What if . . . . . ?
#41
I agree with the sentiment already expressed that Acura is the Japanese Audi. Both build beatiful, FWD or FWD-oriented-AWD cars that lose out to more directly performance oriented brands but offer tremendous competence and satisfaction for those who seek the road less trodden.
Here's a prediction - this is the niche that Lincoln will strive to get into as well - the American equivalent of Audi/Acura, leaving Cadillac to chase after BMW/Lexus.
In our case the wife used to drive an Audi A4 which we replaced with the RL. At some future point we may well have an Audi again.
Here's a prediction - this is the niche that Lincoln will strive to get into as well - the American equivalent of Audi/Acura, leaving Cadillac to chase after BMW/Lexus.
In our case the wife used to drive an Audi A4 which we replaced with the RL. At some future point we may well have an Audi again.
#42
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Originally Posted by 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.
I like both and they fit what my wife and I wanted, but they are not interchangeable at all.
#43
AcurAdmirer
Originally Posted by William4
The RL is such a slow pig it drives me nuts.
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#44
Senior Moderator
The RL? Slow? Nah. It's never going to do a 12 second quarter mile, but this car's primary sin as far as its engine goes is the lack of low-end torque. Once you get into VTEC range, though, this is a different car.
#46
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Originally Posted by neuronbob
The RL? Slow? Nah. It's never going to do a 12 second quarter mile
Originally Posted by neuronbob
this car's primary sin as far as its engine goes is the lack of low-end torque. Once you get into VTEC range, though, this is a different car.
The RL is only my daily driver / beater car, so I don't really expect too much from it. It wasn't meant to be a substitute for any of my weekend fun cars. Still, you've got admit that the RL is slower than most of the cars that it competes with. I wish the aftermarket would provide some performance products for it, it really needs about another 100hp.
#47
Proboscis-free zone
Originally Posted by William4
The VTEC range seems like too little too late. This is - by far - the slowest 300hp car I've ever driven.
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I wish the aftermarket would provide some performance products for it, it really needs about another 100hp.
Really friends...we need to figure out how to move people more efficiently from place to place. (As a conservative Republican, I'd favor a crippling gas tax find out who is really serious about driving, and restore freeways to free flow by reducing volume by at least 20%.) There are now 6+ billion of us on Planet Earth, and there are resources to support perhaps half that many.
If there's some future chance of a fuel-cell conversion for my RL, I'd love it. Unfortunately, the laws of thermodynamics still apply, and there has to be some energy penalty for creating that hydrogen until we can do it via solar or nuclear energy.
#48
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
William4, honestly if you don't like the car so much, why don't you trade it in for something you like? I mean that sounds like the reasonable thing to do.
#49
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
I do understand that some people feel the need for speed, but I cant bring myself to ever buy an American car again. First off the quality is not great, the interiors leave a lot to be desired and the resale value is proven to be horrible. I will stick to Japanese and German cars ! I am just fine with what my RL offers, actually I am better then fine.
#50
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Originally Posted by plastikman
William4, honestly if you don't like the car so much, why don't you trade it in for something you like? I mean that sounds like the reasonable thing to do.
#51
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Originally Posted by VOdoc
Hello? Can you say "global warming?" Future cars will all be about trading off performance versus economy. For those of those who lived through the gas crisis of the '70s, this is very predictable.
Really friends...we need to figure out how to move people more efficiently from place to place. (As a conservative Republican, I'd favor a crippling gas tax find out who is really serious about driving, and restore freeways to free flow by reducing volume by at least 20%.) There are now 6+ billion of us on Planet Earth, and there are resources to support perhaps half that many.
If there's some future chance of a fuel-cell conversion for my RL, I'd love it. Unfortunately, the laws of thermodynamics still apply, and there has to be some energy penalty for creating that hydrogen until we can do it via solar or nuclear energy.
Really friends...we need to figure out how to move people more efficiently from place to place. (As a conservative Republican, I'd favor a crippling gas tax find out who is really serious about driving, and restore freeways to free flow by reducing volume by at least 20%.) There are now 6+ billion of us on Planet Earth, and there are resources to support perhaps half that many.
