Opinion after 17 months on the road
02-23-2006, 05:39 PM
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Opinion after 17 months on the road
Thought it might be worthwhile to share my opinion after having driven my 05 RL for the last 17 months - with about 15,000 miles on the odometer.
To frame my perspective, i previously had mostly German cars - Mercedes and quite a few Audis. As much as I like my Audis (diehard audi fan), I was put off by the electronic glitches that became prevalent in the later models. My Mercedes experiences (01 S500, 01 ML430) were beyond horrendous to the point of Mercedes buying back the S500. Rather than deal with another Audi product (especially with the new MMI interface, keyless, etc), I jumped over to Acura for the 05 RL. My wife has had 2 Acura MDX SUVs and loved them each - no electrical problems. Just a reliable and predictable ownership experience. I thought it would be a no brainer to pick up the new RL and have the same experience.
Overall - the RL is a "nice" car, but it seems that Acura has caught the "electronic flu" that the Germans have been dealing with over the last few years. Mind you - none of these issues are major; they're just innoying, continuing, and frankly.... no different from the issues I had with Audi. So - in essence, it's like the bird flu... spreading from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Here's a recap of the quality issues, following by my perception of the design flaws in the RL.
Quality:
- Still can't get XM radio to properly display the stations after ALL of the software updates
- Doors randomly attempt to relock themselves while driving.
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random)
- Wipers, despite new blades, refuse to make contact with the windshied in certain areas.
- Keyless - you never know if the door will unlock the 1st time with a touch of the door handle. Again - no consistency as to when it will balk..or not
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing.
-Driver seat surface. I'm 6-1, 190. I don't think the leather should appear worn after 15,000 miles of use. The materials seem to be surpar
-Interior door panels. I have 2 areas in which the vinyl covering the lower door panels has torn. I have NEVER had a car that had tears in the door panel covering. In fact, I never knew that you could tear it. Again - cheap materials.
Design:
- Headlights. While it's nice that they turn, it's not nice that the beam pattern doesn't project further.
- Trunk. It's criminal (shame on me) that it's only 13.1 cubic feet. Worse than that, it's layout limits its useability.
- Engine - I thought 300 horsepower would make for smoother sudden acceleration. It just doesn't feel like the power it's supposed to have.
- Rear Seat. Tight, not much bigger than a TL.
- Auto Headlights. The car rings the ding when exiting if you leave the headlight setting in AUTO. So, you're always second guessing yourself if something else is make the ding. Just plain stupid.
- Instant traffic update via XM. Nice feature, but of little real use or value to me. I cancelled it, and it turns out that you still get the accident/incidents ICONS and warnings anyway. Give me a system that will automatically provide reroute options around an accident and that's of benefit.
I just drove my friends new 06 Audi A6 - with the S-line option (tighter suspension, 18 wheels, more aggressive trim). This car feels more substantial than the RL does - and given the fact that they BOTH probably have similar electronic gremlins......I would go back to Audi and deal with the issues if they come up.
To frame my perspective, i previously had mostly German cars - Mercedes and quite a few Audis. As much as I like my Audis (diehard audi fan), I was put off by the electronic glitches that became prevalent in the later models. My Mercedes experiences (01 S500, 01 ML430) were beyond horrendous to the point of Mercedes buying back the S500. Rather than deal with another Audi product (especially with the new MMI interface, keyless, etc), I jumped over to Acura for the 05 RL. My wife has had 2 Acura MDX SUVs and loved them each - no electrical problems. Just a reliable and predictable ownership experience. I thought it would be a no brainer to pick up the new RL and have the same experience.
Overall - the RL is a "nice" car, but it seems that Acura has caught the "electronic flu" that the Germans have been dealing with over the last few years. Mind you - none of these issues are major; they're just innoying, continuing, and frankly.... no different from the issues I had with Audi. So - in essence, it's like the bird flu... spreading from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Here's a recap of the quality issues, following by my perception of the design flaws in the RL.
Quality:
- Still can't get XM radio to properly display the stations after ALL of the software updates
- Doors randomly attempt to relock themselves while driving.
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random)
- Wipers, despite new blades, refuse to make contact with the windshied in certain areas.
- Keyless - you never know if the door will unlock the 1st time with a touch of the door handle. Again - no consistency as to when it will balk..or not
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing.
-Driver seat surface. I'm 6-1, 190. I don't think the leather should appear worn after 15,000 miles of use. The materials seem to be surpar
-Interior door panels. I have 2 areas in which the vinyl covering the lower door panels has torn. I have NEVER had a car that had tears in the door panel covering. In fact, I never knew that you could tear it. Again - cheap materials.
Design:
- Headlights. While it's nice that they turn, it's not nice that the beam pattern doesn't project further.
- Trunk. It's criminal (shame on me) that it's only 13.1 cubic feet. Worse than that, it's layout limits its useability.
- Engine - I thought 300 horsepower would make for smoother sudden acceleration. It just doesn't feel like the power it's supposed to have.
- Rear Seat. Tight, not much bigger than a TL.
- Auto Headlights. The car rings the ding when exiting if you leave the headlight setting in AUTO. So, you're always second guessing yourself if something else is make the ding. Just plain stupid.
