New RL is here! Initial impressions:
06-07-2007, 08:22 PM
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New RL is here! Initial impressions:
Hello Acurazine Amigos-
My RL has arrived, here are some initial impressions that may help someone considering the vehicle or who already has the pleasure of owning one:
First, hats off to Price Jessup (AKA: “CL6”) from Marin Acura. I was looking for a great deal on a very specific vehicle and Price and the rest of the folks at Marin Acura exceeded my expectations. Price exhibited great knowledge of the vehicle and was honest and responsive throughout the buying process, including having the car shipped from California to my home in Austin, TX. I’m not one to make strong recommendations, but if anyone is interested in buying an Acura, I’d vouch for these guys any time.
About the vehicle… 2007 Platinum Frost Metallic / Ebony with Tech Package, splash guards, trunk tray and wheel locks. I’ll post purchase info on the owner sign in thread later, but essentially the car was about $42,500 plus shipping.
Why I bought it… as posted earlier, I considered the usual suspects when making the decision. The runners up included: Lexus GS (not crazy about the styling and seats too soft), Lexus LS (too much money for a car with high wind noise and seats too soft for me), BMW 5 & 7 series (swore off German cars after my 745 owner experience 2 years ago) and the Infiniti M45 (couldn’t get past the look). The RL was the most rational blend of styling, performance, toys and value. Like others on this board, I wish the styling were a little more distinctive and I wish she had 75 more horses. In the end, the RL was the best choice for me.
Initial impressions on…
Styling & comfort… this has to be said up front & I feel strongly enough about it to use all caps: Acura makes the BEST furniture in the business. I could read the paper with my morning coffee in the driver seat. The leather is soft, but the seats are perfectly firm and contoured. In my opinion, Lexus seats are way too much like a sofa & the BMW seats are a little lacking in contour & have cheap feeling leather. If anyone from Acura is reading this, please know that the seats are the #1 reason I bought this car. I also like the feel of the steering wheel in my hand, a wooden steering wheel has never been comfortable to me & that’s your only option with the Lexus LS.
My plan was to immediately upgrade the wheels to the 18” chrome factory wheels. After doing the math, I decided it was much more economical to take the car with the 17s & upgrade later. List price for the upgraded wheels/tires was $3,700 & you don’t even get the originals. It looked like I could get a nice set of custom 18s from your friendly neighborhood Acurazine sponsor or from an OEM wheel specialist, installed with tires for about $3,000 and still keep the originals, so I held off.
The car looks great, even with the stock wheels. I see very few RLs on the road here in Austin, TX, so it’s nice to have something somewhat unique. I must see 10 of the new Lexus LS460 for every RL on the street here.
Performance…
One of the big hang-ups I had about the RL was the lack of power in comparison to the 8 cylinder Lexus & BMW offerings. However, the car has really good pickup & accelerates nicely from mid-speeds to the passing lane. I’m not a terribly aggressive driver, so the punch that I’m missing from the other models won’t be missed very often. I will tell you that the LS460 I test drove was flat-out-fast and I don’t mean “wow, this is fast for a luxury sedan” fast, I mean legitimate sports car fast. Sorry, back to the RL> the RL is agile and responsive & a great balance of performance and every day driving comfort.
My new RL is absolutely free of rattles, squeaks, wind-noise or other irritants. I’m very picky about these things & couldn’t be happier with the RL’s fit & finish.
No report yet on first tank mileage, I’d guess it will be on the low side since it’s been all in-town driving & I’ve had it running several times to get it customized for me. The computer is guessing 18.5 MPG.
Toys…
I’m only about halfway through the manuals, so I can’t give full comments yet, but here are a few brief ones on:
Navigation: perfectly designed display & great speed & accuracy, haven’t gotten to voice activated anything yet. Anybody know how to bypass the ridiculous warning screen you must accept before turning on the Nav? Couldn't find another thread on that question, but I’m sure there’s a function in there somewhere that would allow me to focus on getting my car out of its parking spot, rather than “accepting” the disclaimer the forced into the car by too many frivolous lawsuits...
Bluetooth: Paired my Bluetooth phone with the car very quickly and works as advertised. People on the other end of a call say I sound like I’m on a speakerphone, which is not surprising, since, well... I am. As with other features of the car, the Bluetooth is well designed, displaying the incoming phone number and automagically muting the radio for me to consider if to answer. Sweet!
Locking / Unlocking: I was happy to be able to customize how the car handles this, if you’ve never read the manual or watched the DVD that comes with the car, I’d highly recommend it, since some of the factory default settings were not to my liking. Not sure yet if I’ll ditch the 10+ year habit of locking & unlocking my doors with the remote. It takes an extra second for the car to acknowledge me to unlock it & I’m not confident yet using the “bump” on the handle versus pushing the lock button on the remote. My kids think it’s cool, so that’s good for something, I guess. The range on the remote is better than any car I’ve ever had, it lets me unlock from 30 feet or so, then slip the key fob in my pocket & forget about it.
Sound system: Awesome sound, especially on the demo CD that comes with the car. XM sounds a little flat & cold to me compared to CD & FM, but I’m willing to accept that for the cool programming & plan on buying a subscription when my trial is up.
Backup camera: Nice. Comes on quickly, good view. I need to set up some cones or something to get a better gauge of how close to something I really am.
