chickenmagnet

I am new and I have some general questions about the RL (05-08).

I currently drive a BMW 545i and a 96 Volvo 850 turbo for work and I live in Colorado.

I have test driven 2 different ones - an 05 and 06. But when accelerating one had a slight hesitation and the other a major hesitation when at low speeds. In one instance I tried to pull off an on ramp in front of another car and it felt sluggish.

Is it just because I am not familiar with the car or is this a general occurance with the car?

I drive about 30-40k a year and much of it is in Wyoming and Southern Colorado. I do have to pass semis and slower moving vehicles frequently on the highways. Is this a car that can do that without any issues?

The reason I am asking is because I really like this sedan, but I cannot reasonably buy one if the acceleration is sluggish. Both the cars I use can pass with no problems, but its time I get a dedicated car for work and the RL seems to be the best of both worlds.

How about longevity and post 100K mileage sedans - I have done a lot of research over the last 6 months and they seem to be reliable - but I am looking for real owner testimony.

Any model years to avoid? Any pre-purchase reccomendations to check out besides a mechanic inspection? I would prefer to buy one private party since dealers are really marking these up, but I have to trade my BMW in and I don't have a lot of time to sell it privately.

Thanks

Carbon Legend

it is a car you have to learn where it likes to be RPM wise when passing and accelerating.

Not sure if elevation will play a big factor with the RL.

Megatron

I think it's a combination of your non-familiarity with Japanese cars as well as a power/weight ratio difference compared to what you are driving. You 545i has a 4.4L V8 and your Volvo weighs at least 300 lbs less than the RL. You have to keep in mind that the RL is a 4000lb AWD car powered by a 3.5L normally-aspirated V6 with 290 hp. Also, Honda and Acura engines get their most power when revved up in the RPM range... once VTEC kicks in at around 4500-5000 rpm, then you really feel the power. But all of this combined is what you are probably calling "hesitation" and "sluggish". Of course, I could be wrong and you may have just test-driven two messed up RLs... just to eliminate that possibility, I would go test drive a few more.

As for passing semis and stuff... if you downshift manually or press the gas enough that the car downshifts itself, you will have no problems passing. Like I said, once in the 4-5K rpm range with VTEC kicked in, you will GO.

Longevity is a no-brainer with Acuras if properly maintained. It should outlast most European cars, so I think it is a non-issue compared to what you are driving now. If you check around the forum, you will see that one person is over 300K miles on his RL and many are easily over the 100K and even 200K mark. Having said that, by purchasing used, your mission is to really find out the maintenance history of the car. That will determine how long your car will last.

Finally, as for years to avoid, I think as with most vehicles, if you had a choice, you should avoid the first year model run... so look for an 06 or later. But even the 05's are not that bad, but there a few known issues like A/C and door handles, and tranny whine, that when fixed should no longer present a problem.

Hope this helps...

BDoggPrelude

After 2 months of RL ownership I've come to understand the nature of this beast a bit more. The transmission has a tendency to select a higher gear rather than lower in many situations. I'm sure Honda designed it this way to make the car smooth. I have noticed that many times the car likes to select 3rd instead of 2nd when accelerating onto the highway. Again, most passive type drivers will never notice this because they never push the gas pedal to the floor anyway. Most of us here are enthusiasts and likely drive our cars in a bit more spirited manner than the majority of the population. Most of the RL's target buyers would probably rather the car not aggressively drop into a lower gear and lay down the power. To them it just makes the car feel jerky.

Fortunately, Acura made is easy to put the car into sport mode for when you'd prefer to choose what gear it should be in.

This is also not to say the RL is fast by any means. It has enough power to get the job done but you need to understand it is limited. Like said above, it is a 4,000lb, 290hp, AWD vehicle. It just won't keep up with a RWD V8 Bimmer. But...it is probably a hell of a lot more reliable and a better 4-season car. Also, depending on the year of the BMW, it has quite a few more tech features and a nicer interior.

oo7spy

The experience you had was most likely caused by the drive by wire throttle. The car is designed to "learn" your driving style. If you are a sluggish driver (read: old) like the majority if RL owners, the car will get used to this and tend to downshift even less than how BDogg described. This can be reset and can make a difference in Acura's throttle response. I understand the physics of pushing 2 tons around with 220 whp, but this car should be able to easily fill your semi-eating needs if you are willing to engage VTEC from time to time.