- Instant traffic update via XM. Nice feature, but of little real use or value to me. I cancelled it, and it turns out that you still get the accident/incidents ICONS and warnings anyway. Give me a system that will automatically provide reroute options around an accident and that's of benefit.
I just drove my friends new 06 Audi A6 - with the S-line option (tighter suspension, 18 wheels, more aggressive trim). This car feels more substantial than the RL does - and given the fact that they BOTH probably have similar electronic gremlins......I would go back to Audi and deal with the issues if they come up.
02-23-2006, 06:03 PM
#2
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it's time to sell your RL
Originally Posted by OlneyMD
Thought it might be worthwhile to share my opinion after having driven my 05 RL for the last 17 months - with about 15,000 miles on the odometer.
To frame my perspective, i previously had mostly German cars - Mercedes and quite a few Audis. As much as I like my Audis (diehard audi fan), I was put off by the electronic glitches that became prevalent in the later models. My Mercedes experiences (01 S500, 01 ML430) were beyond horrendous to the point of Mercedes buying back the S500. Rather than deal with another Audi product (especially with the new MMI interface, keyless, etc), I jumped over to Acura for the 05 RL. My wife has had 2 Acura MDX SUVs and loved them each - no electrical problems. Just a reliable and predictable ownership experience. I thought it would be a no brainer to pick up the new RL and have the same experience.
Overall - the RL is a "nice" car, but it seems that Acura has caught the "electronic flu" that the Germans have been dealing with over the last few years. Mind you - none of these issues are major; they're just innoying, continuing, and frankly.... no different from the issues I had with Audi. So - in essence, it's like the bird flu... spreading from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Here's a recap of the quality issues, following by my perception of the design flaws in the RL.
Quality:
- Still can't get XM radio to properly display the stations after ALL of the software updates
- Doors randomly attempt to relock themselves while driving.
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random)
- Wipers, despite new blades, refuse to make contact with the windshied in certain areas.
- Keyless - you never know if the door will unlock the 1st time with a touch of the door handle. Again - no consistency as to when it will balk..or not
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing.
-Driver seat surface. I'm 6-1, 190. I don't think the leather should appear worn after 15,000 miles of use. The materials seem to be surpar
-Interior door panels. I have 2 areas in which the vinyl covering the lower door panels has torn. I have NEVER had a car that had tears in the door panel covering. In fact, I never knew that you could tear it. Again - cheap materials.
Design:
- Headlights. While it's nice that they turn, it's not nice that the beam pattern doesn't project further.
- Trunk. It's criminal (shame on me) that it's only 13.1 cubic feet. Worse than that, it's layout limits its useability.
- Engine - I thought 300 horsepower would make for smoother sudden acceleration. It just doesn't feel like the power it's supposed to have.
- Rear Seat. Tight, not much bigger than a TL.
- Auto Headlights. The car rings the ding when exiting if you leave the headlight setting in AUTO. So, you're always second guessing yourself if something else is make the ding. Just plain stupid.
- Instant traffic update via XM. Nice feature, but of little real use or value to me. I cancelled it, and it turns out that you still get the accident/incidents ICONS and warnings anyway. Give me a system that will automatically provide reroute options around an accident and that's of benefit.
I just drove my friends new 06 Audi A6 - with the S-line option (tighter suspension, 18 wheels, more aggressive trim). This car feels more substantial than the RL does - and given the fact that they BOTH probably have similar electronic gremlins......I would go back to Audi and deal with the issues if they come up.
To frame my perspective, i previously had mostly German cars - Mercedes and quite a few Audis. As much as I like my Audis (diehard audi fan), I was put off by the electronic glitches that became prevalent in the later models. My Mercedes experiences (01 S500, 01 ML430) were beyond horrendous to the point of Mercedes buying back the S500. Rather than deal with another Audi product (especially with the new MMI interface, keyless, etc), I jumped over to Acura for the 05 RL. My wife has had 2 Acura MDX SUVs and loved them each - no electrical problems. Just a reliable and predictable ownership experience. I thought it would be a no brainer to pick up the new RL and have the same experience.
Overall - the RL is a "nice" car, but it seems that Acura has caught the "electronic flu" that the Germans have been dealing with over the last few years. Mind you - none of these issues are major; they're just innoying, continuing, and frankly.... no different from the issues I had with Audi. So - in essence, it's like the bird flu... spreading from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Here's a recap of the quality issues, following by my perception of the design flaws in the RL.
Quality:
- Still can't get XM radio to properly display the stations after ALL of the software updates
- Doors randomly attempt to relock themselves while driving.
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random)
- Wipers, despite new blades, refuse to make contact with the windshied in certain areas.
- Keyless - you never know if the door will unlock the 1st time with a touch of the door handle. Again - no consistency as to when it will balk..or not
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing.
-Driver seat surface. I'm 6-1, 190. I don't think the leather should appear worn after 15,000 miles of use. The materials seem to be surpar
-Interior door panels. I have 2 areas in which the vinyl covering the lower door panels has torn. I have NEVER had a car that had tears in the door panel covering. In fact, I never knew that you could tear it. Again - cheap materials.
