pb9717

guys , I own a 04 TSX with 94k..love the car, but am jonesing for a more luxo ride. Had a 91 legend before this that I loved, but the head gasket went and that was that.
Now Im strongly considering an 05 RL with 97K that I can get for a few grand more than nmy TSX on a trade in.

Here's my concern. The TSX is the most reliable car Ive ever owned. Gas, oil, brakes, tires, wash wax. Thats it. ( sometimes wipers ), but my old ass is starting to need a bit more of a highway cruiser. but not at the expense of reliability, ( not to metion the 30 MPG I get)

so I Need your input. I go to the tsx pages and the posts are like: K&N Filter, good idea? and" Engine oil prefernces" but ion the RL groups its like " Auto handle problem" and "my climate control sucks"

Please give it to me straight...are these RL's ( 05) a problem child, and is it going to be hundreds a year keeping it at 100% green light condition, or is it as reliable as my bulletproof TSX?


Please provide your input...all opinions welcome.

thx

Pete from Jersey

wackjum

My 05 RL developed a lot of common bugs. The ashtray and power socket latch broke, the side mirrors became loose, the A/C clutch went out. The only common 05 problem I did not develop was the touch door handles failing. Other annoyances include the headlight gaskets failing and water going into the housing, the clear coat on the steering wheel buttons melting, and the beginning of drive shaft whine.

Now here's the thing... Once fixed, these should be good. Especially things like the A/C clutch should not return once newer parts are in. So in my opinion, the RL is a reliable vehicle if you take away the known issues. My car did not develop any novel problems.

You can sidestep the known issues by going for a later model year.

sOLLEx

Lets face it... you will end up spending more all around for an RL. Taken into consideration fuel mileage, maintenence costs, insurance, the RL obviously has a higher cost of ownership. I have driven a ton of tsx's and yes they are a reliable car that will last a long time, however I would rather drive my 95 integra gsr anyday over the tsx. The car just feels slow even with a 6 speed....The RL is just a different class of car. Your gonna gain a luxury ride, better power, awd, and more amenities...but is it worth it to you? You need to find out if the one you have your eye on has been maintained and had the usual 05-06 year bugs fixed.

037

2005 RL was the least reliable year of the bunch since it was a new model. If you're not dying to have AWD I say skip it.

If you got a car that runs and no payments to make, why waste it. Save the money and get into a newer car when you can afford the higher payment.

oo7spy

RL insurance is likely less or equal to a TSX because of increased safety.

OP, if you want a bulletproof RL, you need to go 2007 or up. You'll spend more on premium gas and it will go faster. The RL wins hands down IMO unless you don't like large cars.

robarsan

As mentioned, it all depends on how well the 05' was maintained and if you're willing to pay the extra for ammenity upkeep and lower gas mileage.

BTW, you really have to read the threads and not go by the titles people attach to them. They may say that something "sucks" only to find out they had no clue on how the system works.

I have an '06 and it has been so dependable that I refuse to part with it after 6+ years of ownership.

sOLLEx

BTW, if you haven't made any a/c repairs on an 04 tsx, consider yourself lucky. Black death due to internal failure of the a/c compressor is very common. Most RL a/c failures are with the stator (field coil) and most don't require replacement of the actual compressor. Is the RL your looking at an Acura dealership? They should be able to provide the service history or find out who has. Also, if it's from your area of the country, it is bound to have a lot of rust from all the road salt. I would suggest trying to get a good look at it from underneath either from them or your mechanic.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

you'd want my 05, but the rest are junk LoL...

Nothing is bullet proof, buy a car you can afford on its worst day and you wont have a bad moment with it.

pb9717

I really appreciate all the good advice. But to speak to "Buy a car you can afford on your worst day"......sounds like I may be dealing with a "worst day" more often than I'd like, and my highest priority is reliability and affordable cost of ownership, while owning a car i enjoy driving. Not having a car i enjoy driving, and I have to regularly spend money on repairs to design flaws PLUS regular cost of ownership. I knew the RL wouldn't get 30MPG, thats fine, and I know it'lll be more fun to drive than the TSX, thats why it was strongly considered, but I am no driveway mechanic, and if Im gonna be spending hundreds, if not thousands to fix poor build quality issues (I can only imagine what fixing an inoperative door handle would cost , let alone headlight gaskets) Then you guys have pretty much scared the RL right outta me. I think the best advise would be what oo7spy wrote, and to wait a bit, and pick up an 07'. I have cancelled my appointment to test drive the 05. Thx guys...I really apprecviate the help.

oo7spy

Door handle = $300 at the dealer. I'm not sure where headlight gasket came from. The next biggest issues on '05-'06 are the A/C stator as mentioned before, and the propeller shaft bearing whine.

We should also clarify that none of the common issues here will keep you from driving the car on the road. The Legend has been built in Saitama since 1985 and has a killer reputation for build quality and long term reliability. The RL and TSX will go neck and neck when it comes to reliability (both being built in Japan). The issues you see here are, like you mentioned, design flaws that propagated from Acura taking the quantum leap up to the next technology level. The 2G RL was a first in Acura, first in class, and first in the world for numerous techno gizmos. A used 2005 is still regarded as one of the most reliable mid-size luxury sedans. It just fails in comparison to the years after.

wackjum

My headlight gasket issues are documented here:

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-2005-2012-76/fogged-headlights-832715/

I know others had this problem because I found those threads when I was looking for solutions to mine.

In the end, they turned out great from Acurazine member JnC. But it was a hassle to remove them and ship to him and wait for their return. Luckily I have several cars. Otherwise it would have been impossible.