faizan_kabir

Hello,

I was debating over which car to buy. I wanted know your honest opinion. Which one would you choose bmw 530i or acura rl w/ tech package, 5 spoke rims, and rear deck spoiler.

Thanks

NavyDoc333

Welcome. For what it's worth.... my decision came down to BMW vs. RL as well. (But my BMW was a used 2004 545i with 17k mi on it for almost the exact price as a new 2006RL.

I chose the RL because 'feature for feature'.. it had more 'bang for the buck'. (But...I got mine for 42K. If it cost 50K... this would be a different conversation.
For the same price I got a 2yr younger car... a longer warranty (and less likely to need to use it), adaptive headlights, all-wheel-drive, better NAV, DVD-Audio..and the list went on.

I have looked back and though... "Man..I would love to own a BMW". Mostly for intangible reasons like. 1) I like the red dashboard lights. Also...they have a heritage...I would have joined an exclusive 'club'. But the truth is.. as an RL owner, I have much more 'exclusivity'. Which people can argue is good and bad.

I think the RL is a much more logical buy. But then again, people could argue that the Accord or TL is a much more 'logical' buy (if you weigh cost heavily in the equation)

I once read an article in Motor Trend in which the guy said something like... "When people find out I work for a car magazine they always come to me and say, What car should I buy?" He goes on to say that he doesn't know why people ask him that question, because after long disertations on reliability, performance, ergonomics etc... he finds them behind the wheel of a Hummer a couple weeks later. He said the first question he asks someone who wants his advice on buying a new car is... "Who do you want to be?". In our country... what we drive is tied closely to the 'image' we want to project to society. Thus the throngs of 'soccer moms' out there driving huge SUV's instead of the more practical and economical minivan...etc. They want to be seen as adventurous, in control. Those moms want you to look at them driving by and think... wow... I bet she's going to be out climbing the Serengeti this weekend. The truth is.. they'll just be getting 10mpg driving the kids to the mall.

Anyway... If I were you I'd ask yourself 'Who do I want to be?'
40-50K is too much money to pay and not be 100% happy. Even if that happiness is based on something as intangible as "I like the way I look behind the wheel"!!

Good luck!

Mike_TX

I always wonder about questions like this. The reason is that no one can tell you which car is best for you.

Both the cars you cite are great vehicles, and either one will take you anywhere in style and comfort. Which one works best for you is something only you can decide, and what someone else on this forum would do is really irrelevant.
.
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Chas2

I agree with Mike.

A long time ago, I remember a friend's Mom was down to Seville or 1G Legend (go figure). She liked everything about the Legend except for where the lumbar support hit her, and no matter how she adjusted it, the seats felt uncomfortable to her. She bought the Caddy. While I still have trouble with understanding why she bought a Caddy and not something else imported, she maintained for years she would have been happier with the Legend, but the seat did not fit her.

There is going to be something about one car that will sell it for you, and it could be something as trivial as how the electric mirrors work!

Gather information in forums like these, through reviews, Consumer Reports, etc, but in the end you have to drive and evaluate and make your own decision based on your own needs/desires. Whether those needs/desires are practical or not in the eyes of others does not really matter; they are your needs and desires, not anyone else's (except maybe the spouse!)

revitupwriteitoff

I tend to get a lot of these questions also...I suppose I'm the 'car guy' in my group of friends, but I'm no expert. I think, though, what you may be looking for at this point is a reason not to buy one of the cars or the other.

The RL is a gorgeous car IMO, with a ton of great useful features and will definitely be the next car I buy (I have an 06 TL that I love now). I have several friends and coworkers that drive RLs and love them. I doubt that you will find anyone on here that would tell you that there's a dealbreaker-type problem with the RL...there isn't, but if there was, they wouldn't tell you. Of course, there will be minor quirks with both cars, as there are with any car (for example, you can't see where you're friggin' going in a $300K Lambo).

IMO, it comes down to: Do you want to shout to the world you drive a BMW, or would you like to make the practical (from a $ standpoint) decision with an RL? They're both impressive companies and impressive cars that anyone can be impressed with...good luck with your choice.

scottj

From what I can tell, it often comes down to whether someone is going to buy or lease. BMW leases are very cheap by comparison. Since I plan to buy and keep for a long time, buying the RL made sense for me. Way cheaper and a LOT more reliable, if previous model histories can be trusted.

sri_gondi

Well,

I was in the same boat too few months ago..in November and finally I bought 06 RL with Tech Pack .I test drove both the cars and investigated both cars on the internet and forums and friends and collegues....and the list goes on. People around me were almost sick of me at that time...constantly seeking an answer on which is better....but it is me who knows best....what I want in the end. IMO both cars are great.. and both drive fantastically well. Comming to engineering German cars tend to feel they are good and comming to technology Japanese feel that they are the best. This is another controversial topic though ....I drove RL and BMW for about 30 miles each before making my mind. I felt that RL was the car that should be in my garage. .as the features in the car and SH-AWD took me off. BMW's are comparatively less economical in terms of mileage giving compared to Acura's. . not that it matters but that is also one of the factor that influenced me.

