CL6

New category - Loser Acura Owners

Mike_TX

Loser Acura owners are still a huge cut above loser ex-Acura salesmen.

.
.

Rexorg

Wow, that is scary. A Korean Bentley a la Acura. What will they think of next?

Mike_TX

I'm just getting more impressed with this car as time goes on ... I'll definitely be lining up to drive one as soon as they hit the dealers.

Backup cam, radar cruise (for those who like that), nav, articulating xenons, keyless entry and start, high-end sound, V-8, good looks, low price ... pretty much the entire enchilada.

Yeah, the spreadeagle badge is a little flamboyant, but who cares!

.
.

neuronbob

Wow, the fact that Hyundai out-RLs the RL for less money is an indicator of how fast trends develop in the auto industry. The RL had world-class tech and was world-class just 3 1/2 years ago.

here's hoping the MMC pulls one out of a hat....

I still don't see myself going to the typical Hyundai dealer to buy one of those. Who knows...

dwest1023

I am glad this topic came up. I went to the Auto show this month and actually saw the Genesis in person. I hope I am wrong, but I saw the same old fluff that Hyundai unusually does. You get a lot for your money, but they HAVE to cut corners to sell at the target price. I usually see it in the fit and finish of their cars. The Hyundai engines, in the past, have never been as smooth and sophisticated as say Honda and Toyota and usually gets worse gas mileage. The new Sonata was the last Hyundai I test drove(v6) and the ride was awful to me. Unfortunately, my comparison baseline is always the RL, but the Sonata was not even as good as my TSX, nor as smooth. Fit and finish, quialy of matierial used was below par of the competition.

I will certainly test drive the Genesis as soon as it hits my dealer, but I do not see Hyundai changing course. The sophisticated car shopper will be able to tell where the cuts where made to get to that 30,000 price point.

TampaRLX-SH

I agree. I repect what Hyundai is doing, especially in the image & marketing of late. Shy of creating a premium brand (discussed for Genesis models), I think they will do well.

But I to find the materials, fit and finish as well as design compromises do justify the cost differential. But our keen eyes and driving senses are not what the mass market has. If that were the case, the RL would be a better seller.

The mass market buys what the media, critics and marketing encourages them, often not what their own senses dictate. So on paper the Genesis can offer what an RL does for a lot less money. For the mass market, 'nuf said. Throw in nice promotions, and a bit of anti brand establishment marketing and you create a following where the buy can get the features on paper, save money and spit in the eye of brand cache.

From the video and pictures I see, I can see the difference between the substance of Genesis and RL. Most won't. I can use the same analogy for many of us here where we see a big difference between RL & TL, but again, most don't. They are too close on paper.

White92

FWIW, I just spoke to our Zone mngr. He's saying they're still using the 3.5V6, but with 306hp now. The nav will also show weather info now. Wheelbase is the same. (same platform) But there will be more room in the back. Oh and air conditioned front seats, FINALLY.

lumpulus

Looks like someone else read the comments besides me.

The Dougler

iTrader: (1)

This has been confirmed over at TOV, while jeff thinks the 306hp V6 is in error, or is hoping so. if they go with that motor, the car is dead before it even arrived.

krio

News from TOV:

First off, the '09 TSX's onsale date has once again been "confirmed" as 4/24/08. Word from this source is that it will only be offered in front-wheel-drive, at least initially. In addition to the XM weather feature that's already been mentioned (the 2009 RL will be the world's first production model with the XM weather function), the RL will reportedly finally get cooled front seats (strangely, these were always offered in Canada). Supposedly the RL will continue with a 3.5L motor, but it will now deliver 306hp. Considering that the '09 TL will supposedly be getting a 3.5L (FF) and 3.7L (SH-AWD), it seems odd that the RL would stick with the 3.5, so this might be an error. The styling revisions to the RL are said to have given the car an edgier look.

TSX69

If true - it is about time the RL got cooled seats; that is the main thing that kept me from buying 1... trivial I know but I just wanted that option since I knew it existed in Canada.

SpicyMikey

I forget who was always having fits about the cooled seats in Canada but not US.

That person will be happy.

dwest1023

I know a lot of us, want a lot more, but for me I was afraid Honda might go too far with the the RL. I for one did not want a bigger wheelbase. I hope there is more technology going into the 3rd Rl then just weather and cooled seats. My gut feeling is, Honda, is holding back a big surprise for us?

