Been seriously going back and forth with an 07-08 TL and an 11-12 RL. If I were to pick the RL, what maintenance concerns are there with AWD? Is it something I have to worry about a lot while driving? I heard all tires need to be exactly same psi at all times or the AWD system can get ruined and cost a fortune to fix. That's a lot of worry because it seems like you'd have to constantly monitor your tires all the time.

 

you are over thinking it....you are putting the cart before the horse.
First you have to find a clean example RL....if you find a trash RL then of course you're going to have a big repair bill..

you will need to search high and low for a well kept machine.
if you find a trash TL or RL you're going to have a high bill, because cars are machines...machines have moving parts. moving parts fail.

so, go out and find a clean example of either or, the TL or RL...

I wouldnt be scared of the RL's AWD system if I knew the car was taken care of properly.
did you know that the weather can affect tire pressure? meaning outside forces can unbalance the tire pressure. meaning, your thinking of differing PSI in the tires is a little outlandish..meaning, you're overthinking it

 

and yes, one is supposed to always monitor tire pressure. it's cars 101!!
thus why new-ish cars have TPMS or Tire Pressure Monitoring System, which does it for you

 

Zero issues with my previous sh-awd vehicles:
- 08 RDX tech with +180,000 miles, handed down to daughter
- 11 MDX Adv with +145,000 miles, still runs like new

You just have to add 2 extra fluid services every 30,000 to 60,000 miles for the transfer case and the sh-awd rear diff. Other than that, the same maint schedule as the fwd TL. It is recommended to keep the same tread depth for tires on the same axle with sh-awd. You can have front or rear tires at different treadlife %; but, keep the set together on the same axle for rotations. It is always good to purchase 4 new tires that are non-directional so you can rotate and cross-rotate for even wear on all 4 corners.

It is hard to keep the PSI exactly even on all four corners. My PSI is usually 1-3 PSI within each other depending if in the shade or one side of the vehicle is sitting in direct sunlight. I just set the same PSI in the morning in the garage on all four corners and call it a day.

I would test drive both the TL and RL to feel the handling differences and extra luxury touches between them both. There are more aftermarket mods for the TL and you have the TL Type-S also. The RL is very good right out the box; but, very limited aftermarket support compared to the TL if you like to mod.

 

I don't care about modding. I drove the 07 TL a few times and it was really nice. Plenty of power and looks awesome inside and out. Sound was great too and the seats were nice and soft. The RL is intriguing because it's made in Japan and supposedly built better and has more features. Not to mention I heard great things about the AWD system in the RL.

And yeah of course I want to find a clean one. I'll travel anywhere in the country if I have to in order to find one in the 50-60k mile range. I know it'll be hard because fewer than 1,500 were sold between the two years.

 

The TL is great vehicle and Acura's top seller at the time. I still think the TL has a timeless design that still looks good today compared to the competition sold the same model years. I couldn't afford a new 06 TL and went with the new 06 TSX instead. My TSX built in Japan was very reliable for +175,000 miles other than an alternator, A/C compressor, and leaky P/S rack (totaled in Nov/19 by red light runner). Some folks didn't have the same long term reliability with the TL being made and offered for the North American market.

Having sh-awd is what sets Acura vehicles apart from other manufacturers. Lots of tech on the 12 RL Adv you can't find on the 08 TL like 300hp 3.7L engine, sh-awd, 6AT, ventilated front seats, standard parking sensors, ACC/CMBS, and power fold mirrors. It might be worth taking one for a back-to-back test drive to compare to the 07-08 TL (or even +09 TL if you like that body design).

 

I agree, I think the RL might be worth checking out. Problem is, there's not many to choose from that don't have over 100,000 miles. Even over 80k is too risky for me. Plenty of time for people to not properly take care of it.

I hate the 2009-2014 TL. Drove one and was very unimpressed. The looks are also hideous compared to the 3rd gen.

 

You might want to skip old cars then, if 80k miles is to risky for you.

You probably want a newer car with a warranty then

 

OP, will be hard to find such a clean example that you are looking for. Anyone with such a car probably isn't selling. My 06 RL has 77k miles on it and looks almost brand new. But I'm not selling.

 

The RL/RLX and NSX are probably one of the most under appreciated vehicles out there. Very few recognizes what a hidden gem they are until years/decades later. You might need to have cash/financing on hand, look coast-to-coast weekly, travel, and be willing to pay near or above blue book for a clean low mileage example. I looked for months and finally had to fly from NM to Sacramento, CA, to purchase my CPO 18 RLX hybrid back in Dec/19.