Iakonafuji's 2009 RL Progression Thread
Someone PM'ed me for a full mod-list and I'm not one for holding back on the community, so here you guys go. Up to date as of June 2nd with ordered (or uninstalled) parts bolded.
Engine:
- Takeda SRI
- RV6 PCD's
- Custom RV6 J-Pipe
- Mugen KB2 Quad Exit Exhaust
Exterior/Aesthetics:
- JDM Front lights
- Matte Black and CF wrapped front grill
- LED emergency strobes
- Rear Valences
- Front Lower Spoiler Valences
- Custom APR Carbon Fiber Splitter
- Rear Decklid Spoiler
- Debadged
- Mugen Window Visors
Interior:
- JDM Legend Door Sills
- Mugen Floor Mats
- Legend Luxury Mats
- Junction Produce Neck Cushions
- Junction Produce Hip Cushions
- Junction Produce Kintsuna
- Junction Produce Fusa
- VIP'd Out Full Table Sets w/ iPad Integration
I.C.E.:
- OEM Dash Cam
- OEM Intersection Cam
- Mugen TPMS Sensor
-Hertz HCP 4
-Hertz HCP 1D
-Hertz HX 300
-Hertz HSK 165
-Hertz HCX 165
-Audison Bit Ten
-Apple iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Airport Express Network
-2 Headrest Monitors
Suspension/Wheels:
-Largus Harmonic Fully Adjustable Coilovers
-Custom Camber Kit
-19" MAM MT1
-Air Suspension w/ Accuair E-Level To be installed at a later date as well
Engine:
- Takeda SRI
- RV6 PCD's
- Custom RV6 J-Pipe
- Mugen KB2 Quad Exit Exhaust
Exterior/Aesthetics:
- JDM Front lights
- Matte Black and CF wrapped front grill
- LED emergency strobes
- Rear Valences
- Front Lower Spoiler Valences
- Custom APR Carbon Fiber Splitter
- Rear Decklid Spoiler
- Debadged
- Mugen Window Visors
Interior:
- JDM Legend Door Sills
- Mugen Floor Mats
- Legend Luxury Mats
- Junction Produce Neck Cushions
- Junction Produce Hip Cushions
- Junction Produce Kintsuna
- Junction Produce Fusa
- VIP'd Out Full Table Sets w/ iPad Integration
I.C.E.:
- OEM Dash Cam
- OEM Intersection Cam
- Mugen TPMS Sensor
-Hertz HCP 4
-Hertz HCP 1D
-Hertz HX 300
-Hertz HSK 165
-Hertz HCX 165
-Audison Bit Ten
-Apple iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Airport Express Network
-2 Headrest Monitors
Suspension/Wheels:
-Largus Harmonic Fully Adjustable Coilovers
-Custom Camber Kit
-19" MAM MT1
-Air Suspension w/ Accuair E-Level To be installed at a later date as well
Nice! I'd be curious to see how the Accu-Air E-Level works out on the RL! Also, please document the audio work in detail, that's that unicorn on this forum, no one seems to know how that's rigged up on these cars
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 78,249
Likes: 20,202
Alright, between your posts, this thread and your avatar. I'm sub'd.
Oh, and get your fkng camera back from your friend g'dammit.
when someone "borrows" something for this long, they stole it!
Oh, and get your fkng camera back from your friend g'dammit.
when someone "borrows" something for this long, they stole it!
Parts Update:
Front Valences here....Mocked em up and the install is going to be....uh, tricky
APR Front CF Splitter has been completed and should be shipped and delivered by next week.
Front Valences here....Mocked em up and the install is going to be....uh, tricky

APR Front CF Splitter has been completed and should be shipped and delivered by next week.
And now, things get interesting...From the get-go, I thought I would strictly VIP the car from an aesthetic standpoint, but now that I have decided to go forced induction, the car will be having a sporty and custom aspect to it. Thus, I made a personal decision to plan around a certain aesthetic that blends both VIP and Sport.
Since I've updated this thread, many of these aesthetic additions have been added. I have put both rear and front bumper valence/lip kit, whatever you want to call it, as well as my custom APR carbon fiber splitter.
