Bye Bye RL...Hello TL SH-AWD
10-05-2012, 12:57 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Bye Bye RL...Hello TL SH-AWD
After being a member here for a long time I finally sold my RL. 
Yes..I know I recently put 18" aspecs and springs on it... the RL just never quite became what I wanted... I was tryhing to make the RL into a sporty car and it wasn't going to happen.. at least not to the degree that I wanted.
When I bought my RL as a CPO back in 2009, I also owned a Porsche Boxster as a toy car. The logic was: I had one car for my "kicks" and so it made sense to buy a daily driver that was focused on comfort and luxury - the RL. Fast forward a couple years and add to that a slowing economy and pay cuts at work - and the costs of maintaining a "toy" car no longer was feasible..so I sold my roadster.
The RL just never "did it" for me, and I really wanted something faster, that handled better, and was just more fun to drive. I was constantly thinking I wish I still had the Porsche, or wanting to buy something newer and more fun. My wife is a wondeful woman, and she sensed that I was just really not liking my car. I have always been a car guy... I have modified EVERY car I have ever owned.. and I just wasn't enjoying the RL. I recently put H&Rs on it, and upsized to 18s.. and even those mods didn't make the RL handle or drive sporty enough to make me like it enough to want to keep it long term.
Now while I would have loved to buy an M5 or M3 sedan to replace the RL... I also had to work within teh confined of a realistic budget, and also get something large enough and practical enough to be a secondary family car to myh family of 5. so used boxsters, Caymans, or even used 2+2 cars were out as I need to have space for 5.
I also wanted something newer and lower mileage than my RL. if I was going to get a newer car I wanted something relativelyh new. NOT a new car as I have always felt a 2-3 year old CPO car is the best bang for the buck..so a 2009-2010 was what I was looking for.
I have had a few FWD TLs as loaner cars when my RL or MDX were in for service and I always felt the TL was more fun to drive than my RL.. BUT I didn't ilke that it was FWD. I knew that a car like the TL with AWD could be something I'd really like.
I wanted something fast enough to plaster a smile oni my face, and considered a 335i but it was just too small for my needs. I have three kids and want to be able to fit them all in back without jamming them in like sardines. I considered a 535i but given my price point, and the fact that I wanted to buy a late model, low mileage car for UNDER $30k.. a nicely optioned relative new 535i was out. I also wanted somethign reliable that I coudl keep long term and not get killed by repair costs. Again, I steered away from BMW, Benz, and Audi. A used 535 or 335 in my price point woudl have been missing options I wanted, been too high mileage..and likely turned into a maintenance money pit... I loved my POrsche but also learned to hate the fact that older german cars are NOT cheap to own....I heard a saying on the Boxser forum.. "the least expensive Porsche you buy will be the most expensive to own"... i think that saying woudl probably hold true for BMW too...
I looked at the Infinitis but just don't like how they look. I think some of the new Hyundais look ok on the outside, but I think their interiors look really lame. they were out.
I also have an MDX and love that car. Aside from not being sporty enough, I liked the other aspects of my RL... in general I think our Acuras have been some of the best cars I have ever owned. I also have really come to like all the tech features on teh RL and knew if I bought an optioned down 535 or other "higher end" car I'd miss the nav, keyless entry, backup camera, etc etc... I wanted a car with all that stuff..and in my price point.. an Acura was going to be the brand that got me what I wanted at the price I wanted.
the TL SH-AWD was high on my list. I had never driven one and after test driving one, I knew it was the right car. It reminded me a lot of the RL, except everythign about the car was oriented toward being sporty. it had most of the RL's tech features in it, but was just way more fun to drive.
I have always liked white cars on black leather. Before buying my RL I almost bought a white/black TL Type S.... if any of you have looked for a white on black RL or TL you know that color combo is not reallyh common with Acura. I looked around for a nice white TL and found a few but they were alwasy on beige leather. I found a white on black at a dealer about an hour away but when I pressed the sales person for details, she admitted that the car had cigarette odor in it.. which was a huge NO. I kept looking. I considered looking for a 6MT but could NOT find one anywhere near where I lived and I had no interest in travelling long distance to get a car. I would probably have seriously considered a stick but I do like the convenience of an automatic.
