23109VC

I now the TL vs. RL debate has been beaten to death on this site...but I haven't seen any threads that SOLELY focused on the TYPe S vs RL with the sole focus being performance.

I KNOW the RL is way nicer. Build quality is better, it's made in Japan, materials are nicer, it's quieter.... if my focus is to go for a luxury car, the RL is the way to go, no question - end of debate.

IF however, you want to go for PERFORMANCE - and you consider a TL-S vs a "regular" RL, the win goes to the TL-S. Most fo the totally standard RLs i've driven felt soft. i drove a couple with 18" wheels, good tires, but normal suspension, and they felt more sure footed, but not "sporty".

I have NOT driven an aspec RL.

If I want a car that will corner REALLY well, and is pretty fast - the TL-S is not a bad choice. it's luxurious, but not as luxurious as the RL, but I can get a TL-S and essentially do nothign to it except add a rear sway bar, some lowering springs, and the thing will corner like nuts. even though it's FWD, in stock form the TL-S is a pretty fun little car.

if I was made of money - i'd get an RL for my daily driver, and a Cayman S for weekend trips to the twisties... but unfortuantely I have a wife, 3 kids, a mortgage, student loan, blah blah blah. so the Pcar days will have to wait and for now, I need a car that will sort of "do it all". I considerd the 335 BMW as it is pretty fast...but it costs quite a bit more than the TL and it's quite a bit smaller in the back seat than the TL and it was just way too hard to cram kids / car seats in the back of the 335.

anyway...so.. the TL-S is a bit tight if i put all thre kids in the back but they will fit (and I have an 07 MDX for the really long trips).

so... if I want a car that will corner really well, and be fun to drive -

what would you consider better

A 2008 TL-S or an RL.

the RL would have to have 18 or 19" wheels, H&R springs OR aspec suspension, good tires. I could do an intake/exhaust. if I do this, i'd probably find a used 2005 model with as log of miles as I can find, then add these goodies to it.

how would THAT "fixed up" RL stack up against a stock TL-S in the

0-60 / 1/4 mile
freeway pulls - passing type speeds
cornering, freeway on/off ramps, twisty roads
"fun" to drive

I know the RL will win on the plush/luxury/quiet/upscale appearance categories.

i'm just curious if an RL with some bolt ons would actually equal or surpass a stock TL-S in acceleration/handling/etc. the SH-AWD gives it an edge - and if you take the slop out of the stock setup by adding bigger wheels/better suspensino/better tires and add a few hp with intake/exhaust - is it better than a TL-S that is FWD..or does the extra weight of the RL and the AWD drivetrain losses, still hold it back in the performance dept.

my gut is that on a long sweeper - where SH-aWD would really help it might do better than a TL-S.. but if you are on a somewhat twisty mountain road...the TL-S might still be better/more fun.. not sure.

anyone one to address this one? RL stock or RL/w mods VS TL-S.

if you then added shocks/springs and Rear sway bar, AEM intake - to the TL-S would it then easily OUT perform the modded RL?????

fredren

regardless of what you do the Rl it will still be slower than the TL-S for couple reasons, the tl-s is sending power to only 2 wheels and the rl sh-awd eats up about a 35% drivetrain loss and the gear ratio on the tl-s is slightly shorter vs the rl and the rl is also 4034 lbs vs the tl-s 3559/3674 (manual/auto) so if your looking for all out fun and handling i'd go with the TL-S


And as far as aftermarket is concerned you have a lot more choices with the TL

fredren

and also as for qauter mile times (tl-s vs rl) 14.1 vs 15.1 in stock form

23109VC

i kind of figured the TL-S would be faster in a straight line.

the handling thing - not so sure of. in general, lighter = better handling. my dad's boxster ins't the fastest thing in the world, but geeeez does it corner. the TL-S is FWD though, and the RL has AWD.

if i get a TL, I'd do a rear sway bar and springs. i know the TL you can get koni yellows...a nice upgrade that doens't breakt he bank like a TEIN setup....

thanks for the replies. appreciate it!

Chas2

It is sort of apples and oranges.

Remember the TL is more of a sports sedan, albeit fwd.

