The other day I was up at the lake where I keep my boat. I parked behind the camper of the guy who has the boat docked next to mine. I notice him taking several long looks at my car (which was quite dirty I might add), until he finally says, "Wow, she's a beauty.... what is it?".

Sigh....

I responded that is was an Acura. He continued to gush, but I had to go as I was taking some co-workers out for a day.

Just keeps confirming what we've been saying. This car is invisible as Acura has no clue on how to market themselves, much less this car.

 

yea, I know what you mean. I took my car to the carwash last weekend. I have an 07 RL with underbody kit. Guy said; "nice looking car, look like a Mercedes E". I said thanks and smiled. But I should have said, "you mean the new E looks like the RL.....

Thsi car isn't invisible. It's the cars image that's invisible. Basically doesn't have one. That's why when people see it they admire it and think it's something else.

 

I get lots of positive comments about my car, but the "what is it?" crops up only occasionally, usually from Mercedes or Lexus owners I know.

On an interesting note, many people who comment on my car are people who already have, or love Acura, and tell me they wish they could afford an RL. One person even commented that they liked Acura and was considering buying a TL until they became "really expensive". This indicates that at least one part of the "taking Acura upmarket" stratagem is starting to work--not everyone SHOULD be able to afford an Acura.

 

EXACTLY. Some degree of exclusivity in the vehicles I drive is a VERY good thing, IMHO. I don't like looking across every intersection and seeing another car like mine sitting there.

Yes, this means that you don't have quite the aftermarket support that the great unwashed masses have, but if that's an important thing to you, you probably should follow the herd...

I *enjoy* the puzzled looks that people give as they stare at my vehicles, trying to figure out what they are...

 

I agree, I like the "what's that" factor when I pull up or park.

The wife and I came out of a resturant a couple of days after I picked the RL up and we saw another couple, the husband especially, looking it over. He asked a lot of questions, and complimented me on my choice of the car, and said the RL was his next car. Turns out his STS was only 6 months old!

 

When I was in my senior year of HS (in 1997) I was doing a car wash for one of my classes and my parents came over in their 97 ES300 at the time. While washing it my teacher said it was a nice looking car (it was dark green, black interior, and tinted with gold trim...sharp looking car) and asked if it was a Saturn totally ignoring the L on the front. hahaha. I said no it is a Lexus and laughed since most people knew what a Lexus was at the time. She then asked what the price was.

Anyway I always chuckle when some people do not know the brand of car or they see the brand but do not know what class it is in. Just shows how diff everyone can be with their diff interested and knowledge of various things.

 

i'm amazed sometimes at many peoples naivety about cars, its not just acuras that 'blend in.' my girlfriend still thinks my 3-series is american, but thats a whole other discussion...

 

Yep. My wife basically sees cars in categories -- vans, subcompacts, mid size sedans, sports cars, etc. She really cannot go further then that. She says all mid size sedans look the same to her. We have a white RL. She says every white midsize sedan looks like our car to her.

She's not stupid, so I think it's just a lack of interest in the subject. I think many people (most women and some men) probably couldn't identify a car's make unless a) it was like the car they own, or b) they could read the labeling on the back. It just doesn't interest them enough to use the brain cells to remember the styling differences.

 

Both my boys (11 & 9) look to have inherited the "car gene" from me.

My youngest son loves the 350Z. We were driving home last night, it was around 8:45 so it was just beginning to get dark. As we near the entrance to our subdivision, my wife points out to my son that there was a 350Z pulling out.

Now mind you that we only saw the profile, not the front or rear.

My son without missing a beat says, "It's not the 350Z mom, its the Infiniti G35".



My wife, stunned, looked over at me and saw the smirk on my face and said, "you couldn't be more proud could you?".

Yup!