unknown2

Will you concider a used car that will all your needs?

gpension

Thanks for the feedback on the RL.

Not sure I'd consider a used car. The MA lemon law is much less generous for used cars (as opposed to new), and I really don't know if I'm up for taking a chance.

VroomVroom

I appreciate where you're at - I tend to prefer new as well. However, some of the CPO programs out there are outstanding. This is how I justified the expense of my old Audi - I got into a one-year-old vehicle for significantly less than the cost of a new one, and the warranty & maintenance package that came with it was very impressive.

Might be worth pursuing, especially if you're considering one of ze German sedan options out there. There is no AWD system better than Audi's Quattro, regardless of weather.

remas1974

I would recommend an Infiniti M class. I was almost going to buy one before I bought my ES350

larrynimmo

I was going to buy an 08 ES UL....I feel that the 07 RL (non tech) was a better value for me.

With the UL I was getting navagation, and the RL I am not, but I am getting a much more able car. I was absolutely amazed by the SH feature when I test drove the car. There is noticably more room in the RL than the ES. The Acura has many more useful technical items that create a unique value. The ride is not quite as smooth as the ES, but the performance and handling and fun to drive is much better. The car has a lateral cornering rating aproaching 1G. That is almost impossible to achieve.

I was looking forward to owning a Lexus, it is a hot looking car. It has the highest brand recognition that I know of...that being said... look at all the repurchased cars dealing with multiple transmission failures. Even problems such as squeaks & rattles are going unresolved by the dealer networks. Look at the unintended acceleration issues. Go to the Acura forums and there are very few issues. No one talks about buy-backs. No transmission failures. While the fuel mileage is a big negative feature of the RL, I don't put on that many miles. I could compare the RL base(46k -- with a sale price of 38k) to the ES base (38k --- with a sale price of 34k) and there is only 4k difference in sale price at the dealerships.

Its funny when you go to an Acura dealership...they say you don't compare an ES with an RL. If you want to pick a Lexus in the same class you need to look at the GS. I told them get over it these two cars are my comparison.

LexBob2

We looked at the RL and ended up getting the ES, but it was very close. According to C&D the ES is quicker 0-60 (6.2 vs. 6.4) and gets better gas mileage due to the lighter curb weight. Handling is another matter with the RL's AWD. Interior-wise they're real close in size, with only a couple of tenths of an inch separating them in most important dimensions. One thing that concerned me was the slow sales of the RL and how it would effect resale or trade-in value in a few years. My guess is that Acura will make some significant updates to the current gen to stimulate sales making the current version a little outdated vs, its direct competition. They're both good cars and IMO you can't go wrong with either one.

gpension

Thanks everyone. I was all over today, checking out different cars. In the end, I keep coming back to the RL. Although the outside is nothing to write home about, the interior is great, and I was able to get down to just over $40k on a RL Tech. Although the residual won't be great, I keep my cars for 7-8 years, and I'm getting close to $10k off of MSRP, so it should even out in the end.

larrynimmo

You are really doing well to get 40k on tech package. I couldn't get below 42...except if you buy one of the remaining 06 left overs which are still hanging around. In my area the tech package cars are in very limited supply and the dealers won't give good pricing on them.

djmb

I am in the same dilemma. I own an ES 300 that is up in miles and I need to buy a new car.

The problems with the ES 350 have me leaning to the RL or the S80 but I am wondering if the problems will be solved with the new model year for the ES 350.

Patric

If the problems aren't resolved with the 08 ES I'll be looking at the revised 08 Cadillac CTS which has had good reviews in the past.

Optional 300 horse V6 on regular fuel, 6 speed auto, a panorama roof similar to the UL ES and optional all wheel drive are just some of the updates coming.

Pat

gpension

Just picked up a 07 RL Tech.

Love the car and the technology. The ride is definitely firmer, but the engine is quiet (as compared to my ES). There's road noise from the tires, and the gas mileage stinks, but in general, I have nothing bad to say about it!

The Voice Response is truly amazing. I've found Lexus' VR to be spotty, but there's nothing in the car that can't be controlled with voice, and the only time it makes a mistake is when I say the wrong command (I'm stil learning).

The incentive on the RL expired on July 2, and so far it hasn't been reintroduced. There's very little stock left, so who knows what kind of deal is available now...

justbass

I too am waiting for the ES 08 to come out and see if Toyota has cleaned up their act, if not I am really liking the G35.

VroomVroom

Acura's VR is awesome. It's interesting reading this thread because, as I've mentioned before, we were really close to getting an RL. We didn't make the first comparison - we were originally comparing the ES to the TL Type S. I agree that the RL and ES aren't direct competitors but that the huge discounts on the RL make the comparison obvious and appropriate.

For us it came down to a few factors. First was price. Even with the discounts, we'd also negotiated a pretty nice deal on the ES. This was in play more so because the RL ('06 leftover) had nav & BT, but no rear camera or parking sensors. Interior specs aside, the ES also had significantly more rear leg and head room. My test dummy for this? A 6'1" moose of a stepson. Even though I'm 5'9", he and I both fit much more comfortably in the back of the ES than the RL. Finally, fuel economy aided the decision. My wife drives over 75 miles per weekday - at less than four months old she has just shy of 9k miles on the clock. She's seeing real-world 28.5mpg, something that just isn't possible with the RL. In fact, it's almost 2mpg better than she got in her old TSX. The true benefits of the RL - a bit more prestige (although arguable since these things just don't sell well, and the ES we got is really well-loaded with appointments and features) and SH-AWD - just don't factor heavily for us. If my wife drove twisties or if we saw any weather conditions beyond rain it'd be a push, but for our needs FWD is perfectly fine.

In any case, as has been said a number of times, you can't go wrong. The RL is a really impressive machine. The G35? I kinda' like it too, but wouldn't really compare it to the ES. Interior materials, layout, and just plain room are much different. Aside from drive layout, I'd think the G35 compares much more favorably to the TL.

larrynimmo

we grow'em tall on the eastern shore of maryland and my group of 6', 6' 2" & 6' 5" are comfy in the RL...I felt there was more room in the RL. You are right about the fuel economy, but I have only been slightly down from my old TL. With a mix of driving my TL got 23 MPG...the RL driving the same (and a bit more aggressively) got 21 MPG. Don't get me wrong, I still like the ES...part of me wishes I had gotten the ES, but overall I really like the RL.

VroomVroom

Totally off topic....my folks lived in Havre de Grace & Bel Air for nearly 16 years. Maryland is a gorgeous state...

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