Home Link: Works great, seems to have about 50% more range than my last car.
In a word, I’d describe the car’s advanced technology as “smart”. Everything seems to have been designed well & functions well with a minimum of interaction from me.
Small gripes…
You knew there had to be a few, so here goes:
Headlight range of view: Read about this on another thread, I was very uncomfortable driving at speeds over about 30 MPH in the dark. The field of view is either beautifully illuminated or completely dark. I realize they can be adjusted, but am balancing this against blinding oncoming traffic.
No sunglass holder: The “not an ashtray” area under the center console works OK, but I like a dedicated spot for my shades.
No ventilated seats: Of course, I knew this going in, but I would have gladly forked over another couple of grand for this option. The manual references ventilated seats available in Canada, what gives with that? You wouldn’t think vented seats would be a popular feature in Canada, eh?
Transmission downshift: On a rather steep hill near my house, the car does a sudden downshift. It happens when I’m going up the hill at about 30 MPH & the car needs to shift from 3 to 2. Not a big deal, but for a transmission that shifts so effortlessly under other driving conditions, it’s mildly annoying.
Fixed vents: There must be a good reason that all cars don’t have the oscillating vent feature, but I can't imagine what it is. I first encountered this feature in 1992 in a friend’s Mazda 626, so it’s not exactly bleeding edge technology. When I first saw the feature, I remember remarking how every car would have that gizmo in 5 years, but it’s never happened. This is another feature that I would have paid extra for. I know the LS 430 had this, not sure about the new 460.
Anyhoo, just a few small gripes on an otherwise outstanding vehicle.
I hope this information provides some value to anyone reading it, I’d like to be able to give back to the Acurazine community. For what it’s worth, I may have gone another direction had I not found this website. A big thumbs up to everyone at Acura for producing such a fine automobile at a reasonable price point and thanks again to everyone here on the board that contributes their time & knowledge to help the group!
My RL has arrived, here are some initial impressions that may help someone considering the vehicle or who already has the pleasure of owning one:
First, hats off to Price Jessup (AKA: “CL6”) from Marin Acura. I was looking for a great deal on a very specific vehicle and Price and the rest of the folks at Marin Acura exceeded my expectations. Price exhibited great knowledge of the vehicle and was honest and responsive throughout the buying process, including having the car shipped from California to my home in Austin, TX. I’m not one to make strong recommendations, but if anyone is interested in buying an Acura, I’d vouch for these guys any time.
About the vehicle… 2007 Platinum Frost Metallic / Ebony with Tech Package, splash guards, trunk tray and wheel locks. I’ll post purchase info on the owner sign in thread later, but essentially the car was about $42,500 plus shipping.
Why I bought it… as posted earlier, I considered the usual suspects when making the decision. The runners up included: Lexus GS (not crazy about the styling and seats too soft), Lexus LS (too much money for a car with high wind noise and seats too soft for me), BMW 5 & 7 series (swore off German cars after my 745 owner experience 2 years ago) and the Infiniti M45 (couldn’t get past the look). The RL was the most rational blend of styling, performance, toys and value. Like others on this board, I wish the styling were a little more distinctive and I wish she had 75 more horses. In the end, the RL was the best choice for me.
Initial impressions on…
Styling & comfort… this has to be said up front & I feel strongly enough about it to use all caps: Acura makes the BEST furniture in the business. I could read the paper with my morning coffee in the driver seat. The leather is soft, but the seats are perfectly firm and contoured. In my opinion, Lexus seats are way too much like a sofa & the BMW seats are a little lacking in contour & have cheap feeling leather. If anyone from Acura is reading this, please know that the seats are the #1 reason I bought this car. I also like the feel of the steering wheel in my hand, a wooden steering wheel has never been comfortable to me & that’s your only option with the Lexus LS.
My plan was to immediately upgrade the wheels to the 18” chrome factory wheels. After doing the math, I decided it was much more economical to take the car with the 17s & upgrade later. List price for the upgraded wheels/tires was $3,700 & you don’t even get the originals. It looked like I could get a nice set of custom 18s from your friendly neighborhood Acurazine sponsor or from an OEM wheel specialist, installed with tires for about $3,000 and still keep the originals, so I held off.
The car looks great, even with the stock wheels. I see very few RLs on the road here in Austin, TX, so it’s nice to have something somewhat unique. I must see 10 of the new Lexus LS460 for every RL on the street here.
Performance…
One of the big hang-ups I had about the RL was the lack of power in comparison to the 8 cylinder Lexus & BMW offerings. However, the car has really good pickup & accelerates nicely from mid-speeds to the passing lane. I’m not a terribly aggressive driver, so the punch that I’m missing from the other models won’t be missed very often. I will tell you that the LS460 I test drove was flat-out-fast and I don’t mean “wow, this is fast for a luxury sedan” fast, I mean legitimate sports car fast. Sorry, back to the RL> the RL is agile and responsive & a great balance of performance and every day driving comfort.
My new RL is absolutely free of rattles, squeaks, wind-noise or other irritants. I’m very picky about these things & couldn’t be happier with the RL’s fit & finish.
No report yet on first tank mileage, I’d guess it will be on the low side since it’s been all in-town driving & I’ve had it running several times to get it customized for me. The computer is guessing 18.5 MPG.
