super_call

Hi All,

I am considering purchasing a new RL or M35x. I test drove a RL 2 weeks ago and a M35X today.

Coming from a 2000 Audi A6 2.7t - It didn't feel like the RL had all that much get up and go, but then today - it didn't seem like the M35x was any more powerful - say from 40 to 60 MPH. I liked the RL interior much better than the M35x and the exterior of the Infiniti better than the Acura.

Any observations/ advice would be appreciated. I love the ooomph of my A6 turbo - but I keep cars for a long time (5+ years) and I don't want to go through the misery of replacing electronic components as often as I used to change the oil on my 1993 Legend.

I suppose the last peice of the puzzle would be to wait to drive the new G35x next month...

Thanks!

Jeff

gbriank

Depends....which are you looking for more of: sport or luxury? How did you like the navigation system in the M35?

bjtexer

go for the RL ... i went from 05 TSX to 05 G35 coup, now im back with the "A" 06 TL- AT none NAV/NBP loving it... wish i can afford th RL... good luck

pimpin-tl

I also went from Acura CL-S to two G35's to now my TL. Glad I made that decision. And we also now own a RL.

I use to have a Audi A4 1.8t. I drove the A6 2.7t for loaners. The turbos on that car make it FEEL more powerful. But the tests show that its actually slower than both cars your looking at unless you chip it.

neuronbob

Welcome to the board, super_call, you will get lots of good advice from those who have driven more widely than I have.

I moved up from an Acura TL to the RL. I have test driven the M35x and found I liked it except for the interior detail. I think it basically comes down to whether you want more luxury (e.g. RL) or more sport (e.g. M35). OTOH, you can make the RL sportier with the A-Spec suspension. I have read here that the handling with the A-Spec suspension and 18" wheels can be described as "European". I have never driven a modern European sedan such as an Audi, so I don't know about that.

Some have issues with the looks of both the RL ("too bland") and M35 ("too blocky"). I like both.

This has also been discussed a few times before--not a surprise as the M35x is the RL's closest competitor, and more so since the release of the 2007 base RL.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1579

and if this thread turns out like that one I will .

i_mobile

I see that you are looking for an AWD vehicle. I believe the SH-AWD is the best out there. There is a great review of it on wet roads, though they didn't run it against the M35x:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Vehi...183.A7620.html

As for power, the engines have the following specs:

M35x 3.5L V6
275 hp @ 6,200 rpm
268 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm

RL 3.5L V6
290 @ 6200 rpm
256 lbs-ft @ 5000 rpm

As for prices, the base RL goes for 45,780, while the M35x starts at 44,550. Mind you, the base RL has many features the M doesn't.

I didn't drive the M while shopping for my RL, but I do know the RL drives like a dream.

HTH.

Mike_TX

I have no experience with the M35x, but I DID own an M45 for about a year and a half.

Issues of power aside, a few important things to me are:

- The M has a broad console, which intrudes on your knee space, and legroom (okay, footroom) in the M isn't as generous as in the RL.

- The RL is a quieter, more refined car in general. Even though I had the non-Sport M, it simply didn't handle sharp bumps and pavement breaks as well as the RL does. Infinitis in general (IMO) are a little less "polished".

- The Nav system in the RL is superior to the M's. Hands-down, the RL finds a destination with fewer keystrokes or voice commands and less fiddling, and is generally more intuitive and easier to use. Period. (Yeah, the M has that birdview thing, which is cute but not useful since it distorts the map view and hides street names.)

- This probably varies by area, but I feel Infiniti service has a ways to go ... and you see this echoed time after time in the Infiniti forums.

- The RL simply has more toys. Comes standard with DVD surround sound audio, articulating xenon headlights, Nav w/XM traffic, power everything (including rear sunshade), excellent Bluetooth, etc., etc.

- The RL gets better mileage than the M, primarily due to the M's low gearing.


Car choice is a personal thing, so make up your own mind, but I'm finding I am enjoying my RL more than I did my M45!
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Courage

Please note that I started the thread neuronbob posted and I chose the RL (almost a year later). I just picked it up last week and so far, so good!

super_call

Thanks a million for that thread! It was great and knowing what was likely coming - predictably silly at the end.

