him, that our "friend" from the club, (the dealership owner), might take it as an insult. Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated. In other words, If you were in my position, what would you do?

sburke7 · July 2001

This is a business,,,tell this titled sales rep,,,and the owner (if need be),,,that the car is worth #39,000 to you,,,no more,,,he should be ready to sell,,,if not,,,let me know and I will steer you to a dealer, (head man), who will sell the car to you for $39k,,,I saved $2,000 on my purchase of the 2002,,,for the money,,,a great buy!

raybear · July 2001

There are other dealers in your area. Let the local guy know you're prepared to shop, and show him the TMV info.

Sometimes managers get a stick up their [non-permissible content removed] and think their time is too valuable to waste on low margin deals.

The RL is a fine car and is not experiencing high demand, I think you may be able to do better if you're willing to travel.

jwilson1 · July 2001

I agree with the previous responses, tho maybe in gentler terms. This is, after all, business. When the '02 first came out, first week, I dealt for $40,000 and had offers by phone to "beat" $39900. This is in the Boston area. My suggestion:

1) do some internet shopping: go to Gomez.com and pick out four or five web dealers who will give you prices.
2) take the best offer and shop it at other dealerships: "Can you beat this?"
3) take your best number back to the shop you want to deal with and ask them why you should buy from them, given that you can save so much by going elsewhere.

But I wouldn't pick a number out of thin air and try to bluff your way through -- they'll take it as a challenge and leave your head spinning.

If you have real numbers that are better than the one you have, and if your friend's a businessman, he would have done the same thing and will respect you for it. If you can't find a better deal in your area, then you'll know you did the best you could without traveling quite a bit.

Let us know how it goes!

Take care.
Joe W.

19645 · July 2001

Killmon

Your request is not unreasonable and the TMV price this site sounds a little high.

I just purchased a 2002 RL Navigation for $40759

I never went to a dealership. I just picked the 10 closest dealers to me and asked for their best price. The quotes came all over the board ranging from sticker to $40759

I agree with Jwilson1 shop around.

Good Luck

19645

jwilson1 · July 2001

Today I was at the Acura store checking out the RSX & told the salesman about my recent trip and good mileage. He said that if I added two to four more pounds of air in each tire before a trip -- i.e., higher than what is the standard on the door post -- that I should get a mile or two better still. The service manager was with us and he agreed, so ...

worth a try.

Take care.
Joe W.

hownow · July 2001

I have a 2000 RL and have had intermittent problems with the trunk latch not catching and being unable to close my trunk. It's been fixed twice by the dealership, but then 2-3 months later it will happen again. Has anyone else had this problem, or know if there is anything that can be done to permanently fix it? Thanks.

smile2846 · July 2001

I am considering the purchase of an Acura 3.5RL and really enjoyed reading your message about gasoline mileage. Our gas out here in CA is running about $1.85 to $1.90 per gallon, which is down about 10 cents from just a few weeks ago.

How did you do your last trip?

Thanks.

l943973 · July 2001

I have a 99RL and its got about 61k miles on it and I'm averaging 20.27 mpg. I just wish they would make the tank bigger because I usually have to refill every 300 miles. The fuel light comes on at 14.45 gallons in an 18 gallon tank.

I remember about a few months back that when closing the trunk, the hook didn't line up exactly with the latch and it hit and bounced. This happened when my wife try to slam the trunk just because she is used to heavy trunk doors that require some effort. (Use to have an 3-door integra that had shocks which required some effort to close the trunk). I remember I did that initially too and got the same problem. (Not all the time. Maybe 10% of the time).

The RL trunk is extremely light and requires little effort to close. Now when I close the trunk, I hold the trunk door while closing and never had the latch miss afterwards.

I'm curious as to why my trunk latch doesn't catch on occasion when closing fast and letting it catch on its own. Needless to say, I didn't want to try to reproduce because it probably damages the latch. This may not be the same problem as #289 but its the only problem that I had come up with the trunk.

phil4vers4 · July 2001

Have you tried an external antenna yet? If so how is it working for you? We just had 6 radio stations change frequencies on July 1 and the one now using 95.5 FM comes in very clear whereas the one before (classical) had much interference. Maybe it does have to do with a station's ability to put out a strong signal.