Toys…
I’m only about halfway through the manuals, so I can’t give full comments yet, but here are a few brief ones on:
Navigation: perfectly designed display & great speed & accuracy, haven’t gotten to voice activated anything yet. Anybody know how to bypass the ridiculous warning screen you must accept before turning on the Nav? Couldn't find another thread on that question, but I’m sure there’s a function in there somewhere that would allow me to focus on getting my car out of its parking spot, rather than “accepting” the disclaimer the forced into the car by too many frivolous lawsuits...
Bluetooth: Paired my Bluetooth phone with the car very quickly and works as advertised. People on the other end of a call say I sound like I’m on a speakerphone, which is not surprising, since, well... I am. As with other features of the car, the Bluetooth is well designed, displaying the incoming phone number and automagically muting the radio for me to consider if to answer. Sweet!
Locking / Unlocking: I was happy to be able to customize how the car handles this, if you’ve never read the manual or watched the DVD that comes with the car, I’d highly recommend it, since some of the factory default settings were not to my liking. Not sure yet if I’ll ditch the 10+ year habit of locking & unlocking my doors with the remote. It takes an extra second for the car to acknowledge me to unlock it & I’m not confident yet using the “bump” on the handle versus pushing the lock button on the remote. My kids think it’s cool, so that’s good for something, I guess. The range on the remote is better than any car I’ve ever had, it lets me unlock from 30 feet or so, then slip the key fob in my pocket & forget about it.
Sound system: Awesome sound, especially on the demo CD that comes with the car. XM sounds a little flat & cold to me compared to CD & FM, but I’m willing to accept that for the cool programming & plan on buying a subscription when my trial is up.
Backup camera: Nice. Comes on quickly, good view. I need to set up some cones or something to get a better gauge of how close to something I really am.
Home Link: Works great, seems to have about 50% more range than my last car.
In a word, I’d describe the car’s advanced technology as “smart”. Everything seems to have been designed well & functions well with a minimum of interaction from me.
Small gripes…
You knew there had to be a few, so here goes:
Headlight range of view: Read about this on another thread, I was very uncomfortable driving at speeds over about 30 MPH in the dark. The field of view is either beautifully illuminated or completely dark. I realize they can be adjusted, but am balancing this against blinding oncoming traffic.
No sunglass holder: The “not an ashtray” area under the center console works OK, but I like a dedicated spot for my shades.
No ventilated seats: Of course, I knew this going in, but I would have gladly forked over another couple of grand for this option. The manual references ventilated seats available in Canada, what gives with that? You wouldn’t think vented seats would be a popular feature in Canada, eh?
Transmission downshift: On a rather steep hill near my house, the car does a sudden downshift. It happens when I’m going up the hill at about 30 MPH & the car needs to shift from 3 to 2. Not a big deal, but for a transmission that shifts so effortlessly under other driving conditions, it’s mildly annoying.
Fixed vents: There must be a good reason that all cars don’t have the oscillating vent feature, but I can't imagine what it is. I first encountered this feature in 1992 in a friend’s Mazda 626, so it’s not exactly bleeding edge technology. When I first saw the feature, I remember remarking how every car would have that gizmo in 5 years, but it’s never happened. This is another feature that I would have paid extra for. I know the LS 430 had this, not sure about the new 460.
Anyhoo, just a few small gripes on an otherwise outstanding vehicle.
I hope this information provides some value to anyone reading it, I’d like to be able to give back to the Acurazine community. For what it’s worth, I may have gone another direction had I not found this website. A big thumbs up to everyone at Acura for producing such a fine automobile at a reasonable price point and thanks again to everyone here on the board that contributes their time & knowledge to help the group!
06-07-2007, 09:13 PM
#2
AcurAdmirer
Glad you're liking your new RL.
(And I'm equally glad it doesn't have those infernal oscillating vents. I want the air going where I want it to go, not blowing in my face when I least expect it. Goes to show it takes all kinds.
)
.
.
(And I'm equally glad it doesn't have those infernal oscillating vents. I want the air going where I want it to go, not blowing in my face when I least expect it. Goes to show it takes all kinds.
).
.
06-07-2007, 09:26 PM
#3
CLS 6MT Navi
Sounds great, enjoy your new ride. Glad you got the combo you wanted. Can't believe the local dealers couldn't get you your car.
I think cooled seats is a major omission, esp since they do offer it in other markets, very lame. I would not want oscillating vents unless you can turn them off. I didn't know the RL doesn't have a sunglass holder. hmm.
I think cooled seats is a major omission, esp since they do offer it in other markets, very lame. I would not want oscillating vents unless you can turn them off. I didn't know the RL doesn't have a sunglass holder. hmm.
06-07-2007, 09:31 PM
#4
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Originally Posted by 123456SPEED
Sounds great, enjoy your new ride. Glad you got the combo you wanted. Can't believe the local dealers couldn't get you your car.
I think cooled seats is a major omission, esp since they do offer it in other markets, very lame. I would not want oscillating vents unless you can turn them off. I didn't know the RL doesn't have a sunglass holder. hmm.
I think cooled seats is a major omission, esp since they do offer it in other markets, very lame. I would not want oscillating vents unless you can turn them off. I didn't know the RL doesn't have a sunglass holder. hmm.
Congrats on the new car.
