Official neuronbob™ RL review-LONG
12-26-2006, 07:21 AM
#1
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Official neuronbob™ RL review-LONG
Grab a beer or a lemonade, this is a LONG review.
I have had my RL now for over three months and just over 4000 miles. I must say, I thought I would miss my TL more than I do. My A-Spec-ized RL gives me both ride comfort and sport when I need it. I have finally put together a review worthy of Acurazine that, as my previous ones have, outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the car. It’s taken me three months to write this review because of the complexity of this car and my experience driving it. You will read many comparisons to the TL because that is what I moved up from.
Purchase experience
I purchased from Motorcars Acura in Bedford, Ohio. This was my third Acura from the dealership. I test drove at Motorcars twice, and my experience is documented elsewhere on the board. I shopped differently this time in that I used the Internet. I used Edmunds’ and CarsDirect to solicit quotes in mid-September. As it turns out, Motorcars gave the best quote of the bunch, and I set up a deal. Took less than ten minutes to negotiate the whole deal. All I had to do after that was to walk out to the lot to pick out the car. Easy as pie! I’ll use the ‘net to shop next time, too.
Exterior styling
My car, stock:
I’ve said before how much I like the classy, stately styling of the RL. It is basically a bulging, muscular version of the 2G TL. It would have made a worthy successor to the 2G TL if Acura hadn’t decided on the boy-racer, BMW-inspired look of the 3G TL (which I also like). I would prefer a cleaner grille like that found on the RL and TSX; it would also add to the corporate identity. The rounded rear trunk edge is the only other design detail I don’t fully appreciate. Otherwise, I am totally in love with the styling of the car. I don’t think the styling is boring at all and it looks nothing like an Accord in real life. I can spend minutes just looking out my window at work at the car, especially from the rear ¾ view. The stock wheels are OK, but the ebony chrome 18” wheels are much more stylish and the color sets off the silver. Speaking of the silver, I have trouble figuring out the color. In certain light, it looks like desert mist metallic (e.g. tan) but also has a silverish color that is not too bright or metallic. Note: my first choice was meteor silver but the meteor silver/ebony car on the lot was already spoken for. (Lucky bastage.)
Final product after A-Spec rims and tinting
Interior
Overall, the interior is much more refined than in the TL in that the materials are clearly higher quality—less plasticky and more soft textures. The Maplewood sash across the dash, and the plood door inserts, are well-placed and appear very tasteful.
Cabin is quiet except for 1) a low-frequency (boomy), low-dB noise when I accelerate the car, then let go of the accelerator. I think it’s probably the active noise cancellation system. 2) Lots of high-pitched tire noise with both stock and aftermarket tires. I live with it and just turn up the radio. Next time, I’m going with Pirelli Nero Zero M+S, which are judged by many here to be quiet enough for the RL.
Leather is much better quality than in the TL. So far, none of the buttprints that plagued my TL. Doesn’t seem to wrinkle much at this point.
The center stack has lots of small, chiclet-type buttons that wouldn’t work well for fat American fingers (not mine ? ). However, it took me less than an hour to sort out the more important buttons so that I can reach for them without looking. The TL has the RL beat in this area—one advantage of American involvement in the TL.
The cupholder setup is complicated, but I appreciate the variety of cup sizes I can hold in the RL. With the middle section flipped down, I can even carry a standard-sized coffee mug if the handle is turned inward. With it flipped up, I can carry a mega-sized drink from McDonald’s.
One thing I miss is having a sunglasses compartment. In my 2G TL, I had one overhead. In the 3G TL, the driver’s side door panel had an area that was rubberized and clearly meant for sunglasses. No such place in the RL—I keep the sunglasses in their case for protection and place them in the door panel.
The center storage compartment is too small for CDs ? Too bad MusicLink doesn’t work right!
Does the location of the parking brake bother anyone? I have to slide my left foot under it to place it on the dead pedal. With thick winter shoes/boots, this is more difficult. I would love to have the parking brake on the center console, just like on my TL.
Trunk Storage
I keep complaining that the trunk is “teeny-tiny”. However, its 13.1 cubic feet is more than in the Lexus GS series (12.7), just below that in the BMW 5-series (14), and significantly below the M35x (14.9), so it’s actually competitive for cars in its class. Even so, I find myself having to put groceries in the back seat when I didn’t have to do that in my TL. I think that shelf in the front of the trunk simply takes away useful room, and the location of the DVD player in the left roof of the trunk robs a good cubic foot, if not more. The cargo net is difficult to install, so I jerry-rigged a solution: Instead of taking the trunk lining apart to put in the proper hooks for the net, as required in the installation instructions, I just used the hooks in the side walls of the trunk. I can post a picture if requested.
The manual rear side window and power rear window shades are a nice touch for this car fitted with so many standard “options”.
Part 2 below....
I have had my RL now for over three months and just over 4000 miles. I must say, I thought I would miss my TL more than I do. My A-Spec-ized RL gives me both ride comfort and sport when I need it. I have finally put together a review worthy of Acurazine that, as my previous ones have, outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the car. It’s taken me three months to write this review because of the complexity of this car and my experience driving it. You will read many comparisons to the TL because that is what I moved up from.
Purchase experience
I purchased from Motorcars Acura in Bedford, Ohio. This was my third Acura from the dealership. I test drove at Motorcars twice, and my experience is documented elsewhere on the board. I shopped differently this time in that I used the Internet. I used Edmunds’ and CarsDirect to solicit quotes in mid-September. As it turns out, Motorcars gave the best quote of the bunch, and I set up a deal. Took less than ten minutes to negotiate the whole deal. All I had to do after that was to walk out to the lot to pick out the car. Easy as pie! I’ll use the ‘net to shop next time, too.
