getmoney1

Ive been thinking this over for weeks..i already have the new TL and will be giving that to my wife ....i plan on getting a luxury model in about a year which brings me to the question .should i wait for the lexus the postitives would be more pretige because its a lexus and maybe a quieter cabin and a few xtras or i could buy the rl and have a car thats completely loaded with every possible option ......i absolutely love the body style of the acura ...the gs430 style hasnt grown on me..its ok at best ..its just that if your gonna pay almost 50k i want it to be one of the big 3 (lexus benz bmw) but the acura is giving away to much for the same price which makes the RL quite enticing...i know its not all about prestige but lexus is more prestigous then acura...my dream car is the lexus LS and im only 25 so i hope to get that maybe at 28 or 29 but i dont wanna over spend and go beyond my means so i figured id just take one more step up with the GS or RL then id go for the big boy....any opinions are appreciated.

i thinks its great acura has provided a car that really gives car buyers a hard time choosing..

BarryH

Since your comparing cars that no one has seen or driven, why not add the new M45 to the list. Understanding how all the cars in question are so drastically different than the models they've replaced, and none will be hard to get, why wouldn't you wait until they're here before trying to make a decision?

getmoney1

The m45 is out of my price range.(60k)..im also the type of guy who likes to do research and explore options before just plunking down 50k cash..i respect my money.

caball88

i would lean towards the RL because of what it offers for the price. it might be all hype right now but lots of people are saying the sh-awd is a awesome system. the gs430 is nice and i agree lexus offers more prestige much like bmw and mercedes. i would wait a bit and let more details come out regarding the RL and the GS.

getmoney1

exactly thats why i was just asking for opinions...acura is really stepping it up..

cM3go

you know the RL will have more features

and if you're a navi person, the lexus one is not voice activated, nor can you type in stuff while in motion...

NightRider

Lex over Infiniti any day, more luxurious. BUT am I wrong or are the 2004 GS430's loaded already at 60K?

getmoney1

wow i was not aware of that

NightRider

In my opinion it seems to me like Lexus focuses more on Luxury than sportiness, where as the Ac may be sportier, but still with great luxury, depends on what you want....

Fionn

I like both.. The Lexus does have a sexier look though.. but the RL will most likely have more options.

GaleForce

Buy the better car, not the better name.

PetesTL

The RL has definately the better technology. It comes fully loaded (no options except A-Spec) for UNDER $50K. Acura definately gives you the most bang-for-the-buck. I can't wait for mine to arrive in Oct.!

1SICKLEX

If I'm spending 50k in a car or more in a sedan, a V-8 is required. High horsepower V-6s are cool but can not match the quietness or ease of operation as a car with more cylinders. The RL is AWD GS 330 competition, IMO. A loaded GS 430 today is 55k, I am sure the new one will be near this price. A loaded RL will be cheaper, probably 50k loaded. Exterior looks are opinions, the RL IMO has a great front end but overall does nothing for me. The GS is not perfect to me either but looks way more distinctive, keeping the quad headlights for instance. Both interiors are awesome.

Acura has inexperience and no success building cars that expensive. Lexus makes some of the best built cars. I am also waiting for the GS next spring. I am also into aftermarket parts and I doubt the RL will have near the aftermarket support as the GS. This is a big factor as well.

I am sure the new RL will be a giant step up from the current one and I can't wait to drive it.

1SICKLEX

Buying a 50k car is not about bang for the buck. It's about prestige, quality, having the correct luxury features. Both cars are new, the technology will be even.

PetesTL

The newer V-6's today are just as powerful as many V-8's and more fuel efficient. The RL has the edge in handling over Lexus, MB and BMW due to it's great SH-AWD. The initial specs coming out of Japan is very promising.

PetesTL

A $50K car today is not the same as it was in the past. A new loaded 530i can cost almost that much. When the first Lexus LS400 came out, it was around $50K and there was nothing like that on the road. Today, $50K cars are a dime-a-dozen. If you want prestige, look at a MB S420 or S500, BMW 745i, or LS430. The RL will have 300hp, SH-AWD, Navi with touch-screen & voice and real-time traffic info, Onstar, Bose DVD-Audio, F1-style paddle-shifters, Bluetooth, rock-solid reliability and resale value, etc, etc all for under $50K-----quality and luxury?--the RL has boatloads.

NightRider

Acura decided they need to step up their game a notch as they are in a constantly growing segment with much competition - Audi A6 (2.7T & 4.2), BMW 5's(525-540), Jaguar S-Type (3.0 & 4.2), MB E-class (320, 500), etc....my question is, is the RL Acura's flagship like ths S-Class Benz or 7 series? I don't know about the 05, but the previous RL didn't seem to compete with these well....

PetesTL

I don't think Acura intended for the RL (old or new) to compete with the 7-series or S-Class. Price-wise, no way. (The true competition for the new RL will be the M45, Lexus GS, 5-series, A-6, and E-Class. The Acura brand is all about VALUE--getting Honda reliability and quality with luxury at an affordable price. If you want prestige and the "snob" factor, you don't go out and buy an Acura or Infiniti.

NightRider

With this in mind, wouldn't anyone else like to see Acura make "the big one"?

BarryH

A 300HP V6 isn't nearly as smooth and linear as the same output V8. My turbo I-5 makes 300HP/295TQ which makes it as competent as a similar V8 on paper. In the real world, the power band is much different and 0-30, 20-60, and 40-100MPH times are also different. Go drive an I-6 M3 and V8 S4 and tell me they deliver power the same way and feel the same even though their outputs are similar. As to the greatness of SH-AWD, let's wait for the car to come out first. Speaking as a former owner of a HICAS equipped Q45t, some technologies look better on paper than they deliver in real life.

