vhdoshi

I have had my '16 RLX Sport Hybrid Advance for almost two months now.

And I have noticed a few things...


1) the RLX does not come with a Frameless rear view mirror like the TLX & MDX does. My guess is, this is because the RLX is built in japan and the TLX & MDX are built in the US. Those parts are not available in japan.

2) the Krell sound system is good. But the base is not that great. I prefer the Bose sound system of the 2nd gen RL. That Bose system had much better Base in my opinion

3) the Rear power sunshade does not come down (if it is up) when you put the car in reverse. Which is weird, because in my 2nd gen RL, the rear power sunshade would always come down (if it was up) whenever you put it in reverse. Maybe a few RLX owners can confirm this

4) I don't think the RLX comes with "Tire Fill Assist" like the TLX does, which would have been nice. It annoys me a little that the fully loaded flagship 2016 model year RLX sport hybrid with Advance package doesn't come with some of the features available on the 2015/2016 TLX & MDX with Advance package


I will add to this thread, as I notice more things...

TampaRLX-SH

concerning 2) - Personal taste. Many praise the ELS system, yet I find it too bass focused. I too liked the Bose but find the Krell system no less pleasing. I find it a bit clearer in the mids and highs, but XM sounds terrible with the Krell.

concerning 3) - the RL's sunshade did retract when in reverse. But the back up camera was not offered and not standard on the earliest models. The RLX has a standard back up cam (as now gov't mandate).

concerning 1) & 4) - The RLX was designed and built in Japan catering to a global market. The TLX, MDX, RDX and ILX are USA designed and built for the North American market. The homogenization of features and styling will not solidify until the RLX / Flagship is also a North American car. It seems Honda and Acura accept their place in the flagship market will be low volume. Perhaps that thinking does not justify the investment to develop, differentiate and produce 2 cars for the 2 brands.

RE: Tire Assist would be nice, as I just had to add air to my tires with our (finally) cold snap. My cheapo air pump does not have auto shut off, so I was running back and forth between the pump and the MID to get the pressure correct. The pump that comes with the car is better built, but is made to cut off at 35psi ( I assume intentional as a temporary fix until a flat tire is repaired) and I wanted 36psi all around. Further, the TPMS seems to ping the transponders periodically and not a real time reading. I found it would jump from 34psi to 37psi, forcing me to bleed off the overage. Perhaps Tire Assist is real time pressure reading as not to create the same issue. But the RLX was launched in 2013 and Tire Assist was a technology launched after that. With so few RLXs being built, the part supplier is likely not to get updated parts until some contractual fulfillment of the parts has been reached. We have had this discussion before with models leap frogging tech and features. No brand that I know of with a 5+ car line up manages true waterfall feature introduction from flagship to underlings. Even the last generation Mercedes E Class was launched with tech exceeding the flagship S Class models.

vhdoshi

Tampa, thanks. I appreciate your input.

Just to clarify, it's called Tire Fill Assist, not Tire Assist

I know the rear power sunshade retracts in reverse in the RL, what I am asking is, in your RLX sport hybrid does it retract in reverse ? Because, in mine, it doesn't.

In my previous car (2010 RL Tech), I had a back up camera and the rear power sunshade retracted in reverse anyway. So, I am wondering why doesn't it retract now in the 2016 RLX.

youngTL

It's probably because the Krell is exposing how low-bitrate XM actually is. The ELS does the same thing to XM.

And you find the ELS in the TLX too bass-focused? Lots of people seem to think it's the exact opposite. I find it has just enough bass for the type of music I listen to and exceptional clarity, and I heard the Krell system is even better.

getakey

why do you want it to retract if you have a backup camera?

The Krell audio is the best I've ever heard, but needs good source content. I'm disappointed that the hard drive does not have a higher save quality

TampaRLX-SH

Indeed...Tire FILL Assist.

As getakey eludes to, the logic with the sunshade on the RLX is that it does not need to retract if you have a review cam. Further, it is a slow moving shade, in most cases you would likely back up and be on your way before it completely lowered.