Recently I noticed a dealer within 30 minutes of my home had a really low mileage 2009 TL SH-AWD listed. the ad was brand new, had no photo, said it was WDP, but the ad did not mention the interior color. I called and asked what color the interior was. the salesguy told me they just got the car, he had not seen it in person, but he saw the paperwork and believed it was beige interior. I was going to be near the dealer and figured I'd drop in, look at it, and maybe go for a test drive. Maybe if it was perfect I'd settle for white on beige.
I got there, asked to see the car, and when they rolled it out for the test drive, not only was it WDP on Ebony leather, it also had the optional 19" wheels. If I had ordered the car I wanted from the factory - this was the car I would have ordered. it had 28k miles, was priced right.. I test drive it... talked numbers..and went home to sleep on it.
the next day I went back and bought it.
I have had the car a few days now and totally love it. I will add more thoughts and insights over the next few days, but overall, I really like this car a lot more than my RL. the RL is by far more luxurious and feels like a more substantial car - the quality of the fit/finish and materials on the RL is hard to beat. Where the TL blows the RL away is the fun factor. On the fun to drive meter - the TL is on a whole different level.
The TL SH-AWD is not a rocket ship, 335is and even G37s are faster in a drag.. .but compared to my RL is flat out hauls a$$. it is way more responsive, it pulls harder throughout the powerband and in the upper revs, wow it pulls WAY harder. VTEC also kicks in at a lower RPM.. like 4000 or so. Even with a stock intake/exhaust, it sounds meaner and more throaty.
In the turns.. it grips like nuts. I used to have a boxster with factory upgraded suspension and 265-35-18 ultra high performance summer tires.. THAT car was on rails. this TL... I have to admit would hang with my boxster in the turns... easily. It grips that well.
My RL had 18" aspecs, ultra high performance all seasons, an 09 sway bar, and H&R springs.. and this bone stock TL will do stuff my RL would only dream of...
I'm having it tinted Monday. I plan on lowering it, possibly doing intake or exhaust, and maybe the OEM body kit. I don't plan to do a ton of things to the car..it honestly doesn't need it.
the whole look /styling of the 09 really turned me off when it first came out. in fact, I would have to admit that when it first came out I thought it was totally ugly. i know I posted here on AZ that I thought it was a fugly car.. etc etc.. over the past few years it has grown on me and I actuallyh ike how it looks.. i like the 2012 too.... but the 09-11 models look good to me as well, especially lowered with the body kit. I have always felt the 4th gens in White looked exceptionally nice, which was one reason I really wanted to find a white one. i have seen some fixed up 4th gen TLs here that are absolutely stunning... I hope to get mine fixed up a bit... but even in stock form it's a blast.
practicality wise this TL is great too. the car is actually larger than my RL and the rear seats seem larger. my three kids all feel they have more room in the back... i'm sure my son will appreciate that when he is old enough to drive girls around in it..
the trunk is the same size as the RL. the tech/features are all very similar if not better than the RL. I will miss the powe rear sunshade and power steering wheel..but i'll gladly give them up for the awesome performance and tons of fun I'm having in this thing. This new TL still has the Acura reliability I have enjoyed with my MDX and RL, and I rolled a full 100k mile warranty / "wrap" into my financing so I am set for quite some time with no worries about repairs.
here are a few quick Iphone pics.
my wife's MDX is WDP..so now we have matching cars.. yes... how cute...
My RL was a great car and I can't say it was a bad car, it wasn't. It was an excellent car, it just was missing that sporty edge that I felt I wanted, and I think the newer TLs really are essentialy, a 2G RL, turned into sports sedans. If you love your RL but wish it had the soul of a sports car - buy a TL SH-AWD.
thanks to all the guys on this forum who have put up with my *relentless* posts / questions about suspension, tires, wheels, etc etc... the people on this forum are great, and have been a pleasure to chat with.
Yes..I know I recently put 18" aspecs and springs on it... the RL just never quite became what I wanted... I was tryhing to make the RL into a sporty car and it wasn't going to happen.. at least not to the degree that I wanted.
When I bought my RL as a CPO back in 2009, I also owned a Porsche Boxster as a toy car. The logic was: I had one car for my "kicks" and so it made sense to buy a daily driver that was focused on comfort and luxury - the RL. Fast forward a couple years and add to that a slowing economy and pay cuts at work - and the costs of maintaining a "toy" car no longer was feasible..so I sold my roadster.
