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So I got a Viper Smartstart system installed. I've had it less than 24 hours but so far so good. While it's running on remote start, you do loose keyless access functional. You have to lock/unlock thru the app or the fob.
Interior accent lights should come on with the headlights. If not, use the buttons on the dash just to the right of the instrument cluster to increase the brightness. However, be aware that max brightness will take the nav out of night mode if you use that setting, and you should go one brightness setting down from max.
More dash cash dumb-assery recorded. Guy decides he's too cool for a red light. Fast forward to 30 seconds. Ignore the music, I was re-living my high school graduation in my head Side note, but I just noticed that Youtube decided to downgrade the quality to 360p.... EDIT: Also got a full interior detail, guy was also nice enough to clean up the headliner. Let me tell you, you don't really notice how dirty that thing is until it gets washed lol. The car has had Opti-Coat Pro sitting on it, so exterior maintenance is super easy for me
Yea we did that in an older thread. Brightness is set one less so as it can switch to night mode.
Every RL's steering wheel in the US lights up?
As far I know, yes
Also, had TSB B09-042 happening to me, looks like the cap on the outer door handle is starting to loosen up a little.... And my driver door arm rest is slowly bubbling, I noticed a small bubble form there.
P.S. Might have some high quality pro shots coming soon. To be continued....
Also, had TSB B09-042 happening to me, looks like the cap on the outer door handle is starting to loosen up a little.... And my driver door arm rest is slowly bubbling, I noticed a small bubble form there.
P.S. Might have some high quality pro shots coming soon. To be continued....
For the armrest I saw a thread on here once on how to change the fabric yourself for like 10 bucks. But you might wanna search for the centre arm rest, i think that's the one in that thread.
I gonna be at the dealer this week gonna find out why my wheel doesn't light up.
For the armrest I saw a thread on here once on how to change the fabric yourself for like 10 bucks. But you might wanna search for the centre arm rest, i think that's the one in that thread.
U sure you got the right bulletin numbr? can't find the numbers you mention.
I gonna be at the dealer this week gonna find out why my wheel doesn't light up.
For the arm rest, I have a local shop I worked with on my center console that I'll go with to match the leather they used to repair that.
Yea i eventually found it sorry. went to the mdx forum tsb by mistake.
Hope they fix that up for you! i found this car is almost impossible to find used parts like a door handle, grille, etc. for... we rely often on dealer.
Btw, I remembered yesterday to test my steering lights. It seems mine light up as well. It's just quite subtle for some reason. You'd think its from ambient light but its actually a faint white light that matches how it looks during the day.
I was pleasantly surprised.
I've seen a couple of review videos on the RL and as you once said, it's understated as hell. I don't think anyone can truly appreciate the value of this car without experiencing it's affinities over time, and having experience with other cars to contrast.
^not terribly easy... I'm honestly surprised the bulbs do burn out so quickly, but dash bulbs burning out where also common in my 1G so I can't say I'm entirely surprised. Another RL'ism today, or Honda'ism(?)... My front and side engine mounts are toast, did the engine lift test and it's pretty apparent my mounts are going. The only good grace in all this is my car is feeding me these big issues now, so I'll get good usage out of the replacement parts lol
Yea well you'll know they won't be changed for a very long time.
On the bulbs, you know, my old info tell me a bulb snaps when the current changes... get my drift? The usual cause of everything and anything electrical even remotely, seems to always be the battery.
if your battery is to specs, it's not good enough. Getting a battery almost double the specs and one that can easily hold the spec level power level at any time, I think saves the car a whole lot of little faint current sensor and bulb issues.
Four and a half years, 33K miles later, and the car looks cleaner than when I bought it LOL. Overall, I'm still pretty happy with the car. In case you're wondering how I've managed to log so few miles on my car over the time I've owned it, I have a healthy relationship with Enterprise rentals due to work and personal travels. It also helps that I have two cars, and this car never sees driving in salty roads. I average between 20 and 25K miles annually, but my miles hide very well due to heavy rental car usage. I always joke with people that I drive rental cars more than I do my own personal cars, and with the courtesy of Takata this year, I was able to push that line even further!