Design:
- Headlights. While it's nice that they turn, it's not nice that the beam pattern doesn't project further.
- Trunk. It's criminal (shame on me) that it's only 13.1 cubic feet. Worse than that, it's layout limits its useability.
- Engine - I thought 300 horsepower would make for smoother sudden acceleration. It just doesn't feel like the power it's supposed to have.
- Rear Seat. Tight, not much bigger than a TL.
- Auto Headlights. The car rings the ding when exiting if you leave the headlight setting in AUTO. So, you're always second guessing yourself if something else is make the ding. Just plain stupid.
- Instant traffic update via XM. Nice feature, but of little real use or value to me. I cancelled it, and it turns out that you still get the accident/incidents ICONS and warnings anyway. Give me a system that will automatically provide reroute options around an accident and that's of benefit.
I just drove my friends new 06 Audi A6 - with the S-line option (tighter suspension, 18 wheels, more aggressive trim). This car feels more substantial than the RL does - and given the fact that they BOTH probably have similar electronic gremlins......I would go back to Audi and deal with the issues if they come up.
02-23-2006, 06:41 PM
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- Wipers, despite new blades, refuse to make contact with the windshied in certain areas. -- I agree
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing. -- I agree
- Trunk. It's criminal (shame on me) that it's only 13.1 cubic feet. Worse than that, it's layout limits its useability. -- I agree
- Auto Headlights. The car rings the ding when exiting if you leave the headlight setting in AUTO. So, you're always second guessing yourself if something else is make the ding. Just plain stupid. -- I agree although I barely notice it anymore (which has been bad for my other car)
I have not experienced any of your other issues, yet. But then again I just got my car in October and it came with all updates from the factory and hasn't given me one single problem. As for some of the subjective notes, I can't say that I agree but to each his own. If I had as many issues with my car as you have, Acura would be buying it back.
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing. -- I agree
- Trunk. It's criminal (shame on me) that it's only 13.1 cubic feet. Worse than that, it's layout limits its useability. -- I agree
- Auto Headlights. The car rings the ding when exiting if you leave the headlight setting in AUTO. So, you're always second guessing yourself if something else is make the ding. Just plain stupid. -- I agree although I barely notice it anymore (which has been bad for my other car)
I have not experienced any of your other issues, yet. But then again I just got my car in October and it came with all updates from the factory and hasn't given me one single problem. As for some of the subjective notes, I can't say that I agree but to each his own. If I had as many issues with my car as you have, Acura would be buying it back.
02-23-2006, 06:42 PM
#4
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Honestly, sell the RL if you are that unhappy.. Personnally i love my car and have expereienced only one or two of those issues you mentioned and they were quicly fixed by the dealer.. Either you have a crappy dealer service issue or you just need to get rid of it.
The only thing i would agree wih you on is the inconsistent door handle issue, but for me, its really not a big deal.
The only thing i would agree wih you on is the inconsistent door handle issue, but for me, its really not a big deal.
02-23-2006, 06:44 PM
#5
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I've had my RL for about 11 months and I have a little over 16,000 miles on it. Here are a few of my thoughts in comparison:
- Had the XM refresh issue......after the update, the refresh is instantaneous.
- No problems with the door locks except when wet.......and I just use the remote when raining.
- No problem with the side mirrors
- Wipers work great from mist to fast.......I did however use RainX on my windshield.
- I have cleaned my drivers seat twice and then conditioned with Lexol.....leather still looks like new and I am 250lbs.
- Rest of my interior still looks like new.........I have the taupe interior and I use Amorall CLEANER wipes to clean the plastic on the door sills and the door bottoms to remove scuff marks........no issues........I have had 3 Lexus vehicles prior, and the materials in the RL feel just as good to me except the charcoal plastic around the door handle and lock button which seems to scuff easily.
- I agree that the headlight pattern on low beam could be improved. I have to switch to high beams too often.
- Also, I agree that the chime of the auto lights DRIVES ME NUTS!!! That's just stupid, but I think I read that this was fixed on the 2006 models.
- I think the power for the RL is fine.......it is not superior.......but just fine......a little more low end torque would be appreciated though.
- The handling of the SHAWD is great around the curves and the car tracks well in the snow. We live on a hill with a steep driveway that many have trouble getting up in the winter.......no problem for the RL.
- The thing that bugs me about the RL is the ride.......it is too harsh over rough surfaces and you feel the expansion joints on the highway too much. We have a lot of potholes and rough roads/highways and it gets tiring and distracts from an otherwise great ride. I know many say that if you change out the stock tires the ride is much improved.......BUT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BUY NEW TIRES FOR A NEW CAR!! (IMO) Once these wear down, I will put something better on the car, but until then, this will be about the only thing that I think should really be improved on the RL.
Lastly, the stereo and the NAV are great. I am happy with my decision to purchase the RL.
- Had the XM refresh issue......after the update, the refresh is instantaneous.
- No problems with the door locks except when wet.......and I just use the remote when raining.
- No problem with the side mirrors
- Wipers work great from mist to fast.......I did however use RainX on my windshield.