I have passed two Suburbans at the same time on a 2 lane county road and been back in the right lane before the single striped line. I have never had an issue passing someone going less than 75 mph.

chickenmagnet

Thanks for the replies. i will test drive another one just to see. The other problem is that the RL is hard to come by in my area, There is a half dozen available in a 150 mile range. I have already driven 2.

I really like the interior of the rl and it seems like a competent car. I want to love it - but after driving two - I don't but i will give it another shot. I have driven a couple of TLs 09/10 and I like them, but with the miles I put on I don't want to spend the extra money for a car that I am just going to drive into the ground.

From what I have read the RL seems like its going to last into the high 100s without a lot of major repairs - granted the previous owners took care of it.

The biggest problem I face is I am coming from the 545i - its a wonderful and fast luxury car. I really haven't found anything as fun to drive, but I don't see it lasting as long as Japanese based cars. Plus its too much car to be driving to sales calls, mostly its loaded down and I am not carving canyons while working.

I actually have two Toyotas - an 03 4runner (v8 = terrible mpgs) and an older pickup that is not appropriate for sales. However both have high miles and are very reliable.

This would be my first Honda product. Everything I read about Acuras are positive and I want to give them a try. Not a huge fan of the Avalon and the es 350 I am on the fence on. Its ok but I liked the Acura's interior a lot better, plus the awd is attractive.

How are long distance drives in the car? Can you use the NAV while driving?

I am in the market for a luxury car,otherwise I would look at a Honda or Camry. Thanks again for all responses.

wackjum

The NAV is very usable because of the voice activated controls. Once I got it down, I can search and input an address very reliably completely through voice.

There's also no lockout while in motion like on Lexus vehicles.

Long distance driving is probably the RL's forté because it gets significantly better mileage that way and is a very comfortable car. Stop and go city driving is probably the RL's worst environment really. It's a highway cruiser.

oo7spy

Numerous people will attest to its long range comfort. You can drive this car for 5 hours straight and won't feel an ache. My first drive in mine was 13 hours from AL to TX, and I haven't been in a car I would have rather been in.

As for the mileage, the are no concerns whatsoever with an RL, assuming the maintenance is intact.

miner

The ECU can be reset easily to relearn new owners driving habits. The pervious owners may have been non-agressive drivers which may lead tot he sluggishness you have been feeling.

chickenmagnet

Could I reset the ECU before I test drove it? I mean is it easy enough to do while I am in the car before I get it out on the highway?

Thanks again for the responses - now I just have to find a reasonably priced one in Denver - not an easy chore.

tnobori1

The questions have been pretty well covered here already. As for availability, it's a pain to find the car, but that translates to having a unique car on the road when you own one!

miner

Yes
1) turn key to position 2
2) turn key to off position
3) put accelerator to the floor, turn key to position 2, hold accelerator to the floor for 1 minute
4) turn key to off position, release accelerator

ichi d

^ Will all your memory settings be lost if you reset the ECU?

oo7spy

All this does is remind the ECU what a WOT signal looks like. It will not reset anything besides the sensitivity of the gas pedal. Another way to do it is to manually shift the car into a gear higher than needed and mash the pedal to the floor. Using one gear too high allows to car to not accelerate rapidly and allows you to give WOT for longer. A great place to do this is on an entrance ramp. Get into 5th as soon as the car will let you and really push the pedal to the floor. The car will let you into 5th around 40 mph, so you have some time to give WOT until you reach highway speed. Being in manual is very important b/c in auto giving WOT will shift the car to the lowest possible gear and cause rapid acceleration. You might be amazed how far down the pedal goes.

rlx015

I started wondering since I am the 2nd owner of my RL - how do I reset the learned way to the stock one so car can adapt to my driving style? By the way acceleration is now, I am sure it was older lady driven car

Tnx

neuronbob

The ECU adjusts to your driving, so outside of pulling the ECU's fuse, not really.

