I'm a very satisfied '96 RL owner and love the looks of the 2G RL. I'd like to hear from those who have owned both generations and how they compare.

Is there any need to steer clear of the first model year (2005) RL because of new model issues?

Thanks.

Bob

 

I would steer clear of the 2005 because you can probably still get 2006 or later that are under original warranty, and thus eligible for Acura care extended warranty. 2006 also has the longer drivetrain warranty.

This is a complicated car, so if something does break, it can be potentially expensive to fix, so the additional "insurance" provided by that warranty can pay for itself in one issue. As you know from your 1G RL, which is another relatively rare car, but far less complex than the 2G RL, parts can be expensive.

The 2005 RL like many first model years had some teething problems, all of which are fixable, but why not start from an updated baseline that was more trouble free?

Of course, I am biased because I have a 2006!

 

Chas, thanks for the feedback - just what I was looking for. The heavy electronics of the 2G scares me since I'd have to turn it over to the dealer - always a gut wrenching experience for me. Any idea if a real Shop Manual exists for the 2G? The factory manual for my '96 has been a life saver but I know that some manufacturers are not producing them any more. Bob

 

Look at the fourth sticky

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-2005-2012-76/2g-rl-garage-version-1-1-acura-servicenews-diys-tsbs-etc-738410/

You will find a link to a pdf service manual.

 

I think both cars are completely different!

 

They are totally different. Longitudinal drive train vs transverse, C series vs J series, FWD vs AWD, etc, but what I was trying to say is that they are equally rare cars, not many sold of either model in comparison to any other Acura sedan or Honda sedan for that matter.

 

ferrari's also have low volume sale, doesn't make it similar to the RL. They're both completely different cars. Almost nothing about the two can be compared, except maybe the badge. This would go no where. Its possible that the team that worked on the two cars is different

 

Completely different cars that are good buys.

Get what you can afford

 

Chas, thanks for the info on the 'sticky' - lots of good info there. I also found some hard copy manuals on ebay. Having this technical info available makes me feel a little more in control - even if the dealer would be doing the work. Bob