jhr3uva90

I just went from a 2005 RL that I had for 9 years to a 2010 ZDX. Did anyone else here go from RL to ZDX? If so, why?

lumpulus

Well, in my case the front head in my '06 RL broke(spark plug broke and caused damage) which got repaired, then 3 months later the rear head did the same, all around 118k miles. The dealer gave me a good "trade in" on the dead RL, so I got a '08 Ininiti M35X for cheap with 78k miles on it....when I picked up the M35 I saw they had a '13 ZDX sitting there.

Fast forward 6 months or so....I was HATING the M35 and missing the RL, but no way was I getting an RL-X without SH-AWD, and as everyone knows, that car is still a ghost here in the USA, so I drove by the dealership, and still sitting there was the ZDX, all dusty and dirty in the back row.

After a week or so back and forth with the General Manager, I walked away with the ZDX and a '14 RDX AWD Tech for the G/F, who gave up her old '07 RDX tech.

When the ZDX first came out I had one as a loaner and loved it, but could not get past the ugly beak...as you know the '13 model's nose is much more subdued so I didn't mind it, plus at some point I'm going to Black it out along with the rest of the chrome.(I hate chrome)

MisterZDX

The beak was a deal breaker for me too so I bought the '13. Otherwise I would've bought a '12 Advance. The toned down beak looks so much better on the '13.

jhr3uva90

I like the way the 2013 MUCH better than the earlier years. However, I got a really good deal on a 2010 w/Advance, while the dealerships in my area were unwilling to go below $45K on 2013 models that they have had sitting on their lots for over a year.

Sandro

painted pre-restyle beaks look alright imho

pvdq

true to that

MisterZDX

Although the 2013 does have some nice added features (new grille, blacked out rims, wood trim interior, power folding side mirrors, lane departure warning, parking sensors), I do wish Acura offered the 2013 with Advance Package. I wish mine had CMBS, ACC, IDS, and the suede like roof liner.

pvdq

yep, I do like the new grille and power folding mirror and lane departure, you can get wood trim and parking sensor as an after install from acura that why i went with the older model for the cmbs, acc, ids, and so on, i feel that is too much to give up for just new grill and power folding mirror, lane departure is not a feature i miss cause if you can't drive your car straight, you shouldn't drive at all lol. I am getting oem parking sensor put in later, I do wish acura have front parking sensor too

lumpulus

Wow, I got mine for way less the $45k...strange they won't deal...I knew I had the upper hand as soon as we sat down to talk money...without a peep from me he dropped the price $10k....also it didn't hurt I was buying 2 cars and paying cash for them.

Personally, I have no use for the driver aids like CMBS...they just make a driver lazy and even more inattentive than they should be. I never use my "flappy paddles" either, but do shift into Sport mode often...the more aggressive shift points make a huge difference in stop and go traffic here in Metro Boston.

While painting the beak of the older models does help...they are still to pronounced for my taste. would love to know how many sales Acura lost due to it. I know I held off replacing my RL because of it.

jhr3uva90

Maybe dealers where I live aren't too bright. They would rather have a 2013 ZDX sit their lots as 2015 Acuras arrive. I would like to have the folding mirrors that the 2013 has, but I must admit, the IDS on the 2010 Advance is a lot of fun!

katleo

I just did the same thing - traded in my 2006 RL for a 2010 ZDX. It was a fluke, was not even looking at the ZDX at all, but really liked it when I saw it and drove it. I had wanted an RDX but couldn't find a used one to my liking.

Yumcha

Congrats!

Tiki

ooohh, I'm dating myself AND you'll prob be shocked, but my last Acura (before my current Z) was the Acura Legend GS, pearl white, parchment leather int., purchased new by me in 1995!! And it was/is a B-eautiful car!! It only had 126,000 mi when I sold it last year...to a 'car stalker'! Yep, he tracked my car down after seeing it in town and tried to buy it for 2 years! Persistence pays.

