plastikman

So I was thinking about this all day long, well kinda and I thought I would lay it on you guys. What if Acura decided to abandoned their Flagship car, just stopped making it all together, including parts. I know it is far fetched, but just work with me here. Now you had to decide to go with a different vehicle, would you still buy an Acura? Or what would you now drive ? Here are my choices. If I was going to stay with a car I believe it would be a Audi S6. If I was going to switch to an SUV, my choice would probably be the MDX or the Audi Q7. What about you guys?

neuronbob

Of currently existing cars, I'd move to a BMW 550i.

Chas2

I don't know if I would buy an MDX. Much as I like the idea of the MDX (Sport only, with the ferromagnetic suspension), I have an aversion to SUVs because of the high center of gravity. This was reinforced recently when I took my kids to the Tire Rack Street Teen Street Survival School. In our rotation, there was a Pilot and an MDX doing all of the six exercises (accident avoidance, slalom, skidpad, panic and threshold braking, etc,) and talk about unsettled looking platforms! The only SUV that did well was an MB ML350 driven by a teen that had 4 years of high performance driving, karting, racing school under his belt. Even the minivans looked a lot better in accident avoidance than the SUVs. The true meaning of land yacht comes out, and this ungainly performance from pretty highly rated SUVs

F.Rizzo

Heh heh.
I'd probably jump on the RL right now - oy-vey think of the discounts!!!

Seriously, it would probably be an Infiniti M or BMW 5er.

.

kirbyflorida

No offense but seems like a silly question to me.

plastikman

It was meant as a hypothetical question, a what if question, to see what people would drive instead of . . . . .

UW RL

I would keep the car until my extended warrenty is out.. that's 5 more years.. Plus, I already have a Q7 4.2.....

plastikman

Your wife has the Q7 and I like it ! Can I have it ?

Mike_TX

Having been down the BMW and Infiniti M roads before going with the RL, I'd probably go with a Lexus LS460. Big room, big power, lots of toys.

As for SUV's, I already Have an MDX, so that answers that.

.
.

lland

I believe they are required to produce parts for cars for 20 years (or something like that).

LL

Rexorg

Pity the thought, but if no RL then:

1. Acura TL-S
2. Cadillac CTS
3. Pontiac G8
4. Acura RDX

SpicyMikey

If I needed a new midsize sedan today and the RL was not an option, I'd have to seriously consider the GS. I'd give a serious look at the BMW's again, but I'd probabably walk out of the showroom empty handed (as usual) shaking my head over the lack of value. MB is just not an option these days due to recent bad experiences of close friends and family. I hear good things about the new caddy's but American cars still scare me.

Dr. Decatherm

I actually made the choice in real life because I didn't believe a revamped RL was imminent. After months of searching, I bought an '06 audi A8. With 3100 miles it was nearly new and I let the previous owner pay for the 'new car depreciation'. I drove all the competitors in the RL class and they left me wanting. For the money, albeit used, I was able to move up a class and enjoy a truly magnificent automobile. That said, I can honestly admit that the pleasure difference between my '05 RL and '06 A8 (notwithstanding the power plant ) isn't that much.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

This is quite the interesting conjecture because this is roughly the situation that my parents will be in soon.

They have a 2005 RL which they absolutely love and has been completely trouble-free, but the lease comes due in about 6 months, which means its time to start looking at cars for them again. Problem is, Acura ends production of the RL in February and I am not pleased with the current lease figures I have seen on the RL, which are nowhere near as good as the deal I negotiated for my parents back when they got the 2005.

So last week at the LA Auto Show, my brother and I walked around discussing the options that are possible:

- Infiniti M, my mom, who is the primary driver of the car on weekdays, does not like at all
- Lexus GS did not have the right driving feel
- Mercedes Benz E-class has my dad concerned about the reliability
- BMW 5-series is just generally unloved by my entire family
- Audi A6 has my dad again concerned about reliability issues and my mom does not like the look with the gaping intake

So now I am left with few options and hoping that some of the new options coming out on the market will meet their needs, but the choices are looking pretty bleak at the moment.

black label

^^
New lease program starts today.

