2006civic

So here is the situation

I have a chance at picking up 2 different RLs for pretty decent prices.

currently I drive a 6spd 07 TL-S .. keep that in mind as i present my choices to you


1) 2007 ACURA RL with Tech and CMBS/PAX - car is BLACK on BLACK ... brand new and they are offering it for 45k with destination

2) 2008 Acura RL with just the TECH package for 45k and i can have my choice of color

so here is my question .. which would you go with given the choice ?

things i dont like about the 07 is the fact that its black .. while i love a black car .. they are just too damn hard to maintain .. having owned them before .. i curse at every swirl that is visible ...

also the PAX system ... from reading around it seems like once you have it .. you cant get rid of it without spending a fortune .. i dont like the idea of that as i live in MASS and want to get a dedicated snow tire .. but it seems that it isnt an option if you have the PAX system .. any easy way around this ?

i do like the fact that ure getting more bang for the buck with the 07 then you are the 08


also .. what should i expect in going from a TLS to a RL ... i havent driven one yet .. going in the morning .. but are there any signifigant things ill like/ DISKLIKE about the RL verse my TL-S ?

thanks guys

larrynimmo

from a future resale value, the 08 is a better value...i would not own a black car. From what I hear, the TLS is noticably faster than the RL, but the RL is reasonably quick in its own rite. Keep in mind the TLS is like 500lb lighter and has essentially the same HP.

The fit and finish, and quality of materials is what the RL has to offer. The front cabin makes you feel like you are in a much larger car.

db22

You have to drive the RL. There is no comparison between an RL and a TL - they are totally different cars in totally different catagories for totally different reasons. Acura does not build both to compete with each other. It's your choice but this forum is biased to the RL because it is a RL forum and most people here love the RL, it is still more bang for the buck than any other machine out there. If you want luxury and quality then the RL, if you want sport and features for the buck then TL but the TL has nothing over the RL except a little faster acceleration.

lumpulus

Funny, I have owned nothing but Black cars, and I don't have any problem keeping them looking nice.

I'd get the 08, since color choice is important to you....either way, you'll be happy.

2006civic

thanks for the responses guys ... im going to be going to test drive the RL in 2 hours .. im excited ... im also going to take out the MDX for a ride.. one side of me loves the room that an SUV has to offer and there are good deals to be had on the MDX as well .. im def keeping my options open

ive sat in an RL before and first thing i noticed was.. how nice the leather is compared to the rest of the acura line.

henryr01

Go with the Black one. I now have my FIRST car in over 20 years that is not black and I do miss it. Yes it's harder to keep clean, yes it get's dirtier faster, and YES it is more work. But WOW, when it's clean nothing can compare to a black car.

The other posters are correct. There is a night and day difference between the TL and RL. I don't drive my TL much...it's the wifes car, but there is no comparison.

Good luck and remember that no matter which one you pick up, the '07 or '08, you WILL have made the right decision!

lland

I have an '06 Tech - CMBS/PAX. I could live without the PAX but love the CMBS/ACC. You need to decide for yourself. I looked into getting "regular" wheels and tires (plenty of take-offs available at a good price) but it would take around $500 to get a spare and related items. Since the PAX tires are fine, I'll keep them for not and when it's time to replace them, consider changing at that point. My dealer mentioned that there's a trad-in program for the PAX where (as long as your wheels are in decent shape) they will swap for new for about $1,200. Not cheap but you do get all new wheels. I have yet to hear of this from anyone else though.

Also, the PAX comes with a 2 year road hazard warranty. I had a (very) slow leak in one and the dealer swapped it for a new one (complete wheel/tire assembly), no questions asked.

LL

JamesDunning

Go for the 08 and get what you want.

ssim3

I just traded an 06 RL on an 07 MDX and love the added space. It is a little noiser on the highway. I got tech/ent & the rear seat ent sys. is great.

synth19

Go for the '08. I dont have CMBS/PAX in my '05, and I don't feel I'm missing anything. I LOVE black though, and the RL looks awesome in black Like you, I've always been afraid of the maintenance of black cars, but I think my next car WILL be black. I'll just take the extra time to make sure I maintain it (ie good microfiber towels, wax regularly, etc).

