Tactical Penguin
Tactical Penguin Dork
2/21/19 9:09 a.m.

A coworker of mine is being offered a family friend's supposedly immaculate RL with 120k miles for 4 grand.

He wants a plush riding, reliable car that doesn't necessarily have to get good fuel economy.  Anything to watch out for with these, or are they fairly bulletproof if maintained?

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
2/21/19 10:08 a.m.

Head gaskets go at about 150k. Pretty normal. The knock sensor wiring under the intake gets eaten by mice a lot. T-belt is due by 90k so if it's not done, do it. Now. 

Other than the luxury tax (no honda chassis shared) and being a Japanese car, they're pretty decent. Oh, the electric columns on these.... $4k. So if it's broken, and its in the right place leave it. If not... well move on. 

Make sure he gets the Red key with the car. The immobilizer units on these use the red key to unlock and program new keys. Without it, or if someone uses the red key to drive on it, the immobilizer unit has to be replaced with a new red key and two new master keys. 

Tactical Penguin
Tactical Penguin Dork
2/21/19 10:33 a.m.

Thanks for the info dump!  He's not super encouraged by this, and advised he's probably just going to hold out for a clean Crown Vic or Town Car.

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
2/21/19 1:41 p.m.

They're a great car, but they are still a luxury car and with that some things just cost more. This was Honda's US flagship for almost 10 years and was built off the second Generation Legend platform. 

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 UltimaDork
2/21/19 3:20 p.m.

I've spent some seat time in them, but I've never owned one.  Arguably the Honda/Acura flagship since it's introduction as the Legend in 1985, renamed the RL in 1996 and ran through the 2012 model year, then renamed again as the RLX in 2014.  All three models are based on the JDM Honda Legend.  The 1996-1998 is the one I'm most familiar with.  The 3.5 is no ball of fire, but the car makes a comfortable interstate cruiser.

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
2/21/19 3:38 p.m.

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

the 96-04 were based on the second gen legend. Longitudinal engine/trans layout while still being fwd. The first gen legend was a V6 accord transverse layout. It's the blueprint for the NSX drivertain. The 05-up went back to transverse, but added the SH-AWD where it would overdrive the outside rear tire in corners to help push it around. Worked well, but a crap ton of recalls and bulletins on that first year. The 05-up were surprisingly cramped for being a flagship car. Not much bigger than the TL (TLX) and when the 09 TL came out it was the same platform and AWD. 

Jeebus.... over 4 years and I still have a crapload of that info stuck in my head. 

Tactical Penguin
Tactical Penguin Dork
2/21/19 5:34 p.m.

Well, after a bit of texting, he's decided he wants to look at it and has enlisted me to come along on the test drive to see if there's any glaring deficiences.

 

noddaz
noddaz SuperDork
2/21/19 5:52 p.m.

Bobzilla pretty much hit everything...

CyberEric
CyberEric HalfDork
2/21/19 10:27 p.m.

Are these not prone to auto trans problems like he other Hondas w the J35?

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
2/22/19 7:18 a.m.

In reply to CyberEric :

These aren't J-engines and they sit longitudinally instead of the normal honda transverse. These are actually a 90* V6 (C-series).

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
2/22/19 7:33 a.m.

Quick sidenote.... other than head gaskets every 150k-ish these were really solid. I can't remember the number of these I saw well over 250-300k miles. IMO, this was one of the last truely great Honda's that they ever built. Everything after this was a compromise of cost over quality. These were truly built like tanks. 

penultimeta
penultimeta HalfDork
2/22/19 9:59 a.m.

My sister has one (1997). She's had it since about 2000 and was purchased with a little over 10k on it. It has close to 300k on it now. Most of the luxury things are broken (including AC, which I guess isn't really a luxury) and way too expensive to fix. She's got a short commute and six figures worth of debt from law school, so I'm guessing the the RL will continue to live life as reliable, but less than luxurious DD from now ad infinitum.  

mtn
mtn MegaDork
2/22/19 10:20 a.m.

I know nothing about them other than I lost a "bet" that I had the highest mileage car in the parking lot with someone at work. I have a GS430 with 280k; my coworker has a late 90's RL with 290k. 

 

 

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
2/22/19 10:22 a.m.

In reply to penultimeta :

I mean, when you stop and do the math, that car is 22 years old and has driven around the world 12 times (or driven to the moon and almost halfway back). 

penultimeta
penultimeta HalfDork
2/22/19 11:11 a.m.

In reply to bobzilla :

Oh, it's not a complaint. I think its testament to 90s Honda reliability and cockroach like build quality. She's actually keeping it per my suggestion, she really wants a Fit, but the RL just keeps going. 

CyberEric
CyberEric HalfDork
2/22/19 1:35 p.m.

In reply to bobzilla :

Good to know, thank you. 

I always found the longitudinal V6 in a FWD fascinating. Still remember the first time I saw a Legend's engine. What the?!

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
2/22/19 1:52 p.m.

In reply to CyberEric :

The first one I got to see was on a lift. That was when I realized what happened. Honda had planned to build a RWD luxury sedan, got 3/4 of the way there and then chickened out. Seriously, they needed a rear diff and a 3' driveshaft. 

Carbon
Carbon UltraDork
2/22/19 6:19 p.m.
mtn said:

I know nothing about them other than I lost a "bet" that I had the highest mileage car in the parking lot with someone at work. I have a GS430 with 280k; my coworker has a late 90's RL with 290k. 

 

 

Make another bet about who’s car has more broken accessories. Make your money back. Every one of those super high mileage acura tls and rls I see has broken interior and accessories galore. 

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