Here's a quick weekend poll, just for fun.

Thinking about adding the last piece of the A-Spec kit to my Celestial Silver RL. From the rear it looks good, still looks a little stuck-on from the front. Still like the lines without the kit, but it does have a more aggressive look with the kit on.

Here's hothonda's Celestial Silver with A-Spec everything. It actually looks pretty good in that color.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=834

Does it look any less stuck-on in person?

Was considering Amuse or Mugen , but if I decide to trade in the car in the (far) future, having a non-Acura body kit on would be a liability--dealers are barely selling these new, let alone used and with a body kit beautiful only to a teeny segment of a teeny segment that would consider an RL.

Regardless, I am buying an A-Spec badge as I already have the most important parts already--suspension and wheels.

 

From the local conservative:

I like the side sills and the rear. The rear facia is a lot cleaner and fewer intersecting lines than the TL A-Spec.

I have mixed feelings on the front facia. It does look stuck on to me in the lighter colors. It also seems to make the front overhang more pronounced.

That's just my taste speaking. Your taste and checkbookhave a much closer relationship!

I think it is a good idea to do something if it renews your excitement of the RL. You both deserve it.

 

I always thought I would want to get the body kit for my RL, but over the past year I think I am glad I didnt go with it afterall. I love the way it looks from the back, the side, but like you guys, I am not so impressed with the front, kinda reminds me of the fast and the furious cars, with alot more class of course. I am getting ready to get the rims and suspesion ( Aspec) in a few weeks, but I think I will leave it at that for now. Bob I hope you do what your heart desires, but make sure you don't regret it down the road.

 

I think that the A Spec underbody kit @ the link looks good.
Although it stuck on but look very aggressive. Most people like my car very much compare the car without.
18" wheels Ron Jon Liquid Silver Legend does help enhance the car even more).

With the 18" wheels on, I can feel different in twisty road , on and off exit.
I am looking into A-Spec suspension in the near future.

 

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My car is very unique with the kit on because I did not see anyone has on the car in my area (including 18" wheels). I guess too cheap to buy or may be they did not like it.

 

I'm more conservative than Tampa, I guess ... the body kit makes the car look heavy and a bit clumsy (not to mention just a teensy, tiny bit ricey). And of course, stuck on.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, though, so if you like it, go for it. (Assuming, of course, you don't mind your car looking heavy, clumsy and a teensy, tiny bit ricey. )

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I didn't expect results that fast. The majority thinks about what I do.

To be totally honest, the only part I'm really interested in is the rear part of the kit as I think it gives the rear more definition and doesn't look stuck on. It can be purchased from the online Acura store seperately. Has anyone else done just the rear? The front and sides are just....meh to me.

Tampa, I'm still excited about my RL and even after 13 months, I look for reasons to drive it. ("No, honey, I'LL go to the post office!" ). I like that it's evolving during my ownership. It is definitely a keeper. A sleeper, yes, but definitely a keeper.

 

OK then.... I need some Amstel, B & J's 'Chunkey Monkey', a loaf of multigrain bread, some cashews and a Lotto ticket. Get on it! (and don't call me honey).

Are you evolving? Or ADVANCING?

And yes, I too still peak in the garage a few times a week.

 

The side sills look really nice but the front and rear pieces look stuck on. Also, the design of the front peice really detracts (cheapens) the overall looks of the car.

To be honest, when I first got my RL I was sure I was going to add a kit, as I had done it with my 2nd Gen TL. But the OEM kit for the RL really falls flat. The AMUSE kit is amazing by comparision, especially the front piece, but its really pricey. If you can spring for it, I say do it.

As for AMUSE or MUGEN kits, I wouldnt worry about the dealer not taking your car on a trade someday, I'm sure that wouldnt be an issue. And besides you can always take the body kit back off and sell it privately (just be sure to save the OEM side sills to put back on). For example, I noticed as I was getting off the TL boards earlier this year (when I sold my TL) that there were many people clamoring to buy body kits. If I had only saved my OEM side sills I could have definitely sold my kit and gotten back a few hundred. By contrast, I didnt get a dime extra from the dealer for my kit (although they were thrilled to have the car). My car was in immaculate condition, but for the 140k miles I had put on it, and they actually put it out on the used car lot which was a shocker to me (I never would have thought an Acura dealer would display and sell a car with 140k on it. I was sure they were going to wholesale it off). but I digress...

As to your poll, its somewhat flawed because you only give us two choices - yeay or nay as to a "kit" - but it really depends on WHICH kit.

 

LOL, great minds think alike! I thought about adding a choice for "other kit" or adding "A-Spec to my two choices when I wrote the poll, but my first post makes clear why I was considering the Acura kit and so I thought a third choice was superfluous.

 

Well I'll give you 20 votes for the AMUSE kit! Heck, I'll even cooerce friends and relatives to sign up on these boards just to vote for the AMUSE kit if you make that an option you're considering!!

 

the front overhang more pronounced.

