Hello everyone. I am a proud new owner of a 2005 White Pearl/Parchment RL. It was an impulse buy, and I am very happy with my choice. I went to my local Acura dealership to look at a 2001 NSX they had in the newspaper. Two hours later I walked out the owner of a beautiful RL I was driving a 2004 Escalade ESV Platinum, but I sold it last month because it was not fuel efficient, my children are all grown, and I already had a E-350 as my tow vehicle. I was going to buy another sports car, but my wife told me that my Collectors Edition Trans Am Convertible is enough... so the RL was the perfect solution as my new daily driver. I am a Cadillac man at heart, but the new STS did not win my heart when I drove it in December. I had purchased a 2000 STS new and drove it till November 2004 with 106,000 miles on it. I hope the RL can give me the same trouble-free and fun miles that the STS did.

I am an automobile enthusiast who enjoys AutoX, car shows, and collecting Cadillacs. I haven't been to an AutoX since I sold my 944 S2 track car, but I might be purchasing another track queen soon.

I look forward to learning from this forum and hopefully meeting other RL owners who share the same passion for autos.

Now it is time for me to look for a '70 Deville Convertible. With the money I saved in buying the RL, I can find me a nice little number

Regards,
Abe

 

Welcomes!

Good choice on the RL. It has some minor quirks but overall is a heck of a car

 

Welcome to the family!! The RL is a wonderful car, but remember that it does have a learning curve involved with getting used to all the great technological gadgets. Once you have familiarized yourself with all of the technology, you will love it even more. The ride and handling you get to fall in love with immediately - have fun!

 

Congrats

 

I think I have become accustomed to the features already... after 3 days of ownership! The DVD/NAV/XM system in my ESV was much harder to use than the RLs. I am still thinking of getting the A-spec suspension and wheels, any opinions?
Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

I strongly recommend changing the tires. Whether you choose to do so by upgrading to the 18 inch wheels as I did is optional, but the OEM tires are pretty crappy. The A-spec suspension will definitely give you a sportier ride with less body roll if that is your preference. If you prefer a smoother ride, then stick with the OEM suspension.

 

Congrats

 

May we ask what price you paid?

 

Sure, I don't mind at all! I paid $46K out the door from Hall Acura in Virginia Beach, VA (including added pin-stripes).

I see you went to UVA. My son graduated from there in 2002 and is currently finishing up Medical School. I loved going up to Charlottesville one or two times a semester. My son was the founder of the UVA car club in 2000 and it is still going strong

 

the white with the gold package is hot. i saw one in vermont, it really caught my eye

 

Wahoowa!

 

First of all, congratulations on the purchase. I'm thinking white would be good, as well.

Second, how does the RL compare to your S600? Do you still have the S600? How is it holding up? Many problems? I think the W140 body style is still my all-time favorite...

Happy driving...

 

Thanks again for the warm welcome!

I do still have the 1998 S600 AMG. I bought it slightly used for my wife in 2000 as a birthday present, and I doubt I will ever sell it. We traded our 1996 S500 on it. The S600 now has 58,000 miles and has been virtually trouble free, but I maintain my vehicles very meticulously. The preventive and scheduled maintenance on the car is very expensive. The 50,000 mile service cost around $3,500.

With respect to the RL vs. S600... they are two very different cars. The Acura wins in the newer technology category and handling. The S600 is just far more fun to drive... the sticker price on mine was $141K and unlike the other W140 models, the S600 is hand-built. We have owned three other W140s (CL500, S500, S320), and besides the W126 sedans, they were the best MB ever built. My wife would never let me trade it on a W220 or anything else because loves the car... so I added a few modifications over the years to spruce it up a bit. It has the Renntech ECU upgrade, Cat-back exhaust, and dual Carbon-fiber intakes. Last year it dynoed 403hp and 456 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels. It is a very fast car once you get past 60mph, a true autobahn cruiser.

Here is a picture:



Take care,
Abe

 

damn