Acura RL
With my 2004 Acura TSX lease ending on October 15th, we had not a moment to lose. It was time to find a new car to carry us through the next three years. I’ve been pretty happy with my TSX – enough to consider the newest model. The 2007 Acura TSX does not offer many improvements over the 2006, but it does have the an audio input jack, Bluetooth, and the wonderful nav system I’ve come to depend on. I thought traffic reports would be color coded on the screen, but that turned out not to be the case.
For grins, we decided to hop into the showroom’s 2006 Acura RL – a luxury class automobile, and the last on the lot. When the marketers say “luxury,” they’re not just talking about the ride. I can’t think of a more luxurious car for geeks than the Acura RL. It reminded me of the Millenium Falcon, with so many buttons and knobs – I didn’t know what to fiddle with first. Of course, Ponzi’s all about the outside of a ride – which this particular car had going for it, with the A-Spec Performance Package applied. Was it worth considering?
We asked to take a test drive “around the block,” taking it on a pre-determined course with the salesman riding shotgun. Smooth, quiet, comfortable – everything you’d expect. I wasn’t sure if I could feel the difference between the RL and my current TSX, though. The dealer was knocking close to $10k off this pimped mobile – to make room for the forthcoming 2007 RL. We could wait for the new model, pay the same amount, and get a car that looked far less finished – or take this one with a single addition (the rear-view / backup camera).
Ponzi and I left the location, driving away in our TSX. I could feel the difference immediately – and decided to, on the spot, drive the same course as we just had with the RL. The cruise felt constrained (not in cabin room, but in general maneuvering) – and I could feel so many more imperfections in the road. The difference, indeed, was night and day. The only thing the 2006 Acura RL was missing was an audio-in jack – but I wonder if there would be a way to add one?
Ponzi is a mean negociator – I’m glad she’s on my side. We returned to the dealership and started to talk shop. They really needed to move this car, and we used that knowledge to our advantage. We settled on a mutually amicable set of terms after a few “back and forths.” I will drive that 2006 Acura RL off the lot on Wednesday afternoon, after a few modifcations are completed.
The RL lease terms are fairly comfortable, and quite comparable what we had with Honda Financial Services and our TSX (including our monthly payment). I still don’t know if I can find a shop to add an audio-in jack, but… I’m wholly satisfied with our decision to go with this particular RL. Maybe I’ll name it “Vader,” since it has a black chassis?
Optimize 3.0 is a powerful tool that will allow you to easily manage multiple computers. You can schedule Optimize to run remotely from any computer - anywhere in the World! Save yourself, the IT person, time and money by letting Optimize do the work for you.
18 Comments
Jacob
October 9th, 2006
at 4:48pm
Leasing is a bad financial decision. Why not just buy?
Acura RL - Features and Fun ~ Windows Fanatics
October 9th, 2006
at 8:59pm
[...] As I mentioned earlier today in my personal space, I’m getting an Acura RL. I did enough research to know that I needed an automobile which would keep my “geek lobe” satisfied – as well as keep me safe and comfortable on the road. The full story on how the Acura RL will come to be living in my driveway is out, but here’s the bulk of what won me over: The elegantly styled interior includes perforated leather-trimmed seats, fine wood accents and top-rate materials. These are complemented by the most advanced electronics available, including the Acura Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Recognition, the innovative AcuraLink satellite communication system with real time traffic, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and a spectacular-sounding Acura/Bose 10-speaker Surround Sound System. Safety is also enhanced with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), side curtain airbags, and standard OnStar(R) service. For 2006, the RL’s real time traffic feature has enhanced graphics to make it even easier to read. These advances-and a lot more-combine in the RL; the strongest, most powerful, best handling and most luxurious sedan Acura has ever built. [...]
celery
October 9th, 2006
at 9:35pm
Only fools or people with more money than brains would lease
Pete Mauro
October 9th, 2006
at 9:40pm
Leasing is not a bad decsion if you like to drive a new car every 3 years. Otherwise, buying a 2 year old car outright is the best way to go.
Chris – I don’t know what you want the audio in jack for, but I love my Denison ipod car kit. They integrate with most OEM stereos.
http://www.densionusa.com/
pete
david syme
October 10th, 2006
at 1:31am
In Britain leasing was/is tax deductible and many got the car that way for that reason.