I also agree with both of those I think the RL should have cooled seats and my uncles LS 430 has the vents that move and I dont like it at all.
06-07-2007, 09:56 PM
#5
Torch & Pitchfork Posse
Congrats!
Either we have brain washed you or you share the common mind out here. Good initial review. Follow up after a few months as this car grows on you in ways others cannot.
A few notes. I have an 06 and my backup cam was dealer added. It may work a little different, but I do not have to accept the Navi Nag before the backup cam engages. At times it is a bit slow to engage. I do tend to back into parking spaces and my garage, so I rarely notice.
The tranny has learn logic. It takes a few weeks of your driving habits to adjust. As it does there was an occaisional clumsy shift. It either dissapated of I no longer notice.
The RL is tuned in a manner where it does not feel as fast as it is. Granted there are faster in the class, but tuned to announce the speed. The RL speed seems stealth tuned. After driving the MDX, which felt slow, the RL feels quick and agile.
I use the top tray of the center console armrest bin for the sunglasses.
And good job CL6 on the sales arrangements!
Enjoy the ride.
Either we have brain washed you or you share the common mind out here. Good initial review. Follow up after a few months as this car grows on you in ways others cannot.
A few notes. I have an 06 and my backup cam was dealer added. It may work a little different, but I do not have to accept the Navi Nag before the backup cam engages. At times it is a bit slow to engage. I do tend to back into parking spaces and my garage, so I rarely notice.
The tranny has learn logic. It takes a few weeks of your driving habits to adjust. As it does there was an occaisional clumsy shift. It either dissapated of I no longer notice.
The RL is tuned in a manner where it does not feel as fast as it is. Granted there are faster in the class, but tuned to announce the speed. The RL speed seems stealth tuned. After driving the MDX, which felt slow, the RL feels quick and agile.
I use the top tray of the center console armrest bin for the sunglasses.
And good job CL6 on the sales arrangements!
Enjoy the ride.
06-07-2007, 11:54 PM
#6
Proboscis-free zone
Congrats to you on a fine choice and a good deal. Let us know how the car grows on you...or not. Many of us here were infatuated right off the bat, then grew gradually to really love the RL/Legend as we got better acquainted. Agree with your assessment except that I wouldn't want oscillating vents. Smart choice to upgrade the wheels and tires later. I'm glad I have CMBS yet wish I could get those A-spec or RonJon wheels.
06-08-2007, 06:26 AM
#7
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Nice write-up/review and welcome to the fold. Each day I am assured of my decision to purchase the RL. And, I just saw a new M45 on the road tonight - what was Infiniti thinking? It looks like one of the eagle cars from the '80s.
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06-08-2007, 07:55 AM
#8
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Originally Posted by Mike_TX
Glad you're liking your new RL.
(And I'm equally glad it doesn't have those infernal oscillating vents. I want the air going where I want it to go, not blowing in my face when I least expect it. Goes to show it takes all kinds. )
.
.
(And I'm equally glad it doesn't have those infernal oscillating vents. I want the air going where I want it to go, not blowing in my face when I least expect it. Goes to show it takes all kinds.
).
.
I agree that more cars should have these. I love them in the LS430.
06-08-2007, 09:22 AM
#10
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Originally Posted by jswearingen
About the vehicle… 2007 Platinum Frost Metallic / Ebony with Tech Package, splash guards, trunk tray and wheel locks. I’ll post purchase info on the owner sign in thread later, but essentially the car was about $42,500 plus shipping.
06-08-2007, 10:23 AM
#11
Originally Posted by jswearingen
Hello Acurazine Amigos-
My RL has arrived, here are some initial impressions that may help someone considering the vehicle or who already has the pleasure of owning one:
First, hats off to Price Jessup (AKA: “CL6”) from Marin Acura. I was looking for a great deal on a very specific vehicle and Price and the rest of the folks at Marin Acura exceeded my expectations. Price exhibited great knowledge of the vehicle and was honest and responsive throughout the buying process, including having the car shipped from California to my home in Austin, TX. I’m not one to make strong recommendations, but if anyone is interested in buying an Acura, I’d vouch for these guys any time.
About the vehicle… 2007 Platinum Frost Metallic / Ebony with Tech Package, splash guards, trunk tray and wheel locks. I’ll post purchase info on the owner sign in thread later, but essentially the car was about $42,500 plus shipping.
Why I bought it… as posted earlier, I considered the usual suspects when making the decision. The runners up included: Lexus GS (not crazy about the styling and seats too soft), Lexus LS (too much money for a car with high wind noise and seats too soft for me), BMW 5 & 7 series (swore off German cars after my 745 owner experience 2 years ago) and the Infiniti M45 (couldn’t get past the look). The RL was the most rational blend of styling, performance, toys and value. Like others on this board, I wish the styling were a little more distinctive and I wish she had 75 more horses. In the end, the RL was the best choice for me.
Initial impressions on…
Styling & comfort… this has to be said up front & I feel strongly enough about it to use all caps: Acura makes the BEST furniture in the business. I could read the paper with my morning coffee in the driver seat. The leather is soft, but the seats are perfectly firm and contoured. In my opinion, Lexus seats are way too much like a sofa & the BMW seats are a little lacking in contour & have cheap feeling leather. If anyone from Acura is reading this, please know that the seats are the #1 reason I bought this car. I also like the feel of the steering wheel in my hand, a wooden steering wheel has never been comfortable to me & that’s your only option with the Lexus LS.