Pictures are soon to come, but I absolutely lovelovelove the way this turned out. I know for a damn fact that many people on these forums won't like the route I'm going with this RL, but ta hell with em!
Now that many of the aesthetics upgrades are complete (save for 2x somewhat significant pieces), I'm on to pulling the fenders to fit the largest square setup I can...after all, with Forced Induction, I'll want to put as much rubber down the asphalt as possible
Since I've updated this thread, many of these aesthetic additions have been added. I have put both rear and front bumper valence/lip kit, whatever you want to call it, as well as my custom APR carbon fiber splitter.
Pictures are soon to come, but I absolutely lovelovelove the way this turned out. I know for a damn fact that many people on these forums won't like the route I'm going with this RL, but ta hell with em!

Now that many of the aesthetics upgrades are complete (save for 2x somewhat significant pieces), I'm on to pulling the fenders to fit the largest square setup I can...after all, with Forced Induction, I'll want to put as much rubber down the asphalt as possible
Oh, you guys shouldn't have said all that...now it's kind of fun holding off on pics..Haha. Kidding! I'll link up with a friend who's a "pro-am" photographer and I'm going to get some proper shots of the car done...The final product really is pretty unique and I can't help but smile every time I walk out of it and stare back.
Here's a teaser of the front end, plus the handy Stow N Go front license plate mount:
Here's a teaser of the front end, plus the handy Stow N Go front license plate mount:
My car does it on D3 mode. I'm not sure about D but if it does on D3, would be probably same on D.
Honda Legend 0-200 km/h - YouTube
(Remember the vid from at stall speed test thread
)
Türk
Honda Legend 0-200 km/h - YouTube
(Remember the vid from at stall speed test thread
)Türk
Will be updating this quite heavily in the next few weeks up until Nisei Showoff in August. This show will be the RL's debut, so if anyone is in the LA area August 16th, come down to the show and say what's up.
New parts that WILL be installed prior to Nisei:
- Tires (Hankook Ventus V12 in front and Toyo Proxes T1R in the rear)
- Rotors (Adams Rotors Speed I w/ Black Hub)
- Brake Pads (Akebono Ceramic)
- TEIN Street Flex Coilovers
- RV6 PCD's
- Hella SuperTone Horns
Possibility of Install Prior to Nisei:
- Custom J-Pipe
- UR Lightweight Crank Pulley
New parts that WILL be installed prior to Nisei:
- Tires (Hankook Ventus V12 in front and Toyo Proxes T1R in the rear)
- Rotors (Adams Rotors Speed I w/ Black Hub)
- Brake Pads (Akebono Ceramic)
- TEIN Street Flex Coilovers
- RV6 PCD's
- Hella SuperTone Horns
Possibility of Install Prior to Nisei:
- Custom J-Pipe
- UR Lightweight Crank Pulley
Complications with the TEIN order have prevented me from installing them on time as projected initially. However, yesterday we installed the PCD's and it was a ridiculous P.I.T.A.
To remove the OE cats, you have to remove the following:
: Radiator Fan
: J-Pipe
: Front Strut Bar
: Front Axle Shaft
I took some pictures during the process in case anyone needs to see. Alldata puts this work order at 2 hours for a dealership, and 4 hours for a shop to do; our start to finish time was 5 hours.
To remove the OE cats, you have to remove the following:
: Radiator Fan
: J-Pipe
: Front Strut Bar
: Front Axle Shaft
I took some pictures during the process in case anyone needs to see. Alldata puts this work order at 2 hours for a dealership, and 4 hours for a shop to do; our start to finish time was 5 hours.
Took me 10 hours to do mine on the ground in front of my grandma's house. I'm hoping my second RL goes quicker. Took 2 hours removing the whole exhaust because the j pipe bolts seized and need to be cut. And without a lift I could not use the saw on the ground huge pita. This time I'll take to muffler shop and have them remove j pipe before I start.
subd to the thread. good stuff man. i just moved in the bay are not too long ago toting my ka9 from VA. im about to pick up a 09.
thanks for sharing the knowledge here man. wish you didnt have to move back to socal!
thanks for sharing the knowledge here man. wish you didnt have to move back to socal!
What part of the Bay have you moved to? After you get your 09, if you'd like to meet up and shoot the shit, come down to San Jose/Santa Clara and I'll show you the ride.