I say all this because I was tempted to trade it in a few times over the years, because I thought I 'should' be driving a new car - pfft! Regardless, I could never find another Acura (and I stick with Acuras) that felt as good when I sat in it, or seemed as plush or as nice. I tried RLs & MDXs over the years but they didn't do it for me. The Z finally tipped the scale when I tried it. Really enjoy my Z!

pvdq

I am glad you are, I sat in RDX and MDX, doesn't feel as nice as the Z. Good choice, this car will be unique for years to come

jhr3uva90

I would have considered the RDX, but it feels like such a downgrade from the MDX. I wish they had just made the RDX identical to the MDX, but smaller. Oh well, I'm pleased with my ZDX.

MisterZDX

The RDX is nice, but the interior just doesn't seem upscale enough. Now that it is such a fast seller, hopefully Acura upgrades some things with the 2016 model.

jhr3uva90

New RDX's interior feels cheap, plus there isn't even an option for SH-AWD. Not really the vehicle for me. I would rather have the old one than the new one.

MisterZDX

The thing that stood out to me the most was the lack of rear AC vents (even thought the cut outs are clearly there for them). This is something that should've been fixed during the second year of production. Tacky.

lumpulus

My G/F LOVES her '14 RDX Tech, and the interior doesn't feel, or look cheap to me, in fact it's a vast improvement over her old '07 RDX Tech.

I recently had an MDX as a loaner, and I thought it's interior was cheap and boring.

jhr3uva90

Yeah, the base level MDX is a disappointment.

Terry RL

Congrats on the ZDX,

I bought an 05 RL brand new and sold it in mid-2013. In 2013, I was either going to buy a pre-owned 2012 ZDX Tech with 16k miles, for 42k. Or a brand new 2013 Lexus GS AWD w/ NAVI for 55k. I'm glad to see you went with the ZDX, the exterior is gorgeous; the nicest Acura has ever made. The interior is really design oriented, and the technology is the best Acura has to offer. All reasons the buy a ZDX, and I was this close to writing the check. Until...

I saw another Acura local dealer had a 2011 Acura RL Advance CPO(mint), with 12k miles and they were only asking 35k. So I ended up buying that car instead, it was just too rare of a car, and to good of a bargain to pass up.

Again, congrats on the ZDX. Enjoy

SpenceTLMonster

Terry RL .. your RL's are bad ass. Love the RL and will always appreciate that body style of the 05-08's and the 11 you have is CLEAN.

markwon

I went from a 2005 RL to a 2013 ZDX.

Here are a few reasons why I got out of my RL:
1. RL was starting to get the dreaded driveshaft whir, and I didn't want to deal with that headache.
2. I had nearly 75k mi on the car, and a lot of maintenance was coming up (timing belt, tires, brakes being the largest).

I still LOVE this car. The lines wore well over time, and it still looks incredibly handsome on the road. However, I was already leaning toward getting a new car, so dumping 4k in maintenance just didn't make sense.

How I landed on the ZDX:
1. As handsome as the RL was, I wanted something with more visual punch. I had somehow become a huge fan of the X6 and ZDX, so I looked at both of these, as well as a few others (X5, FX, Escalade).
2. ZDX looks so damn unique. Especially with oversized rims (I know some people aren't a fan of the look, but I think the ZDX on 20"+ wheels with flush-to-body fitment looks stunning).
3. LOVE the design of the interior.
4. Great value on the ZDX relative to the X6.

The ZDX isn't as fast as I'd like, but I'm ok with it. I plan on keeping this car for quite awhile!

Besides the whole SUV (sport activity coupe, or whatever the Acura marketing folks call it) vs. sedan, here are some differences between the RL and the ZDX that stand out immediately:
1. The fit and finish on the RL is higher than the ZDX. Body panels, interior pieces, etc.
2. The RL had small touches that put the ZDX to shame. Leather covered door map holders that fold out, higher quality leather throughout the cabin, lighted door sills, power rear sunshade, side window shades, rear seat pockets, rear armrest to name a few. These aren't dealbreakers obviously, but it certainly makes the RL feel more higher end than the ZDX.
3. Key fob was nicer on the 2005 RL. My ZDX key fob is less than a year old, feels flimsy, and all the silver paint is chipped. My RL key fob felt sturdy and didn't have as much silver to chip. Its such a stupid gripe, but its worth noting nonetheless.