whats goin on guys;
i actually own a first gen cl at the moment but i realized i dont have the time to give it the TLC it needs; i need a better car to start from scratch on and just be able to mod it; not fix then mod. I owned a 330ci, IS300, 6th gen accord,and another CL before this. and now am stuck in between which "upgrade" to buy.
05+ Acura RL(lots of benefits working at the dealership)
e39 bmw m5(power;looks;not so much on reliability i feel)
8th gen accord(great car to mod;although becoming a little too common)

any tips;advice or other suggestions will be appreciated. experiences with the RL also! thanks guys

 

An e39 m5 is way faster than the rl, but like you said, they nave numerous issues and repairs will be costly.

Your sig says you are 19... I assume you are single and have no kids...maybe a girlfriend..but no real need for a sedan.

Get a two seater. Everyone should own a two seat sports car, preferably a roadster/ convertible, at least once in their life.....and once you have kids....like me...it becomes very difficult to justify that kind of a car.

A boxster, s2000, cayman, etc would be so much fun you have no idea.....

I'd take a base cayman or boxster over that e39 m5 anyday.

What is your budget?

You can find nice clean and reliable s2k's in the same price range as a used rl, and it would be so much more fun. Boxster is more fu, in my opinion, and classier, but more money and way more money to maintain.

If you've never driven a Porsche boxster or cayman... try it. The intake wail from the boxer 6 is intoxicating. The car is mid engined and the intake is directly behind the driver, so as you hammer the throttle, the Intake roar is right behind you...bone stock they sound bad a$$.

When you are 40, then get an rl.....

Enjoy being young , and drive a young guy car when u can.

 

yes; i am only 19. but i also like big cars. and i see your point with the 'young guy car' but man i dont know. im looking to spend under 20k so a porsche is probably out of the question; plus i love working on cars myself; and i wouldnt fully trust myself around a car of that caliber just yet.
s2000 are nice and i love them; yet maybe too small; i take my friends out a lot; we travel a lot also. im actually heading into canada tonight with the accord. so its kind of important to have a big comfy car. or maybe its just me? im in a difficult spot.

 

The RL is difficult to mod as their isn't a plethora of options to choose from for each mod. I have found you generally have two mod options, cheap that most people go with or two super expensive options tops, and that is just for mods that are available. I feel you on the big comfy car at a young age. I have only ever owned Legends since 16, and that is just my preference. The RL is a great car to satisfy that desire, but if your modding desire is large as well, the RL might not be the best. Just my $0.02.

As for buying an RL, I would try to avoid an '05 due to common issues that can be found here. I would take a high milage '07 or '08 over a low milage '05 if they were the same price. Definitely read up here about '05 before pulling the trigger. Don't get me wrong, the RL is a solid car, even the '05, but you have to know what to look for.

 

there's really no "problems and fixes" sub forum for the 2nd gen rl, any common searches i can look for. although to tell you the truth; that alone scares me a little /. i have read some issues with whining and differential issues. but noone seems to pinpoint causes and fixes..kind of depressing.

 

Read this thread. I have links in post #2.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-2005-2012-76/acura-rl-depreciation-transmission-question-826946/

 

I hear you on the need for a comfy ride. I'm 40 now but when I was 19 I was a 250lb 6-foot-1 kid, so no fitting my large self in a Boxter then or now, though Boxter is a great, great car. Forget about an s2000.

23109vc is right...I love the RL but you're young...get a 2-seater now. If youre a big guy like me, (not sure if this would be your style at all) at least try out the Benz SL-class. My other ride is a 2003 SL (the 5th generation which while great, I don't recommend if you want to work on it yourself/get a decent one for less than $20k). But there are a lot of 4th generations (1990-2002) out there now. Solid cars. Might have a "ninetys" look to someone your age, but you get sport, you get convertible, and you get comfort. And that generation of the SL is not so crazy techincal that you can't work on it yourself. True, Benz is a diffent sport than Acura (I'd say they're on par for quality...Benz will be more expensive for fixes) but go Benz before you go M5, for the glory of God!

 

Ahh Nothing wrong with a young guy in a nice car. im 25 its nice to drive around in a nice car. if i feel the urge to get a little speed i will just take the civic out.

 

Your three options posted above are fairly different one from another - so it may be good to look for more models that fit your taste. I would vote for RL, but being 19 not sure if you fit with RL that easily; First repair you need to do I am afraid you will trade your RL in being scared of repairs - just 2 pennies on my end ...

I'd go for RL - so good luck... BTW 06 and up if possible - 05s give small headaches

 

If you like the RL look for a mint one and see its service records. The car is great I own 2 of them and they have had no problems!