The RL purports to be a luxury sedan, with some sporting pretensions, but is no means a sports sedan.

Although I have not driven a TL-S, I am sure it is going to be faster, and because of suspension setup, this would probably also translate to the twisties.

Just from the questions, it seems that sports performance is the most important aspect of the decision, and I don't think the RL will measure up in that department.

There are other features in the RL that make it a superior luxury car to the TL, not the least of which is interior fit and finish and the extreme detail paid to finish both inside and out, including under the car aero.

neuronbob

The TL-S will blow by the RL in the straights for the reasons noted above, but the A-Spec'd or otherwise lowered RL, driven assertively enough to activate SH-AWD (which you won't be doing most of the time on a public road, trust me) will catch up in the curves.

No matter how sporty the TL-S is, it's still FWD and that's always a disadvantage in the curves.

With that said, if you're looking for pure sport with lots of luxury, you can't go wrong with a TL-S. If you want luxury with some sport after modding, go for the RL. I've had both a TL and an RL and frankly like both of them for what they are.

The ideal solution is to get an RL AND a sports car, though admittedly most people can't afford that. Let me tell you, driving an S2000 for a couple of days in a row makes the RL a treat to drive, and vice versa.

jhr3uva90

Why even consider a TL? If you really wants a sports sedan, why not go with a RWD sedan such as the Infiniti G or the 3 Series BMW? Both cars are relatively light and handle extremely well. A TL is a good deal in that you get many features for the price. The RL is a better deal in that you get many more features plus better build quality. But neither car is a true sports sedan. At least the RL doesn't try to be.

23109VC

this is VERY true. the TL-S is FWD which takes a LOT away from feeling sporty. especially when you get on the gas. that was the ONE big turn off I had with the car when I test drove it - and I got to drive both stick and auto twice. I hate the way the Infiniti looks and sounds. it's just subjective..but I don't like it. so i never even bothered to drive it.

the 335 is my ideal car - problem is the size. it's just enough smaller in the back than the TL that it makes it very veyr hard to fit three kids in the back. I have a 6 year old, 3 year old, and 1 year old. the oldest is in a booster, the other two are in foward facing car seats. we use our MDX for most of our family trips - but it would be nice to have "my" car capable of fitting them all in the back - so we could use my car for many of our outings if we felt like it.

I remember trying to fit all our car seats into the back of the TL and it was tight, but they fit. i tried the same thing, some time later, in a 335 and it was EXTREMELY tight. visually the 3 series looks smaller in the back - but when you try to fit car seats - it's a lot smaller.

the RL is just enough bigger than the tL that it would be great for fitting the kids into the back. lots of space for that.

and nueronbob is totally right. the perfect situation is to get the RL and an s2000. I could afford to get the s2000, but it would mean that my daily driver woulde remain the 1999 Volvo S70 T5 i currently drive. it has 135,000 miles on it. runs great but lots of little stuff is wropng with it...typical of a car with this mileage. i wold have to keep driving that daily, and have an s2000 as a toy car.

it's kind of hard to convince your wife that you need a third car, that fits ONLY you, when you have three small kids. she envisions Saturday mornings would consist of me driving off into the sunset in my s2000 and she would be home with three screaming kids. in a few weeks, I really would be single... so as much as I would be totally willing to keep my daily driver (it's not THAT bad of a car in terms of getting around) and have a total toy car - my current situationin life doens't really lend itself to getting an impractical toy car. besides, i'd have to maintain three cars, insure three cars, etc.

for now - my best bet is to sell my old boxy volvo or trade it - and then get something that will not necessarily "comfortgably" seat 5 - but can fit them when needed - and then slightly mod it so it has a taste of sportiness and is fun.

in that league of cars, my fantasy would be an RS4. sports car speed, exotic sounds, not too outrageious looking and fun. but even used they are in the low to mid 50s. if they fell down toward 40k i might splurge and get one..but i'm trying to keep my total costs in under $35k. there isn't a lot to choose from that is super fast or supe fun that fits all my criteria in that range.

for taking the kids out in the car - having a car with nav is a must. the TL-S and RL both have a lot of features for the money. each with a slightly different focus.