Exterior styling
My car, stock:
I’ve said before how much I like the classy, stately styling of the RL. It is basically a bulging, muscular version of the 2G TL. It would have made a worthy successor to the 2G TL if Acura hadn’t decided on the boy-racer, BMW-inspired look of the 3G TL (which I also like). I would prefer a cleaner grille like that found on the RL and TSX; it would also add to the corporate identity. The rounded rear trunk edge is the only other design detail I don’t fully appreciate. Otherwise, I am totally in love with the styling of the car. I don’t think the styling is boring at all and it looks nothing like an Accord in real life. I can spend minutes just looking out my window at work at the car, especially from the rear ¾ view. The stock wheels are OK, but the ebony chrome 18” wheels are much more stylish and the color sets off the silver. Speaking of the silver, I have trouble figuring out the color. In certain light, it looks like desert mist metallic (e.g. tan) but also has a silverish color that is not too bright or metallic. Note: my first choice was meteor silver but the meteor silver/ebony car on the lot was already spoken for. (Lucky bastage.)
Final product after A-Spec rims and tinting
Interior
Overall, the interior is much more refined than in the TL in that the materials are clearly higher quality—less plasticky and more soft textures. The Maplewood sash across the dash, and the plood door inserts, are well-placed and appear very tasteful.
Cabin is quiet except for 1) a low-frequency (boomy), low-dB noise when I accelerate the car, then let go of the accelerator. I think it’s probably the active noise cancellation system. 2) Lots of high-pitched tire noise with both stock and aftermarket tires. I live with it and just turn up the radio. Next time, I’m going with Pirelli Nero Zero M+S, which are judged by many here to be quiet enough for the RL.
Leather is much better quality than in the TL. So far, none of the buttprints that plagued my TL. Doesn’t seem to wrinkle much at this point.
The center stack has lots of small, chiclet-type buttons that wouldn’t work well for fat American fingers (not mine ? ). However, it took me less than an hour to sort out the more important buttons so that I can reach for them without looking. The TL has the RL beat in this area—one advantage of American involvement in the TL.
The cupholder setup is complicated, but I appreciate the variety of cup sizes I can hold in the RL. With the middle section flipped down, I can even carry a standard-sized coffee mug if the handle is turned inward. With it flipped up, I can carry a mega-sized drink from McDonald’s.
One thing I miss is having a sunglasses compartment. In my 2G TL, I had one overhead. In the 3G TL, the driver’s side door panel had an area that was rubberized and clearly meant for sunglasses. No such place in the RL—I keep the sunglasses in their case for protection and place them in the door panel.
The center storage compartment is too small for CDs ? Too bad MusicLink doesn’t work right!
Does the location of the parking brake bother anyone? I have to slide my left foot under it to place it on the dead pedal. With thick winter shoes/boots, this is more difficult. I would love to have the parking brake on the center console, just like on my TL.
Trunk Storage
I keep complaining that the trunk is “teeny-tiny”. However, its 13.1 cubic feet is more than in the Lexus GS series (12.7), just below that in the BMW 5-series (14), and significantly below the M35x (14.9), so it’s actually competitive for cars in its class. Even so, I find myself having to put groceries in the back seat when I didn’t have to do that in my TL. I think that shelf in the front of the trunk simply takes away useful room, and the location of the DVD player in the left roof of the trunk robs a good cubic foot, if not more. The cargo net is difficult to install, so I jerry-rigged a solution: Instead of taking the trunk lining apart to put in the proper hooks for the net, as required in the installation instructions, I just used the hooks in the side walls of the trunk. I can post a picture if requested.
The manual rear side window and power rear window shades are a nice touch for this car fitted with so many standard “options”.
Part 2 below....
12-26-2006, 07:22 AM
#2
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Part 2
Technology
This is a VERY complicated car. If you don’t like gadgets, you can still drive an RL, but you won’t appreciate it as much. End of story. I love gadgets, so I’m reasonably pleased. Some specifics:
Paddle shifters: meh. My first car was manual and so my preference is to reach for the stick when I’m in SportShift mode. I’ll get used to the paddles eventually, I’m sure.
Adaptive headlights: I know they work because I leave my headlights in “auto” at all times. When I start the car in my garage, the system does a self-test such that the right headlight swivels in both directions. The left doesn’t. I thought the system was broken until I looked at the manual—the left headlight doesn’t swivel with the car halted in order to prevent blinding oncoming traffic when you’re pulling out or turning to the left. Pure genius!
The navi knob: I’ve played with the iDrive on the BMW. I fail to see how people can actually use it while driving. The RL’s system is much more intuitive. Then again, the voice commands take a lot of the need for the knob anyway. Awesome! The trip computer is on the navi screen, where it belongs, instead of being buried beneath several layers of menus on the MID of my TL. Yay!
Navi: I live in an area where we don’t have traffic flow on XM. However, the accident reporting function works reasonably well. It is, of course, dependent on humans reporting traffic accidents and so it misses some, and some are reported late. Even so, the system is useful enough in my daily travels around Cleveland that I peruse it prior to leaving during rush hour, and it does save me having to look for traffic on the “10s” on the radio. No other specific comments about the navi, though as to me the function is similar to my TL, except no touchscreen.
VSA: Never turned it off, can’t comment on it.
Radio: sounds better than the already stellar TL system. VERY complicated to set up, however. XM radio quality is borderline, as befits its poor compression. You already know what I think of MusicLink if you follow my posts—mine is buggy and I’m having it replaced this week. Sound quality good, having major glitches. Dealer trying to convince me that it’s not the wiring when it won’t recognize more than 3.3 GB and I’m not using the software.
Daytime Running Lights. Can I please turn them off, they’re ugly?
I’ve accepted them as the safety feature they are, however.
TPMS is a bit off, usually 1-3 psi less than with my analog manometer. Despite the presence of TPMS, I still find it handy to carry a good analog manometer.
