if you look closely the TAILLIGHts are like basically the same shape, just the bumper cuts up into a part of the taillights , so if you were to swap the bumper, and the rear tail lights, you guys think this will work??

 

I wondered that too, also about the trunk. The shapes looked very similar.

 

Big money replacement, not worth IMO.

 

Blah! Our 05-08 tail lights look elegent and classy...why f#ck with a good thing?

I hope nobody will try to do a 09 conversions of the front grill

 

well i actually like the rear of the 09 RL thats all, it looks like a new S-class to me

 

Yeah, you're right the 09 looks pretty good. I like 05-08 circle LED, too, with the crazy brake light.. excites me every time and wish I could see it more. And I would LOVE to see it done.. prob won't be for a while though unless you wanna step up... At least in a year or two the 05-08 RL will really be old news (always new news to me tho )

Yeah, someone PLEASE do a mod on our 05-08 RLs by replacing the front grille to the NEW, MORE EDGY 09 style grille...

 

I think the curve and fitment are all the same through out the 2nd gen RL... to do swap, you'll need the new tail lights and bumper cover and exhaust tip that's it.... if you have a deck lid spoiler, it'll look about the same as the new trunk... than again, for the original bumper cover, if you can get someone to add a little curvey piece under neath the tail light, you don't even need to change the bumper cover at all.... as for the long silverish trim that house the camera and backup lights, you can get that trim and slap it on your original trunk lid (i've seen European market RL/Legend that have the same trim installed in the 05-08 RL).... so depends on how much you want to dish out the money and how much you want to modify your cars, you got 3 choices:

1. just buy every part for 09 butt (costly, expansive, trunk lid all alluminum alloy = costly)
2. swap out tail lights (very cheap on ebay), bumper cover, exhaust tips and license plate trim. (moderate)
3. just swap out the tail lights and modify the bumper cover that attach to the lower part of the tail light, license plate trim... (cheapest)

I've looked into this cuz remember that busted up 09 RL i wanted.... if i would've got that one, i would've change the front and back to match the 05-08 RL (and maybe keep the 09 headlights and taillights) so i can throw A-Spec body kit on it

 

Also many of the colors are different in 09. For example, Nighthawk Black Pearl has been discontinued in favor of Crystal Black Pearl

 

I was thinking about the silver trim a few months ago.. but after comparing the 05-08 EDM trunk photos to the 05-08 US spec it probably won't fit.

It looks like the EDM 05-08 trunk uses the long chrome strip on the trunk because of the longer area for the rear plate.

The USDM 09 plate area looks like its the same size as the 05-08 EDM. Honda/Acura probably did that for 09 so they don't have to produce two different types of trunk lids and it can accomodate both US and EDM/JDM plates.

 

Whoops. Tried to edit to insert those pictures..and now it wont led me re-edit...sorry...

 

I remember reading that the only body panels that carried over from the '08 to the '09 were the doors and the roof. To my eye, the rear quarters are a little different. On the '09 I think the kick where the bumper meets the tail light is a little bit different, coming a little more forward on the car.

Look at the two pictures in post #1. In the lower picture, the seam where the bumper meets the middle of the turn signal section of the '08 is located farther forward on the '09. Using the '08 tail-light as a baseline, the seam on the '09 would be at the point where the red and clear sections meet (or higher up on the tail-light) rather than its current location in the middle of that clear section.

Also, unless the picture is fooling me, the rear quarter has a slight flare where it meets the bumper along the horizontal seam.

Bottom line -- this is not a conversion that can be done.

 

the plastic bumper cover just cover up higher (in place of the old tail light portion of turn signal and backup light)..... everything else is the same...... as for tail light, 09 rearranged the brake light and turn signal light.... move the backup light to the trunk lid....... i think the 09 qtr panel still carry the same part number so i don't think the shape changed......

 

Yup.. I agree. Just the bumper cover and trunk.

 

I still think it can't be done.

This is an excerpt from an article about the RL from the 2008 Chicago Auto Show: "The rest of the changes work well, considering how little can actually be changed in mid-cycle refreshes. The taillights, rear end cap, trunk lid, lower rocker panels and new aluminum hood are all redesigned; only the door skins and roof are carryover. The RL still isn’t the most stunning sedan on the road, but the changes at the very least make it look like something."

Here are some pictures showing what could be the metal differences. The kick circled in red is different between the '08 and '09. Maybe I'm crazy, but they look different to me.

 

the part you've circled are all plastic.... part of the bumper cover.... that can be modified easily..... so in order to do the conversion, tail lights and rear bumper cover are all that's needed.....

 

Now that you mention it, I remember reading that also

 

Buth then changing to the '09 rear bumper you lose the chrome trim corner "rub strips". Maybe not a big deal, but it won't match the front bumper and then you lose that coordinated look.

 

I saw an 09 RL with the rear bumper fascia removed. Although the rear quarter panels appear the same on the exterior, it appears to me that they have been modified to accept the new fascia design.

The area I refer to is just at the bottom of the tail lights. Since the 09 fascia wraps up higher with the smaller tail light design, the fascia needs to attach to the rear quarter panels in the area once occupied by taillight housing (think of the 05-08 tail lights, the white lens at the bottom). That area looks modified to me to accept the bumper clips since the tail light housing is smaller and vacated that real estate. I have not studied the crumple compartments under the bumper cover, but I did look like that was modified as well.

In short, I would examine how the 09 bumper cover attaches to that area just below the newer tail lights as I believe the changes made are not externally visible.

 

Hey, someone do the conversion already.

Oh, or just mod the grille and replace 09 grille with 05-08 grille... Ahh yesss. Then the 09 is a stunner, and I will feel like an IDIOT with my 06 RL...


note: will not really feel like an idiot, however a bit upscaled.