it seems like the RL depreciates worse than the tL-s. i've seen quite a few 3007 RLs that are listed at 35k. MSRP was 50k. I have seen quite a few 2007 TL-S, all asking over 30k...on a car that I can buy brand new for 33k.

if i could get a 2007 TL-S for $24-25k.... then i think i'd go for that and save the money. but i haven't seen that. i htink the cheapest i saw one for was 29k and that was a high mileage private party car.

given the current prices..it seems like you pay TOO much for a barely used TL-S and you get a smokin deal on a barely used RL.

my ultimate goal is to have a car that is fun and can fit my kids when I need to take my car and not the MDX. i'm not looking to buy a 100% full time family car - but it also can't be so small/impractical/tight that putting the kids in it is such a PITA that we just never take it due to the hassle. that is how the 335 would be. trying to jam the kids in the back was really hard - like playing twister.... it would work in a crisis..and that was it.

i want it to look upscale and mature for my job. attorney for the county / gov't agency. (not a high roller private firm guy...sorry.) i'm 36 - not necessarily too old or to young for either car.. i still have a part of me that wants to have a fun fast car - but i need practicality and want some luxury. a car like an EVO has no appeal to me as for all it's speed, it's just too ricey.

any suggestions? RL with the mods I would add - think it would be as "fun" as a bone stock TL-S?

mmp1214

i have never personally driven a RL but if i had to go with either one of the two id chose the tls anyday over the rl the fact that it looks sportier, and the rl looks more like something executive, its for that person who goes to the office on a daily. once again i havent driven the rl b4 but the tls is lighter and as many have already said that the rl's sh-awd adds on so much weight it makes cornering harder, given that u will do all the after market goodies but why not buy the tl-s and add those goodies that way u will have a fast lil cornering monster, and maybe its not sh-awd but its still fun. so im sayin go with the tls FTW!

jhr3uva90

I have driven both cars. I would go with the RL for the following reasons:

- RL is big enough for your 3 kids to fit into the back seat comfortably.
- RL has Japanese build quality, while the TL feels (to me) like a very well-built American car. This is subjective, of course.
- You can get a much better deal on a used RL. I would recommend the 2006 model year, if you can find it. It would still be under the original warranty.
- SH-AWD is useful in ALL situations, not just bad weather. But the right tires on the RL, and you have a car that goes around corners very well for its size.

23109VC

of course you would get the TL-S. You're 17. When I was your age that would have been my instant choice as well.

I"m not 17. I'm 36, married, three kids. You will be there one day yourself.

Ballinger

The dealer just loaned me an '08 TLS for the day and I was impressed and excited by the drive, the steering feel and the gas mileage (22mpg while zipping it pretty hard). However, I noted that it's narrower and shorter in the cabin than my RL, making the rear seat behind the driver useless when I'm adjusted as I do in the RL.

That said, for a shorter person, the TLS is pretty darn cool.

neuronbob

Here's how the conversation went in my house:

Me: "Honey, I'm buying something fun for my 40th birthday. Would you rather see me in a sports car or on a crotch rocket?" (Didn't want motorcycle, but you get the idea....)
Her: "What? You're not getting a motorcycle and splattering yourself all over the road when you have a two-year-old!" (Yesssssss....)
Me: "OK, how about a Honda sports car with two seats? Sure, I'd drive it by myself sometimes, but with an extra seat that can be our date car in warm weather. And, I can get it cheap used....and did I mention it's a Honda? Bulletproof reliability? If it flips, chances are I'll live?"
Her: "How much are you spending?" (oooo....sale almost made....)
Me: "Well, my student loans are just paid off, our son's college fund is funded, and so is our retirement. Still, only gonna spend $15k or so."
Her: "OK, just don't drive fast." (Pumps fist in universal guy salute)



Seriously, if you're keeping the car for a while, don't worry about depreciation that much. I'd go with an RL simply so there's room for the three kids. It looks mature, yes, but with nice wheels it can look sporty. The A-Spec suspension gives you an Acura warranted mod and works well with the RL, is inexpensive, and my wife doesn't notice the ride difference.

OTOH, you can't go wrong with the TL-S, either.

PS--My wife loves it when I take her for a date in the S2000 on a warm night. Sports car FTW!