 

when I was 19, I would have gouged my eyes out if the RL was my main car.... I was the guy in the modded RX7.... I wanted something fast, small, and fun.

if you are looking to spend about 20k, check out a 2009-2010 RX8 R3. not stupendously fast, but it CAN fit 4 people comfortably, and they are fun as all hell to drive. they are low on hp compared to a new 370Z or other current sports cars....but they handle amazing and the feel you get driving them is as good or better than many cu rrent sports cars. you would have just as much "fun" driving a new R3 RX8 as you woudl in a Cayman... not as fast...but the fun factor is high.

you will not get a low mileage / new Porsche for under 20k but you can get one. you can easily find a first gen boxster in the 15-20k range. my 2000 only had 75k miles when I sold it and I only sold it for about 14k. and mine was spotless and slightly modified.. nicely and tastefully. you could find a 2003-2004 Boxster S in the 20k range... with relatively low miles.

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national



one thing about boxsters.. many are NOT daily drivers..so they may be older but the mielage will be low. here is one I found near me, doing just a quick search on cars.com

you could easily negotiate the prices on these things too... while the car market is slow, it is even slower for impractical cars... so the market for used boxsters is a buyers market...

if you've never driven a boxster...and you're 19... and you have 20k to spend, you are doing yourself a major disservice to NOT at least test drive one. I PROMISE you will leave the test drivbe with a woody in your pants... and you will want to buy it.. badly. the RL is a nice car, but will never give yout eh same visceral thrill or excitement you will get from a boxster.

a low mielage used boxster would be a slight risk as you run the potential for $$ repairs... but it's a risk worth takking. you're only young once. you will have plenty of time for cars like the RL when you are my age... with kids... but the time for a two seat roadster will slip away from you.

chicks dig a convertible too. nothign beats taking a girl out ona nice sunny day, dropping the top, and going for a drive.

another plus to a used boxster... and this is snobbery I know..but people see a boxstera nd they will think you have a 50k car... the RL looks like an accord. NO ONE will notice you. NO ONE. it blends in with the masses and looks like every other accord/camry/etc.....

a boxster..even a 2003... looks so close to a 2010..that the average personw ill not know it is an older one.. teh boxster is a very well built car, they stay nice looking, and once you wash,wax,detail it - a 2003 will turn heads everywhere you go and people will wonder how that 19 year "kid" can afford such a nice and expensive car.

go drive one. just try one. you don't have to buy it... but at your age, you ought to have something fun. you don't know it now.. but you will will eventually get married, have kids, and you will no longer have the luxury of buying stuff only for your own personal enjoyment.... so strike whiel the iron is hot, carpe diem, etc etc. do it now. get a fun car.

i'm not knocking the RL.. it's a great car... but NOT a great car for a 19 year old. trust me. you can't mod anything. it's not sporty. it's luxurious, reliable, and comfy. most 19 year olds aren't into that.. i wasn't when I was your age. I wanted fun, fast, handling.. etcv.. hell, I still want that, I just can't have it.. I have a wife, three kids... and I need "transportation".. not a toy.

ok.. off the soapbox. go find one in your neck of the woods. and not a tiptronic. a stick shift. drive it.. you will spooge when you have the top down, and hear the intake wail as you rev it from 4k up to redline....

 

The RL has such a limited mod list, that it's not even funny. This can be a good thing or a bad thing; depending on the money you want to spend. Do a search for Togue's RL and also search "supercharger", but you're looking at $10k+ in mods to attain power gains that can easily be bought in a sports car.

The RL forum is great and there are several very knowledgeable members on here, but compared to the other forums on azine, we have very little info. Part of it, I assume, has to do with the demographic of luxury sedan owners. Now that the price has dropped dramatically, we have a large influx of younger members here. This isn't a bad thing, just a noticeable trend.

The RL is great and I love my car. I feel very comfortable with my family in it and I love the way the SHAWD handles. With around $2000, you can have a very nice looking "semi-custom" vehicle that is not seen on every street corner. At 19, you may want more in the speed department. My advice is to test drive as many cars as you can to see what suits your needs. Have you considered a C5 Z06? 400hp with tons of aftermarket support...

 

i see you live in boston, wanna buy my rl? its a 05! lol

 

^ wanna see me your apecs? lol

 

While I admit that an RL doesnt resemble a Porsche, which I think was your point , the RL does not look like a Camry or an Accord. It looks like a MB E-class. Anyone who looks at an RL and thinks it looks like an accord doesn't know a thing about cars. It looks head and shoulders above those cars just like a M45, LS, 5-Series, E-Class or A6. I think maybe your point was more of a image statement which comes back to what I said in your thread. If you care what people think about the car you drive, you have issues. Your car does not give you a status and isn't needed to be recognized, IMHO. If you need that to feel fulfilled, I feel sorry for you.

 

See;im not the type to care what people think or what image it portrays; I want a big comfy car thats quick enough and luxurious. Recently; I just sold my CL and am now seriously on the hunt. e60 5 series anyone? 530i comes in 6 speed..only 230hp but..ehh?