The RL just never "did it" for me, and I really wanted something faster, that handled better, and was just more fun to drive. I was constantly thinking I wish I still had the Porsche, or wanting to buy something newer and more fun. My wife is a wondeful woman, and she sensed that I was just really not liking my car. I have always been a car guy... I have modified EVERY car I have ever owned.. and I just wasn't enjoying the RL. I recently put H&Rs on it, and upsized to 18s.. and even those mods didn't make the RL handle or drive sporty enough to make me like it enough to want to keep it long term.
Now while I would have loved to buy an M5 or M3 sedan to replace the RL... I also had to work within teh confined of a realistic budget, and also get something large enough and practical enough to be a secondary family car to myh family of 5. so used boxsters, Caymans, or even used 2+2 cars were out as I need to have space for 5.
I also wanted something newer and lower mileage than my RL. if I was going to get a newer car I wanted something relativelyh new. NOT a new car as I have always felt a 2-3 year old CPO car is the best bang for the buck..so a 2009-2010 was what I was looking for.
I have had a few FWD TLs as loaner cars when my RL or MDX were in for service and I always felt the TL was more fun to drive than my RL.. BUT I didn't ilke that it was FWD. I knew that a car like the TL with AWD could be something I'd really like.
I wanted something fast enough to plaster a smile oni my face, and considered a 335i but it was just too small for my needs. I have three kids and want to be able to fit them all in back without jamming them in like sardines. I considered a 535i but given my price point, and the fact that I wanted to buy a late model, low mileage car for UNDER $30k.. a nicely optioned relative new 535i was out. I also wanted somethign reliable that I coudl keep long term and not get killed by repair costs. Again, I steered away from BMW, Benz, and Audi. A used 535 or 335 in my price point woudl have been missing options I wanted, been too high mileage..and likely turned into a maintenance money pit... I loved my POrsche but also learned to hate the fact that older german cars are NOT cheap to own....I heard a saying on the Boxser forum.. "the least expensive Porsche you buy will be the most expensive to own"... i think that saying woudl probably hold true for BMW too...
I looked at the Infinitis but just don't like how they look. I think some of the new Hyundais look ok on the outside, but I think their interiors look really lame. they were out.
I also have an MDX and love that car. Aside from not being sporty enough, I liked the other aspects of my RL... in general I think our Acuras have been some of the best cars I have ever owned. I also have really come to like all the tech features on teh RL and knew if I bought an optioned down 535 or other "higher end" car I'd miss the nav, keyless entry, backup camera, etc etc... I wanted a car with all that stuff..and in my price point.. an Acura was going to be the brand that got me what I wanted at the price I wanted.
the TL SH-AWD was high on my list. I had never driven one and after test driving one, I knew it was the right car. It reminded me a lot of the RL, except everythign about the car was oriented toward being sporty. it had most of the RL's tech features in it, but was just way more fun to drive.
I have always liked white cars on black leather. Before buying my RL I almost bought a white/black TL Type S.... if any of you have looked for a white on black RL or TL you know that color combo is not reallyh common with Acura. I looked around for a nice white TL and found a few but they were alwasy on beige leather. I found a white on black at a dealer about an hour away but when I pressed the sales person for details, she admitted that the car had cigarette odor in it.. which was a huge NO. I kept looking. I considered looking for a 6MT but could NOT find one anywhere near where I lived and I had no interest in travelling long distance to get a car. I would probably have seriously considered a stick but I do like the convenience of an automatic.
Recently I noticed a dealer within 30 minutes of my home had a really low mileage 2009 TL SH-AWD listed. the ad was brand new, had no photo, said it was WDP, but the ad did not mention the interior color. I called and asked what color the interior was. the salesguy told me they just got the car, he had not seen it in person, but he saw the paperwork and believed it was beige interior. I was going to be near the dealer and figured I'd drop in, look at it, and maybe go for a test drive. Maybe if it was perfect I'd settle for white on beige.
I got there, asked to see the car, and when they rolled it out for the test drive, not only was it WDP on Ebony leather, it also had the optional 19" wheels. If I had ordered the car I wanted from the factory - this was the car I would have ordered. it had 28k miles, was priced right.. I test drive it... talked numbers..and went home to sleep on it.
the next day I went back and bought it.
