Legend4th

Name or Screen Name: legend4th
Country/State/City of purchase: USA/OH
Color Ext/Int: Nighthawk Black/Ebony
Month/Yr of purchase: 01/2012
Price paid before tax/lic: $15,600

oo7spy

Shit son!! You only had the car for a month?!?


EDIT: Wait, what gives? The PFM/CSM is totaled, but you bought a NBP? Is that the replacement?

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

oo7spy

His recent total thread explains the NBP is the one bought in Jan. Hopefully he had the PFM for a wee bit longer.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

Mods should change his SN to "the RL Reaper"

Ronmexicokennelclub

Name or Screen Name: Ronmexicokennelclub
Country/State/City of purchase: NE
Last 5 digit of Vin: XXXXX
Color Ext/Int: Celestial Silver / Black
Month/Yr of purchase: 2/2012
Price paid before tax/lic: $10,900
Mileage: 117k

New: brake pads, rotors, Yokohama tires, 20% tint all around included

Paid local certified Honda mechanic $1,290 after tax to replace the following after purchase : (All OEM parts and fluids)

Timing belt w/ tensioners
Serpentine Belt
Water Pump
Cam and Crank seals
Coolant
NGK Spark Plugs w/ Valve adjust
Transmission Flush w/ Syn. Fluid
Differentials and Transfer case flush and fill

Absolutely love this car, and it runs like a champ. Hopefully I get another 100k out of it. Thanks to all for this great site and input much appreciate to a noob!

shahram72

Name or Screen Name: shahram72
Country/State/City of purchase: OH
Last 5 digit of Vin: XXXXX
Color Ext/Int: Carbon Pearl / parchment
Month/Yr of purchase: 3/2012
Price paid before tax/lic: $15,600
Mileage: 66k

Have not yet taken delivery but I bought it, will be here mid April, Let's hope it's OK!

XXBogey

Model year?
Thanks.

antle1101

Hey everyone! Bought the RL last year. Finally decided to join the forum!

Name or Screen Name: antle1101
Country/State/City of purchase: San Jose Ca
Last 5 digit of Vin: -
Color Ext/Int: Silver ext - Black int
Month/Yr of purchase: April 2011
Price paid before tax/lic: ~$22,000 with 40k miles

Came with rear tints
Upgrade with K&N filter

oo7spy

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

LawLz

Toppatop

Name or Screen Name:Toppatop
Country/State/City of purchase: Wallingford, Connecticut
Last 5 digit of Vin:03446
Color Ext/Int:Nighthawk black/Tan
Month/Yr of purchase:March 2012
Price paid before tax/lic:19900
Make/model/year: Acura RL HI/AK 2008

BillG49

Name or Screen Name:Bill
Country/State/City of purchase: Dallas, TX
Color Ext/Int:White Pearl/Parchment
Month/Yr of purchase:09/2008
Price paid before tax/lic:$20,500
Make/model/year: Acura RL 2005
Mileage at purchase/now: 59k/104k

Second owner, now trying to decide whether to fix everything or trade. It needs:

• Timing belt, water pump, drive belts etc.
• Spark plugs (how do you know if they need replacing)?
• Replace passenger side low beam bulb, igniter, control unit (probably also other bulb for color match)
• Front and rear door lock actuators on passenger side
• Intermittent SRS error 61-1 disables air bags

Local Acura dealer quotes $3,345 for everything. Independent Honda shop using OEM parts that I supply: about $1000-$1200 less.

Decisions, decisions. Thank you to all the regular posters who have provided such good information on this site already.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

Welcome, I use an authorized acura service center rather than the dealer and an extended warranty is worth every penny.

As far as your issues:

• Timing belt, water pump, drive belts etc.
  • You can do this on your own, but the extra money is worth the warranty IMO
• Spark plugs (how do you know if they need replacing)?
  • Visually inspect them unless you see signs of poor performance
• Replace passenger side low beam bulb, igniter, control unit (probably also other bulb for color match)
  • Not hard to do if you have minimal skills
• Front and rear door lock actuators on passenger side
  • are they broken or making noise?
• Intermittent SRS error 61-1 disables air bags
  • Does this happen when you unplug your seat belt?

oo7spy

There is no "correct" answer. Do you want to go as long as possible without a car payment or lump sum on a new car, or would you rather get something a little newer and not have to deal with random maintenance costs?

It is entirely up to your personality. I personally would run a car into the ground and pay $1000/year rather than $400/month for the rest of my life. But that's just me. The good thing you have going for you is that you own a car that is far from running into the ground. You can easily expect this car to make it to the next timing belt if you keep up with regular maintenance.