In the end I bought RL as I felt that RL would Bang for the Buck of 48K for a tech pack car where the BMW is not in that price for those many options..

So that was my decision though...

You know better what fits your personality ..than others suggesting you which one is better. I may feel RL is better ,but my wife felt RDX was better....so it actually depends upong your approach on what is best for you....

Best of luck on your upcomming purchase......

faizan_kabir

Thanks for all your help so far, i was wondering which car was better feature wise, style, luxury, and the sportiness aspect. I will ultimately pick the car that is right for me but i would like to see the facts in front of me.

BTW i am impressed with every ones reply, people here respect each other and give full replies.

Thanks Again

acuralvr1

The RL has much more- and better- electronic gadgets. Acuras are better made and therefore more reliable than BMWs. 5.1 DVD-A surround system is an auditory musical experience the BMW can't compete with. The Acura navigation is far superior to the BMW. The Acura will be much cheaper to purchase in a features- apples to apples- comparison.

The BMW has a sportier ride and more fun to drive for the car enthusiasts. BMW's turn heads and is clearly more of a status symbol than an Acura.

taitando

As people often mention about the RL, it is the "best bang for the buck". Which I feel is reflective of the Acura brand as a whole and may possibly be the reason Acuras are not held to the same status of BMW or even Lexus.

I have an '05 RL and my decision to get it was based on the "bang for the buck" idea when compared to others in its class. With a MSRP of $49,995 negotiated to $41,500 it became one of those, "How can I not sign on the dotted line?" situations (especially with standard features like DVD Navi, Onstar, 5.1 Sound, AFS, Voice Activation, Keyless Access, etc...) Back in '05, finding a comparably equipped BMW or Audi for that price was impossible.

If given the same choice now for '07, I'd probably pay the premium for a BMW as my tastes have changed. Before, I was a gadget geek just interested in the toys that came with the car. The RL fulfilled that nicely. Now, I just like driving and IMO, the BMW would satisfy that aspect. Though I'd probably wait for the 535i.

faizan_kabir

Thanks for all the help

I will wait for the bmw 535i the 2008 model which looks nice. If i get a good deal for the price i will jump on it and if not ill get the RL.

Either way a plan on getting them new.

Thanks

den

taitando, i am with you. i feel exactly the same way. unfortunately the RL has lousy resale value. by the way, the 535xi is the car i want to get but it probably will trade at close to msrp for at least a year

Paul S

Meh, it always looks greener on the other side. People with BMW's always talk of how they would've gone with a Japanese model for the reliability, and Honda/Acura owners think the BMW is really the Ultimate Driving Machine.

I can tell you that BMW's do have a good feel to them, and their M-series is definately time worthy...ON A TRACK. C'mon people. When's the last time you took your RL on a road course? How many 530's have you seen at Sebring? (ok, maybe you might have seen one or two, but it's very rare). Sure, we all like to have fun on our commutes/errands, but the main purpose of these cars is transportation. Point A to B. They both accomplish that well.

So in choosing between the two, I mainly look at it from the financial perspective. Which car will get me around with the least amount of problems? Which has the most features for the $$. Resale value?

Weigh these options for yourself and then decide which way you'd want to go. And if you weigh them out correctly, you'd see that the Acura is the right car.

AsianTL

I have looked at 535xi prior to RL but I chose RL for reliability not the resale value.

taitando

Actually, if we were going by your logic, Acura wouldn't be a good fit. If the purpose of a car is to be the most reliable form of transportation from point A to B, with the most "features for the $$$", then why bother with anything beyond an Accord or Camry? Or even a Mazda 3? It's true that cars are a method of transportation, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have to be mind numbingly boring in getting us from place to place.

Glad to see that you can admit to that, as I'm in complete agreement having owned a BMW and other luxury makes. Did it ever see a track or road course? No, but it doesn't negate the fun I've had taking it through winding mountain passes or curvy country roads.

So of course the grass is greener on the other side, but when you've had the grass from both sides...yeah...grass.

