NJ06RL

It has been a good seven years and nearly 90k miles with our faithful 2006 RL. This is a farewell review for this great vehicle as its replacement ( 2014 MB CLS550) is sitting in a ship off the Canadian coast on its way down to our dealer in a few more weeks. We drove the Benz during our European delivery holiday so we have put 800 miles on the Benz already.

Relevant comparisons between my other cars mentioned where applicable below.

Driver comfort: The RL has been a great long range cruiser and I have had little difficulty handling 800+ miles drives in its comfortable seats and the low NVH environment. In this area, it’s better than my Lexus convertible. Vs the MB, I think the MB’s seats are more supportive and hug the body a little tighter. Quality of leather is about even in my view. Having driven the MB through the Alps, I would say it is as comfortable as the RL.

Instruments/Nav: I like the RL’s instrument cluster to this day. Distinctive color combo, clear and easy on the eye. The steering wheel control buttons are second nature to me after seven years and all quite logical. I still like the RL nav screen even though the screen resolution on newer cars ( like the MB ) is better. The MB nav screen is actually a little smaller than in the RL. But the MB has the benefit of a full color multifunction display within the speedo/tacho cluster which I found very helpful when driving. Ability to display most things in the MFD which you can get on the central nav screen is a nice feature for the MB. But the driver interface when entering data in MB’s Comand system is less user friendly than in the RL. The same address usually needs one or two steps more to complete using Comand vs the RL’s rotary dial.

Interior appointments: The RL was great in its day and I have no complaints but we did option out the MB with a fairly unique color wood trim ( matte light poplar wood ) and the leather came with light grey contrast stitching. Also the whole MB dash is fully leather covered ( like the ZDX ) and they gave us a very classy looking all black headliner. Finally, while the RL has the nice blue LEDs as night time lighting, the MB’s three color selectable LED interior piping ( cool blue, neutral white, solar orange) that runs the length of the dash and the doors is very very cool. In interior appointments, I think MB wins out mostly except for one thing: the MB has no rear passenger side window shades, unlike our RL.

Handling: I have been a great fan of SH AWD ( which is why we got an MDX in 2010 rather than an RX350 ) and it feels great being able to drive jug handles without slowing down while letting SH AWD do its torque vectoring thing. The MB has 4matic but that only engages selective (left/right) braking rather than increasing torque to the outboard wheel. I still like SH AWD more than 4matic though driving on winding Alpine roads in the MB was very stable and secure and those big 285/35/18 Contis on the rear of the MB never slipped even once. Going through hairpin turns in the mountains, the big Benz felt like it has a lot more grip left. The real test will be how 4matic does in the snow this winter. Not sure yet but the fact that the MB is about 300 lbs heavier than the RL may help.

Power/Acceleration: Unfair comparison of course. The MB has a 110-150 hp ( depending on whether you believe the hp rating of the 4.7 ltr twin turbo that MB publishes ) advantage over the RL and the torque advantage is more like 180 lbs in the MB’s favor. Our RL’s were never meant to be dragsters so I think the monster M278 engine under the MB’s hood wins out. That twin turbo V8 burble is intoxicating and this German V8 sounds a little fiercer than the Lexus V8 in my convertible.

Gadgets/tech: Another unfair comparison since our RL is 2006 Base rather than ACC/CMBS/Pax ( glad we do not have Pax ) and I optioned out the Benz with their ACC equivalent ( Distronic radar), lane tracking and blind spot warning systems. But wow, those tech toys really work well. The MB literally stops itself if the car in front halts and the radar locks on to the car ahead even on winding roads when the car ahead is pretty far off center from your nose. And the radar sees even bicycles if they are ahead of you and I really like the radar detection display in the central MFD, which shows you what the radar is seeing up ahead. Full LED adaptive headlamps in the MB vs Adaptive Xenon HIDs in the RL. Well I guess the MB comes out ahead.

Overall styling: I have grown to like the 2005-2008 RL look – one of the best looking RLs and even better than the 2009 refresh. Conservative yet smart. The MB took some getting used to because it is pretty unique looking with those horizontal LEDs upfront and the tear drop shaped tail LEDs at the back. But clearly the MB is bolder in styling and I would say the mean and futuristic look of its DRL LEDs up front make it more imposing than the RL. Obviously the 4 door coupe styling also makes it swoopier than the RL. Overall, I like the MB styling better than our RL but not by a ton.