Rexorg

However, if s/he likes double bean burritos his or her passengers might not!!!

Rexorg

XM Weather? I hope it is better than XM NavTraffic. I can see it now, showing clear and sunny ahead as you head into a torrential downpour with zero visibility.

neuronbob

Counting.....T-7 days to official announcement.....can't wait....I was hoping for more than 306 hp but this is a rumor, yet a positive step if true....hoping pix leak out....

Edit....
I guess it's confirmed, then. Thanks, White92!

Rexorg

Edgier styling? Could we see a vinyl landau roof and fender skirts with curb feelers? The more I think about it I would guess Acura will go with a pseudo A-Spec look, without the suspension upgrades, but new wheels.

TampaRLX-SH

I hope XM weather can be retrofitted into our version RLs. Hopefully it is just an additional subsciption and not hardware related. I would think perhaps the NAVI screen would display weather graphics with a higher resolution screen.

We get wild isoloated thunderstorms here where it will storm on one side of the road with sun on the other. In summer I regularly check weather scans before driving home in the afternoon. You can set your watch to the 4pm thunderstorms. I have rerouted to avoid storms not only to avoid the wacko drivers, but to avoid a fresh car wash being ruined!

I for one, would love NavWeather in my current RL. I may long for a cooled buttocks, but not worth changing cars over.

Seems to be the styling will be the greatest changes for what I value. I can hope the new sheetmetal is fugly, or not enough to make my eyes wander from the current style , which I absoloutely love.

I can almost hear us drooling with anticipation over the 09 RL.

cai06

This is just a MMC so I don't expect any big surprise other than the confirmed changes (new sheetmetal, more power, space..etc) which btw is already A LOT.
OTOH.. from what the top Acura people are saying, the next FMC should kick ass..

Rexorg

XM Weather already exists. Here is the link: http://www.xmradio.com/weather/overview.xmc

TampaRLX-SH

Yes it does. But not yet in production vehicles.

White92

Yep, a car above the RL to compete with LS, S-class, etc....

dwboston

CNNMoney article about luxury automakers shifting away from V8's to more powerful V6's. Maybe Acura has a twin-turbo V6 in the works for the FMC RL instead of a V8?


http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/29/auto...ion=2008013014

TampaRLX-SH

With the global economy rumbling, short term consumer behavior is likley to shift away from the excess of brand cache, and value may again be a luxury attribute.

I need to find the article I was reading that reports the luxury car segment is still shrinking. As it shrinks, the buyers polarize to either the die hard luxury brands (ie MB, BMW) or they migrate to bang for buck brands.

Perhaps Acura, and the RL specifically will benefit from this.

halfaznguy87

Interesting, cause I read a report where the middle class is shrinking and the other two are growing. Case in point Bentely, Rolls, Lambo, and Ferrari are having their best sales records ever. More luxo cars (30k-400k range) are being sold then ever (down here in SoCal you can see it) now I have my ideas that the growth is not ligit, but I digress (faulty loans/drunk on credit).

But, yeah, I would like to read that report and get a different perspective..

Mike_TX

You have GOT to be kidding me. $99.99 A MONTH for XM Weather?!?! Plus a $100 activation fee?

I've been praying for this for a couple of years now, but no way am I going to be paying them a hundred bucks a month to see the radar overlays on my nav screen.

They're f'ing crazy.

.
.

TampaRLX-SH

I will try to find it. It popped up on a web crawler I am testing. I believe the focus what on 30-100K autos and not exotics. Exotics can double and triple in volume without tens of thousands in volume.

While true, it appears the middle class is shrinking, it still is the larger segment of consumers in volume.

GeorgeTSX

I seriously doubt the $100 version is the same thing that will be offered in the RL. The $100 version you speak of seems to be for business who need weather forecasting, like responders in emergency situations.

For example the aviation version has a package called Aviator LT for $30 a month.

http://www.xmradio.com/pdf/existing/...iption_pkg.pdf

The Marine version has a tier called "Skywatch" for only $9.95 a month. I bet the version for the RL will be something like that or cheaper.

http://www.xmradio.com/pdf/existing/...iption_pkg.pdf

Rexorg

But, you get a $6/mo discount on XM Radio!!! I imagine once they make the big migration to cars the price will come down to say $19.99/mo or so. Time will tell.