Tried to find your email but couldn’t althought I have emailed you before.
I use firefox and just get a mess when I open the new Windows Fanatics.
netnomad
October 10th, 2006
at 6:44am
The trick is not finding the hardware to install the audio-in jack. The trick is finding an installer who wasn’t flipping Big Macs last week.
There are LOTS of products that will interface with the audio system in the Acura and give you an audio-in OR an iPod interface without changing the deck.
You need to find someone who is comfortable and familiar with high-end Acuras. I can’t believe the dealership didn’t recommend someone to you. At most dealerships they will even do this kind of modification on-site, even if they sub-contract to an audio geek to come to them and perform the modification in their service bay.
Maybe better to wander back to the service counter and ask THEM instead of talking to the sales staff up front.
Paul
October 10th, 2006
at 8:30am
So you skipped right over the TL and went for the RL. The TSX is a very sporty car with a “stiff” ride. The RL is a LUXURY sedan and will handle so. Super quiet. Make sure you take some pics and post them online.
But WHY lease ?
charliedigital
October 10th, 2006
at 10:22am
Leasing is not bad when you change cars every 2 years. Buying a new car is rarely an “investment”.
ET
October 10th, 2006
at 10:29am
Not when you can right it off as a business expense, which i am assuming he is doing.
Greg
October 10th, 2006
at 11:46am
People who can afford it buy; people who can’t afford it lease.
adhoc124
October 10th, 2006
at 12:55pm
The RL’s 18 mpg (city) is pathetic and downright irresponsible. There are ways to feedd your geek needs without destroying the planet and bending over to our oil-producing overloards.
Captain Planet
October 11th, 2006
at 5:08am
Way to kill the planet bonehead. Why do you hate America?
Never_Leaser
October 11th, 2006
at 8:56am
Never lease! It’s the most financial bad decision you can make. Like the above poster who indicated that you probably use this new car as a tax write off then it might make sense. Besides most geeks don’t really into the whole luxury cars, unless of course you’re one of those super rich geeks. Most geeks I know would settle for a few year old Honda civic or something that have very good gas mileage. Some geeks are into the tuning scene and get a lot older car and do a bunch of modification to make the car super duper cool and have great performance.
Herb
October 11th, 2006
at 1:43pm
I have an Acura TL, with a sound system that is supposed to play DVD-Audios. Your RL may have a similar system.
The system in my TL plays commercial DVD-As. But it won’t play DVD-As that I’ve made with Audio Cleaning Lab 10. My homemade DVD-As do play properly on my home DVD player and my PC.
You might try playing homemade DVD-As in your RL. If you find a similar problem, and a solution, I’d like to hear about it.
Tockly
October 11th, 2006
at 3:59pm
Sounds nice. What happened to your BMW Z4?
As for leasing, to me it makes much more sense. As soon as you drive a car off the lot it’s value is instantly $10K less. What’s up with that.
Recently in New Zealand there was a segment on the local news comparing a lease to a buy and the lease ended up much much cheaper than buying. And you get a you car every three years.
ET
October 11th, 2006
at 4:55pm
Good on you Chris!! Now you gotta go to get LCD TV’s for the headrests and some airbad suspension. Also make sure you mash the gas pedal so you get worse gas milage to piss the previous posters off!! Honda builds a good car and they last forever!!
Never_Leaser
October 12th, 2006
at 9:31am
The best way to buy a car is to buy a used honda that is over 4 years old. If you’re going to buy don’t buy brand-new. Don’t lease because you can’t really modded it and you are limited by mileage you put on. I bought a 1999 honda civic, more expensive then their domestic counterparts but well worth it. Before this I had a 1998 honda civic before someone reared end it but i put 70K miles in 3 years without any repairs.
XM Holiday Music Channels ~ Chris Pirillo
November 17th, 2006
at 1:10am
[...] Since purchasing the Acura RL, I’ve become an XM subscriber. Having satellite radio at my mobile fingertips has proven to be a wonderful luxury! For the most part, I remain tuned into the comedy channels (namely, XM Channel 150). The holidays are coming, and XM has responded with a set of Holiday music channels: [...]