As to why your 2010 RL had both: the shade and software logic was implemented in 2004 when that Gen RL was launched. The 2005 RL had no backup cam nor a compatible accessory option for one. In 2006 the cam became an accessory option (with changes to the head unit the 2005 could not accommodate). By your 2010 model year, the cam was standard equip in your config. Since so few RLs were made at that point, It would make sense not to invest into a new shade operation or even update the software to control it. No harm, no foul.

PS vhdoshi: I thought of you when I saw this online: Chrome Transformer Badges, Chrome Emblems, Chrome Auto Emblems, Chrome Vehicle Emblems, Custom Emblems

TampaRLX-SH

Thanks for that. I believe getakey told me that before about Krell's processing of the XM bit-rate. I find FM HD much better quality than XM. Even my non subscription to Pandora and Aha sound better. Hence, I did not renew my XM subscription. XM / Sirius has been begging me to join up at ridiculously low rates (just for 6 months however). They must be hurting with market share lost to streaming technology in cars.

Concerning ELS: I have not experienced it in the TLX. I had ELS in my former 2005 TL. I also have listened to it with dealers loaners - MDX and RDX. To me, it sounded best in the MDX (again, I have not experienced it the TLX) as the depth of sound filled the MDX cabin very well. The RDX was more bass focused, but the RDX had more cabin & wind noise to overcome. But each vehicle is acoustically tuned different, producing different results. Further, as first mentioned, individual tastes vary.

George Knighton

Yes.

The only way an HDD makes sense is if it can compete with the iPod max bit rate.

I have not used the HDD at all in either RLX, and I only used it in the TL to make sure I knew how it worked.

George Knighton

Here is an observation for you: Somefreakinbody needs to design somefreakinway to keep the freakin backup camera freakin CLEAN !!!

George Knighton

The best things about XM, to me, is the mindless ease of use and great variety of format.

If you notice it's 11:59 you just press the button and say, XM Channel 120. And there you are.

I can't seem to get the iPhone's iPod functionality or Pandora to work so easily. I have a couple of Pandora stations customized so that I could listen to one for maybe 30 mins before I get bored...but at some point I'll want to change and it is hard to do by voice.

You'd have to switch the top screen to Audio and look at it, I think.

If it is worth anything, it seems to me that XM sounds better on Krell than I have ever heard it sound on anything else, although you seem to have to use some volume to catch the frequencies.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

Tissue? Towel? Micro wiper? Retractable camera so it is only out in the elements when you put the car in reverse?

TampaRLX-SH

Several manufacturers are going with hidden / retractable cameras. I think VW hides the cam behind the VW badge, which flips open when reverse gear is engaged.

It may be a SMALL effort to keep the cam lenses clear, but I wipe the lenses with RainX. The side mirror cams are not so much and issue, the front cam somewhat, but the rear of the car in general gets dusty / dirty from the aerodynamic backwash.

miner

The Tire Fill Assist in my Wife's TLX is not that helpful - I do not hear the beeps. I have been able to get psi to 37 with my Acura pumps without cutting off.

TampaRLX-SH

^^^

Miner, does the MID update real time as the tire inflates, or does it update in intervals (i.e. the TPMS pings the transponders)?

And yes, the air pumps are pretty noisy (although the Acura one less so) which would overcome hearing the beeps. My Acura pump shut off at 35psi, then went into short intervals. I don't know if it was simply overheating and in 'limp' mode, or, by design, intends to keep pressure at that point to accommodate the flat tire sealer limitations?

I surrendered and ordered a digital air compressor with real time pressure reading and auto shut off. A lot of the inexpensive pumps struggle past 35psi for typical auto tire inflation. I will leave the Acura pump in the trunk well with the spare tire kit for emergencies. The newly ordered pump, along with my portable power source / battery jumper will stay in the garage making tire pressure top off a little easier and precise. After all, I have to do this 2 or maybe 3 times a year.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

I go to a local gas station with my digital air meter and fill up there. Works just fine, so taking a quick turn of the dial on the steering wheel to check the tire pressure as I pull into the station keeps things in good order.

TampaRLX-SH

IF I could find a WORKING pump at a fuel station, I could do that. But they are usually trashed, require $$$ and typically shut off before you finish all 4 tires.

The home remedy is best for me and worth the investment in the better pump I ordered. Further I need not remove the hose to check the pressure, and try again.