- I have cleaned my drivers seat twice and then conditioned with Lexol.....leather still looks like new and I am 250lbs.
- Rest of my interior still looks like new.........I have the taupe interior and I use Amorall CLEANER wipes to clean the plastic on the door sills and the door bottoms to remove scuff marks........no issues........I have had 3 Lexus vehicles prior, and the materials in the RL feel just as good to me except the charcoal plastic around the door handle and lock button which seems to scuff easily.
- I agree that the headlight pattern on low beam could be improved. I have to switch to high beams too often.
- Also, I agree that the chime of the auto lights DRIVES ME NUTS!!! That's just stupid, but I think I read that this was fixed on the 2006 models.
- I think the power for the RL is fine.......it is not superior.......but just fine......a little more low end torque would be appreciated though.
- The handling of the SHAWD is great around the curves and the car tracks well in the snow. We live on a hill with a steep driveway that many have trouble getting up in the winter.......no problem for the RL.
- The thing that bugs me about the RL is the ride.......it is too harsh over rough surfaces and you feel the expansion joints on the highway too much. We have a lot of potholes and rough roads/highways and it gets tiring and distracts from an otherwise great ride. I know many say that if you change out the stock tires the ride is much improved.......BUT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BUY NEW TIRES FOR A NEW CAR!! (IMO) Once these wear down, I will put something better on the car, but until then, this will be about the only thing that I think should really be improved on the RL.
Lastly, the stereo and the NAV are great. I am happy with my decision to purchase the RL.
02-23-2006, 07:00 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
Sounds like you got one of the first RLs off the lot. What was the vin?
02-23-2006, 07:17 PM
#7
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Followup with VIN
My VIN ends with 001127. I've had all of the updates, and to Acura's defense..... I have not brought it back to have them address these issues.
Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of things I like about the car, but not enough to warrant keeping it for a long time.. or purchasing another Acura RL again.
For those of you who love their RLs - I hope you continue to enjoy the experience.
Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of things I like about the car, but not enough to warrant keeping it for a long time.. or purchasing another Acura RL again.
For those of you who love their RLs - I hope you continue to enjoy the experience.
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02-23-2006, 07:23 PM
#8
Three Wheelin'
Yup, you got an early one. Sorry you have had such a challenging experience. I hope you take advantage of the warranty and badger you Acura dealership as much as possible. Please rest assured that this particular model is not indicative of all 2005 or 2006 RLs.
02-23-2006, 07:29 PM
#9
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I've got 25,589 miles on mine and loving every mile in it, perhaps even more today than when I first bought it.
The only two issues affecting my car have been the delayed XM refresh and the door handles not operating properly in the wet. Both are very minor and slight inconveniences for me. I have avoided the "techs" at the dealer so no TSBs have been performed and no one but myself has touched my car for service.
Things that I find great:
Wonderful! and solid handling on every road surface; looks; love the look of the interior; well thought out layout of controls and instruments that make them very easy to use; materials are first class everywhere including the leather wood and vinyl; solid reliability; plenty of power; shift paddles for the mountain roads; great stereo system; precise and easy to use navigation system; voice command for all essentials; good gas milieage for such a big car (21 mpg overall in my case).
Things that annoy me:
Weak springs and/or stops on front doors so they come back on mine and my passenger's legs when we open them on any slight incline; thick A pillars that obscure the view to the right when coming to an intersection; the need to frequently clean the exhaust pipe tips and the area around them.
The only two issues affecting my car have been the delayed XM refresh and the door handles not operating properly in the wet. Both are very minor and slight inconveniences for me. I have avoided the "techs" at the dealer so no TSBs have been performed and no one but myself has touched my car for service.
Things that I find great:
Wonderful! and solid handling on every road surface; looks; love the look of the interior; well thought out layout of controls and instruments that make them very easy to use; materials are first class everywhere including the leather wood and vinyl; solid reliability; plenty of power; shift paddles for the mountain roads; great stereo system; precise and easy to use navigation system; voice command for all essentials; good gas milieage for such a big car (21 mpg overall in my case).
Things that annoy me:
Weak springs and/or stops on front doors so they come back on mine and my passenger's legs when we open them on any slight incline; thick A pillars that obscure the view to the right when coming to an intersection; the need to frequently clean the exhaust pipe tips and the area around them.
02-23-2006, 07:50 PM
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I had one of the very first RLs; bought it the second day it was out. And I have more miles on mine than you do. I absolutely love the car (assuming love is a proper word for an inanimate object). If your dealer cannot (or will not) fix the items you mentioned, perhaps you should sell it, or better yet, go to a different dealer. I know if my RL did not deliver complete—and I mean COMPLETE—satisfaction every time I got in it, I would have tossed it long ago.
The door lock issue can be fixed to your total satisfaction. ("No consistency" would not be acceptable to me.) When I had the numerous TSBs performed at my dealer's, the driver's door handle began giving me a pain. The dealer apologized and replaced it; checked it to be certain it worked (rain, shine, or deluge) and it is perfect regardless of the weather or if I wash the car. The XM refresh should be instantaneous (I'd settle for nothing less).