I'll take the most extreme rental car that I had this year as an example (surprisingly, not the 5000 miles I put on the Takata rental in 6 weeks) Over the course of 3 weeks, I put almost 6500 miles on a Dodge Challenger. The car got driven from Chicago to Toronto, back thru Detroit to Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and we even drove up Pike Peak with that car! I had my dad as a co-pilot for the whole trip, but his stipulation for coming with me was that he didn't want to drive, with the exception of possibly parking the car. I'll leave my impressions of the Challenger and that trip to a whole other thread in the right section of Acurazine though!
The one thing that has always stood out to me throughout the time I've owned my RL is that the car has an interesting combination that I rarely find in many new cars nowadays. Yes, the technology in the car is dated in many ways, especially when compared to newer luxury cars in it's category, but with just a little bit of money, you can bring into it many features where is lacks. And the result is still a great looking car. Yes, I can get a lot of the technological features the RL has in a Hyundai nowadays, but have you driven a Hyundai and gotten back in the RL? Yes, many cars are sportier, especially when you get into German territory, but how many German cars do it as reliably as the RL does it? Yes, there are more comfortable cars out there, but how many have the sheer day to day drive-ability and functional features of the RL? There are plenty of more stylish cars than the RL, but not many of them hide in plain sight like the RL does. I can't even begin to quantify how much curiosty the car gets. I can honestly say this, replacing the 2G RL is going to be a tough task. I always go back to the time when I bought it and compare myself to a friend of mine who bought a brand new Corolla S off the lot less than 6 months before I bought my car. He paid slightly a tick over what I did, but I have to say, I got so much more bang for my buck. I still think that statement hold true for used RL's now (refer to thread discussing how cheap these RL's are nowadays.
Like I said, I will have an admittedly hard time replacing this RL, but that time is still far away! Yes, the car has thrown me a few curve balls such as the early timing belt replacement, but I'd still say it's been a REALLY good car to me, especially considering Honda really pushed their own limits when they released car. For now, I'll focus on enjoying the time I have with it! Some parting pictures of said Challenger, my trip to Pikes Peak with it (Yes, it made it all the way up!), and a pic of the RL in it's winter setup with set of tires #2 (Michelin X-Ice's, not the Anthracite set with the Super Sports, it's the second set of wheels which I first got powder coated in 2013, and in the background you can see my Camry ) The car also needs a tie rod on the passenger side right now
Last edited by projektvertx; 10-17-2017 at 05:34 PM.
I don't plan on replacing the RL anytime soon as well but the thought always pops up every now and then. Then I just go for a drive & I really can't complain..
It's a great car! Pikes peak is legit, anyone even thinking about going should go! It was not on our itinerary initially, but we ended up starting a day early than predicted and Pikes Peak worked it's way in.
Originally Posted by RL09
You never explained why on earth you doing all these long trips?
And you call 20-25k MILES a low yearly mileage? lol !
Well, it isn't low, it just hides well, because it's not on my own cars I'm on track to hit 30K miles this year, but this is the highest I've done in any year. Like I said, average values are between 20-25K for me. The long trips where I log a lot of miles in a short period are mostly personal travels. I absolutely love driving and I'd honestly rather drive anywhere than ever get in a plane. I also go round trip between Chicago and Detroit every other weekend or every third weekend, almost always on rental cars. When I'm not doing personal travel, I log a lot of miles for work as well. Work has me travelling a lot, and my workplace is VERY generous. If I drive over 50 miles one way, I get a rental car automatically.
So I ordered the inner and outer tie rods for the car, I decided to go with OEM. Due to an availability issue, the rubber seal that separates the inner tie rod from the rack was on back order and had to be sent in from Japan... Because of holiday travels, work and the fact that I'm leaning on my Camry a lot right now due to weather, I won't get to until mid January. It's worth noting the car is still driveable, I'm just hesitant to drive it. I will be making a DYI for both inner and outer tie rods once I get to installing them
Out of an abundance of curiousity and time, and plus I had a set of LED bulbs sitting in a drawer for our turn signals, I decided to give the relay route a try. As an FYI, this relay IS NOT compatible with our car. It wouldn't fit the base on the flasher relay. I did a little bit of wire work, and make a custom harness consisting of 3 male leads, a 5 inch wire and a female lead to hook the relay up. That worked, however that's when the odd behavior started. When I put the yolk on the right turn signal, the 4 ways would light up and when I put it on the left turn signal it would hyperblink on the left side. I think this is caused by the fact that we have two turn signal relays, unlike most Japanese cars this relay was probably designed for, as described in this thread:
Summertime means the Super Sports go on!! I had 3M crystalline tint applied on the windshield awhile back. I also got my windows retinted about 3 weeks ago with FormulaOne Pinnacle Series Carbon tint. Let me tell you, it DEFINITELY helps with heat rejection. The neat part about the FormulaOne series, in addition to the ceramic heat rejection, is that the warranty is nationwide and covers the film even if I damage due to neglect. Sweet! I also replaced all 4 bulbs on my quads, everything is all bright again Taken in Lake Geneva, WI last night:
Last edited by projektvertx; 10-17-2017 at 05:28 PM.