23109VC

yesterday i took the wife/kids to Legoland - Carsbad. I live about 45 minutes away - and took my parents new 2007 RL. we had their car all day - drove to the park, drove to a restaurant afterward, then home. I got a pretty good amount of seat time - and the route we take goes on some smaller roads that get somewhat twisty... plus freeway - great long test drive.

today I stopped at a local dealer and got a good 15 minute test drive in a TL Type S.

I have to say I like the TL-S a lot better. It feels a LOT sportier. it is faster. not tons and tons faster..but enough to notice. the TL feels a bit smaller and more "cockpit" like in the seat.

the RL, despite SH-AWD has a larger, heaver feeling through turns. the TL-S doens' t feel as heavy. which it shouldn't since it is lighter by almost 500 lbs.

The steering in the TL-S feels heavier/sportier, less body roll.

i got a little torque steer when i got on the gas at low speeds, but it's not that bad. unless you are drag racing or coming out of low speed corners and giving the car WOT - like track style driving - then it's not an issue. this is a commuter car for me. I might do spirited driving at times - but i don't plan to track it.

the back seats in the tL are big enough for my purposes. compared to an A4/S4, 335, which were other cars I would "like" - the TL is larger/wider in back.

I stopped at an audi dealer and looked at a certified used B6 S4 - rear seats are noticeably not as spacious. more 3 series in size. the TL is quite a bit wider.

I"m pretty much decided i'm goign to get hte TL-S. now i just need to decide if i'm leasing / buying and what color. i want the darker interior. i'll either get white diamond pearl or Carbon brone. both look nice. the carbon bronze car almost looks like it's color matched to the Tyep S wheels. but i've seen come White diamon pearl cars that are lowered, have the apsec body kit,and tint and they look really cool.

thanks for all the input. ultimately, i just needed to drive them back to back and that was what did it for me.

the RL is a great car - but for ME - the TL-S is the right choice.

db22

You keep stating that the 3 series and the A4 are too small. I think that is why BMW and Audi made the 5 series and the A6.
BTW - get the RL. As a daily commute, you will appreciate the ride, the quality and it will blow the socks off of a TL-S when it rains. (Find another car that you can floor from a stop light and turn a 90 degree right in the rain).

DoctorTuna

I was recently in a similar dilemma as I came to the end of my 05 RL lease. My previous car was a 02 TL-S which was extremely fun to drive and definitely felt faster than the RL. There was no comparison though regarding luxury and appointments, plus, handling in inclement weather was no comparison, the RL won hands down. I also put 19" wheels and Pilot Sport PS2(amazing tire!) on which inspired a higher level of confidence as well.

Having said that, I have a Honda Odyssey as my family vehicle and this time wondered why I keep buying sedans. I started looking at coupes, test drove the 335xi, A5, which were nice but I still loved my RL. Then I test drove the G37S coupe, and the rest is history becuase I picked it up last month. If you like the 'cockpit' feel, this is as close as you get for the price. It is very fast, although probably not terribly faster than the TL-S. You do get RWD which creates a performance driving experience without compromise. The back seat is small and negligible, but I can fit my 8 and 6 year daughters back there comfortably. Honestly though, I only used my rear seat so infrequently that for me the G37 was an acceptable backseat compromise. It is insanely fun to drive, although I will admit I have not driven the latest generation TL-S. If I were you, having an MDX as a family vehicle, I would explore the options a little more. Be warned though, as I was warned by Dwest, if you drive the G37S, you will want it!! Good luck with your decision!! And remember, when it comes to our lovely wives, it is always easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!

jhr3uva90

My point is that there are better options than the Acura TL Type S if you want a sport sedan. I think the Infitini G coupe is an excellent option. Also, why not look at a 5 Series BMW if you really need the space?

23109VC

I am not an idiot. I know that there is a 5 series BMW. It's just that it's too much $$. If I were to get a 5 series, I know I would NOT be happy with the lower hp version. I'd need to get at least a 535, 545, 550 - all of which cost too much.

