honda606

I wasn't aware until now that this thread is solely concerned with the straight line performance of these two vehicles.

The only thing you're biased about is correcting stupidity with fact and you don't dig on assumptions?

Let me refresh your selective memory with the first reply you presented in this thread..
Ahhh yes. Another great, unbiased, assumption saturated, fact filled opinion based comment from our resident car expert.

So I can't say that the RL will be another reliable Honda product but you can assume that the RL will "never compete" with any of the above mentioned? Oh...and you even listed two German makes first...imagine that.

steve c

That's an opinion I was stating there -- no attempts to pass it off as factual information.

It's one I still stick by. I drove the last generation RL about a year ago when I was in the market for a used, cheap big beater to haul folks around in. The LS400 got the nod for a variety of reasons; the "area under the curve" being a major one.

NFRs2000NYC

I just priced a 530i (dealers dont discount them in my area...they are selling well) and it came out to $54,970 with everything the RL has, and WITHOUT..SMG, rear heat, active cruise, HUD, Park control, folding rear seats, and front comfort seats. Its 5 grand....still money.

The RL feels like a better built car, the assembly quality I think is a good deal better, and although the 0-60 time are the same, real world driving the RL is a good deal faster (highway passing power)...IMHO.

Also....the arguement that the RL is a pig is no good. The 530 with auto weighs in at 3483. Divide that by 225hp and you get 15.48 pounds per horsepower. The RL is 3984lbs divided by 300hp.....which makes it 13.28 pounds per horsepower. So who is really the pig here???

The RL handles MUCH better than a 530i, and a little better than a 530i with sport package. I guess different strokes for different folks. I chose the RL.

LUV2REV

Don't you ever get sick of being you ? Why must life be so futile ?? You dredge and dredge a fruitless cause. It's funny, I see many new 5 series (all variants) sitting hopelessly in search of a home at the BMW Gallery a block away from Northwest Acura here in Calgary. The Acura dealer has an ever growing waiting list for the new RL, yet the BMW dealership cannot seem to move the "better" 5. I guess too many people have been manipulated into purchasing the heavy, less reliable, and downright inferior RL. Oh, and then you bring an LS400 into the equation (don't tell me you consider it a worthy competitor to the RL). Didn't you just buy another S2000 because you were "tired" of driving the LS ? Why do you always bring up the previous RL, this is not what is being discussed ?? Quit digging for self gratification.

rai

NFRs2000NYC

Don't know where you get your weight for the 530i. Seems way low.

R&T has 530i 6-speed (manual) curb weight = 3740 lbs.


That said the 530i with MT is just as fast as the RL. Maybe German horses are stronger. Hard to say don't know the 530 AT time just now.

However if you want to say the BMW is better maybe first point out it's at least available with a stick shift. Not all people like stick shift on a big sedan, but it's nice to have a choice.

Also the 5-series wih every option costs are insane. A fully optioned 525i costs $60K. Yes that's with 189hp 2.5L

NFRs2000NYC

Rai...you are right about the weight....I got it from BMWNA website, but its DRY weight. So yea, its 37XX lbs.

Next point, not only do I NOT want stick in my daily luxo-cruiser, why anyone would get a 4 door with 37XXlbs AND an anemic 225hp engine with stick is beyond me. And yes, magazine times the 530i might be the same, but real world the RL is much quicker. Highway passing the RL is much faster...(I test drove the E class, 530i, and RL ) back to back, the dealerships are all in a row next to each other, on the side of a 55mph road.

The MT 530i is faster 0-60 because it can be launched.

Anyway, this defend the RL convo is moot. I am the consumer, I dont like the 530i and the E class (6 cyl models), I think they are overpriced, overhyped, as reliable as cracked windshield, and the biggest a$$hole service in the world. The RL has everything I want, at the price I want, with the best customer service I have ever had in any car my friends or myself have ever owned.

Good luck with your 0.1 sec faster 0-60 times and the lightweight bodies, Im getting the acura.
And for all of those knocking it....saying acura missed the mark...

All the RLs (90%) in my area have been presold. They must have done something right to get me, and a whole slew of other people to buy it.

exceltoexcel

You should be able to purchase this vehical for ~46K way less than the 60K you'd have to shell out for a bmw530 with comparable options. I hate BMW with the al-a-cart pricing. For god sakes just give us the real price on the car. I just get depressed after finding out that I'm going to have to pay $1500 for you floor mats. =(

exceltoexcel

[QUOTE=steve c,Nov 13 2004, 08:36 PM] And yet you care to spew incorrect information regarding the acceleration of the two cars -- simply assuming that lower horsepower means the BMW is slower. You also care to pass off your assumption that the RL will be more reliable as fact based on zero actual data.

NFRs2000NYC

As far as cars go, my RL (2000) was rated #1 in no/low problems of any production car as of 2004.

(This weeks Wall Street Journal, I forgot what day exactly.)

Ive owned it since 2000 and it NEVER had any kind of problem, squeek, ratte, something lose, broke, blown, NOTHING. EVER.

Find me a BMW owner than can make that claim.

JL9000

I do not think the RL is much faster. Instead of looking at lb/hp ratio, you should look at lb/whp. I'd expect the RL to put down somewhere around 220whp, and 530 is good for about 195. Now, a heavier car always feel faster even if the actual acceleration is the same, so you may feel faster in the RL without actually being faster. I also don't think the RL handles much better than 530. The 530 feels sharper and more agile, while the RL feels more planted and smooth. Handling is subjective though, I suppose.

And make no mistake, I'm not knocking the RL, because I'm about to order one myself.