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Acura RL vs. Infiniti M35
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Comments
As to which car NEEDS AWD the most, well, I think that's another topic for another forum.
Actually I think the styling difference accounts for only about $595 of the price difference. The other $24,405 is for the SH-AWD, the extra 100hp, the Navi, Bluetooth, DVD-A audio, voice recognition, XM, smart key, memory seats, auto headlights, etc, etc, etc,.....should I go on?
M
I didn't know that I bought very very overpriced Honda with useless AWD system,
horrible styling, very weak engine, so-so handling, very bad steering response, bad brakes and horrible resale value. I can go on and on.
I wish I've read those very smart, classy and intelligent responses from "irnmdn" and co.
Well, considering that people(and me) who buy Acura's have probably very low IQ , my next car for sure is gonna be ........ guess it...........
I am confused by all who try to claim that the RL outperforms the M :confuse: Perhaps in snowy wintery conditions the SH-AWD may confer an advantage.
BTW: I own an Acura MDX and an Infinti FX35 - I am not wedded to either brand.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
The point is that slamming each other is inappropriate in our Forums. We need to stick to the cars. Opinions of people's IQ, tactfulness or anything else of a personal nature do not belong here.
Questions or comments? Email me.
Cars -- how 'bout we talk about them for a bit now. :-)
60HP,AWD, DVD-A, traffic updates,some fancy gizmos, extra warranty, less fugly but still bland styling.
Is it worth 23400 more? You don't even get two extra cylinders or an additional cog in the tranny. Their passenger volume and leg room are within an inch.
At $40k RL is a good car (when compared to 270hp FWD TL for $33k), at $50k it is priced in a category it does not belong. I feel the pain of "rmd3003" and any one else who bought RL.
Special condolences for those who bought RL in Canada where it costs $10k more than M35x.
So I guess you would conclude that the Accord is a bloody rip-off compared to the Chevy Malibu? :confuse:
The same unrefined noise under acceleration, same stiff jarring ride, same low grade quality interior(little better than Altima though), same ugly orange illumination (BMW wanna be), tha same heated seats which take 5-10 mins to heat-up, the same...... enough.
And you pay $23,000 extra for Nissan with different badge.
So don't worry, I still feel great when I drive my overpriced but luxurious AWD Honda. It's still much more elegant (less bling-bling)and higher quality than overpriced AWD Infiniti "M"/Altima.
Accessories like heated seats, LED illumination, bluetooth, nav etc. don't necessarily change the character of the car. Is Rolls Royce any less prestigious because it does not come with DVD-Audio?
I'm starting to see the new M on the road everyday now. Looks kinda heavy on its wheels, but still a relatively good looking car. The Sport models are just plain aggressive looking..like that.
M
Am I right, or is it somehow better for the dealer to get money directly from the customer? How does the transaction work?
BTW: $10K off of any M's (regardless of configuration) MSRP is below Dealer Invoice. From what I've been reading ~$3K discount is doing real good.
The dealer may want you to use "his" financing / leasing, though, since there is the possibility that the dealer will get a fee or a percentage for doing so.
Paying cash in the current interest climate makes about as much sense as using paper money to light your gas stove top, IMHO.
Plus some posts here from kids whose parents have these two cars here only confuse - bland, Altima, cheap, Nissan, Accord
Back to two fine luxury cars:
Loaded M35x for $47,100
Loaded RL for $45,300
Price difference is small, performance almost the same.
RL feels a little softer, quieter and more luxurious, M35 feels a little sportier, noisier, more spartan and exterior is more aggresive(I like it).
RL's AWD system feels a little better when exiting corner and stepping on a gas.
M35x has a little more pull from stop(feels faster, is it only feeling?).
But RL's interior is so inviting and warm....... And ride is smooth and compliant.
Will buy car this weekend, but which one? Tough situation........
If cars have gender, then perhaps the Infiniti M is more of a "male" car, with its aggressive frowning face, 4 macho tailpipes, flashy wheels, and high beltline. Even the interior is more "male," with its angular dash, yellow instruments, and big Infiniti logos on the seat backs (just in case you forgot who made the car).