My budget is to stay under $35k for a purchase/lease.

the cheapest 5 series is the 528, which has 230 hp. It looks nice, but the speed is not there.

the 535 would be plenty fast and I could add an ECU upgrade and make it VERY fast. problem is that pricing starts at about $50k.

there is somethign about the G series - I am not really a big fan of how it looks. Although I will admit I have not test driven one. I should. it also depends on rear seat space.

Remember - this is not a car that I will be using as af amily car 100%. I have a 2007 MDX that does the majority of the kid hauling. My wife stays at home with teh kids and that is what she drives every day. On weekends, we use that for most of our big / long trips.

My current car is an old volvo. 135,000 miles. it still runs, I have done a good job of maintaining it. It is in decent mechanical condition - it's just old. it needs brakes/tires and an A/C repair - probably $2000 of work to get it back in what i would consider "good" condition. it's worth 3-4k max. it's paid off.

I have debated between keeping it - dumping the $2000 into it to fix it - and then using it at a daily driver to/fromw ork - then trying to convince my wife to get a third car like an s2000 of some other totally fun car. she's justnot really into the idea of me having a third/fun car. we have three small kids - and while it would be a cool car for "date night" - our money would probably be more wisely spend to get rid of my aging car - and replace it with somethig more practical and reliable. my volvo, while it probably ahs a lot of life left in the motor/tranny (those old volvos go 250k easy) - it has intermittent problems - every time i take it in it's $500 here and there to replace stuff. it's cheaper to operate/maintain than a new car payment...but it is not something we can take on long trips nor do we like to take it on even medim trips (1 hr each way) b/c it's old and unrelaible.


honestly, I"d LOVE to fix up my volvo and then try to talk her into an s2000. even a used one i could pickup for $15k... lke neuronbobs... i think the 02 have the higher 9k redline...more raw than the new ones... and honda reliability..it would probalby run and run and run. the drawback is that then I have to insure/maintain two older cars - as I can't afford a new S2000. my old volvo might run and run and it could dump on me and blow a motor or tranny and cost me another $1000 here and there. on a car with a value maybe at 4-5k private party...dumping substantial money into it is just a black hole/bottomless pit. your paying to keep it going and the only way to recoup that money is to keep driving it, and pray it isn't totalled - b/c then the insurance will hose me and give me squat for it.

for me - i need a somewhat roomy car that can fit 3 kids in back for thos emoments when i want to take a more "fun" car instead of the big SUV. i also want something reliable. i want somethig that handles well - but i don't plan to track it. i want somethig that looks upscale but it shoudl be sporty.

the RL to me just ins't sporty enough. the 335 is too small and honestly, a bit out of my price range still.

i'm trying to stay in the 30k range... 35k is pushing it.

If I were loaded, I'd get a TL or RL as my daily driver and then get an S2000 for weekend fun, but right now, in MY house, if I want to keep peace and not totally piss of my wife - i should hold off on a third / toy car for hte moment. that said - i want something that has SOME sportiness and the TL-S to me, is the best car given my needs and my budget.

i want nav, bluetooth, all the cool gizmos that are in my MDX, but I want it to handle well and look good.

I looked at a used B6 Audi S4 but those are in the low 30s with some miles on them..and the back seats - once again are too cramped.

it's VERY hard to find a car that is the size of the TL, that is sporty. most of the other cars "in the same general price/class" as the TL are actually quite a bit smaller in the back. once you go up in size to the other brands, to 5 series, GS, etc... you also go way up in price.

neuronbob

Awesome! I'm still a 3GTL fan at heart, so I say do eet! You can't go wrong with it.

DoctorTuna

Sounds like you have most certainly thought this through, you can't go wrong with the TL-S, plus there will probably be some very good deals out there right now with 2009 on the doorstep. You'll have to post a follow up when you finally get the new ride.

23109VC

wow..found my old thread... and resurrected it...

a few posts up I was saying how I liked the TL-S better than the RL.

a few posts above THAT, Neuron bob was telling me the best of all choices was to have an RL AND an S2000.

well... my thread was over a year old.. in the intervening year I bought my dad's Porsche Boxster... and sold my boxy volvo..and am now looking at .. yes. rL.s

i am looking at some tomorrow...

