In another thread, ozticks asked that I pass on some of my observations about cars I have owned.  I will do so because I am a car enthusiast and have enjoyed reading and learning about cars owned by other enthusiasts.  I hope that I do not bore you with my comments.

There are certain aspects that I consider to be paramount in a car; safety, engine performance, ride, overall visual style, fit, finish, creature comforts and price.  Over the years I have owned cars of differing body styles, engine sizes and types of transmissions that met these criteria.

I am a good trader and receive top dollar for my cars when I dispose of them because they are always in excellent condition.   My log of purchases show that from 1988 to the present, my cost to own a new car for the one year to 24 months it was with me averaged under $5,000 a year or about $200 to $275 per month.

For purpose of this thread, I will relate my thoughts about the three former cars I owned before my present 2008 SC 430.; they were, a 2005 Acura RL, a 2006 Infiniti M45 and a 2007 Lexus ES350.  Although these cars differ in engine size and drive train, each is comparable to the other in features with which I equipped them.

Unequivocally I believe each is a fine luxury sedan. All were able to meet my driving needs with safety and comfort and I think that each is an improved version of its immediate predecessors and as such are more outstanding values then any previous car of their brand.

A frequent criticism of the RL is that it is inferior to other luxury cars simply because Acura does not offer an engine with eight cylinders. I reject this assertion as nonsense. It has been my experience owning numerous high-powered V8 and V12 engine cars that the 2005 RL equipped with six cylinders 300hp engine produces enough power and acceleration to enter freeways at optimum speeds, safely pass other cars when required to do so and to cruise at interstate speeds with ease and comfort. I will concede that the RL engine does not stimulate me with the same physical “rush” generated the M45 V8 335hp engine.  The ES 350 has an even smaller engine.  Yet, it produces the power needed for every contingency.

There is a downside to exhilarating engine power and that is higher gasoline consumption. Of the three, better gas economy was my reward as an ES 350 owner. The M45 swallows gasoline at the highest rate followed by the RL.

I averaged 22mpg in the city and 31mpg on the highway for the one year I owned the ES 350.  This was much, much better mpg than I got with the RL or the M45 with their larger engines


The following are out-the-door costs including tax, license and the costs incurred doing window tinting, clear coat bra and hard-wired radar:

2005 Acura RL 6 cylinder 300hp 3.5 liter SH-AWD (paid $47,886).
2006 Infiniti M45 8 cylinder 325hp 4.5 liter rear wheel drive (paid $52,522).
2007 Lexus ES350 6 cylinder 272hp 3.5 liter front wheel drive (paid $42,243).

All three cars were reliable, failure free and a pleasure to own and drive.

The following are my SUBJECTIVE observations:

The RL was feature rich and luxurious.
It provided the best handling of the three.
It provided more stability than the others.
It had the most intuitive and best-working navigation system.
It delivered more detailed and better driver information on the screen.
It had the best interior lighting system.



The M45 evoked visceral sensations and was by far the most exciting to drive.
It was fastest out the gate and accelerated with verve.
Its interior was the most elegantly appointed.
It had the best paint finish.
It had the best head-light system.
It had the best voice recognition system.
It had superior brakes.
It had a super tire pressure monitor system that was informative and easy to operate.


The ES350 was the most stylish, sedate, quiet and comfortable.
It accelerated and cruised quickly with ease and safely.
It was measurably the most fuel efficient of the three.
It had the best fit of hardware.
It had the best bluetooth system.
It has the best home-link (garage opener) system.
Its electroluminescent instrumentation was the most visible night or day.
It had the finest audio system (ML).
Its heating/cooling seats were fractionally better.
It had an outstanding rear view camera and front avoidance system.

The voice recognition system of the M45 VR worked better than either my RL or ES. The ES VR system was a chore for me to operate. No matter how I tried to be vocally clear with numbers or words, the VR got it wrong. My problem with the RL VR system was that I never mastered it well enough to get my cell phone to operate properly by verbal command.

I  found the TPMS display in the M45 better than the RL. The graphic display was excellent and more detailed then the system in the ES which only indicated when low pressure was present and did not identify all four wheels (or the spare) individually as did the M45.