I am sorry to see the RL go. It has been such a great vehicle for my family and I. It has proven itself in all kinds of conditions ranging from Vermont snowstorms to frighteningly heavy thunderstorms in the Deep South. A very capable and reliable car and a loyal friend in the most challenging conditions. Goodbye old friend !

I will continue to participate in Acurazine as an MDX owner after our RL finds a new home.

Our RL is listed for sale on the usual websites.

BDoggPrelude

Congrats on the new ride. Hopefully it will be as good to you as the RL was. I'm not a Mercedes fan in the least but I can appreciate a really nice car nonetheless.

06RL/NBP

Good luck with your new ride. Be ready to pay 4 times as much as the RL for maintenance as well as $150.00 per oil change only because they can. Also much more for car insurance because of the value of the new car alone. Also there is the possibility when a store owner sees you drive up in a Benz like that they may attempt to charge you more because they figure that you can afford it which is unfair but nevertheless it does happen.

BDoggPrelude

Optioned out, the OP just bought an $80k+ vehicle. I doubt he is overly concerned with general maintenance costs. The car does have a 4 year/50k mile warranty too. As for people charging more based on what car you drive, those kinds of places don't stay in business for long. Besides, most everyday businesses you visit have set prices on things. It's not like you walk into a Starbucks and they flip the menu board around to the "he pulled up in a Mercedes" pricing.

I'm not worried about this guy being able to afford his nice car. I do laugh at the people on this board that sell their near bulletproof Acura in favor of a used European vehicle that is at the end of its warranty. There is a reason why most Euro luxury vehicles, BMW's especially, don't hold their value in the secondhand market. While the first owner enjoyed 5 years of mostly maintenance free motoring, the second owner is typically the one that endures all of the big ticket items. It's also usually the second owner that doesn't have the money to shell out for those hefty maintenance items.

NJ06RL

Thanks for all the responses and good wishes guys. There is some truth to the maintenance cost issue and my logic goes like this: I paid $1350 for an Acuracare extended warranty to cover my RL to 7.5 years and 100k miles. ( New owner gets the balance of my warranty BTW ). A similar MB Financial extended warranty is going to run $4-5k. But it is zero deductible at MB vs $100 deductible at Audi and BMW which is one reason I chose MB over the other two Germans. Heck, if Lexus, Infiniti or Acura made a 4 door coupe like the Germans, I would probably have chosen Japanese due to reliability but that product does not exist so I had to go German.

In the meantime, I have a partial solution to maint costs like Bdogg said: All warranty problems get covered for free for 4 years is one. Secondly, I negotiated a killer deal on dents/dings/tire/wheel protection at zero deductible 5 yrs unlimited miles. Thirdly the same independent shop guy who maintained our RL ( and every car I have owned ) from day one will be handling regular scheduled maintenance on the Benz ( he owns a fairly late model S-class himself so no concerns there ). MB dealers will not see me except when I get service under warranty. Fourthly, according to the published MB recommended maintenance, 5w30 synthetic should work well in the Benz in our climate so the same six packs of Mobil 1 I buy from Costco for our old Lexus V8 will work for the MB, except I may need 1.5x or double the amount.

oo7spy

Sweet Jesus, I love that car. Congrats!!! Don't be a stranger, and I would live to hear some more comparisons after a few months of ownership.

BDoggPrelude

Was going to mention this before, I appreciate your somewhat humble comparison of the CLS vs the RL. Most people go buy a newer, fancier car and do nothing but gloat about how much better their new toy is. I'm sure you are, in fact, being a little humble about it. I would imagine a 2014 CLS550 is better than an 8 year older Acura RL. I've been inside a few of those cars. They are really nice and on a whole different level than any product Acura has ever produced. Even the new RLX doesn't come close to comparing. I hope to one day be in a financial place in life where I can afford to purchase such a vehicle. Again, congrats on your new car.

06RL/NBP

The interesting thing about your review is that the RL which is much less expensive really stacks up very well against the MB such as the SH AWD versus the 4matic and the quality of the leather being almost equal.

Blues Legend

Indeed a good, fair review.

I know of one who recently bought an A6 Avant quattro and although appreciably better in the engine & interior department, he still reckons the Legend's ride/handling is superior and it's really not that far behind either.

I guess these cars are the usual Honda 'quiet overachievers'.

NJ06RL

I am not shy to drive our 7.5 year old RL anywhere. It looks great with the 18 inch Nurburgring wheels and despite the expected NJ Turnpike rash, the paint work is still pretty good due to personal effort at polish and wax every year. But we all know the installed in Japan leather in our RLs are better than leather which Acura supplies for non made in Japan cars. Our MDX leather is a cut below what we have in the RL for sure.