Driving
I have driven this car in both stock and A-Spec form. The car I test drove seemed to have a much tighter suspension than mine in stock form. In stock form, I found it a bit difficult to keep my car in a lane as it required more frequent steering input to do so. If you like a slightly wallowy feel to your luxury car, this is fine. It’s not as uncommunicative as a Lexus GS w/ AWD—nowhere close. There was surprisingly little squat and dip on acceleration and braking due to the car’s electronic systems. There was a reasonable amount of body roll in the turns. After less than 1000 miles, I had the A-Spec suspension and wheels installed, with new, stickier all-season tires, the Toyo Proxes 4. This combination has excellent ride quality in a straight line. There is still body lean in turns but this is significantly reduced. There is nearly no dip or squat. The car is much more responsive in that I can keep it in a lane—steering is much sharper. It is still no TL. My TL had the A-Spec suspension, 18” RonJon Devotion 1pfs, and a Comptech rear sway bar, and that car was tossable. The RL is not tossable but is fun to drive nevertheless. I wish Acura would advertise A-Spec a bit more—I think I’m the only RL owner with A-Spec in the Cleveland area, and the only one my dealer has done an installation for.
The turning radius sucks just as much as on the TL. This is primarily a function of tire and wheel size, so there’s not much I can do about it other than to vent.
The cabin is quiet except for when the engine is above about 3k rpm. The sound is refined and is not bothersome to me at all.
The lack of low-end torque is similar to every other Honda car I have ever driven. People coming from other makes will be mildly distressed, but Honda aficionados will immediately understand that to drive the car, they must depress the pedal that much harder to extract both torque and horsepower. Once you figure this out, you figure out that this car has more than enough passing power to do well on the freeway. No problem for me. Having a V8 or more displacement would help, as many of us debate here.
Speaking of pressing a pedal harder, I find that my RL has a much softer brake pedal feel compared to the TL. It took some getting used to, but I now only notice it when I take a TL for a loaner.
EDIT: I have been asked to make some specific comments about SH-AWD. I still think it's great. I can do two things I couldn't in my TL. 1) I can fly through freeway curves and decreasing radius on and off-ramps at speeds I could not imagine in the TL. I actually tried this as an experiment just to get the SH-AWD monitor to show me that the outside rear wheel was getting more torque than the others. It indeed does, and there is only the lightest feel of understeer. To get out of that, apply more gas and it goes away. In the TL, even after A-Spec and the rear sway bar, there was enough understeer in this situation to have to back off on the gas and turn the steering wheel more. 2) As decent as FWD is in the snow, SH-AWD is better. Once above 5 mph or so, reasonable acceleration (e.g. not stomping on the gas pedal) is as brisk as on dry pavement. However, it's the tires that determine your stopping power, so I don't push it in my all-season tires. I experimented with this on a minimally used, back road at 6 AM after the last winter storm went through a few weeks ago (e.g. NO OTHER CARS AROUND). Acceleration on this unplowed street with gently applied gas to 35 mph (speed limit) was easy and without any slipping. However, when I tried to slow down, I skidded into the next intersection before halting. Proved my point above--in fact, for better stopping power, snows are probably ideal if you don't live someplace where the roads are plowed quickly. Luckily, they are plowed quickly around here, so I don't worry much and drive moderately.
Gas Mileage
My driving is about 50-50 city/highway and I am averaging around 17.4 mpg. In the TL, I was getting 22 mpg in a similar situation. I am sure this will improve over the next few thousand miles. I notice that the "range" monitor on the trip computer is not too far off. When the range says "0", and I fill up right away, I can (with some topping off) fill almost 19 gallons. I only use 93 octane.
Last few fillups:
12/22 18.4 mpg 346 miles
12/15 17.9 mpg 323.8 miles
12/6 17.2 mpg 302.5 miles
12/1 17.0 mpg 295.1 miles
11/23 17.4 mpg 333.8 miles
Conclusion
I find the RL an excellent all-around car. The technology is spell-binding, the driving dynamics with A-Spec are great, I think the car is stylish (not bland at all to me), and I am enjoying it more than the GS350 and M35x I test-drove. No matter how hard I looked at the competition, the RL was the best value. I have priced GS350s similarly equipped to my RL and even with aggressive bargaining, it’s still more than I paid for my RL. Even so, there are issues to be brought up about it as noted above. My pet issue is lackluster marketing of this phenomenal car.
Last thing: I plan to provide updates on my RL, just like on my TL, every few months, to judge its reliability. So far, I have no issues with the car itself, just with the MusicLink, which will be replaced this week. I also plan to eventually add more pictures to this thread.
This is a VERY complicated car. If you don’t like gadgets, you can still drive an RL, but you won’t appreciate it as much. End of story. I love gadgets, so I’m reasonably pleased. Some specifics:
Paddle shifters: meh. My first car was manual and so my preference is to reach for the stick when I’m in SportShift mode. I’ll get used to the paddles eventually, I’m sure.
Adaptive headlights: I know they work because I leave my headlights in “auto” at all times. When I start the car in my garage, the system does a self-test such that the right headlight swivels in both directions. The left doesn’t. I thought the system was broken until I looked at the manual—the left headlight doesn’t swivel with the car halted in order to prevent blinding oncoming traffic when you’re pulling out or turning to the left. Pure genius!
The navi knob: I’ve played with the iDrive on the BMW. I fail to see how people can actually use it while driving. The RL’s system is much more intuitive. Then again, the voice commands take a lot of the need for the knob anyway. Awesome! The trip computer is on the navi screen, where it belongs, instead of being buried beneath several layers of menus on the MID of my TL. Yay!
Navi: I live in an area where we don’t have traffic flow on XM. However, the accident reporting function works reasonably well. It is, of course, dependent on humans reporting traffic accidents and so it misses some, and some are reported late. Even so, the system is useful enough in my daily travels around Cleveland that I peruse it prior to leaving during rush hour, and it does save me having to look for traffic on the “10s” on the radio. No other specific comments about the navi, though as to me the function is similar to my TL, except no touchscreen.
