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Comments
But RL sales have greatly underperformed compared to Acura's expectations, and each month the sales data appear to be heading south. Below are some thoughts on why that may be...
1. The car needs a V8 (at least as an option). No if's and but's about that. Acura is thinking about selling a cheaper, decontented RL in 2007, and that's a big mistake. The current platform cannot handle a V8, so the next generation better offer one as an option.
2. MSRP is overpriced by $5000, based on street prices. The car has had its share of techno gremlins (although they are exaggerated by a handful of posters on Edmunds). And a dealer network that can't always explain what's gone wrong. The keyless ignition is silly. I could live with a push button starter, but cranking on the keyless stalk is just dumb. When I also have to tote around a keyfob, where's the benefit? Step out of the running car with keyfob in your pocket and the car beeps and emits warning messages. Dumb.
3. Front wheel architecture presents its share of shortcomings. SH-AWD is great, but Acura should have started with a RWD chassis and perhaps even offered a rear drive version. It's not a driver's car due to its inherent front wheel drive bias, and the car is still too heavy in spite of aluminum panels, due to AWD. One flavor for all buyers limits its appeal in the marketplace.
4. We just bought an Odyssey Touring, and much of the RL's technology is found in this wonderful van. But if the Odyssey can offer a rear backup camera, front/rear parking sensors, and very cool Michelin runflat PAX tires, why not offer those same bells and whistles on your flagship? The RL needs more to distinguish it from a very competitive field. The Canadian RL offers cooled front seats. Why not the US spec version?
5. Styling is subjective, but to most the conservative RL resembles a large Accord. Even the wheel and tire combo is snore-inducing. Why the same Pilot MXM tires you find on the Accord sedan? (See Pax reference above.) A little more pizzazz would have gone a long way.
6. The backseat is way too tight for a luxury car. Five more inches and voila, the car could have stepped up big time in interior volume.
7. No advertising. I see Mercedes, BMW, Infiniti, and Lexus ads everywhere. Acura's advertising budget must be 10% of its rivals. Similar to Audi, Acura doesn't seem to want to market its flagship like the competition does. And Acura lease deals are weak. Most luxury cars are leased. Acura's offers are not competitive.
8. Killing the "Legend" name and going with lettered nomenclature was a mistake. Can the average person pick out an MDX, RSX, RL, TSX, TL, or RDX from a police lineup? Why nuke "Integra," "Legend," or even the admittedly silly "Vigor" names? People remember names. Not cryptic letters that don't mean anything.
But I still believe the RL is a very special car. Unique and cool in its own right. I admit I'm a Honda nut (6-speed Accord, Odyssey, and RL in the garage), but I'm disappointed that when Acura could have hit a homerun, they chose to settle for a ground rule double.
Our left HID headlight just went out. With the seemingly exhaustive diagnostic messages that this car emits, it's interesting that the car hasn't alerted us. Our Audi A4 used to emit such a warning.
Also, the keyless ignition is not really that silly since you can pry off the keyless stalk with your key and start the car with the key in an emergency (i.e. dead battery in keyfob or otherwise inoperable keyfob)
Re: gas, yes, the gas mileage in town is not great, but I never expected it to be, [coming from an Audi A6 quattro which got 13 mpg in town]. However, under optimal weather conditions [cool & dry] I have gotten as much as 32.8 mpg on the freeway with the cruise control set on 64 mph, and consistantly average between 30.5 and 31.5 mpg. on highway trips.
As for the sales [or lack thereof], it's only a problem if Honda decides to drop out of the market alltogether. As long as they are struggling to break back into the market and gain market penetration; they have a large incentive to keep up the improvements and content, and we get to enjoy having a car that one doesn't see a dozen times a day [320/540, etc]. Re: advertisements, I have been seeing quite a bit more tv ads [far more than BMW or Audi] for the RL just in the past few weeks.
Re: the dealerships, unfortunately Honda didn't initially set them up with the same criteria and standards that were demanded of the Lexus dealerships, and now that they have been in place for 20+ years, AmHonda really doesn't use whatever leverage it has to force any of the dealerships to behave or conduct business in an upscale "Lexus" way. Audi dealerships are exactly the same way, with most of them being shared dealerships with either Porsche or VW [haughty arrogance on one side, and the German-flavored GM mindset on the other.] Again, I guess that I'm lucky that my dealership is not filled with incompetants, and actually have been totally professional
Who designed their "keyless" ignition?? :confuse:
I agree. It's one of my favorite things about my RL. It's especially great in the winter when I was always forgetting which of my many pockets I'd put my keys in that time.
Has anyone had a similar experience? Does the key fob have to be in the front of the car?
Len
Len
I am comparing with not having a keyless ignition or having one like the BMW where you have to insert the remote and then push a button which doesn't seem to be much of an advantage.
Frankly, I don't care which it is. All I care is that I don't have to pull my keys out every time to open and start my RL.
I agree with others that with either system, (with most cars), one doesn't have to get the keys out to open/close/start the car.
To each his own: choice is an advantage in the american car marketplace!
Perhaps, that is why Acura is offering a $3000 dealer incentive to move the RL. It gets a junk rating in my book. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
The NAV system is the best in the business. As is the sound system. Dollar for dollar the RL is more car for less money than A6s, E-Class, or 5 Series.