Treblig

I agree. I'm not a fan of CMBS/PAX (actually PAX) anyway.

dwboston

I traded my 05 RL w/ A-spec wheels and suspension for an 06 Black/Black Rl w/ CMBS/PAX/ACC. I loved the suspension on the 05 but with the roads here in MA it was just a little too rough at times. I looked into keeping my A-spec wheels but didn't mind the PAX wheels/tires after I test drove the car (they are basically 18" wheels) and figured that thy would be cheaper to replace in a few years when the time comes than they are today. If you do a lot of highway driving then the ACC is a great feature. In the end pick the color that you want, and if you want to do suspension mods and swap out the wheels, opt for the 08 Tech package, which will give you more modding freedom.

kirbyflorida

No Black and no Pax for me, you already know the reasons.

For 40 plus thousands dollars, get the car and color you want.

neuronbob

I know you've already gone for your test drive, but I'd get the 2008 so you can get your color choice, and the resale may be a little better with an early model year purchase.

As for TL vs. RL....

Test drive #2, RL vs TL impressions
This car feels ALMOST as fast as my TL

Why are you getting out of the TL-S? Note: you are among friends. There are many of us who are TL to RL converts.

nore03

I think that Black is just hands down beautiful. I couldn't go with any other color. I say take the 07. They are both brand new and nothing has changed between them as far as features and you get the added feature going with the 07 over the 08. That CMBS seems real cool.

jim nj

Hi RL owners...
I have a 1999 3.5 RL, considering trade for a 2006 RL in Lakeshore Silver/taupe, 28,000 miles (off lease early). I'm really hesitating over the color - seems bluish or violet in daylight, not my preference. What do you guys think about the Lakeshore Silver?

Also, the seats seem a little soft, and had some back discomfort although I engaged the lumbar. Do the seat backs firm up more over time?

2006civic

so heres my review of the RL ...

as stated before.. i have a 07 TL-S 6 speed

im going to be honest here.. i was thoroughly disappointed in the RL .. there is no way i can justify spending 45k on this car

things I didnt like

the dash layout ...the buttons seemed really small and crammed .. i also didnt like the location of the nav screen ...

the acceleration was terrible compared to my TLS .. granted we are talking a 6spd vs an AUTO .. but even the auto TLS i drove felt noticably quicker .. obvis i understand that due to AWD .. this car loses hp compared to the FWD TLS

I just felt like the car was very vanilla inside .. its not the type of car someone gets in and says WOW .. this thing is a nice luxury sedan ... i think IMO the TLS looks more luxury then the RL ...

obvis you guys wont feel the same since this is afterall an RL forum .. but i wanted to at least let you guys know what I thought of the car

I did also test drive the MDX with tech package and felt it was LEAGUES nicer thent he RL inside ... my only complaint with the MDX was the acceleration .. but thats because of the AUTO tranny .. ive never been a fan of autos ..

The RL to me is a car i would buy if it was in the 30-35k range.. I just dont see how it costs 10-15k more then the TL ...

but i did want to thank you all for your responses to my thread.. ive decided that the RL is not the car for me .. least not for the price it is getting at the dealer.

neuronbob

Hahahaha! I had similar thoughts to you, too, at first! Find my posts from September last year and see. To speak to your comments....

The dash layout--I thought it was more cluttered than the TL, but the voice recognition and the multifunction knob are good enough that you should almost never have to touch the dash. After a year, I don't even think about it anymore.

The acceleration--the gearing is different from the TL auto, and hell, nothing beats a 6MT anyway. Part of the issue is that on a test drive, the adaptive transmission hasn't adjusted to your shift points (most people probably don't drive like WE do as enthusiasts). A week of assertive driving like I do and there's not issue with that. The RL is not as fast as the TL--how can it be, it's 500 pounds heavier and has AWD, but once the transmission is used to your acceleration style, it is almost there.

The "vanilla" interior styling is pretty subjective. Can't help there. I did an interior analysis comparing the RL to others in its class (5-series, Lexus GS, Audi A6, etc) a few months ago and felt that it compared favorably to others. You'd have to test drive other cars in that class to see.

As far as it being worth 30-35k....again, you have to really spend time with the car to realize where the money is worth spending. A 1/2 hour test drive simply doesn't do the car justice, especially with a salesman in the car inhibiting REAL testing of SH-AWD, allowing proper inflation of the tires for assertive driving (35 psi front/33 psi rear in mine), etc. The build quality is, overall, better as well.

Then again, the TL is MUCH better built now than the 2004 TL I traded to get the RL. I was in a 2007 TL base loaner yesterday as my RL was in for service and that sucker is built as tight as a drum now....stering and suspension are nice and firm, and the car STILL invites crazy-ass driving. And there's essentially no torque steer--amazing for a FWD car. I don't know how Acura did it, but they made the TL better in that department.

larrynimmo

i do appreciate your candid opinion...while what you said is a proper analysis it is an opinion formed on a test drive. When I first bought mine, I went back and forth as to wether I should have bought the ES350 instead. As I have gotten more used to the RL I have no regret whatso ever. The only time I look back now, is to see the cars I am leaving behind in my rear view mirror as I zip through the turns. Of all the cars I have seen, I can't say that I have seen a more pleasing location for the Nav screen then where it is. Some Chryslers have it right where the speedo is, but I never driven one to know.