VSA: Never turned it off, can’t comment on it.
Radio: sounds better than the already stellar TL system. VERY complicated to set up, however. XM radio quality is borderline, as befits its poor compression. You already know what I think of MusicLink if you follow my posts—mine is buggy and I’m having it replaced this week. Sound quality good, having major glitches. Dealer trying to convince me that it’s not the wiring when it won’t recognize more than 3.3 GB and I’m not using the software.
Daytime Running Lights. Can I please turn them off, they’re ugly?
I’ve accepted them as the safety feature they are, however.TPMS is a bit off, usually 1-3 psi less than with my analog manometer. Despite the presence of TPMS, I still find it handy to carry a good analog manometer.
Driving
I have driven this car in both stock and A-Spec form. The car I test drove seemed to have a much tighter suspension than mine in stock form. In stock form, I found it a bit difficult to keep my car in a lane as it required more frequent steering input to do so. If you like a slightly wallowy feel to your luxury car, this is fine. It’s not as uncommunicative as a Lexus GS w/ AWD—nowhere close. There was surprisingly little squat and dip on acceleration and braking due to the car’s electronic systems. There was a reasonable amount of body roll in the turns. After less than 1000 miles, I had the A-Spec suspension and wheels installed, with new, stickier all-season tires, the Toyo Proxes 4. This combination has excellent ride quality in a straight line. There is still body lean in turns but this is significantly reduced. There is nearly no dip or squat. The car is much more responsive in that I can keep it in a lane—steering is much sharper. It is still no TL. My TL had the A-Spec suspension, 18” RonJon Devotion 1pfs, and a Comptech rear sway bar, and that car was tossable. The RL is not tossable but is fun to drive nevertheless. I wish Acura would advertise A-Spec a bit more—I think I’m the only RL owner with A-Spec in the Cleveland area, and the only one my dealer has done an installation for.
The turning radius sucks just as much as on the TL. This is primarily a function of tire and wheel size, so there’s not much I can do about it other than to vent.
The cabin is quiet except for when the engine is above about 3k rpm. The sound is refined and is not bothersome to me at all.
The lack of low-end torque is similar to every other Honda car I have ever driven. People coming from other makes will be mildly distressed, but Honda aficionados will immediately understand that to drive the car, they must depress the pedal that much harder to extract both torque and horsepower. Once you figure this out, you figure out that this car has more than enough passing power to do well on the freeway. No problem for me. Having a V8 or more displacement would help, as many of us debate here.
Speaking of pressing a pedal harder, I find that my RL has a much softer brake pedal feel compared to the TL. It took some getting used to, but I now only notice it when I take a TL for a loaner.
EDIT: I have been asked to make some specific comments about SH-AWD. I still think it's great. I can do two things I couldn't in my TL. 1) I can fly through freeway curves and decreasing radius on and off-ramps at speeds I could not imagine in the TL. I actually tried this as an experiment just to get the SH-AWD monitor to show me that the outside rear wheel was getting more torque than the others. It indeed does, and there is only the lightest feel of understeer. To get out of that, apply more gas and it goes away. In the TL, even after A-Spec and the rear sway bar, there was enough understeer in this situation to have to back off on the gas and turn the steering wheel more. 2) As decent as FWD is in the snow, SH-AWD is better. Once above 5 mph or so, reasonable acceleration (e.g. not stomping on the gas pedal) is as brisk as on dry pavement. However, it's the tires that determine your stopping power, so I don't push it in my all-season tires. I experimented with this on a minimally used, back road at 6 AM after the last winter storm went through a few weeks ago (e.g. NO OTHER CARS AROUND). Acceleration on this unplowed street with gently applied gas to 35 mph (speed limit) was easy and without any slipping. However, when I tried to slow down, I skidded into the next intersection before halting. Proved my point above--in fact, for better stopping power, snows are probably ideal if you don't live someplace where the roads are plowed quickly. Luckily, they are plowed quickly around here, so I don't worry much and drive moderately.
Gas Mileage
My driving is about 50-50 city/highway and I am averaging around 17.4 mpg. In the TL, I was getting 22 mpg in a similar situation. I am sure this will improve over the next few thousand miles. I notice that the "range" monitor on the trip computer is not too far off. When the range says "0", and I fill up right away, I can (with some topping off) fill almost 19 gallons. I only use 93 octane.
Last few fillups:
12/22 18.4 mpg 346 miles
12/15 17.9 mpg 323.8 miles
12/6 17.2 mpg 302.5 miles
12/1 17.0 mpg 295.1 miles
11/23 17.4 mpg 333.8 miles
Conclusion
I find the RL an excellent all-around car. The technology is spell-binding, the driving dynamics with A-Spec are great, I think the car is stylish (not bland at all to me), and I am enjoying it more than the GS350 and M35x I test-drove. No matter how hard I looked at the competition, the RL was the best value. I have priced GS350s similarly equipped to my RL and even with aggressive bargaining, it’s still more than I paid for my RL. Even so, there are issues to be brought up about it as noted above. My pet issue is lackluster marketing of this phenomenal car.
Last thing: I plan to provide updates on my RL, just like on my TL, every few months, to judge its reliability. So far, I have no issues with the car itself, just with the MusicLink, which will be replaced this week. I also plan to eventually add more pictures to this thread.
12-26-2006, 08:34 AM
#4
Instructor
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Miami, Florida
Age: 61
Posts: 130
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Great review, Bob.
I am now at 3 months of ownership and have noticed the following:
1) EPA mileage figures off by 2 MPG compared with the TL, and that is what I am seeing. My overall has decreased from 23 to about 21 MPG.
2) Tight rattle free interior, however one creaking area has developed around the plastic of the right top of the center stack.
