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Acura RL
7385 messages, Last post on Apr 18, 2013 at 12:02 PM
You are in the Acura RL Forum.What is this discussion about? Acura RL, Sedan
#983 of 7385 Hello again by satire
Nov 03, 2002 (12:23 am)
namrok-If the additional $8K isn't going to put you in the poor house, go for new. The 2002/3 does handle better and kicks up a little more dirt when you push the pedal (hell, I noticed a ride difference just between 2001 and 2002). And please check carefully who backs that warranty. If it ain't Honda, what guarantee do you have that the warranty company will be around another three years? But the deciding factor is to take a new one for a test drive. Good luck.
diploid-
Thanks. I know Honda has plans but IMHO they are simply taking too long to implement them. It's beyond logic that the new Accord is so damn much like the TL. I mean, yes congrats to the new Accord buyers but it almost seems foolish to even look at a new TL unless you really want the Type-S.
msgreen-
Valid points all but "it is inadequate vs. nearly all of its competition" isn't quite right. The RL is selling for well under $40K. What did that 5 Series cost you? Don't get me wrong, I'm not slamming the 5. It's a great car. But for those of us less demanding, we can save a truck load of money by going with the RL. And we won't get to know our mechanic on a first name basis. But perhaps all the stories I hear are about the new 7 series (am told by several that it spends a lot of time in the shop).
Motorweek-
Recently reported that Honda is likely to bring their European Accord to North America and sell it as an Acura. It was implied there were some significant differences between our Accord and theirs (Europe's being a little smaller). If anyone has details, I'd love to hear 'em. I don't see where a smaller TL/larger RSX would fit in the lineup. But what do I know?
Relentlessly,
Lee
#984 of 7385 Stereo Code by rmnixon
Nov 03, 2002 (11:17 am)
Does anyone have any experience with getting the code for the stereo from Acura? I bought a 97 RL used back in April and the code is not in the owners manual that was with the car. Can Acura tell me what it is or am I stuck?#985 of 7385 by diploid
Nov 03, 2002 (11:28 am)
Lee - it's inevitable for the Accord and TL to overlap at this point. Just wait a few more months until the TL redesign (I hear it's going to be based on a shortened RL platform and no longer on the Accord) comes out and the new TL owners should feel no regret on their purchase when they compare it to an Accord.#986 of 7385 1943973 by lenscap
Nov 04, 2002 (7:32 am)
Just wanted to correct something you said earlier. The ES 300 is classified as a midsize car, just like the RL. When you referred to the ES 300 as a compact you must have been thinking of the old ES 300 (the new one is bigger).96.2 cu ft - Passenger volume RL
96.4 cu ft - Passenger volume ES 300
14.8 cu ft - Cargo volume RL
14.5 cu ft - Cargo volume ES 300
#987 of 7385 lenscap your numbers are wrong by goldkey
Nov 04, 2002 (7:46 am)
lenscap, your numbers are wrong.
Passenger volume for RL is 111 cu ft. not 96.
You must have confused it with TL.
Check the source
http://www.carsdirect.com/researchcenter/research_compare?acodes=USB30ACC061A0&modelIds=5
111 compared with ES's 96 is a good difference. And I can tell you it feels this way. I hope you erred in good faith and not to put ES in better light. It is compact and feels like one.
#988 of 7385 goldkey by lenscap
Nov 04, 2002 (11:41 am)
Actually, your figures are wrong.I took the volume numbers directly from the 2003 RL brochure. Look it up yourself, it's in there on the specs page. You can't get a more accurate source than Acura itself. If you still don't believe me go to acura.com (where the numbers listed are slightly different than the brochure, 96.5 passenger/14.0 cargo). Or take a look at kbb.com, where the figures are broken out.
It is obvious the mistake carsdirect made - they added the passenger volume and cargo volume together to get their total figure and mistakenly said it was just passenger volume when in fact it is total volume (96.2 + 14.8 = 111).
And the 2002-03 ES 300 is classified as a midsize whether you think it feels that way or not.
I am in no way saying one is better than the other. Just pointing out a previous error (and now your unintended error as well).
#989 of 7385 by hunter001
Nov 04, 2002 (6:26 pm)
Yes, the ES300, the 3.5RL and the 3.2TL/TL-s are sized pretty much the same. The specs are almost mirrors of each other. But the devil is in the details.The RL is a true luxury car, while the TL/TL-s are more sporty and dynamic, even though both of them share the same high-tech double-wishbone suspension on all 4 ends. Among the Lexus cars, all Lexuses including the GS300/GS430/LS430/SC430 and the IS300 have the exact same high-tech and expensive Double-wishbone suspension setup on all four corners.
The ES300 on the other hand is basically a cushy ride with absolutely no pretensions about any sporting intentions. Unlike the Acuras and the other Lexus products, it employs MacPherson Struts (the cheapest form of an Independent suspension) on all 4 corners (lifted directly out of the Toyota Camry). It compensates for its lack of suspension/mechanical dynamism, by employing lots of sound-proofing and leather/wood in the interior, which imparts a feel of Luxury. I think it has achieved the purpose that Toyota intended of it.
Of course, the size of the Acuras are comparable to the ES300. The Acuras have spent their engineering dollars on making highly dynamic and sophisticated mechanical components and the ES300 has spent its amount in spiffing up its interior and adding "features". What one buys is entirely dependent on what one's priorities are .
Later...AH
#990 of 7385 Stereo code by bobbycar
Nov 04, 2002 (6:38 pm)
Acura can get you the code. Just contact the service department - they will need certain specific information about your car - and it could take a few days.When an independent body shop worked on my RL, they had to remove the stereo After they replaced it, they got the code directly from Acura (& wrote it on a slip of paper for me . . .) to "activate" the stereo
#991 of 7385 by diploid
Nov 04, 2002 (6:56 pm)
I think it's worth noting that the new ES300 is a new car...built of a new Camry, which is substantially larger than Camries of the past.The RL, meanwhile, was a large (wouldn't call it full size, but it was larger than the other midsizers) sedan back when it first came out and has not been redesigned since, hence it has not grown with the new sizing scheme.
#992 of 7385 Stereo Code by rmnixon
Nov 04, 2002 (7:34 pm)
The dealer where the car was originally purchased was able to give it to me. Thanks.To POST a message, please
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