GaleForce

Monte TLS,MAX

Actually the LS400 was priced around 35K when it was intoduced in 89 as a 90 model.

caball88

do you mean a honda v8??? i am sure they can make one but i can't see it in their future because they focus so much on efficiency. almost all teams in IRL use honda v8's(any team that doesn't usually doesn't finish in the top ten), 3.5 liter almost 700hp.

NightRider

Ya, not only a big engine, but a FULL size sedan with one

eaRL

Probably no A-Spec option for RL but who knows. They have put a lot of performance in the vehicle already (SH-AWD system, 4-piston brembo's with slotted rotors all the way around, Formula One paddle shifters on the steering wheel, 20-in. 5-spoke rims with 255/35 high performance tires). I am seriously considering this car. I will definitely test drive it though.

PetesTL

They DO have the A-Spec option for the new RL.....I just ordered one. This car will be simply AWESOME!

GaleForce

Have you seen the car in person? If not... Why would you order one before seeing it in person and giving it a test drive?

PetesTL

To me, the new RL already looks great in print so I can only imagine it'll be even better in person. My deposit is fully refundable so I have nothing to lose. Besides, the surrounding dealers in my area are already selling out their initial shipment of RL's due to high demand and I wanted the black/black combo which will be pretty popular. Can't wait for Oct.!

Hamma Tyme

Does anyone have an idea what the new RL will go for in $s?

PetesTL

The '05 RL will come fully loaded between $45-50K.

eaRL

Sorry. But I find it hard to believe that A-Spec will be an option for this vehicle. There is no RL A-Spec concept vehicle (such as the concept cars that Acura produced for the RSX and TL A-Spec) and few people have even seen what the actual production RL vehicle will look like. Although, according to Acura, the RL concept vehicle at the NY auto show is pretty much what will end up on the dealer's lots. I'm inclined to believe there will be little in the way of options and packages available for the 2005 RL. Acura is noticing that packing a lot of features into a car with little else for the customer to want is the way to go. It's more cost-effective and Acura knows that customers don't like playing the "package game" a'la Infiniti and BMW.

You can keep on believing but I would say someone is not giving you correct information. When you pick your RL A-Spec up from the dealer be sure and snap some pics and post them on the forum, okay?

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

People need to realize that "A-spec" doesn't mean "rice" ... it's a sportier line-up for existing models .. not nearly anything like //M or /AMG or //S, but a line-up that enhances existing models. the RL is entitled to A-spec just as much as the RSX is.

eaRL

No one said it isn't entitled. But the indicators are not there. No A-Spec concept. No press releases. The fact that the base RL concept car has a wealth of performance enhancing features already.

These things should tell you that, at least for now, the RL A-Spec is a myth. Fiction. Hearsay. Rumor.

The mention of the term rice when discussing a luxury sedan is like calling a ballerina a break dancer. I hope that no one would try to compare them.

BarryH

To say the least. You sure have your hopes set high based on really sketchy dealer level preliminary information. I hope you're not dissappointed. For me, the jury's still out on the car's success or failure until after a few have been in service for a couple of months.

PetesTL

It may be a "myth" to you, but right now, I have a RL A-Spec on order (sports suspension, body kit, special interior trim, 20" wheels/tires)....when I went to my dealer to preorder, he told me whether or not I wanted A-Spec since that's the only option on the car.

eaRL

when I went to my dealer to preorder, he told me whether or not I wanted A-Spec since that's the only option on the car.

he told you whether or not...That doesn't even make any damn sense.

Sorry, but you are steadily escalating from misinformed to outright liar. Which Chicago dealer? I'm in Chicago often, I might just go to the dealership and order one myself. Seeing that you had a good experience has inspired me to go ahead and put down a 20% deposit.

dseag2

You will not be able to buy a GS430 for $50k. More like $55k.

PetesTL

What part of the English language do you not understand? I said, when I went to my dealer to preorder the RL, my sales agent informed me that the RL comes fully loaded and will have no options, except the A-Spec package. So, I went ahead and requested to have the A-Spec package on my black/black RL. Is that good enough for you or do you still need a frickin translator? BTW, it is McGrath Acura of Des Plaines. (all Acura dealers ARE taking RL preorders at this time).

PetesTL

BTW, that's McGrath Acura of Morton Grove (not Des Plaines). Pauly Acura of Highland Park will have 18 RL's coming in Oct. and all are already sold!

mastertl

I couldnt have said better myself. You can WoW! all of your friends but when it comes down to it, who is the one really stuck with a POS. Not to say that the Lexus sucks, but if you like features and gadgets, the Acura is waaaay better than the Lexus. I know we have had comparisons such as the TL and the IS300 (both the 04 versions) and everyone concluded that the TL offered more power, luxury, and styling (styling i think is still up to debate by many). While Acura is definatly not one of the Big 3, but it doesnt mean it wont. With all of the competition that Acura is giving, the other companies better step up and move faster because Acura is owning the near-luxury competition with the TL and maybe TSX. When the RL comes out, it could be very possible that it takes over the Luxury car competitions as well. While no one has any confirmed and verified features, it has supposedly been leaked that the RL will have "real time" traffic updates which will be so goddamn amazing even Lexus will bow down to it.

Simply put, the better name is nothing more than a name. A better car will make you feel better in the long run. Just think of it this way...would you want a HOT SEXY DUMBASS girl or an INTELLIGENT average looking girl to be your wife?

Bad example, sorry. But you get my point. I hope. You probably didnt. Oh well.