I have had the car a few days now and totally love it. I will add more thoughts and insights over the next few days, but overall, I really like this car a lot more than my RL. the RL is by far more luxurious and feels like a more substantial car - the quality of the fit/finish and materials on the RL is hard to beat. Where the TL blows the RL away is the fun factor. On the fun to drive meter - the TL is on a whole different level.
The TL SH-AWD is not a rocket ship, 335is and even G37s are faster in a drag.. .but compared to my RL is flat out hauls a$$. it is way more responsive, it pulls harder throughout the powerband and in the upper revs, wow it pulls WAY harder. VTEC also kicks in at a lower RPM.. like 4000 or so. Even with a stock intake/exhaust, it sounds meaner and more throaty.
In the turns.. it grips like nuts. I used to have a boxster with factory upgraded suspension and 265-35-18 ultra high performance summer tires.. THAT car was on rails. this TL... I have to admit would hang with my boxster in the turns... easily. It grips that well.
My RL had 18" aspecs, ultra high performance all seasons, an 09 sway bar, and H&R springs.. and this bone stock TL will do stuff my RL would only dream of...
I'm having it tinted Monday. I plan on lowering it, possibly doing intake or exhaust, and maybe the OEM body kit. I don't plan to do a ton of things to the car..it honestly doesn't need it.
the whole look /styling of the 09 really turned me off when it first came out. in fact, I would have to admit that when it first came out I thought it was totally ugly. i know I posted here on AZ that I thought it was a fugly car.. etc etc.. over the past few years it has grown on me and I actuallyh ike how it looks.. i like the 2012 too.... but the 09-11 models look good to me as well, especially lowered with the body kit. I have always felt the 4th gens in White looked exceptionally nice, which was one reason I really wanted to find a white one. i have seen some fixed up 4th gen TLs here that are absolutely stunning... I hope to get mine fixed up a bit... but even in stock form it's a blast.
practicality wise this TL is great too. the car is actually larger than my RL and the rear seats seem larger. my three kids all feel they have more room in the back... i'm sure my son will appreciate that when he is old enough to drive girls around in it..
the trunk is the same size as the RL. the tech/features are all very similar if not better than the RL. I will miss the powe rear sunshade and power steering wheel..but i'll gladly give them up for the awesome performance and tons of fun I'm having in this thing. This new TL still has the Acura reliability I have enjoyed with my MDX and RL, and I rolled a full 100k mile warranty / "wrap" into my financing so I am set for quite some time with no worries about repairs.
here are a few quick Iphone pics.
my wife's MDX is WDP..so now we have matching cars.. yes... how cute...
My RL was a great car and I can't say it was a bad car, it wasn't. It was an excellent car, it just was missing that sporty edge that I felt I wanted, and I think the newer TLs really are essentialy, a 2G RL, turned into sports sedans. If you love your RL but wish it had the soul of a sports car - buy a TL SH-AWD.
thanks to all the guys on this forum who have put up with my *relentless* posts / questions about suspension, tires, wheels, etc etc... the people on this forum are great, and have been a pleasure to chat with.
10-05-2012, 01:14 AM
#2
Great essay, congrats on the new whip!
10-05-2012, 08:58 AM
#5
Torch & Pitchfork Posse
As much overlap these two cars share (features content, etc), this post clarifies exactly why they are different. It is very common we are enchanted by the 'promise' of what a car is and we are not true to ourselves as to what we really want.
Enjoy your new ride.
The following users liked this post:
CraigRL (01-26-2024)
10-05-2012, 09:42 AM
#6
Senior Moderator
Are you taking the Aspecs over to the TL? Sorry if you said that; that was too long to read it all.
Trending Topics
10-05-2012, 05:24 PM
#9
Drifting
Thread Starter
I am Not putting the aspec wheels onto my TL. My new TL came with factory 19s. I like the 19s better. I left the 18s on teh car. it helped with my trade in value. Besides, I only paid $300 for the aspec wheels when i bought them used .. AND I sold my 17" OEM wheels for $350.. so I basically got my Aspecs for free, and MADE $50...
as to my H&Rs... I left those on the car. Initially, the dealer claimed he wanted to put the car back to stock.. so I told them I'd give them the OEM springs back, on the condition that they gave me the H&R springs in exchange. I figured I'd sell them here. after we had the deal done, they balked and said they weren't going to swap the springs back. I complained that I was owed the springs per our deal - so they threw in a free window tint job.. so in the end, I got something worth about what I would have made by selling my springs.. so I called it even.