Don't know what I'm going to do. I told the Acura guy to call me today with his best price on the RL. I got the CR pricing service and it's showing the dealers net cost to be $40,098 after you reflect the holdback and $3k marketing support.

Thanks all for your thoughts.

NJ06RL

I researched and tested both the 06 M35x and the 06 RL before buying the RL 2 months ago. Happy with the RL. Some common issues when comparing the two:

1) 35X has more torque so it feels faster cos it pulls away more eagerly than the RL. But my best guess is for 0-60, both the RL and 35x shouldn't be that different - power to weight ratio thing - the RL has those few more horses but is carrying slightly more weight around.

2) You don't have to press the accelerator that much to get the 35X to kick down and it certainly sounds more impressive than the RL because Infiniti has this interesting exhaust note. But when I stomp on the accel in my RL, now that she is fully broken in, those 290 horses come to life and this nearly 4000 pound car really gets going. It's certainly quick enough for me and I used to drive a small light 01 Prelude before this which was plenty quick and a lot noisier. Never feel like I'm lacking in highway passing punch in this RL despite the weight of the car.

3) SH AWD is for real. Love it and love the torque distribution display - like seeing all the torque go to the outside rear wheel as I enter corners and have the torque get distributed to all 4 wheels as I acccelerate out of corners. Never had a chance to test the 35x in a tight corner but I'm not sure it does everything that SH AWD does.

4) The 26 mpg highway for the RL is real - just tested it on a drive along I 95 and I was actually getting 27 mpg highway. I think the RL may have the edge over the 35X there.

5) Found Infiniti sales guys somewhat arrogant when I said I was also considering an RL. They know the RL is a slow seller. Which also means the Acura sales guy may be willing to cut price - seeing elsewhere that the 06's are going below 40K in California. For the 06 35x, I could not get anyone to do better than 44.5k(journey pkg) and I got my RL (with more options as standard) a decent amount lower.

6) I second the remark above that the 35X looks "blocky". Actually, I just feel its fat-looking while the RL looks svelte. And interior room for both is either really similar or the RL may have a slight edge.

7) You could possibly get better resale with the 35x than the RL but I'm keeping mine for quite some time and I may even decide to buy another 06 or 07 RL second hand when we need to replace my wife's Toyota in a few years, provided my present 06 serves me well. If resale is poor, it's "advantage buyer".

8) The RL has the paddle shifters but I personally find those quite useless. I feel like the RL engine does best with its auto box because the way I'm used to shifting, the RL in first and second gear actually feels like its going nowhere. Used to get a whole lot more kick from shifting the little 2.2 liter 4 in my old (lighter) Prelude. I do use the manual option in the RL for engine braking going down a hill though.

9) Sometimes wish I had beefier brakes on this near 4000 pound RL. But they're getting better, slightly, as the car gets fully broken in.

Good luck with your decision. I'm happy with my RL for now.

NavyDoc333

Hey... just so you know, I went through the same dilema. I liked the RL's features and interior better than anything out there (Lexus GS300 a close second)... but couldn't get myself to like the exterior. I can honestly say that after driving it several months now... the exterior has really grown on me, and I love it now. (It always helps to have people walk by and say, "Nice car" while filling up at the gas station. Hint... Tinting the windows really did a lot for the looks.

You won't be disappointed in either, but with the 07's coming, you should be able to find a GREAT deal on the RL... I doubt the Infinity dealer could match.

-NavyDoc

dwest1023

I would agree. The Rl will not necessarily wow at first glance. One you spend some time with it,and acutrally drive and compare with other vehicles in its class, you then realize how good the car really is. I test drive something new every weekend. I have not found anything I REALLY like better, especially for the price you can get one for now. The RL seems to do everything really well. Not a niche cars as some of the others are.

mrdeeno

I didn't research the M35x, but I did look at the RL before going with an M45 sport.

I went with the M45 sport because of the engine...but had it been between the M35 or M35x vs. RL, i would most likley have gotten the RL.

Material quality I feel is a wash, but I like the design of the RL's interior better (although there was a very annoying rattle from the rear sunshade during my testdrive).

Gas mileage will be a little better in the RL vs. the M35x, but not enough to make a big difference really.

