- Oct 9, 1999
- 72,636
- 47
- 91
Hmmm, if this had been a GM or a Ford, they would have stoned it
http://www.caranddriver.com/longroadtes...ng-term-test-review-2005-acura-rl.html
Twenty years ago, Honda launched the Acura Legend, the first Japanese sedan to challenge the European luxury establishment. In 1996, the Legend evolved into the RL. Built through 2004, the RL posed no serious threat to its German rivals until the redesigned model appeared in 2005. That RL wound up on our 10Best list. And last May, it beat up some serious German middleweights ? the Mercedes E350, BMW?s 530i, an Audi A6 4.2 ? but still came up short to an Infiniti, the impressive M45. In 2006, the Acura fell off our 10Best list.
We acquired an ?05 RL in February of that year. It cost $49,670 and came in only one form, no options: four-wheel drive, sunroof, a navigation system, xenon headlamps, and a Bose sound system with a six-CD changer. But now you can add run-flat tires and adaptive cruise control (with a collision-mitigation feature that automatically applies the brakes).
We hit the road and started piling on the miles. Unfortunately, after only two weeks and 3456 miles on the clock, we found ourselves at the dealer?s door because the RL?s sunroof got stuck with its rear edge open in the vent position. The dealer couldn?t fix it, but we had to be in New Orleans pronto, so we took the MacGyver route, spending $1.68 for the sticky silver stuff and duct-taping the thing shut.
Back home at 5222 miles, we got our Michigan dealer to fix the sunroof properly by replacing the motor assembly. There was no charge, as the RL comes with a four-year/50,000-mile warranty. The dealer also performed recalls involving the stereo speakers in the doors and updated the real-time traffic-control unit and the onboard computer. Just 600 miles later we found ourselves back at the dealer when the right-front window and outside-mirror mechanisms stopped working. The dealer ordered a new master switch to get them working again, but we kept driving the car and forcefully adjusted the mirror manually.
The service intervals on the RL are determined by an oil-life monitoring system, and your style of driving determines when and what gets serviced. Our first service came at 7032 miles and consisted of an oil and oil-filter change for a frugal $34. The maintenance computer called for subsequent services every 7000 to 8000 miles. Most were just oil and oil-filter changes, except for the work done at 29,748 miles, which involved a thorough inspection of the RL and new air filters in the cabin and engine. All five scheduled services over 40,000 miles set us back $427. Not much, but there are luxury automakers ? BMW, Audi ? who offer this maintenance as part of the purchase price.
We were back at the dealer two weeks and 1400 miles after our first scheduled service because the master power switch had arrived by carrier pigeon, apparently, and soon our faulty window and mirror were working again. Two thousand miles later the sunroof quit a second time. The dealer blamed it on a loose electrical wire. A month and a half and 5000 miles later, we were once again enhancing our budding relationship with the man from Acura. This time the side-view mirrors and both power outlets weren?t working, and the interior trim on the B-pillar was loose because it hadn?t been properly reattached at the previous visit. The trim was put back in place. The power-outlet problem turned out to be a blown fuse, but the dealer had to order a new mirror switch. That switch took more than a month to arrive and required two days at the dealership to replace it. All these minor failures were fixed under warranty.
Maybe we should have moved in with Mr. Acura, because at just over 33,000 miles, the left rear headrest wouldn?t stay up, the power outlets were once again on the blink, the driver?s-side washer-fluid nozzle needed realignment, and the navigation system was rebooting itself while in use. The dealer dutifully cured all these ailments and took care of three factory recalls that involved reprogramming the OnStar and AcuraLink software and the transmission for a fourth-gear-upshift problem.
Still, all these dealer visits didn?t reduce the RL?s popularity around the office, and the Acura continued to be the chariot of choice for long-distance trips. The logbook was full of testimony concerning its quality seats, deemed not only comfortable but also supportive when the driving grew spirited. The combination of a relaxing interior and superb sound system made long grinds easier to take in one sitting.
Page 2
Long-Term Test Review: 2005 Acura RL 1 2 3
(continued)
We took delivery of the RL at the outset of winter and promptly threw on a set of snow tires to make maximum use of the SH-AWD (Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive) system. On slippery surfaces, the RL accelerated hard and oversteered a bit in corners. Summer or winter, the car had a nice blend of all-wheel-drive traction and rear-wheel-drive handling dynamics. The navigation system also got considerable praise. Finding ourselves hungry in strange locales, we could easily find a Zagat-endorsed restaurant.
Complaints, yes, we got complaints. The ignition knob on the steering-wheel column seemed a dumb idea and left at least two editors stranded with a dead battery because they hadn?t turned the knob all the way off. In a car with a traditional ignition, they wouldn?t have been able to remove the key and kill the battery. Several folks here also barked about the programmable driver preferences for the seat and steering-wheel positions, door lock and unlock settings, and lighting choices. Confusingly, some of these were accessed via the navigation screen, and others were controlled through a screen in the instrument cluster by buttons on the steering wheel.