You put too much weight into what you're reading here. I couldn't be happier and the RL owners I encounter on the road concur.
Equally, when 20-odd people come to the "My Dream Car" board and wax poetic about how their (fill in the blank) is the best car on the planet, that also has zero statistical significance. Do use Edmunds as one source, but if you reach the conclusion that the RL is a lemon based on these comments alone, you may want to revisit your hypothesis.
The RL is far from perfect. (What car is?) But it is an overall reliable and well-designed car. Other external sources of information confirm that. If you haven't driven or tested one out, definitely do that. Then if you decide the car ain't for you, then all power to you.
Remember that most satisfied RL owners are not coming to Edmunds to toot their horns. They probably have a life.
Hello [cstiles]...you must be talking about the many posters that were in here almost 2 years ago now that went forward and bought this great car. Me included. I don't feel any strong need to go to this forum or the other RL Forum any more to regularly defend it because the satisfied owners have said it all over and over again.
It has been a dream car me.
JJ
I agree. I used to come to these forums several times daily to read and sometimes respond to other posters. These days, I often don't sign in for days and rarely post any more. My RL is the best car I've ever owned, bar none and it's wonderful to drive. My only regret - I don't get to drive it much anymore since I now walk to work.
I wonder if a salesman would let me pull the fuse for the stereo to determine the difference...??
Thanks for any feedback
A while back, someone actually took a meter and tested with the microphone open and blocked and there was a substantial difference. The ANC worked well (> 5db?) but it is only designed to block lower frequencies, rumbles, etc. so is often mis-understood.
This has been by far the best new car I've owned in terms of quality and reliability.
I, too, rarely look in at this forum, in which the RL - and its dealers - have come in for harsh criticism. My experience exactly mirrors that of jjacura: this is the finest car that I have ever owned. Additionally, my dealer has been scrupulous in his attention. This leaves me puzzled. Are these strong, negative postings simply reflecting the infinitesmal things that must go wrong simply because they're the product of human endeavor, and must therefore be discounted as representing Acura's body of work?
Based upon past and present Acura ownership,my enthusiasm is undiminished - every drive around the block is a pleasure!!
George
I have turned 19,000 miles and all is amazing with the RL. In 5 weeks I will be making the drive from Wisconsin to Arizona :shades: and back for a month and so the miles will pile up. Looking forward to smooth power driving through Colorado where if I decide to tackle the Rockies the SH-AWD will prove to be a real asset. (Last time I drove over them was in April of '66 in a Volkswagen bug :lemon: during a snowstorm at Loveland Pass with an 18 wheeler coming at us using 3/4 of the road. :surprise: ) I do know that the roads have been improved substantially since then and in August don't anticipate any problems.
Question regarding tires. I plan to keep the OE Michelins on for at least another winter but was considering going to the Pilot Ultra Performance All-Seasons in the future. Does anyone have them now and if so how do you like them?
JJ
JTS
I think that Acura should require its dealers and their service departments to subscribe to and read this forum. So often they shrug their shoulders and say "We've never seen that problem before" . . . when in fact it's been discussed several times here on the forum.
Thanks all.
I also enjoy the adaptive cruise control and use it much more than I originally expected: it really reduces stress on drives with medium traffic.
re: temperature gauge: mine never gets up to the midpoint either, even in 90+ degree weather with the A/C on in heavy traffic.
JTS
- open the glove compartment
- pull down the fabric at the back (it is held up by velcro)
- open and then unsnap the upper tray. The tray is held on by three easy to remove clips.
Once removed, the filter is easily visible and clearly marked. Pull out by pushing in the 2 side clips and the entire housing easily slides out.
That's it - no tools needed. There is only one OEM filter which you can buy on-line approx. $37, or less expensive aftermarket filters at auto parts stores for $23
(Dealer charge for this replacement is worth checking out, you might be surprised at how much you can save.)
And of course they also washed the car, which always helps me feel that I didn't completely waste my time. Great car, just those few bugs that get annoying.
I don't think the risk is any higher than any of the other luxury cars, with the possible exception of Lexus. Most people I know who drive BMWs and Mercedes, won't keep them beyond the warranty period because of potentially high repair costs. As more and more cars add more and more high tech gizmos, most will have high repair costs as they age.
A few months ago a friend had all the 'idiot' lights illuminate on her STS. She took it to the dealer (her trusted local mechanic of 15 years could not decipher the code the car's computer gave). Dealer determined her ABS pump was faulty as was the computer that controls the ABS and air bag deployment - a $2,700 expense with 53,000 miles on the odometer.
To make a long story short, she called Cadillac corporate about getting reimbursed for this expense (on an item that should not fail considering the mileage). They were gracious in honoring her request after the warranty period and reimbursed her 100% (excluding three days of a rental car).
Kudos to Cadillac for their actions. But in retrospect, they didn't need to come through and as stated, cars are becoming more and more reliant on technology.
Owning a car beyond its warranty period is foolish. And on a side note, probably the two better brands to buy from (if one was calculating a brand as the best bang for the buck) are Buick and Acura. Well built cars available for under $36K with a 4 yr/50K factory warranty. Infiniti and Lexus are close behind but their ES350 and G35 models have been plagued with quality control issues. Still...they are relatively affordable with good warranties.
Harry