Don't know all the details yet, but $499/mn.

It had been $2999 at inception $569/mn.

They know they have an identity problemwith this car, low prices have been the only solution they have been able to come up with.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

But is that for the base or the Tech?

The car we have now is pretty much the equivalent of the 2008 RL Tech so paying pretty much the same price with fewer features seems kind of silly, don't you think?

William4

If there was no Acura RL, then I'd buy one of these:

Cadillac STS-V
Jeep SRT8
Lexus LS460

Ask me again in six months, and maybe I'll add Hyundai Genesis to the list.

black label

It is the base mode. My point was that the monthly payment on the National lease program has dropped $70. Apparently as the result of a .00042 money factor ( 1.008% APR ).

My advice to you and your folks is call the dealer back up, the money factor will be the same for all models.

If they like the car and would like to have another one for their next lease, Acura is giving them away.

jhr3uva90

If I can't have my Acura RL, then I would leave the Acura brand altogether. Every other Acura seems like a downgrade to me. If you look at the details of the other Acuras, especially the TL, you can see where they made shortcuts. Also, I'm not that fond of FWD.

I guess I would have to go with either an Infiniti M, a 5-Series BMW, or possibly the Lexus GS.

lumpulus

I would get what I originally was going to buy...a Black RDX Tech. The only reason I have an RL now is because I didn't want to have two RDXs in the garage at home(My G/F has one.) Oh yeah, and I got a new 06 for CHEAP.

I might consider a 5 Series AWD BMW, but only if it had a bumper to bumper warranty and cost $20k less than they do now.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I will keep that in mind, but we shall see. Final decision is not mine to make, but I handle all the negotiations for these types of things for the family.

Treblig

I think I'd pay a visit to the Audi Dealer, unless of course they sweeten the TL.

Mike_TX

Just a personal observation, but I've always been surprised at the level of interest on this board for Audi.

.
.

Roy Cya

Mike,

I understand your confusion, believe me. I came over from BMW having owned 6 of them in all series - did not like my only (1) option of a local dealer, which brought me to Acura. They have stellar service, support and professional to a fault.

Now, Audis... I would've thought the same thing had I not driven the A8 and the S8. My friend has them both and let me tell you they kick royal a$$!! I've driven almost all late model BMWs M5, X5 4.8is, 745Li, 750Li and 760Li, and I lived and worked in Germany which almost makes me german... Anyway, what I am trying to say is that European cars have been my choice, specifically BMW, since 1988, but I would be hard pressed to choose them, BMW, over Audi today. The only thing about both is reliability; it is suspect as is resale value. Again, my local BMW dealer sucks which would and might make my choice easier in the future. Now, the CTS-V is looking really sharp as is the new MB. Time will tell...

Hope that made sense...

Later,

neuronbob

Shouldn't be surprised at all. Audi has FWD and (mostly) AWD cars, just like Acura. Acura is Audi with better reliability.

plastikman

Yeah same here like Roy, I lived in Germany for many many years, 18 to be exact and have always liked Audi's, had an A4 for a while. I really like the handling of the their cars and all. Don't get me wrong I love the RL for all the right reasons, but Audi would be my second choice, as I stated when I opened this thread

Don Melcher

Probably the A6 - if it isn't AWD - I won't buy it. That was the MAIN reason to buy the RL as I thought it was the best buy in an AWD sedan (I refuse to drive a stinkin' SUV - Gimme a truck - a REAL truck, thank yew).

RL06tech

SInce we are talking about improbable hypothesis I want a Honda Clarity and a home filling station. I'd be glad to pioneer it in WI! For performnace I'll keep my s2000, which will soon sport a skunk works supercharger (355 HP!!!!)

g_vros77

No RL? I'd have to jump ship and get me a GS350.