If there's some future chance of a fuel-cell conversion for my RL, I'd love it. Unfortunately, the laws of thermodynamics still apply, and there has to be some energy penalty for creating that hydrogen until we can do it via solar or nuclear energy.
#52
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by William4
hopefully Acura will start offering optional engines. William4 would be a happy camper.
Even so, I fully understand why some folks have a fun weekend car and once I take care of my more important financial priorities, I suspect that's one way I could go.
#53
Burning Brakes
It looks like a lot more hybrids, diesels, and fuel cells are in our future. Congress is set to raise the national fuel efficiency standards to 35 mpg by 2020. Cylinder deactivation technology is also mentioned as one possible solution for the automakers. In any event we'll all be paying $2k-$3k more for our cars.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/01/news...ion=2007120113
http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/01/news...ion=2007120113
#55
AcurAdmirer
Originally Posted by VOdoc
Hello? Can you say "global warming?" Future cars will all be about trading off performance versus economy. For those of those who lived through the gas crisis of the '70s, this is very predictable.
Really friends...we need to figure out how to move people more efficiently from place to place. (As a conservative Republican, I'd favor a crippling gas tax find out who is really serious about driving, and restore freeways to free flow by reducing volume by at least 20%.) There are now 6+ billion of us on Planet Earth, and there are resources to support perhaps half that many.
If there's some future chance of a fuel-cell conversion for my RL, I'd love it. Unfortunately, the laws of thermodynamics still apply, and there has to be some energy penalty for creating that hydrogen until we can do it via solar or nuclear energy.
Really friends...we need to figure out how to move people more efficiently from place to place. (As a conservative Republican, I'd favor a crippling gas tax find out who is really serious about driving, and restore freeways to free flow by reducing volume by at least 20%.) There are now 6+ billion of us on Planet Earth, and there are resources to support perhaps half that many.
If there's some future chance of a fuel-cell conversion for my RL, I'd love it. Unfortunately, the laws of thermodynamics still apply, and there has to be some energy penalty for creating that hydrogen until we can do it via solar or nuclear energy.
I personally consider global warming to be fake science that is increasingly coming unraveled as its proponents continue to be discredited. And we good conservatives don't believe in ANY kind of crippling tax.
Unfortunately, the libs in Congress have sold themselves to it and we may indeed have to go through the same old crap we suffered through in the 70's. If we go all the way backwards to a 55mph speed limit, though, I may just shoot myself in the head and get it over with.
In the meantime, though, notice that the automakers are turning out V-8's that get far better mileage than 6-cylinders got just a few years ago, and they're now doing it on regular gas. We have 4,000+-lb. cars with over 350hp getting 30mpg on the highway! Back in the 60's and 70's we were proud as peacocks if our cars got HALF that! And they polluted 50 times as much as today's cars.
I'd love to see Congress take some of the tax dollars they're wasting on welfare programs and build some friggin' roads! The population keeps growing, but no major roads have been built since shortly after the Eisenhower administration. The only way we're going to avoid gridlock is to build roads and/or increase the speed limits so people can get the heck out of the way instead of bogging down.
So, to the extent we keep going to little weenie engines and little weenie cars, we're doomed to slow-moving masses of irritated people eventually grinding to a halt. Not a pretty picture. Choking down traffic flow is not the answer, and penalizing people with high fuel taxes discriminates against those who can't pay.
[Where'd that soapbox smilie go? ]
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#56
My only car is a Bus
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You'd spend $100,000 on an electric car..?
Originally Posted by William4
I tend to agree. I'd love to have a pure electric car. If the Tesla was a bit larger and had a roof I'd buy one.
#57
Proboscis-free zone
Originally Posted by Mike_TX
Not sure I understand how someone can talk about "global warming" and "crippling tax" and call himself a "conservative Republican". But I guess it takes all kinds.
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I'd love to see Congress take some of the tax dollars they're wasting on welfare programs and build some friggin' roads! The population keeps growing, but no major roads have been built since shortly after the Eisenhower administration. The only way we're going to avoid gridlock is to build roads and/or increase the speed limits so people can get the heck out of the way instead of bogging down.