Interesting note: CLS owners on MBWorld complain that the 2012 onwards CLSs have perforated leather only in front. Rear seats get normal leather. Guess the RL has the CLS beat here !

I may be crossing over to the dark side in our choice of sedan but I am still loyal and objective about Acura's strengths. Still a fan of SH AWD and it lives on in our garage in our MDX.

oo7spy

It's funny, I get in debates quite frequently with the Acura haters that troll Car Talk about Acura vs. The World (there is even a thread titled that), and one thing that is ALWAYS present in their argument is an ignorance of the RL/RLX. They have to ignore its presence and its capabilities in order for their arguments to hold ground. (They love to beat on the TL styling and the ILX.)

We have seen numerous members jump ship to other comparable sedans, and the reviews are 90% complimentary of the RL given what it is, a $50k entry level flagship. We have seen A7, A6, E550, 550i, and now CLS550 comparisons, and the RL holds up to 80% or more of the categories. When you consider the 25%+ price difference and the overwhelming age difference, it really goes to show what kind of a car the RL is. Is it a German powerhouse? No, but there is only one Japanese and one American sedan that I would take over it or the RLX SH-AWD.

FrankZx

Which Japanese and American sedans?

oo7spy

LS & CTS-V.

It will be interesting to see what Infiniti does when they bring the Q back in a year or two. Right now, I don't think an M makes the grade.

FrankZx

The CTS-V is pretty bad ass

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

infinity is garbage, the Lexus line is Cts-V is sex on wheels.

CanadianRL

nice ride! good pick up...I love the 4 door coupes as well.....

06RL/NBP

Man Drives 3 Million Miles in One Car
Irv Gordon's 1966 Volvo is still going strong millions of miles later.

NJ06RL

You know, I really tried hard to research the LS460 as our RL replacement. I have had a great experience with our first Lexus ( the SC430 ). But while the LS would have given our family more space, it got shot down by the wife cos she said the LS was just too large and so difficult to park. I had to get something only a little larger than the RL. That's what also partly knocked out the BMW 650 GC and the Audi S7 - the CLS550 was the most compact in dimensions.

The other thing is most Japanese automakers give you little by way of customization options whereas I managed to put together a fairly unique customized set of options for the CLS. Go to a Lexus dealer ( or even an Acura dealer) and say you want some of the more unique options in the marketing brochure and they usually pull a long face and tell you how a special order from Japan is hard to do.

That is probably what explains some of the German premium over the good Japanese makes - the everyday person can nearly customize how they want their Merc, BMW or Audi. So I got our RL exactly how I wanted it in 2006 cos I was looking for a discount and we know how big the marketing support was for RLs then, I got our MDX at a bargain in 2010 cos I was OK with a leftover as the 2011s were coming out but for this Merc, I customized and had to do the Euro delivery route to get the price down as low as possible. If it had been regular US delivery, the dealer would have laughed at me and told me to go away if I said I wanted any discount for a 2014.

Ballinger

Congratulations on a fantastic new car, and a fine "old one". I just turned-in the '14 RLX the dealer loaned me while I had them, swap out the burned stator in my AC system and I was very impressed with the RLX (albeit annoyed with features like the parking brake and lame XM Radio display). New cars are quite nice.

I am also stoked to have my baby back and remain very happy with our '06 with well over 100k on her.

NJ06RL

Thanks for your good wishes. I test drove an RLX when it first hit the dealerships and I liked it but I just was not going to get a FWD car, not after being a big SH AWD fan all these years.

But the rear seat room is definitely impressive.

All in though, I agree with others on Acurazine that the 2014 MDX is the real seller here. I seriously thought about trading our 2010 MDX for a 2014 whereas I never seriously thought about giving up our SH AWD RL for a FWD RLX.

oo7spy

The customization of German definitely sets them apart from the Japanese. Some like it; others, like me, find it kind of annoying. To each their own.

I am waiting to test drive the RLX until the SH-AWD model hits the floors. I don't expect the features to impress me much more than the RL, but I have high hopes for the hybrid drivetrain.

FrankZx

At least the MPG will be better...

Blues Legend

The decision to launch RLX without the eSH-AWD model had many of us utterly baffled. Other than of course, Honda hadn't developed it then and had just thought the idea up...