As usual, we took the RL back to the test track after 40,000 miles, and it had gotten a tick slower over time. Its 0-to-60 run went from 6.3 to 6.4 seconds, and the quarter-mile pace went from 14.8 to 14.9 seconds at 95 mph. Skidpad grip was unchanged at 0.87 g.
There was no retribution by C/D staff for the eight unscheduled visits to the dealer. The Acura RL continued to be a staff favorite for comfy trips, short or long. The Acura suffered from a lot of minor problems ? dare we reach for the ?teething? metaphor? ? that would nonetheless rate as a major pain to a ?real life? owner, even though this swift, adroit cruiser benefited from a faultless and slick powertrain. Eliminate the small stuff, and the RL compares quite favorably with its German and Japanese rivals.
Rants and Raves
SCOTT MOSHER
The seats in the RL can make a 10-hour haul a pleasure. They wrap around you wonderfully and are not as stiff as their German competitors, and yet they offer just as much support and grip.
TONY QUIROGA
Ignition knob is unnecessary. Should have a starter button.
PATTI MAKI
This is a beautiful car. I get a lot of compliments and people wanting to know how I like it. I happily take the compliments and pretend it?s my own car.
PHILIP MOSHER
Vehicle driven approximately 1300 miles around Lake Michigan. Very nice on the road. GPS is fantastic.
K.C. COLWELL
How very unlike Acura: We ran out of room in the service section of the logbook. Great stereo, though.
DAVE VANDERWERP
The front seats are great! Seem to have the perfect balance?comfy enough for the long haul or daily grind and supportive enough to have a chance of keeping you in place when attacking on-ramps.
TONY SWAN
I have to say keyless ignition is ridiculous, particularly this example. You still have the column lock, plus the question of where to stow the key fob. What?s the benefit?
Baubles and Bolt-Ons
BLOCK HEATER: A block heater is an electrical device used to reduce wear and tear of cold start-ups in freezing weather by keeping your car?s engine somewhat warm overnight, but without running the engine. This system is a dealer-installed accessory ($212). It has a small glow-plug-like probe that threads into the engine block to heat the coolant. Unlike other setups, such as Webasto?s BlueHeat ($1500) that burns gasoline to provide engine heating, this block heater uses an ordinary extension cord that plugs into an opening just beyond the grille. Plug it in at night, and the next morning, make sure you don?t forget to unplug it. We weren?t able to measure its wear-and-tear effect, but the engine did start smoothly and produce cabin heat more quickly than without it.
DVD-AUDIO: Our RL was equipped with DVD-Audio, a six-channel surround-sound setup, rather than the usual two-channel stereo. Long the equipment of the home stereophile, DVD-Audio promises sound quality far superior to that of a CD. (Like a lot of people, we didn?t realize our CDs needed improvement.) For sunny days, with the windows and sunroof open and the wind whipping past your head, DVD-Audio is worth a try. As expected, the gap between a CD and DVD-Audio is proportional to volume. DVD-Audio shows its guts at cochlea-bruising levels, with sound details that normally don?t make it out of the recording studio. If you want the ultimate sound experience when you travel, this technology is for you. Just be prepared to search for DVDs. When we inquired at Best Buy and Circuit City, we got blank stares. You?ll likely have better luck on the Web. These special discs generally cost $2 to $5 more than CDs, and beware?they can only be played on systems designed for them.
Page 3
Long-Term Test Review: 2005 Acura RL 1 2 3
(continued)
2005 ACURA RL
Vehicle type: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
Price as tested: $49,670 (base price: $49,670)
Engine type: SOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 212 cu in, 3471cc
Power (SAE net): 290 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 256 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
Wheelbase: 110.2 in
Length/width/height: 193.6/72.7/57.2 in
Curb weight: 4015 lb
Performance: new, 40,000
Zero to 60 mph 6.3 sec 6.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph 16.3 sec 16.6 sec
Street start, 5?60 mph 6.9 sec 7.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile 14.8 sec 14.9 sec
@ 95 mph @ 95 mph
Braking, 70?0 mph 169 ft 179 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad 0.87 g 0.87 g
Top speed (governor limited) 133 mph 133 mph
EPA fuel economy, city driving 18 mpg
C/D-observed fuel economy 21 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions 0 qt
Service and repair stops:
Scheduled 5
Unscheduled 8
Operating costs (for 40,000 miles):
Service $427
Normal wear $0
Repair $0
Gasoline (@ $2.55 per gallon) $4857
Life expectancies
(estimated from 40,000-mile test):
Tires 60,000 miles
Front brake pads 70,000 miles
Rear brake pads more than 100,000 miles
http://www.caranddriver.com/longroadtes...ng-term-test-review-2005-acura-rl.html
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