Hey,

I own a 2011 Acura RL Advance CPO, bought in 2013 with 12k, for 35k. I'm planning to keep the car until, 2020-2023. I think with all the 2Gs clean styling, excellent refinement, and performance, it'll stand the test of time. My RL going strong at 26,000 miles.

How long do you plan to keep your RL?

 

I plan to keep mine until it falls apart, which is what I do with all my cars. My '99 TL is currently at 257,000 miles and it still runs very smoothly. It's worth practically nothing if I were to sell it. My RL is only at 54,000 miles and still looks nearly new, so I imagine it'll last many more years. I've never concerned myself with resale value as I buy a car to keep until I throw it away, then buy another one.

 

^yup

Same deal with my CL and now RL. I'll probably keep mine for as long as I can/need to.

 

Im at 99k on my 05. Plan to keep it as long as I can. Every month without a car payment is money in the bank!

 

Million

 

I have been torturing myself with replacing my RL. To date I cannot find anything $60Kish more car than I already have. A few new tech pieces here and there, but overall I get back into my RL and I am still in love with it.

The new cars are also striving for better fuel efficiency. As a result I find many do not feel as solid and I wonder if they will hold up as well. I have never owned a car that remained as smooth and virtually buzz / rattle free at 9 years of age. Only on washboard roads do I get some complaining from the glove box or the rear deck.

I have already had struts and motor mounts replaced as part of my extended warranty and other than a two window switches, the car has been bulletproof. My interior is all but flawless. Aside from a shiny patina on the driver seat, I am regularly asked if it is a new car. I have replaced the center armrest with real leather and also replaced the driver door armrest when it blistered. Minor wear maintenance in the big picture. The only big expense I see on the horizon is the timing belt, which I have a reasonable quote from my dealer.

I have considered replacing the RL with a Sport Hybrid RLX (if they ever materialize) and possibly a TLX Advance SHAWD.

But after a service visit today my Tech made me swear not to part with the RL. He tells me he has never seen a 8 year old daily driver as pristine, or 1 year old cars for that matter. He stated he felt the RL will be the last of the Japan built 'tanks'. I tend to agree.

So for now, my plan is to keep the RL and add a second vehicle to the garage. When I bought the RL I thought it could be a 'lifer' car. So a second car may make that very possible indeed.

 

I plan to keep my 2006 RL forever and look for a 2011-2012 RL Advance as well. I think the 2011-2012 is the last of the best of all things Acura with NONE of the newfangled gas saving crap like VCM and engine stop and all that crap that barely saves any gas but adds lots of issues like vibrations, burning oil, etc. Plus, it has the 3.7L and 6 Speed Auto with SH-AWD that won't depend on some hybrid battery that will eventually need replacing.

Unfortunately, 2011-2012 RL Advance cars are almost impossible to find! They must have not made many and sold even less!

 

^Pretty sure the 2012-2013 number is less than 400, and the 2011 was less than a 1000.




Tampa, it's old farts like you that make me look forward with hope to the day I can tinker around.

 

 

I am gladly an old fart. But how does that enable tinkering? And do I ask for clarification as to what tinkering you speak of?

 

Oh, Ricky!

 

I agree, the last 11-12 RLs, and the last ZDXs, are the realest vehicles Honda/Acura has ever made. This BS in the new car, is a bunch of crap, that does nothing. What I love about these my RL is that the car drives like a dream, has a great interior, conservative styling, and the Honda quality to back it all up. That's more than I can say for new Acuras, I'm looking at you RLX. These slightly older Acuras can stand the test of time no problem. You'd do great with an 11-12 RL.

 

Sorry about your RL, things happen, that's life. My sister has a wreck just as bad in a 04 Accord Coupe, almost lost her life. Sorry about the RL, was a very nice car.

 

Wow 007, did that happen recently?

 

Wow, what's amazing about that wreck based on what I can see in that pic is that 1) the windshield is in tact and 2) the driver door looks perfectly straight. The front appears to have entirely absorbed the hit leaving the occupants safe.

 

It's good to see the crumple zones work well.


I have no plans on selling my RL. Although I have only owned it for a year, and only put 9,000 miles on it, I have no reason to sell it. It has everything I practically need. No payments and my RL looks as good as any new car on the road.

 

As long as possible!

My 2006 is slowly creeping up on 100k miles, but it's still running great, especially after the recent timing belt/tuneup.

Feels good not having a car payment.

 

No plans, as I just bought this last October. I'm close to 90k miles, and everything is in great condition. I have yet to start the mods, so hopefully I can keep this to 150k+.

 

We only bought our's a couple months ago, but we plan to keep it for a number of years. I seem to have a pattern of buying a nice sedan that's a few years old and keeping it for a long time. I did that with a '90 Olds Touring Sedan (still miss that car), our 2001 Chrysler LHS, which we still own and now leave parked at our vacation home, and now the RL. We recently undertook our first major trip with the RL, over 2000 miles cross-country. It performed wonderfully and we're really sold on the SH-AWD system after seeing how well the car felt solidly planted in the rain. It got us home safely, but unfortunately the alternator went out on our first trip to the store after finishing the trip. It's sitting at the dealership right now. They said the battery is also shot. It had a new one just before we bought the car, but apparently that one has a dead cell. The Acura dealer wants $169 for a battery, but we usually buy batteries from AAA. They perform well and their warranty covers the car wherever it's sitting at the time. We will invest what it takes to maintain the car for a long time.