The new car is still totally different than what my RL would have been lke if I did a jpipe and aspec suspension. the cars are just too different. until you drive a TL SH-AWD.. you won't appreciate how a car can be so similar yet so different.
LIke Tampa said (and said very well as usual!), the new TL and the RL are VERY similar..there is a ton of overlap... yet at the same time they are very very different. The RL is tuned to be luxurious and the TL is tuned to be sporty..and no matter what we do with aftermarket parts.. you can't undo what the engineers injected into the cars from the get go.
I probably should not have bought the RL in the first place.. it's not "me". BUT.. I had a real sports car at the time, and figured having a luxury car would be good to offset what I had.. in retrospect, I should have just bought the TL Type S that I wanted... in the end.. I"m back to a car that it is more up my alley, and very similar to the older TL Type s that I really liked, but for the additional of AWD and it's more modern.
I've modified every car I've ever owned and most have been sport oriented. here is a sampling of what I have driven over the past 20 years.
1979 RX7 - street ported motor, light weight flywheel, suspension, exhaust
1990 Miata - full suspension, intake, headers, exhaust, flywheel... etc
1987 RX7 Turbo II - suspension, intake, gauges, blew up on me...
1999 Prelude SH - Intake, shocks/springs, sway bars.
2004 Volvo S60R. full body kit, suspension, exhaust, downpipe, brakes.
2000 Boxster. Suspension, exhaust, short shift kit, custom interior paint..
2006 RL
2009 TL SH-AWD
do you see one car in that list that "doesn't fit"... yeah, the RL.
If I didn't have a wife/kids, I'd be driving a two seater sports car right now instead of this TL - no question. If I had more money to buy my "family sports sedan" I'd probably have looked into M5s or something hardcore like that.. I absolutely love the V10 M5.. but my budget has limits...
given my needs and my budget, the TL SH-AWD is a great car and I am really enjoying it.
I have had another day or two to play with the car and see what it is capable of. i really like the fact the sport mode aspect of the transmission. You shift it back one click and you get a more aggressive auto transmission that is nice. it holds the gears longer and if you are at WOT it runs to redline before it shifts..and the shifts in this car feel noticeably faster than the shifts in the RL.
the SH-AWD systemme also seems to be more aggressive? Anyone know if that is in fact true? Maybe it's subjective..but if I watch my SH-AWD "meter" in the MID - I notice that the rear wheels seem to light up a lot more than they did in the RL.. overall, the car handles a LOT better than my RL. it's flatter in the turns, and just seems to have limits that are so much higher in terms of what it will do without breaking a sweat..
i love the responsiveness. hitting the gas gives you almost immediate responsiveness, and the car, while not a rocket ship, has quite a bit better power. the engine specs are not tha tmuch better.. my RL was 290 hp and about 250 torque, adn this engine is 305/275. .but whateve else is different.. the car just feels a LOT faster than 15hp more than the RL.
I get the tint installed Monday. I'll likely lower the car soon..but not immediately. when i get some quality pics, I"ll upload some more. not that you don't all know what a WDP 4th gen looks like..
take care guys!
as to my H&Rs... I left those on the car. Initially, the dealer claimed he wanted to put the car back to stock.. so I told them I'd give them the OEM springs back, on the condition that they gave me the H&R springs in exchange. I figured I'd sell them here. after we had the deal done, they balked and said they weren't going to swap the springs back. I complained that I was owed the springs per our deal - so they threw in a free window tint job.. so in the end, I got something worth about what I would have made by selling my springs.. so I called it even.
The new car is still totally different than what my RL would have been lke if I did a jpipe and aspec suspension. the cars are just too different. until you drive a TL SH-AWD.. you won't appreciate how a car can be so similar yet so different.
LIke Tampa said (and said very well as usual!), the new TL and the RL are VERY similar..there is a ton of overlap... yet at the same time they are very very different. The RL is tuned to be luxurious and the TL is tuned to be sporty..and no matter what we do with aftermarket parts.. you can't undo what the engineers injected into the cars from the get go.
