So I currently have and love my TL but she is getting old. So I'm ready to move up tithe RL. Not to mention I want all the luxury features and toys and I need AWD and the new TL's lack the luxury.

So I am set on a 08 RL CMBS. Impossible to find. I know. I live in Kentucky. And I find plenty of 06 RL's with cmbs. Not really what I want seeing as the RL is missing the rear view cam with the 06's an I'm already going to have to spend a good chunk of $$$ when I get a RL to mod it out and get it looking how I want.

So I need help and info from RL owners. Is it worth it to wait and find a 08 with cmbs. Or. Just roll with a 06 cmbs with no cam and get a dealer to install the can and pray it won't cost me 1000$$. I would also like to know if anyone has any feedback in general on the RL. I'm dying to move up...just not finding what I want and idealy I want to get one with everything on it. And I'm just not finding that. :/.

 

Keep looking and one will show up. I looked for almost two months to find mine and had to go to AL to get it. Honestly, don't let the backup cam make your decision. For less than the savings on the older MY, you can get an aftermarket cam and a Navtool and have video on you nav screen to boot. Good luck. You will not be disappointed if you find a nice one.

One thing to look out for is the PAX tires. They only came with the CMBS package, and cost about $2k a set. Obviously replacing the wheels and tires won't be cheap either. Keep that in mind and use it as leverage in your bargaining.

 

Good to know about the cam. I will more than likely go with an 08 but a 06 if it's right may work. I wasn't aware pax was so expensive?! I have wheels on my TL now that I am going to be putting on the rl when I get it. Same size 17x8 55m I have the chrome 07-08 TL wheels on my 04 TL and want them on my rl. They will basically resemble the a-spec spoke wheels u can get on the rl just not 18's I wanna keep it 17's so it's direct replacement. I actually have NO desire to have the pax tires. I looked at a 08 cmbs in north Carolina and it had the michelene pilots. So it didn't even have the run flats on it. If they're that expensive I will be hoping to find one without the pax then. No desire to pay that for tires. Ridiculous. But thanks for the tips. Just kinda lost right now in the rl hunt. Seems so many options and I can't find a one with them all.

 

RL has a 5x120 bolt pattern. TL has 5x114.3. Finding wheels that clear the BBK and have 5x120 is about as hard as finding a nice RL for sale. Good luck with that too.

 

Oh really? Didn't know this. Well. Then I guess I can sell my nice wheels with the TL then. More $ I suppose. Now to find wheels I like to replace the stock ones for the rl. Rl is trying to be very difficult! But I think will be very worth it.

 

Just buy the aspec 18 or 19s for the SH-AWD cars from Acura.

 

I made the same move to a grow up car when I hit 25 too, best decision ever.

 

I would, I do like them. But I am not paying 1500 for wheels. I have never found them cheaper, and I would rather pay 800 for some non OEM Acura wheels and just throw on some acura center caps and call it a day lol

 

you can get a set of RonJon wheels that fit perfectly, look good, and will be in/around that $800 range... maybe a tad more but close.

OEM aspics are not cheap if you buy them new. you can always find a used set if you look around and are patient.

the cheap replica / knock off stuff on ebay is crap. don't get them.

 

Where is a good place to find/buy RonJon wheels? I have seen some of the "knock off" OEM's and yeah...cheap looking for sure.

 

You mean other than directly from RonJon?

 

I am about to come back into the family with a 07 with 77K miles on it. It is in mint condition.....1 previous owner with all service records from the same dealership which it was first purchased from. I leased an 06 RL from 06-09, so I am happy to be back. No other car can compare.

 

^^^^^
Welcome back to the fam!

 

I have 07 black with A-spec 18" chrome wheels and it looks great.The wheels compliment the chrome exterior trim,especially with black paint.I found my after almost 6 months of search.RLs are hard to find for sure and if you are picky as me is even harder.Good luck in your search,be patient!It will come to you!

 

Yeah I too am SUPER picky. Especially since I only want either 07 - 08 model. And I want the cmbs package as well. It's very hard to find. And to find in my price range of no more than $26,000. So it's Oman be a loooooong wait. But I'm sure once I find one it will be worth it!

 

^^Wrinkled or creased driver or passenger seat bolster is a deal breaker for me,even if the rest of the car is flawless.Scratch on the dash or steering wheel,too many scratches on the kick plate,etc.Lets not talk about the arm rest.Yeahhh,i am that picky.LOL

 

Maybe I'm out of touch with current used car pricing, but your price goal sounds attainable to me.

I second the comment that the cam shouldn't be a deal breaker. I added a Honda-brand cam bought on eBay to my '06, and it integrates with the head unit like a charm, exactly as it was designed to do. The people with the aftermarket cams seem equally satisfied.