Chas2

In fact, I thought that was the way Acura was going with the 2G Legend, the Vigor and 2.5 and 3.2 TLs with longitudinal engines. It would have seemed the next step would have been to add AWD, but it never happened. Then the 1G RL came out with a sidewinder, like the 1G Legend.

Mike_TX

Maybe it's just the weird circles I move in, but Audi seems to slot in just a few notches above Volvo and Saab on the cache scale around here. I know they've built some good performance machines in the past couple of years, but they also get a very hefty price for them.

I think some of the reason Audi is stronger "up north" is because of the AWD. Down in these here parts, an Audi sighting is not an everyday thing. We'll get about 250 Beemers for every Audi. maybe it's because the A8 starts at over $70 and even the A6 is a $60k machine with the V-8.

.
.

F.Rizzo

Edit:

I'd have to add the new Benz E320 Bluetec diesel to my list.
I was checking it out at the auto show and the 400+ lb-ft is interesting

I hope it truly makes it to the Peoples Republic of California. Right now it's a lease only piece.

VOdoc

Tough question! Part of me says, "Hang on to the RL until the extended warranty runs out."

As much as I love bells,whistles and power, longer-term wisdom dictates a vehicle with better fuel economy. No, not a Prius--that one still looks like a cockroach to me. Maybe an MB Bluetech E320 (same basic size, body style and comforts as the RL). Definitely not a Bangle-butt Beemer or any kind of floaty Lexus; they're sooo cliche around L.A.

Pack14

A world without RLs? Say it isn’t so!

An interesting question, though.

I’d would have to consider the new Saab 9-3X; and if that didn’t bring happiness, the Cadillac CTS with all-wheel drive.

Because I still believe in the validity of the SUV/crossover market, I’d consider the MDX, Buick Enclave with all-wheel drive, or the Saab 9-5 Combi

wstr75

I'm with Rizzo. A Bluetec E320 with AWD would be sweet, but the MB site shows only 2WD. My other choice would be a Lexus LS460. I really like AWD and Honda's reliability and integration. In my opinion, Honda has little choice but to continue on a path taking Acura away from the Honda auto brand via SH-AWD and higher priced/higher performance offerings.

CL6

You cannot lease it anymore... only 100 leases available and they're all gone.

All diesels will be legal when the 09s come out. I think that's true for VW as well.

plastikman

I checked out the LS460 and the interior reminds me of the RL, good choice, but the price tag is a bit high.

wstr75

Plastikman, yep a NEW LS460 is too expensive, but a used one in 2009 will be in my comfort zone. Love them used cars.

BTW, are you in plastics/resin sales, some kind of injection/roto/extrusion or other thermoplastic molding business or do you just happen to like Mr. Robinson's admonition to Benjamin Braddock? Inquiring minds want to know.

Glad to have you moderating the board.
wstr75

ram_g

I was struck by this response, because a Jeep SRT8 is what I drive presently - the RL is the wife's car. The two are hugely different! The Acura is highly competent, beautifully built and detailed, a pleasure to drive, reasonably high performance, and completely anonymous. The SRT is by comparison an evil beast - nowhere near the build quality, a literally bruising ride, but jaw-dropping performance and an aura that seems to suck admiring spectators out of the woodwork at every stop.

I like both and they fit what my wife and I wanted, but they are not interchangeable at all.

plastikman

I appreciate the kind words and thank you very much. As for used cars, you are correct, the price will come down and nicely I believe. I am a person that likes my cars new though, I don't like people have handling my rides before me, I just always have in the back of my mind what they may have done to it, what may have happened to the engine. Lets not forget, not everyone babies their cars like we do. As for my Screen Name, it has to do with an old friend of mine from back in my younger days, he is a DJ and has a Recording name Plastikman. He is still in the business today and actually really big in Europe. You can google the name and see him if you wish