I probably should not have bought the RL in the first place.. it's not "me". BUT.. I had a real sports car at the time, and figured having a luxury car would be good to offset what I had.. in retrospect, I should have just bought the TL Type S that I wanted... in the end.. I"m back to a car that it is more up my alley, and very similar to the older TL Type s that I really liked, but for the additional of AWD and it's more modern.
I've modified every car I've ever owned and most have been sport oriented. here is a sampling of what I have driven over the past 20 years.
1979 RX7 - street ported motor, light weight flywheel, suspension, exhaust
1990 Miata - full suspension, intake, headers, exhaust, flywheel... etc
1987 RX7 Turbo II - suspension, intake, gauges, blew up on me...
1999 Prelude SH - Intake, shocks/springs, sway bars.
2004 Volvo S60R. full body kit, suspension, exhaust, downpipe, brakes.
2000 Boxster. Suspension, exhaust, short shift kit, custom interior paint..
2006 RL
2009 TL SH-AWD
do you see one car in that list that "doesn't fit"...
yeah, the RL.If I didn't have a wife/kids, I'd be driving a two seater sports car right now instead of this TL - no question. If I had more money to buy my "family sports sedan" I'd probably have looked into M5s or something hardcore like that.. I absolutely love the V10 M5.. but my budget has limits...
given my needs and my budget, the TL SH-AWD is a great car and I am really enjoying it.
I have had another day or two to play with the car and see what it is capable of. i really like the fact the sport mode aspect of the transmission. You shift it back one click and you get a more aggressive auto transmission that is nice. it holds the gears longer and if you are at WOT it runs to redline before it shifts..and the shifts in this car feel noticeably faster than the shifts in the RL.
the SH-AWD systemme also seems to be more aggressive? Anyone know if that is in fact true? Maybe it's subjective..but if I watch my SH-AWD "meter" in the MID - I notice that the rear wheels seem to light up a lot more than they did in the RL.. overall, the car handles a LOT better than my RL. it's flatter in the turns, and just seems to have limits that are so much higher in terms of what it will do without breaking a sweat..
i love the responsiveness. hitting the gas gives you almost immediate responsiveness, and the car, while not a rocket ship, has quite a bit better power. the engine specs are not tha tmuch better.. my RL was 290 hp and about 250 torque, adn this engine is 305/275. .but whateve else is different.. the car just feels a LOT faster than 15hp more than the RL.
I get the tint installed Monday. I'll likely lower the car soon..but not immediately. when i get some quality pics, I"ll upload some more. not that you don't all know what a WDP 4th gen looks like..
take care guys!
10-05-2012, 08:26 PM
#10
Senior Moderator
Not a bad choice even with the beak, you can always get a RonJon grille if you don't like it. The only thing missing is a 6MT. Congrats and enjoy!
10-05-2012, 10:25 PM
#11
Drifting
Thread Starter
bang for the buck - this is a lot of car! I love how it sounds.. it's not ricey loud but when you get on it and get into VTEC it has a really cool growl. makes me want to add exhaust
10-06-2012, 09:45 AM
#12
Burning Brakes
Traitor.
Heretic.
Awesome car. I've driven one and really think they're what the newer RL should have been (with some interior finery and a dampened sun roof slider). Less Grandpa, more Yuppie.
Heretic.
Awesome car. I've driven one and really think they're what the newer RL should have been (with some interior finery and a dampened sun roof slider). Less Grandpa, more Yuppie.
10-06-2012, 11:31 AM
#14
Senior Moderator
I have had another day or two to play with the car and see what it is capable of. i really like the fact the sport mode aspect of the transmission. You shift it back one click and you get a more aggressive auto transmission that is nice. it holds the gears longer and if you are at WOT it runs to redline before it shifts..and the shifts in this car feel noticeably faster than the shifts in the RL.
the SH-AWD systemme also seems to be more aggressive? Anyone know if that is in fact true? Maybe it's subjective..but if I watch my SH-AWD "meter" in the MID - I notice that the rear wheels seem to light up a lot more than they did in the RL.. overall, the car handles a LOT better than my RL. it's flatter in the turns, and just seems to have limits that are so much higher in terms of what it will do without breaking a sweat..
i love the responsiveness. hitting the gas gives you almost immediate responsiveness, and the car, while not a rocket ship, has quite a bit better power. the engine specs are not tha tmuch better.. my RL was 290 hp and about 250 torque, adn this engine is 305/275. .but whateve else is different.. the car just feels a LOT faster than 15hp more than the RL.