3) Navi....don't know why there is a difference, but the TL system computed more direct routings in the local Miami area. For some reason the RL computes all kinds of convoluted routings. When I tell the system to avoid certain streets, it just selects more strange routings.
4) Transmission of the TL was quicker to downshift and had smoother upshifts.
5) I wish the bottom seat cushion was a bit softer.
6) For me the suspension tuning is near perfect.
7) I am experiencing a slight vibration between 70 and 80 MPH even though he wheels were rebalanced not too long ago.
Overall, I like the RL way more than the TL. Would purchase it again.
Bob
I am now at 3 months of ownership and have noticed the following:
1) EPA mileage figures off by 2 MPG compared with the TL, and that is what I am seeing. My overall has decreased from 23 to about 21 MPG.
2) Tight rattle free interior, however one creaking area has developed around the plastic of the right top of the center stack.
3) Navi....don't know why there is a difference, but the TL system computed more direct routings in the local Miami area. For some reason the RL computes all kinds of convoluted routings. When I tell the system to avoid certain streets, it just selects more strange routings.
4) Transmission of the TL was quicker to downshift and had smoother upshifts.
5) I wish the bottom seat cushion was a bit softer.
6) For me the suspension tuning is near perfect.
7) I am experiencing a slight vibration between 70 and 80 MPH even though he wheels were rebalanced not too long ago.
Overall, I like the RL way more than the TL. Would purchase it again.
Bob
12-26-2006, 08:56 AM
#5
Three Wheelin'
Neuronbob, I must say that was an excellent review! Great job!
12-26-2006, 09:33 AM
#6
Pro
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: gotham, new york
Age: 60
Posts: 593
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Great review, as usual, Bob. Kudos! The one thing I wish you would have commented on is the SH-AWD system. The system is touted as a technological marvel, and that is pretty much the one of the most important things that distinguishes the RL from the TL from a performance standpoint -- ability to handle the twisties. Could this have been an oversight on your part, or, you have not put your RL through the paces to trigger the SH-AWD?
Kindly elaborate. Thanks. P.S. Hope that you are taking some time off during the holiday season and do not have to work so hard. Peace!
Kindly elaborate. Thanks. P.S. Hope that you are taking some time off during the holiday season and do not have to work so hard. Peace!
12-26-2006, 09:52 AM
#7
Drifting
Great review. If I hadn't already made the switch to the RL, your review certainly would have helped me! I agree that Acura's choice of stock wheels leaves a lot to be desired. They seem to put a lot of thought into the design of the car and then just "grab" a set a wheels just to be done. I think the A-Spec wheels should be the standard wheels.
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12-26-2006, 11:37 AM
#8
AcurAdmirer
Excellent review, Bobster.
I continue to be puzzled by your suspension comments, though. Mine (without A-Spec) tracks straight and true and holds a line at least as well as my TL. While its ride isn't as stiff as my TL's, I've found no problems at all with excessive body motions ... in fact, I have to say the ride/handling is as good as any car I've owned.
The matter of tossability is IMO as much as anything a function of the slower steering ratio of the RL as compared to the TL. IOW, it takes more steering input to turn it, so it feels more sluggish in that respect.
But like some others have stated, I enjoy my RL a lot more than my TL, and I drive them interchangeably almost on a daily basis. In fact, come next spring, my TL may find itself being traded for something. I don't know what yet, but the RL has spoiled me enough that my TL seems clunky.
Thanks for the perspective, and we'll look forward to your updates.
.
.
I continue to be puzzled by your suspension comments, though. Mine (without A-Spec) tracks straight and true and holds a line at least as well as my TL. While its ride isn't as stiff as my TL's, I've found no problems at all with excessive body motions ... in fact, I have to say the ride/handling is as good as any car I've owned.
The matter of tossability is IMO as much as anything a function of the slower steering ratio of the RL as compared to the TL. IOW, it takes more steering input to turn it, so it feels more sluggish in that respect.
But like some others have stated, I enjoy my RL a lot more than my TL, and I drive them interchangeably almost on a daily basis. In fact, come next spring, my TL may find itself being traded for something. I don't know what yet, but the RL has spoiled me enough that my TL seems clunky.
Thanks for the perspective, and we'll look forward to your updates.
.
.
12-26-2006, 12:19 PM
#9
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Thanks for the comments.
kenny5, I added some comments on SH-AWD in the body of the review. Somehow, that part didn't get into the clipboard when I moved it from the 5-page Word document
this turned out to be, to the site.
Mike, I guess my stock suspension was a little strange? Or needed an alignment? As I said, it was different from the car I test drove. In any case, I didn't complain much because I bought the car knowing I was going to A-Spec it, doing so somewhat on faith from the descriptions on this site. I am SO glad I did it. I did inflate the stock tires a little more (they were at 30 psi on delivery) and this improved things a bit, but not as much as the suspension change. I actually drive my RL much as I drove my TL--spirited when possible. Likely explains my gas mileage....I like reaching into the 4-4.5k rpm portion of the powerband when accelerating onto the freeway. I'm just thankful I can afford a car like this, as well as the gas to go into it....it wasn't that long ago that I couldn't.
Oh, and I took the week off--was the only way to have time to edit this voluminous piece.
I needed the mental break, anyway, so I can start out fresh next week. 
kenny5, I added some comments on SH-AWD in the body of the review. Somehow, that part didn't get into the clipboard when I moved it from the 5-page Word document
this turned out to be, to the site.Mike, I guess my stock suspension was a little strange? Or needed an alignment? As I said, it was different from the car I test drove. In any case, I didn't complain much because I bought the car knowing I was going to A-Spec it, doing so somewhat on faith from the descriptions on this site. I am SO glad I did it. I did inflate the stock tires a little more (they were at 30 psi on delivery) and this improved things a bit, but not as much as the suspension change. I actually drive my RL much as I drove my TL--spirited when possible. Likely explains my gas mileage....I like reaching into the 4-4.5k rpm portion of the powerband when accelerating onto the freeway. I'm just thankful I can afford a car like this, as well as the gas to go into it....it wasn't that long ago that I couldn't.