Forgive me, I am just getting old and there are some things in life I am not willing to make a trial and error attempt.

fsmith

Tampa - Please give us the specs on what you ordered, assuming it works to your satisfaction. I would love to have a garage solution to topping off my air pressure, as the local gas station pumps, as noted by others, are usually broken, busy or badly maintained. Thanks.

fsmith

The best content, IMHO, is from CDs ripped to an old iPhone or iPod kept in the center console. Selection can be made by artist, album, or track on the upper audio screen, and the quality is terrific, assuming the CDs were ripped at a decent bit rate. I have 450 disks, collected and ripped over 20 years, at my fingertips. Great sound with the Krell. Fills the quiet (ok, George, relatively quiet) cabin with beautiful sound on ling trips.

fsmith

RLX - What brand air meter do you use?

getakey

great suggestion

holografique

I bought a $40 husky inflator with digital memter from home depot and a separate hand-held digital pressure meter and do it at home as well.

What I found to work best and most efficient is to set the meter on my pump to 1 PSI higher than where I'm shooting for. And then just use my digital hand-held meter to slowly bleed off air until I hit the exact PSI level I want. I just push the valve slightly in small increments with the hand-held meter until I get it perfect. My gauge reads in half increments (e.g. 33.5). I also found that (luckily) my hand-held is closely calibrated to the TPMS. I wish there was a way to manually calibrate or adjust an offset so that you can get the TPMS/MID to read exactly as your meters/gauges do.

This process works flawlessly for me every time. It's soo accurate that even the tires all change pressures when they heat up all at the same time and the MID shows their readouts changing in sync.

Ultimately I've found that using the same PSI on all 4-tires and using a setting of 33psi cold provides the smoothest and most compliant ride for the PAWS. It helps with the faulty suspension.

Malibu Flyer

I have been listening to Amazon Music (comes free if you are an Amazon Prime customer) and find the sound quality very good on the Krell. While there is no dedicated music source for Amazon Music, I start Amazon on my iPhone and set the audio source to iPod with my iPhone plugged into the cars USB port. Seems to work fine.

I really like the HD FM but the local stations don't have a strong enough signal on my daily commute to use very often.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

Accutire MS-4021B Digital Tire Pressure Gauge

TampaRLX-SH

Products | JACO Superior Products

It arrived today along with an email from the manufacturer with a link to their online instructional videos. Nice touch.

https://superiorshopper.clickfunnels.com/optin8321781

It is built as well as the Acura pump and certainly better than the $15 cheapo pump I had.

It works as stated. What I like is that it reads the tire pressure when you connect the inflation hose AND shuts off when the set PSI is reached. I did not have to remove the hose, test with a gauge and repeat to adjust up or down. And you do not to reset the psi as you fill the other tires, it remembers the last setting, so attach and push start. There were cheaper models on the market, but this model was mid priced ($42) , had all the features I wanted and had good reviews online. When I researched various models, the cheaper model reviews commonly noted 35psi was max or difficult to achieve higher (even when rated to do so).

I got 36 psi all around, 1st try and the MID reflected so (even with the +/- 1psi variance.

Malibu Flyer

Tampa -- thanks for this terrific post. This kind of post is one of the best reasons to follow Acurazine. The knowledgeable car guys and girls who hang out here so generous with their helpful experience.

I watched the videos and it looks like a great little gadget to have. I had a slow leak in a tire for a couple of weeks before I had time to patch it and was very frustrated with the local gas stations. In CA they are required to provide free air but 95% of the stations did not have a working tire inflation station. I found one station that had a working inflation station, but you had to go into the station, request them to turn it on, and then it only worked for a short preset time. Usually had to go back in to have them turn it on again.....they purposely made it a hassle.

I think I will order this. For this price, it is well worth not having the hassle. Before I popped a tire on the freeway a couple of months ago, I noticed that my tire pressure was down to about 30 lbs. I just ignored it because of the hassle of finding an working air station. I don't know if I still would have popped the tire but I am more focused on keeping the tire pressure in the proper range. The narrow sidewalls on the 19' rubber we have is very prone to damage.