The driver's mirror (like many of the other problems you mentioned) should not occur, since most dealers know how to correct the problem. It just seems like your dealer performed half the TSBs and forgot the later ones. The materials are first class in my book, but I do clean the inside regularly...it still looks brand new.
I have no problem with the headlights, but I drive mostly in the city. I have heard others in this forum complain about the aiming though. I doubt you can do much about the back seat room either, but it is far more comfortable to me (a rather large guy) than the TL's rear seating. Cushion is better shaped and seems deeper. Trunk can't be expanded either, but I have no problem with it.
My engine runs much smoother and performs noticeably better with the recent updates my dealer applied. (Again, I think you should see another Acura dealer to get your car working at its full potential.) If your dealer, or another who can do better, can't bring your RL up to snuff, well, then the choice is yours. But if I had the problems you're seeing and no Acura dealer made me happy, I'd be driving something else by the end of the week. Good luck, whatever happens.
The door lock issue can be fixed to your total satisfaction. ("No consistency" would not be acceptable to me.) When I had the numerous TSBs performed at my dealer's, the driver's door handle began giving me a pain. The dealer apologized and replaced it; checked it to be certain it worked (rain, shine, or deluge) and it is perfect regardless of the weather or if I wash the car. The XM refresh should be instantaneous (I'd settle for nothing less).
The driver's mirror (like many of the other problems you mentioned) should not occur, since most dealers know how to correct the problem. It just seems like your dealer performed half the TSBs and forgot the later ones. The materials are first class in my book, but I do clean the inside regularly...it still looks brand new.
I have no problem with the headlights, but I drive mostly in the city. I have heard others in this forum complain about the aiming though. I doubt you can do much about the back seat room either, but it is far more comfortable to me (a rather large guy) than the TL's rear seating. Cushion is better shaped and seems deeper. Trunk can't be expanded either, but I have no problem with it.
My engine runs much smoother and performs noticeably better with the recent updates my dealer applied. (Again, I think you should see another Acura dealer to get your car working at its full potential.) If your dealer, or another who can do better, can't bring your RL up to snuff, well, then the choice is yours. But if I had the problems you're seeing and no Acura dealer made me happy, I'd be driving something else by the end of the week. Good luck, whatever happens.
02-23-2006, 09:24 PM
#11
Drifting
Originally Posted by jhr3uva90
Yup, you got an early one. Sorry you have had such a challenging experience. I hope you take advantage of the warranty and badger you Acura dealership as much as possible. Please rest assured that this particular model is not indicative of all 2005 or 2006 RLs.
02-23-2006, 09:35 PM
#12
Wow...some of you guys just have really shitty luck from the sound of it. My parents have an RL, albeit not one from the first run, that hasn't had any issues at all. Still, I think sometimes it just boils down to luck. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't.
02-23-2006, 10:06 PM
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[QUOTE=OlneyMD]Thought it might be worthwhile to share my opinion after having driven my 05 RL for the last 17 months - with about 15,000 miles on the odometer.
I have a 2005 RL, vin in 22000's
- Still can't get XM radio to properly display the stations after ALL of the software updates (works well for me)
- Doors randomly attempt to relock themselves while driving. (works well for me)
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random) (works well for me)
- Wipers, despite new blades, refuse to make contact with the windshied in certain areas. Agree
- Keyless - you never know if the door will unlock the 1st time with a touch of the door handle. Again - no consistency as to when it will balk..or not (works well for me)
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing. (works well for me)
-Driver seat surface. I'm 6-1, 190. I don't think the leather should appear worn after 15,000 miles of use. The materials seem to be surpar (works well for me)
-Interior door panels. I have 2 areas in which the vinyl covering the lower door panels has torn. (works well for me)
My friend had A4 audi and the car has lots, lots of problems! Would never buy one!
I have a 2005 RL, vin in 22000's
- Still can't get XM radio to properly display the stations after ALL of the software updates (works well for me)
- Doors randomly attempt to relock themselves while driving. (works well for me)
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random) (works well for me)
- Wipers, despite new blades, refuse to make contact with the windshied in certain areas. Agree
- Keyless - you never know if the door will unlock the 1st time with a touch of the door handle. Again - no consistency as to when it will balk..or not (works well for me)
- Temperature - I have never had a car where I have to adjust the temperature constantly. It seems to heat up fast.. and then overheat the car. In past cars, it was pretty much a set and forget thing. (works well for me)
-Driver seat surface. I'm 6-1, 190. I don't think the leather should appear worn after 15,000 miles of use. The materials seem to be surpar (works well for me)
-Interior door panels. I have 2 areas in which the vinyl covering the lower door panels has torn. (works well for me)
My friend had A4 audi and the car has lots, lots of problems! Would never buy one!
02-24-2006, 09:33 AM
#14
office monkey
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I have an RL from November 05 and it doesn't have any of the probs you mention. Too bad your car has those issues.
Hopefully whatever new car you get will be problem free as I think you've had enough issues with your RL to have to deal with more on another car.
Hopefully whatever new car you get will be problem free as I think you've had enough issues with your RL to have to deal with more on another car.
02-24-2006, 09:59 AM
#15
Sorry to hear about the issues.
I have a few rattles- dash & rear window sunscreen (very annoying) and the door handle issue in the rain. Need to make an appointment.