Oh, and I took the week off--was the only way to have time to edit this voluminous piece.
I needed the mental break, anyway, so I can start out fresh next week.
12-26-2006, 01:02 PM
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Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for your review for a while now.
I didn't upgrade my TL to the RL when they were blowing out the 06's because I ended up spending more than I planned on an NSX. So I decided to save my money and keep the TL.
The irony is, after driving around in the NSX, I can't STAND how the TL drives. I never minded the torque steer, but now I can't stand it. The TL feels so cheap and unstable, I'm dying to upgrade.
So here I am, looking at the RL again. I'm on the lookout for a lightly used 06 now. I've thought about a 5 series, as those are pretty cheap if you lease, but as you can see, I'm a die-hard honda guy.
I didn't upgrade my TL to the RL when they were blowing out the 06's because I ended up spending more than I planned on an NSX. So I decided to save my money and keep the TL.
The irony is, after driving around in the NSX, I can't STAND how the TL drives. I never minded the torque steer, but now I can't stand it. The TL feels so cheap and unstable, I'm dying to upgrade.
So here I am, looking at the RL again. I'm on the lookout for a lightly used 06 now. I've thought about a 5 series, as those are pretty cheap if you lease, but as you can see, I'm a die-hard honda guy.
12-26-2006, 01:42 PM
#11
Three Wheelin'
Yes, once you get accustomed to driving a car that doesn't suffer from torque steer, it is difficult to go back to a TL or any other FWD Acura, except possibly a TSX.
12-26-2006, 04:19 PM
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Thanks for your insightful review!,,,tell me about 'musiclink',,,am I missing something on the '06 sound system?,,,had my car for 3 months,,,still learning voice prompts,,,seems quicker for me to push a button!,,,
My tire pressure reading reads high on info screen,,,I read a cold 32 psi via a dial psi reader, compared to 35>36 psi showing on info screen at start up. In transit 39>40 psi showing on screen,,,
Happy New Year!
RLT
My tire pressure reading reads high on info screen,,,I read a cold 32 psi via a dial psi reader, compared to 35>36 psi showing on info screen at start up. In transit 39>40 psi showing on screen,,,
Happy New Year!
RLT
12-26-2006, 04:49 PM
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"The irony is, after driving around in the NSX, I can't STAND how the TL drives. I never minded the torque steer, but now I can't stand it. The TL feels so cheap and unstable, I'm dying to upgrade."
It is unfair to compare the TL against the NSX. They are in different classes, not to mention different price ranges. I believe the NSX is the (if not one of the) most expensive sports car made in Japan. NSX is like a sports enthuasist's dream car, whereas TL is for the average person who loves a small dose of sportiness in their daily driver. TL is a great car for what we paid, but not too many of us can afford (or willing to pay for) an NSX or the insurance premium that goes with it.
It is unfair to compare the TL against the NSX. They are in different classes, not to mention different price ranges. I believe the NSX is the (if not one of the) most expensive sports car made in Japan. NSX is like a sports enthuasist's dream car, whereas TL is for the average person who loves a small dose of sportiness in their daily driver. TL is a great car for what we paid, but not too many of us can afford (or willing to pay for) an NSX or the insurance premium that goes with it.
12-26-2006, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by kenny5
"The irony is, after driving around in the NSX, I can't STAND how the TL drives. I never minded the torque steer, but now I can't stand it. The TL feels so cheap and unstable, I'm dying to upgrade."
It is unfair to compare the TL against the NSX. They are in different classes, not to mention different price ranges. I believe the NSX is the (if not one of the) most expensive sports car made in Japan. NSX is like a sports enthuasist's dream car, whereas TL is for the average person who loves a small dose of sportiness in their daily driver. TL is a great car for what we paid, but not too many of us can afford (or willing to pay for) an NSX or the insurance premium that goes with it.
It is unfair to compare the TL against the NSX. They are in different classes, not to mention different price ranges. I believe the NSX is the (if not one of the) most expensive sports car made in Japan. NSX is like a sports enthuasist's dream car, whereas TL is for the average person who loves a small dose of sportiness in their daily driver. TL is a great car for what we paid, but not too many of us can afford (or willing to pay for) an NSX or the insurance premium that goes with it.
Oh, and I "only" pay $500/6 months for insurance on the NSX, about the same as my TL.
12-26-2006, 05:20 PM
#15
Three Wheelin'
I think that, once you drive ANY RWD car, it is hard to go back to the FWD TL. I drove an Infiniti G35 for a weekend and swore I would not get another FWD sedan after that. So basically, it came down to an RL or no Acura at all.
12-26-2006, 06:14 PM
#16
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Originally Posted by jhr3uva90
I think that, once you drive ANY RWD car, it is hard to go back to the FWD TL.
Hell, no, I won't go! Back, that is. And remember how much I loved my TL and that I've done my share of defending FWD. Just remember....Acura has said that all of its cars will have SH-AWD eventually, so the rest of the line will eventually catch up. As I've said before, I anxiously await the 4G TL. I hope it's as droolworthy as the TL was when it came out. (Recall: I preordered my 3G TL when its spy pictures were released.)
poncekim, I am shocked that you are paying so little insurance on your NSX. You must be a multiple policy holder, live in an exceptionally safe area, or are really old.
Lucky!rltraveler, I've been having issues with MusicLink (the iPod integration option for our Acuras) since it was installed after the purchase of my car. It is being replaced this week and I'm giving it one more chance. I'll find the link later and post. Bottom line: I keep calling it a "pile of flaming poo".
12-26-2006, 07:00 PM
#17
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Bob,
Get the trunk lid spoiler. It makes a world of difference on the looks of the RL. It will also look great with your A-Spec wheels. Great review BTW.
