TampaRLX-SH

The time has finally come. I have sold my 2006 RL. By far, it has been the best vehicle I have yet owned. I have searched for years (yes years) for a replacement vehicle as the RL was so hard to let go.

A friend from Dallas flies in Wednesday to drive it home. I would never sell a vehicle to friend or family, but in this case I have no reservations. Just over 58K miles and pristine condition. I hope it serves them as well as it has me. It still tugs at my heart. The scales for new car lust have barely tipped.

I had an Audi A8 on order as a replacement, but while I was away, out of the country my dealer contacted me that they arranged a 2016 Sport Hybrid RLX Advance, configured as I requested to be the first assigned 2016 SH RLX to a dealer. I cancelled the A8 as it was more car than I wanted and too large for my garage. I kept coming back to Acura / Honda for reliability, less expensive maintenance and my stellar relationship with my Acura dealer. Plus the jump to this Tour de Force of Honda engineering was a bonus over another V6 AWD sedan with more modern tech. The $20K savings made the decision final.

The SH RLX was offloaded from the train today and is being flatbed delivered to my dealer. After the prep and my requested accessories, I hope to have it home by end of week. The dealer is also handling the title transfer for my RL to my friend (also a TL customer of that dealer) also I get the tax break on the net sale price of the SH RLX.

So I drop off the RL at the dealer tomorrow and get an RLX loaner a few days while the Sport Hybrid is readied. I hope the SH RLX serves me as well as the RL and another 10 years will be astonishing (being a former 'new car every 3-4 years' guy).

You will all likely be seeing my RL pop up in this forum with a new member.

NathanJax

Nice, congrats!

jscottf57

good luck. I have a 2005 RL and love it!

oo7spy

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

Congrats!!! I will give Acura props where it's due, they are reliable compared to the German counterparts, and I've had an amazing dealership interaction with my Acura dealer as have you. I've always told people that I feel that I drive a reliable, cheap to maintain, 535XI. Congrats and enjoy the new car!

rlerman

Congrats, looking forward to your review of the new car. I was thinking about selling my 05RL, but quickly realized most new cars today still can't compete with it and it's been so reliable. Instead, I kept it and replaced the shocks and struts, rides like new again.

schen72

I also have an 06 RL, and just about the same amount of mileage as yours. Just like yours, mine looks brand new. Assuming it doesn't get into an accident, I intend to drive mine until it falls apart.

TampaRLX-SH

Indeed. I was at the same conclusion many times. I simply could not find a new vehicle in this segment that felt $60K-ish more car than the RL. Although it is simple to be swayed on new features, the overall car build, materials and connection to me could not be achieved. The Sport Hybrid RLX was just enough to make a leap of faith.

I had already replaced struts, motor mounts and 15K on the tires. I was looking to do timing belt & brake pads , and had I done so I would have just kept it.

TampaRLX-SH

A wise decision IMHO. I was typically a 3-4year new car guy until I owned the RL. Just shy of 10 years with the RL is stunning to me. And if I had not succumbed to new car fever and the Sport Hybrid RLX opportunity, I may have joined your mindset.

The RL is a very noble and worthy car for those seeking substance over fashion.

stevieray

Excellent. Glad to see that the '06 is going to a good home. Expecting a full writeup on the SH RLX.

TampaRLX-SH

Well it is done. The RL is now at the dealer awaiting its new owner. Papers signed and done for both cars. It was a melancholy experience.

I have a 2016 PAWS RLX loaner for the next couple of days (a trainer )

The Sport Hybrid is arriving at the dealer tonight and one prepped and my accessories added, I should have it home by Friday.

I'm already forming opinions of the RL vs RLX. I will open a thread in the RLX forum for those who wish to read on with those details.

neuronbob

I also posted this in the RLX section....I don't spend enough time in the 2G RL forum anymore, but had to come back to post this.

My favorite TampaRL post ever:

Posted in 2007. Still ROFLing 7 1/5 years later. Can't wait to read a similar post with the Sport Hybrid.

Full thread here:

https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...xample-500489/

Rob144

Congrats TampaRL. I don't think I'll be able to adjust to your new avatar!

You've answered the question as to what a low-mileage RL owner/loyalist does when its time to get something new. There's something to be said about reliability and a solid relationship with the service department.

I'm still holding on to my 68K RL, though with the kids in their teens the back seat is getting a bit on the cramped side for the "fancy" family outings (not the minivan!). Eventually, I'll have to face the timing belt, power steering seal, and such, but so far (knock on real wood veneer) the car still impresses whenever I get behind the wheel. Enough tech to still feel contemporary, but not overly gadgety.

