linhtwu

Any RL owner's here have had both these cars? I am thinking of purchasing a 2006 RL. I test drove it for only a couple miles and was not able to make a true assessment.

I have not found any vehicle (other than a newer 7) that compares to the ride/performance blend of my 2001 740i.

lland

"I test drove it for only a couple miles..."

Go test drive it again, you're looking at a long term relationship. If you get the chance, drive it over one of your "normal" routes to have a good basis of comparison to a 7.

I took one home overnight before I decided on the RL.

LL

synth19

^ Agreed. The dealership will let you do that if you ask. I never test drove a car for an entire day, but I did do a test drive by myself for about 60 miles. I just signed the same paperwork as if I was taking a loaner.

Tully44

These are two different animals. The 740i feels much heavier then the RL, is the true definition of german craftsmanship and never has been completely ergonomically correct. On the other hand, the RL is more nimble, more though put into interior design and just has the Asian influence. I can't see how you can compare the two (I can't even see comparing a 535i to an RL).

sleepinxlionhart

wow, you can take the car for a day? that cool. i never knew that. i'm guessing you have to fill it up before taking it back though.

lland

I have a pretty good relationship with my dealer. Originally I was looking at an RDX. He threw me the keys and told me he was busy and to come back with it in a few hours. I ran some errands but didn't like the RDX (too small and unrefined). When I got back, I took out an MDX for a while (picked the kids up at school). Loved the MDX but decided one SUV was enough ('04 MDX in the garage). Since it was getting late in the day, he told me to take the RL home and bring it back the next day. Great thing is that I got a longer test drive on familiar roads. Never asked for anthing from me, but he knows me quite well. No, I didn't put gas in any of them, Returned the RL just about empty but ended up buying it and insisted on a full tank upon delivery.

LL

sleepinxlionhart

wow, you got a really good dealer there. my RL also got a full tank before I drove it away.

funny thing is that my friend that has a Subaru WRX needed his car serviced, and the Subaru dealer gave him a Chevy aveo or something like that..cheap crap to drive around for the day, and he needed to fill up the tank when he returned it.

where's all the good acura dealers at socal? i heard metro acura is pretty good, they won an award for best service or something, 3 of the acura dealers at socal did, but all too far from me...

Frazman

Hey man it depends what you are looking for. my mom has a 2001 740 iL with the sport package and she loves the car. she and my dad seriously looked at a new RL when we bought it in 2004 but the RL was much too small and did not have the ride quality of the 7 series. the BMW was also much faster and a blast to drive. there were two downsides. first the BMW is RWD which make snow tires a must in the winters up here in ohio unless you have AWD in the RL. number two is the reliablity. im sure you are familiar with the horrible reliability of the BMW. my mom's car is in the shop every few months. Acura's reliability is a given.....

anyways, if you have the cash i would def go with the seven because it is in a league of its own when compared with the RL. not to say the RL isn't a great car......

-Fraz

sleepinxlionhart

we should go back on topic..anyway...i personally don't like the interior styling of german cars, so that's why i went with the RL, plus, you get more for your money, and better realiability.

hadboosttroy

My dad had a 2001 740i sport/nav before he got his 06 RL. The 7 is a blast to drive, but the RL is a nicer car. However, being five years newer, it is expected. Totally different animals, the v8 grunt is pretty sweet in the 7, but I would say not really any faster than the RL when it comes down to it. Plus, the mpg in the RL is much better. The interior of the seven leaves a little to be desired, but I feel that way about all bmw's.

So while the 7 is a great car the RL is a much better buy. A 2001 7 WILL be in the shop quite a bit, no denying it. They certainly are both great buys, but if you poke around the RL, it will be a pretty easy decision to buy the RL.

CTMAN

I'm not sure the comparison is in balance. I had test driven a 2006 BMW 5 series and a 7 series along with other brands before settling on my 06 RL/tech for its overall well-rounded qualities. Despite the SH-AWD, the RL can not fully compete with the handling of a rear-driving car, nor with the room of the 7-series for that matter. An apple to apple comparison would be better made betweeen the 7-series and its European cousins Mercedes and perhaps the entry level Maserati QuattroPorte. (The later car is an incredible machine outside the sphere of this discussion).

Moreover, it could be pretty tricky and difficult in trying to compare between a car that I have driven for years versus one driven for a handful of miles. If I were about to spend a small fortune, I'd want to feel the road and the machine under my feet for a few hours. Ask the acura dealer for their demo and drive it for about 2-3 hours in town, highway, parking lot, farm roads, etc. Then make up your mind.

As far as the attributes of the RL, no need to repeat them here. If you have gone through the threads, you've read what it is all about.

Best wishes with your choice.

CTMAN

jhr3uva90

The RL is not meant to compete with the 7 Series BMW or any other full-size flagship.

Bob In Miami

Tighter turning radius would be nice. Clean diesel option. Slightly quieter interior. That's it.