As CGTSX2004 mentioned, luck is involved sometimes. My previous 2001 BMW, I gave it the total baby treatment and it was in the shop 12+ times and then finally sold it. No car is perfect, you just hope to have very few issues...
I have a few rattles- dash & rear window sunscreen (very annoying) and the door handle issue in the rain. Need to make an appointment.
As CGTSX2004 mentioned, luck is involved sometimes. My previous 2001 BMW, I gave it the total baby treatment and it was in the shop 12+ times and then finally sold it. No car is perfect, you just hope to have very few issues...
02-24-2006, 10:21 AM
#16
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I agree about BMWs, as the last vehicle I had was an X5 4.4i and it was a royal pain in the rear. I had it in to the shop over and over, rattles all the time. My conclusion is that BMWs are all about the name. They look good but they're junk compared to our RLs in quality.
02-24-2006, 11:14 AM
#17
- Doors randomly attempt to relock themselves while driving.
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random)
Both of these issues can be corrected by disconnecting the battery (negative side only) for a minute, then reconnecting and entering the NAV and radio codes. The dealer should have done this system reset after all the updates.
- Passenger side mirror doesn't return to normal position after shifting from reverse to drive (random)
Both of these issues can be corrected by disconnecting the battery (negative side only) for a minute, then reconnecting and entering the NAV and radio codes. The dealer should have done this system reset after all the updates.
02-24-2006, 01:21 PM
#18
10th Gear
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I have had my RL for almost a year. In the beginning before the updates I had some issues, But for the last 8 months the RL has perform flawlessly.
Compared to the BMW 535 it is like day and night. I attribute some of the good luck I've had to my dealership. The service manager and write personal. 1st they listen to what the proplem is, 2nd they have it corrected, and 3rd he not only tells me what the problem was, but what they did to correct it, and finally shows me that it is working properly. Something the BMW dealership never did.
I have had Audi's also and just had one problem after another. I still have one BMW Z4 which has also performed flawlessly. At this point I believe it is a combination of the right care with a good dealership.
Compared to the BMW 535 it is like day and night. I attribute some of the good luck I've had to my dealership. The service manager and write personal. 1st they listen to what the proplem is, 2nd they have it corrected, and 3rd he not only tells me what the problem was, but what they did to correct it, and finally shows me that it is working properly. Something the BMW dealership never did.
I have had Audi's also and just had one problem after another. I still have one BMW Z4 which has also performed flawlessly. At this point I believe it is a combination of the right care with a good dealership.
02-24-2006, 01:35 PM
#19
Instructor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SF Bay Area
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I got my RL in September and like it more every time I drive it. I prefer the stiffer ride as I would rather have a sportier feel than a cushioned ride. I had a 2000 RL prior and thought the ride was a bit better, but hard to tell a difference. The handling is night and day different, I love driving the RL. I am also a bit of a tech freak, so I love the interior, especially the iPod interface. I have had none of the problems others have complained about. The only real annoyance I have is with the auto headlight chime, which was fixed in the 2006 models. Although, I did inadvertantly leave the headlights on one day, but they must have automatically turned off because my battery was fine the next morning.
For the money, I don't believe there is a better car. If the car cost $15,000 to $20,000 more I believe it would be valid to compare it to V-8's. If you compare it to the V-6's it is right at the top of the list in almost every performance category.
Anyone considering buying one should base their decision on the experiences buyers have had over the last 6-9 months as it sounds like there were some issues with the first models sold. I suspect there are very few manufactures who have had any better luck with a new model's first production vehicles. There are few items that remain from the prior RL, so this really is a new model, just happens to have the same name.
Kris
For the money, I don't believe there is a better car. If the car cost $15,000 to $20,000 more I believe it would be valid to compare it to V-8's. If you compare it to the V-6's it is right at the top of the list in almost every performance category.
Anyone considering buying one should base their decision on the experiences buyers have had over the last 6-9 months as it sounds like there were some issues with the first models sold. I suspect there are very few manufactures who have had any better luck with a new model's first production vehicles. There are few items that remain from the prior RL, so this really is a new model, just happens to have the same name.
Kris
02-24-2006, 03:28 PM
#20
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OlneyMD and the others who have had disappointments with your RL:
I too have owned many big, powerful and expensive Euopean automobiles. So, from a standpoint of hands on experience, I am armed with years and years of driving experience.
With regard to the RL, if I commanded a greater vocabulary I might be able to better express my feelings about owning my 2005 RL. With this shortcoming in mind, I will try to clearly and distinctly give you my opinion in four words:
I LOVE THIS CAR!
No car that I have ever owned matches its OVERALL features and quality. Not my three Audi, 2 BMW, 1 Mercedes or 3 Volvo automobiles
Why do I feel this way? Primarily, because my RL has exceeded my every expectation. It is solid, it is comfortable, it holds the road in every climatic condition; its electronic features feed me with instantaneous information and allow me to keep my hands on the steering wheel and my eyes on the road. The consequence of this is that I drive securely and safely encased in a luxury appointed sedan.