Get the trunk lid spoiler. It makes a world of difference on the looks of the RL. It will also look great with your A-Spec wheels. Great review BTW.
12-26-2006, 07:16 PM
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That was a great review very unbiased. I enjoyed the read and hope for more. I agree the RL is under advertised. One of the nicest things I noticed about the RL is the flush glass on the sides as well as the lights in the outside door handles. If acura marketed commercials with these features more it would be a big hit. You should write for CD or MT. 
12-26-2006, 09:09 PM
#19
Instructor
Great review Bob!
Like you, I came from a 2G TL and a 3G TL. The level of luxo has increase with each transition and the RL is by far the best car I have owned and the best value for the money.
The only thing that I might want to add to your comments is a little bit about the wipers and washers. This might be the only thing close to a gripe or minor annoyance that I have with the RL. The wipers occassionally throw water backwards on the downward wipe and leaving some liquid on the windshield and the washer jets need to be adjusted a bit higher to get better coverage (mine only reached the bottom 2/3rds of the windsheild). Nothing a paper clip or ice pick wont fix. Just adjust them upwards a bit.
I've had my RL about 8 months now and have totally enjoyed the car, including a few road trips from Northern NJ to Boston, MA, to Washington, DC, to Maryland, to Rhode Island, to Rehoboth Beach, DE and parts of PA.
I'm sure everyone enjoys their cars as well. Happy holidays to all!
Like you, I came from a 2G TL and a 3G TL. The level of luxo has increase with each transition and the RL is by far the best car I have owned and the best value for the money.
The only thing that I might want to add to your comments is a little bit about the wipers and washers. This might be the only thing close to a gripe or minor annoyance that I have with the RL. The wipers occassionally throw water backwards on the downward wipe and leaving some liquid on the windshield and the washer jets need to be adjusted a bit higher to get better coverage (mine only reached the bottom 2/3rds of the windsheild). Nothing a paper clip or ice pick wont fix. Just adjust them upwards a bit.
I've had my RL about 8 months now and have totally enjoyed the car, including a few road trips from Northern NJ to Boston, MA, to Washington, DC, to Maryland, to Rhode Island, to Rehoboth Beach, DE and parts of PA.
I'm sure everyone enjoys their cars as well. Happy holidays to all!
12-26-2006, 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by neuronbob
poncekim, I am shocked that you are paying so little insurance on your NSX. You must be a multiple policy holder, live in an exceptionally safe area, or are really old.
Lucky!Hah, I think my multiple cars helps a little, but I've read from other NSX owners that their insurance is relatively cheap as well. I think there are two factors. One, the majority of NSX owners in the past have been relatively safe drivers, and the accident rate on an NSX is really low because owners drive their cars so infrequently. I believe I'm about the same age as you are, up to you whether you want to call me old!
Btw, I want to echo the recommendation to get the deck lid spoiler. When I first test drove an RL when it was launched, I didn't like the way it looked. Then one day, I saw a white RL with a decklid spoiler and mud guards, and the car looked amazing. I couldn't believe how two little parts could add so much to the RL's looks. The decklid will be the first thing I buy if I get an RL.
12-26-2006, 09:43 PM
#21
I just love how you had to mention the plood on the door.
12-26-2006, 10:40 PM
#22
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Originally Posted by phile
I just love how you had to mention the plood on the door. In my day job, I have to be detail-oriented. Why not in a review I'm doing for fun?
12-27-2006, 03:57 AM
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Bob:
Excellent review. However aside from the music link, I'm a little confused about the criticism of the audio system relating to the setup, and XM. I found XM to have excellent sound quality and separation although I have never compared it to Sirius.
BTW: From the pics looks like your tinting turned out excellent. I'm assuming your pleased with the outcome? Seriously looks very sharp.
Excellent review. However aside from the music link, I'm a little confused about the criticism of the audio system relating to the setup, and XM. I found XM to have excellent sound quality and separation although I have never compared it to Sirius.
BTW: From the pics looks like your tinting turned out excellent. I'm assuming your pleased with the outcome? Seriously looks very sharp.
12-27-2006, 07:05 AM
#25
Drifting
Thanks for the great review, Bob!
Sorry to go off topic, but tne thing I wanted to say was that I was surprised to hear that you got the best quote from this dealership. When I was shopping for my car at the end of 2003 (Acura of Cleveland did not exist then), I had an awful experience with this dealership. Not only would they insist on selling their TSX at MSRP, they also were very rude. In fact, the person that I worked with was bordering sleazy. In the end, I just test drove there and then bought the car at Park Acura in Akron where they were friendly, professional and gave me a great deal! I recently went back to your dealership for maintenance of my TSX. While I was waiting I went to the showroom to look at the new MDX and RDX and I was totally ignored. It's such a shame that their service department has such great people but their sales people are so rude. Oh well, I guess when it is time to shop for my next Acura I will probably go elsewhere again...
BTW, I am sure that this poor customer service and unprofessional attitude turned a lot of the potential Acura buyers away... you only have to go across the street to the Infiniti dealership and they will treat you a lot nicer.
Sorry to go off topic, but tne thing I wanted to say was that I was surprised to hear that you got the best quote from this dealership. When I was shopping for my car at the end of 2003 (Acura of Cleveland did not exist then), I had an awful experience with this dealership. Not only would they insist on selling their TSX at MSRP, they also were very rude. In fact, the person that I worked with was bordering sleazy. In the end, I just test drove there and then bought the car at Park Acura in Akron where they were friendly, professional and gave me a great deal! I recently went back to your dealership for maintenance of my TSX. While I was waiting I went to the showroom to look at the new MDX and RDX and I was totally ignored. It's such a shame that their service department has such great people but their sales people are so rude. Oh well, I guess when it is time to shop for my next Acura I will probably go elsewhere again...