the SH-AWD systemme also seems to be more aggressive? Anyone know if that is in fact true? Maybe it's subjective..but if I watch my SH-AWD "meter" in the MID - I notice that the rear wheels seem to light up a lot more than they did in the RL.. overall, the car handles a LOT better than my RL. it's flatter in the turns, and just seems to have limits that are so much higher in terms of what it will do without breaking a sweat..
i love the responsiveness. hitting the gas gives you almost immediate responsiveness, and the car, while not a rocket ship, has quite a bit better power. the engine specs are not tha tmuch better.. my RL was 290 hp and about 250 torque, adn this engine is 305/275. .but whateve else is different.. the car just feels a LOT faster than 15hp more than the RL.
The SH-AWD is great on the RL because the car is a tank and would be a laughing stock without it. However, it wasn't meant for the RL. A flagship is meant to experiment new technologies and perfect them in order to pass down the line, but if you are going to build a car that costs $50k, it better be a big body luxury car or a beast. The SH-AWD is meant for a sports car. I can only imagine what it would have done to the V10 NSX that never happened. Thinking about what SH-SH-AWD will do to the NSX is
-worthy.I'm glad you found your sweet spot and could still stay in the family.
I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the feeling of size. I thought the cars were a very similar size until I saw Zelaya's picture similar to yours. I never realized the RL is so much wider.
Last edited by oo7spy; 10-06-2012 at 11:37 AM.
10-06-2012, 12:29 PM
#15
Racer
Wonder if that's more of an illusion .. parked at slightly different angles, plus the white stands out more against the parking lot vs the darker color
10-06-2012, 02:55 PM
#16
Torch & Pitchfork Posse
And when SH-SHAWD launches on the RLX, NSX and likely the next gen MDX & TL it will have 5 styles of tuning to suit the intended characteristics of those vehicles. I am eager to see what electric IMA instant torque will add to the mix.
10-06-2012, 04:08 PM
#18
Senior Moderator
I am amazed and stand corrected. It must be the camera angle because the RL windshield looks at least 6" wider in Zelaya's picture.
10-06-2012, 09:31 PM
#20
congrats on the car, i did find a wdp 6mt sh-awd tl near me and ready to jump the gun, and it had tint all done to it but when opening the door it was that new red peanut butter color which i dont like, i wish it was ebony. will have to keep on looking.
Just fyi 09-11 tl Sh-awd, there are problems with the transmission like every tl. with a 5sp AT te problem is that the mount is not sustaining the hold of a smooth shift.(hope you understand that). but the new 2012 6sp AT is much better. the reason i say this is because my friend got his 10 5sp AT sh-awd and had a vibration while driving. the dealer thought it was tires, so they gave him new tires. the shaking was still there, so they looked into it and thought it was engine mounts, well nope they replaced the engine mounts. shaking was still there, so they looked at the car and thought it was the wheel barrings and hubs, so guess what they gave him, new barrings and hubs, did a full alignment and all. dam at that point he got a new car. the tl only had 23k miles on it. the shaking was still there, so they checked the transmission. it checked out fine. and they even replace the transmission mount. shaking was still there.
Just so you guys know shaking = vibration. yes i can write vibration but im just getting the point out. lol. so going on what i was saying, the vibration (hey look i did it) was still there, so what they did was take the car at that point and gave him a 2012 tl Sh-awd, which suck was he didn’t get to keep his wdp with light gray interior, he got a burgundy with black interior; which after he drove he said that there is no vibrating and a nice and smoother transition in the gear shifts. (i will open a thread on this because I want to know why Acura never saw this and made a 6mt for the tl and rl in the first place?)!!!
I don’t mean to hi-jack your thread, but again nice car, oh and by the way, i hate you for getting a lucky deal getting the tl sh-awd with the 19's. lol. have fun.
Just fyi 09-11 tl Sh-awd, there are problems with the transmission like every tl. with a 5sp AT te problem is that the mount is not sustaining the hold of a smooth shift.(hope you understand that). but the new 2012 6sp AT is much better. the reason i say this is because my friend got his 10 5sp AT sh-awd and had a vibration while driving. the dealer thought it was tires, so they gave him new tires. the shaking was still there, so they looked into it and thought it was engine mounts, well nope they replaced the engine mounts. shaking was still there, so they looked at the car and thought it was the wheel barrings and hubs, so guess what they gave him, new barrings and hubs, did a full alignment and all. dam at that point he got a new car. the tl only had 23k miles on it. the shaking was still there, so they checked the transmission. it checked out fine. and they even replace the transmission mount. shaking was still there.