Very nice. I miss OBP....and my RL. I swear by the Opti Coat Pro+. I had an earlier version of the professional product (Opti Guard) on my RL, applied when it was about 6 years old, and kept the finish in the state it was. Now Opti Coat Pro+ on my RLX Sport Hybrid when new. Almost 2 years old and I cannot find the slightest scratch, etch or swirl in the finish. A wash, blow dry and wipe with a detail spray keeps it factory new. A worthwhile investment. And that hand wet sanded finish on the RL was an amazing detail, so many do not appreciate.
Keep up the good work and that car will serve you very well. IMHO, the 2nd Gen RL was the last of visceral / mechanical top end Honda's. You could drive it like a fine tuned machine without noticing the electronic influences, while the smoothness and refinement of the engine & SHAWD was top notch.
Last edited by TampaRLX-SH; 04-15-2017 at 07:01 AM.
Very nice. I miss OBP....and my RL. I swear by the Opti Coat Pro+. I had an earlier version of the professional product (Opti Guard) on my RL, applied when it was about 6 years old, and kept the finish in the state it was. Now Opti Coat Pro+ on my RLX Sport Hybrid when new. Almost 2 years old and I cannot find the slightest scratch, etch or swirl in the finish. A wash, blow dry and wipe with a detail spray keeps it factory new. A worthwhile investment. And that hand wet sanded finish on the RL was an amazing detail, so many do not appreciate.
Keep up the good work and that car will serve you very well. IMHO, the 2nd Gen RL was the last of visceral / mechanical top end Honda's. You could drive it like a fine tuned machine without noticing the electronic influences, while the smoothness and refinement of the engine & SHAWD was top notch.
Thanks! I definitely agree about Opti-Coat, it honestly complements the finish on the RL so well, and I think it really makes a color like OBP stand out. I still remember the first time I had the car parked outside during a rainfall, only to come out and actually find it a little cleaner than when I had left it there. Opti-coat is one of those things I would do to any vehicle I plan on owning long term, without hesitation. I also have another shot for everyone, not the best, I know! For those of you who appreciate the history associated with this location, it was taken at Northerly Island in Chicago:
Last edited by projektvertx; 10-17-2017 at 05:28 PM.
There are varying grades of Opti Coat. There are self applied consumer versions that last 2-3 years. The Opti Coat Pro + is the top version, which has a 7 year warranty. It is more durable, adds more gloss and has a smooth finish feel. Many ceramic sealants result with a 'squeaky clean' feel, as if you just stripped all the wax from your finish. Either way, using a simple detailer spray after a wash gives that 'just waxed' slick feel most of us prefer. This version must to applied by a certified technician (for valid warranty) and without paint correction, just typical prep and application, expect a bill over $1000. I see estimates with minor to average paint correction typically $1300 - $1500. There are also glass, leather and even wheel coatings which may be packaged into the pricing.
The consumer grade versions, as well as all consumer products (washes, waxes, compounds, sealants, etc) from Optimum are are available from several vendors. AutoGeek has a great variety of Optimum products.
I've seldom heard a price for any of the professional versions of Optimum for less than 4 digits since any car will have to have correction work done before putting the opti-coat on there. I feel like it's almost impossible to find a flawless car off the production line, especially when one factors in inherent manufacturing defects, transport to the dealer and dealer handling of the vehicle pre-delivery. We had a really interesting discussion about Opti-Coat in Wash & Wax I went ahead a quoted my posts, it's a long winded read but I think it encompasses Opti-Coat very well
Originally Posted by truonghthe
Just curious how much did it cost you to get Opti Coat pro applied? I can't see the bill under 4 digits.