I found no problem with the head lights of any of the three.   However, the M45 lights allowed better illumination further down the road for my old eyes.

I do have two complaints about the ES.  The overhead interior lighting is extremely poor and the Navagation System does not allow one to input settings while the car is in motion. Perhaps, this is a minor nuisance for other but for me it is a source of irritation.

Of the three, I liked the layout of the ES350 dashboard controls, the way I fit in the driver’s seat, the smooth and quiet drive I got and the power at my pedal when I needed it..

There are many, many more attributes that each of these fine cars provide. The ones I have listed were the most important ones to me.

There were no factory options available to purchase for the 2005 RL. All of its features and high-tech bells and whistles were included in its basic price.

The M45 and ES 350 were priced in the more traditional way.   In other words, one could choose options to feed the senses for additional costs.  As an example, in order to equip the M45 with features that catered to my desire for creature comforts, I purchase the Journey and Tech packages at additional cost. These packages matched in similarity those integral to the RL as well as three additional features not offered by Acura in the RL.

The ES 350 option packages I purchased at extra cost related to the rear view camera and the front avoidance parking system.

There are other cost consequences owning one or the other car.  As previously mentioned, it begins first at the time of initial purchase and builds because of frequent fill-ups at the pump. There is also an unexpected cost that I failed to anticipate, maintenance. I drove the RL in excess of 10k before first oil and filter change was required. The M45 requires a first oil and filter change at 3,750 miles and one thereafter as increments of 3,750 miles occurs.  The ES 350 requires similar maintenance every 5,000 miles

Another difference is that both the M45 and ES 350 required (per the operator’s manual) a structured break-in period of 1200 miles. With the exception of a brief few miles to properly set the brakes and to allow the car to properly seat, I drove the RL from the very beginning as I did on the last day I drove it; with gusto!

The RL has its unique SHAWD. I never drove the RL in snow or in really foul weather. Nevertheless, I liked the SHAWD very much. I found that the RL’s handling on sharp curves was sure and safe.

The M45 is a RWD vehicle. Its suspension and ability to stabilize on curves at fairly high speed is as good as it gets. So much power married with such good handling has given me a very great sense of pleasure.


The ES 350 is a front wheel drive vehicle and handles as such.  Of the three, it was a distant third to the other two.


The audio system is good in the RL. It is better in the M45 and in the ES 350, the Mark Levinson Audio System is simply the best.  It is superb!.


All three cars have similar dimensions. However, the M45 has more inside passenger and trunk space.

Here are my conclusions: The 2005 Acura RL providee a good, safe and comfortable ride. I got more then my monies worth for the price I paid for it. Best of all, I never had a single mechanical failure with the RL. It not only looked and felt like a luxury sedan, in my estimation, it was one in every sense of the word.

My 2006 Infiniti M45 was sleek and well-appointed. I think its electronic creature comfort technologies are better then those in the RL. The greatest attribute of the M45 in my estimation is its power. The Infiniti engine is awesome. Its transmission is stellar. The car is quiet at speed limits and rockets with a purr on the edge of a growl at high speeds. It is music to my ears.

The RL with its SHAWD always gave me a sense of security. The way the M45 handles, I am always in control.

This brings me to the Lexus ES 350.  Quite simply I loved this car.  It fit me to a “T.”  It was beautifully styled, luxuriously appointed, and exceptionally comfortable.  It had all the power I wanted or needed and never gave me a moments problem.  Oh yes, I liked the coffee better at the Lexus dealership.

I hope that I did not bore anyone reading my ramblings.  I am sure that Mike will find what I have said repetitive since I said mostly the same things in other threads posted in the Acura, Infiniti and Lexus forums.

And, speaking of Mike, from what I have read of his comments in the past, this forum might well benefit from his observations on these same cars.  He has shown an excellent perspective and a mature understanding of the attributes and failures of each.

Regards to all.

I would do something similar but it would be silly long.

Great comparison article!  thanks

Great write-up, carbuff. And thanks for the kind words about me, although you and I (and maybe my wife) might be the only ones to agree. 