Acura's nav systems are easier to get acquainted to and to use, but I haven't had any problems with Infiniti's.

As for exterior styling, I really like the rl's styling although it's not very photo-genic. The weak point would have to be the rims/tires. It doesn't look anything like an accord in real life, but in pictures it just doesn't come out as it should, much like most Acuras.

dwest1023

My problem with the m45 was the audio system. I could not get how bad is sounded for a car on this level. Me and my friend could not believe how bad the sound was to my ears. Especially with the way the speakers were set up. I thought it would be much better. The Rl is the second best stock audio system I have heard. The Audi 8 being the best. The M45 had awesome torgue and power. I felt the awd in the Acura worked better. Interior of the MX is very nice, and the MX might be a bit more reliable. Again the audio system did the MX in for me.

jhr3uva90

Which audio system did you have in your M45? Was it that top-of-the-line system or the base system?

neuronbob

See my thread describing how surprisingly close it is to the TL.

X 10e58 To amplify this point again, SH-AWD is the shiznit. I am truly amazed at what it is capable of even in mundane daily driving. If only it had made it to the TL....

mrdeeno

I have the dvd-a system with the tech package. there are 2 non-dvda systems (the base and an upgraded bose system). I haven't heard them so they could be as bad as you say, but the 5.1 system is very good, especially with the tweeters on the front seats.

I don't know how it is compared to the RL, but from the opinions I have read they are very similar with the RL's bass response being considered better by most people.

Mike_TX

(Opinion Zone ahead)

Since this is a discussion forum, and therefore a place for people to express opinions (hint, hint ), I PERSONALLY think people put 'way too much emplasis on sound systems.

There isn't a sound system in a car that can really be fully appreciated with the car rolling down the road, since road noise, engine sounds and other ambient noise kill the delicate nuances of sound that make for premium audio. Add to that the fact that driving takes at least a little bit of your attention, so you can't apply your whole brain to listening anyway.

Now, if you are going to sit out in your driveway and listen to the sound system, that's different, but most people just don't do that very much. So the bottom line is that high-end audio in a car is mainly for bragging rights, and your money is far better spent on a home system.

That said, the system in my M45 (not the Tech Pkg. mrdeeno has) was more than adequate as a car system. It had crisp highs and full basses, and IMO lacked only a mid-range control. But the RL's system is still better, mainly because it has surround, and then only when playing 5.1 discs. Its emulation with non-5.1 is respectable, but again, road noise can kill some of the frequencies that make for the best listening. Overall, my RL's system produces a fuller sound than my M's did, but that's what the M's optional Tech Pkg. is for.

Not pointing the finger at anyone here (unless the shoe fits), but it always floors me to hear people criticize sound systems only to find out their measuring stick is acid rock or heavy metal.

(You are now leaving an Opinon Zone. Feel free to express your own opinions, but don't trash me for mine.)
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jftjr

lol... "acid rock".... I think a lot of Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane was recorded really well, and is a perfect audiophile test bed.

(n.b.... if you don't get the joke in there, you're not old enough to remember "acid rock." And if you are, your hearing's probably shot by this time, anyway. )

GoHawks

Did you say something?

Mike_TX

You guys gotta speak up if you expect to be heard. (Is my age showing? )
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dwest1023

I test drove the M45 with top of the line audio system. There was a very noticable lack of bass in this car. FM in particular was bad. Since I am an audiophile, audio is important, especially in a cars that cost 50 plus. I have an 06 Miata and the sound is not good there either, but it does not matter , cuz I bought it for driven fun. However in my highway cruiser, I expect decent sound. Does not have to be like my home Krell system, but decent. Given that both RL and MX45 are both good cars,the audio system is one of the things the sold me on the RL. BTW, I listen to mostly jazz

dwest1023

I test drove the M45 with top of the line audio system. There was a very noticable lack of bass in this car. FM in particular was bad. Since I am an audiophile, audio is important, especially in a cars that cost 50 plus. I have an 06 Miata and the sound is not good there either, but it does not matter , cuz I bought it for driven fun. However in my highway cruiser, I expect decent sound. Does not have to be like my home Krell system, but decent. Given that both RL and MX45 are both good cars,the audio system is one of the things the sold me on the RL. BTW, I listen to mostly jazz