...
Choking down traffic flow is not the answer, and penalizing people with high fuel taxes discriminates against those who can't pay.
...
I'd love to see Congress take some of the tax dollars they're wasting on welfare programs and build some friggin' roads! The population keeps growing, but no major roads have been built since shortly after the Eisenhower administration. The only way we're going to avoid gridlock is to build roads and/or increase the speed limits so people can get the heck out of the way instead of bogging down.
...
Choking down traffic flow is not the answer, and penalizing people with high fuel taxes discriminates against those who can't pay.
Call the "crippling tax" a user fee (see, I really am a conservative!) and use it to build and/or repair roads, rather than diverting it to welfare programs as we do here in California.
"Discriminates against those who can't pay"? Sounds pretty bleeding-heart to me, dear Mike! ;-) Perhaps folks who are strapped for cash could consider car-pooling, mass transit, living closer to work, or a Yaris.
I agree that V8 engine technology has improved hugely since my 1969 GTO and its 12 mpg. I probably would be interested in an RL with a V8 that gets better mileage than the current V6. There! You got me to say it.
#58
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The Earth used to be covered in ice so I guess things have warmed up in the last 10,000 years.
Here's an interesting fact as to what is the largest cause of global warming:
Putting it all together:Total human greenhouse gas contributions add up to about 0.28% of thegreenhouse effect.
http://mysite.verizon.net/mhieb/WVFo...ouse_data.html
Here's an interesting fact as to what is the largest cause of global warming:
Putting it all together:Total human greenhouse gas contributions add up to about 0.28% of thegreenhouse effect.
http://mysite.verizon.net/mhieb/WVFo...ouse_data.html
#59
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Originally Posted by CL6
You'd spend $100,000 on an electric car..?
I've got my eye on the Fisker:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007...-and-quan.html
#60
AcurAdmirer
Originally Posted by VOdoc
The polar ice caps are melting, temperatures are the highest in recorded history, CO2 levels are higher than ever, weather patterns are changing, and there was no snow in Aspen last week...but I'm willing to consider that global warming really is just an Al Gore conspiracy theory.
You missed the sarcasm of my "bleeding heart" comment. The Liberals always scream discrimination and "poor affected most" when taxes they don't like are offered up, so they'd never let that happen.
For those who DO believe in global warming, look at it this way ... with the year-round summer, we'll be able to get in two extra crops of corn to make ethanol with.
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#61
Senior Moderator
Sounds like a political party slug-fest in here (who's the most conservative or progressive, etc, etc.). Reminds me of why I'm not in politics.
Keep on topic, please, and the political stuff belongs in our Politics and Religion forum.
Keep on topic, please, and the political stuff belongs in our Politics and Religion forum.
#62
AcurAdmirer
Originally Posted by neuronbob
Sounds like a political party slug-fest in here (who's the most conservative or progressive, etc, etc.). Reminds me of why I'm not in politics.
Keep on topic, please, and the political stuff belongs in our Politics and Religion forum.
Keep on topic, please, and the political stuff belongs in our Politics and Religion forum.
But while politically-oriented, it actually does relate to the whole "what car would we want" discussion topic, since politics is increasingly shaping the future of the automotive landscape. As such, it's hard to separate it from the debate.
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#63
Trolling Canuckistan
If this keeps up you'll need to get Mr. Steve over here so we can see his avatar.
I want a turbo diesel RL that I can convert to run on used veggie oil
I want a turbo diesel RL that I can convert to run on used veggie oil
#64
AcurAdmirer
Originally Posted by black label
If this keeps up you'll need to get Mr. Steve over here so we can see his avatar.
I want a turbo diesel RL that I can convert to run on used veggie oil
I want a turbo diesel RL that I can convert to run on used veggie oil
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#65
Trolling Canuckistan
^^^
'cause the mileage sux.
I'm serious about my veggie car, I just don't know whether I want to be high class in a Benz or Ghetto in a Rabbit.
'cause the mileage sux.
I'm serious about my veggie car, I just don't know whether I want to be high class in a Benz or Ghetto in a Rabbit.