Can't wait to hear your impression, and comparisons, as you get time behind the wheel of your new SH-SH-AWD RLX Advance. (And yes, I still get a kick out of the TL story).

oo7spy

Tampa, FYI an Admin can change your username for you. I'm thinking TampaRLX-h-SH-SH-AWD would flow nicely.


Of course your current handle would appropriately tribute the OBP love of your life too.

Blues Legend

Good luck with the Electric Six!

TonyCD

Wow, Tampa, I figured you were the other person on the planet who was going to keep their RL for the rest of their life.

But when I read what you were replacing it with, it made a lot more sense. That Advance package does bring the goodies.

Personally, while I loved your post about racing a TL, I liked even more the one about driving serenely at highway speed in the rain while Beemers pulled over and hid in underpasses. I had the exact thing happen to me once, so it really hit a chord with me.

Don't be a stranger!

TampaRLX-SH

^^^

Thank You Tony.

I will be posting mostly on the RLX forum. But after a week in the Sport Hybrid (now rebadged LEGEND) I can say it is a stunning vehicle. Everything I love about it reminds me of the RL, yet is it so much more capable, more comfortable and brings the SHAWD giggles to a new level without the mpg penalty. It is faster, quieter, rotates at all speeds and with or without throttle coaxing. And the SH has the Zen the RL brought into my driving life.

It may be the most tempting means to coax and RL lover out of that exceptional car. As some Sport Hybrid owners in the RLX forum claim, do not drive the SH unless you are prepared to buy it. You will. And also claimed, it takes two blocks to decide. It did. Of course all the new tech is nice (and I find it all working well on the 2016 release), but that is just a bonus.

I will miss my RL, but I am happy the SH keeps that connection with me and on many new levels. I also find it odd how much attention I am getting with this car. I think it is just rare to find an RLX in general and I doubt there are any outside this community who know what the SH is. Once the NSX is launched, the SH RLX will be the rarer car in this form.

Blues Legend

"It is faster, quieter, rotates at all speeds and with or without throttle coaxing. And the SH has the Zen the RL brought into my driving life."

That's good to read!

Especially as I was a bit sceptical about the new-fangled electrickery. I seriously doubt they'll bring the Leg EndX to the UK, so I cannot really judge for myself.

TonyCD

Thanks, Tampa. Thanks too, of course, for all your terrific contributions to other RL owners like me through this forum the last several years.

True story: My grandpa Tony, after whom I'm named, was offered the chance late in life by my older brother to drive his spiffy new coupe. Grandpa had a plain Ford sedan nearly 20 years old. Surprisingly, he politely declined the opportunity. Asked why, he explained that since it'd be a bad idea financially for him to replace his old car (which was in impeccable shape since he knew how to wrench it himself), he didn't want to drive a new one precisely because he might like it and become dissatisfied with what he had.

When Grandpa died, we were astonished at how little stuff he owned. A few clothes, the basics of life in a house, and that was about it. He always hosted us on holidays, cooked delicious ham dinners and hosted us with a generous spirit.

I never dreamed I'd have a car as fabulous as the RL, new or used. Now that I do, I've changed the timing belt and the drivetrain fluids, treated everything from the leather to the weatherstripping, and am all-in to turn it into one of those "mega-mileage RL's" Jack Baruth wrote about. If I'm luckier than I expect to be, maybe someday I'll be able to replace it if necessary with something of comparable splendor. (Then again, I never thought I'd be able to have another car as nice as my 4DSC twin-cam Maxima either, so maybe I'm just a fatalist.) And if that day ever comes, your testimony will put the RLX AWD in my consideration set.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy myself vicariously through your RLX writings just as I enjoyed other people's ownership of RL's and TL's for years before my chance arrived.

I also look forward to hearing the details of your purchase odyssey that you mentioned in your RLX-forum thread. Sounds like it tried the patience of a saint. You'd think they'd want to sell their product to you. But now that you have it, enjoy!

TampaRLX-SH

I've just passed 6 months with the SH RLX. It has been flawless. In fact it is the first car I have ever purchased that I needed not to return to the dealer for even a minor niggling fix. For those of you who have read my posts over on the RLX forum, I am very happy with the car.

But somehow this thread popped up in a search and I decided to read it again. I must confess, I miss my RL. I had a wonderful 10 year connection with that car. But the new owner is very happy, and I am pleased for that.

For those of you who speculate about keeping the car long(er) term and are weighing the investment of needed / expected repairs (i.e. timing belts, struts, brakes, wear and tear items).....do it. Unless you find something for which your lust is greater, the RL is a noble ride. I spent years looking for a replacement, and although a lot of tech is new, the solid feel, build quality, reliability and organic feel of the RL is absent in the market.

Enjoy the ride.

HDNBenjamin

Thanks for the update and congrats on the RLX SH!!