Secondly, I feel this way about my RL because I have not encountered any discrepancies of which others have written in this thread. Everything in my car has worked as it should have worked from the moment I purchased it (January 2005) to the present. The mechanicals in my RL have worked through our Arizona 120F days as well as they have worked through our 20-30F days.
Whereas I have customarily exchanged cars every few years (because of a recurring itch to get the newest and “baddddest” new model), I have no desire dispose of my RL.
I am truly sorry that you who have experienced disappoints with your cars have not enjoyed the immense pleasure and satisfaction that I have had with my RL.
May good fortune smile upon you the next time you buy the newest and “baddddest” model in town. I am happy and content with my RL.
I too have owned many big, powerful and expensive Euopean automobiles. So, from a standpoint of hands on experience, I am armed with years and years of driving experience.
With regard to the RL, if I commanded a greater vocabulary I might be able to better express my feelings about owning my 2005 RL. With this shortcoming in mind, I will try to clearly and distinctly give you my opinion in four words:
I LOVE THIS CAR!
No car that I have ever owned matches its OVERALL features and quality. Not my three Audi, 2 BMW, 1 Mercedes or 3 Volvo automobiles
Why do I feel this way? Primarily, because my RL has exceeded my every expectation. It is solid, it is comfortable, it holds the road in every climatic condition; its electronic features feed me with instantaneous information and allow me to keep my hands on the steering wheel and my eyes on the road. The consequence of this is that I drive securely and safely encased in a luxury appointed sedan.
Secondly, I feel this way about my RL because I have not encountered any discrepancies of which others have written in this thread. Everything in my car has worked as it should have worked from the moment I purchased it (January 2005) to the present. The mechanicals in my RL have worked through our Arizona 120F days as well as they have worked through our 20-30F days.
Whereas I have customarily exchanged cars every few years (because of a recurring itch to get the newest and “baddddest” new model), I have no desire dispose of my RL.
I am truly sorry that you who have experienced disappoints with your cars have not enjoyed the immense pleasure and satisfaction that I have had with my RL.
May good fortune smile upon you the next time you buy the newest and “baddddest” model in town. I am happy and content with my RL.
02-25-2006, 11:15 AM
#21
Take my opinion for what it's worth....I am not
very knowledgable about cars, and at 43 years
of age, this was the first car I ever owned that
cost more than $23K. In fact, I'm leasing this
vehicle.
I absolutely love this car. It is the most enjoyable
ride I could ever expect from a vehicle at this cost.
Compared to cars at half its price, the RL provides
me with a smooth ride like I have never experienced
before.
Not to say there aren't problems....
I bought this car because I am a tech junkie. It
was the gadget aspect that attracted me more than
anything else, and now, it's the gadget aspect that
disappoints me the most. There's just too much to
learn. I have had the car for 7 months now and I
have not been able to figure out all the things this
car does. I'm still grappling with how to best set
the auto heating and cooling system.
The voice recognition in the car is pretty poor.
Though I voice my commands loudly and slowly,
the car only correctly recognizes the commands
half the time. I suppose it doesn't matter as I
haven't even come close to figuring out all the
commands that are available to me.
I'm a bit disappointed with the headlights on
this car. They seem to favor towards side-depth
rather than front distance. In low-traffic situations
I have to throw on my high beams in order to see
far ahead of me. Shouldn't have to do that at all.
I also feel the car could do a little better in isolating
outside cabin noise. It's not as quiet inside the car
as I had hoped.
Despite the setbacks, I still love this vehicle. It
provides a beautiful ride.
Ultimately, getting this car may not have been the
smartest thing I have ever done. Once you step into
a car at this price point and see how much better it
drives and accelerates over cheaper vehicles, you'll
find yourself stuck in this price bracket or above for
the rest of your life. In other words, once you drive
first-class you don't want to go back to coach.
very knowledgable about cars, and at 43 years
of age, this was the first car I ever owned that
cost more than $23K. In fact, I'm leasing this
vehicle.
I absolutely love this car. It is the most enjoyable
ride I could ever expect from a vehicle at this cost.
Compared to cars at half its price, the RL provides
me with a smooth ride like I have never experienced
before.
Not to say there aren't problems....
I bought this car because I am a tech junkie. It
was the gadget aspect that attracted me more than
anything else, and now, it's the gadget aspect that
disappoints me the most. There's just too much to
learn. I have had the car for 7 months now and I
have not been able to figure out all the things this
car does. I'm still grappling with how to best set
the auto heating and cooling system.
The voice recognition in the car is pretty poor.
Though I voice my commands loudly and slowly,
the car only correctly recognizes the commands
half the time. I suppose it doesn't matter as I
haven't even come close to figuring out all the
commands that are available to me.
I'm a bit disappointed with the headlights on
this car. They seem to favor towards side-depth
rather than front distance. In low-traffic situations
I have to throw on my high beams in order to see
far ahead of me. Shouldn't have to do that at all.
I also feel the car could do a little better in isolating
outside cabin noise. It's not as quiet inside the car
as I had hoped.
Despite the setbacks, I still love this vehicle. It
provides a beautiful ride.