My plan was to immediately upgrade the wheels to the 18” chrome factory wheels. After doing the math, I decided it was much more economical to take the car with the 17s & upgrade later. List price for the upgraded wheels/tires was $3,700 & you don’t even get the originals. It looked like I could get a nice set of custom 18s from your friendly neighborhood Acurazine sponsor or from an OEM wheel specialist, installed with tires for about $3,000 and still keep the originals, so I held off.
The car looks great, even with the stock wheels. I see very few RLs on the road here in Austin, TX, so it’s nice to have something somewhat unique. I must see 10 of the new Lexus LS460 for every RL on the street here.
Performance…
One of the big hang-ups I had about the RL was the lack of power in comparison to the 8 cylinder Lexus & BMW offerings. However, the car has really good pickup & accelerates nicely from mid-speeds to the passing lane. I’m not a terribly aggressive driver, so the punch that I’m missing from the other models won’t be missed very often. I will tell you that the LS460 I test drove was flat-out-fast and I don’t mean “wow, this is fast for a luxury sedan” fast, I mean legitimate sports car fast. Sorry, back to the RL> the RL is agile and responsive & a great balance of performance and every day driving comfort.
My new RL is absolutely free of rattles, squeaks, wind-noise or other irritants. I’m very picky about these things & couldn’t be happier with the RL’s fit & finish.
No report yet on first tank mileage, I’d guess it will be on the low side since it’s been all in-town driving & I’ve had it running several times to get it customized for me. The computer is guessing 18.5 MPG.
Toys…
I’m only about halfway through the manuals, so I can’t give full comments yet, but here are a few brief ones on:
Navigation: perfectly designed display & great speed & accuracy, haven’t gotten to voice activated anything yet. Anybody know how to bypass the ridiculous warning screen you must accept before turning on the Nav? Couldn't find another thread on that question, but I’m sure there’s a function in there somewhere that would allow me to focus on getting my car out of its parking spot, rather than “accepting” the disclaimer the forced into the car by too many frivolous lawsuits...
Bluetooth: Paired my Bluetooth phone with the car very quickly and works as advertised. People on the other end of a call say I sound like I’m on a speakerphone, which is not surprising, since, well... I am. As with other features of the car, the Bluetooth is well designed, displaying the incoming phone number and automagically muting the radio for me to consider if to answer. Sweet!
Locking / Unlocking: I was happy to be able to customize how the car handles this, if you’ve never read the manual or watched the DVD that comes with the car, I’d highly recommend it, since some of the factory default settings were not to my liking. Not sure yet if I’ll ditch the 10+ year habit of locking & unlocking my doors with the remote. It takes an extra second for the car to acknowledge me to unlock it & I’m not confident yet using the “bump” on the handle versus pushing the lock button on the remote. My kids think it’s cool, so that’s good for something, I guess. The range on the remote is better than any car I’ve ever had, it lets me unlock from 30 feet or so, then slip the key fob in my pocket & forget about it.
Sound system: Awesome sound, especially on the demo CD that comes with the car. XM sounds a little flat & cold to me compared to CD & FM, but I’m willing to accept that for the cool programming & plan on buying a subscription when my trial is up.
Backup camera: Nice. Comes on quickly, good view. I need to set up some cones or something to get a better gauge of how close to something I really am.
Home Link: Works great, seems to have about 50% more range than my last car.
In a word, I’d describe the car’s advanced technology as “smart”. Everything seems to have been designed well & functions well with a minimum of interaction from me.
Small gripes…
You knew there had to be a few, so here goes:
Headlight range of view: Read about this on another thread, I was very uncomfortable driving at speeds over about 30 MPH in the dark. The field of view is either beautifully illuminated or completely dark. I realize they can be adjusted, but am balancing this against blinding oncoming traffic.
No sunglass holder: The “not an ashtray” area under the center console works OK, but I like a dedicated spot for my shades.
No ventilated seats: Of course, I knew this going in, but I would have gladly forked over another couple of grand for this option. The manual references ventilated seats available in Canada, what gives with that? You wouldn’t think vented seats would be a popular feature in Canada, eh?
Transmission downshift: On a rather steep hill near my house, the car does a sudden downshift. It happens when I’m going up the hill at about 30 MPH & the car needs to shift from 3 to 2. Not a big deal, but for a transmission that shifts so effortlessly under other driving conditions, it’s mildly annoying.
Fixed vents: There must be a good reason that all cars don’t have the oscillating vent feature, but I can't imagine what it is. I first encountered this feature in 1992 in a friend’s Mazda 626, so it’s not exactly bleeding edge technology. When I first saw the feature, I remember remarking how every car would have that gizmo in 5 years, but it’s never happened. This is another feature that I would have paid extra for. I know the LS 430 had this, not sure about the new 460.
Anyhoo, just a few small gripes on an otherwise outstanding vehicle.
I hope this information provides some value to anyone reading it, I’d like to be able to give back to the Acurazine community. For what it’s worth, I may have gone another direction had I not found this website. A big thumbs up to everyone at Acura for producing such a fine automobile at a reasonable price point and thanks again to everyone here on the board that contributes their time & knowledge to help the group!