When I sit in my RL I don't say "wow these seats are really confortable"...but after 2 hours on the road when drving any other car, I feel sore and uncomfortable. In the RL no drivers fatigue at all. Unlike others I have not mastered the voice controls. I am working on it and I do about 50/50. For night driving, everything is illuminated and the dash looks like a complete project with all the illuminations matching color and intensity.

if you need AWD this is a valuable feature that you don't have to pay extra for. I owned a second generation 2003 TL and when I compare build quality and materials there is a world of difference between the two.

The RL isn't offered as a sports car (like the TLS) It doesnt have a six speed...its 500 lbs heavier. It has a refined offering that balances performance and comfort. It is not the best in any category...but yet IMHO, it is the best overall car in its catagory when you consider value for the money.

Rexorg

Don't buy either. If you can wait a year take your chances on the '09 RL or its replacement. It should be a lot better than the current RL even though it will probably cost $5-10K more.

NJ06RL

I've had 2007 TL loaners when my RL was in for minor work at the dealers. The TL clearly is quicker off the mark but I wouldn't trade my RL for a TL anytime. Even the fit and finish of the 2007 TL's are slightly below my 06RL and I really value the SH AWD in our RLs. I came from a pretty quick front driver ( 2001 Prelude) to the RL so I wouldn't get front wheel drive again unless there was something else truly compelling about the TL.

Now a TL with SH AWD, if it happens, - that's a different story ...

johnnykuz

Having had both a 3G TL for 75K miles and now an RL,I can honestly say I love both, but prefer the RL. MY TL had kicka** performance but on long drives (of which I made many) the, the RL wins for me hands down. The overall level of comfort, the performance, the stability the SH AWD brings on high speed interstate highways through the mountains in the NE, it's just the whole package as far as touring. The longest drives I made in the TL would usually be 11 hours and I would be heavily fatigued when it was over. The seats just weren't that comfortable. Recently did an all nighter (17.5 hrs) in the RL and the difference is amazing. The entire trip, I never squirmed in the seat. The overall balance of the car was just a pleasure.

So in the end, to me, the question is what type driving will prevail in your use of the car?

That should drive your choice.

TampaRLX-SH

It appears you had inappropriate expectations for the RL. Styling issues aside,the handling and driving characteristics are decidely different from the TL (and particularly a TL-S). If you expect the RL to be more edgey, more agressive and faster, you are assuring yourself disappointment.

These vehicles are tuned for different behaviors. The TL (and TL-S) are tuned for edgey performance, the RL is tuned for smooth, refined performance. One is not better than the other. One may appeal to you more than the other and that is how you should determine which ride suits you better.

Obviously the RL is not the vehicle for your tastes. That said, you should not buy it even if it was at the pricepoint you quote (30-35K). If it does not appeal to you, NO price should justify your purchasing an RL.

Unless, of course this simply was an exercise to affirm your purchase of your TL-S. I read some sour grapes in this review.

Chas2

lland says the same thing I would. I have the ACC/CMBS/PAX and love the ACC/CMBS. PAX tires definitely ride and handle better than stock, but will be expensive to replace.

BUT the ACC/CMBS package does not lend itself to ready suspension mods, without affecting the pointing of the radar.

The pointing of the radar part is my supposition, but I think a reasonable one. Before changing the suspension, you will have to find a dealer that is willing to realign, and to also research if there is enough "range of adjustment" in the radar unit for the amount of lowering you would be doing. I have a couple of Acura dealers that are of the opinion that suspension refits, like the A-Spec will fit, but the adjustment of the radar is another story.