Just so you guys know shaking = vibration. yes i can write vibration but im just getting the point out. lol. so going on what i was saying, the vibration (hey look i did it) was still there, so what they did was take the car at that point and gave him a 2012 tl Sh-awd, which suck was he didn’t get to keep his wdp with light gray interior, he got a burgundy with black interior; which after he drove he said that there is no vibrating and a nice and smoother transition in the gear shifts. (i will open a thread on this because I want to know why Acura never saw this and made a 6mt for the tl and rl in the first place?)!!!
I don’t mean to hi-jack your thread, but again nice car, oh and by the way, i hate you for getting a lucky deal getting the tl sh-awd with the 19's. lol. have fun.
10-14-2012, 05:32 PM
#22
congrats on the car, i did find a wdp 6mt sh-awd tl near me and ready to jump the gun, and it had tint all done to it but when opening the door it was that new red peanut butter color which i dont like, i wish it was ebony. will have to keep on looking.
Just fyi 09-11 tl Sh-awd, there are problems with the transmission like every tl. with a 5sp AT te problem is that the mount is not sustaining the hold of a smooth shift.(hope you understand that). but the new 2012 6sp AT is much better. the reason i say this is because my friend got his 10 5sp AT sh-awd and had a vibration while driving. the dealer thought it was tires, so they gave him new tires. the shaking was still there, so they looked into it and thought it was engine mounts, well nope they replaced the engine mounts. shaking was still there, so they looked at the car and thought it was the wheel barrings and hubs, so guess what they gave him, new barrings and hubs, did a full alignment and all. dam at that point he got a new car. the tl only had 23k miles on it. the shaking was still there, so they checked the transmission. it checked out fine. and they even replace the transmission mount. shaking was still there.
Just so you guys know shaking = vibration. yes i can write vibration but im just getting the point out. lol. so going on what i was saying, the vibration (hey look i did it) was still there, so what they did was take the car at that point and gave him a 2012 tl Sh-awd, which suck was he didn’t get to keep his wdp with light gray interior, he got a burgundy with black interior; which after he drove he said that there is no vibrating and a nice and smoother transition in the gear shifts. (i will open a thread on this because I want to know why Acura never saw this and made a 6mt for the tl and rl in the first place?)!!!
I don’t mean to hi-jack your thread, but again nice car, oh and by the way, i hate you for getting a lucky deal getting the tl sh-awd with the 19's. lol. have fun.
Just fyi 09-11 tl Sh-awd, there are problems with the transmission like every tl. with a 5sp AT te problem is that the mount is not sustaining the hold of a smooth shift.(hope you understand that). but the new 2012 6sp AT is much better. the reason i say this is because my friend got his 10 5sp AT sh-awd and had a vibration while driving. the dealer thought it was tires, so they gave him new tires. the shaking was still there, so they looked into it and thought it was engine mounts, well nope they replaced the engine mounts. shaking was still there, so they looked at the car and thought it was the wheel barrings and hubs, so guess what they gave him, new barrings and hubs, did a full alignment and all. dam at that point he got a new car. the tl only had 23k miles on it. the shaking was still there, so they checked the transmission. it checked out fine. and they even replace the transmission mount. shaking was still there.
Just so you guys know shaking = vibration. yes i can write vibration but im just getting the point out. lol. so going on what i was saying, the vibration (hey look i did it) was still there, so what they did was take the car at that point and gave him a 2012 tl Sh-awd, which suck was he didn’t get to keep his wdp with light gray interior, he got a burgundy with black interior; which after he drove he said that there is no vibrating and a nice and smoother transition in the gear shifts. (i will open a thread on this because I want to know why Acura never saw this and made a 6mt for the tl and rl in the first place?)!!!
I don’t mean to hi-jack your thread, but again nice car, oh and by the way, i hate you for getting a lucky deal getting the tl sh-awd with the 19's. lol. have fun.
also extended the torque converter warranty to 105k mi or 8 years
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