Acura RL

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good morning! my young friend got a ?2006? Acura RL for around $19,000. he showed me the original $48,000 sticker.
I am not in the market for a new car.
i think his car is fantastic, comfortable, powerful, backup camera, etc. and would compare favorably with a new mercedes S550 at one fifth the cost.

what do you all think of a used RL? I read on an Acura forum that at a certain year, they changed lots of features, and that year was unreliable. Can you suggest a year/ mileage range to buy?

reliability is a BIG factor for me. i would hope to benefit from Honda reliability.
I do have access to two superb mechanics.

best

bob
 
The RL competes against the E class. It doesn't even hold a candle to the S class. And even then the E class is a much better car.

$19,000 is close to dealer retail for an excellent condition RL. Of course it depends on how many miles it has on it but it's worth closer to 16-17k for a 50-100k mile one.

It isn't a bad car, if it's what you want then go ahead. There are better options in the class though, and none of them hold their resale value well so they're all worth much less than sticker after a few years.
 
I have always believed that the 2nd generation RL has been an excellent value. For some reason, they don't hold their value very well, so you can pick them up used very reasonably priced. Very, very good cars for the money.

It is definitely a car that we will consider when my wife buys a car next year.
 
THANKS guys!!

cpayne: which years would you call the second generation?

cmf: you say there are better options in the class. Which would YOU prefer. maybe i can pay 20,000 to 25,000 dollars

best

bob
and thanks!!!!
 
Originally Posted By: Robertslowpoke
good morning! my young friend got a ?2006? Acura RL for around $19,000. he showed me the original $48,000 sticker.
I am not in the market for a new car.
i think his car is fantastic, comfortable, powerful, backup camera, etc. and would compare favorably with a new mercedes S550 at one fifth the cost.

what do you all think of a used RL? I read on an Acura forum that at a certain year, they changed lots of features, and that year was unreliable. Can you suggest a year/ mileage range to buy?

reliability is a BIG factor for me. i would hope to benefit from Honda reliability.
I do have access to two superb mechanics.

best

bob


just traded-in a '99, it was a great car. generally the 2005 year is considered the year to watch out for. that was the redesign.
 
Originally Posted By: Robertslowpoke
maybe i can pay 20,000 to 25,000 dollars



None. Go buy a new honda accord or toyota camry and call it a day. Seriosuly. These cars are expensive to purchase, and though the parts and whatnot arent really priced differently than any other car, with all the technical dodads, they are also expensive to maintain. Remember, youre trying to buy a used one. The car is likely out of warranty and things will start to go bad on it, mark my word. If you can only afford $20k, you may not be able to or be willing to afford a $1000 repair bill because module x or computer y broke and now you dont have half of the function of some integrated system.

All that stuff is fun until it breaks.

Seriously, KISS.
 
Originally Posted By: Robertslowpoke

...
cpayne: which years would you call the second generation?
...


2005+ is the second generation. Good luck!
 
A friend of mine purchased a 2005 RL certified from Acura with 30k miles on it for under $30k. He has had few issues and is now approaching 150k miles with it. He is very happy with it.

He was a former BMW 528i owner who was tired of overpriced oil changes and $300-$500 dealer visits. A $40 oil change with full car wash & wax makes him happy.

Also the AWD is very good in it.
 
I think driveshafts were an issue with some of these 2nd gen RLs, so I'd do some research on the various acura forums.
 
Critic,

Do you know which years had problems? Generally I have noticed that RL forums are pretty quiet as compared to other models.
 
Against an S550? NFW on this earth.

They are nice cars though, but not my style. The engine is mounted the wrong way.

I have a bit of wheel time on a 2010, its a Lexus for young people. It doesn't really drive like a German car though, not as sporty.

Personaly like the cheap Lexus I think your better off getting an Accord or Camry with every option and calling it a day. I don't think a new RL is $20k better than an optioned out Accord.
 
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Except you can't get that top notch SH-AWD system on an Accord or Lexus ES.

the RL is a very nice car, Acura's flagship vehicle. However I personally don't like how it looks but if it's like any of the Honda/Acura vehicles we own it should be quite reliable.

The SH-AWD system is top notch, comparable to Audi's Quattro and BMW's X-Drive.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Critic,

Do you know which years had problems? Generally I have noticed that RL forums are pretty quiet as compared to other models.


2005, 2006 and maybe 2007, the first years of the new body. I read in a magazine some of the "New to Honda systems" had some lights out in odd places, etc. Nothing too bad, but a first for Honda. (Like when they had trans issues 1998-2002.)

I believe the square, boxy "3.5 RL" model up until 2004 was wholly unspectacular, and having had a family member with a 1996 Toyota Avalon which was a basic Lexus GS.. i have to question what Acura was doing wht it. Not that its a bad car, just.. stupid.

I researched the RL... it seems like a good car but i agree, there are better cars.

Unless you get a good price on it, id pass. Ive seen some fully loaded 06 models for $14,000 and that seems doable, if looking for a nice car. The legroom woul dmake or break it for me. I liken it to a Accord-looking, Infiniti Q-comparable car.. as an alternative. Perhaps even comparable to a GS, with no steering feedback from road to driver but other than that a cream puff. And even then, you need to rule out a TSX (American market version of Japan market Accord) and the TL.. its a car that "overlaps" a lot with other comparable cars, so you need to really love Acura OR be willing to give it a try, as i would be, to be different.

And i looked at the pics, it looks nice. Its your call.
 
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