Thanks Terry! So from an owner of an '11+, what are the major differences with the 09+? I know the grill is different, but what other changes did they make?
The six speed is far better than the previous 5 speed, feels a lot more sporty, and the acceleration is far better than my old 05. On my daily commute, about 50mi, 30% city driving and 70% highway driving, I generally get between 22-26MPG combined, 23/24AVG. I drive this car real fast, always go over speed limit.
On my 05 I got about 21MPG.
On my 05 I got about 21MPG.
Hey Fuji,
Spec-wise, compared to the 09 RLs, there is more insulation, new grill, 18" noise reducing wheels, 6-speed, power folding mirrors, and backup sensors. I drove a 2010 RL, and compared to my 11 RL, the car feels quite a bit faster, on this car I am able to get about 0-60 5.8-6.1 secs. On the old RLs with the 5 speed auto it was a little bit slower. Also the car is quite a bit quiter, the dealer told me the 11 car was about 15-20%, quieter than than the 09/10.
However, when compared to my 05 RL, my 11 RL Advance is far superior. First of, the styling looks a lot more elegant, yet conservative. I really like exterior looks of the RL. The interior is practically the same, other than some additional wood, and a better BOSE stereo with more sources.
But when driving the 11 compared to my 05, the car is out of this world. The car practically absorbs every bump in the road with my new Michelin Pilot 18 tires. No vibrations in cabin. The car is much faster, and far more engaging to drive, the car feels very smooth and agile, the suspension and SH-AWD system were revised and I can really tell.
In mid-2013 I bought the RL '11 Advance CPO(two years old), with only 12,000 miles for 35k, and the car was in like new condition. I just wish Acura would have updated the NAV system. Also, Acura should've brought over some of the features from the Japanese Honda Legend , to the US market. For example, Night Vision, Newer 3D map system(same one from RLX), LDW and Lane Keep Assist(from RLX), Night Vision, Front Bumper Cam, Heated Rear Seats, Park Sensor ON/ OFF control, also the new button lay out on the centre stack, Power opening and closing trunk. All of these features were on the 2011 Honda Legend in Japan, and in some parts of Europe, but they never made it to the US. No one knows why. The US got a more "striped down RL".
Spec-wise, compared to the 09 RLs, there is more insulation, new grill, 18" noise reducing wheels, 6-speed, power folding mirrors, and backup sensors. I drove a 2010 RL, and compared to my 11 RL, the car feels quite a bit faster, on this car I am able to get about 0-60 5.8-6.1 secs. On the old RLs with the 5 speed auto it was a little bit slower. Also the car is quite a bit quiter, the dealer told me the 11 car was about 15-20%, quieter than than the 09/10.
However, when compared to my 05 RL, my 11 RL Advance is far superior. First of, the styling looks a lot more elegant, yet conservative. I really like exterior looks of the RL. The interior is practically the same, other than some additional wood, and a better BOSE stereo with more sources.
But when driving the 11 compared to my 05, the car is out of this world. The car practically absorbs every bump in the road with my new Michelin Pilot 18 tires. No vibrations in cabin. The car is much faster, and far more engaging to drive, the car feels very smooth and agile, the suspension and SH-AWD system were revised and I can really tell.
In mid-2013 I bought the RL '11 Advance CPO(two years old), with only 12,000 miles for 35k, and the car was in like new condition. I just wish Acura would have updated the NAV system. Also, Acura should've brought over some of the features from the Japanese Honda Legend , to the US market. For example, Night Vision, Newer 3D map system(same one from RLX), LDW and Lane Keep Assist(from RLX), Night Vision, Front Bumper Cam, Heated Rear Seats, Park Sensor ON/ OFF control, also the new button lay out on the centre stack, Power opening and closing trunk. All of these features were on the 2011 Honda Legend in Japan, and in some parts of Europe, but they never made it to the US. No one knows why. The US got a more "striped down RL".
New roof spoiler is in and already rushed to paint. Brakes come in Tuesday and will be installed that day or Thursday at the latest, then off to the show in LA on the weekend! If anyone is in the area, let me know and I'll try and get you in for free.


, Fuji.