To answer your original question.....When I owned my RL, I drove in Colorado. My folks live in the Springs and I drove the RL there on a regular basis, a minimum of twice a year. I had absolutely no problem with acceleration in the Springs, which is much higher than where you are in Denver. Going up Monument "Hill" was no problem when driving between the Springs and Denver. My RL has even been to the top of Pike's Peak. No trouble on ascent or descent on the Pikes Peak Highway other than lots of dust.




https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-photograph-gallery-91/my-rl-pikes-peak-may-2008-a-683673/

Edit: Damn, my RL looked good.

Go get your RL, you won't have any trouble.

ellover009

Remember also an clogged up fuel filter and air filter can also choke a car. Some owners forget cars come with those and specially the fuel filter does not get changed as often as it should.

alfadoctor

I complained that my car wouldn't down shift and fly like I was expecting. The ECU will learn your driving habits as mine has, and now the car when I floor it, takes off like a scalded rabbit.
Reliability, this is my second RL and my '06 is very reliable with great gas mileage. (avg 24-27 mpg)
Maintenance...if the dealer maintained the car, it will be in the system.
I suggest you do a CarFax report on a car you are interested in before you buy it. It tells a lot about previous owners, maintenance and accidents.
After you have driven an RL for a while you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

06RL/NBP

Exactly where is the fuel filter located.

miner

How do you get the GPS info to display as in the photo?

neuronbob

Hold Menu + Cancel + Map/Guide to enter the navi diagnostic screens.

Then select "GPS information".

guss_90

I have own my 05' RL for 3.5 years, Bought the car with 82K. Did preventive maintenance on Timing belt water pump replacement at 95K. My car has 143K now and still running Fine. There are couples of guys here with same and more miles on their RL's and still running Strong. I will keep the RL for another 5 years. The cars has All features you will need.

miner

Thank you Bob - how's the CTS-V doing?

dunk it

This is a good post.

I bought an `08 RL a year ago and this baby can fly. No issues with power. It still whines when it's cold though.

chickenmagnet

You all have convinced me, but I cannot find a decent deal on one. Denver has quite the premium on these cars. And I forgot that I test drove the 08 this summer when I had some time - I looked at 2 2008s both with 35K miles and the were both in the 24-25K range. Now I am having a hard time finding a deal even close to that price - with twice as many miles on them. I should have done the research earlier.

Fortunately my car runs well, I am just concerned if it breaks down in northern Wyoming I won't be able to find a competent mechanic. I have heard horror stories about German/european cars in Wyo and MT...

Thats part of the reason I am leaning back towards Japanese cars again. Mostly they don't break down - but if they do its easier to find a repair shop.
Thanks again for all the responses!

oo7spy

Neither of the Legends I have driven for the last 8.5 years has ever left me stranded or stopped on the side of the road, sans flat tires. Legend #1 had 190k when I sold it.

alfadoctor

One good blessing is that it is a Honda product, which means that if you get stuck in the middle of nowhere, you might find a shop in the middle of no where that knows how to work on it. Some parts translate over to Honda parts and the dealer can order them if necessary. I have my local Honda agency service my RL when it becomes absolutely necessary that I can't do something myself. I am 180 miles from the nearest dealer in either direction and I am not the only Acura being serviced at the local dealer. This is our 2nd RL and I don't ever worry about it breaking down a long side the road. How many Acura's you ever see on the shoulder with the hood up? :P

BDoggPrelude

Living in Denver myself, I can tell you that AWD vehicles definitely carry a premium around here. Used Subarus fetch more money in Colorado than any other state. I bough my car 2 months ago from Pikes Peak Acura. They originally had it stickered at $25k, (2006 with 70,000 miles, Tech package, A-Spec lip and wheels, wood steering wheel and shift knob). I got them down to $22k and more money for my trade-in than it was worth. They also basically threw in a 3 year powertrain warranty.

BDoggPrelude

I'm assuming you're watching cars.com. Courtesy Acura has a pretty good deal on one. There's another one for sale in Brighton at a good price too. Seems like they've actually come down in price a little bit since a few months ago.