 

Totally agree about the ZDX. Mine just made a year old and has 11,400 miles and I am still in love with it. Very solid car that I plan on keeping for at least 150k+ miles. Glad I got one of the last Acuras with lots of interior buttons (I am really not a fan of all the new tech and dual screen setup). I do wish my Z came with the Jewel Eye headlights though.

 

Velobard, I replaced the alternator on my 2006 RL with 124K miles last week.

007spy, sorry for your loss.

 

I agree with you 100% in regards to the buttons. I love the buttons on my RL, every function for the entire Navigation, Audio, and Climate systems is just a button away. The new dual screen layout just makes everything more complex, and more distracting from driving. Yet another reason why the slightly older Acuras are better than the new ones(RLX).

 

I just drove home in a hellacious summer thunderstorm. Wind gusts 40-50mph, lightning like God was angry and rain so hard it could not drain from the road. There was standing water on the road and several swamped areas.

Cars were stopped everywhere. I saw 3 spin and slide including a Range Rover.

The RL was smooth and serene. I kept a 45-50mph pace with no drama. Solid as a tank and just short of submarine capability. If not for watching the MID SHAWD display, I would never have guessed the AWD was dancing.

I pulled into the garage and smiled to myself 'this car walks on water'.

No car I have owned has performed so well and calmly in conditions like that.

Yep...a keeper.

 

Not to detract from the awesomeness of SH-AWD, but two of the same cars with different tires-one with new tires vs the other with even 4/32 of tread left-will cause similar results. Put SH-AWD on 2/32 in that same situation and the results will be different.

 

129K on my 05 RL. Bought it CPO with 42K. With two kids just about ready to start college, I'm planning to ride this car out as long as I possibly can. Still rides and drives great. Almost time for new tires, just did the brakes myself a few weeks back. Motor mounts and AC clutch just replaced. Some minor cosmetic issues from being a daily driver here in the northeast. Oh, and someone backed in to the front grill recently, snapping a few of the plastic clips holding the grill in tight. Now it sags just slightly, enough that I see it everytime. The SHAWD is rock-solid.

 

You guys are making it hard on me.

With 122k thinking about selling and buying a Passat TDI before the repair bills start hitting.

You're making it very hard lol

 

Does Solar Sensing Climate Control take you over the top?

 

Nice to see many 2G RL owners who are looking forward to keeping their cars for many years to come, myself included.

 

Guess I could keep the RL and buy a cheapo bottom line passat 6 manual and use that as my every day beater

 

Not one problem since 25miles. 2005 rl the best car I every owned. I love that it looks as good now as new. I can not say how disappointed in Acura hybrid awd costing so much more and taking so long to come. I Too will not buy a hybrid but a 2011-2012 rl advance when I need too. But this car is bullet proof and I love driving it!!!

 

Good to hear your RL is doing weel. I must say, their are some good 11-12 RL Advance 1 owner CPO dealers on Autotrader. You could easily get one for less than 30k, with less the 35,000 miles. When I bought my car, it was originally listed for 42k, but then I was able to get the car for 35k!. The trade price, what Acura paid the precious owner was 37.5k! Good deals on RLs.

 

I have 88k on my 2008 Tech. I plan on keeping it until it fails on me. I absolutely love this car!

 

A dirty old man too I see.

 

I have worked long and hard to achieve said status.

 

Bought my 07 A-SPEC 2.5 years ago w/ 12k on the clock and currently has 28k. This is the only car I plan on keeping until the wheels fall off. Doing little mods here and there helps me appreciate the car even more. At times I do venture out to see what's out there but when I hop in the RL and drive home from work, the venturing stops.


007, get in an MMC..

 

Where? It's so hard to find a true Advance model on Autotrader. The filtering for that doesn't work too well and there are lots of sellers who don't know the difference between Advance and Tech.

 

2006 with 120,xxx here. Bought it at 20k so have put up about 100k myself. Other than normal maintenance (oil changes, 30k service, etc.) it has been worry free. Similar to everyone else, was getting the itch for a new car, but after looking around couldn't really find anything within the range of this car. This car is definitely built like a tank. Looking to get at least 200k out of it.

I have a Legend badge on so occasionally at gas stations people would ask about it with that confused look. (love it!)

 

So true about the listings on Autotrader. What features were added to the Advance models? I can't tell the difference.

 

I believe the following, but I am not 100% sure about the folding mirrors...

Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™)
Adaptive Cruise Control
Power folding side mirrors

 

The easiest way to tell if it is REALLY an Advance model is to look for the plastic radar shield in the front center right below the Acura beak... directly below the Acura symbol.

Second easiest way to tell is to look on the steering wheel buttons. Advance shows ACC button in place of Cruise and you should see a distance button on the 4-5 o'clock spoke on the steering wheel.

Problem on Autotrader is... there are listings showing Advance model that aren't. And then there are ones that are Advance and they don't list them as such.

But if you can find one for a good price, I think that's the cream of the crop, 2011 or 2012 Acura RL advance. All the benefits of the 2005-2008 RL with the engine and tranny and other feature upgrades WITHOUT the added complexity of the RLX and all those dials instead of buttons! PLUS, you get SH-AWD without worrying about hybrid batteries!