BillG49

Heavy & 007,

Thanks for the replies. I am leaning toward keeping the RL and maintaining it for another 50k at least. There is nothing pre-owned out there within $10k that approaches the RL, and besides that, my wife loves the car. I'm not very handy with tools, so I will take it in and have the maintenance done - probably at the local Honda shop. To further explore the various issues:

• I see some people mention replacing the AC stator(?) when the timing belt is replaced. What is that, and is it necessary?
• I track my gas mileage and that's the only way I have of determining performance, since we rarely push the RL. If the gas mileage is remaining constant, I'm guessing that the plugs are probably OK?
• The rear door lock stopped working shortly after buying the car. The front lock was intermittent for a while, but now no longer works at all when using the remote or interior switch or program. Acura dealer and Honda shop both say that the actuators need to be replaced. It's not a programming or mechanical issue. We have to physically unlock the doors from the inside, which is really a pain for the front seat, not so much for the rear because it's rarely used.
• The SRS problem is intermittent and has something to do with the driver's seat belt buckle. It's not too annoying at this point since it happens so infrequently and nearly always when starting the car (with the belt buckled), but if the SRS warning message and light comes on, we have to turn the car off and restart it to clear the error. The Acura dealer says it's not a lifetime warranty issue, but that he can probably get it covered at no charge if I have the car in for all the other high-priced service. American Honda CS also tells that only mechanical failure of the seat belt is covered.

Thanks again,
Bill

BillG49

Heavy,

What is an "authorized acura service center"? Are you saying that these are different from Acura dealers? Is there a listing of these centers somewhere?

Thanks,
Bill

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

I honestly feel the same way with my car, I want a CTS-V some kinda bad but I am going to wait a little longer and invest in the RL unless the dealer has a great trade in number for me.

BillG49

An independent shop owner I talked to yesterday suggested replacing both front low beams on my 2005 RL with a Xenon HID aftermarket kit. The price is tempting ($275 complete) and has a 24 month warranty, but I wonder if this is a good idea.

• If I keep the OEM system and only fix one side, am I lkely going to be looking at fixing the second side in the near future?
• Is "Xenon" a brand name or generic? If I go with the aftermarket kit, are there brands I should look for, or avoid?

Thanks,
Bill

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

Well, technically, Xenon is a chemical element.

But the word is used in the description of the light, like "Philips Xenon Bulbs"

At $275 you are probably getting the same china bulbs I have in my truck.

oo7spy

No, no, no, no, no.... Run away from that mechanic. He either has no clue what an RL is, or he has absolutely no interest in your finances.

Your stock low beams are Xenon with a relatively nice projector in them. If you didn't have them (say you owned a Civic) and wanted to add the RL setup, you would spend well over $300. If you need to change your bulbs, you have a lot of options. $75 will get you a good pair of Phillips OEM D2S bulbs that are just as good as the stock ones. $150 will get you top of the line OSRAMs in which ever color you please.

There is no need for an aftermarket kit in this car as you already have ballasts, housings, and lenses. Retrofitting something will likely only mess up your AFS unless you know exactly what you are doing like Carbon. Also, unless you are Carbon, your setup will be perfectly fine for you. The fact that he even mentioned that would have me never leaving my car with him.

BillG49

Thanks for the replies.

The issue with my headlight is that no one seems to know what is causing the problem (passenger low beam goes off after a few minutes, but will come back on briefly after cycling to off). Of course, the dealer wants to replace bulb, igniter and control unit for $911 and that's only one side. Another garage said they could do it for $860. Another one said they could try just the bulb for $275 and that might fix it. If not $775 for all 3 components.

The problem I'm having with all this (besides the $$) is that I can't help but wonder if the other side will go out soon and I'll be looking at another big bill. Is this a known issue with 2005 RL's? Also, if I replace one bulb with the OEM part, will the color be the same? The other bulb will have 7 years and 100k miles on it - do they change color/lumens over time?

Thanks,
Bill

oo7spy

My first course of action would be to buy a new pair of bulbs. I would say only one, but they do change color after a period of time and most brand/models don't match exactly. If you don't care to stray from OEM color, I suggest Phillips D2S. You can get them on Amazon for ~$35/bulb.

Your bulbs are old. Old HIDs are known to flicker and sometimes output intermittently. You may only need a bulb. If that is not the fix, move on to the ignitor. There are a few threads here with members who have gone through part by part to fix the issue. A dealer/mechanic is going to want to fix it in one go so that he appears competent. However, that usually requires a blanket fix to cover his ass that the problem will get solved. If it could be one of three parts, fix all three and the broken one will surely get fixed, right?

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

HID flicker is a known issue around here... we have it figured out.

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

Name or Screen Name:Ameer
Country/State/City of purchase: Farmington, MI
Color Ext/Int:Opulent Blue Pearl/Ebony
Month/Yr of purchase:04/2012
Price paid before tax/lic:$17,000
Make/model/year: Acura RL 2007, Technology Package
Mileage at purchase/now: 60K

Picking it up tomorrow from an older lawyer, original owner and dealer maintained. Joining you guys as a Toyota owner, so this is a big upgrade for me :lol:

oo7spy

Welcome! I think we only have one other OBP regular, wcoy I believe, and even he isn't around much any more. Great color!