2006civic

i was genually interested in getting an RL that is why i test drove it ..it wasnt because i was trying to justify my TLS purchase..believe me..i have no doubts about purchasing that car. since there is a firesale on the 07 RL i figure what better time then now to look into one.

my biggest issue with the RL is what you get for what you pay. you guys talk about how much nicer the RL is then the TL... but is it nice enough to justify the 10-15k price difference ?.. not in my mind ...

when i got into the RL .. i was expecting a car that justifies a 50k price tag.... now if i were to go to INFINITI or LEXUS and hop in an M45 or a GS350 ... there would be a CLEAR difference between these and their cheaper counterparts (g35 and ES350) ... you would be able to see where the extra dollars comes into play when choosing those.

when i sat in the RL and drove it .. there was nothing i could point out that would say to me "this car is clearly better then the TL .. so much so that it justifies this 50k price tag"

the car was just boring to me . no pizzazz .. i wasnt expecting it to accelerate like my TLS for obvious reasons .. man vs auto .. awd drivetrain loss and such

i just think the gap between the TL and the RL ... if any at all .. isnt enough that makes the car worth the extra $ .. when you sit in the TL .. it looks like a luxury sedan .. everything is nicely placed .. very clean looking .. the RL just seemed WAY too busy inside .. and i didnt like the layout ..

the RL IMO is the next Q45

but again .. im not hear to bash you guys ..just giving you my opinions and im very thankful you guys took the time to write yours

Chas2

lland says the same thing I would. I have the ACC/CMBS/PAX and love the ACC/CMBS. PAX tires definitely ride and handle better than stock 17's, but will be expensive to replace. While I would like to have more high performance tires and different wheels, I am not dissatisfied enough with the PAX to make the change, and will wait until they are worn out to make that decision.

BUT you should know the ACC/CMBS package does not lend itself to ready suspension mods, without affecting the pointing of the radar.

The pointing of the radar part is my supposition, but I think a reasonable explanation for why Acura does not recommend A-Spec or any suspension mods with the ACC/CMBS. I have worked with couple of Acura dealer parts departments that are of the opinion that suspension refits, like the A-Spec will fit, but the adjustment of the radar is another story. Before changing the suspension, you will have to find a dealer that is willing to realign the radar to spec, and to also research if there is enough "range of adjustment" in the radar unit for the amount of lowering you would be doing.

In the end, you may wish to just to not bother with the ACC/CMBS if you are into modding.

dwboston

No need to defend your preferences. One of the issues for the RL is that the things that justify the price (to me) are subtle and not apparent in a test drive scenario: SH-AWD, virtually full voice control of all car functions, active noise cancellation, active front headslights, materials and build quality, etc. Like others have said, it's a car that grows on you the more that you drive it. It's a high quality car, especially at today's selling prices. I owned an 03 TL-S and have driven an 07 TL-S. They are fun cars and definitely faster than the RL, but they aren't in the same class in terms of fit and finish. It's all personal preference.

kenny5

2006civic -- Obviously, you knew about the RL prior to test driving it. For example, the price difference of 7k, the slightly slower pickup vs TLS, the "busier" interior layout .... I am surprised that you spent the time testing it, knowing before hand the differences that you anticipated and realized.

RL is superior to TLS in terms of refinement, build and finish (not to mention SH-AWD and no torque steer), and that is pretty much undeniable. In sum, don't expect a firesale to lower the RL price to YOUR price range of 30-35k. It just won't happen. Then again, how can you justify spending $$ on a TLS when you .... apparently .... owned and drove a 2006 civic???????

neuronbob

2006civic, don't feel the need to defend your priorities in a car. We all have them.

For the record, I totally agree with you on the TL's dash layout. It was damned near perfect. Simple, with big buttons for the most part. You can also use voice recognition in that car well enough that you hardly need to touch those buttons, either.

As far as the RL being the next Q45.....well, we are really hoping not. We have come to realize that the RL was mostly a hobby-horse on which Honda was trying new technologies that have made it further down the line.

No worries, you're still part of the Acura fam! The TL is a great car, I owned one for three years.

2006civic

hrmm so you are saying that i cant justify the cost of a TLS becaus i drove a 2006 civic .. what does that have to do with anything .. im a car lover.. my 06 civic was a daily driver and was HEAVILY modded ... hrmm i guess because i also owned a 2007 SI sedan that was supercharged among other things.. that means i cant justify the cost of a TLS .... your remarks are stupid at best

the TLS is a GREAT car for the price.. i paid 33k for my brand new 07 TL-S 6 speed.. for what is also in the price range as far as other cars go and what is standard on the TLS .. its a no brainer ...

the RL is a whole different story ..i dont expect them to lower the car to my pricing point .. if i wanted to buy one at 45k i could .. but to me its just not worth it .. hence me placing a value on the car I FEEL is worth it. not everyone will agree and that is fine ..

and the price difference was more then 7k .. even at invoice for both cars .. its almost a 12k price tag difference

2006civic

pics for anyone that cares

the paint on that car would put any acura factory paint to shame as far as quality .. including my TLS ..

for anyone that cares ... the color is Electric Blue pearl .. car was completely painted inside and out .. rims were also painted nighthawk black pearl with electric blue pearl lip .. car has other mods as well




and here is my Comptech Supercharged SI ..-

kenny5

2006 civic, thanks for posting beautifiul pictures of your nice cars, even though they are irrelevant for the purpose of this forum.