Regarding the wheels, I got ASA GT1's from Tire Rack (shown in my photo). I think they're really sweet -- maybe even better in person -- and they didn't cost much at all. In fact, my immediate reason for getting them was that I trashed two of the OEM wheels in a close encounter with a high curb, and four of these were less (and infinitely better looking) than two OEM replacements.

I think CMBS and dynamic cruise control are features worth seeking out, even though I didn't. PAX is a pain in the butt, but as others said, just budget for it and use it in your price negotiations.

Best of luck. I think you'll be thrilled with your choice. I've been!

 

His price point and MYs are very well attainable- I bought my '07 with 27k mi for $26k under the same pretenses-, but the CMBS knocks the selection down dramatically. These cars arent easy to find as it is. Throw in nit-pickies and packages, and you are swimming up stream.

FWIW, there was only one RL in TX that was '07 or '08 and wasn't black (can't have black as it's too hot here) when I was searching. The next closest one was Montgomery, AL and was certified, and that still took a month to come down to my price point (<$30k). I find comfort in people's unwillingness to sell these cars.

 

Beware of Alabama cars, by the way; due to unusually lax state laws, they've been known to launder titles of stolen vehicles down there. (Not to say this comment applies in any way to 007's car, of course.) I knew a guy years ago who got a prized used car from Boaz, Alabama -- only time I ever heard of the place -- that he more or less knew was unclean. Pretty sure he didn't get it through reputable new car dealership channels.

 

Good point about the nit-pickies, 007. The OP should look up the thread "Heavy vs. the Arm Rest" to see why he shouldn't reject a car on the basis of that particular part. Heavy's response to the problem has left him with an armrest that's much better than new.

 

When I called the dealership to inquire about the car, they receptionist asked me to wait while she forwarded the call to "Bobby". I thought to myself, "Ah shit. Am I going to go through all this trouble relying on some good ol' boy used car salesman named Bobby from Alabama? So, I only put a $500 deposit down just in case. He turned out to be a good guy, respectable and competent.

My only complaint from that dealership is the service techs used impact wrenches to tightened my lug nuts, my oil drain plug, and my diff fill and drain plugs (as far as I know at least). I bent my tire iron getting the lugs off, and the crush washer on the oil drain plug had been pushed into the pan threading leaving a molded ring on the washer. We'll see how tight the tranny plug is.

 

Yeah I think my "price" range is affordable for what I know I can pay monthly and well...what I can get approved for haha. I had looked at a 27,000 08 blue cmbs and it was like 599 a month WITH my trade and money down. HELL no to that. SO I am going to keep it under 25,500. Which now that I have pretty much decided that all these horror stories about the CMBS/PAX I am just going to get a tech package 07 or 08 RL. I'm way too aggressive of a driver to really use or need CMBS and I hate the stock standard grandpa wheels that the RL has, and I want to change my wheels and tires up..at my leisure, and I can't do that affordably with a PAX wheel and tire set. SO I'm finding a lot more of RL's now. Just not close enough to me. I'm not wasting 12 hours out of my life and day to buy a car. It needs to be easier to find these cars, so I'm trying every option I can to find one lol

 

So SO true about too many nit pickies, and then the desire for the CMBS package...mainly you're not just up stream you're in a boat with holes, you're sinking and YOU cant SWIM! lmao. Seriously, the FEW CMBS I did find, were $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$! and now after the pages and pages of CMBS/PAX hate I just gave up. It's 3 stupid options, and with the way I hug lanes, cut cars on highway and aggressively drive...CMBS for me would just stop my car, and make me get rear ended. SO I'm gonna look for a nice 07-08 tech and enjoy being able to FINANCIALLY modify it. I can't do that with a CMBS =/ sad...but maybe when they release the new RL line up or re line up in 2013 that can be my 'aspiration' car when I'm like 30 and ready to get rid of this RL haha.

 

CMBS doesn't work the way that you think it works.

I'm not sure what horror stories you've been reading about CMBS/PAX. The only real issue is the replacement cost of the PAX tires. The wheels themselves may not be very stylish, but the PAX tires are pretty good, and they handle and wear pretty well. And CMBS/ACC have worked well for me.

 

So what about CMBS/ACC do you enjoy? I've heard 50/50 about it and do not really think it's the necessary to have, let alone cost effective to keep the pax wheels/tires on it.

 

By the time you complain about the CMBS/ACC you've already crashed into someone.

Its a safety gimmick IMO, unless you are old/young and shouldn't be driving, have a substance abuse problem, or narcolepsy its not needed.