BrasiliaFlyer

I've got one in Salt Lake City for sale. 2005 in Carbon Gray with Ebony. 40,000 miles, all service records. Asking $20,250. PM me if interested.

chickenmagnet

Yea I remember that car - unfortunately I was traveling so much I could not get down to see it. You got a nice deal on it!!

Looking at cars.com 3 x a day - I would prefer to buy private party but I have to sell my car first and I just don't have time. But its on Denver CL - type RL in and my 545i is on there.

I drove the one in Brighton(shimmy in the front wheels) and the one at weisco (smelled weird inside) - but neither dealer called me back. I may drive to courtesy but I don't think its a great deal. There are a couple 08s in Utah with the same or less miles for a lot less money.

BDoggPrelude

Why are you trying to get out of the Bimmer BTW? Avoiding near-future maintenance costs? Want something AWD? Just looking for something different? Many people, (especially Euro fanboys), would consider your decision to be a downgrade. I don't consider it a downgrade personally. More of an intelligent lateral move. I could have purchased a similar year/model/mileage BMW instead of an Acura on both of our latest car purchases but I chose Acura based on long-term ownership costs.

Don't let things like a shimmy from the front wheels deter you either. When I test drove my RL the first thing I noticed was that the tires were loud and needed to be balanced. I rebalanced the tires myself at work the day after I bought it and the shimmy is basically gone. I was planning on replacing the tires originally, (Nankang NS-II's), but decided it would be a waste of money. It now has winter wheels/tires on it and I'm selling the A-Specs along with the tires next spring so I can put on some 19" summer wheels/tires.

Selling your car privately and buying a replacement privately seems like a great idea on paper but it just doesn't work well in reality. Trying to time the sale/purchase perfectly is probably going to be pretty hard. You are going to lose some money on the sale trading it in and spend a little more on the purchase by getting it from a dealer but you are going to save yourself a huge headache by doing so.

chickenmagnet

Thanks - you make a lot of good points. Frankly I never would have looked at the RL but a co-worker has one and showed it to me one day last spring. I didn't think much of it but I wasn't looking for a car at the time either.

Its not that I am a huge Bmw fan or euro fan, I actually have owned mostly Cadillacs and Toyotas. But I wanted something different so I bought the Bmw a year and a half ago. Unfortunately it moved the bar way up. The car is so much fun to drive - like your 16 again and your parents want something from the store so they send you.

My car is fairly reliable - but it left me stranded a couple of times locally while under warranty. I just don't completely trust it - though its running great now and last week I drove to Billings MT and back in less 3 days and it ran like a champ. But a manual transmission and RWD are not as fun in traffic and snowstorms which I encounter frequently on the road for work. So I am looking for a fun, luxury car that I can count on (around 20k). AWD is not a prerequisite - but I can appreciate it. I have always been a big rwd fan but I am starting to see the advantages of an awd car, and the research i did on the sh-awd has all been positive.

oo7spy

There is someone here who has been trying to buy anyone's ASpecs every chance he gets. Can't remember off hand who it is though.

neuronbob

You may want to post in the Black Market-click.

ichi d

That would be me.

ibeltc

I was never really interested in Acura. I have a 1999 Ford Taurus that keeps breaking down. I was tired of the unreliability of that car. I was in the market for a replacement car. A friend of mine had a 2005 Acura RL with 77,000 miles he purchased new in 05 and he was selling it. He was asking $17,000.00 which I thought at the time was a little pricey. I did some research and discovered the price was reasonable.

I purchased the car last week for $16,000.00. I am a new fan! I am still trying to figure out all of the technology but so far I love it! If you decide to buy an RL I don't think you will regret it.

RLStuck

I just saw the light as well; 1 week with an 06 w/ 57k for $18,400. Be sure to read the thread where the OP asked people about their favorite or unexpected features.

BDoggPrelude

Wow. Going from a 99 Taurus to a 2nd gen RL. You must be in heaven.

chickenmagnet

Great price - what part of the country?

I missed out on another one this weekend.

I guess I will have to look at the other two in the area- I just don't think they are great deals, However the snows/rims I have for my bmw actually will fit the RL so I got that going for me.