My RL has arrived, here are some initial impressions that may help someone considering the vehicle or who already has the pleasure of owning one:
First, hats off to Price Jessup (AKA: “CL6”) from Marin Acura. I was looking for a great deal on a very specific vehicle and Price and the rest of the folks at Marin Acura exceeded my expectations. Price exhibited great knowledge of the vehicle and was honest and responsive throughout the buying process, including having the car shipped from California to my home in Austin, TX. I’m not one to make strong recommendations, but if anyone is interested in buying an Acura, I’d vouch for these guys any time.
About the vehicle… 2007 Platinum Frost Metallic / Ebony with Tech Package, splash guards, trunk tray and wheel locks. I’ll post purchase info on the owner sign in thread later, but essentially the car was about $42,500 plus shipping.
Why I bought it… as posted earlier, I considered the usual suspects when making the decision. The runners up included: Lexus GS (not crazy about the styling and seats too soft), Lexus LS (too much money for a car with high wind noise and seats too soft for me), BMW 5 & 7 series (swore off German cars after my 745 owner experience 2 years ago) and the Infiniti M45 (couldn’t get past the look). The RL was the most rational blend of styling, performance, toys and value. Like others on this board, I wish the styling were a little more distinctive and I wish she had 75 more horses. In the end, the RL was the best choice for me.
Initial impressions on…
Styling & comfort… this has to be said up front & I feel strongly enough about it to use all caps: Acura makes the BEST furniture in the business. I could read the paper with my morning coffee in the driver seat. The leather is soft, but the seats are perfectly firm and contoured. In my opinion, Lexus seats are way too much like a sofa & the BMW seats are a little lacking in contour & have cheap feeling leather. If anyone from Acura is reading this, please know that the seats are the #1 reason I bought this car. I also like the feel of the steering wheel in my hand, a wooden steering wheel has never been comfortable to me & that’s your only option with the Lexus LS.
My plan was to immediately upgrade the wheels to the 18” chrome factory wheels. After doing the math, I decided it was much more economical to take the car with the 17s & upgrade later. List price for the upgraded wheels/tires was $3,700 & you don’t even get the originals. It looked like I could get a nice set of custom 18s from your friendly neighborhood Acurazine sponsor or from an OEM wheel specialist, installed with tires for about $3,000 and still keep the originals, so I held off.
The car looks great, even with the stock wheels. I see very few RLs on the road here in Austin, TX, so it’s nice to have something somewhat unique. I must see 10 of the new Lexus LS460 for every RL on the street here.
Performance…
One of the big hang-ups I had about the RL was the lack of power in comparison to the 8 cylinder Lexus & BMW offerings. However, the car has really good pickup & accelerates nicely from mid-speeds to the passing lane. I’m not a terribly aggressive driver, so the punch that I’m missing from the other models won’t be missed very often. I will tell you that the LS460 I test drove was flat-out-fast and I don’t mean “wow, this is fast for a luxury sedan” fast, I mean legitimate sports car fast. Sorry, back to the RL> the RL is agile and responsive & a great balance of performance and every day driving comfort.
My new RL is absolutely free of rattles, squeaks, wind-noise or other irritants. I’m very picky about these things & couldn’t be happier with the RL’s fit & finish.
No report yet on first tank mileage, I’d guess it will be on the low side since it’s been all in-town driving & I’ve had it running several times to get it customized for me. The computer is guessing 18.5 MPG.
Toys…
I’m only about halfway through the manuals, so I can’t give full comments yet, but here are a few brief ones on:
Navigation: perfectly designed display & great speed & accuracy, haven’t gotten to voice activated anything yet. Anybody know how to bypass the ridiculous warning screen you must accept before turning on the Nav? Couldn't find another thread on that question, but I’m sure there’s a function in there somewhere that would allow me to focus on getting my car out of its parking spot, rather than “accepting” the disclaimer the forced into the car by too many frivolous lawsuits...
Bluetooth: Paired my Bluetooth phone with the car very quickly and works as advertised. People on the other end of a call say I sound like I’m on a speakerphone, which is not surprising, since, well... I am. As with other features of the car, the Bluetooth is well designed, displaying the incoming phone number and automagically muting the radio for me to consider if to answer. Sweet!
Locking / Unlocking: I was happy to be able to customize how the car handles this, if you’ve never read the manual or watched the DVD that comes with the car, I’d highly recommend it, since some of the factory default settings were not to my liking. Not sure yet if I’ll ditch the 10+ year habit of locking & unlocking my doors with the remote. It takes an extra second for the car to acknowledge me to unlock it & I’m not confident yet using the “bump” on the handle versus pushing the lock button on the remote. My kids think it’s cool, so that’s good for something, I guess. The range on the remote is better than any car I’ve ever had, it lets me unlock from 30 feet or so, then slip the key fob in my pocket & forget about it.
Sound system: Awesome sound, especially on the demo CD that comes with the car. XM sounds a little flat & cold to me compared to CD & FM, but I’m willing to accept that for the cool programming & plan on buying a subscription when my trial is up.
Backup camera: Nice. Comes on quickly, good view. I need to set up some cones or something to get a better gauge of how close to something I really am.
Home Link: Works great, seems to have about 50% more range than my last car.
