melly

i have an 2005 AM TL. i really like the car and was planning to begin modding it (A-SPEC, 18s, body kit), but there are some pretty good deals on the RL right now.

i live in a fairly snowy area - the tl sat in the garage a lot this past winter.

i am considering a 05 RL - it will cost me around $17K to trade - pretty steep but doable.

i would love to hear from those who have "upgraded".

the most important thing for me is changing from FWD with torque steer to AWD and no torque steer. much better in the snow./ice.

the ride seemed less sporty........ anyone with teh ASPEC shocks?

the interior is fantastic.

do you think a late build 05 will be reliable?

thanks for youy responses!

gbriank

$17K for a TL? How many miles do you have on your car?

I upgraded on the 1st of July. It was a worthwhile upgrade (read my posts).... If you want pictures, check out "pictures from gbriank".

The ride isn't as stiff, but the steering is tighter than the TL. The later build RL's would be your best bet reliability wise.

melly

i have 8k mi on my tl. the difference between the rl ($45k) and my tl trade-in ($27.5k) is approximately $17k.

i will check out your posts.

would you make the switch again?

thanks

dano

$27,5000 is decent money for your TL if it does not have Navi. $45,000 is too much for the RL. I was quoted a price of $42,500 and they were giving me $24,000 for my '02 Lexus ES300 with 31K miles.
I'd squeeze them a little harder. Acura is giving the dealers $2500 under the invoice to play with.

gbriank

HECK YEAH!

gbriank

Not sure if the incentive money is still available....and that was on lease only.

Mike_McCready

My Dad is handing the 02 TL off to me in January. And I'm trying to prod him toward a new RL. Basically i just want to take that out for a spin once and awhile

melly

i plan to buy.

the dealer told me that the 2500 was a lease-only incentive.

what is a good price to upgrade to the acura 18 inch wheels?

gbriank

Well, I paid $1500 (rims, insurance, and delivery). As for tires, check out www.tirerack.com...... You'll need to decide what type of tire you want (Max Summer, Ultra-high Performance All-Seasons, etc...).

I got the Black Chrome with Pirelli Pnero Zero M&S (UHPAS) tires. Very impressed.

If you plan to buy from the dealer, don't pay any more than $2500 (if you're getting rims and Pilot Sports).

Are you planning to get accessories?

ck37

The upgrade is definitely worth it if you have the funds to to so.
The RL is a noticeable step up in terms of luxury handling etc.
Overall better quality but it should be considering the price difference between the two cars. However the styling is subjective to some. Over the past few days the styling has even grown on me more. It's one of those cars that stands out on the road. it's hard to explain what stands out on the car, but it does. Tiniting the windows also makes a big difference in the overall look of the car.
As far as power it is there. it's not a TL thrust, its a luxury car with sport capabiliies. Driving on the highway you will be suprised how fast are going. I sticks to the road VERY well.

Good luck!!

catsailr

I traded my 04 TL Navi (not A spec) with 15,000 miles for an 05 RL in February for $17K.

melly

probably minimal to start. my plans are:

ASPEC shocks
tint
rear lip spoiler
wood shift knob
18 or 19 summer tires / stocks with ice/snow performance tires

.

gbriank

Cool..... If you're not intending to lease, i'd do everything other than the suspension and spoiler upgrades yourself. Keep an eye out on E-bay for extras...

mwm

Go for it. I traded an '03 type S last August for an 04 TL. Couldn't resist the RL, so I traded my '04 TL in December for the RL. I think you should be able to trade for 15K. I really like the RL compared to the TL. The torque steer in the TL drove me crazy...... Good luck.

melly

thanks for the feedback - that the info i am looking for - the torque steer drives me nuts when i am pulling out into traffic and "gun" it.

also - i notice the TL "bob" around during high speed corners that have undulations. it is a little nerve racking - have heard that the ASPEC on the TL makes a hugh difference. have you any similar handling issues with the RL?

thanks.

gbriank

Torque steer? There isn't any.... Undulations, yes there is a little. It's a luxury car..... Have you test driven one yet? It helps to move to the 18's......

melly

i test drove it a few days ago - i thought is was great- especially the interior and lack of torquesteer. i think that it was not quite as "flat" in high speed lane changes, but it felt very stable. i agree that lower profile 18's would tighten that up a bit - also the aspec suspension. i thought it was much better at powering out of corners than the TL - this is probably the SHAWD.

i dont think there was much difference in acceleration from my Auto TL.

i really like the road feel of BMWs. i think that 18s and ASPEC would achieve this - and a much nicer interior.

also, i am in a fairly snowy area. i often have to drive to work in the wee hours of the am when the roads are not plowed - didnt drive the tl because it got squirrley - drove my Toyota Tundra. would like to have the option of driving my "car" when the roads are a little dicey.

BTW has anyone seen the RonJon picture of the CS RL with the 19 3piece forged with the black center - it is a little moistening...........

here are my options

1)keep my TL and do the ASPEC thing - hope that the winter is mild
2)trade for RL and do a few mods over time
3)wait for a BWM 530ix in a manual transmission