JPSMAN

Good luck on the hunt for a RL. IMO, the RL is really a different vehicle, not comparable as a peer with the TL-S.

RL is too heavy and underpowered to go anywhere near a track. But its an amazing (and unique) vehicle.

PortlandRL

I had a fellow AZiner up here from Salem and he drives an '08 TL-S. I took him for a ride in the RL and threw it into some freeway interchange cloverleafs (these HERE). He was very impressed because those corners are rated at 25 mph with a flashing yellow light and the RL carved through at 55 with no complaints...not so much as a tire squeal. "Please, sir, may I have some more?" We would have had more fun but there was too much traffic to really get the experience...people dancing on the brakes and slowing to 30. Wimps.

Anyway...the RL may not be a straight-line track star but in the corners, you'll be hard pressed to have anybody beat you and to see a 2-ton sedan handle like a Mini Cooper surprises quite a few people.

docboy

I was just browsing through the RL forums and found your thread.

We are in a similar situation; I don't want to hijack your thread, but I had a 05 TSX I traded in for a 09 Lexus IS 250 AWD, for many of the reasons you stated above. Bad mistake... In short, what turned out to be a cozy comfy interior is turning into a nightmare, causing a lot of pain/numbness in my right leg/hip b/c of the stupid bump on the driver's side middle console area. I cannot drive the stupid without feeling numbness and pain in my right leg/hip.

My wife and kid use her RX330 as the main family car (a la your MDX). I too would like a 3rd "sports/weekend car" (ie. manual Boxster S).

Have you looked at the 2009 TL w/AWD? I am toying with the idea of trading in my IS250 for a 09 TL w/AWD auto, or perhaps the 2010 TL w/AWD in manual.

I test drove the 09 TL w/AWD a couple of weeks back. Seemed very comfy and roomy in the front and rear, much more so than the IS250. I am also debating the G37x, but the middle console seems to also have a minor "bump" on the driver's and predominantly passenger's side (due to the AWD casing) that is no where near as bad as the IS250's, but I fear it may also cause the same leg discomfort.

For me, AWD, reliability, and comfort are of utmost importance.

The TL or a used 08 RL w/AWD seem like good choices to consider. I have not yet driven a RL; perhaps your post may warrant I try one out.

neuronbob

So 23109, is there an RL in your driveway yet?

....was looking through my responses from last year. Now I've got TWO sports cars in the garage, it's mostly a matter of whether I want to take my little boy with me. If yes...the V. If not....S2000. Nice to have the choice.

docboy, welcome to the RL side of the board. Before you decide on the Acura Aztek, I mean, TL, do drive an RL. If you can get around the looks of the TL, it's quite a capable car, but the RL is far more refined, AND you can save some bux on a used 2008 that will last you 250k miles, if you so choose. (Sorry to those who like the 4G TL. I just can't make myself like that look.)

docboy

Neuronbob,

Thanks for the welcome. To be honest I never really considered the RL until recently.

There is an 08 RL w/nav, etc. I'll try to check out this weekend at one of the Acura dealers here. 20k miles going for $37k, which IMHO appears to have taken a rather large 1st year depreciation hit.

How did you like your RL? I gather from your signature you no longer have the RL? What prompted the trade or sale?

23109VC

no RL in my driveway yet.

dealer called me today and dropped the price another $500.

It's a 2006 RL with 29k miles. it is in exceptionallyc lean condition. gray on black. they now want 26,500. it's CPO. titled in june of 2006.

this RL was super super clean. I looked at several others and they all seemed "nice" or "okay". this one was IMMACULATE. I mean super clean. whoever had it, took very good care of it.

