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I know there are many RLX Sport Hybrids owners here but I'm throwing this out to anyone listening. I currently own a 2011 RL which I'm very happy with but have an opportunity to purchase a 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid.
My issue is that I already own a "unicorn" and as much as they are nice cars their value continues to drop like a rock. The 2014 Sport Hybrid I found was not well taken care of. There are bad scratches, the wheels are a mess,
the hood has acorn dents and the right rear fender has been repaired, badly. But it only has 31,000 miles! I don't know if buying another "unicorn" is the best idea or not. It's really only cosmetics wrong with it and $5000 or less
would probable fix everything. Dealer will only give me $9000 for pristine 2011 RL with 100200 miles. Respect those of you on this forum which I have enjoyed for many years. Please help me decide the best option. Thanks!
The RLX SH is a great car and as you said, the depressed resale values make it a bargain. But if you love your current car and it's not giving you issues, you're not exactly making a compelling story as to why you should buy this particular vehicle - outside of its price. Clearly it wasn't well taken care of.
My teenage son wants a collection of many guitars despite his current ability of only being able to play one at a time. He constantly shows me used guitars on the resale market and "must" have them. I'll give you the same advice I give him - buy what you love not what you can...
If the RLX Sport Hybrid is what you love, the right one will come along. There are lots starting to flood the market now.
Only buy the car if there are no nagging questions in the back of your mind or if no part of you thinks you should avoid it. In this case, the "harsh" life this Sport Hybrid has lived MAY lead to problems in the future and the bargain now MAY turn to headaches later. If you have an Acura mechanic that you really trust, you could have him/her have a thorough look at the car to see if the damage is more than cosmetic. If the price is just too good to pass up and you decide to pull the trigger. then you roll the dice and accept any future issues as part of the price to get such a great deal.
If you have the time, look around for other options for buying a Sport Hybrid. There are a few out there and with time a better option may become available without the "warts" of your current option.
Regarding your trade in, you can always get more money by going through the hassle of selling it yourself. The price the dealer gives you in trade has to factor in the money they have to put into the car to resell it (mechanical inspection, new tires etc), the commission they have to pay a salesman to sell it, along with a nice profit for the dealership, so the trade in price is always substantially lower than the car's retail value. That said, the money they are going to make on your trade in factors into how low a price they can give you on the Sport Hybrid.
The two previous gentlemen are spot on. Here's my take. Keep the RL, if you really want the RLX Sport Hybrid, then put the RL in Auto Trader at the price you want. Buy the $100 advertising package. I live in OKC, but bought my RLX SH from an Acura Dealer in Maryland. Cost me $800.00 to ship. I sold my 4G TL to a woman in Virginia, she shipped it. Shipping cars is no big deal. I shipped a 1965 Satellite to the Netherlands.
Once you get the cash from the RL in hand, you start shopping for your RLX SH. Cash is King! It gives you a little bit more negotiating power. I'd pass on the RLX-SH you're looking at. I'd recommend a pristine one that's got the CPO warranty. I bought mine in March of this year. Warranty is good to January 2024.
And, in the grand scheme of things, there's not a thing wrong with the RL, it's a great car.
So many thanks for all the insight to my problem. After much thought and dealer incentives I pulled the trigger and purchased the 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid, black on black. I pick it up later this week and both my husband and I
look forward to many more years in the Acura family. The 2011 was a great car but this was a deal we couldn't pass up.
I actually picked up a well cared for 2000 TL for my son for $2000 and he loves it! Keeping it an Acura family!!
Last edited by snoozabelle; 11-14-2018 at 03:17 PM.
So many thanks for all the insight to my problem. After much thought and dealer incentives I pulled the trigger and purchased the 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid, black on black. I pick it up later this week and both my husband and I
look forward to many more years in the Acura family.
Well, you've had it over the weekend. What do you think?
Nope, don't have it yet. Dealer agreed to fix scratches on trunk lid and then something on the console was broken so they sent the car over to an ACURA dealer for the warranty repair.
I won't get the car until after Thanksgiving. My work schedule ( work nights) is interfering with pick up sooner. I can't wait! Update soon . . .
I'm loving the 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid! Now I need to know if I can retrofit an OEM heated steering wheel on my car. I have sourced one from a 2016 wreck and need to know if I can make it work. I'm hoping someone on this forum
can help me. I have Raynaud's Disease that is getting worse and this would be a Godsend for me. Can I do this?
I'm loving the 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid! Now I need to know if I can retrofit an OEM heated steering wheel on my car. I have sourced one from a 2016 wreck and need to know if I can make it work. I'm hoping someone on this forum
can help me. I have Raynaud's Disease that is getting worse and this would be a Godsend for me. Can I do this?
I'm going to guess that it won't be impossible. I recall that the Legends sold in the rest of the world had a heated steering wheel option that I was jealous of at the time, so the wiring might actually be there.
You'd better ask a dealer to be sure, but I think you might luck out.
The steering wheels were very expensive as I recall, so you've probably done the worst part. :-)
Are you sure about a retrofit? I'm worried about wiring if I finally nail down a used one. Not even sure who would make the swap for me. I'm hoping someone on this forum can help.
My experience from replacing the steering wheel on my 2G RL was not difficult, and I have ten thumbs. I don't think the RLX (or any modern Honda product) is that different. My guess is that with enough time scheduled, and good enough instructions, you could probably do it in your garage. Otherwise, a dealer will happily snap up two shop hours to do the work. As George said, the "RLegendo" is an international car, and 2014 cars elsewhere than the USA had heated steering wheels available; wiring should be there. I don't think anyone in our group made the switch, however.
11-13-2018, 12:14 PM