Paul S

I was trying to stick to the question on hand--BMW 530 vs Acura RL. If it were opened up to cars in general, I still stand by my opinion. Actually, the most fun I had was in my ITR and S2000. They were both relatively cheap, reliable, and a TON of fun on the road/track. With that said, I still believe the RL and 530 both have enough gadgetry and power/handling to make driving somewhat fun. However, for me, it's really a moot point, since I don't get street racer thrills of taking highway on-ramps at 130mph or stoplight drags anymore. After tracking my car and soon, my CBR, driving on the streets is more of a chore than anything else. I'm not saying I'm a hard core track rat or anything, but if you've ever been to a track, you know what I mean.

Ok, so I don't know what your point is....but I've also owned BMW's in the past. My friend currently has an E46 M3, and another has an E60 M5. Absolute joy to drive. However, when you're commuting, going 80 mph in the RL feels same as going 80 mph in a BMW.

taitando

You probably looked at a 530xi, since the 535xi isn't even out yet. In regards to reliablity, the E60 5 series is pretty solid and comes with 4 year free maintenance. Of course there are bad apples here and there, but the same can be said for any make. For instance, my '05 RL has had several issues with numerous TSB's. Check the sticky section and see for yourself. And I laugh everytime Acura service wants to charge me $250 for an oil change and tire rotation.

Anyhow, as the decision for the OP is between a new RL or new 5, I can't really see either being much of a 'bad' choice. It's all about what 'you' want in the end.

dailycommuta

Both of them are great choices. Test drive each of them and see the one that suits you the best. The RL would be a better choice IMHO since it's more exclusive offers more bang for the buck then a 5 series. Since I own a bmw(06 M5) you cannot go wrong with the 530i. Take enough time to decide and don't be overwhelmed by the so common thrill of owning a bmw.

P.S maintenance n repaircosts of bmws are deadly

taitando

My point is that I just had too much grass, but yeah, 80mph on a FWY with either car is a moot point.

AsianTL

My bad.
You are right. It was 530Xi.

VOdoc

I have to admit the Bangle-butt Beemers are starting to look slightly less bizarre and fugly to me now that there are so darn many on the road, especially in L.A. Yet ever since the '80s when my rich GF would take her little 320i in for an oil change and walk out with a $1500 tab for stuff they just found incidentally, I have had zero interest in German cars. I don't think that bias will ever change. I did Swedish for a long time, then turned Japanese with the 2004 TL.

So for me, the 2006 RL with its understated good looks, killer technology and incredible value at $11,500 off MSRP turned out to be a no-brainer. Didn't miss my beloved TL either...the RL is that good. And it has not only VTEC but also SH-AWD (the secret weapon).

TL_Captain

If you like to visit the shop every other week, take the BMW.

After owning MB, Volvo, and BMW, I'm finally back to the Japanese. If the luck is on your side, the European car starts to fall apart as soon as the warranty expires. If you ain't so lucky, the car breaks pretty much ever other day after the first year of ownership.

As far as my personal and friends' experience, Asian autos (yes, including Hundai) are much more reliable than Europeans. Do a search on quality report. BMW is one of the worst in the industry.

den

BMWs have all scheduled main paid for and bmws are as reliable as Acuras. lets not be too outrageous here. the only reason why someone would buy a RL over a 530 is price. honestly there is no one on this forum that would take the RL over the 530 if they were the same price.

dwboston

Yes - there are many people who would choose the RL over the BMW at the same price. I could afford either and chose the RL - my wife had 3 BMW's in a row, 323i and 328i convertibles, and a 528i sedan. She now drives an MDX - too many problems and too much $ to fix. And each car broke down right after the warranty expired. Also BMW's extended warranties didn't cover crap. The RL is a better equipped car for the money and the SH-AWD makes it "the biggest no-brainer in the history of the earth."

den

we can probably all afford it, but if the Rl is 50k and you can buy a 530xi for 50k equally equipped ( which goes for close to 60k) , im pretty sure 99/100 people would pick the 530. i have had quattros, 4matics and other awd, the sh-awd is the same, no better no worse.

kirbyflorida

I am another who will not buy BMW's with their plastic thermostats and cheap water pumps.
I love the way they drive but I personally must have a reliable car. I also do not like their ergonomics.

Also SH-AWD is nothing like anything else out there, no other car will increase the speed of the outside drive wheel or wheels and more.

See very detailed tech video.
http://world.honda.com/HDTV/news/2004-4040401a/

123456SPEED

My 1 Honda and 4 Acuras have had reliability that no pricier Euro car can match. It's a big factor for me. There is only 1 BMW dealer in my town. Who wants to deal with that, not me. And the Jp electronics are generations ahead.