The RL is definitely more "organic" in appearance. And I agree with you that it's interior is warmer, softer, and a nicer place to be in. Some say it's bland and boring (I disagree), while others say it's more classy and timeless. This car doesn't shout at you like the M does.
You can't go wrong either way, so good luck. Two months into our RL ownership, and we've been very pleased. The car is fast and nimble when it needs to be, but is also very balanced and serene when called upon.
My wifes prefers the M35 styling over the RL by a large margin.
-The AWD is derived from the worldclass Nissan Skyline GT-R. ATESSA ETS is often regarded as one of the best AWD system in the world.
And it drives 100% RWD until slip is detected, which is best for performance, unlike the FWD biased SH-AWD system.
"ugly taillights... ugly proportions... ugly orange illumination"
-Purely subjective
"same transmission"
-It is a different 5 speed that will rev match on the downshift, which the RL tranny does not do.
"same unrefined noise under acceleration, same stiff jarring ride"
-Some prefer hearing the engine/exhaust. The "stiff" ride is for better performance.
Neither is unacceptable and takes away from the car.
And "same" is completely untrue seeing that the car is under a different platform so the ride cannot be the "same."
A better analogy would be Accord::RL as G35x::M35x
The RL is derived from the Accord and shares the same chassis.
The M35 is derived from the G35, but sightly larger and stiffer (torsionally) - NOT THE ALTIMA/MAXIMA.
"same low grade interior (little better than Altima though)"
-More lies being thrown around. Just flat out untrue.
Just dispelling some ignorant myths
I would suggest the M35x. ATTESA-ETS is a proven, performance oriented AWD system that has been in use in JDM Nissan's (as well as the G35x here in the US) for quite a long time. SH-AWD, on the other hand, is unproven, and I've heard reports of lock-ups.
Hands down I prefer the Infiniti ... not even close ... which is not to say the RL's a bad car; it's equally fine mechanically and technically but doesn't perform to the same level as the M and if you enjoy driving, there's no contest. Even with what (IMO) is a better car, and one that's winning all of the review races, Infiniti's dealing and even here in Tucson where there's no competition for 110 miles I got > $2K off on my M-car ... the 5th or 6th one delivered here ... right off the showroom floor (April 6) leaving the dealership with only 1 to demo. The economy's soft ... cars aren't flying off the floor as fast as dealers would like ... so they're dealing. ALL of them. It's virtually unheard of for brand new models to be discounted ... but here's the evidence.
Just goes to show ya-money can't buy happiness. But it can buy an Acura RL or Infinity M35.
I still prefer my Angie
As for the operation of SH-AWD and ATTESA-ETS, both are excellent systems that were designed with performance in mind, unlike the GS300 AWD, which is basically the same system as the RX330 except with a rear torque bias. What would worry me about SH-AWD though is that its an untested system. Nissan, on the other hand has been using ATTESA-ETS in Japan for quite awhile in the Skyline GT-R, and it is also used here in the G35x and FX.
. . . But, after the test drive I actually liked the RL better, here's why. The RL was noticeably quieter, handled better around corners, seats were more comfortable, dash board lighting more inviting. The car felt like it was on rails, and the interior was more plush than any car I've been in.
I drove both on sunny days, but noticed a significant glare on the NAV screen of the M35 and not on the RL. The M35's cooled seats were awesome, and if the RL had them I think I would have bought the RL today. The one thing I didn't like too much on the M35 was that the transmission seamed to pause between gears, almost like it was in two gears at the same time - just seemed strange to me. . .
Lastly, but most importantly, the price. Seems the RL is being discounted at nearly $4k off sticker. I'm not certain about the M35, but the saleman I was working with seemed to think $2k off sticker was doable...
I'm stuck - would love to hear what RICKNY and the rest of you decided on. . .
Also, I'm interested in the Bluetooth cell phone function, which both cars have, but has one maker perfected it more than the other?
Thanks, in advance, for your help and insights.
:confuse:
I'm leaning to the M at the momment because I use RearView Cameras on a daily basis and the RL does not have one. To me the RearView Camera is a much more usefuil option than the NavTraffic.