Rob144

It looks like the 2009 RL doesn't have an A-Spec option. It already comes with 18" wheels and a sportier suspension.

What happens to the availability and pricing of A-Spec wheels for the 2005-2008 RL? Are they going to disappear? Do you think they'll be discounted? After all, the parts will be obsolete as far as the new model is concerned?

That said -- all things being equal, if you are a 2005-2008 RL owner, would you go for the A-Spec wheels or try to get take-offs from a 2009 RL?

2007AcuraRL

Neither. I have RonJon Legends and the number of people who take extra long looks at my car seems to be never ending since I've had my rims on the car because they look so great. I realize this is a matter of opinion but here's just three scenarios for your consideration:

(A) There's a guy in my office that makes possibly $500,000 a year and can afford very nice cars. He about 48, owns a V12 Benz coupe, a Jag XJR and an Audi RS6. He was standing in the parking garage the other day having a smoke with a friend of mine before heading home and he looks over at my car and asks my friend what kind of car I am driving (its debadged other than the Acura emblem on the trunk) and then says he really liked the way the rims look and that they made the car really look sharp. My friend said he sounded extremely surprised it was an Acura (meaning he thought it was a more exclusive nameplate).

(B) I'm at a BostonMarket drive-in and the girl at the order window, maybe in her early 20s, leans all the way out when I pull up to peer down to my wheels. She seems transfixed and I hear her mutter to herself "wow, those wheels are soooooo nice" before she she even makes eye contact with me to take my order! She was completely mesmerized by my Legends!!

(C) I park my car at the far end of a parking lot at an exclusive country club for a retirement dinner I was attending. I can see my car from out the window of the room the party is in. Several times that afternoon I see cars driving all the way to the end of the lot and stop when they pass by my car. One of the attendees at the party even comes up to me and says "Hi, I was just showing my wife your wheels when we pulled into the lot today."

neuronbob

I'm quite sure there will be an A-Spec option given the buzz on our forums about it. I am also willing to bet that the suspension underpinnings are not the same as the A-Spec. In other words, I'm willing to bet the A-Spec kit would fit. I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig for that, though. Further, A-Spec fittings have tended to be released several months after the release of the car, so don't count A-Spec out yet. This was the case for the pre-MMC 2G RL and the 3G TL.

As far as putting takeoffs from the 2009 on an 05-08....are you kidding? They don't look that great to me and my first mod would be the same as on my 2006--nicer wheels. The Legends are a great choice, if I hadn't already bought A-Spec wheels, I would have gone with the Legends.

Rob144

I'm giving it some thought. I'd want to see how they look on the car, though.

A local dealer had an '09 RL with aftermarket wheels, so I thought I'd see where this took me. Turns out the dealership sells/gives the wheels to a local shop (from whom I've gotten take-offs before for '88 and '95 Legends). They then chrome them and rotate through their inventory so they always have a ready set of chromed wheels for the dealer. They won't sell a set unless (or until) they have a bigger inventory of the '09 stock wheels. They have plenty of 05-08 stockers, though.

So, looks like I'll wait a while for this change. Maybe in a couple of years when my car needs tires. Seems like a cost-effective way to get 18" factory-intended wheels and tires.

By the way, the list price on an '09 RL wheel is a little over $600. No way on that path.

Ballinger

Rob, what's you local shop that sells Acura take-offs? I was looking at RonJohns, hoping that the California dealer (DCH Temecula) would have them for a price discounted from MSRP as they do Acura parts, but no dice: full MSRP plus shipping makes a set of 18" Legends $1240.00. Time to consider take-offs.

Rob144

Competition for my (eventual?) wheels!

Acura of Escondido is where I saw the '09 with the aftermarket wheels. The stockers end up at Innovative. They would want $1400 if they had sufficient backstock. Both the dealer and Innovative had plenty of '05-'08 wheels. The other option, according to the Innovative guy was to use the TL A-Spec wheel. They'd redrill the holes to the RL's pattern and add a spacer.

Would you be considering the A-Spec suspension with the '09 wheels?

Rob144

Ballinger

Thanks, Rob!
At this point, the A-Spec kit with 18" take-offs might make sense, presuming Innovative's price includes the rubber. Did Innovative have 05-08 A-Spec wheels? Heck, where are they -- I'll look into it.

These guys?
Innovative Wheels & Audio
370 N Andreasen Dr
Escondido, CA 92029

Have you experience with Acura Escondido? I hadn't called them to find installation or parts prices (I'd love to find a dealer willing to match prices on parts and install upgrades for competitive rates).

Rob144

Looks right. I get first dibs on any '09 RL wheels!

Acura of Escondido has been willing to match some online pricing for parts. You could try to see if they'd match Curry Acura (on ebay) for the A-Spec wheels and suspension parts.

At this point, I think RL A-Spec parts are going to become collector's items. The '09 RL already has 18" wheels (not as stylin' as the A-Spec, but not as homely as the stock '05-'08 wheels). And the '09 RL already has a different suspension setup that is supposed to be sportier.

If you could find an Acura dealer that already has RL A-Spec parts in their parts department or warehouse, I bet you could make a deal to "get it off their hands".
Good Luck....and lay off those '09 RL takeoff wheels (until I get mine)!