I just wish Acura made a premium coupe off the RL, that would be niiiice! At least BMW always offers sporty coupes!!! Step up, Acura.

Paul S

That's what I've been saying for years. Honda NEEDS a solid RWD/AWD coupe in their line-up. I loved my S2000, but I'm not really a convertible guy, plus I like having back seats (even tiny ones), so that I can actually recline my seat back to a comfortable position.

I hope that the next generation TL (sedan and coupe) will at least get the AWD platform...and the 6sp transmission, of course.

jhr3uva90

A TL with SH-AWD will be quite heavy, which will affect its performance. Basically, such a TL would perform similarly to an RL.

I would love to see a TL with RWD. Of course, that will make the TL more expensive. Acura would have to either take similar shortcuts that Infiniti made with the G35 to keep costs down, or expect a RWD TL to cost closer to an RL.

I think Acura put themselves in a bind with the TL. The car is inexpensive relative to its competitors cars of similar size and features. However, in order to make the TL so inexpensive, they had to use the same FWD set up as the Accord. If the TL goes RWD or AWD, it will lose its biggest advantage: cost.

Paul S

You are right, it will be more expensive to produce. Perhaps they can limit the AWD platform to the Type S model. The price of the current Type S is pretty much up there with the RL. With the AWD, maybe it'll squeek past RL's price, but I, for one, would be willing to pay for that if:

1) They are able to keep the weight down
2) It has an available/standard 6 Speed Transmission

I have been a Honda/Acura fan for many years. I love watching Jensen Button race, Nicky Hayden dragging his knee, and I'm excited for the new Acura LMP program. I love my past and current Honda's.

But they have to give us that are out of the "racer boy" stage in life something to look forward to (heck, even Toyota's got the Supra getting ready to be produced in a year or two). This is why I've been looking at M3's, S4's, and even the new GTR that's coming out. I would love for Acura to give us just one nice sport coupe/sedan--by which I mean a TRUE sport coupe/sedan.

Hopefully, this will come about in the near future, but I'm not holding my breath.

Dr. Colorado

i got the rl back in 2005 after turning in the 350z because i wanted more space. then i got a low mileage 2003 element because i didn't want to take the rl to the beach. so now i don't require the extra space of the rl for runs to sam's club or for accomodating 2 sets of golf clubs. however, i love everything else the rl provides, luxurious interior, bose audio system, bluetooth, voice recognition, handling, a-spec rims, etc. 1 year from now my sister is moving back home and i promised the rl to my brother-in-law (for below kbb of course). i'd like to go back to a coupe, something more sporty. the gtr looks great but do i want to pay 75K for a nissan? if it wore an infiniti badge i might be more enthusiastic (sorry i'm a brand whore). the new nsx and lexus lfa look great as well but they would probably run 100K+. audi r8 looks good, 2 door rs4 or s4 would be great, possibly the a5/s5 coupe, or v8 m3 if it has a hard-top convertible option. maybe even a low mileage maserati coupe although reliability is a bitch and i've been spoiled by japanese cars. 2 door rl might just fit the bill but for now looks like a pipe-dream.

btw, saw a black on black 07 tl type-s on the street, looks hawt! i was pleasantly surprised because the photos looked "ricey" but in real life was all good.

GoHawks

Guys, let's not forget that the RL has a more powerful engine than even the TL-S. Adding SH-AWD to the TL-S without significantly increasing HP/TQ would draw the same performance criticisms that the RL is getting.

jsclarke

I just sold an '03 530i when I got my '06 RL- and acuralvr1 is right on. (BTW- had a 528 before that and z3 before that).

People often buy cars based on the way they'd *like* to be driving- or due to an image a car projects. BMW scores on those fronts. We'd all like curvey roads on sunny days with nobody on them (and no police). In my suburban life, it's freeways and surface streets and an occasional onramp.

So for that very occasional spirited ride- and the impression I'd make to valets-- here's what I'd be giving up.

I'd think the front styling of my new 5 was ugly no matter how many are on the road. iDrive would irritate me every single day- it's just a bad UI. BMW stereos sound dreadful (especially when you upgrade them), and I'd hate that. I can't emphasize that enough-- d r e a d f u l. NAV is also irritating. The 3 spoke steering wheel is cheap looking and dash BOARD is unattractive. Pesky electrical problems and dealer trips are 3x more frequent (which cost time if not money initially), and return trips for the same little problems are the rule. Plus I'd be out $10k-$20k more (given the RL's discount and BMW's options cost).

The main thing here is- Honda's building a car that's a delight to use every day- especially for things that you use every day. So I'm glad to have one.