BTW - do I need to get a tire gauge or between the old fashion cheap one I have, the TMPS and this machine is it unneeded? Do you have recommendation for a new one if i need it?

TampaRLX-SH

You are too kind Malibu (a lost attribute on the internet).

The pump reads the air pressure of the tire when you connect the inflation hose and displays in the digital LCD. You set your inflation value and press START button. The LCD displays real time pressure as it pumps. The pump shuts off when the set pressure is achieved. My MID matched the set 36psi on the pump (athough a +/- 1psi variance is mentioned in the instructions. It is MUCH quieter than my cheapo pump and about the same as the Acura pump.

Do you need a separate tire pressure gauge? No, but always nice to have. This is why I chose this model, so I did not have to remove the inflation hose, check the pressure (with a gauge or the MID) and reattach the inflation hose if I needed a bit more, or manually bleed off any overage.

It reminds me of those As Seen on TV / Ronco adverts.... "Set it and Forget it!'

fsmith

Exactly my thought as I read Tampa's post. This is why I joined the board and I am very appreciative of the folks who take the time to share their knowledge in detail. I, too, will order one. Thanks for taking the words out of my mouth, Malibu, and thanks for the post (and for being our equipment tester), Tampa.

Malibu Flyer

I placed my order today. I never would have known that it was possible to get a portable, convenient and reasonably priced way to inflate my tires without this thread. If I known, I would have had it years ago.

Malibu Flyer

I try to make up for my kindness in future posts.....

holografique

This is the digital inflator I use:

Husky 12-Volt/120-Volt Home and Auto Inflator-HD12120 - The Home Depot

Works the same as well, set the PSI and it auto-stops when it's reached. My problem is that sometimes it's off by +/- 1 PSI when I use the built in limiter, so it's not as accurate as setting the limiter 1 PSI higher and then bleeding off manually with my hand-held meter.

This is the hand-held I use:
http://slime.com/500/products/5-150-...re-gauge-20017

Although I think I need to upgrade to this one with the automatic bleeder!:
http://slime.com/514/products/0-100-...al-gauge-20202

Yes, I'm that OCD, and yes, I can feel when the tires are slightly off by even 1 PSI. There's this laser smooth alignment feel in the steering wheel when all tires are dead-on. I love it.

fsmith

Okay, Malibu, I'm keeping up with you. I also ordered one (available on Amazon). Question for anyone with 110V to 12V converter experience. I want to be able to use this in my garage on AC so I don't have to plug into the car (and JACO doesn't seem to make an AC/DC version). The JACO draws "a maximum" of 10 amps. 110V to 12V converters get expensive when they output more than 10 amps. Does a 10 amp output converter provide enough "margin of error" to run a 10 amp inflator? Seems logical but I have no experience with these 12V devices.

fsmith

Thanks, holigrafique, that one works on AC and DC, although your review may indicate the JACO is more accurate. Choices, choices.

TampaRLX-SH

Do you have a portable power / jump kit? I use my Stanley kit which has a 12V port. It is easier than running the 12V into the car and no worry on battery drain (although the SH will engage the ICE as needed). I just find it easier to have the power kit, compressor all standalone at each tire over dragging the power cord into, through and around the car.

Malibu Flyer

Another great idea but I am afraid of getting GAS ...... Gadget Asscessory Syndrome.

TampaRLX-SH

....which can cause Featured Accessory Testing Syndrome (FARTS)

holografique

It could be just mine that's off a bit. I also noticed sometimes you have to be careful how much pressure you apply when you push the air hose nozzle on to the tires air valve. Sometimes it effects the meter reading by 1 PSI. Thus offsetting the actual amount being put into the tire.

ceb

The GTI/Golf/R32 does it by hiding the camera behind the hatch handle. That way it is only exposed to the elements when you're actually backing up.

fsmith

Tampa or Malibu -

I got the Jaco inflator, a nicely built, small unit. But I have a question. The instructions say it will "shut off" when it hits the target pressure. It does stop inflating the tire at the set pressure, but the pump itself keeps running until it is turned off with the switch. Is this the way it is supposed to work?

TampaRLX-SH

Mine shuts off.

fsmith

How long after it hits the target pressure? Maybe I'm not waiting long enough.