In a word, I’d describe the car’s advanced technology as “smart”. Everything seems to have been designed well & functions well with a minimum of interaction from me.
Small gripes…
You knew there had to be a few, so here goes:
Headlight range of view: Read about this on another thread, I was very uncomfortable driving at speeds over about 30 MPH in the dark. The field of view is either beautifully illuminated or completely dark. I realize they can be adjusted, but am balancing this against blinding oncoming traffic.
No sunglass holder: The “not an ashtray” area under the center console works OK, but I like a dedicated spot for my shades.
No ventilated seats: Of course, I knew this going in, but I would have gladly forked over another couple of grand for this option. The manual references ventilated seats available in Canada, what gives with that? You wouldn’t think vented seats would be a popular feature in Canada, eh?
Transmission downshift: On a rather steep hill near my house, the car does a sudden downshift. It happens when I’m going up the hill at about 30 MPH & the car needs to shift from 3 to 2. Not a big deal, but for a transmission that shifts so effortlessly under other driving conditions, it’s mildly annoying.
Fixed vents: There must be a good reason that all cars don’t have the oscillating vent feature, but I can't imagine what it is. I first encountered this feature in 1992 in a friend’s Mazda 626, so it’s not exactly bleeding edge technology. When I first saw the feature, I remember remarking how every car would have that gizmo in 5 years, but it’s never happened. This is another feature that I would have paid extra for. I know the LS 430 had this, not sure about the new 460.
Anyhoo, just a few small gripes on an otherwise outstanding vehicle.
I hope this information provides some value to anyone reading it, I’d like to be able to give back to the Acurazine community. For what it’s worth, I may have gone another direction had I not found this website. A big thumbs up to everyone at Acura for producing such a fine automobile at a reasonable price point and thanks again to everyone here on the board that contributes their time & knowledge to help the group!
If you want to get excellent down low acceleration, give it a little torque braking, just slightly, you will be surprised how that technique easily drops .5 seconds to 60 and the quarter mile. The drive by wire is setup for a stately rather than abrupt hole shot, slight torque braking completely eliminates those cobwebs.
One point about the radio, don't forget to play with the surround setting. As you probably know by now the audio can do surround from regular CD's for some recordings that can be a startling improvement .
Congrats and enjoy!
06-08-2007, 11:03 AM
#12
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Thanks, everyone. Glad to be an official member.
Funny that oscillating vents would be such a hot topic! Of course, I'd like to have the ability to leave them in a fixed position too, that's how they are on the Lexus, I believe. When it's 105 in Texas the cold air blasting on one spot makes me adjust the vents manually to avoid sunburn and frostbite on the same arm. Somehow, I'll manage without 8^)
Yes, my backup camera works without accepting the disclaimer. I had read on another non-Acura board how to bypass it with some code, but guess there isn't a publicly known one for the RL.
Maybe the transmission is learning already, the downshift hasn't happened the last couple of times up my hill...
I will report back after more time behind the wheel. It was the Mike_TX posting about how the car grows on you that put me over the top, so I hope we share that opinion, despite our obvious and violent disagreement on the oscillating vent hot-topic 8^)
Funny that oscillating vents would be such a hot topic! Of course, I'd like to have the ability to leave them in a fixed position too, that's how they are on the Lexus, I believe. When it's 105 in Texas the cold air blasting on one spot makes me adjust the vents manually to avoid sunburn and frostbite on the same arm. Somehow, I'll manage without 8^)
Yes, my backup camera works without accepting the disclaimer. I had read on another non-Acura board how to bypass it with some code, but guess there isn't a publicly known one for the RL.
Maybe the transmission is learning already, the downshift hasn't happened the last couple of times up my hill...
I will report back after more time behind the wheel. It was the Mike_TX posting about how the car grows on you that put me over the top, so I hope we share that opinion, despite our obvious and violent disagreement on the oscillating vent hot-topic 8^)
06-08-2007, 11:42 AM
#13
Asian07RL
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Originally Posted by calvin_hobbes
WOW!!! thats a steal!!!! Being that CL6's marin acura is in CA, and you are in TX, i would assume that you actually physically never saw the RL until after the purchase? I have been thinking about trading my 05 for an 07 (primarily because of backup camera -- much needed for wife)... perhaps i could speak with them as well?
If back up camera is primary for you to trade in 05 for 07, why not add camera to 05 and that is cheaper than trade in for a new one 07
06-08-2007, 11:55 AM
#14
Three Wheelin'
I agree on the ventilated seats. By the way, the sunglass holder is under your right elbow in the arm rest.
06-08-2007, 12:30 PM
#15
My CL-S had a sunglasses holder in the roof compartment behind the map lights . . It worked well but in the summer, my glasses would get too hot to even wear. . . .
they fit well now in the center arm rest.
they fit well now in the center arm rest.
06-08-2007, 12:46 PM
#16
Burning Brakes
Originally Posted by AsianTL
.
If back up camera is primary for you to trade in 05 for 07, why not add camera to 05 and that is cheaper than trade in for a new one 07
If back up camera is primary for you to trade in 05 for 07, why not add camera to 05 and that is cheaper than trade in for a new one 07
06-08-2007, 12:55 PM
#17
AcurAdmirer
Originally Posted by jswearingen
It was the Mike_TX posting about how the car grows on you that put me over the top, so I hope we share that opinion, despite our obvious and violent disagreement on the oscillating vent hot-topic 8^)
A friend who was anguishing over buying an M-B GL450 a couple of weeks ago credits me for tipping him over the edge, too. The automobile industry owes me a lot ...