Originally Posted by projektvertx
I'm actually glad you asked that question. My car was opti-coated after I took it over, so no, it wasn't new paint. I agree and disagree with your statement, it all depends on the situation and the car you're dealing with. The thing to keep in mind is unless the car is new or the paint is fresh, the cost of correcting the paint before doing the coating will drive the cost up a lot.
For example, I'll take my case. An opti-coat pro application thru the shop I went to is 695$. That's on a brand new car that has flawless paint, and most dealers will wash their cars unless it's fresh off the truck and you explicitly tell them not to wash it. If they wash it, boom: swirls and they will have to correct the paint before opti-coating it. Also, not to rag on factory painting process, but most factory paints will need SOME form of correction as no paint application is flawless, and some manufacturers are worst that others for their paint quality. Ceramic coatings will not hide swirl marks or damage as they have no fillers, so whatever swirling is in the paint prior to the coating will be "trapped" behind the coating so to speak. To my knowledge, and when I did my research, most shops will charge you per hour on paint correction before applying opti-coat or any other ceramic coating. That's where your costs start to add up and do they add up QUICK. All in all, for a proper opti-coat install on a used car, the cost can drive up to 2-4 times the 695$ that my shop quoted me.
Where the "it's not worth it" statement comes into play is here: You need to ask yourself, is it worth spending ~1500-2500$ on a used car, and in OP's case, a now 7 year old car. How long do you plan on keeping it? How well are you able to care for the coating? In my case, it was an easy choice. When I had it done, my RL wasn't going anywhere soon and it still isn't. On that note, to me it was worth it as it makes cleaning the car and making it look good so much easier. That's some of my thoughts on coatings...
Originally Posted by projektvertx
It's actually a fair question Ceramic coating are chemical/tree sap proof and I haven't really read or seen any ceramic coating failures due to chemical exposure, however they won't protect against things like rock chips in the same way a clear coat and paint will fail upon a rock impacting it, but the sheet metal of the car may or may not be dent after the rock impacting it. The best way to think of a ceramic coating is it's a long term wax, it adds a hydrophobic layer on top of the clear coat that last a very long time, almost like a second clear coat. In the same fashion as a wax or a clear coat, it wont hold up to things like rock chips and will still show damage on the paint. That's where things like XPEL ultimate and 3M films come into play.
For instance, I took my RL to get washed at the same shop that did my opti-coat last Friday. I've developed a good enough relation with the shop that they will often times let me walk around in their shop to see the cars they have while they hand wash my car. I saw a brand new Chevy Silverado that had been driven straight from the dealer to their shop. The car was undergoing some prep work for a full front end XPEL install followed by a coat of Modesta. This approach will cover you on a few fronts, it will help prevent rock chips and physical damage (to a certain point) and will add a chemical-proof, hydrophobic protection layer for the rest of the paint. With this combination, the Silverado would be protected against rock chips, bug spray, chemicals and would make cleaning much easier. However it won't prevent a scrape if someone where to hit it in the parking lot.
Where the hand car washes come into play is here, and it sort of follows into the "can't prevent physical damage" theme: touch car washes are harsh by nature, the bristles are very hard on the paint. Even if you look at soft cloth automatic car washes, they will often times have dirt trapped in the cloth that will get rubbed against the paint and finish and cause swirls and scratches. Even a hand car wash, when looked at over a long time span, will install small amounts of scratches as no sponge/cloth is perfectly clean. A hand car wash will add the small scratches over a much, much monger span of time than a touch car wash. This scratching effect, whether caused by a hand car wash or an automatic one, will exert it's effect even on a ceramic coating. I hope this makes sense and answers your question?
08-23-2016, 03:12 PM
Side note, but I just noticed that Youtube decided to downgrade the quality to 360p.... EDIT: Also got a full interior detail, guy was also nice enough to clean up the headliner. Let me tell you, you don't really notice how dirty that thing is until it gets washed lol. The car has had Opti-Coat Pro sitting on it, so exterior maintenance is super easy for me