My remarks regarding your justification in buying a TLS while you also own a Civic are logical and make sense for the following reasons, despite your contention that they are "stupid at best." As we know, the Civic and the TL are emblematic leaders of value in their respective classes. Similarly, the 07 RL with tech package, which can be bought at 41.5k, also represents a great value in its segment where it competes with luxury sedans such as M35, GS 350, Audi A6, and BMW 5 series. Indeed, many posters in this forum were former TL or TLS owners, and they upgraded to the RL in light of its superb value. Hence, I asked how you can justify your purchase of the TLS, which is significantly more expensive than the Civic, while you cannot justify the purchase of a RL over a TLS.

Using your own perception of what "value" should be, you appeared to have questioned the RL owners about their perception of value, and noted that at firesale price, you might consider buying an RL only if it is sold at 30-35k. While you are clearly entitled to your own opinion, coming to a forum of RL enthusiasts and lovers and telling them they might have overspent on a car that they own is, IMHO, not proper ettiquette. It is tantamount to going into someone's newly purchased home and tell them that the house is ugly and overpriced. They may be offended, even though you might not have intended to do so

For the record, I do not yet own a RL, and I don't feel offended by your comments, but I do believe the RL is a great value at its current price point, when compared with competitors in its class. I also think there is a proper time, place and manner to voice your comments without being offensive, whether intended or otherwise. However, I do appreciate your unabashed candor and unrestrained sentiments in expressing yourself.

Further, you started this thread by saying that you might want to buy one of the two RLs
"at decent prices" and requested the forum members to help you decide. They responded enthusiastically and gave helpful comments. After you posted comments regarding your post test drive impressions of the RL, the responses were few and lackluster. While this may not be any indication as to how the members feel about your comments, it raises an issue and gives pause as to whether your comments were well received.

I do not want to belabor this, as we should go back to discussing how Acura can improve the image of its flagship RL, such that it will carry on the laurels of its predecessor, the Legend. Peace out!!

2006civic

let me start off by saying ... none of my responses were meant to belittle any RL owners.. nor was i trying to put down anyone that bought the RL ... i did not come here for confrontation ..

Kenny - let me try and clarify things for you since it seems that you might have misunderstood my review of the RL

but first let me answer your question about justifying cost of a TLS vs the cost of a civic ... the TLS was not bought as a replacement for the civic .. both cars serverd different purposes and the TLS is not my only car .. i drive 120 miles round trip to work every day .. that is where the civic came in .. great car to drive as far as MPG goes .. the TLS was bought as more of a luxury car ... a car i can drive around when im not at work

but yes .. if you are truly interested i could EASILY justify the cost of the TLS over the cost of a fully loaded civic ... ill leave that untouched unless you want me to explain
--------------------------------

also kenny i was no way trying to say that i was expecting to get a brand new RL for 30-35k .. i was merely stating that after sitting in the car and driving it .. i just couldnt see where the 50k price tag comes from .. there was nothing about the car that stuck out at me that warranted the price.. but as stated before... this is just MY opinion .. and i understand its not shared by everyone.

back to the justifying of COSTS... i said i couldnt jsutify the cost of an RL OVER MY TL-S .. i say this because .. there is nothing the RL offers that my TLS dosent have .. IMO that justifies the huge price difference

sure the RL has AWD and a nicer fit and finish .. but there are a ton of things my car has that the RL does not ... MORE POWER .. bi-xenon headlights... 6 speed manual tranny ... touch screen navi just to name a few ... and its signifigantly less .. so much so that i dont feel the "step up" is worth it .. thats all

I really do like the RL .. the exterior of the car is gorgeous and im sure as stated before by others here .. that if i spent more time wit the car .. id come to appreciate the little things that most would not notice on a test drive

i dont feel that anyone here was offended by my comments.. this is a message board.. not everything said here is posiotive.... heck neuron bob shared some of the same feelings as i did regarding the RL .. so im not the only one here

my whole reason for coming here was to get an opinion on which model of RL would be a better buy had i decided to get one .. and i thought that i would share my input on my initial reaction after driving the RL coming from a TLS .. again it was not meant to offend .. i wanted to see if others could provide any feedback to my reactions regarding the car

im calling a truece here guys