 

Mu next ride should be a 650 HP wagon....

http://www.hennesseyperformance.com/cadillac-ctsv.html

 

When I was 19, I bought my first Alfa Romeo which I still have. It was a love affair through the trials and tribulations of owning a temperamental 1965 Italian car. I am 63 and waiting for the new Giulietta GTA to make its way to our shores.

BMWs are nice cars, but my Honda CRX would eat a 535.

Boxsters, you are to closed minded to not drive one. My son had 2 and he said it was "a real car" in his opinion. Honda...don't get an Accord, that is for the "masses" car. Get a S2000 if you want a 2 seater convertible. There is a hop up kit for more performance.

You want an Acura, wait for a 07-08 RL and get a deal from the dealer on a trade in. I have owned some nice performance cars, and I am still a kid at heart as I love to put the pedal to the metal, the RL is a compromise to both having a nice car with performance, with reliability. You want mods...get a TL or TSX. ...btw, a CTSv...sucks gas like crazy, but dang...560 hp is what I have heard under the hood, then again it is a "Cadillac"

 

Sounds to me like the RL or TL are exactly what you are looking for. TL if you want a little more pep, RL if you want a little more luxury. I can't know for sure your situation, but I know at your age it isn't easy to keep enough $$$ in the bank to be able to cover a $1k repair bill and still be able to easily pay rent and eat. That's why I would say to stick with Acura/Honda. The reliability is rarely matched for the level of luxury you get. If you do BMW, make sure you get a warranty for as long as you plan to own it.

The RL has plenty of pep for everyday driving. If you take it to a track, you will be sad . However, I can't find enough opportunities on the street to push the car's limits. It has more go than I can use 98% of the time . Throw on top luxury that blows anything else under $50k away (except maybe a Genesis), and you will know that these cars are Legends for a reason.

 

One more thing for the RL is quality. If you like the RL or the TL and appreciate the subtleties of exclusivity and quality then you should go with the RL.

 

 

A friend of mine has had two M5's, the latest one being a 2010, and he's already had numerous issues. His tranny was replaced at around 20,000 miles, and there will be more to come. He's thinking about dumping it, but not sure what he wants. I'd say go for a Z or G35 coupe with a manual tranny... that's my vote!

 

Oh, another point...how many RL's do you ever see on the street or highway? These are made in Japan and a limited production run. Need I say more?

 

???

 

I agree. Werd. I'm with you (stupid). BTW, "stupid" is a term of endearment. :wink:

 

Project_CLean I say go for the RL, well worth the money after you consider everything, if you want look for the A-Spec model. Not everyone has them.

 

dude seriously im selling my RL for 15k cash firm. let me know. look at my sign for most of my mods. i do have more mods. i have acura dealer receipts for everything but the tein coilover and lighting. i just hit 70-72k, (i just stop driving her), already did alignment, tire rotation and all that other stuff. i have atleast 3k in acura dealer receipts for repairs. that includes the ac. ac was just fixed/replaced this summer. brake pads and brake rotors just replaced. plus look at all my stupid little accessories i have: wood steerin, knob, all season black mats (super clean carpet included), trunk tray, cargo net, and more stupid stuff. plus its aspec out. lol plus im the only RL (that i know of) that have a custom balance for the led drl lights which doesn't give a warning light

 

why are u selling?

 

rl is too doughboy status. im trying to get a prius and keep it clean

 

Go with the rl. You won't regret

 

Just a heads up, some people around here might get a little twitchy for reviving a thread that has been dead for 8 months, where the OP has likely bought whatever he was going to buy.

Now that the thread has been necromanced, however, OP if you're around, what did you end up getting?

 

And the next in line steps up...

 

i just bought an '07 RL. I'm loving everybit of it. I own an '08 accord and the features in the RL are very similar BUT the drive, comfort, fit & finish is way way superior. The drive is just so pleasant. It is smooth in shifts and the headlights just turn heads. It has a solid secured feeling while you are in the car. I see people staring at the car at the signal 'coz there are not a whole lot of RL's on the road. I'm simply loving this one.

 

Welcome,

 

I loved my 8th gen accord(the power and look) but the RL is just a hands down better machine!

 

I'm usually scared off by cars that have had "no problems", especially when it's the introduction car. I'd rather by a car that has had it's issues resolved under warranty with good service records. I don't want the problems to occur when it's my turn to own the car.

I remember buying a Porsche 924s with "no problems". As soon as I got the car all the lifters had to be replaced, the sun roof actuating mechanism and the vehicle never stopped burning and leaking oil. I spent more repairing that POS than I paid for it. Funny enough the car had less that 55,000 miles when I totaled it by hitting a sign.

 

The mechanical issues that occur in cars have way too many originating variables to draw any kind of meaningful conclusion by experiencing a few instances. Any single person, outside of a mechanic working on a specific model for an extended period, trying to draw such a conclusion is folly.

 

just look at my avatar!!

 

Nice avatar...

 

^^it was suggestion to the OP as what car he should buy