 

You must not want one very badly. You are in KY, correct?


As far as CMBS goes, I believe it monitors the distance between you and the object in front of you constantly. If you are accelerating up on a car to switch lanes and pass them, it will not "brake check" you. If the distance between you and the object suddenly decreases dramatically (i.e. the slam on their brakes), the car will begin the braking process for you to eliminate human reaction time. A computer can make that judgement in a matter of microseconds, but it will take an eternity (in computing terms) for your piss poor reflexes (not just you, all humans (except s)) to react. The car will not stop itself. It only begins the braking process.

 

CMBS has a multi-stage warning system. Stage 1 is a visual blinking "BRAKE" warning in the MID. Stage 2 tugs the driver's shoulder belt (which will scare the crap out of you if you're not expecting it). Stage 3 starts the braking process. The system isn't obtrusive, in fact in practice it works less obtrusively than Acura advertised it when it debuted.

 

CMBS is less intrusive than the ACC. If CMBS is activated it is 99% for a real reason. ACC, however, can be intrusive if it is used in the incorrect conditions but it is defeatable back to a conventional CC. With a little use you learn how and when it works and I find both features well worth the additional expense. If you want to trade up from a TL to an RL or from average to any of the big leagues then you will often get these addition types of driver assists and there is always an argument for not having them but when used with intelligence then you will appreciate them. I do not see any point in trading up to a luxury car and leaving out the luxury appointments.

 

Yes I'm in KY. I found a RL in Michigan I like but the 6 hour drive up and back annoys me, when every car I've bought I have managed to get within 2 hours, plus my Acura dealer who I love doing business with is so close, but never has any RL's I like. =/

I love that Ninja comment..haha, very true. I see the useful points of the CMBS, it's just the expensive of removing PAX that bothers me. I don't want the wheels at all. That's my biggest concern with this car is the look. I want to be able to change the wheels to what I WANT and not have to worry about changing out a million little parts pieces and etc. Maybe what I've read has been "wrong" or over dramatized but to me it sounds like a PIA money pit.

 

The last sentence in your response is the exact reason WHY I wanted to move UP to the RL. I agree 100% that if I am going to go UP in class, I want EVERYTHING. It already pisses me off that every other TL I pass has options and things I do NOT, and if I get an RL I want it all. I just am trying to be financially smart about this. I don't want to get a CMBS/PAX/ACC RL if it's going to cost so much to change the look to it like I want. The CMBS "horror" stories I read seem to be a bit user heavy, and I have taken for a grain of salt. But the $$$$$ it costs to just SWITCH out WHEELS is ridiculous to me. I guess I'm spoiled with the TL being a lot cheaper and more "ease of user" to swap things out, and buying an RL is more expensive cause it's the "big dog" of the Acura's. But sheesh...AUDI A8's and BMW 7's don't have NEAR as many expense issues. I just can't stand German made cars, or I'd already have an Audi or BMW like half my family does. I'm the lone Japanese left in the group haha, and I don't wanna abandon my Acura

 

There is no hardware switch needed for the PAX system. Find the wheels you want, take the PAX off, put said wheels on, and go on your merry way. Now, finding 5x120 wheels that clear the BBK may be slightly difficult, along with selling the PAX, but there isn't much that changes going to regular wheels. The biggest concern is that if you have a flat, the car will tell you you are okay for x miles, when you are not. A driver unaware to your car's specific situation (read:women) may believe the car and damage your wheel among other things.

I hope some members who have changed over from PAX can chime in and verify my statements about the hardware.

One last thing, a CMBS RL will always be cheaper than a German luxury (on average). I'm not sure if you have ever seen CSMenace's (sp?) post about the warranty on his 7-series, but he paid $10k for it and has more than doubled that value in warranty repairs.

 

Ok. So then let me shoot it to you straight since you've been very helpful all along I buy a RL with CMBS Pax. I find wheels that fit for the 17inch wheel 5x120 bolt pattern (which btw I've found tons of them on a eBay store, I bought the 17's I have on my TL now from eBay and theyre awesome. Go look at my garage) so I make my wheel purchase. I go take my car to a tire place which I usually go to a local guy who has always taken care of my Acura he did my wheel swap from the stock to my mods and I keep low profile nexxen tires on the TL. What all in theory will he have to do? I can afford wheels off eBay. And I can get a good deal on tires to fit the wheels I buy. So I just wonder how much of a issue it will be to have the pax tires taken off and the original wheels off. I'd like to keep the stock wheels too in case something happens. Also what is BBK? U will have to excuse my slowness I don't know what a lot of this stuff means lol :/

 

Also. I have a question. Every CMBS RL I have found on Autotrader, Carmax etc etc has had Michelin PILOT tires on them. Are those run flats??? Or the same as PAX just a different name?? That also really confuses me. Because if I found one with those tires (Pilot's) and they're not run flat's(PAX) then couldn't I just throw those tires on a new set of wheels? Like what I did with my car now..