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

Thanks It's an interesting colour though, I've never seen it photographed right, it has to be seen in person IMO, but I love it

Ra2002

Name or Screen Name:Ra2002
Country/State/City of purchase: Murrysville, PA
Color Ext/Int:Desert Mist Metallic/Parchment
Month/Yr of purchase:04/2012
Price paid before tax/lic:$14,995
Make/model/year: Acura RL 2005
Mileage at purchase/now: 86.5k/87k

TheSkro

Name or Screen Name:TheSkro
Country/State/City of purchase: USA/Marysville/OH
Color Ext/Int: Nighthawk Black Pearl/Ebony
Month/Yr of purchase:04/2012
Price paid before tax/lic:$26,000
Make/model/year: Acura RL 2008 (Tech/CMBS/PAX)
Mileage at purchase/now: 34.1K

De-Paxing ASAP...

mrm143

Name or Screen Name: Matt (mrm143)
City/State: Cranston, RI
Last 5 digit of Vin: 02897
Color: Nighthawk Black Pearl
Month/Yr of purchase: 04/2012
Price paid before tax/lic: 13,900

Glen08RL

Name or Screen Name: Glen
Country/State/City of purchase: VA/Richmond
Last 5 digit of Vin: 02644
Color Ext/Int: Redondo Red/Parchment
Month/Yr of purchase: 03/12
Price paid before tax/lic: $24500

45k miles. The RL Compass car came in off a 4yr lease. It has new Bridgestone Serenity tires, serviced and ready to go. I had the windows tinted and added a trunk tray. I sold an 02 CL for $6500 to get this bad girl. I programmed it to use the female voice and since it's red, I named her Christine. Hopefully, she'll be good to me and the wife for years to come.

IanVS

Name or Screen Name:IanVS
Country/State/Ciy of purchase: USA/CO/Denver
Color Ext/Int: Celestial Silver Metallic/Taupe
Month/Yr of purchase:04/2012
Price paid before tax/lic:$10,900
Make/model/year: Acura RL 2005
Mileage at purchase/now: 160.0K

Yeah, I know it has a lot of miles, and I was a little nervous buying a car with more miles than most cars ever see, but it's an Acura! The previous owner bought it new and had a deal where he got free tires for life if he did all the maintenance at the dealer. The carfax was full of oil changes and diff fluid changes and the like, so I felt like it was taken care of. It's in great shape overall, with a few minor things I can mostly take care of myself (with the help of this site and AllData at the local library). I had a Legend back in college, so it feels good to be back in an Acura.

oo7spy

Sweet name dude!

Don't fret the miles, but be prepared to buy new struts if yours are original. Thats the only predictable repair until your next timing belt/water pump.

b.thomas

Name or Screen Name:b.thomas
Country/State of purchase: USA/FL
Color Ext/Int: Celestial Silver/Black
Month/Yr of purchase:10/2011
Price paid before tax/lic:$15,500
Make/model/year: Acura RL 2008
Mileage at purchase/now: 97K

Ragus

Hi everyone, new RL owner here. Just wanted to say how great this site\community is. Nice to have a place to come for advice, repair info, and to just talk about a great car.

Name or Screen Name: Ragus
Country/State of purchase: USA/NH
Color Ext/Int: Carbon Grey/Black
Month/Yr of purchase:5/2012
Price paid before tax/lic:$18,000
Make/model/year: Acura RL 2006
Mileage at purchase/now: 80K

Dealer put on new General GMax tires and new brakes\rotors.

No complaints so far, other then the 20-40 MPH prop whine. Will be presenting the TSB to the dealer to see if I can get some goodwill on it. No warranty, as the mileage was too high for Acura Care, and the 3rd party warranty would have cost about 4000 bucks had I financed into the loan. Thinking of getting an extended warranty thru a 3rd party. Good idea? Any recommednations?

Anything I should address right away? Trans\Diff Fluid change?

Thanks everyone who contributes to this site. It makes owning a car such as this alot more comforting.

oo7spy

Do you have service records?

tla11384

Name or Screen Name: TLa11384
Country/State/City of purchase: US/Washington/Spokane
Last 5 digit of Vin: 01332
Color Ext/Int: Silver/Black
Month/Yr of purchase: 05/2012
Price paid before tax/lic: $12,950

Ragus

I am waiting for the dealer to send them up. Car came from Maryland, I bought it in NH, and the NH dealer did not have them on hand, but are having them sent to me from the original dealer.

It is a clear Carfax, one owner, so I assume (and hope) the maintenance was done as needed.

norcal78

Name or Screen Name: norcal78
City/State: San Francisco, CA
Last 5 digit of Vin: 04855
Color: Lakeshore Silver w/Ebony Interior
Month/Yr of purchase: 01/2005
Price paid before tax/lic: $49470 MSRP (Including Handling)
Extras Added By Dealer Per My Request (Included in Price):
Trunk Tray
Splash Guards
Wheel Locks
Backup Sensors
Payed for:
A-Spec Wood Steering Wheel
Wood Gear Shift Knob

oo7spy

The Carfax is only as useful as the people who report maintenance to it. I do not know when the car will determine it is time to do the tranny fluid. The manual says 60k miles in extreme conditions, but I think that is too long. Your car may or moay not have this fluid changed. The differential fluid surely should have been changed.