 

That is cheating, LOL (Put the gun on their heads and tell them to vote "YES" even they do not know what for).

Anyway, No regret here. I installed the A Spec underbody kit because I like it and no need second opinion. ( It is a subjective personal choice)

 

Wow, this Sunday brings out the A-Spec kit lovers. The score is almost even, much like the ALCS between my Indians and the Red Sox. (Aside: The Tribe.....the Cardiac Kids of the late 'oughts....here's hoping they have a trick up their sleeve so they go to the World Series.....)

2007AcuraRL, LOL! I'll consider the Amuse in another 2-3 years. By that time, I'll have decided whether to move on (down?) to the 4G TL or the 3G RL.

 

AsianTL, no disrespect intended about the OEM bodykit. Its definitely a subjective choice. I didnt look into the body kit until after I bought my RL, and I just felt really let down about it. I was expecting the Acura front piece design to look about the same as it did for my 2nd Gen TL; which body kit I really loved. For the RL, I dont really like what they did around the fog light/air duct area. By contrast, to me the AMUSE kit looks in the front the way the OEM kit did for my TL.

btw, whats that "LEGEND" thingy I see poking through the lower grill on your car??

 

I love the name of LEGEND". That is my home made reflector bracket.

I wish the front A Spec molded in one piece.($$$$)
Still no regret here.

As of now, WTF 10 V.S. 9

 

I definitely like some of the after market kits better then the OEM kit. However, I have the OEM kit installed on my car. It was more convenient to just have it added by the dealer when I bought the car. I guess I didn't like the other kits that much more to go through the extra effort.

By the way Bob, all the after market kits look a bit "stuck on" when you're right up against them, IMO. But, I think they all look good (including the OEM kit) on the road.

I would definitely vote to put ANY kit on the car. The front and sides are especially wimpy looking to me with out the extra lines.

 

You know you want the kit, just the fact that you are asking suggests that

 

I have the OEM kit and, IMHO, it makes the car.

 

Someone is stuffing the ballot box - it's gone from "don't dare do it" to "go for it, big boy".

I'm highly suspicious ...

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How much is the oem kit and how much does the dealer charge for installation? Does it come pre-painted?

 

I bought the A-Spec under body part from www.curryacuraparts.com
from NY for $1195.00 Plus $27.16 for shipping. (Rear deck lid spoiler is not included). My dealer charged me $380.00 for installation.

 

Must be the TL guys coming over and skewing the data. Either that, or I have seriously underestimated the popularity of the RL's A-Spec kit.

I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do. That rear underbody spoiler alone still looks good.

@AsianTL...Another seller now has the whole kit for $1170 plus shipping on eBay.

Edit: To those who have the A-Spec kit, can one keep the mudflaps? I find them very useful and would be loathe to rid myself of them.

 

Mudflaps (I prefer splashguards) won't fit with the body kit.

 

I just looked at their website. The kit includes installation instructions. Does it look like a difficult job to do?

 

If you are a handy man, you can do it.
You have to remove front and rear bumper to install the kit.

 

The bumpers got to come off to do the install? I would have thought it attached much the way the OEM kit for the 2nd Gen TL went on?? For that install the front and rear skirts simply attached with bolts into clips that got attached to slots precut in the undersides of the bumper facsias. The only tricky part was the side sills which replaced the stock ones. I used a short 2x4 and applied pressure against the front tire to slide the sills backwards and off the plastic clips, then just removed the clips with a panel popper or pair of dikes. If I recall, the install of the whole body kit took about 45min. How long does the kit take to put on the RL??

 

I remember that the instruction installation stated that the rear bumper has to come off because the exhaust openings of the old bumper has to cut off or trimmed.

I paid the dealer to do it (Easy way out for me).

 

First I say if you have the means and like a style just go for it. The second part is adding a difficulty factor that involves a good body shop. Had a friend blend his ground effects kits to 3 different cars (Prelude, Civic and Acura integra). Had had a body shop remove any and all seems by using body putty and blending the existing body to the kit so there was no seam, just simple transitions. It made a huge difference in the look of the car. Don't know what it did to resale.

 

I'm not a fan of kits that add extra lines to a car. If you can mold the pieces to your current bumpers, then do it! I can't tell from the pics if the front bumper is a full bumper replacement or added to the stock bumper. I'll show you some examples of molded vs. not molded.

NOT MOLDED:
Here is a car with an after market kit, see the extra line added to the bumper?



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Now here is a CUSTOM molded bumper, to the factory bumper. It's the exact same kit:

MOLDED:

 

The underbody kit IS RICE.

 

Thats some great job blending the kit, but it must have cost a fortune in labor time given how much of a transition edge had to be hidden. Definitely would be the way to go if you have the $$$ to do it.

 

It is expensive, but worth it IMO.

 

If you guys want to see the labor involved for doing a custom mold, check out this link:

http://chicagoz.com/gallery/350Zbodywork?page=2