BTW Just drove a full tank of all city driving, much stop and go, with the A/C on full blast most of the time and averaged 17.6 MPG. '00 RL has 11K miles on it. You should see the MPG improve as the car breaks in.

sranger941 · July 2001

Recently increased the tire pressure on 2000 RL from recommended 29psi to 32. This appears to have increased MPG by 1-2. Handling in turns also feels better. One suprise that I have noticed is that the transmission is now shifting much better at low speeds upon accelerating from coasting at low speeds. Great car overall.

sburke7 · July 2001

34 lbs in front
32 lbs in rear

Car rides and handles like a dream,,,24 mpg,,,hiway

SM

dsony · July 2001

Hi,
I helped two people purchase 2002 RL's. Here is what they bought:

1.) 2002 3.5RL with Navigation, mud flaps, and oil change for life $40,000 + $700 for protection package (leather, dash, and paint protection)

2.) 2002 3.5RL without Nav, mud flaps, wheel locks, trunk mat, oil change for life $38460.

Is that what everyone is paying now? What did you pay?

jwilson1 · July 2001

I'm glad you folks are finding the suggestion useful, too. I've added about 1 or 2 mpg around town (can't tell exactly as it's been only one tankful so far) by going from 30# to 32# all around.

Before the '02 it's my understanding that the recommended pressure was 28, correct? In '02 with the new suspension tune/tires the recommendation has gone up to 30.

Take care.
Joe W.

phil4vers4 · July 2001

In the '00 RL model, the recommended pressure is 29#. I have been using 31# and get about 18mpg city and 24 mpg highway with 11k on the car. When the car had less than 5k on it I was going with 29# and the mileage was 16mpg in city driving, so I'm not sure if the lower mpg was purely due to tire pressure or if the car was still breaking in. Either way, I like the ride better with a few more lbs. of air in the tires and I may even try the 34# front and 32# rear combo as recommended by sburke7. Why put more air in the front tires?

sburke7 · July 2001

This tire pressure was recommended to me by an Acura dealer,,,the front tires at 34 lbs to compensate for the engine weight,,,I like the ride (seems firmer) better with the 34/32 mix. Was also told that the 29-30 lb pressure was meant for a "smooth" ride,,,too soft for me,,,

chief0099 · July 2001

I bought a 2002 RL last week in Ontario Canada. List was $54,000 Canadian (about $0.65US to $1.00 CDN) so $54,000 cdn is $35,100 US
I traded in a 1995 Legend L sedan 4 door for $15,000 CDN ($9,750 US) and bought the car for $35,500 Cdn + trade or about $50,500 Cdn (this is about $32,825 US). The car had 6 km on it (4 miles). Getting paint/leather protection $399 CDN. Too bad you can't export the car to USA!!!

dbeattie1 · August 2001

Being a Canadian living in USA now most of the year I do concur with you that Canadians are getting a better deal, trust me I tried but found that purchasing an RL in canada and trying to get it to the US is pointless. Reason being is that Honda will not honor warranty here. One other point is that you must remember Navi is not available in Canada.

As for mileage, just completed a 6000 mile run to Canada and back. Because of business I kept precise records of mileage. I am pleased 23.7 miles per gallon...converted to canada would be about 28 mpg... RL is a great car and not a lot matches it dollar for dollar

l943973 · August 2001

I'm noticing that when I slow down from highway speeds quickly, I can feel some shuttering in the steering wheel.

I remember my Integra having the same problem in the past and I ended up replacing the brake pads. That helped but I could still feel a little bit (just slightly). Should have replaced the rotors too.

I would like to replace the pads and rotors with a new set. Does anyone recommend an aftermarket brand that uses cross drilled rotors. Do I need to be concerned about an aftermarket set affecting my ABS system?

The only ones that I've seen for a 99RL has been from http://www.comptechusa.com

thanks,

Acura RL

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