My wife and I like it, but I think she likes it less than me. she's doesn't like the carbon gray color tha tmuch, but does like the black interior. the other car that we both like, and she likes a lot - is the new TL. we had one as a loaner and it was very nicce. it's similar to the RL in size. to buy a new TL w/tech woudl cost more than this RL...best prices I've seen for a TL w/tech is about $34k after incentives. to lease it, would get me a monthly payment close to my purchase payment on the used RL...but after three years, I would have to lease another car.

although, i'm planning to finance for 60-72 months... so the RL would have about two years to go on payments..but then id' own it.

is it a smarter move to lease a car for 36 months or buy one over 60?

if I lease the TL, I can do minimum drive offs, and pay $520/month w/tax included. so I'd pay a total of about $19000 over 36 months.

if I BUY the RL, I wouldn't mind putting money down, as it's a purchase not a lease. I'd put down say, $7500 cash,a nd finance the rest over 48 months. I'd payabout the same per month - $505/month. but in 48 months I've paid it off.

so lease a new TL and pay nothing down, and then pay $520/month for 36 months

or buy and pay $7500 down and $500 month but be paid off in 4 years. i pay one extra year, but given i'll only drive about 10k/year on this car, and it only has 30k now, in 4 years i'd only have 70k on the car. i'd easily get another several years of trouble free and liekly $$/repair free driving.

i'm commparing apples to oranges in some respects. buying a used RL vs leasing a new TL...similar cars but a very diffeent way of paying for it.

i like the idea of leasing and putting virtually nohting down. i get to keep my money in my pocket...drive a new car instead of a lightly used car, but in the long run, the purchase is likely cheaper. if you look at year 1,2,3 - the purchase is more expensive b/c I put cash down. so i'm "into" the used car purchase more in the front. but i could calculate a loan with nothing down to be like the lease... if you do that, and i put only like 1000 down, and tried to pay it off in 36 months, I'd pay $850/month... i can't afford that. sorry.

if i stretched the payments out to 72 months,a nd only put $1000 down, i'd pay about $450/month.... on teh purchase, id' be comfortable putting down $5000 or so, and then financing for 60-72 months. doing it that way gets some money down on the car, and if i pay it off in 60 months, i pay $462/month.

it seems like using these numbers, leasing a new TL is actually cheaper for the first few years as you can put some money down, and really knock down the monthly payment. BUT, after three years are up, you have to do it all over again. so once you factor in year 4,5, and 6 - the lease becomes more expensive... BUT, you will never have to pay for repairs either. just pay the payment and drive...

as much as I like the RL, I wonder if after 4-5 years i'll stilll ike it and want to keep it or if I'll be itchign to get rid of it and get sometehing new. wiht a lease, that's very easy to do..you just turn it back in and do another one...

each has it's pros and cons. the lease benefits are newer car, and no repair costs ever. but the purchase lets you get hte car paid off and in the later years, you ccan keep drivin it once it's paid for and really really really knock down auto expenses..

partof me like the idea of leasing a new car, but part of me thinks this dealon the used RL is a great buy. i mean, this was a $50k car new... the TL, brand new is maybe a mid-high 30s car...not really in the same class as the RL. similar size..but not same.

I"m only 36, and sometimes I think i'm too young for an RL....but I do like the prestige/class factor of the car. it's very very very classy looking.

fiya

I'm actually in the same boat, kinda. I'm trading in my 07 TL type S for an 05 RL. Some people are telling me that I'm kinda crazy because it's an 05, but I was impressed with how well it handles for being such a big car. Plus I'm getting a good deal on the RL (cpo). I didn't notice much of a speed difference between the two cars, and I drive my car pretty hard, not as hard as some, but hard enough. Did seem a little sluggish in 2nd gear vs the type S. I looked at a few alternatives, like leasing or trading for a different car, but the RL is kinda hard to beat with the features you're getting for it's price. I guess it all comes down to the driver, I'm 26, I love my type S, had an 02 type S before I got this, and I don't regret it, but I really want awd and the sport suspension on NY streets is killing me, lol.

TampaRLX-SH

The manner in which a car is tuned for throttle tip in, tranny gearing, torque and even exhaust note creates more sensation of speed over flat out time.

That said, the RL and TL are pretty close in speed. But it is important to note they are tuned for specifically different sensations. The TL and TL-S are tuned more to project the sensation of speed. The RL is tuned for smooth, linear acceleration and speed without urgency.

Even if the RL and TL performed exactly the same 0-60 times, they would do so feeling very different in the execution.

I have driven several cars slower than the RL but FELT faster, sounded faster and were less relaxed doing so.

I think anyone who desires a car based on it being mere second or fraction of a second faster over how the car feels to the driver, is doing themself a disservice.