I think PAWS has its place (I had a 5G 'Lude before, with 4WS and it was brilliant) but it's retrograde if on a 300 BHP barge when one is used to SH-AWD. And that's hurting sales.

I tend to find the too much choice thang on German cars irritating. But a BIT more choice on Honda/Acuras would be a good thing.

sOLLEx

Thanks to the dismal sales of the RLX, you were able to experience one as loaner, just like many dealers had to use ZDX's as loaners too. I don't know if you drove on wet roads with it, but there is nothing more embarrassing than taking off on a slick road and spinning the front wheels through the intersection in Acura's newest flagship...forgetting that you don't have SH-AWD in your pocket...PAWS is just a gimmick without AWD.

NJ06RL

She's gone, she's gone. Sold to a good New England home. Saw her off, a little misty eyed, late this morning as she started her journey north and returned my plates to the DMV by 1 pm. Mixed feelings as we will never ride with her again. A great solid vehicle for a little more than seven years. I was sorry to see the last of her and secretly wished I would not find the right buyer so I could give myself an excuse to keep our faithful old RL. Not to be. A little seller's remorse here but ...

the MB 4.7 ltr twin turbo V8 beckons (in 2 weeks) so I think my withdrawal symptoms will be brief.

I'll be checking in now and then in the RL/ RLX forums but will probably spend more time with the MDX gang now. This has been a great forum for 2G RL owners. Thanks to all the knowledgeable people here and best of luck with your great 2G RLs.

Long live SH AWD !

BDoggPrelude

I find it funny that many people in the RLX forum try to argue that FWD/RWD/AWD really doesn't make a difference to most people. Obviously it did to you. I just can't see any current 2G RL owner trading in their AWD RL for the FWD RLX. Any way you look at it, it's a step backward. Considering a huge part of your target market for a new car model is current owners of the previous generations of that same model, I feel like Acura has completely lost a huge chunk of their potential customers. It would have to be something pretty special to make me want to downgrade from my current AWD vehicle to a FWD one and the RLX is just not even close to that special.

Keep us updated on the new ride once it comes. Going from a V6 to a V8TT is going to be a huge difference.

FrankZx

I think the RLX hybrid (SHAWD) is the right upgrade path for the existing RL owners. It get much better MPG. And the system is similar to the new NSX

BDoggPrelude

Yes, but at what cost? The RLX is already failing miserably. Do they really think an even more expensive RLX is going to somehow turn the tables? I also think the new NSX is going be priced far above what people are likely going to pay for it. Who is going to pay Audi R8 money for a car with BMW M3 performance? Regardless, both of those vehicles are smoke and mirrors at this point. As the automotive industry moves forward Acura is still working on developing cars that people have already forgotten about.

NJ06RL

Anyone who lives in the northeast or a snowbelt area would want AWD. There is a reason why the Hyundai Genesis is going AWD in its next iteration.

Bdogg, thanks for all your good wishes. Best of luck with your RL. We have something in common too - we both owned the last model Prelude Honda Motor sold in the US.

oo7spy

Once the AWD RLX is here - and it will be here as there have been test mules and test drives - all of this nit picking will vanish. Own an RL now, want to upgrade and have AWD? Sure. There's a car for you.

For the RL owners here, AWD means something, but to the ladies who drive RLs today (more than half of the drivers I see on the road), FWD with PAWS gives them all they need.

The sales aren't any more dismal than what Acura projected they would be, and they don't give two shits that the timing of the release didn't please the magazine "journalists".

As for the NSX versus M3. Give me a break. What would you rather have, a 1990 NSX or a '90 M3? Take it to 2005; it doesnt matter. The next generation NSX will be improved leaps and bounds more than the M3 has. It will be R8 money for R8 performance.

BDoggPrelude

I wouldn't be too sure about that. When the NSX came out in 1990 is was full of revolutionary engineering marvels like an all aluminum chassis, titanium connecting rods, forged pistons and variable valve timing that allowed a small V6 engine the ability to put out more power than most all of the V8's at the time. They completely caught Ferrari asleep at the wheel. It was also an exotic sports car that could be driven on a daily basis in a time when even a Porsche 911, a car that paled in performance by comparison, was back to the shop every few thousand miles. There was nothing like it in 1990.

The automotive landscape is a completely different place now. The E92 M3 has over 400hp and weighs a hair under 3,500lbs. That's just about on par with what the new NSX has been projected. Yes, it will probably handle better due to its mid-engine layout, but I bet the hybrid system will not be able to generate power anywhere near as quickly as it depletes it under continuous heavy driving. This will reduce its power output closer to the 300hp mark and cut its torque output by nearly half.