Since you invited me, I'll say that I agree with you on most of your points. But I do differ on some specific items, since we all use things differently and our experiences vary.

For example, I  think the voice recognition in my Acuras (all 3 of them) was a good bit more accurate and effective than in my M45. Part of that relates to my second observation about the M, which is that it was loud at highway speeds. Tire noise (those darn Goodyear RSA's), road noise and wind noise combined to make it a noisy cruiser, and that routinely tripped up the VR and caused it to misunderstand commands.

All in all, I'd guess that the Infiniti VR was accurate about 80-85% of the time, while the Acura was a good 95% accurate. And the Acura allowed more things to be controlled by voice. The Acuras stand out to me as the "gold standard" of voice recognition systems. (The Lexus system, BTW, is terrible, just as you say.)

My other beefs with the M were the wide console/center stack that dug into my right knee and caused a tender spot after a couple of hours behind the wheel, and the transmission behavior. My problems with the Infiniti torque converter lockup are well-documented in the FA forums, and I won't go over it again, except to say I really hope it is resolved with the upcoming 7-speed transmission.

On the flipside, the backup camera in the M was super, with the guide lines to show you where the corners are and where you're going.

I also agree the RL's power was more than adequate, but it puts many people off because it has such a "soft" throttle tip-in. That makes it feel less powerful than it is, so it requires a little heavier foot off the line to feel as spunky as it really is. On the road, though, it will spool up from 70 to 100 plenty fast.

Among my RL, my M45 and my current LS460, I of course give the LS the nod, but unlike you I would rank the RL slightly above the M45 purely on comfort and amenities ... more toys, smoother ride, less harshness on sharp bumps and ripples, and less road racket. And of course, the Acura Navigation system is the best on the market, bar none.

I could see myself in another M ... IF they resolve the tq converter "slam", give it more-relaxed gearing for highway cruising and some additional soundproofing. And I might even consider an M37 if it has enough beans, V-6 or no V-6. Maybe.

BTW - I got the exact same thing on my M - Journey and Tech. We DO think alike!

Thanks for the mini-reviews!

Mike

^^  A big thumbs up! ^^

Mike

Oh, goodness, no. I  would rank them differently: Acura -> Infiniti -> Lexus.

I should point out that I've owned cars with OEM Nav's from all three, as well as a number of aftermarket units (most of them Garmins), so I have formed some opinions on them. I rank the Acura system first because:

1. It is not locked out while the car is moving. That alone would make it #1 in my book!
2. The interface is more intuitive than the others. It takes fewer entries to get to something, and less boring down through sub-menus. Also, the controller knob is a thing of beauty to operate (believe it or not.)
3. the system is more informative. The maps show more information, like the names of lakes and rivers and highways and national parks and airports, etc. (The Lexus system tells you little ... it just shows a colored blob for POI's and maybe a vague icon if you're lucky.)
4. the interface is even more pleasant for me. The Lexus black-on-white color scheme is harsh, and while the Infiniti has Birdview, I find that useless for real navigation. The Acura's bright screen is rendered in "real" map colors, so it's easy to read like a map.
5. The Acura Nav Lady (LOL) talks just the right amount. The Infiniti system has a bad habit of repeating itself ("Stay on I-80 ahead" ... "Stay on I-80 ahead" ... "Stay on I-80 ahead" ... alright already!), and the Lexus lady splits it down the middle.
6. The Acura system actually allows you to enter destinations and navigate by voice recognition. It assumes some key things (like the state and city wjere you currently are), so you don't have to re-enter that stuff every time you set a destination or look for a POI. Infiniti and Lexus make you start from scratch every time - enter state, enter city, enter address, enter street, blah, blah, blah.

There are more points to be made, but I won't go on. I recognize different people like different things, so there will be those who disagree with me, but i traveling across the country with all the above systems, I consistently found the Acura Nav to be the most helpful and the easiest to use.

Mike

Well ... ALL the Nav's I've had went from day screen to night screen, so that's not unique to Lexus at all. And BTW, the Lexus screen isn't tan ... it's white. Here's a shot:




YOU said it ... I didn't. 

Mike