.
.
06-08-2007, 02:10 PM
#18
Senior Moderator
Congrats on the new RL. Been away from the board the last couple of days, so I missed this.
Have fun with it! And let the modding begin. You realize those wheels are only the beginning....
Have fun with it! And let the modding begin. You realize those wheels are only the beginning....
06-08-2007, 03:14 PM
#20
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Great comments!
I tried using the center console for the shades a couple of times, but wound up with the passenger's arm on top of it, I wanted one in the ceiling, but will just need to adapt.
And yes, I bought the car sight unseen. Price was kind enough to send me some pictures of the car while we were waiting for the transport company. He also send me a picture of the car being loaded on the truck! Contrast that with the local dealer who took my deposit and promised me for 3 weeks that it was "on the way", wouldn't tell me who the trucking company was and later admitted that they weren't even sure when it would be picked up (3 weeks later).
RL06tech, Re: torque braking... without going too far off topic, can you give me a layman's description of how to go faster from 0-60?
Ceiling fans: nice compromise!!!
Thanks everyone!
I tried using the center console for the shades a couple of times, but wound up with the passenger's arm on top of it, I wanted one in the ceiling, but will just need to adapt.
And yes, I bought the car sight unseen. Price was kind enough to send me some pictures of the car while we were waiting for the transport company. He also send me a picture of the car being loaded on the truck! Contrast that with the local dealer who took my deposit and promised me for 3 weeks that it was "on the way", wouldn't tell me who the trucking company was and later admitted that they weren't even sure when it would be picked up (3 weeks later).
RL06tech, Re: torque braking... without going too far off topic, can you give me a layman's description of how to go faster from 0-60?
Ceiling fans: nice compromise!!!
Thanks everyone!
06-08-2007, 04:44 PM
#21
My only car is a Bus
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Jeff,
Glad you are enjoying the car so much. Torque braking is basically where you put the car into Drive, step on the gas and the brake then let go of the brake pedal. It's a little tough on the brake pads but if you don't do it all the time it should be okay.
I wish everybody I dealt with was as nice and helpful as Jeff is. I felt like I did the easy part. Buying a car sight unseen from 1,500 miles away... that sounds like the tough part! Thank you for the trust you placed in me.
Glad you are enjoying the car so much. Torque braking is basically where you put the car into Drive, step on the gas and the brake then let go of the brake pedal. It's a little tough on the brake pads but if you don't do it all the time it should be okay.
I wish everybody I dealt with was as nice and helpful as Jeff is. I felt like I did the easy part. Buying a car sight unseen from 1,500 miles away... that sounds like the tough part! Thank you for the trust you placed in me.
06-08-2007, 04:46 PM
#22
CLS 6MT Navi
I guess oscillation could be helpful sometimes, but with the TX heat I want AC on me directly til I turn it down! (and we're in the same town).
so which Acura dealer here do you think is worse for sales, service? I think it's a tossup. (I sound bitter...or jaded)
so which Acura dealer here do you think is worse for sales, service? I think it's a tossup. (I sound bitter...or jaded)
06-09-2007, 01:03 PM
#23
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Local dealers were both disappointing for sales, but I realize that I was offering a low price for the car, so I'll cut them some slack. We bought my wife's MDX at the McDavid Acura on 183 & had a great experience with them. Of course, it was a time when you paid sticker for the car & waited until they called you to pick it up. I've also had an NSX (no longer with me) serviced there & had good luck. I don't think we had a single warranty issue on her MDX, so I can't rate them for service on that. I know some people buy for the dealer, but we really bought for the vehicles.
06-09-2007, 03:10 PM
#24
CLS 6MT Navi
I test drove 2 used RLs today in Austin. $39k for an 06 w/ 11k mi, Aspec rims, and camera. The used car mgr (non-Acura) tried to tell me a similar new RL would be $55k! I told him new 07s can go for low $40s, but I don't think they believed me.
I drove an 05 RL too, asking $36k w/31k mi.
I notice the tail pipes are always very sooty and black. Why is that?
I guess I'll wait a while. I know the 08s come out in July? I'm not in a big hurry.
I drove an 05 RL too, asking $36k w/31k mi.
I notice the tail pipes are always very sooty and black. Why is that?
I guess I'll wait a while. I know the 08s come out in July? I'm not in a big hurry.
06-12-2007, 11:47 AM
#27
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by 123456SPEED
I test drove 2 used RLs today in Austin. $39k for an 06 w/ 11k mi, Aspec rims, and camera. The used car mgr (non-Acura) tried to tell me a similar new RL would be $55k! I told him new 07s can go for low $40s, but I don't think they believed me.
I drove an 05 RL too, asking $36k w/31k mi.
I notice the tail pipes are always very sooty and black. Why is that?
I guess I'll wait a while. I know the 08s come out in July? I'm not in a big hurry.
I drove an 05 RL too, asking $36k w/31k mi.
I notice the tail pipes are always very sooty and black. Why is that?
I guess I'll wait a while. I know the 08s come out in July? I'm not in a big hurry.
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