FWIW, my dealer, Pohanka, in Northern VA says they are selling a 2010 Tech RL for 40,300. May be a test/eval vehicle, a year old, and so forth, but it seems to be the kind of pricing they had at the end of 2006, the likes of which I understand were unprecedented for that car, and which Acura tried to control in subsequent years by severely restraining supply.

Mods, if this does not belong here, delete it.

 

Chas,

I got the "Sale" email from Pohanka. They do list a 2010 RL as an "Eval" vehicle. It could have been the GM's car or when I was there last week they had black 2010 in the showroom that had a few miles on it.

I am not surprised at all by the pricing. The RL's are a great value especially when they are sold as late model CPO's and dealer demos. When I purchased my 2006 RL CPO in March 2008 they offered me $9000 off the factory MSRP on any new 2008 RL on the lot.

The best deals will be on the current model when and if a totally new RL is brought to market.

 

I purchased my new '10 on July 31 for $40,700 - I played hardball just to see how bad they wanted the sale. I had no intention of buying that day.

 

We have found a loaded 2008 RL with 68,000 miles for $24,000. Is this a good deal? We really like the car but with 68,000 miles on it we are uneasy. Any input will be appreciated.

We currently have a 2000 TL3.2 with 140,000 trouble free miles on it. My wife is uncomfortable driving it in the snow and wants an AWD which is what we were searching for when we found the 2008 RL.

 

I think that's a good deal on the 08 since the power train warranty is good till 70k.

 

I purchased my 2006 RL (Tech w/CMBS Pkg) in March 2008 as a CPO car. Paid $36k. The car only had 4k miles on it. A local lady owned the car for only 14 months and the car was showroom new. I actually had a brand new 2008 TL-S 6 speed on factory order and cancelled the order for the TL when I spotted this RL one day on display.

I now have 135k miles on my RL. I travel between Washington DC, Florida, and Detroit for business and swear by the RL for being a incredible all around very competent and reliable car.

Issues: Under the CPO warranty had the Drive Shaft replaced at about 90k (known issue, bearing whine), passenger side door lock touch sensor is broken (does unlock), a few months ago had the lower control arms and front end ball joints replaced (must have been those trips to Detroit!), and the leather finish/dye on the drivers seat has worn.

Positives:
Incredible inclement weather traction with SH AWD. We had record snow fall last year in Metro DC. I was able to navigate local roads when most cars and some SUV's were all getting stuck.
Efficiency: I average about 27mpg on highway trips, 18-20 local driving (premium fuel). Routine maintenance for a luxury car is a relative bargain (compared to Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Audi).
Features/Tech: The RL is loaded with tons of useful tech and luxury features (class leading Nav, CMBS, Laser Cruise, blue tooth, etc.....as a road warrior I think the RL is one of the best "executive offices on wheels"). 5 Star Crash Testing rating in all categories when this car was new (Lincoln Town Car and RL were 1st cars to earn this award).
Reliability: Almost as good/reliable as an Accord (I owned 2 Accords) or Lexus LS460 (my parents have 2 Lexus LS460's and so does my business partner). Car still runs, drives, handles, feels, and looks as new (except leather on driver's seat).
I enjoy my RL as much today with 135k miles on it as the day I drove it off the dealer lot with 4k miles on it (a great testament to the quality and engineering excellence of the RL). It is a very rugged as well as a very rewarding car to drive and own. I would highly recommend and also suggest Acura dealer Certified Pre Owned warranty for peace of mind.
68k miles is high for a 2008 model but not relative for a RL. If you shop around I am sure you can find one with less miles at a reasonable price. These cars lose a lot of value the 1st 2 years of their life and then seem to hold their value over the years.
Good luck, you will love the RL and I am sure your wife will feel very confident behind the wheel of an RL.

 

The '08 with 68000 miles should not be a deterent to the purchase. It is safe to assume lots of hwy driving which is much better than in town miles. Mileage not an issue as long as car was maintianed appropriately.

 

We are feeling better about this purchase based on the comments here and that the car has been certified by Acura and Enterprise.
Thanks for your input.
I will post again when we have completed the sale and have a few miles on it.
Thanks Again,
Ken

 

We have had the RL now for a year and love it. Ride, economy, handling is all great. The wife is more comfortable now driving in snow. I just wish it had a little more leg room in the front seats. I'm 6'1" and could use a little more leg room.
Thanks to all for your input.

 

Touching on Cadi's post about the five star crash ratings, I recently found out my wife's 2009 Civic insurance is slightly more than my 2007 RL. Both are comprehensive with same deductible. When inquirig about how a $22k car can have the same premium as a $51k car, I was told the premium isn't based off of replacement part prices, but rather it's based off of safety ratings. I am sure the SH-AWD helps in preventing accidents and the crash ratings helps in saving body injury during accidents, but I was still .