Ultimately, getting this car may not have been the
smartest thing I have ever done. Once you step into
a car at this price point and see how much better it
drives and accelerates over cheaper vehicles, you'll
find yourself stuck in this price bracket or above for
the rest of your life. In other words, once you drive
first-class you don't want to go back to coach.
02-25-2006, 11:37 AM
#22
Three Wheelin'
NJRonbo,
Thank you for your honesty. I really wish Acura employees would read this forum, because Acura needs customers like you for their success.
You are correct about the RL having a LOT of technology to learn. Did you receive a DVD with your car? I believe it is called the "Acura RL Advanced Technology Tour." The DVD is about 45 minutes long and was very helpful for me in learning this car. If you did not receive this DVD, please ask your dealership for a copy; every RL owner is entitled to one for free. Also, if you have any questions about your car, please ask ANY of us. Realize you've got friends here who can help you out.
Thank you for your honesty. I really wish Acura employees would read this forum, because Acura needs customers like you for their success.
You are correct about the RL having a LOT of technology to learn. Did you receive a DVD with your car? I believe it is called the "Acura RL Advanced Technology Tour." The DVD is about 45 minutes long and was very helpful for me in learning this car. If you did not receive this DVD, please ask your dealership for a copy; every RL owner is entitled to one for free. Also, if you have any questions about your car, please ask ANY of us. Realize you've got friends here who can help you out.
02-25-2006, 12:45 PM
#23
JHR,
Yes, I got the DVD and watched it. It may be 45
minutes in length, but really only gave a brief
overview of everything. The basics are easy to
immediately pick up if you are tech saavy (as I
am sure everyone here is). The problem is, there
is just far too much to learn outside of the basics.
Part of my personal problem is that I have a very
busy lifestyle. I have two jobs, one of which is my
own business. I only drive the car 5-6 miles a day,
which made it the perfect choice for a lease option.
If I have even 5 minutes a day to sit in the car and
read the manual, it is very rare. Basically, I have
learned everything from the "hands-on" driving I
have done....and from reading this forum.
You know I have been here for the past 7 months.
Looking at my post count, you can see that I have
been actively involved asking questions. Everyone
on this forum has not only been extremely helpful,
but equally as kind. Good group here who doesn't
jump all over people for asking "stupid" or "obviouse
to answer" questions.
Good to be here!
Yes, I got the DVD and watched it. It may be 45
minutes in length, but really only gave a brief
overview of everything. The basics are easy to
immediately pick up if you are tech saavy (as I
am sure everyone here is). The problem is, there
is just far too much to learn outside of the basics.
Part of my personal problem is that I have a very
busy lifestyle. I have two jobs, one of which is my
own business. I only drive the car 5-6 miles a day,
which made it the perfect choice for a lease option.
If I have even 5 minutes a day to sit in the car and
read the manual, it is very rare. Basically, I have
learned everything from the "hands-on" driving I
have done....and from reading this forum.
You know I have been here for the past 7 months.
Looking at my post count, you can see that I have
been actively involved asking questions. Everyone
on this forum has not only been extremely helpful,
but equally as kind. Good group here who doesn't
jump all over people for asking "stupid" or "obviouse
to answer" questions.
Good to be here!
03-01-2006, 08:17 AM
#24
9th Gear
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Originally Posted by OlneyMD
My VIN ends with 001127. I've had all of the updates, and to Acura's defense..... I have not brought it back to have them address these issues.
Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of things I like about the car, but not enough to warrant keeping it for a long time.. or purchasing another Acura RL again.
For those of you who love their RLs - I hope you continue to enjoy the experience.
Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of things I like about the car, but not enough to warrant keeping it for a long time.. or purchasing another Acura RL again.
For those of you who love their RLs - I hope you continue to enjoy the experience.
03-01-2006, 09:27 AM
#25
office monkey
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Edit- I got my RL in Nov 04 not 05.
kjag,
good luck with the 745. Hopefully you won't have any issues with it like you did the RL and apparently like a good deal of BMW owners have with their cars.
kjag,
good luck with the 745. Hopefully you won't have any issues with it like you did the RL and apparently like a good deal of BMW owners have with their cars.
03-01-2006, 09:47 AM
#26
Instructor
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Originally Posted by Rob L
Edit- I got my RL in Nov 04 not 05.
kjag,
good luck with the 745. Hopefully you won't have any issues with it like you did the RL and apparently like a good deal of BMW owners have with their cars.
kjag,
good luck with the 745. Hopefully you won't have any issues with it like you did the RL and apparently like a good deal of BMW owners have with their cars.
I also wish Kjag good luck with the BMW. My horrific repair experiences and down time with a 95 325i (engine and cooling) actually lead me to Acura when I traded the car in on an MDX, which has been flawless and now has 74,000 miles on it. Three of my neighbors own BMWs (5 and 3 series) and love them, but they are all concerned about what will happen once they push 50-70K miles (They have owned them before). Another neighbor (next door) just got rid of his 3 year old Audi A6 ( live in a German car neighborhood!). I know these are small numbers of observations to be generalizing about, but I just have not run into many Acura owners who have had repair nightmares. I know that's small comfort to those who have.
At least Acura has a history of quality and reliability. One car in the first year (the RL) does not signal a change in this IMO).
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