White92

What the guy above said. I think $99 is a pretty serious package that wouldn't be offered in cars. We'll probably get a stripped down version of it for cars. If you look at the list of features on xm's website, there is stuff on there that would not be very useful in a car.

Mike_TX

Wow, I hope you're right, George. That's nuts!

.
.

lindros2

RE: XM Weather

I told XM to go shove NavTraffic up their Jamaican-call-center asses last time I spoke to them.

Other than XM Radio I can't see using *any* of their other offerings. Once I get "dedicated" iPod capability on my next automobile I'm dumping XM altogether.

SpicyMikey

George must be right. Any reasonable business person would quickly realize that price wouldn't work. Literally NO ONE would pay for that. XM can't possibly be planning to price it like that.

Even the Nav traffic thing isn't worth the few dollars a month because it's not "real time" enough. Would the weather have that 30-60 minute delay like teh traffic? If so it would be useless. A serious delay could still make it useful to get general weather conditions for the area. However, I can't see there being much value in knowing that there is a steady drizzle all over the city. I can get that general info from the internet, TV, or by looking up at the sky before I venture out.

Even if it IS realtime and detailed, the only real benefits I would see are;
1) identifying supercells in areas prone to severe thunder storms in the summer
2) Identifying rain/snow lines in areas where there is a mixture of precipitation on a particular day.

Short of that, what use is it. I can't think of anymore. I have windshield wipers. I can handle unexpected rain.

Mike_TX

I see it mainly as an aid to travel. If I'm whipping across the outback of Wyoming and the sky starts getting dark green and churning up ahead, I'd like to be able to know if it's a storm moving across my path (and therefore brief and maybe avoidable), or if it's part of a widespread area of rain and thunderstorms (which I might as well hunker down and live with).

Another scenario is that the nav map may even show that my highway curves away from the activity entirely and I'll miss it. Or maybe there's another highway I can take to avoid it.

Another thing is that - just as the map itself is an aid by allowing you to see where you are at any time - the weather info overlaid on it would orient you to the general weather conditions and how it's developing. I guess it's partly a legacy of my years of cross-country motorcycle touring, where weather is a life-and-death matter.

But I can't tell you how many times weird weather has waylaid me on trips ... heavy, deep snow in JUNE (!) in Montana, a freaky hail storm near Santa Fe that turned the roads into a skating rink, a tornado in Colorado, heavy thunderstorms in Kansas and Wyoming, etc., etc. One of those storms sent me off the road and trashed a new BMW 540i.

I check the Weather Channel every morning when I travel, but as you know, the weather can change rapidly during the course of a day. being able to watch it real-time would be wonderful, but not at $100 a month. Surely there's something better for the civilian owner!

.
.

neuronbob

I'd pay a little extra for that! Not $99 (which I'm quite sure it won't be), but some little amount.

I hope that this can work on old 2G RLs, too! Mayhap that is the reason our navi disc update is so delayed? If so, I won't mind so much. However, if after this long delay there's no weather functionality, I'll be at least a little peeved.

GeorgeTSX

I read something on the XM Weather page that mentioned updates every 15 minutes (maybe?) but I don't know if that applies to the version that will be in the RL.

I think XM weather would be appealing for someone who does some serious traveling in the car and it would be cool to have available (I am a weather geek), but really necessary? Probably not. Then again lots of those nice luxury features in an RL aren't really necessary, but if you have the money to spend on an RL then I guess they figure you have the money to spend on things like XM Weather.

Mike_TX

Nav Traffic seems to really vary by area. I was a skeptic at first, but I've found in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area it's pretty helpful ... and we don't even have flow data available yet.

Sure, there are cases where the data is old and accidents are already cleared, but I find the same thing happens with radio traffic reporters flying around in helicopters.

But the accident icons give me a heads-up that I wouldn't otherwise have. There have been several cases where I was able to get over in the right lane before a reported accident site and as soon as traffic started slowing I was able to jump off at an exit and skirt the tie-up. And if the info is old and there's no tie-up - great.

I think it's well worth the small charge.

.
.

lumpulus

When I had the NavTraffic during the free trial I liked it, and it came in handy when driving into one of my accounts in Boston, but I don't really miss it.

Weather would be good for the winter around here, but I really wouldn't pay attention to it the rest of the year.

Mike_TX

Sorry, Robert - the website spells out the special hardware necessary to receive the weather info ... antenna, receiver, etc. ... and it doesn't look like it's reverse-compatible.

.
.