The two cars the NSX will be compared to most will likely be the Audi R8 and the Nissan GTR. I honestly can't see how it will be able to stack up to either one of those cars in a performance comparison. It will be much nice inside than a GTR and get better gas mileage than either one of them but I think it will lose its edge after that.

I honestly hope I'm wrong. I hope the new NSX lays down a mid 3 second 0-60. I hope it can lap the Nurburgring in the 7:30ish range. I hope it is an amazing car. I hope Honda can bring it to market before its styling is already outdated. Same goes for the RLX SH-SH-AWD. I hope it is an amazing car. I hope auto journalists eat it up. I hope it turns the tides for RLX sales. Unfortunately, I think it's all too little too late for Acura.

oo7spy

I hope for all of that too except for the RLX sales. I honestly don't think they matter. Acura is inexcusably late to the release of its new flagship; I don't think anyone will defend that. However, I don't think it is too little. If Acura would have gone with the RWD V8 it had planned in 2008, it would just be another M45 on the road, and there wouldn't be any advancement. The idea of independent electric motors on each wheel is revolutionary, and if Acura can make them reliable, they will take the lead in a class that everyone else will be scrambling to catch up in. Accelerating the outside wheel faster in the SH-AWD system is a good idea. Accelerating the inside wheel slower at the same time is brilliant.

As for the NSX, it won't be getting a J-series engine like the RLX. Speculation is that the engine will be derived from the Honda-McLaren engine that will be raced in 2015 F1 (remember Honda put out a 650 hp 1.5L V6 in it's last stint with McLaren; not that the NSX will be turbo'd though). The torque will be instant to all wheels with the 3 electric motors, and I thoroughly believe Honda will keep it under 3,500 lbs with a brand new platform and over 400 hp with gobs of torque. (I don't understand what you mean by depleted power, but I'm sure Honda has considering that given their expected entry into Le Mans from 2015 forward.)

As for the comparisons to other cars, the M3 has R8 performance on paper (now that I look into it). You're splitting hairs to differentiate. R8 V10 Nurburgring = 7:44; M3 = 7:48. The GT-R (7:18) is a beast and with a good tune hangs with the super-cars of the world. I don't see how anyone can honestly expect Acura to put out a car that is going to hang with Veyrons, Adventadors, or LFAs (7:14) of the world. (Take notice that the top 4 production cars on the Nurburgring list are Viper, LFA, GT-R, and 'Vette.) Comparing anything in a GT-R price range to a GT-R is pretty much unfair. I think Honda has it in them to put a car on the ring that will hang with a 458 on handling alone, but we'll just have to wait and see.

06RL/NBP

The owner of the Acura dealership where i have my car serviced is a young guy. He will definitely be getting the new NSX when it debuts. I am anxious to see it. He currently has a 2005 NSX triple black.

oo7spy

To be honest, I am anxious to see more pics of the OP's car.

BDoggPrelude

What I mean by depleted power is that the recharging system will not be able to keep up with the amount of power being sent out. I understand that the inside wheel is going to basically regenerate power through a corner and braking will also recharge the battery packs. The problem is that they will not recharge the batteries as quickly as the car is draining the power under constant racing. The hybrid power being used in racing currently is mostly in the KERS, Kinetic Energy Recovery System, that has been used in F1 cars for a few years. It regenerates power at the flywheel and stores it in a system that provides very short bursts of power. It basically takes nearly an entire lap for this system to regenerate enough power for a power burst down one straightaway. The amount of power this system generates and uses is nothing compared to how much power will be needed to take a 3,500lb V6 powered car from an average sports car to near super car levels, not to mention sustain that performance under constant lapping conditions.

oo7spy

It's an interesting point that I had not considered. Lets hope Honda has and has a viable answer.

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

solved.

NJ06RL

Just for you 007:

Arrived off the trailer at the dealer lot today, looking as good as when we left it in Germany. Still has "Deutschland" on the rear windshield and check out the German registration.

BDoggPrelude

Don't you pay some sort of crazy import tax when you buy it overseas and bring it home?

Looks great btw!

NJ06RL

Thanks Bdogg. The tax was 7% paid to the NJ DMV just like a regular car. I just had to show up to pay it myself, but at least I managed to put it on my credit card without needing to pay a convenience fee like when we try to do these things on line with the NJ DMV...


MB handles the rest of the shipping/taxes etc. so it is transparent to the end purchaser.