BTW, I am sure that this poor customer service and unprofessional attitude turned a lot of the potential Acura buyers away... you only have to go across the street to the Infiniti dealership and they will treat you a lot nicer.
12-27-2006, 07:34 AM
#26
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Originally Posted by ostrich
Thanks for the great review, Bob!
Sorry to go off topic, but tne thing I wanted to say was that I was surprised to hear that you got the best quote from this dealership. When I was shopping for my car at the end of 2003 (Acura of Cleveland did not exist then), I had an awful experience with this dealership. Not only would they insist on selling their TSX at MSRP, they also were very rude. In fact, the person that I worked with was bordering sleazy. In the end, I just test drove there and then bought the car at Park Acura in Akron where they were friendly, professional and gave me a great deal! I recently went back to your dealership for maintenance of my TSX. While I was waiting I went to the showroom to look at the new MDX and RDX and I was totally ignored. It's such a shame that their service department has such great people but their sales people are so rude. Oh well, I guess when it is time to shop for my next Acura I will probably go elsewhere again...
BTW, I am sure that this poor customer service and unprofessional attitude turned a lot of the potential Acura buyers away... you only have to go across the street to the Infiniti dealership and they will treat you a lot nicer.
Sorry to go off topic, but tne thing I wanted to say was that I was surprised to hear that you got the best quote from this dealership. When I was shopping for my car at the end of 2003 (Acura of Cleveland did not exist then), I had an awful experience with this dealership. Not only would they insist on selling their TSX at MSRP, they also were very rude. In fact, the person that I worked with was bordering sleazy. In the end, I just test drove there and then bought the car at Park Acura in Akron where they were friendly, professional and gave me a great deal! I recently went back to your dealership for maintenance of my TSX. While I was waiting I went to the showroom to look at the new MDX and RDX and I was totally ignored. It's such a shame that their service department has such great people but their sales people are so rude. Oh well, I guess when it is time to shop for my next Acura I will probably go elsewhere again...
BTW, I am sure that this poor customer service and unprofessional attitude turned a lot of the potential Acura buyers away... you only have to go across the street to the Infiniti dealership and they will treat you a lot nicer.
I guess it's all in who you meet at any dealership, I had the luck of the draw at Motorcars and you did at Park. Next time you want to buy, PM me so I can give you my salesman's name. He's been at Motorcars for almost 15 years IIRC. He was calm, cool, and let me come to my own conclusions about each car I bought. Not pushy or sleazy at all.
Originally Posted by gdevine
Excellent review. However aside from the music link, I'm a little confused about the criticism of the audio system relating to the setup, and XM. I found XM to have excellent sound quality and separation although I have never compared it to Sirius.
BTW: From the pics looks like your tinting turned out excellent. I'm assuming your pleased with the outcome? Seriously looks very sharp.
BTW: From the pics looks like your tinting turned out excellent. I'm assuming your pleased with the outcome? Seriously looks very sharp.
trumps the SQ anytime.The tint does look good in person and was done very well! The installer broke a clip holder in one of the doors, though, so the top of the passenger's side front door is a little loose. Mulling over how urgent the repair is.
12-27-2006, 07:47 AM
#27
Drifting
Thanks, Bob!
Originally Posted by neuronbob
I guess it's all in who you meet at any dealership, I had the luck of the draw at Motorcars and you did at Park. Next time you want to buy, PM me so I can give you my salesman's name. He's been at Motorcars for almost 15 years IIRC. He was calm, cool, and let me come to my own conclusions about each car I bought. Not pushy or sleazy at all.
12-27-2006, 07:57 AM
#28
Great review Bob...
I agree with you on the Music Link... even the new version is not worth it... Just does not work right.. I have had now for a couple of weeks and its surprising that Acura would build cars with sophisticated technology but a POS iPod adapter...
I agree with you on the Music Link... even the new version is not worth it... Just does not work right.. I have had now for a couple of weeks and its surprising that Acura would build cars with sophisticated technology but a POS iPod adapter...
12-28-2006, 10:59 PM
#29
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
How did I ever live without it?
I had the rearview camera installed today. It comes on pretty much instantly when I switch into reverse. I have had it only a few hours and it has already saved my rear bumper. Took a few minutes to get used to my relocated trunk button.
How did I ever live without it? Even my wife notices the difference and now she wants one on her next car.
Also in the process of testing the revised MusicLink, will let all know how it goes afterward.
How did I ever live without it? Even my wife notices the difference and now she wants one on her next car.
Also in the process of testing the revised MusicLink, will let all know how it goes afterward.
12-28-2006, 11:11 PM
#30
Burning Brakes
I've been thinking about the camera too, does it have some kind of 'marker' that shows you when you get close to the car behind you ?. Did you test it in the dark ?.
12-29-2006, 12:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Touge
I've been thinking about the camera too, does it have some kind of 'marker' that shows you when you get close to the car behind you ?. Did you test it in the dark ?.
If your nav dims automatically to one of the darker settings at night you can brighten the backup camera display by toggling the nav dimmer/brightener lower left button of the controls. Also you can adjust the brightness day or night of the camera somewhat by turning the big center knob clockwise.
12-29-2006, 08:05 AM
#33
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Originally Posted by Touge
I've been thinking about the camera too, does it have some kind of 'marker' that shows you when you get close to the car behind you ?. Did you test it in the dark ?.
Best way to use it is after you are in the parking space already--I use my eyes to back from the street/parking lot aisle into the parking space, then use the camera the rest of the way. You could use the camera all the way in but you might hit the bumper of one of the cars next to you if youdo that IMHO.
I plan to post some pics soon as I'm still on vacation and have the time to do so.
synth19, those A-Spec wheels are clear-coated. So far, the winter has been so mild that I'm going to run them all winter. I am fastidious about washing my car and so I'm not worried about salt/rust or scratches etc. I have kept my stockers in case we get what Denver has--I'd obviously have to switch to snows at that point.
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