 

I remember somehting about the CMBS radar alignment might get off with a PAX changeout.
You may try searching PAX.

 

The PAX tires are Michelin Pilots. There is a little oval PAX symbol on them as well.

You really need to do some research on the CMBS/PAX/ACC RL if you're thinking about buying one.

 

That might have been an Acura/dealer scare tactic to try to prevent people from de-PAXing.

If the car is lowered (or raised) significantly it could cause the radar aim to change. The PAX wheels/tires are significantly heavier than the regular ones. Maybe swapping them out for lighter wheels raises the car?

The biggest issue with de-PAXing is that Acura can't/won't re-program the car, and the car doesn't know that the PAX tires are no longer there. If a tire loses pressure, the car will give a mileage countdown of the remaining distance it is safe to drive. Obviously, that's incredibly unsafe on a flat, regular tire.

There are several good threads on PAX tires in the tire, wheel, and suspension forum above.

 

Thank you for all your info it's great that you have a CMBS/PAX and understand. I had wondered if PILOT was just a "street" name for the PAX, but glad to know it's the same tire. If I WERE to get the CMBS I would want to de pax, but it seems it may not be a smart idea as what you said below. I mainly just want to change the wheels. I would LOVE to be able to keep run flats on different wheels, but apparently that's not really a possibility.

What kind of info can you give to help brighten up our brains about the CMBS/PAX/ACC? I have sat on the Acura site and learned all about CMBS and ACC, and I think they're both great options. The bad stories I read about them, Like I said above seem user heavy handed, but just worried these two options, that I rarely would use may just be a extra expense. I'm so USED to regular CRUISE that I know ACC can be turned off, and I would probably just always use regular ACC haha, but CMBS I would really like to have! I just wonder if it's really worth having those extra options, when one of my major things I LOVE to do is mod the car out. SO any input you can sway me in a direction is SUPER appreciated

 

If my memory serves me correctly, all you have to do is take the PAX wheel/tire combo off and put the aftermarket wheels on. The PAX tires AND wheel are special and have to be used in conjunction with one another. You cannot have one without the other. Michelin Pilots are just a brand of run-flat tires that Acura chose to go with. There are other Pilots that are not run flats.

Here is a thread from someone who directly replaced the '06 PAX wheels AND tires with a set of OEM '09 RL wheels. Megatron and Chas2 seem to be the PAX gurus around here.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...&highlight=PAX

They say in the thread that the only hardware needed is different lug nuts. You can get lugs here for $3 a pop. A whole set would be 20 for $60.

http://www.oemacuraparts.com/product...shj-a91-acura/

FYI, BBK = Big Brake Kit. Some may argue that we don't have a BBK, and while there are bigger brake kits out there (Zelaya is a prime example), I have seen enough fitment issues to declare that our brakes are big.

I have also heard the idea that the suspension for the CMBS was a little more heavy duty than non-CMBS. However, since all the hardware on the axles is un-sprung weight, changing any of it will not affect ride height. Any weight difference will be 5 times as effective as the same weight change to sprung weight. In other words, taking 2 pounds off of the wheels is equivalent to taking 10 pounds out of the trunk. Conversely, it goes the other direction with heavier stuff.

 

Interesting. Thank you so much for grabbing those links for me. Going to read them now. I was driving to see my dad today it was his birthday, and I passed a local joe blow car dealer and saw a RL. 05 Silver, with get this...38,000 miles. the sucker was RARELY driven. I took it on a spin. loved it, but of course...I don't want a 05. I want an 08. I don't want to have the lack of AUX and the back up cam. If I'm going to spend $$$ on wheels and tires, I need SOME stuff to come standard lol!!! But very nice ride, it was BABIED! I talked to the dealer guy, and he said PAX is a horrible joke when it comes to price, but if you take care of them it lasts and lasts and lasts. HE actually owns a 07 NBP with CMBS and he de paxed within a week, he granted had the $$$ but he said it changed nothing with his CMBS. He also said he never has had CMBS activate past stage 2, and he never uses ACC. he told me if I want to just get into a RL and "play with it" like I did with my TL, a TECH Package RL is all I need, he said "These extra SAFETY features are NOT worth the headache of not buying the car you want" SO I'm still on the fence. But in my boredom I have found like 10 different style wheels on this ebay seller's store that I LOVE for the RL, and now I'm gonna go and read the links you have sent me